We truly are sheep, just following each other from one pasture to the next. Someone told us all that content is king and we need to write to establish ourselves as thought-leaders. And the more we write, the more we will be rewarded by Google in its organic search placements. After all, Google rewards sites that generate lots and lots of relevant content. We all bought it. And we all thought, “Heck, I can write.” So we got busy, excited that we now have this opportunity to share our great untapped wisdom with the world. We blog and we post. We update and we tweet. But there are some things that really have to be said.
We can’t ALL be thought-leaders!
To be a leader, you need followers, and in this context, that means readers. And with the millions of blogs and newsletters and Twitter posts, it would take a hundred years for one person to read what has been posted in a single day.
Everyone should NOT write!
Just because everyone can write, doesn’t mean everyone should write. We can all sing, but not everyone should sing. We may all dance, but not everyone should dance. And so it goes for writing. If you can’t write a complete sentence, form a coherent thought, spell—or at the very least, use spell check—then you really need to stop. You will be doing your brand more harm than good.
We do NOT all have something interesting to say!
Blabbing on and on does not prove that you are thoughtful. What’s going on today online reminds me of Steve Martin’s quote from the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Admonishing John Candy’s character for his incessent talking, he says, “When you’re telling these little stories? Here’s a good idea – have a point. It makes it so much more interesting for the listener!”
Not all Websites SHOULD be found!
You’ve bought into the SEO mindset. You’ve generated more content than any person could read in a lifetime, all appropriately keyworded to maximize search results. You’ve loaded up your site with so much information, you need a room full of servers to host it. You’re getting lots of hits on your Website. But then what? What happens when they get there? Are you communicating clearly and simply who you are and what you do?
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In today’s world, it doesn’t seem to matter so much what you say, as long as you say a lot. What company’s truly need is clear, concise communication. Whether blogging, posting, or generating content for your Website, keep in mind the advice of Wilma Roby when she said, “An essay should be like a miniskirt: long enough to cover the subject, short enough to be interesting.”
Now, If I could only be sure someone would read this. Maybe I should go back and insert a few more keywords.