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The 3 ingredients missing from your content
You're writing. You're posting. But nobody's stopping to read. Here's why...
Stephen Stanberry
January 5th, 2026
In partnership with
Hey friend!
I have a real question for you…
Just to kick off the year on an honest note…
When was the last time you posted something and people actually stopped scrolling?
Truly…
Not just a quick like from your social media friend.
Not a "great post!" comment from a bot.
Not a pity save from someone who felt bad.
Think about that for a second.
If you can't remember, that tells me everything about your content.
Most creators and founders at your level are in the same position:
You're showing up. You're consistent. You're putting in the work.
But your content feels invisible.
People scroll right past it.
If this makes you uncomfortable, keep reading.
Because the creators who figure this out don't just get engagement, they get:
DMs from people who actually want to work with them
Shares from readers who can't help but pass it along
A following that grows because the content is actually worth remembering
Now, another honest question:
If there are creators who can do this, why can't you?
It's not a complicated answer.
It points back to 3 missing ingredients that change how people consume every piece of content you create.
Today, I'm breaking down my framework:
It's the 3-part story structure that makes people stop, read, and remember what you write:
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Part 1: The Person
Get clear on two things:
Who is this content about?
Why should anyone care about them?
Then, make the mindset shift: your content isn't about YOU.
It's about someone your audience can relate to, respect, or root for.
When you run that filter, you feel the pain of posting generic content that could be about anyone.
For every post that starts with "I've been thinking…" without context, you just lost their attention.
Once you have your person, run every piece of content through this filter:
Would my audience care about this person's journey?
When you do this exercise, you'll notice something uncomfortable: how much of your content has no relatable human at the center of it.
That awareness is the first step to fixing it.
Part 2: The Problem
Give them tension.
But you can't create tension if there's no stakes.
And you can't build stakes if you don't know what problem needs solving.
That's where conflict comes in.
Every story—every piece of content worth reading—has a problem that needs resolution.
Think of your content in four types of conflict:
High stakes, time-sensitive: A founder about to lose their biggest client. A decision that needs to be made NOW.
High stakes, not urgent: Building a business, changing careers, mastering a skill. The stuff that matters but doesn't have a deadline.
Low stakes, not urgent: Random observations. Time wasters. Skip these.
Low stakes, urgent: Small annoyances that feel pressing but don't actually matter. Also skip these.
The goal is to anchor your content in conflicts that fall into the first two categories.
This is how you create tension that keeps people reading.
To do this, ask yourself two questions:
What's at risk if this problem doesn't get solved?
Why does solving it matter RIGHT NOW?
If you can't answer those, your content has no conflict.
And without conflict, people have no reason to keep reading.
Here's what most creators miss:
Conflict isn't just drama. It's the gap between where someone is and where they want to be.
That gap creates curiosity.
And curiosity keeps people engaged.
Part 3: The Payoff
Posting content with a person and a problem isn't enough. That's the foundation.
You need to give them resolution.
The big mistake most creators make? They build tension but never close the loop.
But almost every post needs an ending.
Think of your content in 3 outcomes:
Tasks solved: Single-step takeaways. "Here's what to do next."
Projects resolved: Multi-step processes. "Here's how I fixed it."
Lessons learned: Ongoing insights. "Here's what I realized."
For example, say your content shows a founder struggling to delegate.
You could end with a task: "Hire an assistant this week."
Or turn it into a project: "Here's the 5-step process I used to build my team."
Or make it a lesson: "I learned that control isn't the same as quality."
Each ending serves a different purpose:
Tasks give people immediate action.
Projects give people a roadmap.
Lessons give people perspective.
Pick the one that matches your story.
Now you have content that doesn't just inform, it transforms.
It's the beginning of moving from invisible posts to content people actually remember.
Before we wrap up, keep this in mind for 2026:
You don't need to post more. You need to post better.
This is why I built Yellow Bite.
Every morning, I send one email breaking down what makes stories stick (and what makes them forgettable).
If you apply just one lesson per week, your content will be unrecognizable in 30 days.
I'll help you identify the #1 thing your content is missing.
Let's win 2026 together,
Stephen
P.S. - Tomorrow, I'm breaking down why your content looks boring even when the writing is solid. It's all about the visuals.
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