> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thelighthouselibrary.co/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # "I don’t think AI can get to true good content – it has never been in your shoes" | Against the Feed interview with Laura Vegh - URL: https://thelighthouselibrary.co/i-dont-think-ai-can-make-good-content/ - Published: 2026-04-23T09:03:34.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-28T09:38:40.000Z - Description: I interviewed Laura Vegh, writer and strategist, to ask her about what makes good content. - Author: Ely Bakouche - Tags: Against the feed, Newsletter, #Migrated-1787909873033, #Import 2026-08-28 11:38 *Welcome, reader! I initially published this interview as part of* [*my latest essay*](https://thelighthouselibrary.co/four-pillar-editorial-line/)*, but* *it’s so insightful I wanted to give it its own space. Laura’s take on AI content is especially comforting, and I hope it’ll encourage you to keep using your voice and sharing your unique perspective in your writing.* --- # Welcome to Against the Feed! This is the first installment of a new series where I interview professionals who challenge mainstream advice on existing online and model building a body of work. If you’re interested in starting conversations in your public ecosystem, gaining recognition within your field, and doing it in a way that’s aligned with your creative and professional self, stick around! [Subscribe](#/portal/signup) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/81/e2/81e297df-ae1e-4000-a8bd-230e72c347a3/content/images/2026/08/2aeb09bd-a019-4e37-82af-c866f98cbb10_1000x300.png) I interviewed Laura Vegh, a freelance writer and strategist. Laura and I met through The Lab, the online community by Digital Nomad Girls. She writes funny and sharp observations about the world of content and freelancing on LinkedIn and Substack. When she asked the question *“How do you know when the writing in front of you is good?”* on LinkedIn, I was working on [an essay on meaningful communication](https://thelighthouselibrary.co/four-pillar-editorial-line/), and I had to reach out to her. Here’s her take on good content. ## 1\. Can you tell me a bit about the expectations that people have about content? I find that a lot depends on their background and their understanding of content. For instance, I’ve had clients who expected a few blog posts to solve all their problems: Put them at the top of the SERPs \[Search Engine Results Pages\], bring in new leads, increase their conversions, all within just a few weeks. **That is unrealistic.** Content can do all of that, but it is unlikely to happen in just a few weeks, and it also can’t do all the heavy lifting alone. Your blog might land at the top of the SERPs, but conversions also depend on other things like how well-known your brand is, how you present yourself across other channels, and probably the most important part: The product you’re selling. If the product doesn’t respond to the user’s needs, good content won’t help you for long. It might drive some views, leads on the page, and maybe even a few purchases at first, but in the long run, the copy won’t make much of a difference. I’ve also had clients at the other end of the spectrum, who understand that content is one of many tools. It can and does help when used wisely, **but to get the results you want, you need to use it as part of a bigger system, not as a quick fix.** ## 2\. In your view, what key elements do you find in “good” content? For me, good content is easy to read, answers real questions, and feels like it was written by someone who understands the reader. It’s the type that informs or entertains a reader without things like clickbait ideas or fear-mongering. **It makes you feel that whoever wrote it has been in your shoes, or just understands you, sees you and whatever problems or questions you have.** Lately, there’s been a lot of discussion around “AI slop.” I feel like it’s almost impossible to talk about good content without mentioning AI, especially since the conversation has taken a ridiculous angle. People on social media, especially on LinkedIn, are saying that if they see an em dash or parallelism, they are certain that it’s AI-generated content and automatically label it as bad. They don’t even bother to read the content anymore. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t an ode to AI-generated content. I don’t think AI can get to true good content, but a slight overuse of parallelism or of em dashes isn’t what’s making it bad. AI can inform; it can give you definitions, maybe it can even find accurate statistics and other data and provide a good analysis. **But it has never been in the reader’s shoes. It has no true subjectivity, no true experience, and no true empathy. It also can’t have a true opinion. Its answer, even when it labels it as “an opinion,” is nothing but the result of ‌data and pattern analysis.** That’s also why I don’t think the current obsession with “AI tells” makes much sense. The problem is that AI lacks lived experience like humans do – it can’t truly relate, empathize, or take a real stance. **That’s the difference you feel as a reader.** *“Good content makes you feel like whoever wrote it has been in your shoes. \[…\] \[AI\] has never been in the reader’s shoes. It has no true subjectivity, no true experience, and no true empathy. It also can’t have a true opinion. Its answer, even when it labels it as “an opinion,” is nothing but the result of ‌data and pattern analysis.”* *— Laura Vegh, writer & strategist* ## 3\. Does producing “good” content really matter? Why or why not? What else matters? Yes, good content matters. When a product, positioning, and the client experience are strong, good content is a way to get closer to your potential customers. Let’s be honest: Most of us are tired of ads. We skip them, block them, or ignore them. Content is different: People choose to engage with it because they’re looking for something. They want to read it. If the content gives them the information they need, and piques their interest for more, that’s a lead you may be turning into a customer. Not through clickbait tactics, but simply by providing a genuine solution to their problem. Even when the content doesn’t directly sell something but simply informs, if you do that in an engaging way, people start trusting you. They understand you know what you’re talking about and it can be the foundation of a relationship where you give something – relevant information in this case – without asking for anything in return. To put it into a different perspective, think of fiction. Say you pick up a book by a new author, which so happens to be the first in a series. Maybe you choose it because it’s in the recommended section of your local bookshop, you like