When a reader comes across your writing, their eyebrows need to go up, a frown needs to appear, and they should say, “Hmmm… that’s interesting”.
This is the goal.
To give them insights, not mere information.
Bland, informative content doesn’t do the job. There is no surprise and, hence, no reaction from the reader.
What we need is a counter-intuitive idea – an idea that takes them by surprise and gets their interest. It’s based on evolution – as we evolved as a human species, we were trained to give attention to ideas that were not ordinary, as it was key to our survival.
“Struggling with gut health? Stop eating spicy foods” is boring.
“Struggling with gut health? Maybe it’s not the food, but something else that is to be blamed” is counter-intuitive and worth digging into.