I watched the latest take from Marketing Against the Grain and felt a jolt of clarity. The message is simple: the age of filler is over. If your content reads like anyone could have written it, it’s already invisible. That’s not an opinion pulled from thin air. It’s a signal backed by what Kipp Bodnar and Kieran Flanagan are seeing in search and what I’ve learned after decades building on the open web.
Why This Matters Now
Search remains a huge driver of growth. The hosts didn’t sugarcoat it. They framed Google traffic — and now Google’s AI answers — as vital oxygen for businesses. They also called out the rising tide of AI-generated fluff. That fluff is drowning feeds and making ranking harder for everyone.
“Google search traffic, and now Google AI search traffic, is really important.”
They’re right. But the solution isn’t more volume. It’s more non-commodity work — ideas and proof that only you can bring to the market.
What Kipp and Kieran Got Right
The sharpest line they drew was between “commodity” and “non-commodity” content. Commodity is easy, generic, and forgettable. Non-commodity is specific, hard to copy, and tied to a unique voice or experience.
“What really makes content non-commoditized is only you could have written it.”
That point landed. I’ve built brands in crypto, social media, and online business. The winners don’t publish more of the same. They publish what others can’t.
They also shared a tough filter from HubSpot’s Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan. It’s the “yoga studio test.”
“If you were writing something, they’d be like, could a yoga studio say that? Could any random business say what you’re saying? Because if so, then it’s commodity.”
That test should make every marketer sweat. If a random local shop could make your claim, your claim has no edge.
My Playbook For Non-Commodity Content
There’s a way out of the sludge. It takes courage and a system. My rule: Lead with proof, not platitudes.
- Publish data only you have: user metrics, sales trends, test results.
- Run small experiments and show what failed and what worked.
- Tell field stories with names, dates, and receipts.
- Offer a useful contrarian take and support it.
- Show your process step by step so others can repeat it.
- Add interactive assets: calculators, checklists, mini-tools.
- Write in a voice that reveals your judgment, not just facts.
These moves create artifacts that AI can’t fake. They also build trust. Readers remember people who stick their necks out and show the work.
The Real Test
The hosts made another subtle point. It’s not only what you say. It’s how you say it. Style is leverage. Your phrasing, your lens, your stakes — that’s your fingerprint.
“It’s not just what you’re saying, it’s how you’re saying it, and how you’re making it resonate with the unique voice that you or your company has.”
Original voice is a moat. But it must sit on top of substance. Voice without proof is theater. Proof without voice is dry. The sweet spot is sharp thinking, shown through a human point of view.
What The Doubters Miss
Some argue that AI can now write anything. That’s true for basic drafts. It’s not true for lived experience, proprietary data, fresh tests, or honest failure. Google is getting better at spotting the difference. So are readers.
Think about your last ten reads. Which stuck? The piece that felt like a press release, or the one that risked a clear claim and backed it up?
My Stand
Publish fewer pieces. Make them unmistakably yours. If your headline, hook, and take could belong to any brand, start over. Add a number no one else has. Add a lesson from your own ledger. Add a hot take you’re willing to defend on stage.
Final Word
As someone who’s shipped products, shows, and startups for years, I’ve learned this: the web rewards courage and clarity. Marketing Against the Grain nailed the call. Don’t feed Google slop. Feed it signal.
Here’s your next move: pick one topic this week and create a piece only you could publish. Put your name on a claim. Show proof. Ship it. Your rankings — and your audience — will follow the signal.
