Summary: What happens when the raw material of a content brief is entirely void of narrative, emotion, or human relevance? That’s what we’re confronting in this post—a cold, lifeless JSON response containing nothing more than an error code tied to insufficient funds. On the surface, there’s no story here. No characters. No arc. No struggle, no resolution. But inside that sterile error message lies a powerful opportunity to teach marketers, developers, and content teams a hard lesson about communication clarity, situational awareness—and why not every piece of data is fit to be “rewritten.”
When Data Has Nothing to Say
Not every message is content. And not every piece of content contains a message worth repeating. In this case, what was provided resembled a transactional system message—likely from a payment API or internal service log: a JSON snippet containing a few fields, the most relevant being some version of “error: insufficient balance.” This isn’t storytelling. It’s infrastructure. Yet content creators are being asked to “turn it into a story.” Why does that keep happening?
Let’s mirror the core issue: There is no narrative here. No protagonist. No antagonist. No event. No decision. As content marketers, we can’t sacrifice the reader’s time by pretending an error log is worth repackaging as a parable. The real task here is reframing expectations and asking: what was the requester attempting to accomplish? Were they hoping to make a technology brand feel more approachable? Were they trying to humanize an app or platform?
The Story Isn’t in the Text—It’s in the Context
An error itself doesn’t tell a story—but the human moment surrounding it might. Picture this: a user tries to make a purchase but gets hit with a vague insufficient balance message. They’re frustrated. Maybe embarrassed. Maybe confused. Now we have something to work with—an emotional doorway into the experience.
So now the story isn’t in the JSON… it’s in the moment behind it. Can you see now how that error message is just the tip of the iceberg? The real question is: what does this message tell us about the system, the assumptions, and the user interface? Is the user warned in advance? Were available balances clearly shown? Is the app putting the burden of financial management back on the user—or is it reinforcing clarity and confidence in its design?
This is where the Cialdini principles hammer in. Authority: speak with clarity on user communication standards. Empathy: lean into user frustration—not ignore it. Commitment and Consistency: once a brand promises intuitive service, it must follow through in every message—even errors. One poorly phrased system reply can violate all of that. Reciprocity comes from respect. And respect happens at every digital touchpoint, not just in the homepage copy or blog tone.
The Risk of Forcing Stories on Non-Story Inputs
There’s a growing trend in marketing circles—especially in AI content generation—to treat every word dump as raw creative material. This is dangerous. When we force storytelling into non-narrative content, we set ourselves up for mediocre output and consumer mistrust. Not everything should be fluffed up. Some things need to be simplified down or rewritten into clarity—but not as fiction. Not every app notification is a Pixar short waiting to happen.
This requires striking a balance: knowing when something is cold, clean data meant to serve utility—and when something is touching a human nerve. Part of being a competent marketer—or product communicator—is deciding what deserves narrative elevation, and what deserves crystal-clear brevity. Every brand wants stronger connection, but they shouldn’t try to earn it through forced emotion bruised onto the surface of a system error.
A Better Use of Time: Turning the Problem into Policy
You want value? Refocus. Instead of rewriting that system error into a parable, map out how those errors are tracked, reported, and resolved. Build content on what users can do when they see that message. That would actually serve your audience.
Create a “what to expect when your balance is low” explainer. Implement tiered system replies based on user status. Use comparative analytics. Show how 72% of failed transactions come from incomplete top-ups and share how to set up auto-funding thresholds. That’s not storytelling—it’s trust-building. You can even elevate the message through a strong UX strategy powered by smart copy: “Looks like something’s missing—your account is short by €11.25. Want to fix that now?”
That’s persuasive. That’s respectful. That’s 10x better than trying to fictionalize dry database replies into “content.”
Mirror Moment: What Are You Actually Solving?
Let me ask you straight—what’s the bigger story you’re trying to tell through this error message foam? Are you building trust between user and interface? Are you trying to differentiate between yourself and a competitor’s clunky comms? Are you trying to dress up your service because there’s not enough real benefit to actually talk about?
Sustainable content strategy requires constraints and discipline. It means saying “No” when someone suggests rewriting JSON responses like bedtime stories. Because “No” isn’t rejection—it’s a boundary where better ideas begin. It gives room for the real value to surface instead of wasting effort spinning illusions.
How do your system messages sound today? Are they plain, respectful, and human-readable? Or are you over-correcting with cuteness or burying the bad news in legalese? What would happen if instead of glossing over that failure, you explained it like a financially-minded friend?
The Hidden Leverage in Saying “There’s No Story Here”
When you say “There’s no story here”—and mean it—you’re not closing a door. You’re declaring the type of content worth pursuing. You’re confirming a suspicion many web users carry but rarely say out loud: “They’re trying too hard to be relatable. I just want clarity.” That clarity is power. It builds credibility, and it makes every actual story stand out better in contrast.
Just because you can write doesn’t mean everything is worth writing. And just because there’s text doesn’t mean it’s content. Hold your standards high, stay persuasive without being performative, and always—always—respect your reader’s time.
#UXWriting #ContentStrategy #RespectTheUser #NoIsAPowerWord #SmartMarketing #ClarityOverCute #EnoughWithTheFluff
Featured Image courtesy of Unsplash and Frederic Köberl (VV5w_PAchIk)