the synopsis, or someone recommended it. That book is your first step into that author’s world. If you like it, if it provides the experience you were looking for, you’re likely to buy the next book in the series, even if they don’t tell you “click here for the next part.” It’s not a perfect comparison, but the principle is the same: If the experience delivers on its promises, people come back. ## 4\. What can “good” content help a professional, a business, or a creative achieve? It can help get your message across. By that, I mean helping people clearly understand what you do, why it matters, and whether it’s relevant to them. I’ve worked with clients who had great products but struggled to attract the right audience because their content wasn’t strong enough – it didn’t clearly explain what made the product valuable, for whom, or why anyone should care. Strong content can be a great conversation starter. Take LinkedIn, for instance. The platform is ultra-saturated with content, but a lot of it is repeat ideas; bland posts that are supposed to be “thought leadership” that say nothing and speak to no one. If you know your audience and find a way to speak to them like a human being, they’ll respond. You might not go viral, but I don’t think that should be the goal unless you’re paid per like, comment, or impressions. I went viral a few times, and they did increase my followers count, but funnily enough they brought me zero clients. These are usually posts that bring to light either weird trends or client requests, problems almost every freelancer has had in their careers, or just share some jokes. I think people engage with them because they feel seen. That and the fact that they almost always had a bit of humor in them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/81/e2/81e297df-ae1e-4000-a8bd-230e72c347a3/content/images/2026/08/7adff882-3df6-4b10-b69b-49fc7babd19b_1128x618.png) “I went viral a few times, \[…\] but funnily enough, \[those posts\] brought me zero clients.” - Laura Vegh Posts that went nearly invisible by social media standards got me a few leads and some turned into clients. These are usually posts that touch on more serious topics, or those where I share a link to my Substack – LinkedIn truly isn’t a fan of that. For instance, a recent post that went nearly invisible (under 150 impressions after almost two weeks), discussed topics around autism. I also had a post discussing clickbaits and fake news. That one stands at under 200 impressions, but it got some interesting conversations going in my DMs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/81/e2/81e297df-ae1e-4000-a8bd-230e72c347a3/content/images/2026/08/1d05bd31-57e1-4fe8-b469-974afcca78c5_1030x1560.png) “Posts that \[go\] nearly invisible \[…\] touch on more serious topics, or where I share a link to my Substack - LinkedIn truly isn’t a fan of that.” - Laura Vegh (the screenshot post got under 150 impressions, 8 likes) The LinkedIn algorithm certainly plays a huge role here. But I also think audiences, at least my audience, tend to prefer lighter topics, so posts that feel heavier go under the radar for the majority. At the same time, those topics tend to be more relevant to my clients, which is why their impact is something I feel more “behind closed doors,” in my DMs, rather than in the direct engagement. Both types of posts serve their purpose. Some provide a good laugh and sense of validation for peers in my industry, others bring work opportunities. **Ultimately, good content sparks curiosity – about who you are, what you do, and how you think. And that curiosity is often what sparks conversations, leads, and clients.** #### [Connect with Laura on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-vegh/?ref=thelighthouselibrary.co) | [Find out more about Laura’s work](https://lauravegh.com/?ref=thelighthouselibrary.co) | [Read Laura’s Tales on Substack](https://lauravegh.substack.com/) (and her latest fiction series about Jessica, a freelance designer who’s autistic) --- *Many thanks to Laura for sharing her insights on good content!* *Join the conversation and let us know how it landed:* [Leave a comment](#ghost-comments-root) --- Share this with your friends and ecosystems! # From marketing funnels to building a body of work online *The Lighthouse Library gives you tools and mindset shifts to help you build a body of work online — beyond growth tactic and marketing funnels. Grab a cup of something and read on:* [What's missing from the Substack growth conversationI said I wouldn’t do it again. That I wouldn’t let myself be talked into playing the algorithm games on Substack, like I did back in 2018 with Instagram and SEO tropes. But here I am: reporting back on an attempt to follow the latest growth tactic.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/81/e2/81e297df-ae1e-4000-a8bd-230e72c347a3/content/images/2026/08/fc0296cc-01a8-4a1d-bf41-70195b91616e_372x372-4.png)The Lighthouse LibraryEly Bakouche![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/81/e2/81e297df-ae1e-4000-a8bd-230e72c347a3/content/images/2026/08/a94d4dfb-7034-4e0c-a9dd-6b7f9b3fe566_1456x1046-1.png)](https://thelighthouselibrary.co/whats-missing-from-the-substack-growth/) [I broke up with content marketing. Now what?Last November, I wrote Breaking up with content marketing, where I explained why content marketing principles have limitations for small business owners and service providers. I was especially vocal about the fallacy of the niche. In this essay, I dive deeper into why communication in a loud digital landscape can seem pointless, and I present the journa…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/81/e2/81e297df-ae1e-4000-a8bd-230e72c347a3/content/images/2026/08/fc0296cc-01a8-4a1d-bf41-70195b91616e_372x372-5.png)The Lighthouse LibraryEly Bakouche![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/81/e2/81e297df-ae1e-4000-a8bd-230e72c347a3/content/images/2026/08/3ed64998-eb84-4936-ac27-d05877daf229_1200x700.png)](https://thelighthouselibrary.co/four-pillar-editorial-line/) [Anatomy of a viral essayWelcome to the lighthouse library! In this publication, we broke up with content marketing and we now explore how to hit the publish button in a way that feels creatively and professionally fulfilling. I’m your lighthouse keeper, editor, and publishing consultant, Ely :) Happy reading!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/81/e2/81e297df-ae1e-4000-a8bd-230e72c347a3/content/images/2026/08/fc0296cc-01a8-4a1d-bf41-70195b91616e_372x372-6.png)The Lighthouse LibraryEly Bakouche![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/81/e2/81e297df-ae1e-4000-a8bd-230e72c347a3/content/images/2026/08/78bff345-9f91-4284-98f5-280b4a382caf_1200x700-1.png)](https://thelighthouselibrary.co/anatomy-of-a-viral-essay/)