Don't Build an Audience
17 days ago
- #market efficiency
- #content creation
- #audience building
- Dwarkesh claims that great work naturally finds the right audience without needing to build a fan base over time.
- Scott Alexander counters, sharing that his blog, Slate Star Codex, grew gradually through viral hits and consistent posting.
- The debate centers on the efficiency of content markets for novel ideas, with Dwarkesh arguing for high efficiency and Scott noting some inefficiencies.
- Efficient content markets are defined by optimal connection between creators and consumers, enabled by modern tools and systems.
- Scott's early blog posts were well-written but lacked the unique insights that later defined his influence, supporting the idea that quality evolves over time.
- Volume and consistency in content creation increase the chances of producing standout posts that gain significant traction.
- Liquidity providers (people or algorithms) play a key role in distributing content efficiently by promoting high-quality work.
- Algorithms, like those on TikTok or Substack, aim to maximize engagement by serving the best content, regardless of the creator's existing following.
- The effort required to market good content is minimal, as the right people or algorithms will naturally promote exceptional work.
- Aspiring creators should focus on producing high-quality content rather than explicitly trying to build an audience, as popularity reflects the likelihood of creating impactful work.
- Early stages of content creation provide valuable, unfiltered feedback, which can be diluted as an audience grows.
- The author plans to test their ability to predict post performance by including a hash of their predictions in future posts.