How to Stop Publishing Content Nobody Cares About and Create Content Your Audience Loves

There’s a reason you’re reading this post right now. Maybe you follow me on social media because you’re familiar with my business. Maybe you were scrolling through your newsfeed and the headline caught your eye. Or maybe you’re a founder researching ways to write content that sticks, and this was one of the top results in the queue.

I may be a tech guy at heart, but writing articles like these is a part of my job that I take very seriously. My journey as a bootstrapped founder has been pretty unique, and I love to share my insights and lessons learned with others who may be traveling along a similar path.

But there’s another dimension, too. I want to be embedded in the communities that I think Jotform should reach. If you know me, and my product feels familiar, you’re more likely to think of us the next time you need an online form builder.

To pose a slightly modified version of the classic question: If you build a world-class product that no one knows about, does it even exist? The answer is simple — no.

Producing high-quality content is a great way for users to get to know you and what makes your business unique. Millennial and Gen Z consumers in particular want to understand a company’s values, motivations and intentions before they’re willing to spend their money. Brands that consistently publish thoughtful, well-crafted content are more likely to earn trust and long-term loyalty than those that simply push products or promotions.

But while there’s certainly no shortage of corporate content, many businesses fall short of hitting the “high-quality” mark. There’s a lot of bad writing and AI slop out there these days — some researchers place that figure as high as 50%. If you really want your voice to stand out, you have to offer something people can’t get anywhere else. Here’s how to do it.

Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.

Know your audience

Before you begin building a product, you want to understand who’s likely to use it. The same goes for your writing. Who is your target audience? What insights do you specifically have to offer, and why should they care?

I’ll use myself as an example. I’m a voracious reader, and I spend a lot of time consuming both traditional publications and posts in online forums. I love to get a sense of the conversations happening in the tech world. Spending time in these communities gives me a window into current trends, shared frustrations and the kinds of problems people are trying to solve.

I’ve long posted on forums like Reddit and Indie Hackers, a habit that became even more ingrained as I prepared to release my first book. Not only was I able to figure out what subjects resonated with my target audience, but being an involved part of these online communities meant that once the book was done, I could share it there, knowing I’d have at least a small instant readership. Going back even further, actively participating in various startup forums allowed me to build relationships with people who would later become Jotform users.

Be genuine

If you follow my work, you probably know quite a bit about my life. You know I’m a husband, a father and that I love spending time on my family’s olive farm in my native Turkey. You probably also know that one of my life’s missions is to eliminate all forms of busywork and create more time and space for the sorts of ambitious projects that give us purpose.

But you also know that the process of building my company has not been a straight line. I’ve written extensively about my missteps, struggles and the things I wish I had done differently. I share these insights both because I want others to learn from my mistakes, and also because I don’t want to create the impression that building my business has been easy — it hasn’t. I’ve always loved Shoe Dog, the memoir by Nike founder Phil Knight, because it charts the tough road from Nike’s unglamorous early days to its current status as a global sportswear superpower. It’s hard to imagine anyone as successful as Knight having undergone prolonged periods of struggle. And yet that’s exactly what makes his story so compelling.

Being willing to share the less-than glamorous aspects of your journey isn’t showing weakness; it’s showing vulnerability. If you want your readers — and customers — to understand where you’re coming from, you have to be willing to reveal the ugly along with the good.

Be consistent

As much as everyone loves a viral moment, that isn’t where real impact comes from. Instead, think of content as a long-term investment. Winning the SEO game requires consistently producing genuinely useful, well-written posts that spark interest and earn backlinks from other sites. It won’t happen overnight — patience and persistence are key.

It’s also prudent to start generating content before you actually release your product to build excitement. In the past, founders had to rely on paid advertising and media placements to get eyeballs on their businesses. Today, social platforms, forums and self-publishing tools make it possible for anyone to grow a substantial audience if they’re willing to put in the effort. If you already have an audience — even a small one — you have an engaged group of readers you can point toward your product the moment it launches.

For the tech-minded, it’s easy to dismiss content as frivolous. But take it from me: Your product, no matter how useful or innovative, will not speak for itself. You don’t have to be a professional writer or producer. But being able to communicate your story and your “why” will set you apart in a world crowded with noise.

Looking to buy a franchise but don’t know where to start? Entrepreneur Franchise Advisors will guide you through the process from start to finish — for free. Sign up here.