Military veterans are familiar with the term "embrace the suck."
Embrace the suck is to consciously accept or acknowledge something extremely unpleasant but unavoidable for forward progression.
Col. Austin Bay, in his book, "Embrace the Suck: A Pocket Guide to MILSPEAK' translated it this way - "The situation is bad; deal with it."
So, it is with content development.
Unless you are in a group of people who love to write. Unfortunately, I am not in that group.
In content marketing, achieving a high rank on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) is the holy grail. Every website owner, marketer, and content developer aspires to see their content reign supreme at the top. But what does it take to get there? The answer lies in embracing the suck of content development.
The phrase "embrace the suck" may sound peculiar at first, but it holds a significant meaning in the military. Col. Austin Bay, in his book "Embrace the Suck," explains that it is both an implied order and wise advice couched as a vulgar quip. It means dealing with difficult situations and taking the bad in stride. This concept, when applied to content development, can be a game-changer.
Creating powerful and impactful content takes time. It requires dedication, research, creativity, and a dash of luck. You may spend hours crafting the perfect blog post or website content, only to find it buried deep in the SERP abyss. It's disheartening, but instead of giving up, it's essential to embrace the suck and keep pushing forward. Here's why:
1. Quantity Drives Quality:
In content development, quantity matters. It takes substantial content to increase your chances of hitting that coveted high rank in the SERP. Search engines reward websites with a reputation for consistent and relevant content. Embracing the suck means persisting even when you feel your efforts go unnoticed. Keep producing quality content steadily; eventually, the algorithms will start noticing.
2. Learning from Mistakes:
Nobody becomes an expert overnight. Content development is a continuous learning process. Embracing the suck means acknowledging that not every piece of content will be a masterpiece. Every blog post or article serves as a stepping stone toward improvement. You learn from your mistakes, analyze what works and doesn't, and continuously refine your content strategy. Accepting and pushing through the suck leads to growth and eventual success.
3. Niche Expertise:
Creating content is not just about pleasing the search engines. It's about providing value to your audience. To do that effectively, you must establish yourself as an expert in your niche. Embracing the suck means dedicating time and effort to honing your knowledge and skills. It means understanding your audience's pain points and addressing them through your content. You build trust and credibility by consistently producing high-quality content, making your website the go-to resource in your industry.
4. Persistence Pays Off:
One of the essential qualities to embrace the suck is persistence. Content development is a long-term game, and instant gratification is rare. It takes time for your content to gain visibility and climb up the ranks. It's not uncommon to feel discouraged along the way, but it's crucial to keep going. The consistent production of valuable content will eventually yield the results you seek. Persistence is the key that separates successful content developers from the rest.
5. Adaptability and Optimization:
Embracing the suck means being adaptable and open to change. Search engine algorithms are constantly evolving, and what worked yesterday may not work today. To stay ahead of the game, content developers need to embrace the suck by adapting to these changes. It involves staying up-to-date with the latest SEO practices and optimizing your content accordingly. Embracing the suck means embracing the ever-changing landscape of content development.
In conclusion, embracing the suck of content development is the secret to success. It takes persistence, resilience, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Remember, quantity drives quality, and consistency is vital. Embracing the suck means staying dedicated to providing value to your audience and continuously improving your skills. So, next time you find yourself facing a content development challenge, remember Col. Austin Bay's advice and embrace the suck.
I agree that writing is not for everyone, but you do need to learn how to do it well and embrace it in order to make a success of your online business.
I find I enjoy writing if it is about a topic I enjoy researching, so if you do start an online business, I strongly suggest you choose your niche accordingly, or you won’t enjoy the process of building your website.
Thank you for the great tips you have shared and I love the title.
Hi Michel. Thank you for your kind remarks. Learning new skills or upgrading existing skills is an important part of success.
Hello Glen, As a content creator and SEO enthusiast for my online business, I wholeheartedly agree with the points raised in your article. The concept of “embrace the suck” resonates deeply with me, as I’ve experienced firsthand the challenges and obstacles that come with content development. However, it’s through these difficulties that we grow, improve, and ultimately succeed. The journey of content development is indeed a long and arduous one. It’s not just about producing a large quantity of content, but also about ensuring the quality of that content. This process requires dedication, research, creativity, and sometimes a bit of luck. However, the more content we produce, the better we get at it, leading to improved quality over time. Persistence and adaptability are indeed key qualities for content developers. SEO trends are constantly changing, and being adaptable and open to optimizing content based on feedback and changing trends is crucial. As someone who is in the thick of it, I can vouch for the fact that embracing the difficult aspects of content creation is indeed the secret to achieving success in this field.
Hi Eric. I appreciate your comment. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. As Vince Lombardi, American football coach, said,
“A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive, and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.”
To some extent, I would agree that creating powerful and impactful content takes time. It requires dedication, research, creativity, and a dash of luck. The part which I disagree with is the ‘luck’. This is because nothing good is successful just by that, people have to put real effort and be disciplined for something good to go their way. You may spend hours crafting the perfect blog post or website content, only to find it buried deep in the SERP abyss. It’s disheartening, but instead of giving up, it’s essential to embrace the suck and keep pushing forward.
