writing advice Archives

5 Secrets to Creating Relevant Content That Wins Business

What is relevant content, and why does it matter?

Relevant content nets reactions, replies, and connections. But finding the balance between promoting your expertise and speaking to your audience’s needs isn’t always easy. If your content marketing yields no results, it might be time for a refresh.

Here’s how to refine your content for better focus and impact.

1. Balance quality and consistency – You can feel pressure to create engaging and useful content regularly — even if you reuse, recycle, or use AI. How do you keep the content treadmill turning? And how do you produce quality content to serve your audience and your business goals?

Burnout can occur on both sides: from creating content to flooding your readers with too much. The solution? Less is more: favor quality over quantity.

Curate, don’t create: summarize or link to useful resources, like the latest industry news or trends.
Craft content for “micro-moments” when consumers search for quick answers or solutions through focused content snippets: FAQs, short videos, or concise blogs or emails.
Create less frequent, well-researched content rather than cranking out posts that add to the noise.

HubSpot reports that eight in ten content marketers agree that creating higher-quality content less often is more feasible.

2. Balance timeliness with timelessness – Keep content fresh by aligning it with trends, seasonal shifts, or industry news.

National day calendars exist for a reason. 🙂 To boost the impact, sync your content to what’s happening now. Recycle familiar topics to suit certain themes or timeframes, like posting tax planning tips or goal-setting topics by year’s end. This is among the easiest ways to plan.

A balanced scale with a tall stack of papers on one side and a glowing lightbulb on the other, symbolizing the balance involved in creating relevant content

Search research can help you whittle down keywords that can influence your topics. And you can narrow your focus and find your “when” through exploring what your readers share or discuss or have gravitated to before.

The evergreen can later become trendy, too. For example, probably because of the title and keywords — not the content depth — an ancient blog on personalizing content is now among my most visited pages.

I haven’t changed it since I published it, but plan to refresh it soon. It’s probably because, in the past few years, “personalization” has become a marketing buzzword.

3. Balance the timeworn with the unconventional – Dare to do something different, whether you lift a dull tone or present content in a new format.

Beyond text, interactive and visually rich formats give your audience something to explore, making the content more memorable and shareable.

But it’s not about showing off creativity. Make your audience think by presenting information in a way that surprises or entertains.

Example: Rather than covering a common topic, a café offered “101 ways that puppies are enjoying a puppuccino,” which became a top performer.

4. Balance tone and personality – Most business content blends in. Dare to be memorable: mixing humor, alliteration, or rhyme with practical advice turns dry topics into page-turners. It’s OK to have some fun once in a while — or more often.

Example: “7 Estate Planning Myths That Could Cost Your Family Big — Are You Guilty of #3?”

While creativity helps gain attention, ensure your ideas truly match your business goals and voice. If you’re doing something different, have a good reason. Otherwise, you could lose credibility. Avoid creating “beautiful illusions” that attract attention yet fail to spark growth.

5. Balance depth and brevity – Ensure short content packs a punch like espresso, while deep dives stay rooted in the bigger picture. Though your audience might crave detailed insights, unless your research shows otherwise, their attention spans can be limited. Provide enough details to establish your authority and deliver value while you keep your content digestible.

Concise content distills complex ideas into clear, actionable insights without oversimplifying. To convey depth without dumbing them down, use:

examples
data points
analogies
bullet points
subheadings

For in-depth pieces, keeping a clear thread to broader themes is challenging. Ensure each piece, regardless of its length, is useful and fits a larger, cohesive narrative about your brand or industry.

Example: the “pillar and cluster” content model

The key: a content strategy that’s expansive and focused, letting audiences dive deep into subjects they care about while providing enough variety to sustain curiosity.

For relevant content, balance creation with moderation. Assess its performance against your business goals regularly and adjust your strategy to establish thought leadership, improve performance, and evolve with your audience and your market.

