Why Most Content Fails (And How to Make Yours Work) ✍️

[admin]

Everyone's creating content. Blog posts, social media, newsletters, videos—endless content.

But 99% gets ignored, forgotten, or never seen.

Why?

THE HARSH TRUTH:

Most content is:

• Created for creator, not audience
• Optimized for algorithms, not humans
• Generic and forgettable
• Solving problems nobody has
• Written without clear purpose

WHAT MAKES CONTENT WORK:

1. SOLVE ONE SPECIFIC PROBLEM

❌ "10 Marketing Tips for Success" ✅ "How I Got My First 1,000 Email Subscribers in 30 Days (Exact Strategy)"

Specific > generic. Always.

2. WRITE LIKE YOU TALK

❌ "Utilize our solution to optimize workflow efficiency" ✅ "Use our tool to get work done faster"

Human language connects. Corporate speak bores.

3. HOOK IN 3 SECONDS

❌ "In this article, I'm going to discuss social media..." ✅ "I wasted $10,000 on Instagram ads before learning this."

Lead with something interesting, surprising, provocative.

4. ONE IDEA PER PIECE

❌ Everything about a topic ✅ Deep dive on ONE aspect

Depth beats breadth.

5. SHOW, DON'T TELL

❌ "Our product is great" ✅ "Customer saved 15 hours/week using this feature. Here's how."

Stories, examples, data > empty claims.

CONTENT FRAMEWORKS:

PROBLEM-AGITATE-SOLVE:

1. Identify painful problem
2. Make them feel it
3. Present solution

BEFORE-AFTER-BRIDGE:

1. Current bad situation
2. Desired good situation
3. Bridge gap with solution

AIDA:

1. Attention (hook)
2. Interest (relevant info)
3. Desire (benefits)
4. Action (specific CTA)

COPYWRITING PRINCIPLES:

Clarity > Cleverness

• Say what you mean directly
• If 12-year-old can't understand, simplify
• Clear writing = clear thinking

Brevity

• Fewer words when possible
• Cut unnecessary adjectives
• Every word earns its place

Specificity

• Concrete details beat vague claims
• "247% revenue increase in 3 months" > "significant growth"
• Numbers, timeframes, exact results

Urgency

• Give reason to act now
• Limited spots, deadlines
• BUT: False urgency destroys trust

Proof

• Show evidence, don't claim
• Testimonials, case studies, data
• Screenshots, before/after

COMMON MISTAKES:

❌ Writing for yourself, not audience

• Research their actual problems
• Use their language

❌ Burying the lede

• Most important first
• Hook immediately

❌ No clear CTA

• What should they do?
• Be explicit, make easy

❌ Wall of text

• Short paragraphs (2-3 lines)
• Bullets, headers, whitespace
• Make scannable

❌ Trying to sound smart

• Complexity confuses
• Simple wins

CONTENT TYPES THAT PERFORM:

How-To Guides:

• Step-by-step instructions
• Solve specific problem
• Actionable

Case Studies:

• Real results, real people
• Problem to solution journey
• Specific numbers

Controversial Takes:

• Challenge common wisdom
• Backed by evidence
• Creates discussion

Ultimate Guides:

• Comprehensive (3,000+ words)
• Cover topic exhaustively
• Authoritative

HEADLINE FORMULAS:

Numbers:

• "7 Ways to [Outcome]"
• "5-Step Process to [Result]"

How-To:

• "How to [Goal] Without [Obstacle]"

Questions:

• "Are You Making These [Number] Mistakes?"

Negative:

• "Stop [Wrong Thing]. Do This Instead."

Benefit:

• "[Method] That Gets [Result]"

TOOLS:

Writing:

• Hemingway Editor (free) - Simplify
• Grammarly (free-$12/mo) - Grammar
• LanguageTool (free) - Alternative

Headlines:

• CoSchedule Headline Analyzer (free)
• Sharethrough (free)

Research:

• AnswerThePublic (free) - Questions
• BuzzSumo ($99/mo) - Trending
• Reddit/Quora - Real questions

AI Assistants (Use Carefully):

• ChatGPT/Claude - Outlines, editing
• Jasper ($49/mo) - Marketing copy
• Note: AI assists, doesn't replace

CONTENT PROCESS:

1. Research (30%)

• What's audience asking?
• What exists? (find gap)
• Your unique angle?

2. Outline (20%)

• Main points logically
• Supporting evidence
• Examples, stories

3. Draft (30%)

• Write fast, don't edit
• Get ideas out
• Momentum over perfection

4. Edit (20%)

• Cut unnecessary
• Strengthen weak points
• Improve clarity

MEASURING SUCCESS:

Real metrics:

• Conversions (signups, purchases)
• Engagement (comments, meaningful interaction)
• Return visitors
• Backlinks
• Search rankings

The metric that matters: Did it achieve your goal?

CONTENT CALENDAR:

Weekly:

• 1 long-form post (1,500+ words)
• 3-5 social posts
• 1 email

Monthly:

• 1 ultimate guide
• 1 case study
• Update 2-3 old posts

RESOURCES:

Books:

• "Everybody Writes" by Ann Handley
• "The Copywriter's Handbook" by Robert Bly
• "Made to Stick" by Chip & Dan Heath
• "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser

Courses:

• HubSpot Content Marketing (free)
• Copyblogger resources (free)

Newsletters:

• Ann Handley's Total Annarchy (free)
• Copyblogger (free)
• Marketing Examples (free)

YouTube:

• Alex Cattoni - Copywriting
• Alex Hormozi - Offers, copy
• Justin Welsh - Content strategy

PRACTICE EXERCISE:

Take your last content and answer:

1. Who exactly is this for?
2. What specific problem solved?
3. Why should they care?
4. What should they do after?
5. Is it scannable?

Can't answer clearly? Won't work.

QUESTIONS:

• What content do you consume? What makes it good?
• Worst content mistake you made?
• Have a process or wing it?
• How do you measure success?

Share your content wins and struggles! 👇