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Stop Creating Forgettable Content
Marketing Foundations

Stop Creating Forgettable Content

Everyone's talking about cutting through the noise, yet 67% of us (Semrush) are using AI for content marketing or SEO. The irony? Only 17% rate that AI-generated content as excellent (Content Marketing Institute).

My hot take? Marketers: we’re falling into a volume trap of our own making.

The promise of AI-powered content creation is alluring: publish more, publish faster, stay "relevant." But, just because we can, does it mean we should?

The Volume Trap

The pressure to constantly create content is real—and it's intensified by today's omnichannel reality. B2B buyers now use an average of ten different interaction channels during their buying journey—double what they used in 2016 (McKinsey). This explosion of touchpoints has led many organizations to adopt a "be everywhere" mindset, cranking out content for each platform without considering the bigger picture.

But here's the crucial distinction: while buyers want multiple channels, what they really demand is coherence across those channels. More than half of B2B customers expect a true omnichannel experience where they can smoothly transition between touchpoints without losing context or momentum. When AI “enters the chat,” (pun intended, as chat can be one of these key channels) the temptation to simply flood these channels with content becomes nearly irresistible—but quantity without quality creates noise, not value.

The AI Amplification Effect

Artificial intelligence has thrown fuel on this fire. Yes, AI is a powerful tool – but may also be enabling a content arms race that no one can win.

As Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media aptly notes, "AI = Average Information." When everyone has access to the same AI tools, churning out similar content, the result is a sea of sameness. And here's the kicker: the AI you know today is the dumbest AI you'll ever meet. Because it’s literally designed to get better over time (but duh, what technology isn’t?!). While these tools will continue to evolve and improve, they should never replace the human elements that make content truly valuable.

We believe the most compelling content still comes from, or is at least significantly influenced by, human connection. Marketers must make it a priority to:

  • Have conversations with customers to understand their real challenges
  • Get insights from their sales teams about common prospect questions
  • Listen in on customer service calls and learn about recurring issues
  • Truly leverage the SMEs within your organization

Do these quarterly at a minimum (depending on the complexity and size of your organization). Note any learnings and apply it to your content strategy (I’m getting there below…hold on)! These human touchpoints can't be replicated by AI and may feel awkward or like you’re not getting to anything at first. But put it into practice. It will get better, and easier and you will find inspiration, and ideally differentiation.

Finding Quality Signals in a Noisy Market

What actually demonstrates expertise to B2B decision-makers? In our experience three key quality signals stand out:

  1. Selective Silence: Not every industry development needs your commentary. Your audience notices when you speak only when you have something valuable to say.

    Example: Think about Apple. There’s a reason people anticipate their annual World Wide Developer Conferences. You know it’s where they release all of the BIG stuff.

  2. Applied Expertise: Generic best practices are easy to generate. Your unique perspective and experience? That's irreplaceable.

    Example: Consider Intrepid Travel, which built their content strategy around real travelers sharing actual experiences from their trips. Instead of AI-generated travel tips, they showcase authentic stories that can only come from being there.

  3. Content Confidence: When you reduce output but increase quality, you can promote each piece with genuine conviction.

    Example: GE demonstrated this by inviting Instagram influencers behind the scenes at their manufacturing facilities for #GEInstaWalk. Rather than pushing out daily social posts, they created fewer, more meaningful moments that earned 8 million views - without paid advertising.

The Strategic Foundation: Your Content Strategy

I told you I was getting there! Quality content doesn't happen by accident. It requires a clear strategy – one that aligns your content with business objectives, audience needs, and market opportunities. This means developing (and consistently refining) a content strategy that guides what you create, why you create it, and how you'll measure success. We’ve written about this several times, but we swear by this simple content marketing strategy you’ll actually use [PS. We start here with our clients].

Don’t have time to dust off or create your content strategy right now? In the thick of it? We get it. Here’s an easy set of questions to ask yourself before you create any piece of content:

  • Does this reflect expertise we uniquely possess?
  • Would our best clients find this valuable enough to share internally?
  • Does this build on human insights that AI alone couldn't generate?
  • Will this content still be relevant in six months?

The goal isn't to stop creating content – it's to stop creating forgettable content.

Looking Forward

The B2B organizations that will win in this environment aren't those publishing the most content. They're the ones brave enough to say less, mean more, and truly own their expertise.

In a world where AI makes it possible to create endless content, the true differentiator becomes having something worth saying.

Need help making sure you have something to say? Let our team of expert brand and marketing strategists be a sounding board and get you on the right path! Hit us up for an introductory conversation.

Disclaimer: the author did consult Claude during her initial editing and refinement phases for suggestions. But also leveraged her human editor, the esteemed Meghan Brondos.

Heather Vaughn

Heather Vaughn

Executive Director of Marketing

As CID's Executive Director of Marketing & Strategy, Heather Vaughn blends strategic thinking with creative problem-solving to get $h1t done. When she's not leading her high-performing team or geeking out on marketing automation, you might find her binge-watching Gilmore Girls or cuddling with her bulldogs.

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