Learn how to create content that connects with clients who value and respect you and your business

get my checklist — START creatING content that reaches the right clients

How do you create useful and engaging content? What do you think of these tips? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

QUOTES

“Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.” ~ Steve Jobs

“Keep marketing simple. When it comes to content, cover the intersection between what your audience needs to know and your organization’s expertise. This expertise you’re sharing needs to relate to what you actually offer as a business. Make it entertaining and that’s the trifecta.” ~ Brian Honigman

engaging, engaging content, writing advice

5 Tips for Creating Engaging Content

Among the many tips for creating engaging content is to balance showing your personality and expertise with your readers’ interests.

An example of how to make your content more engaging: A man with a beard wearing a white t-shirt and lanyard presents to a group in what appears to be a casual office space. He's pointing a hand to his left as people in the foreground look on.

Does that mean you’re not just a writer, but a performer? Yes, because quality content doesn’t just inform — it persuades and entertains.

Present your information in a way that keeps readers hooked. As the curtain rises, choose words that reflect your branding and speak to your readers; knowing who you are enhances your authenticity and relatability.

Write with style: add facts to stories or humor or rhyme to make readers smile and key points stick.

So, before you grab the top hat and cane, consider:

How will I warm up the crowd?
How will I take the stage on the page?

Based on marketing, audience, and behavioral psychology research, here’s how to create engaging content.

How to Make Your Content More Engaging

1. Address your audience – Google/Greenberg research shows six in ten people expect brands to personalize their experiences based on their preferences.

Picture your reader struggling with a problem. How do they feel? What’s their next step? Show the solutions.

Research your audience and their interests:

Internally: Which topics and writing styles keep them engaged?
Externally: Where do they spend time? What do they “like,” comment on, or share?

The answers clue you in to how they think and feel — the core parts of building a connection with them.

It’s part of that buzzword “personalization”: writing to your reader (even if you don’t call them “Jane” or “John,” but “you”).

Detailed personas aren’t always necessary, either. But they can guide you to find wording your readers will respond to. A call to action then sparks the conversation.

2. Show, don’t tell – Studies show storytelling increases trust and empathy and makes information 22 times more memorable. It can also shape how your audience feels about your brand, stirring their emotions enough to inspire them to act.

Bring ideas to life through vivid details:

Share anecdotes that showcase your expertise.
Move your audience through making them the hero of your story. Show how you guide them to overcome challenges via relatable characters, conflicts, and resolution.
Use examples, especially to simplify complex concepts.
Ask your customers to share their stories, testimonials, or visuals about how your product or service helped them.
Social proof: use real numbers to reveal how many people bought, subscribed, or asked — preferably those that support your statements. If you can’t show specifics, phrases like “our most popular widget” can still boost your credibility.

Examples are one of my favorite ways to show concepts. I’m still refining my “story-sharing” style. Like others, I’ve mistakenly cast myself as the star in my readers’ story. Depending on the topic, story-sharing comes more naturally to me in personal writing than for business.

David Deutsch’s approach looks at ways to bring people into your copy and share their stories, which eases the process.

You don’t have to follow the crowd. If “story-sharing” isn’t one of your strengths, consider other methods that play to them and distinguish you yet suit your brand like:

🔹 Case studies. Let data and results speak for you.
🔹 Sharing before-and-after transformations.
🔹 Using analogies and metaphors to explain complex ideas.

The key is to “show,” not “tell” in a way that fits you and your brand.

One of the tips for creating engaging content: a side-by-side comparison infographic with "Before" and "After" headings, showing low and high engagement through charts and graphs.

3. Use images strategically – A Skyword study found that content with relevant visuals attracts nearly ten times more views than content without them.

Add a chart that shows your results, like a before-and-after comparison. A compelling infographic or a behind-the-scenes video can also enliven a dry topic.

More examples:

Videos
Memes
Photos or illustrations

Photos and video are reportedly the most effective, especially images that don’t look staged or reinforce clichés (unless you’re making a statement).

Example: The Touristy newsletter mixes snarky takes on current news with fun memes and animations.

Your results might vary — and algorithms could skew them — but in my experience, organic social media posts with relevant images gain more interest. (I don’t scale them to each platform’s recommended sizes.)

