TL;DR
AI made it easier to produce content. But it also made everything look and sound the same.
The one thing that's standing out today? A strong brand with a real point of view - and a voice that feels human, not manufactured.
Less is more. Clearer content - grounded in positioning, messaging, perspective, and story.
The Quiet Shift in Marketing You Can't Ignore
Reporting to you live from an empty high school cafeteria - a place where time stands still, but somehow the nostalgic smell of "chicken patty on a bun" is clearly built into the walls at this point.
My son's wrestling practice runs late, so naturally this is the perfect setting for a little marketing insight, right? :)
Just minutes before I opened my laptop, you'd catch me doom scrolling LinkedIn on my phone.
...and within seconds, it all blurred together.
Different creators.
Same structure.
Same tone.
Same recycled frameworks.
And here's what hit me:
The content wasn't bad. It just didn't mean anything.
It could've come from anyone.
It could've been written by a tool.
It all felt... interchangeable.
The Cost of Sameness (That No One's Talking About)
If you're leading a small business, chances are you're not short on things to say.
But when it comes to actually publishing content - across social media, newsletters, your website, etc. - it starts sounding like everyone else in your industry.
You plug in a template.
You follow the rules.
You tweak the prompts.
...and what comes out is technically fine.
But deep down, you know it's not distinct. It's not you.
You're thinking:
→ Ok, we're showing up... but are we actually standing out??
Here's the Shift
AI didn't replace the need for human voice. It revealed how critical it is.
In a flood of same-sounding content, what cuts through now is clarity:
- How you position yourself in the market
- Your unique lens on the work you do
- The stories and perspectives that no prompt can generate
Because when everything starts to feel like a variation of ChatGPT... what actually gets remembered is something only you could have said.
Less is More
The smartest brands today are not focused on creating more content - AI already made that easy. They're creating braver content rooted in real perspective and a clear point of view.
Not just "3 ways to X."
BUT:
- A stronger POV
- A message only their brand can ship
- A tone that sounds human, not optimized
It's a subtle shift, but it's everything right now.
Why This Matters to You
If you're running a business with a lean team and limited marketing capacity, you can't afford to sound like everyone else.
You don't need a hundred posts.
You need the right message.
One that relates directly to your target market.
Resonance beats reach.
This is where I see brands getting stuck in 2025.
→ More content. More effort. Less traction.
Let's not do that...
As the volume of content goes up, the value of clarity goes WAY up with it!
If your message feels like it's blending in with the rest - it's a sign to sharpen your point of views, positioning, and messaging pillars.
That's the shift - and the opportunity - we'll keep digging into.