The Secret to Great Content? Don't Make It Look Like You're Selling Something

When people ask me what I do, I usually say: “I tell real stories for people who don’t have time to tell their own.”

That could mean a small business owner who’s great at what they do but invisible online. Or a nonprofit leader who cares deeply but has no clue how to turn their mission into momentum. Sometimes it’s a creative with a brand that needs shaping. Sometimes it’s someone with 30 years of experience and no digital footprint.

But the process is always the same: I look for the story. I pull it out. Then I write it in a way that’s interesting, relatable — and yes, sellable.

I learned how to do this the hard way: in the newsroom.

And one of the most important chapters in that journey was when I created a show called eightWest at WOOD TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

This was the on air promotion for "eightWest"

It Started With a Problem

I was working as the station's assistant news director when I was told we needed a new show — one that would feature paid content from advertisers. Basically: “create something that brings in revenue, but don’t make it boring.”

A lot of people would’ve taken the easy route: stack up a few talking-head interviews, run some lifestyle fluff, and call it a day.

But I couldn’t do that. I knew viewers wouldn’t sit through something that felt like a live infomercial — and frankly, neither would I.

So I built eightWest around a different philosophy: don’t make it look like you’re selling something — make it look like you’re telling a story.

We took viewers on site. We asked real questions. We interviewed the people behind the business — not just the owners, but the employees, the clients, the people who made the work worth doing. We found the heartbeat.

And we made sure every segment had an actual storyline — a reason to care beyond “this product exists.” Sometimes it was a personal journey. Sometimes it was an interesting challenge. Sometimes it was just about capturing the atmosphere of a place and the passion behind the brand.

The show took off because we did something most “branded content” never does: we made it watchable.

The Process I Use Today? It Started There.

Today, I work directly with businesses, nonprofits, and individuals who want to sound like themselves online — but better. They don’t want buzzwords. They don’t want some cookie-cutter blog post or stiff bio. They want content that reflects who they are and what they care about — in their own voice.

And I approach them the same way I did with eightWest clients.

I start with a conversation. Not a questionnaire. Not a form. A real conversation. I want to hear the language they use. I want to know what gets them excited, what frustrates them, what questions they answer every day that never make it onto their website.

Then I find the storylines — and build from there.

Here’s what that might look like:

A financial advisor wants to bring in younger clients. We talk for 30 minutes and I realize they’ve got incredible personal stories about helping people get out of debt, buy their first home, start over after divorce. I take that and write a blog post titled: “What They Never Teach You About Money in Your 20s — or Your 40s.”

A local HVAC company wants better SEO. After a quick call, I write: “Your Furnace Isn’t Just Old — It’s Stealing Your Money.” The post includes real-world anecdotes, customer language, and ends with a link to schedule a tune-up. It gets shared because it’s actually useful — and doesn’t feel like a pitch.

A wedding photographer is overwhelmed by blogging. I take their favorite shoots and turn them into emotional, visual stories — not just galleries, but experiences. Each one subtly sells their style without screaming “Hire me.”

This is content that doesn’t just rank. It resonates.

Because it’s not about keywords. It’s about connection. It's the secret to great content.

People Are Smart. They Know When They’re Being Sold To.

That’s the part most marketers miss.

If it feels like marketing, people tune out. They scroll past. They click away.

But if it feels like a story — something honest, something human — they lean in.

That’s what I do. I find the moment worth telling, and I write it like a journalist would. I bring structure, voice, and clarity to what someone’s already doing — and then I make sure it shows up in all the right places: websites, blogs, email, social, search.

It’s not just content. It’s content that works.

This Isn’t Just What I Do — It’s What I’m Built For.

I’ve worked in major newsrooms. I’ve managed reporters. I’ve written stories under deadline and helped others find their voice on-air. I’ve built trust with viewers, readers, and clients because I know how to get to the point — and make it matter.

Now I do that for you.

Because if you’re great at what you do, people should know. And if your website doesn’t sound like you? If your blog is blank? If your story feels stuck in your head?

Let me run it like a newsroom.

Let’s turn it into something people actually want to read.

Let’s make your story work.

-Andrew Gillfillan