As part of our work and client-base, I follow many leaders and consultants on LinkedIn, Instagram, Substack and other platforms. But I've found myself unfollowing many more out of pure frustration.

And it's not the ones who are over-promoting their services. The reason is actually the opposite: it's the ones who simply reshare viral posts, trending articles, and popular content from major publications. Because the way they're sharing that supposedly "value-added" content is, in fact, absolutely worthless.

Think about it: If I'm already following a consultant, agency, or industry expert, odds are I'm an engaged audience member. And if you know anything about your audience, you should know I'm also following the same industry publications, thought-leaders, and news sources that you are. So I don't need you to reshare the exact same Harvard Business Review article or viral LinkedIn post I've seen dozens of times in my feed.

Content resharing is simply lazy content marketing, in that it offers no benefit to either the reader or the brand. You're not driving your audience to your website to read something original that appears on your blog. All you're doing is sending them to a media site they probably already follow, or worse, contributing to content fatigue as they see the same post repeatedly.

But could you argue these reshares are at least building brand awareness? I'm doubtful, given today's saturated social media landscape. If the content is engaging enough, your audience will read it and remember the original creator or publication, not the brand that reshared it. In fact, constant resharing without commentary can actually diminish your brand's perceived expertise.

Now, this isn't limited to any single industry. I've seen financial advisors reshare the same market analysis, HR professionals posting identical workplace trend articles, and countless businesses amplifying the same viral entrepreneurship content. Of course, sharing content created by others can be an effective component of a broader content strategy — it just can't BE the entire strategy.

When it comes to incorporating shared third-party content into your content marketing mix, consider this: the primary objective should always be to reinforce your own expertise and provide unique value. Before you hit "share," ask yourself:

• Does this align with your content strategy and brand voice?

• Is this content already oversaturated in your audience's feed?

• Can you add meaningful commentary that showcases your specific expertise or perspective?

• Will this drive engagement that benefits your brand, not just the original creator?

Better yet, if you see an article or trend you find compelling, create your own content responding to it. Write a contrarian take, share a case study from your experience, or provide actionable insights that relate to your audience's specific challenges. That way, you're positioning yourself as a thought-leader while still acknowledging valuable content from others.

The point of content marketing in 2025 isn't to add to the noise — it's to cut through it by educating and informing your audience about what makes you uniquely valuable. So put some real thought into it! ■