logged
I changed how I think about content (and I wish I did it sooner)
When I first started writing on Threads, I took the “build in public” approach.
Follow your curiosity.
Write what you’re learning.
Trust that clarity would emerge over time.
And yes, that absolutely works. If you have no idea what you want to build or sell yet, it’s a great way to get started. But knowing what I know now, if I could go back, I’d have done things differently.
I knew what I’d be teaching when I started writing on Threads, I just wasn’t quite sure how yet.
So I took a scientific approach, and let the feedback on my content decide.
But looking back, I could have done it 10x times better.
Because here’s what I see happening over and over again on Threads right now. People blow up, gain followers fast, even grow big email lists, and then…
They still can’t monetize.
I know people with way bigger audiences than mine who struggle to sell anything.
I know people with smaller audiences who run real businesses and make real money month after month. And it’s not about talent or becoming a better writer (though that helps).
It’s really about the type of signal that your content is sending.
Most people optimize for likes, comments, follower growth, etc… which looks good, feels good, and absolutely works for getting attention. But attention alone doesn’t build a successful business.
Because here’s the problem…
Often times, the content that goes the most viral attracts people who have zero intention of ever buying anything from you. That’s not always true, you can combine the two, but if you look at your content, and it’s filled with identity signals but zero buyer intent…
All the feedback you’re getting is skewed.
First, you get tons of “this is amazing” feedback from folks who have no interest in ever really learning anything from you which makes it harder to tell what’s actually working in your business.
Second, you’re actually training the algorithm to find you non-buyers.
Not on purpose, but on accident… you’re saying:
“Show my content to people like this.”
Then when you try to sell, teach deeper, or speak directly to buyers… your distribution drops.
Not because algorithms hate business owners.
But because you trained it to faithfully ignore your offers in favor of engagement.
And this realization alone has changed my approach to content entirely. Instead of treating it solely as a means of self-expression, I’m treating it like an experiment in serving my ideal clients.
Now I start with buyer personas, specific outcomes, and real offers instead of just identity signaling and proselytizing my interests.
That doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself.
It just means you’re making yourself more useful to the right kind of people.
As a result, this morning I’ve rebuilt my content categories around this idea so there are fewer overlaps, clearer intent and space for building relationships as well as conversions.
It’s still fun, creative, and human…
But now it actually leads my readers somewhere that’s useful for solving their problems.
And I’ll be teaching how all this works inside the Client Discovery Lab cohort I’m opening up inside my private community starting early January. There, I’ll walk you through how all this works in detail, and how you can design content that attracts people who actually want to learn from you instead of just followers who like your content.
Space is limited, but all who apply get valuable bonuses.
Signal your interest using the link below and I’ll reach out between now and the 2nd week of January.
Talk soon,
Kevin Hood