Create Boring Content to Get People Interested

It is tempting to believe that people will notice us if our content is more interesting.

But the opposite is true.

As I type this, my son is lying on the living room floor, absorbed in a YouTube episode where two guys are playing a video game.

It is boring. At least, I think so.

And yet, after some digging, I found that the pair have uploaded 600+ videos about the same game. Their most recent video has 14k views; they uploaded it 2 hours ago.

• The production is simple.
• The content is unpolished.
• The game they are playing isn't one of the "big ones".

So HOW is their content performing so well?

Because it is boring.

And they have been producing boring content for years.

• Each video follows a similar format.
• They talk about the same things over and over again.
• They share information and discoveries to help or inspire their audience.
• And they only talk about ONE game.

It is this consistency that led to my son discovering their channel. He wanted to learn more about a game he enjoys, so he searched for it.

YouTube rewarded his curiosity.

Once he discovered that these YouTubers only posted content about this one game, he began to consume it all.

What is Interesting Anyway?

I appreciate a nice kitchen. I enjoy cooking. But if I see a social media post about kitchen units, I'll ignore it – not because the content is terrible; it simply doesn't appeal to me.

The topic is boring and irrelevant.

UNLESS...

I am buying a new kitchen.

Suddenly, I am on Instagram browsing kitchens, watching YouTube for kitchen storage hacks, and devouring blogs for advice on how to buy a kitchen.

If I come across a post by a kitchen designer, I'll pause to check it out. I may even click through to learn more about the person or business who created the content.

The Internet is Smart

Every word you search, every site you visit, and every button you click is recorded and translated into data.?

That data helps search engines and social media platforms provide content that is relevant and interesting to you.

This data exchange – us sharing what we are interested in and then the sites giving us more – keeps us online for longer.

So, to be discoverable online, your content must be boring.

Talk about the same topics all the time on a loop.

This is YOUR THING.

Let people know.

How to be Compellingly Boring

Firstly, let's not confuse boring content with same-same content.

Creating repetitive content about a topic does not mean the content has to be presented the same way as everyone else in your industry.

Now, content creation gets interesting. ??

There are two critical mistakes many businesses make when creating content:

• They "belong to an industry."
• They "belong to a topic."

"Belonging to an Industry"

It took only a few minutes to compile these examples of entirely different social media brands that (at a glance) look almost identical.

Do you see the problem? In this case, the industry and niche define the branding and content.

Even if their content is impressive, it is forgettable and mimicable. Any one of these content creators could use any post interchangeably.?

LESSON:?If you are creating repetitive content to build authority, it must be compelling and distinct.?

What Happens When you "Belong to a topic"?

When content is about one topic or specialism, there will always be a crossover with others talking about the same thing. This is to be expected.

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with any of the content above. I am not "calling people out" or shaming them in any way. But any of these accounts could take any post and change the colours. There is zero content branding. The messaging is lost.

What To Do Instead.

Instead of your content belonging to an industry or topic, let it belong to your brand.

For example, if you are talking about Instagram, you need to help your audience with Reels, hashtags, bios, audience growth, stories, captions, and more.

The trouble is, so is everyone else.

How can you be sure your content isn't mirroring what others say? What can you do differently?

The clue is in the relationship between what you promise and the content that you put out. Offering Instagram tips for hairstylists is no good if your content only talks about Instagram but NEVER mentions hair or the industry's unique problems.

Instead of creating a post about "7 Reels Trends", do one about "7 ways to film hair."

Let your brand inform your content, so your content builds your brand.

What Next?

Before you do anything else, seek out the last 15 pieces of content you posted. Instagram is great for this exercise; you can see all your content in one place.

For other platforms, screenshot each piece of content and place them beside each other to see a "thread".

Ask the following questions:

• Is the content "boring" (does it stay on topic)?
• Where does most content currently "belong"?
• A specific industry
• A particular topic
• Your distinct brand
• What is good?
• What can improve?

The last two questions are the most vital. Content Branding is an ongoing process. There is no "final destination". It is a constant and consistent series of tweaks and improvements.

Remember:

To be compelling and discoverable, you need to be boring. The more boring and repetitive your content is, the better.?

Being boring doesn't mean being the same as everyone else.

• Talk about the same topics on repeat.
• Do it in relation to your brand.
• Share the same information week after week.
• Make the same promises.
• Use the same colours and fonts.
• Re-use the same images.
• Over and over again.

Each piece of content you create is boring or irrelevant to most people – that's a good thing – the people who aren't bored are your people.?