I spend a lot of time every day looking at online content produced by businesses and professionals – it’s my job – and the majority of it is awful. 

Depending on what I’m researching or working on during any particular day, I’m lucky if I see more than a couple of posts that make me stop scrolling and click through for more. The majority is meaningless, purely promotional and lacks any true insight or depth. 

Stop making noise

You have to have a purpose when you post online. The content that cuts through drives us through emotion into action or solves a problem that we could do with fixing.

If you’ve won an award, I and many others don’t care. Awards are not an accurate reflection of the best businesses or individuals out there – the net has to be cast a lot wider than those who bothered to apply.

If you post a shot of you standing on a stage, tell me what you were saying that will change my life and then I’ll take notice. A photo of you speaking to a crowd adds credibility but tell us your ‘why’ – your reason for being on that stage. That’s more relevant to me and it might make me want to learn more about you.

Above all else, make the content about me, the reader. Show me what you do best. Show me the best of you. Open up. Be raw and honest. Tell me what I need to do and how that’s going to improve my work or life every day. 

Make it worth my while to stop scrolling or I’m gone.