diff --git a/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/validation/validators/ResourceOperationInputOutputValidator.java b/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/validation/validators/ResourceOperationInputOutputValidator.java
index bfc38cad436..cd194f39d6f 100644
--- a/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/validation/validators/ResourceOperationInputOutputValidator.java
+++ b/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/validation/validators/ResourceOperationInputOutputValidator.java
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@
 import software.amazon.smithy.model.shapes.ResourceShape;
 import software.amazon.smithy.model.shapes.Shape;
 import software.amazon.smithy.model.shapes.ShapeId;
+import software.amazon.smithy.model.traits.NotPropertyTrait;
+import software.amazon.smithy.model.traits.PropertyTrait;
+import software.amazon.smithy.model.traits.ResourceIdentifierTrait;
 import software.amazon.smithy.model.validation.AbstractValidator;
 import software.amazon.smithy.model.validation.ValidationEvent;
 
@@ -214,8 +217,10 @@ private void validateMember(
                         resource.getId(), propertyName)));
             }
         } else if (!identifierMembers.contains(member.getMemberName())) {
-            events.add(error(member, String.format("Member `%s` does not target a property or identifier"
-                    + " for resource `%s`", member.getMemberName(), resource.getId().toString())));
+            events.add(error(member, String.format("Member `%s` does not target a property or identifier for resource "
+                    + "`%s`. If it is an identifier, apply the `%s` trait. If it is a property, apply the `%s` trait. "
+                    + "If it is neither, apply the `%s` trait.", member.getMemberName(), resource.getId().toString(),
+                    ResourceIdentifierTrait.ID, PropertyTrait.ID, NotPropertyTrait.ID)));
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/smithy-model/src/test/resources/software/amazon/smithy/model/errorfiles/validators/resource-properties/invalid-output-identifier.errors b/smithy-model/src/test/resources/software/amazon/smithy/model/errorfiles/validators/resource-properties/invalid-output-identifier.errors
index dfc8e9c5f3d..fa8be2b281e 100644
--- a/smithy-model/src/test/resources/software/amazon/smithy/model/errorfiles/validators/resource-properties/invalid-output-identifier.errors
+++ b/smithy-model/src/test/resources/software/amazon/smithy/model/errorfiles/validators/resource-properties/invalid-output-identifier.errors
@@ -1 +1 @@
-[ERROR] com.example#CreateResourceOutput$id: Member `id` does not target a property or identifier for resource `com.example#Resource1` | ResourceOperationInputOutput
+[ERROR] com.example#CreateResourceOutput$id: Member `id` does not target a property or identifier for resource `com.example#Resource1`. If it is an identifier, apply the `smithy.api#resourceIdentifier` trait. If it is a property, apply the `smithy.api#property` trait. If it is neither, apply the `smithy.api#notProperty` trait. | ResourceOperationInputOutput