Have you ever shared something really helpful (and I mean “they’re gonna love this” level helpful) and still got nothing but silence? You’re not alone. It happens to creators every day. It’s happened to me, too.
The reality is that you can give the perfect advice, but it won’t stick unless it makes someone feel something first.
Emotion Is the Shortcut to Memory, Meaning, and Action
In The Science of Storytelling, Will Storr says that our brains aren’t built to process facts in isolation. We’re hardwired to feel things, not just think them. This means that the things that stick with us? It’s the stuff that stirs something inside.
Think about the books you remember from when you were a kid?
Think about your favorite movie?
The song that played after your first breakup?
All of them have one thing in common. Emotions.
Whether you’re writing a sales page, an Instagram post, or an about page, the content that resonates (and converts) has one thing in common: Emotions.
Do you see the pattern?
“Emotion is the GPS of human decision-making.”
—Will Storr (paraphrased)
Why This Matters for Solopreneurs and Content Creators
If you’re creating content to grow your business, you’re not just sharing information. An AI can do that. You’re guiding someone through a decision-making journey. And decisions (big or small) are emotional.
Emotion is what makes someone:
- Save your post
- Forward your email
- DM you to say, “This meant something to me”
- Click that precious “Book Now” button… even if they aren’t 100% ready
When your content connects using emotions, it builds trust. And trust is what helps you move people from thinking to acting… from considering to buying.
What Kind of Emotion Works?
Don’t get me wrong. When people here “emotion” they think about ugly crying and shouting with their face into the rain. But, the reality is that you don’t need to make people cry to create emotional content. You just need to help them feel something real.
Here are some examples:
- Relief: “Finally, someone understands my problem.”
- Hope: “Maybe this could work for me.”
- Belonging: “I thought I was the only one who felt this way.”
- Frustration: “This is exactly the thing I’m struggling with.”
- Inspiration: “I’m going to try this right now.”
These are all real emotions that can help bring your customers along, get them on your side, and motivate them to take action.
How to Add Emotion Without Feeling Manipulative
I want to be very clear about something though. This isn’t about being fake. And it’s definitely not about being manipulative.
It’s about showing up as a real person writing to another real person.
They say that “real recognizes real” and they weren’t joking. Those real people will be able to tell when you’re being fake. And it will drive them away.
In short, authenticity is the key to emotional resonance.
You can help bake emotional resonance in your content (in an authentic way) by:
- Sharing specific moments (not just summaries)
- Naming the stakes (“You’ve tried batching content before, but it always falls apart by week two…”)
- Using sensory details (“It was gray and drizzly the day I hit play on the audiobook that changed everything…”)
- Letting people in (“I was embarrassed to admit it, but I wasn’t writing because I didn’t know what to say.”)
Try This: Reframe Your Next Post Around a Feeling
Instead of asking “What’s the point I’m trying to make?”
Try: “What do I want them to feel when they read this?”
That shift alone will change how you approach your captions, blog posts, and even sales copy.
TL;DR: Emotion > Information
If the goal is to be remembered (and it should be), then you need to be felt.
Emotion is what turns your content into connection and helps turn consumers into clients.
Next up in the series:
👉 How to Use Conflict in Your Content to Keep Your Audience Hooked (Link to be added)
Want a Shortcut?
If you’re ready to craft content that actually connects, the Content Kickstart Kit will walk you through my Spark → Sort → Sprint method, with prompts designed to help you write emotional, story-driven content in less time.
→ Grab your free copy here (Link to be added)
