In partnership with

“Filler content” is the fastest way to be ignored.

👋 Welcome back to Content to Commas, your weekly playbook for turning content into authority, consistency, and growth.

I want to start by thanking you for being part of this community. In just 7 months, this newsletter has reached 7,000 subscribers, with 46 emails sent and 80,784 emails read.

... that's impressive growth! And I plan to keep earning this spot in your inbox EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

Now, back to “filler” content. Too many brands and creatorpreneurs confuse consistency with volume.

They publish “we haven’t posted in a while” content just to stay active and then they are surprised when their reach decreases, engagement is low, and they start losing followers.

Filler content isn’t safe either. It erodes trust and signals to the algorithm and community that you’re content is worth skipping.

Every post contributes to your reputation. A pattern of poor quality posts becomes your brand.

This week, we fix that.

📌 In this issue:

  • A no-fluff system to kill filler for good

  • A simple good-better-best ladder to raise the floor on every post

  • A weekly plan that keeps you consistent without padding

Let’s get to work,

Brandon Smithwrick 🧠

Sponsor:

How can AI power your income?

Ready to transform artificial intelligence from a buzzword into your personal revenue generator

HubSpot’s groundbreaking guide "200+ AI-Powered Income Ideas" is your gateway to financial innovation in the digital age.

Inside you'll discover:

  • A curated collection of 200+ profitable opportunities spanning content creation, e-commerce, gaming, and emerging digital markets—each vetted for real-world potential

  • Step-by-step implementation guides designed for beginners, making AI accessible regardless of your technical background

  • Cutting-edge strategies aligned with current market trends, ensuring your ventures stay ahead of the curve

Download your guide today and unlock a future where artificial intelligence powers your success. Your next income stream is waiting.

The No-Filler Content System

Let’s get straight to it … filler doesn’t just waste space, it teaches people to skip you.

When you post something half-hearted just to “stay active,” your audience learns to expect less from you. Algorithms do the same.

Think of it like watering down your own brand. You might still post consistently, but you’re showing up as a lesser version of yourself, one that people forget.

Filler hurts more than engagement metrics:

  • It kills trust: people start doubting your expertise and aesthetic.

  • It hurts your SEO: shallow content signals low authority.

  • It blurs your voice: when everything sounds generic, nothing stands out.

If you wouldn't want to interact (watch, read, engage, or listen) to that post, why share it? It's actually rude and shows you don't respect people's time.

do this…

1. The Good–Better–Best Ladder

Not every post has to go viral, but every post should at least be of quality.

Here's how you raise that standard.

Good content makes one clear point with one clear example. It’s useful and easy to understand.

Example: A business creator breaks down “3 underrated revenue streams that made me $2K this month.” It’s simple, relatable, and gets bookmarked.

Better content adds a takeaway, a framework, or a resource. It teaches something your audience can immediately apply.

Example: A fashion creator shares “How I plan 5 outfits from one wardrobe,” with visuals or a 3-step formula for planning looks. Now it’s actionable and shareable.

Best content combines both, it teaches, shows proof, and drives action. It’s your flagship material.

Example: A finance creator posts “How I automated my money to save $1,000/month,” includes a screenshot of their budget tracker, and links to their Notion or Google Sheet template.

💡 Pro tip: Do a quick audit. Label your last five posts as Good, Better, or Best.

If too many live in “Good,” you’re playing it safe. Your audience remembers the posts that teach and show, not the ones that just tell.

2. The Proof-of-Work Rule

If anyone could’ve written it, you shouldn’t post it.

People follow you for your perspective, skills, aesthetic, product offering, or likeablity … not parroting.

The easiest way to make your content stand out? Show that you’ve done the work and know what you are talking about.

How this looks in the wild:

  • Business creator: “I rewrote a client proposal and the close rate jumped from 28% to 47% this quarter.” Include a redacted proposal snippet or a CRM chart.

  • Fashion/beauty/lifestyle: “This vitamin C routine cleared the dullness in 14 days.” Share a bathroom-counter photo, the exact product order, and one progress selfie under the same light.

  • Entrepreneur/money: “I auto-saved $612 last month without thinking.” Post a screenshot of the transfers, list the rules you set, and the one tweak drove revenue.

When you inject proof, you stop sounding like a coach and start sounding like a builder.

It turns ideas into trust.

Quick tip: if your post reads like anyone else could’ve written it, you’re missing the proof.

3. A Calendar Built for Your Capacity

Consistency doesn’t mean posting every day, it means never losing momentum. Here’s how to stay present without padding your calendar:

  • One anchor day: Publish your flagship post — the “Best” content.

  • One light day: Share a “Good” or “Better” post — repurpose, reflect, or expand on your flagship.

  • One buffer day: Use it for engagement — comment, reply, share wins.

That’s it. You don’t need seven posts. You need three meaningful touches a week that remind people why they follow you.

If you miss a slot, don’t fill it with fluff. Move the date … not your standards.

If you ever feel like you “don’t have enough content,” you’re not short on ideas, you’re short on angles.

One idea can live five different lives.

  • Longform: Teach the full concept (newsletter, blog, YouTube).

  • Shortform: Turn the best line into a post or tweet.

  • Visual: Pull a key stat or quote into a carousel or Reel.

  • Proof: Show a screenshot, graph, or result.

  • Personal: Share the story behind it.

read more on this)

Example: This newsletter could easily become a LinkedIn carousel (“The 4 Rules for Killing Filler”), a short clip (“Stop posting ‘we haven’t posted in a while’ content”), and a Notion template (“Good–Better–Best Audit Tracker”).

👆 This sis how you post all valuable content without any unnecessary or weak material in your content schedule.

P.S. If this helped, forward it to a friend who’s stuck in “just post something” mode. They’ll thank you.

📌 ICYMI…

Every week I share a quick practical tips on branding, monetization, growth strategies, and tools I actually use that you might’ve missed.

Catch up in minutes…

💳 Bilt for travel: I book flights with points earned from rent and now, they offer mortgage payments. It’s a no-brainer → Get Bilt for free

💸 Pricing playbook: Stop guessing rates. Use a step-by-step system that protects time and maximizes revenue → Read the guide

🧠 My Notion HQ: Projects, content calendar, and deal CRM in one clean workspace → Join Notion

📈 From 2–4x to 6–10x posting: The workflow that increased my output without burning me out → Steal the system

📝 Smarter LinkedIn insights: Stanley analyzes your posts weekly and tells you what to do next → See it in action

📰 Building a newsletter? I use Beehiiv. Free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months → Start on Beehiiv

🎬 Turn long video into shorts: OpusClip slices, captions, and schedules across platforms in one click → Try OpusClip

💼 Get your next job with content: Layoffs are real. Use audience, assets, and a repeatable plan to land work → Read the playbook

🏖️ How I made $20K at Cannes: First time at the festival, here’s the exact sequence that paid off → Read the breakdown

💬 DMs that convert from comments: “Link in bio” is weak. ManyChat turns comments into automatic DMs → Build the flow

🎞️ Edit faster with AI: VEED is my simple, all-in-one editor with powerful AI features → Get 50% off

🖥️ My creator desk setup: Every tool I use for filming, writing, and delivery in one list → See the gear

🏦 Banking for Builders: Mercury keeps business finances clean. Deposit $10K in 90 days and get $250 → Open an account

📋 Forms that look good: Typeform keeps data collection on-brand and conversion-focused → Start for free

Brandon Smithwrick, Creator of Content to Commas™

Thanks for reading! Say hi 👋 on LinkedIn

Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Subscribe here

Interested in advertising? Get in touch

Reply

or to participate