Content is, without a doubt, the most important element when you’re trying to make an impact on your website. Sure, design, user experience, and customer satisfaction play a crucial role in persuading your target audience to convert, but all these elements only enhance the impact of your content.

Unfortunately, content is not just writing a few words here and there. It’s science, and it requires knowledge, practice, and understanding. More importantly, it’s fluid. This means that content is not one-size-fits-all. It is as diverse as goals, industries, and niches. Still, there are some fundamental rules everyone willing to produce genuinely impactful content should follow.

So, when website owners want to create their own content, they usually go to the internet for advice. That’s commendable, as it shows the content owner actually wants to bring quality. Sadly, the internet is full of lies, misrepresentations, and downright ignorance. So, if you don’t know the first thing about content writing, you can easily stumble upon a piece of advice that sounds reasonable, yet it’s either outdated or it has been given by someone who has genuinely no idea what they are doing.

So, to help you differentiate between reasonably sounding advice and those that actually work, we’ve gathered some of the worst content pieces of advice that actually make sense but don’t work in practice.

Just Write Something

You may have heard this advice, and it is true. Or at least it was true 12 years ago. Back then, keeping up brand blogs was a novelty. Almost no one did it. This goes double for small businesses and one-person brands, who neither had the resources nor the knowledge to write website content beyond the obligatory copy. During this period, organic traffic was mainly driven through Facebook, as its algorithm worked far better for business messages. They reached 16% of the audience on average. So, back then, all you needed was to grow your Facebook fan page and audience, and you had a massive, warm audience to target.

Naturally, Google was left a bit behind. It was still a viable option, but no one really wanted to wait 6 months to rip what they sоw.

So, back then, just writing a blog meant you had an edge over most of your competitors. In this case, yes, writing something was quite enough to put you on the map, especially in tight industry niches.

This all changed in 2016 when Facebook started shifting toward paid messaging. The organic reach dropped by 42% from January to May 2016. More importantly, it continued to fall, and in 2024, Facebook’s post average organic reach is only 2.6%.

Of course, this means most people count on Google now, and as competition always does, it drives up the quality. So today, “Just write something” simply doesn’t work. You need to have a sound strategy. More importantly, it’s no longer about the quantity. It’s about the quality.

But even more crucial, let’s not forget that a specific goal must drive all your content. Otherwise, all your efforts are pointless.

Don’t Write It If It Won’t Boost Your SEO

Going on the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the SEO enthusiasts who don’t actually care too much about your audience. All they care about is results.

To be completely honest, they have a fair point. Creating a blog post or any type of content is time and effort-consuming. You need to invest hours, if not days, in researching a topic and putting it on display. Quality content takes time, and it better bring results.

However, that’s only part of the picture. Content may have different goals. First and foremost, don’t forget that even your blog aims to answer burning questions regarding your business. It presents your perspective and talks to real people with real problems. So, writing for crawlers will definitely bring in the traffic, but it won’t drive up the sales.

Thus, you need to find a balance. Sure, writing for SEO is your blog’s primary job. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t use a blog post as part of your customer journey, brag about your results and awards, or share the latest news about your brand. Give your current clients insights, bring some entertainment, and generally make your blog posts a social hub – a place where people come on their own rather than something people stumble upon on the internet.

The best part. If you do that, your SEO-centered pieces will benefit significantly more. Your authority will soar high, and not only your traffic but also your conversion rate will rise immensely.

Blog Posts Under 2000 Words Won’t Help Your SEO

This advice also has a solid argument behind it. HubSpot did a detailed analysis in 2021, where they discussed the average length of their most effective blog posts. According to their research, the top performers had an average length of 2,330 words.

So, if you are looking for the golden standard, 2000 words seems a bit on the lower end. Especially considering the different types of blogs. For example, their top performer for Lead Generation was 2,569 words – once again far above the often-mentioned 2000-word minimum.

However, HubSpot represents a specific industry with specific needs. Don’t forget that your blogs essentially answer burning questions that your target audience has. So, blabbering 2,500 words when you can explain a concept in 1000 words is entirely pointless.

Therefore, don’t be afraid to write blogs under 2000 words. You can even write under 500 words if they give enough information, and you can squeeze in all SEO-related elements. The important part is getting right to the point and keeping your audience hooked throughout the post. Otherwise, your audience will bounce, ruining your SEO score.

