Archived Post. Originally published on 12/4/2009.
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten, or have offered, is that “Your content sucks.”

Harsh, I know, but let’s sit back and ponder it for a minute. How many of us have company descriptors that beg further explanation? How many times do the words “leading,” “best-of-breed” or “innovative” appear in the first paragraph of anything you write? Do your customer case studies actually present a case?

I thought so.

Like any good article, content development should start out with an outline of the 5 W’s. Ann Handley of Marketing Profs presents this theory nicely in her article “What the ‘Five Ws’ of Journalism Have to Do With Marketing (and Why You Should Care)”. Check it out today by clicking here.

Afterwards, I challenge you to take a handful of your written materials, and evaluate them. How could you improve your writing by applying the 5W rule? Share your thoughts in the comments today!