Comedians follow a rule of thumb called “Yes, and…”

In any scene, they must accept the basic premises introduced by other players and build on them. This removes any inhibitions or self-editing that might restrict creativity, and more importantly, it prevents anyone from stopping the flow of the scene.

In business, “yes, and” thinking can be freeing as well.

When new technologies and consumer behaviors shift, it allows us to go with the flow. We’re able to accept the new situation and build on it.

But behind the scenes, a “yes, and” mindset can do more harm than good. Especially in content marketing.

• There’s a new social media platform! We should be on it! Yes, and…
• Our competitor is publishing five times a week! We need to keep up! Yes, and…
• We need to send more emails, newsletters, or whatever! Yes, and…
• So-and-so had great results from an event. Let’s start our own! Yes, and…
• No strategy? No problem! Let’s just create more content! Yes, and…

“Yes, and” may work in comedy, but it can kill an otherwise healthy content marketing program.

First, more isn’t the solution. Adding more channels, more types of content, and more words won’t solve anything. Only a better strategy can improve results.

Second, your audience is already overwhelmed by the sheer volume of content they see on a daily basis.

Their inboxes are overflowing — not with messages from friends but businesses that want to stay top of mind.

Their social feeds show more ads than organic content from friends.

Out and about, they see endless billboards, banners, and other marketing messages.

Third, people have limited time. With all these bids for attention, only three things will make them stop and attend:

• Quality
• Value
• Enjoyment

Content that creates a stop-and-attend reaction is worth engaging with. It rewards their time and attention with new ideas, a learning experience, or even a laugh.

Finally, this type of content takes time to create. It isn’t something you can throw together. It requires research, deep thinking, interviews, and enough time to organize your ideas in a way that draws people in and engages their minds and emotions.

That’s why I’ve never been impressed when someone tells me they can write a 1,000 word article in half an hour. It only tells me they’re taking shortcuts: using AI, writing sloppy drafts, avoiding research and editing.

Listen, content mill content may have worked in the early days of content marketing, but it doesn’t work today. Today, we need to earn people’s attention. And we need to reward them with content that is memorable and meaningful.

By the way, this is the solution to low engagement numbers. More content won’t magically create better results. Better content will.

Do you feel you’ve been on a content mill? Have you developed a strategy that’s easy to manage while still driving results?

Let me know. I’d love to learn more about your content challenges.

Stay awesome!

Kathryn

P.S. If you want to create higher quality content, this article is for you: Quality Content: What It Is, Why It Matters, and a 13-Point Checklist. Enjoy!