Video offers a more in-depth view, bringing the faces behind the screen into the spotlight.

As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” And a well-placed visual can be worth a thousand clicks.

4. Make your content useful – Content Marketing Institute research shows practical, actionable content boosts trust and engagement.

Guide readers with step-by-step instructions to solve their problem (through words or imagery)
Provide relevant tips, tools, or templates to help them take the next step
Add something unique like an insight you gleaned from your experience, even if it goes against the grain

5. Be consistent – Forbes reports that one of their clients who posted blogs every Thursday over six months saw new visits rise nine-fold.

Consistency can also mean using a familiar format (like this listicle) or keeping an idea file for inspiration and motivation.

Time your posts to the ideals for each platform:

Social media: daily or every few days
Blogs or newsletters: weekly, biweekly, or monthly; quarterly can be more forgettable, which is why in our age of disposability, print editions stand out

Think of your writing as a performance — one that keeps your readers on the edge of their seats. Stick with it and they’ll return for an encore.

Learn how to create content that connects with clients who value and respect you and your business

get my checklist — START creatING content that reaches the right clients

Which of these tips for creating engaging content will you use in your next piece? Share your thoughts — or your most engaging stories — in the comments!

Quotes

“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” ~ Leo Burnett

“Your content is not about you; it’s about your audience.” ~ Dan Knowlton

content quality, writing advice

Is This Good Quality Content? 5 Key Factors

After you’ve written something for the web, you might wonder, “Is this good quality content?”

No universal definition exists, but experts agree on certain standards. Essentially, quality content meets your audience’s needs and supports your business goals.

A black cat stares at a person typing at a computer, touching their arm with one of its while lying on a desk next to a computer monitor and keyboard.

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines “quality” as a standard that measures how good or bad something is. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary overviews the different meanings of the term, its origin, and usage (with examples).

The word “quality” alone, without adjectives or qualifiers like “good” or “low,” implies excellence. That’s not a strict rule, but a style guideline I prefer.

So what does “quality content” mean, and why does it matter?

How Major Marketing Experts Define Quality Content

Active Campaign: “…the depth of information and insight contained within a piece of content. Content quality goes beyond information to include formatting, readability, and grammatical correctness.”
SEMRush: “Quality content typically refers to content that is useful, accurate, reliable, and relevant to its intended audience.” The article with the quote explains how content quality affects SEO, with examples. It’s also a model for quality content.
Ann Handley (“Everybody Writes”): “Quality content means content that is packed with clear utility and is brimming with inspiration, and it has relentless empathy for the audience.”

But even if a piece meets this criteria, does it “sing” to your readers? The subject matter and how you present it affects whether readers connect with it — and whether it helps you reach your goals. Beyond algorithms, the factors below can keep your audience reading and returning.

5 Ways to Answer “Is This Good Quality Content?”

1. Well-written – Quality content lacks spelling, punctuation, grammar, and factual errors.

Beyond that, consider the depth and accuracy of your information. As part of Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines, authoritativeness and trustworthiness — through your experience and expertise — play major roles. Adding research from reliable sources also enhances your credibility and search rankings.

And if you seek to rank, tabloid-style content that intends to shock readers and gain clicks has no place here.

2. Cohesive – Ever wonder why you can recognize some brands instantly in every piece of content they create? Quality content suits your brand’s tone, voice, and strategy, reinforcing and projecting your identity. For the most part, brands with consistent messaging, like Apple or Nike, publish content that aligns well with their images.

Apple’s content reflects innovation and sophistication
Nike’s inspires empowerment and athleticism

This consistency bolsters their brand values and their connections with their audiences.

3. Readability – Quality content communicates your core message clearly throughout the text and the design; it’s legible on desktop and mobile devices and meets accessibility standards for the visually and cognitively impaired.

If your content is harder to follow than an IKEA bedroom set assembly manual, it’s time for a redesign. Rescue your readers with clear, organized, user-friendly content. Bullet points, subheadings, and short paragraphs enhance scanning.

