content creation

The Single Most Important Detail to Creating Great Content

“Tell your story backwards!”

There it is—the single most important detail when it comes to grabbing your audience’s attention and getting them to stick around to consume your content.

Stick with me for a minute, and I’ll explain the whole process and how it can revolutionize your content game. But first, I wanted to make sure I didn’t waste your time by beating around the bush.

👆 SEE WHAT I DID THERE? 👆

I started with the payoff of this article: The single most important detail to creating great content.

I began with the one message I wanted to convey to my audience: There is one quick change that will revolutionize your content game.

And I led with the hook: Tell your story backwards!

I could’ve started by telling you I spent 20 years as the host of a radio show and that my job was to grab and hold an audience’s attention within the first 5-7 seconds.

I could’ve mentioned that I now help small businesses, content creators, and entrepreneurs craft engaging content for their audiences.

Or I could’ve opened with a flowery story to set up my “big reveal.”

But there’s one problem with all of that: YOU WOULD HAVE ALREADY MOVED ON TO SOME OTHER SHINY OBJECT!

The Attention Economy Is Ruthless

We’re living in the most competitive era for attention in human history. The digital world pulls at us from all directions, demanding our focus every second of the day. (I received two notifications while writing this, both trying to yank me away from this very task.)

Experts often advise, “Make sure your content is compelling and engaging.”

😮 OH REALLY? THAT’S REVOLUTIONARY! 😮

Of course, creating compelling content is key, but they rarely explain how to deliver it effectively.

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The Inverted Pyramid

The inverted pyramid is a storytelling strategy where you lead with the most critical information—the hook—and follow up with supporting details. While “telling your story backwards” isn’t a perfect analogy, it captures the essence of starting with the payoff.

Let’s compare two versions of the same story:

Version #1:
“I was almost killed by a Dorito last night in my own home!”

Version #2:
“Oh man, craziest thing … so last night I was watching football and eating Doritos. It was around 8 o’clock—wait, maybe it was closer to 7:30…”

Which story grabs your attention faster?

Version #1 hooks you instantly. Then, I can circle back to share the full details of my near-death Dorito ordeal. Version #2, on the other hand, makes you want to stab yourself in the eyes with a fork because it drags on forever.

A small shift in delivery changes everything.

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Where Most Creators Go Wrong

Far too many creators, even podcasters, miss the mark:

Host #1: “Hey, thanks for joining us today. Kevin is with us. Hey Kevin, how are you?”
Host #2: “I’m great. How was your weekend?”
Host #1: “Good! How was yours?”

OH, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GET ON WITH IT!

Sure, talk about your weekend (if it’s interesting), but start with something that delivers value to the audience.

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Your New Content Rule: Lead with the Payoff

You need to deliver compelling content right away. Then, provide a payoff in a reasonable amount of time because your audience has 247,000 other things vying for their attention.

With that, I’m wrapping up this article. I could give you five more examples to hammer home the same point, but I’d rather respect your time. Armed with this strategy, go out there and create great content!

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn