Entertain-or-Solve Content Rule
Make every piece entertain people or solve a specific problem
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 97%
The rule gives every online content idea a simple audience-value test: it must entertain people, solve a problem, or deliberately bridge the two as infotainment. Start by identifying why the intended person would choose the piece, then shape the title and substance around that purpose. For problem-solving content, specificity supports both usefulness and search discovery. For entertainment, the experience itself must reward attention. Podcasting can combine educational value with an engaging delivery, but the listener still comes first. The model also requires a discovery path—often Google or Pinterest for articles—because even valuable work fails commercially when nobody can find it. Clear audience language beats a clever title that makes sense only to the creator.
Origin
Nick Loper learned the rule from a friend at a conference five or six years before the interview and applied it to podcasting and blogging.
Core principles
- 01People go online to be entertained or solve a problem
- 02Useful content starts with the audience's purpose
- 03Infotainment can combine both forms of value
- 04Discoverability must be designed into each piece
How to run it
- 1
Choose the audience job
Decide whether the piece primarily entertains, solves a problem, or combines both.
Pro tip If you cannot name either job, do not produce the piece yet.
- 2
Specify the value
State the exact entertainment experience or problem the audience will receive help with.
Pro tip Use the audience's language rather than an insider phrase.
Watch out A broad topic is not yet a concrete promise.
- 3
Design discovery
Identify the platform or search behavior that can bring the intended person to the content.
Pro tip Shape problem-solving titles around phrases people are likely to seek.
Watch out A clever but opaque title can hide useful work.
- 4
Deliver for the listener
Build the content around the promised value, using entertainment to improve attention rather than distract from the point.
Pro tip Educational podcasts can use stories and personality to create infotainment.
- 5
Practice and refine
Publish, observe audience response, and improve the craft over repeated pieces.
Pro tip Expect early episodes or articles to be practice rather than polished work.
Watch out Do not use imperfect early output as a reason to avoid repetition.
In the wild
Instead of publishing a personal reflection under a title only the writer understands, a budgeting blogger answers a specific question people search for and packages it in clear language. A short personal story keeps the explanation engaging without replacing the solution.
→ The article has a defined audience benefit and a realistic path to discovery.
Common mistakes
Writing only for yourself
Personal expression without a clear audience benefit rarely creates a monetizable content business.
Using an opaque clever title
A title that makes sense only to the creator weakens search discovery and click-through.
Is it for you?
Best for
Podcasters, bloggers, and content marketers selecting and packaging topics.
Not ideal for
Private journals or closed communications whose purpose is not audience growth.
From the transcript
“people are only ever online for one of two reasons”
“putting the listener first and it's a practice it's a craft”
“as you're creating every piece of content think okay how is somebody going to discover this”
From the episode
Nick Loper, Master the Art of Side Hustles to Create Lasting Freedom