You can't beat SLOP💩

In partnership with

The Content Crisis No One Wants to Admit

We all love to talk about audience, distribution, and conversations—the stuff that actually moves the needle for founders and operators. But let’s be honest: most of us roll our eyes at “content strategy.” Here’s the uncomfortable truth for 2025: the packaging, professionalism, and effectiveness of your content has never mattered more.
Why? Because we’re drowning in AI slop—low-effort, high-volume content that’s stealing attention and eroding trust. If you want to build a real brand (personal or company), you can’t afford to ignore this. Let’s talk about what AI slop is, why it’s everywhere, and how to rise above it.

What Is “AI Slop” and Why Is It Everywhere?

Let’s call it what it is: AI slop is content generated for the sake of content. It’s the endless parade of LinkedIn carousels, blog posts, and “thought leadership” that reads like a robot’s fever dream—technically correct, emotionally vacant, and instantly forgettable.
The root cause? The explosion of generative AI tools. According to a 2025 Content Marketing Institute survey, 71% of B2B marketers now use AI for at least some content creation. The result: a tidal wave of posts, articles, and videos that exist solely to grab attention, not to deliver value.

Examples of AI Slop in the Wild:

• The “10 Ways to Boost Productivity” listicle that’s indistinguishable from the last 50 you saw.

• LinkedIn posts with generic “growth hacks” that could apply to any industry, any year.

• Company blogs regurgitating the same frameworks, with zero original insight or voice.

This isn’t just annoying—it’s dangerous. When everyone’s content looks and sounds the same, trust erodes. And when trust erodes, your brand is just another tab to close.

1. Packaging Is Your First—and Last—Impression

The harsh reality: attention is a packaging game. In a world of infinite scroll, your content’s visual and structural polish is the first filter.

• Design matters: According to Nielsen Norman Group, users form an impression of your site in 0.05 seconds.

• Format is a signal: Is your content scannable, visually distinct, and tailored to the platform?

• Professionalism sets the bar: Sloppy visuals, typos, or off-brand colors instantly lump you in with the AI slop crowd.

What great teams do:

• Figma for content: SaaS leaders like Notion and Linear treat every blog post and landing page like a product launch—tight visuals, custom illustrations, and a clear hierarchy.

• Personal brands, professional polish: Founders like April Dunford and Lenny Rachitsky use consistent templates, crisp typography, and branded visuals across channels. You know it’s them at a glance.

Actionable tip:
Audit your last 10 posts. Would you click, read, or share them if you didn’t know your brand? If not, level up your packaging.

2. Trend Fluency: Speak the Language of Now, Not Yesterday

Here’s the paradox: to stand out, you have to fit in—at least enough to get a shot at attention. The “language” of digital content is always evolving, shaped by creators and the AI slop they’re reacting to.

• Formats shift fast: In 2024, carousels and “hook-first” threads dominated LinkedIn. In 2025, short-form video and “micro-case studies” are surging.

• Memes and meta: The best creators riff on current tropes, remixing formats while anchoring in their unique POV.

• Data:

  • 81% of top-performing LinkedIn posts in Q2 2025 used a trending format or meme structure (Shield Analytics).

  • But only 12% of B2B brands consistently adapt their content to new trends (Content Marketing Institute).

What great teams do:

• Trendwatching as a habit: SaaS GTM teams at companies like Ramp and Attio dedicate weekly time to review what’s working across channels, then rapidly test new formats.

• Anchoring in value: Even when riffing on a trend, the best operators tie it back to their core message or product.

Actionable tip:
Spend 10 minutes a day scanning your feed. What’s getting engagement? How are the best creators remixing the same ideas? Adapt, don’t copy.

3. Own Your Distribution—Or Risk Irrelevance

Here’s the trap: you can have the best content in the world, but if you’re dependent on social algorithms, groups, or paid ads, you’re building on rented land.

• Algorithmic risk: LinkedIn, X, and TikTok tweak their feeds constantly. What worked last month might tank tomorrow.

• Direct channels win: The most resilient brands are doubling down on owned distribution—email, private communities, and first-party data.

Data point:

• Newsletters now drive 3x more repeat visits than social for B2B SaaS brands (SparkLoop, 2025).

What great teams do:

• Build the list: Companies like Mutiny and Paddle treat their newsletter as the primary channel, not an afterthought.

• Community as moat: Operators like Dave Gerhardt (Exit Five) and Amanda Natividad (The Menu) invest in private Slack groups and member-only content.

• Multi-channel, but owned-first: Smart brands use social to drive to owned channels, not the other way around.

Actionable tip:
Map your distribution. If more than 50% of your reach comes from platforms you don’t control, start shifting effort to email, SMS, or community.

The 2025 Reality: Content Is Brand, and Brand Is Survival

The rules have changed. In 2025, your content is your brand. And with AI slop flooding every channel, the bar for quality, relevance, and ownership has never been higher.

• Packaging signals trust.

• Trend fluency earns attention.

• Owning distribution protects your future.

Ignore any of these, and you’re just another voice in the noise.

That’s a wrap for this week.
If this hit home—or you’ve seen a great example of anti-slop content—hit reply or share with a founder who needs to hear it.
Stay sharp, stay original.
— Grady

Marketing ideas for marketers who hate boring

The best marketing ideas come from marketers who live it.

That’s what this newsletter delivers.

The Marketing Millennials is a look inside what’s working right now for other marketers. No theory. No fluff. Just real insights and ideas you can actually use—from marketers who’ve been there, done that, and are sharing the playbook.

Every newsletter is written by Daniel Murray, a marketer obsessed with what goes into great marketing. Expect fresh takes, hot topics, and the kind of stuff you’ll want to steal for your next campaign.

Because marketing shouldn’t feel like guesswork. And you shouldn’t have to dig for the good stuff.

Sign Up Free