So, not only should you write precisely the amount you have to say, but forcing yourself to reach a specific word count can actually harm your efforts.  

Blog Posts Should Target New Audiences

Considering how blog posts are mostly used for SEO, that seems like a logical conclusion. The point is to target people who haven’t been to your website and attract their attention.

However, that’s like presenting your physical shop only to new clients, disregarding those who have already purchased. As you know, that’s not a stable business model.

Instead, try to have a mix. Reaching out to a new audience is a must – this is true enough. However, your ultimate goal should be higher retention, not higher one-time sales.

So, try to use your blog for multiple purposes. Use it for traffic generation, lead generation, retargeting, and everything that fits your marketing strategy. Don’t undermine its power by using it only as a tool to drive more traffic.

Write For Everyone To Understand

This is the advice that will most often spark discussions among professionals. Its basis lies in the previous notion that blog posts should attract new audiences. Furthermore, Google recommends using simpler language so that more people understand your writing.

That’s precisely the case when it comes to B2C communication. The more people understand how you will solve their problem, the better. After all, they are not experts. They seek to resolve a problem, and if you explain it in simple terms, chances are you will snatch them.

However, things are a bit different when we talk about B2B communication. Naturally, it depends on your industry and product. But say you are using blockchain technology to solve a particular cybersecurity problem. Explaining it in simple terms is practically impossible.

Moreover, considering the profound implications of your product, your audience most likely consists of seasoned experts who will decide to take on or pass on your offer.

Of course, you will address them, assume they know the first thing about blockchain technology, and won’t start from the very top. The entire structure of the content will be different. You won’t explain why cyber security is essential. They already know that. You will focus on more complex topics, discussing the intricate details of your solution.

So, don’t write for everyone to understand. Write for those that matter.

You Can Reuse That On All Social Media

Now, honestly, this advice usually comes from someone who has no idea what content marketing is. The only logic behind this so-called “advice” is laziness.

Every Social Media is different. Even those that look the same – like Instagram and TikTok, or Facebook and Linked In, have vastly different ideas, with audiences behind them. For example, TikTok offers far better reach and engagement rates with new audiences. At the same time, Instagram offers much more effective communication with followers. Those groups insist on different types of content. Retaining interest is much harder and requires much better quality content.

The same goes for Linked In and Facebook. Linked In is a professional social media. It’s a place where your content should wear a suit. On the other hand, Facebook is a place where your content can wear sweatshirts and jeans.

So, no, you can’t just reuse one social media content for all the platforms. Well, you can, of course, but they won’t bring the results you were hoping for. Thus, the only thing working will be the one that the content was initially made for. The rest will be a waste of time.

So, creating content only for social media where your audience hangs out is much better. Yes, it will require some research, but the results will be worth the invested time and effort.

You Must Post Every Day

This advice is a bit tricky. It actually works in the right circumstances, and it can benefit a small number of industries. For example, if you’re a new brand looking to enlarge your audience, posting daily on TikTok or X (depending on your target group’s age) will grant you better reach. Their algorithms often reward consistent posting, and users expect regular, fast-paced content.

Moreover, if you want to get some initial data or test an assumption, daily posting can help you identify what type of content works best.

Finally, daily or even hourly updates are the standard for news, entertainment, and education industries. The rest – well, daily posting will harm your social media efforts.

Flooding your feed will instantly damage your reach as the algorithm will show your new post instead of an older one. This will reduce your average reach, as many people don’t scroll mindlessly every day on Social Media.

Moreover, prioritizing quality over quantity never ends well.

Finally, this strategy usually backfires as audiences start to ignore your posts. The point of a post is to remind them of your brand and give them some information. So, daily posting is more like spamming rather than trying to be helpful. The result – lower engagement levels and reduced traffic.

So, instead, stick to 2-3 posts per week – a temp that you can sustain without sacrificing quality. Focus on value rather than volume, and make sure each post has a purpose.

Focus On Your Products

Once again, terribly misguided advice. Essentially, it pushes you to market your products above all else. Well, we’re not sure when exactly this worked, but in the internet era, when people have options but no time, they would rather focus on a solution – not a product.

So, naturally, you should follow the customer and write for him – not for your product. Don’t sell your product, sell your solution to the customer’s problem.