Thank you for commenting. I appreciate your comment about luck. When I drafted the post, I thought about luck and SEO, which explains why one piece of content makes it onto SERP page 1 and another doesn’t. I wish I could find the screenshot of SERP page 1 for a common keyword showing a post I wrote several years ago. I really don’t “do” SEO to the degree experts recommend, so showing up on page 1 was a surprise. I believe it takes skill, not luck, to be successful.
Your take on content creation made me smile so thank you. Business topics rarely do that. I’ve realised that knowing your audience’s pain points is the key to content creation – once you know the pains and can offer solutions, you can have an endless stream of content ideas. My problem has been in the actual writing of the content and being able to articulate your message with simplicity and clarity. AI is a great way to get an outline after your initial idea. Do you use AI to help you create content?
Hi, Jenny. I am happy my post smiled at you. Like you, I struggle with writing content. Years ago, a subscriber called my writing pedantic. It stung, but he was right.
Yes, I use AI to help me create content and writing tools such as Hemingway Editor, Grammarly, and CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer. I have used outlines for years. Consequently, my content looks like lists. AI does well with outlining,
On the other hand,
I have yet to see an AI program write good content. It is all pedantic.
Hello.Your insightful piece beautifully draws parallels between the military concept of “embracing the suck” and the challenges of content development in the digital realm. By embracing the difficulties inherent in creating quality content, you highlight the importance of persistence, learning from mistakes, and adapting to changes in the landscape. It’s a motivating call to action for content developers to push through obstacles and strive for excellence in their craft. Well done.
Hello Ela. Thank you for reading and commenting on my post. I appreciate your kind words.
Hey Glen,
It really is a great piece and is very enlightening as it explores the mindset that is essential for “embracing the suck” in content development, drawing parallels between the perseverance required in content creation and military resilience. It highlights that creating content that has an impact is difficult, but that getting past these obstacles is crucial to success. The metaphor effectively suggests that resilience and acceptance of hardship are essential in both the creative field of content creation and the battlefield. This makes me wonder: How can we tell when to stick with a content creation strategy and when to change it? Furthermore, given limited resources, how can the quantity of content be balanced while maintaining its quality?
Hi Sara,
Great questions. And tough to answer (for most people). To make a long story short, had a good online business with a subscriber list of almost 5,000. Then, I had major surgery (right hemicolectomy). While my body healed quickly, my mental state did not. AFTER 18 months, I decided to start up my online business. I tried doing too much too quickly, started chasing money and biz ops
I relearned two valuable lessons: know yourself and trust your instincts. It was out of character for me to build fast and loose.
I will publish my next post in a day or two. I write about how much content you really need to succeed.
Hi, I just took a look at your information here and I was also in the military, the UK Royal Air Force, and although the phrase Embrace the Suck is known, it is not all that popular as opposed to the USA. Over in the UK we use Keep Calm and Carry On… Well mannered you see, very British! 🙂
Anyway, I enjoyed reading your thoughts. I can relate to them but they were also very motivating.
I don’t suppose you have any go to strategies that you rely on to push through those really tough days? I would like to hear more along with any advice you might have.
Thanks for sharing!
Over and Out!!
Chris
ps, really great site!
Hi Chris. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I was stationed in Saudi Arabia in 1988 as an advisor to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces in Riyadh. When I joined the Navy in 1971, the thought of ending up in the middle of Saudi Arabia never crossed my mind.
I have met very few British military members. I met a British ex-pat working on an American aircraft program for the RSAF. He introduced me to several RAF officers supporting the RSAF Tornado acquisition program.
The Doors’ song “Break on Through [to the Other Side]” has a catchy tune that motivates me to finish my projects.
Fair winds and following seas on your Wealthy Affiliate journey.
Glen
Awesome Glen and thanks for getting back to me.
I had the real privilege of working alongside some real great guys from the US. I worked with them in the Ascension Islands and also in Garmisch Partenkirchen in Germany.
I have the best memories and we went through a lot together. There is nothing like a military bond. It cannot be replaced.
Great to meet you sir. All the best!
Chris
and The Doors yes, Awesome 🙂
Profit Commando, this is a really unusual take on content creation! I’ve never heard this expression ‘Embrace the Suck’ before! It certainly seems a powerful way to describe the relentless challenge that carving out a niche business and supplying it with high quality content and up to the moment information presents!
I am a writer and always have been, so I cannot imagine what courage and persistence you must need to launch and sustain a website with content if you are not!
Your determination shines through every word of your post!
Blessings and Success.
Linden
Hello Linden,
I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment. Thank you! And thank you for your kind and motivating words as well.
Over the years, I have written many words. Yet, I don’t consider myself a writer because writing has not become more manageable. Writing to a deadline seems impossible.
I wish you the best of success,
Glen