1.
Bad Ideas KILL Content
Let’s have better ones.
Stacey MacNaught

2.
@staceycav#mancseo

3.
The world is FULL of things that started with
absolutely terrible ideas.
@staceycav#mancseo

4.
@staceycav#mancseo

5.
@staceycav#mancseo

6.
@staceycav#mancseo

7.
As SEOs, we’ve got a history of ruining stuff
too…
@staceycav#mancseo

8.
@staceycav#mancseo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nightingale-mortality.jpg

9.
@staceycav#mancseo
https://www.britannica.com/science/historical-geography/media/267366/178717

10.
Over a Century Later…
@staceycav#mancseo

11.
@staceycav#mancseo

12.
@staceycav#mancseo

13.
@staceycav#mancseo

14.
Wtf is the
dinosaur
doing here?
@staceycav#mancseo

15.
@staceycav#mancseo

16.
We killed the infographic.
@staceycav#mancseo

17.
There’s so much CRAPPY content out
there.
@staceycav#mancseo

18.
@staceycav#mancseo
Most articles get no links.
https://marketing.buzzsumo.com/link-study/

19.
@staceycav#mancseo
And there are LOTS of reasons that
happens

20.
But a BIG one is that…
@staceycav#mancseo

21.
@staceycav#mancseo

22.
Bad ideas happen to us all.
@staceycav#mancseo

23.
“Yes! Let’s have another gin!”
@staceycav#mancseo

24.
WHY?
@staceycav#mancseo

25.
1. Bad Briefs
@staceycav#mancseo

26.
2. Bad brainstorming
@staceycav#mancseo

27.
If one person is doing all the talking…
@staceycav#mancseo

28.
And ideas are in short supply
@staceycav#mancseo

29.
Everyone else is desperate for it just to be OVER…
@staceycav#mancseo

30.
Mediocre ideas get through the filters.
@staceycav#mancseo

31.
3. Insufficient Ideas
@staceycav#mancseo

32.
When you only have 3 or 4 ideas to choose from, the
standard is typically lower
@staceycav#mancseo

33.
Than if you have 100 to choose from
@staceycav#mancseo

34.
4. Lacking Constructive Criticism
@staceycav#mancseo

35.
It’s difficult to tell some people you don’t like their
ideas.
@staceycav#mancseo

36.
Your boss.
Respected colleagues.
Friends.
Clients.
@staceycav#mancseo

37.
So substandard ideas sometimes make it through.
@staceycav#mancseo

38.
5. Insufficient Validation
@staceycav#mancseo

39.
It’s easy for the team involved to become blind to the
flaws of the project.
@staceycav#mancseo

40.
Third party validation is essential
@staceycav#mancseo

41.
So, what do we do
about it?
@staceycav#mancseo

42.
Writing a Solid Brief

43.
The brief gets ignored a LOT
@staceycav#mancseo

44.
But needs to include
Objectives Audience
Examples Limitations
@staceycav#mancseo

45.
Better
Brainstorming

46.
Not everybody feels comfortable putting their
ideas out there for the critique of colleagues
@staceycav#mancseo

47.
How many amazing ideas do you miss because
your ideation sessions alienate them?
@staceycav#mancseo

48.
Offer preparation time
@staceycav#mancseo

49.
Consider allowing anonymity
@staceycav#mancseo

50.
Getspeakup.com
@staceycav#mancseo

51.
Worst Ideas Method
@staceycav#mancseo

52.
MORE Ideas

53.
@staceycav#mancseo
635 Brainwriting
https://www.staceymacnaught.co.uk/635-brainwriting-
method/

54.
@staceycav#mancseo
NUF Testing
https://www.staceymacnaught.co.uk/nuf-testing/

55.
@staceycav#mancseo
NUF Testing
https://www.staceymacnaught.co.uk/nuf-testing/
NEW USEFUL
FEASIBLE

56.
Keyword Research: What People Want
@staceycav#mancseo

57.
Best performing content on BIG publisher
websites
@staceycav#mancseo

58.
Honest
Feedback

59.
Collaborative, not combative.
@staceycav#mancseo

60.
It’s not about whether we like someone’s idea,
but about whether we believe it will meet the
objectives.
@staceycav#mancseo

61.
NUF based measurement criteria to stipulate
why you don’t think an idea is as strong as it
could be.
@staceycav#mancseo

62.
Feedback could be anonymous
@staceycav#mancseo

63.
Validation

64.
Can’t see the woods for the trees
@staceycav#mancseo

65.
@staceycav#mancseo
When you’ve convinced others of your idea, it
becomes harder to see it objectively yourself.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-
dissonance.html

66.
@staceycav#mancseo
Cognitive Dissonance
https://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-
dissonance.html

67.
External validation is essential both early in the
process and later
@staceycav#mancseo

68.
@staceycav#mancseo

69.
@staceycav#mancseo

70.
@staceycav#mancseo

71.
Keyword Research: What People Want
@staceycav#mancseo

72.
Keyword Research is ultimately what
validated this piece:
@staceycav#mancseo

73.
Keyword Research is ultimately what
validated this piece:
@staceycav#mancseo

74.
Keyword Research is ultimately what
validated this piece:
@staceycav#mancseo

75.
External panel of people to sound ideas off
@staceycav#mancseo

76.
Including journalists and publishers wherever
possible
@staceycav#mancseo

77.
Ideation can’t always
be a process

78.
Ideas don’t have to happen in an office. And
often the best ones don’t.
@staceycav#mancseo

79.
Ideas happen in the shower, in your sleep, on a
walk…
@staceycav#mancseo

80.
Take the ideas your team have on their own
seriously. Validate and develop them
@staceycav#mancseo

81.
Embrace the “light bulb” moment
@staceycav#mancseo