Readability tools: The Hemingway App provides scores based on Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, or SMOG standards. They also advise on how to improve grammar, sentence structure, and word choice.

Website Copy Example:

Before: “Here at our store, we offer great customer service, helpful product reviews, and all the info you need to make an informed decision about your purchase.”

Issues:

Dense, hard-to-scan text
Needless words
Lack of clear structure, especially for mobile devices

After:

Why Shop With Us?

✅ Customer Service: Ready to help 24/7.
✅ Product Reviews: Honest feedback.
✅ Detailed Advice: The essentials to guide your choice.

Improvements:

Clear headers and bullet points for scanning
Fewer words
More mobile-friendly and accessible

4. Utility – Quality content provides enough information to help your audience achieve their goals. In a broader sense, it’s actionable.

It answers the question, “Is it worth reading”? In marketing terms, “Does it add value?” Would you send it to a friend? It doesn’t have to be entirely original or innovative, but should offer fresh takes.

And must a blog be 3,500 words? Google’s helpful content guidelines suggest length doesn’t matter. Your content should mainly satisfy search intent and be useful. Think “informative guide,” not “never-ending lecture.”

Content audits: They help you see if your information connects with your audience. For instance, high bounce rates on your service pages might mean visitors don’t find what they expect.

Measure engagement through:

Heat maps (they show where people look)
Bounce rates and dwell time
Subscribe/unsubscribe rates
Click-throughs (as applied to emails, given the potential influence of bots and automation, open rates aren’t always reliable)
“Likes” or shares
Impressions

Tools like Google Analytics and social media metrics help you track and assess your content’s performance.

Audit tip: Look at your last blog post or newsletter. Did people click through? Did they stay long enough to read your key points? To audit your content quickly to see if it reaches the right clients, get my free checklist.

5. Serve Readers – If applicable, beyond search ranking methods, seek to serve your audience.

Google’s quality raters use E-E-A-T guidelines to assess web content. Among their content guidelines, Google suggests you answer certain questions to determine content quality and minimize a “search engine first” focus.

Relevance (and empathy) also influences quality content through answering readers’ questions or addressing their problems. In SEO terms, this is known as “search intent.” Search engines now serve as a jumping-off point.

For faster insights, users are turning to generative AI. ChatGPT claims to consider search rankings, relevance, clarity, and users’ needs to deliver helpful answers.

Still in its infancy, AI answers are more like a stop before you reach your destination. Though it can provide quick answers, it’s a tool. Your expertise and creativity make your content memorable — and irreplaceable.

Don’t just chase algorithms. Focus on your readers, who will remember if your content helped them.

In future articles, I’ll explore some of these topics further.

Quality content isn’t one-size-fits-all. To assess if you’re creating quality content, consider whether it serves your audience and your business goals. Every piece should:

Build trust
Be useful
Foster an experience your audience will value and appreciate

Learn how to create content that connects with clients who value and respect you and your business

get my checklist — START creatING content that reaches the right clients

What do you think makes for quality content? Please share in the comments.

Quotes

“Content builds relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust drives revenue.” ~ Andrew Davis

“Content is anything that adds value to the reader’s life.” ~ Avinash Kaushik

writing advice, writing with empathy

5 Steps to Assertive Business Communication With Confidence

Assertive business communication relies on an assertive tone in writing to ensure your message lands. Because like snowflakes, your words can either float away or make a lasting impact. But what is assertion in writing, and how does it affect professional interactions?

A woman walking on a snowy mountain top; from a distance, her feet have left deep imprints in the snow.

Earlier in my career, I leaned on words like “can” or “might,” which sound unsure. I also apologized for things that weren’t my fault, often to soften the blow for something I couldn’t do.

It was like HAL9000’s line in “2001: A Space Odyssey” when he refused to open the pod bay doors: “I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.” It comes across as passive-aggressive because HAL doesn’t explain until Dave prods him.

Like HAL’s cryptic refusal, vague writing leaves your reader wondering what you mean.

