Being a content marketer these days feels like being one of those game show contestants standing in a wind tunnel trying to grab as many dollar bills as you can—all the while knowing that you’re grasping slim pickings of what’s really available.
It's exhausting. And we deal with it different ways. Some of us panic-try every new AI tool. Some of us freeze up, waiting for clearer direction to emerge.
But there are some things you can do and feel confident in even with all the unknowns. Here's what I'm seeing work with our clients - and none of it requires you to be an AI know-it-all.
I'm talking about that content audit you've been putting off because it's uncomfortable. You know the one—where you have to admit that half your blog posts sound the same and your product pages read like they were written by a kitchen sink internal committee.
Start here:
No more blog posts that are too coy to bring it home to the solution you sell. And by ‘bring it home’ I mean crisp, plain statements.
I'll show you what I mean:
Interview SMEs instead of trying to be one.
And once you’ve done all that, get those meaningful bylines on your content too.
No more weasel words. No more vague claims. Push your org for real numbers. Run your own surveys. Track your own metrics.
Data and expertise combined are your shield against generic grey goo and AI-generated fluff.
Here's what that looks like:
Instead of obsessing about Grammarly-level edits, obsess about hunting for data and baking it into every story you tell.
Make your visitors say "holy sh#t, this is useful," and share it.
We all love these things, share them and yet so few content marketers actually get to make these things. Brainstorm things like:
One good tool is often worth many blog posts. Use some of your freelance writer budget for a developer. Make it happen.
Yes, SEO still matters. A LOT. But, no, it shouldn't be your only plan.
We all became overreliant on a distro channel that turned us into grey-goo fabricators. Let’s break that cycle. Start by asking yourself:
Then go deep on 2-3 channels instead of shallow on 12. And remember, it’s about where you reach your ICP, not where you maximize eyeballs.
We get it: You want to be safe. These are fractious times. We’re not talking about being divisive.
Give air to some of those smart, impassioned conversations that happen every day internally at your company.
Things like:
Connect those positions to the product you’ve built, its point of view, who it’s for, who it’s not for.
Yes, some may disagree with you. Good. That means you're saying something worth saying.
But they work.
And better yet, they'll keep working when Google launches another helpful content update and however ‘AI optimization’ evolves.
Yes, most of these require you to fight some battles. You'll need budget. You'll need SME time. You'll need your product team to actually give you data. But that's kind of the point—if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. And they're not.
Start with what you can control. Pick one thing from this list. Build the case for resources. Show some wins. Then move on to the next. Because while everyone else is waiting to see how AI shakes out, you'll be building something that actually stands up.
And, hey: If you're looking at this list thinking "great, but I need help making it happen,” that's literally why we exist!
Drop me a note here on LinkedIn or through our contact form. We help B2B, B2C and D2C companies turn their content from forgettable to fundamental. No BS. Just solid strategies that work.