Most business content is garbage. Empty captions. Trend-chasing nonsense. Posts that do absolutely nothing except take up space. Frankly, this level of mediocrity is unacceptable.
And let’s be even more honest: your audience isn’t falling for it. They’re far more perceptive than you give them credit for. They see your recycled templates, your “just checking the box” reels, your filler posts that could be written by a distracted intern on a deadline.
Content isn’t a box to tick. It’s a business asset. And people aren’t stupid – they can tell when you’re posting just to stay visible versus when you’re building something real. They know if you respect their time. They know if you care. They can tell if hiring you would feel like a hollow transaction – or the start of a meaningful partnership.
When you churn out robotic, buzzword-filled content that says nothing useful, your audience stops believing you can help them. They don’t think you’re listening. They don’t think you care. And in a world saturated with bland messaging and soulless corporations, people crave something more. They demand heart. They demand connection. They demand proof you’re worth trusting.
Because if your brand can’t be bothered to give a damn when people are watching for free, why should anyone pay to hear what else you have to say?
Posting Alone Isn’t Enough
Too many businesses confuse visibility with value. They post five times a day because some so-called internet guru told them to “stay consistent,” not because they have anything worth saying. So the feed fills up with:
- “We’re the best!”
- “Check out our services!”
- “New post, who dis?”
None of it sticks. None of it builds trust. And it certainly doesn’t convert anything but your audience’s scrolling finger.
People don’t engage just because you exist. They engage because your content speaks to them – like a person, not a pitch deck. You educate on a complex topic; they demand more. You articulate a common pain point; they find immediate resonance. You share a truly inspiring post; they begin to envision a better outcome because of you.
And most people? They won’t remember you after one post. It takes multiple touchpoints to build recognition, let alone trust. So if those early touchpoints are wasted on filler or forgettable nonsense, you’re not warming your audience up.
You’re training them to ignore you.
The Fix: Post With Purpose
If your content isn’t explicitly educating, forging connection, or igniting genuine conversations, then why are you wasting everyone’s time posting it at all?
Before you hit publish, ask yourself:
- Is there actual value in this?
- Does this reinforce my brand and mission or dilute it?
- Can this be repurposed across formats because the core idea is worth it? (If it cannot, the topic itself is fundamentally deficient.)
If you can’t say yes to all three, save yourself – and your audience – the scroll.
Use Your Content Buckets
A content strategy worth anything isn’t random – it’s architectural. When I build for clients, we start with a grid.
On the horizontal axis: your content pillars: the core topics your brand is known for. On the vertical: your content buckets: the specific types of content, each engineered for a distinct, strategic purpose.
Each post you create should sit somewhere on that grid. If it doesn’t? It doesn’t belong.
Educational Content
In general, for service businesses, THIS is your bread and butter. Teaching your audience doesn’t make you replaceable; it precisely highlights your irreplaceable value. If you’re a vet, you aren’t just sharing pet tips; you’re demonstrating the depth of medical knowledge that makes you the only logical choice. For realtors, revealing what to scrutinize when buying a house isn’t charity; it’s showcasing the foresight that prevents a financial sinkhole, and solidifies your indispensability. When you illuminate how much they need to learn, you become the essential guide.
Good educational content raises the bar. It earns you questions. It earns you shares. It earns you clients.
Inspirational Content
Inspirational content can come in two forms – inspirational as in ideas, or inspirational as in empowering. Either way, it’s a great way to draw in people. This isn’t about vague platitudes or repackaged Pinterest quotes. This is about showing your audience what’s possible, whether it’s a lifestyle, a transformation, or a new way of seeing the world. Travel agents highlighting the perfect trip to an adorable cottage in the Scottish Highlands, complete with Highland Cows and a bagpipe player who wanders town? People will book. A wedding planner who mock-plans the perfect wedding for a Yankees fan? That’s who everyone will want to hire after their proposal on the Jumbo-tron. A life coach who doesn’t just talk about intentional living, but palpably conveys what that life looks and feels like? That’s the trusted authority people will turn to when their own lives demand a pivot, a restructure, or a complete refocus.
Conversational Content
This is where people actually meet you. You’re not just posting, you’re participating. Opinions, questions, debates. Content that sparks a response.
Don’t be afraid to take a stance. Just stay in your lane.
I’m a writer, and I’ll start a fight over the Oxford comma. I have strong opinions. I share them. Someone else might think it doesn’t matter. (They’re wrong. But we can talk about it.)
You say your content is fine, good enough. I say it’s crap. And when you show up in the comments to defend it, we get to talk. That’s where connection happens. And anyone lurking in that thread? They’re watching. They’re learning. They’re making the pivotal decision whether you’re genuinely worth listening to.