Moreover, no one likes sales pitches masked as blog posts. Sure, they are fine from time to time, but only when they are clearly marked in the headline. For example, if you read the Headline “The best WordPress Plugin & Theme Deals for Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2024,” there is absolutely no doubt that the blog post is a promotion.

So, instead of focusing on your product, focus on the problem and the solution. Explain where the problem comes from and why it happened, and give free advice on countering it. Ultimately, you can consistently deliver a brief offer to solve their problem instead. However, by no means should this be the focus of your article.

This way, you will bring value while drawing attention to your product. Pitching your stuff like an aggressive salesman who got a foot inside the house will only chase your audience away.

Every piece of content should look perfect, like an ad.

Right! So far, we have talked in length about how you should focus on quality over quantity. We insisted that each content piece be done with care and consideration. Now, we are telling you that perfection is not as important.

Yes, that’s right. Not all content should be perfect, although we can see why many consider this sound advice. Ad-like content often conveys quality and definitely supports strong branding. Moreover, it aligns with certain audiences, especially in the luxury niche. However, all of this comes at a heavy cost.

Firstly, overly polished content loses its authenticity. It is perceived as impersonal and corporate. And if there’s something customers hate, it’s communicating with corporations. That’s why most big brands try hard to mimic a natural, more unrefined demeanor in their communication with the public.

Moreover, this approach discourages innovations and experimentation. As a result, your content becomes stagnant and predictable. In time, these factors will alienate your audience. They will start feeling disconnected from your brand. Perfection is never interesting.

So, the key is a healthy mix. Yes, picture-perfect content has its place on your website. After all, it’s a powerful sales tool. However, sales are only the finishing touch. You need to make the customers emotional, vulnerable, and ready to communicate and engage. This can’t be done with ad-like content. You need to be human, and humans are imperfect by design.  

Talk About Yourself Constantly

Talking about yourself constantly is just as bad in marketing as in normal human communication. It gives a narcissistic vibe that no one likes. That goes double if you are representing a brand. Brands can’t be self-obsessed, and their content is never about them. Well, almost never. There is always the About page, but even there, you need to share what the audience wants to hear. Your content, by definition, is dictated by your audience’s interests and desires. If they wish to know more about you, learn what they want to learn. Avoid being too cocky and present yourself with a dose of humility. Don’t be afraid to say you’re the best, but don’t make it the center focus of your entire content.

Instead of yapping about yourself and padding yourself on the back with how great you are, focus on your clients. Talk about how you helped them, who your partners are, and what your clients think about you. This is the power of social and authority proof. A third-party review of your product or service is better than any other content when it comes to convincing someone to buy.

So, instead of focusing on how great you are, present what others think about you. Flash your awards, and don’t be afraid to give anyone the opportunity to give you a review.

Delete Negative Comments

Speaking of reviews, you might have heard advice like “leave only the best comments.” It sounds very good. After all, why would you place a negative comment on your website for everyone to see?

The answer is credibility. Do you think anyone would believe that no one ever thought poorly of you? Furthermore, it’s far wiser to allow your audience to see a moderated version of the bad reviews.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should put them front and center. Absolutely not. They should be there – away from the spotlight. But that doesn’t mean you should delete or ignore them. Answer all comments, regardless of how they present your business or if they critique your work.

Customers will find them on a third-party platform even if you decide to hide them. So, it’s far better to do damage control on your own turf, showcasing your point of view rather than the negative comment.

Allowing some negative comments on your website (be it under a blog post, front page, or in a “leave a comment” section) will inspire credibility and show you’re not afraid to grow based on critique. It’s the ultimate power move.

All You Need Is Great Content

By far, this is the worst advice one can give you. Content is King. That is true enough. But content is definitely not everything. It must be complemented by a gorgeous website, outstanding user experience, an intoxicating customer journey, a marvelous marketing strategy, and, most importantly, one stable, fast, and secure website infrastructure.

This is where HostArmada can help you bring your game to the next level. Our cloud-based hosting services will supercharge your website with lightning-fast speed, top-of-the-line security, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. This way, your content will be up there, ready to be read, no matter how many of your fans join in simultaneously. This is the power of HostArmada’s cloud hosting.

See – a subtle ad for your service at the end of a blog post – not the center of attention.