If you want memorable content, create information that doesn’t yet exist online.
There’s no shortage of content out there. The problem is that a lot of it feels familiar. Polished, competent, yet somehow forgettable.
If you’re a founder, marketer, or service provider trying to stand out right now, here’s the move many brands are skipping:
Stop starting with what’s already out there. Start with discovery.
Discovery is comprised of live interviews, real conversations and lived experience. This is how you create content that’s actually new, not scraped from the AI data pool. Not “newly arranged.” Not “rephrased.” Not “optimized.” Honest to God new.
And that matters now more than ever, because the internet is getting busier and louder, while originality is fading into the ether.
The real advantage isn’t only better writing. It’s better source material.
Most content doesn’t fail because it’s “bad.” It fails because it’s safe – and safe can be boring.
When you begin with discovery, you stop relying on the same public info your competitors are harvesting and your potential audience as seen.
Collect what only your business can provide:
- the decisions you made to achieve an outcome
- the turning points no one sees from the outside
- the tradeoffs that shaped a strategy
- the actual “why” behind the work
- the language and actions people actually use when they’re not trying to impress anyone
That material often doesn’t exist online until you uncover and publish it. Which means you’re no longer competing in the same lane as everyone else. You’re creating something fresh.
Why discovery improves performance (not just “storytelling”)
If you’re thinking, “This is nice, but I need content that converts,” good! Discovery helps you get there because it generates three things conversion content depends on:
1) Specificity
Instead of broad claims (“we’re passionate about helping”), give details. Detail builds belief. “We’re passionate about helping because we were once in your place, looking for help with _____.” What you did you do to find a solution? Why did you chose that approach, what happened next, and what changed because of it?
2) Credibility
I’m not talking about bragging rights. I’m even a bit weary of the term “storytelling” that everyone is acting like is new to the scene. It isn’t – people are just realizing how important it is in the sea of AI content. You establish credibility by demonstrating believable, human moments that show up as proof through examples, decisions, and real outcomes. Everyone’s story is different, and no one gets to the same place the same way. Sharing some of who you are, even a little vulnerability, can help credibility if you are genuine about wanting to serve your audience.
3) Voice
You want a consistent brand voice—but it shouldn’t live only on paper. The strongest voice starts in conversations, where your tone is natural and your language is real. Then translate that into digital ink: your website, emails, social, and sales materials so people recognize you everywhere and trust what they’re hearing.
These ingredients make people remember you, and feel confident choosing you.
Where discovery creates the biggest lift
Interview-first content is especially powerful for:
Podcasts
These can be described as recorded and broadcast interviews – the consummate discovery conversation. What could be better resource material – straight from your subject’s mouth!
Case studies
Numbers matter, but people remember those specific details discussed above. A client interview can capture the before-and-after. What was at stake, what shifted, and what they’d tell someone who’s considering the same decision.
About pages + founder stories
Your About page shouldn’t read like a resume or sound like you are credential stuffing. It’s a trust-building moment. Discovery helps these pages reveal the beliefs, values, and turning points that make your brand real (and help the right people engage with you).
Thought leadership
Real thought leadership isn’t trend commentary. It’s how someone thinks when there are constraints, surprises, and real-world consequences. Interviews capture decision-making and how it affects your industry, not just opinions.
Testimonials + impact stories
A quick conversation can turn “great to work with” into the proof buyers actually need: someone else’s resolved hesitation, the relief they felt, the unexpected win they didn’t see coming, and the moment they knew it was worth it.
It may feel counterintuitive, but it’s easier to grow by connecting deeply with the right people rather than playing a numbers game. A smaller, loyal audience that recognizes itself in your message will stick around. That’s how referrals happen – and how you become the clear choice.
How to conduct a discovery interview that delivers
Whether you’re the one asking the questions or the one answering them, it helps to know what a “good” interview looks like.
A discovery interview is more than a casual chat. It’s a guided conversation with a purpose—and the best ones feel natural because there’s preparation underneath, plus enough flexibility to follow what matters.
Here’s how to get the kind of insight you can’t pull from a website:
1) Know the objective before you write a single question
Interviewer: Decide on the primary output (and keep it in view).
Interviewee: Ask what the content will be used for so you can share the right examples – or request what you’d like to accomplish through the interview.
In addition to those discussed already, objective outputs that benefit from this preparation are sales pages, email sequences, FAQ pages, and more. As a matter of fact, I can’t think of any content that resource interviews could not improve.
