Have you ever heard someone say this: “we need a content machine to crank out more company and brand information.”

As if stakeholders are just dying to consume, like and share all that content.

If I had a dollar for every time the word “storytelling” has been used in my presence over the last five years, I would be retired, living on a beach and posting about wine, soccer and my other passions instead.

I get that compelling stories, supported by interesting visuals and distributed via engaging platforms, can help stakeholders bond with a brand and burnish a corporate reputation.

It wouldn’t hurt, however, to keep some perspective.

Most employees are not holding their breath for your next intranet post. Customers may have liked your LinkedIn page, but they’re busy and are more likely to miss posts than see them.

Implicit in this new gold rush to mine content is that stakeholders want it. Do they? Really?

Sure, some especially passionate brand advocates certainly do. Think about Harley and Porsche owners, Nike and Apple customers, and Red Bull drinkers.

But for most companies and brands, the primary issue isn’t more content – it’s better content. Stories that spark a memory or trigger an emotion. Photos that evoke 1,000 words. Video that captures a pivotal event or idea.

That’s the kind of Information stakeholders want to share, and they’ll share it not because the company implored them to do it as a demonstration of their loyalty and passion.