The Content Brief

Giving New Words a Try, More Issues with AI

This episode explores how the words we use—in emails, employee advocacy, and content strategy reveal patterns that fail to resonate and create disconnection. Plus, while AI wants to please, that's not always a good thing. You'll hear how language from spammy marketing emails might be causing other professional communication (like legitimate requests) to sound weak and passive. New insights into the contrast between search and social media behavior reveal fundamentally different mindsets, even though some may view all channels the same. Employee advocacy is popular, but it can fall into the same one-way communication traps as other content. Meanwhile, an extensive business trip yields disappointing results on content strategy, AI, and the human value in marketing. Show notes with links - https://www.yourcontentbrief.com/giving-new-words-a-try-more-issues-with-ai/ [https://www.yourcontentbrief.com/giving-new-words-a-try-more-issues-with-ai/]

Are We Asking the Right Questions About Our Content?

This episode challenges us to step back and examine whether our content challenges stem from marketing problems or from human behavior patterns that affect everything we do. _*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> You'll hear how crisis communication and job searching reveal similar human patterns to many common content marketing challenges, including tired buzzwords, audience assumptions, and sticking to "the way it's always been done." An awkward NFL sideline interview between a reporter and a coach becomes a lesson in how we fall into content traps: asking the same questions everyone else asks, doing things because "that's how it's done," and forgetting to consider what the audience actually wants to experience. Finally, advice from Chris Do inspires some thought-provoking questions about whether the best content marketing advice comes from experts who are more successful than others. Full show notes - https://www.yourcontentbrief.com/are-we-asking-the-right-questions-about-our-content/ [https://www.yourcontentbrief.com/are-we-asking-the-right-questions-about-our-content/]

The Next Episode is October 8th

There will be no new episode this week, but the next episode is scheduled for October 8th.

Is It Time to Replace Funnels, Customer Avatars, and Cold Outreach?

This week's briefing takes a critical look at outdated marketing habits (like avatars and funnels), as well as other ways that might disrupt connections between brand and audience. You'll hear: * Phil Treagus Evans shares an "EMPATH Framework," designed to go beyond avatars and one-dimensional demographic labels and build deeper, human connections. * Michael Maximoff shares a perspective that cold outreach doesn't work the way it did in 2010, and how to reframe it for your prospects and audience today. * With new research showing that listeners give new podcasts very little time to impress them, I'll share some mistakes to avoid at the start of an episode. This episode is all about breaking out of old habits for the better of your business and your audience. Sometimes you just need to tweak it. Other times, you may need to scrap the whole thing! Full show notes with links - https://www.yourcontentbrief.com/is-it-time-to-replace-funnels-customer-avatars-and-cold-outreach/

Can Blogs Succeed Where Templated Marketing Fails?

This week's briefing examines the issue of templated thinking, ranging from copy-and-paste posts on LinkedIn to the striking example of 7,000 white papers that were almost entirely unread. Both highlight what happens when marketers repeat tactics without critical thought. Then we'll preview the latest Orbit Media Blogger Survey (releasing on August 28) with Andy Crestodina, which reveals what's really working (and not working) in blogging today. You'll hear: * Krista Mollion's critique of "copy-and-paste culture" and why it signals a deeper critical thinking problem. * Lindsay Tjepkema and Ian Faison discuss the lesson behind the creation of 7,000 white papers and what it says about chasing quantity over value. * How creative approaches to podcasting can help businesses stand out from the usual corporate formats. * Andy Crestodina's highlights from the 2025 Blogger Survey: what strategies deliver results, how AI is being used effectively, and more! Full show notes with links - https://www.yourcontentbrief.com/can-blogs-succeed-where-templated-marketing-fails/