Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Most small-business marketing looks like a plain glass of water when it needs to look a lot more like a glitter jar.

Water is sensible. Practical. Necessary.
It’s also invisible.

Glitter? Your brain goes, “Ooh… what is that?” That tiny “ooh” is dopamine. And in a world where your audience is doom-scrolling past hundreds of posts a day, dopamine is the price of admission.

This isn’t really about glitter. It’s about why your helpful, responsible, educational content keeps getting ignored and what to change so people actually stop, watch, and remember you.

Why “Safe” Marketing Dies Quietly

Most small businesses live on the “good citizen” side of marketing:

• Polite how-to posts
• Generic “3 tips” carousels
• Earnest, sensible blogs

All of it is technically correct… and totally forgettable.

Your audience is not opening social media wondering, “What would be good for my personal development today?” They’re looking for something that makes them feel curious, seen, amused, and surprised.

Our brains are built to prioritize novelty and emotional charge—anything that helps decide, in a split second, “pay attention” or “ignore.”

That’s why most people forget 99% of the marketing they see by the end of the day. I break down that science in more detail in The Neuroscience of Memorable Marketing.

“Safe” content doesn’t create that spark. It’s drinkable, but it doesn’t interrupt the scroll.

The problem isn’t your expertise. It’s your packaging.

Attention Always Comes Before Education

One of my mentors, Jesse Cole of the Savannah Bananas, loves to say:

“Attention beats marketing every time.”

I’ll add this:

Attention always comes before education.

People do consume content that’s good for them. But not because it’s good for them. They consume it because it’s

• Interesting
• Entertaining
• Visually or emotionally compelling

Only after their brain experiences the “ooh, glitter” moment will they stick around for the “here’s why this matters” part.

That’s why your job is not just to be helpful. It’s to be helpful after you’ve earned attention.

Marketing exists to build trust and familiarity so sales can work. And trust can’t grow if no one ever really notices you.

“I Don’t Want to Be Clickbait…”

I hear this all the time:

• “We don’t want to be spammy.”
• “We don’t want to sell out.”
• “We don’t want to look like everyone else on TikTok.”

Fair. But that’s a false choice. You’re not choosing between shallow clickbait or boring, invisible content. There’s a third option:

Visually and emotionally compelling marketing that leads into genuinely high-quality content.

You prove you’re not just a flash in the pan by:

• Showing up consistently
• Matching your hook with real substance
• Delivering an experience that’s better than what your competitors promised

If you know your product, service, or event is legitimately excellent, then refusing to get attention isn’t integrity. It’s self-sabotage.

How to Add “Glitter” Without Losing Integrity

So what does this look like in practice? Think of your marketing in two layers:

1. Glitter (the hook): what makes them stop scrolling.
2. Water (the value): what makes it worth staying.

You need both.

Here are three simple ways to start shifting:

1. Lead with something unexpected

On video, that might be a prop (like a glitter jar or violin). In a post, it might be a strong opening line or bold statement. “Here’s the uncomfortable truth…” will always beat “In today’s blog, we’ll talk about…”

2. Rewrite the first 10%

Don’t burn down your whole strategy. Take 3 to 5 core pieces, like your About page, main service page, and a pillar blog, and rewrite the opening and headline. Make them more concrete, more specific, and a little braver.

3. Clarify your message

If you’re fuzzy on the message, no amount of glitter will save it. Get your core promise clear first; then make it memorable. If you’re stuck here, start with our deep dive on How to Clarify Your Marketing Message.

You’re Not Selling Out. You’re Showing Up.

In a crowded, noisy marketplace, the loudest voices are winning attention not because they’re better than you, but because they understand how the modern attention game works.

If you care about your clients and you know your offer delivers, then learning to add glitter isn’t selling out. It’s doing what it takes to be seen by the people you’re here to help.

So as you plan your next round of marketing, ask:

• Where’s the glitter?
• Where’s the water?
• And am I giving my audience a reason to stop, then a reason to stay?

Because in today’s world, “good for them” isn’t enough. It has to be good for them and good enough to watch.

And get started with us today if you’re ready to stop posting “water” and start creating marketing that actually gets noticed and converts.