You will likely walk away with several types of content that you can scale. Once you have objectives in mind, create a “must-walk-away-with” list. For most brand interviews, you want:
- 2–3 turning points (before/after moments)
- 1–2 concrete examples (real scenes beat summaries)
- exact wording for the problem and the solution
- proof (results, shifts, outcomes)
- at least one quotable line you can build around
When you know your destination, your questions are sharper, you stay on track, and the conversation stays useful. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still pull a thread when you hear one, it’s just easier to return to the roadmap later.
2) Provide (or ask for) a short pre-interview note so everyone shows up ready
Interviewer: Send a brief overview so the person isn’t improvising under pressure.
Interviewee: If you didn’t receive one, request it. It’s not “needy”, it’s professional.
Include:
- what the conversation is for and where the information may be used
- an estimate of how much time you need
- 5–7 sample questions
Knowing what to expect helps people relax and think ahead so you get better material in less time.
3) Make it feel safe (because safety = honesty)
Interviewer: Set the tone early.
Interviewee: Speak up if something feels off-limits or needs to be reframed.
You can open with something as simple as:
“This is meant to feel like a conversation. There’s no perfect answer. If anything feels too personal or off-limits, tell me and we’ll pivot.”
This does two things: it lowers anxiety and gives you permission to explore, because each person knows they can steer.
4) Ask for examples, not explanations
Interviewer: Examples create usable content. Explanations often come out polished and generic.
Interviewee: Come prepared with one or two specific stories you can walk through.
Try:
- “Walk me through what happened…”
- “Can you tell me about a time when…”
- “Where did it get complicated?”
- “What did you try first?”
- “What changed after that?”
5) Ask leading and open-ended followup questions
Interviewer: Most of your best material comes from follow-ups, not the original list.
Interviewee: Don’t rush to “wrap it up.” If you’re asked to go deeper, that’s a good sign.
Examples:
- “Say more about that.”
- “What do you mean by ____?”
- “What was the hardest part?”
- “What surprised you?”
- “What would most people assume here that isn’t true—and what would you like them to understand instead?”
These pull people out of stagnant questions or rehearsed answers and into real insight.
6) Slow down when you hear there’s more underneath
Interviewer: Listen for signal phrases, changes in tone, or pregnant pauses. Give space and silence room to work. Talk less and listen more.
Interviewee: If a question makes you pause, don’t panic. A good question may bring up new realizations, and can lead to the best answers.
When someone says:
- “Honestly…”
- “I didn’t expect…”
- “No one really talks about…”
- “The turning point was…”
- “I used to think… but now…”
Space helps people think—and that’s often when epiphanies surface.
7) Use the zoom-in / zoom-out rhythm
Interviewer: Move between details and meaning so the story stays grounded and relevant.
Interviewee: If you feel stuck, ask: “Do you want the details or the big picture?”
If someone stays high-level, zoom in:
- “What did that look like on a typical day?”
- “What happened right before that decision?”
- “Who else was involved?”
If they’re buried in detail, zoom out:
- “Why did that matter?”
- “What changed because of it?”
- “What do you wish people understood about this?”
8) Capture real phrases verbatim
Interviewer: Don’t “fix” their words in your head. Catch them.
Interviewee: Say it how you’d say it to a real client. That’s the point – and where your real voice is.
Use:
- “That’s a great line—can I quote that exactly?”
- “Can you say that one more time?”
Those phrases become your hooks, subheads, and headline-worthy lines.
9) Close with a question that unlocks positioning
Interviewer: End with something that surfaces meaning, objections, and values. Clarify what you understand as the takeaway.
Interviewee: This is your chance to say what you want people to know, if you don’t feel it was captured.
End with:
- “What should I have asked you that I didn’t?” or
- “If someone is on the fence, what would you want them to know?”
Get clarity on what matters most straight from the source.
10) Follow up like a human (professional courtesy)
Interviewer: Trust doesn’t end when the call ends.
Interviewee: Expect a quick accuracy check—and ask to review quotes if you are not presented with a draft.
After the interview:
- send a thank-you and reference one detail they shared
- confirm any dates/numbers you’ll publish
- share the final link or deliverable
People appreciate being looped in. It builds trust and makes them more likely to be happy with the finished piece.
The simplest way to start: one “source” interview
One 60–90 minute interview can fuel a multitude of quality content. If your content isn’t pulling its weight, you likely need better source material and discovery.
Remember, the most memorable content doesn’t come from recycling what’s already out there. It comes from creating knowledge that wasn’t there before, one conversation at a time.
If you need help unearthing content that sounds more like you, and gives people reasons to trust you, think about engaging in the interview process. Do a little soul searching with a guide that can present your story the way you want it shared. Wordswerk will guide the conversation, capture what matters, and turn it into a content you’re proud of.