Recently, I was the editorial director for a startup called Peppy Health. Last year the company launched an employee-benefit telehealth app in the US. 

 

I was the company’s second employee outside of the UK, where it’s based. I populated the app with hundreds of clinically approved articles and videos on hormone imbalances, prostate disorders, period problems, erectile dysfunction, sexual health, and other specialized health topics.

One metric I often looked at in this role was user satisfaction, which we gauged with a simple poll at the bottom of articles. Seriously, it was simple; it looked like this: 🙂😐🙁

 

In this poll, 93% of users gave my content a positive review. The remaining balance was largely neutral. The poopy sad face captured just 1% of clicks. 💩 
 

Keep in mind that speed, volume, and clinical accuracy were the highest priorities. In order to hit its ambitious launch deadlines, Peppy had to build a robust editorial product at lightening speed. With that, 93% approval feels pretty dang great. 

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Prior to working at Peppy, I was an executive editor at an agency that ran content marketing campaigns for healthcare clients. My accounts included a Medicare brokerage firm, an Rx discount program, and an initiative to teach people how to save money on medical costs (which was sponsored by a major healthcare company).

In this role, I launched websites, developed social media strategies, and oversaw daily publishing of health content. On the strength of a strong SEO game, I increased organic traffic by roughly 400% in one year. 

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What really works in content? 
Make me laugh. Show me empathy. Make me believe you care. 

In short, don't be boring.

Don't bombard me with more stats than I can digest. Don't try to impress me with $50 words. Don't talk to me like I'm already deeply invested in your ideas, because odds are, I'm not. I just found you through a link on Facebook. I'm checking you out while waiting for my kid to get out of school, and... oh, hey, here she comes!

Look, nobody cares about your brand, idea, or story until you give them a reason to. You have to make a connection. Generally, that means you have to offer something of value: a surprising tip, an inspiring idea, a moment of honest humanity. 

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But more than that, you have to think like your audience. If you're an insider, you have to read like an outsider. If you're an expert, you have to peek through the binoculars of a layperson. From that distant vista, do your words, images, and videos still seem interesting? 

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In the end, content that's clear, useful, and inspiring will always win. Boring copy wastes everybody's time. But surprising advice, thoughtful perspectives, and heartfelt stories will always rise to the top. 

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This is true whether you're growing a newsletter, competing for search traffic, or serving content in an app.  

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