- Adam Gordon Bell succeeded at Earthly by writing blog posts that reached the front page of Hacker News, which attracted customers even with non-marketing topics like a rant about YAML.
- Investing outsized effort (e.g., 40 hours per post) is key to achieving outsized returns, as top posts generate the majority of readers and leads.
- Early feedback on drafts is crucial; Adam used internal reviews and tools like Grammarly and ChatGPT for editing, but also learned to interpret feedback wisely.
- Crafting compelling titles and coining memorable phrases (e.g., 'Green vs. Brown Programming Languages') can make posts stand out and become part of the software canon.
- The 'panel-of-experts' style (interviewing multiple experts, as in the Bazel article) requires high effort but yields high-quality, story-driven content that resonates.
- Blogging respectfully about competitors can build trust; being open about use cases and pricing, even for free products, attracts customers.
- Improving writing through imitation of admired styles (e.g., Austin Kleon's advice) and comparing one's work to great examples helps develop a unique voice.
- Avoid combative posts that generate negative reactions, such as those with a finger-wagging tone, and instead focus on helpful or explanatory content.