The business world respects clarity and directness. Assertive business communication builds trust, clarifies your intent, and supports collaboration; it lifts you and your reader up without putting anyone down. Whether in emails, memos, or marketing calls to action, it suits a variety of texts and contexts.

If you’re not used to practicing an assertive tone in writing, it might feel awkward initially, especially if you tend to avoid conflict. But communicating clearly and respectfully shows others where you stand — it’s a gift to yourself and others.

In these five videos, learn how to avoid waffling through deadlines, dodging tricky conversations, or accidentally sounding like a passive-aggressive AI ‘bot — without forsaking kindness or professionalism.

5 Ways to Practice an Assertive Tone in Writing to Leave a Lasting Impact

1. Style – Assertive business communication considers your word choices and structure. Aim for clarity, conciseness, and directness. Prefer “I” statements and active verbs to “waffle words” (“I think/believe/hope,” “might/maybe/perhaps,” etc.) to express yourself confidently.

Weak: I hope to send the report soon.
Assertive: I’ll send the report this Friday.

How you format your responses online also affects whether you project an assertive tone in writing. For example, set clear expectations and avoid emojis or slang that could undermine your professionalism. Tailor responses to different platforms:

Email: Use clear subject lines, concise openings, structured paragraphs, and “next steps” or calls to action.
Instant Messaging: Be direct but brief, and use threads to organize conversations.

2. Tone – Show respect or consideration for others and their views; reflect that through being open to feedback without blaming or criticizing.

Negative: I can’t finish the report today.
Positive: I’ll finish the report before 5:00 pm tomorrow. Does that work for you?

Avoid overusing apologies or the passive voice.

When appropriate, consider cultural sensitivities in your correspondence, too. Americans tend to be more direct than other cultures.

Rewrite a passive email or memo to be more assertive and reflect on the changes. Generative AI can review your tone, but it sometimes prefers politeness to directness. Find wording that balances both.

3. Problem-Solving – Handle conflicts directly and constructively through suggesting solutions that address needs or concerns. Encourage collaboration to reach a resolution.

Example 1: I understand we see things differently; let’s explore a compromise.
Example 2: I understand the deadline was hard to meet. Let’s discuss how we can prioritize tasks to stay on track.

Assertiveness in business communication is about respect, not confrontation. Use neutral or positive language to avoid blame or negativity and set boundaries. Stick to the facts without attacks.

Polite, but passive: I’m following up on my prior message. No worries if you’re busy. Hope you’re doing well.
Assertive and polite (and suggests compromise): I’m following up on my prior message. If it’s a busy time, that’s understandable. But I’d appreciate finding a way to communicate more consistently. Would you be open to scheduling a meeting?

If tensions could rise, to prevent misunderstandings, consider speaking rather than writing.

4. Precision – Prefer concrete to vague terms. Avoid jargon or industry-specific words that could confuse your audience. Instead, use plain language to ensure clarity.

State your expectations clearly to avoid confusion while you set boundaries and requirements. Precision removes room for interpretation.

Vague: If you could send the files when it’s possible, that would be great.
Precise: Please send the files before Tuesday. Thanks.

Break down complex requests into manageable parts.

Example: To finalize the presentation, please confirm your edits to slides 4 and 7 by 5 pm.

5. Purpose – Writing with intention means every word serves a goal through:

Subject lines that communicate the purpose behind your message.
Using every word to guide the reader toward the next step. For a compelling call to action, add clear benefits to frame your message around your reader’s needs.

Example: Instead of “Please confirm the meeting time,” say, “Confirming the meeting time ensures we’re prepared to move forward.”

Assertive communication in business isn’t just about getting results — it’s about being direct with respect for yourself and others. Understanding what assertion is in writing helps you make statements that remove doubts about their meaning. When you perfect an assertive tone in writing, your words not only stick like snowflakes, they foster trust and collaboration.

Start small: revise one email today to reflect assertiveness. See how a more precise and purposeful approach improves your writing and your professional relationships.

Discover how to reach clients who value and respect you and your business

get my checklist to create content to reach the right clients

How are you assertive in your business communication? Please share in the comments.