Ask better questions. Make real statements. Start a conversation that has teeth. Even if people don’t agree, they’ll remember who made them think.
Entertaining Content
You don’t have to be a clown to be entertaining. You do have to be intentional. The trick is knowing when a trend amplifies your message or distracts from it.
Engaging in a dance trend solely to prove you can keep pace with Gen Z? That’s not useful; it’s a desperate plea for relevance. Participating in a trend that authentically showcases the engaging, often unexpected, side of what you do? That commands attention and compels people to return for more.
Also, dogs. Never underestimate the algorithmic power of a dog.
Promotional Content
Yes, you’re allowed to sell. But if everything you post is just a pitch, you’re not building a brand. You’re building an echo chamber no one wants to sit in.
Follow the 5-7 rule: for every 7 posts you make, no more than 5 should be directly promotional. People are not interested in being relentlessly sold to. If your content strategy is sound and executed with precision, you won’t need to sell. They will arrive, already convinced, ready to buy.
Content that Connects
People don’t connect with perfection. They connect with the human behind the brand.
Show the chaos. Show the regroup. Show what happens when things don’t go as planned (like when you ugly-cry, realizing that five-tier wedding cake you’ve toiled on for eight hours is visibly crooked and on the verge of collapse) and how you handle it with clarity, humor, or grit.
So many obsess over presenting a flawless online facade, but people, by their very nature, are flawed. They understand flaws. They’ll chime in with advice, offer sympathy – and critically, they’ll buy when they witness your resilience, your regrouping, and your ultimate mastery over whatever goes wrong.
How to Build a Strategy That Works
Every piece of content you publish should serve two masters: your content pillars (what you say) and your content buckets (how you say it). If it doesn’t align with both, it doesn’t go out.
That’s non-negotiable.
This is the grid I use for every client – and yes, I hold myself to the same standard. Just last night, I scrapped an entire blog post. Not because it wasn’t well-written. Not because the ideas weren’t strong. But because it didn’t align with the specific message I’m cultivating here. It was client-ready, but not my brand. That absolute clarity? It stems directly from this strategic framework.
And once a piece of content earns its place? You stretch it.
Repurpose with precision. Don’t “tweak and repost” – reimagine with intent. One strong blog post can become:
- A long-form video
- Two short-form reels
- Three branded graphics
- A carousel
- A poll
- A client-facing takeaway
- A set of DMs or replies
- A partner repost
- A story series
- A newsletter CTA
That’s thirteen touchpoints from a single piece of content! Thirteen chances to deepen trust. Thirteen places for the right person to find you. And considering it takes most people 5–7 interactions before they decide to follow or engage, every repurposed version counts.
Consistency matters—but only when it serves clarity. Don’t post daily just to stay visible. Post to say something worth saying.
Track your performance. But stop obsessing over views. Views tell you what the algorithm thinks. Comments, shares, and saves tell you what your audience thinks.
Only one of those builds your business.
Stick To A Schedule
People say they want surprise. But when it comes to brands? They want reliability. Routine builds trust. Predictability creates anticipation.
I’m a fan of thematic structure. Not every day has to be assigned, but your audience should know what kind of experience they’re getting when they see your name. Maybe it’s a weekly series. Maybe it’s a Friday roundup. A hotel might post a new restaurant review every Friday – something locals and travelers alike can look forward to. That builds habit. That builds loyalty. That builds brand gravity.
You don’t need to flood the feed. You need to create rhythm.
Because here’s the truth: every single post is training. You’re teaching your audience how to interact with you. If your content is scattered, forgettable, or off-brand, you’re not building trust, you’re teaching them to scroll past you.
No, this isn’t a call to post daily. It’s a call to post intentionally. Find a sustainable rhythm that matches your capacity and upholds your standards. If that’s three times a week, great. If it’s once, but it’s bold and unforgettable? Even better. What matters is that your content earns its place, not just clutters the timeline.
Your content should earn its spot on the calendar. Not everything deserves to be published. Keep it sharp. Keep it smart. Keep it worth showing up for.
Your content isn’t filler. It’s your first impression, your proof of value, your quiet pitch before the ask. It cultivates trust long before any call is made. And if it’s failing to do that – if it’s merely occupying space – you are systematically leaving money, momentum, and meaning squarely on the table.
Every post should do something: teach, connect, provoke, or invite. Otherwise, it’s just noise.
So what’s next?
- Audit your content. Is it helping anyone?
- Refine your voice. Who are you really speaking to, and why?
- Commit to quality. Track what lands. Drop what doesn’t. Build what matters.
Most businesses post to stay visible. The smart ones post to become unforgettable.
What’s your biggest content challenge right now? Let’s talk.
