4 builders who never spoke to each other

Judge writing on accumulation, not on the first week

Content banks value in a way that paid channels cannot, so a piece that moved a handful of people you already reach is a real result and not a failure. How proud you are of something has no relationship to whether it travels, and there are reasons to publish beyond traffic: owning a citable original, feeding an email channel, and demonstrating that you can think at length.

The method

1. 01

   Don't judge this work on early results - content accumulates value in a way that other marketing channels cannot.

2. 02

   Accept that a piece of writing shifting a handful of people you already reach is a real result; demanding that everything go viral leads to quitting.

3. 03

   Being proud of a piece of writing has no relationship to whether it travels; expect most considered essays to reach only your existing readers.

4. 04

   Publish for reasons other than traffic: to feed the tools that still need sources, to own a citable original, to serve the few hardcore readers, to fill an owned email channel, and to demonstrate longer thinking.

5. 05

   Expect steady accumulation rather than a breakout moment, and get there through guest posts, consistent newsletter output and answering everyone who writes to you.

What it returned

• 2023

  Zue published an essay he thought was good in February 2023 and it drew no attention beyond a handful of dedicated readers.

• 5,000

  Rand Fishkin expected this post to draw under 5,000 visits, fewer than 500 from search and under 100 people reading every word, and says it is worth it if those are the right people and an inimitable product sits behind it.

• 7,000

  Brennan went from one subscriber to almost 7,000 in a year with no hockey stick, including a failed paid ad campaign among the experiments.

• Zue's essay on disagreement got little reach beyond his existing audience but drew a small number of readers who said they would apply its ideas.

Sources

• My First Year Teaching: How I Built My Audience - Double Your FreelancingBrennan Dunn · doubleyourfreelancing.com · Time And Hard Work · 2013-08-15
• Producing good content isn't enoughJustin Jackson · justinjackson.ca · Producing good content isn't enough · undated
• Your secret success fantasyJustin Jackson · justinjackson.ca · Is it bad to want to be liked? · undated
• “Michelin Guide” MarketingHarry Dry · Marketing Examples · Planterina · undated
• Inimitable Product is the New "Make Great Content" - SparkToroRand Fishkin · sparktoro.com · So What is Even the Point of Publishing Anymore? · undated
• There’s no such thing as a big break - Fathom AnalyticsPaul Jarvis · usefathom.com · There’s no such thing as a big break · 2015-09-21
• Shifting PerspectivesCory Zue · coryzue.com · Griffin · 2022-05-03
• AI is Eating my LifeCory Zue · coryzue.com · Writing · 2023-04-21
• Re-entering the ArenaCory Zue · coryzue.com · Expanding my reach · 2023-01-01