Quotes

“Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” ~ Alexander Hamilton

“To be passive is to let others decide for you. To be aggressive is to decide for others. To be assertive is to decide for yourself. And to trust that there is enough, that you are enough.” ~ Edith Eva Eger, “The Choice: Embrace the Possible”

newsletter writing, newsletters, writing a newsletter, writing advice

5 Steps to Write a Business Newsletter Readers Will Remember

The “news” part of the word “newsletter” implies they bring timely updates for fresh and hopefully, interesting content. But how do you write an engaging one?

My writing and e-newsletter creation processes keep evolving, but I’ve found an easy formula. If you want to write a business newsletter, check my simple steps below.

And for more in-depth advice on this and other parts of e-newsletter creation, read How to Write a Business Newsletter: Examples, Format, and Strategy.

In this series of five videos, see how to write your emails to boost your results.

1. Just jot – Whether you put pen to paper, type in plain text, in the template, or a document, don’t judge, and don’t edit, especially while you’re crafting. Swat that inner critic away until you’re done.

But follow the 5 Cs of Professional Business Writing.

You don’t always have to write from scratch, either. If you curate content from other sources like articles or a lead magnet (a landing page, blog, etc.), it’s often easier to copy and paste into your newsletter template.

Other writing notes:

E-newsletter archives or blogs: To optimize them for search, consider adding SEO keywords to:
- your headers
- meta description
- page URL
- body copy
Remember scannability: Bullet points effectively break up the text. A single-column format can look appealing, however, to reduce scrolling, consider splitting longer text into two columns.
Formatting: Follow AIDA (attention-interest-desire-action) or the inverted pyramid style of journalism, with the most important information at the top.

2. Describe hyperlinks, alt-text, and photos – The classic command “click here” is easy to write, but can be clearer. Outside of calls to action, challenge yourself to write hyperlink text that describes where you’ll take readers. It can also improve accessibility, enhancing understanding for people with visual and cognitive impairments (and their screen readers).

Example: Explore more tax savings plans.

While drafting alt-text descriptions for images, avoid phrases like “image of” or “picture of.” Prefer a clear statement that shows readers the content. See 5 Ways to Write for Accessibility and Readability.

Photo captions should give just the facts: the names of people (with their titles), places, or things shown.

3. Calls to action – CTAs persuade readers to act, often to click a link at the end of the text, though they can emerge earlier.

I’ve crafted CTAs that stress a benefit and urgency to emphasize what readers will get. But as Nancy Harhut says, that advice is old hat. Instead, be more specific through action verbs and clear benefits.

Example: Learn More (old way) vs. See How it Works (new, improved way)

To consider the benefit, ask three essential questions:

What’s the reader’s pain point?
What’s the immediate benefit?
How can I make it specific and tangible?

4. Headlines – When I started Five-Minute Business Writing Tips, I’d write the headline first. But as I’ve learned, when you write a business newsletter, to capture the core message, it’s better to wait until you’ve finished a draft.

If you’re stuck, test common lead-generating formulas. Analyzers from Sharethrough or the Advanced Marketing Institute offer insights into attention-getting styles. Numbers, the 4Us, and “how to” are among my favorite approaches.

AI can spark ideas you can polish into catchier and more creative subject lines.

Strive for clarity, specificity, and attraction. Seek to hook honestly, not through “salesy” or misleading clickbait.

5. Preview text – Consider it the expansion or “other half” of a headline. Preview text summarizes your email content while it adds context and intrigue. Tease it without giving away too many details.

You may recycle another subject line you rejected here. Like the main attractor, aim to turn heads. If you have a newsletter/blog, like I do, you may reuse or rework the web page meta description into the preview text.

See where to put your e-newsletter content–save time and gain results

grab my easy 5-step business e-newsletter template

What are some of your favorite newsletter writing techniques? Please share in the comments.

Quotes

“The best newsletters feel like they’re written by a human, not a corporation.” ~ David Ogilvy

“A newsletter is a conversation, not a lecture. Make it personal and authentic.” ~ Chris Brogan