The other day I received an email which makes me think I\u2019m doing all the right things.\u00a0 What was that email?\u00a0 Someone sent me a message noting they didn\u2019t like my content, it was too critical and controversial and they were unsubscribing from this blog.\u00a0 Now you\u2019re thinking I\u2019ve lost it \u2013 how can I possibly think that means I\u2019m doing things right?<\/p>\n
Simply put, I\u2019m not creating content for\u00a0everyone<\/em>.\u00a0 If I was doing that, I\u2019d have a total of\u00a0no one<\/em>\u00a0reading this.\u00a0 You can\u2019t create for the masses and expect to succeed, in fact that\u2019s the perfect way to live in perpetual obscurity.<\/p>\n Also, I\u2019m pleased with the fact that not only did they unsubscribe, they took the time to tell me about it.\u00a0 I got under someone\u2019s skin enough they actively felt a need to email me they were leaving.\u00a0 That\u2019s an emotional reaction in the negative direction \u2013 which is great.\u00a0 It means that others of you have an emotional reaction in the positive direction.<\/p>\n The middle ground in digital publishing is a myth.\u00a0 You can do it, sure, but it does not lead to growth at rates you\u2019ll be happy with.\u00a0 The only way playing to the middle works is if you\u2019re e-how.com and can create heroic amounts of content.\u00a0 Surprisingly, playing to the middle is the exact route most take.\u00a0 But unless you have a model that\u2019s\u00a0fast, cheap and profitable as hell\u00a0you\u2019ll fail long before you reach\u00a0increasing returns.<\/p>\n Not only should you not try to please everyone, you should actively try to speak to a certain group even if framing ideas in that way alienates others.\u00a0 That\u2019s the problem with most corporate blogs and even personal blogs from professionals across industries \u2013 they walk on eggshells and are afraid to have any sort of viewpoint.\u00a0 Yet\u00a0analyzing,\u00a0taking sides,\u00a0causing controversy\u00a0and being critical are all what makes for compelling conversation.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve long since reached the saturation point, and while the tail gives\u00a0some<\/em>\u00a0life to everyone you need to rise out of the tail in your category.\u00a0 That is, if you want to experience true benefits from your\u00a0content marketing.<\/p>\n The very idea of not pleasing everyone scares most businesses and most people.\u00a0 But it is a requisite to position yourself against others in a way that matters.\u00a0 Doing this might\u00a0create enemies.\u00a0 It will certainly unnerve your competitors (how can they say that!).\u00a0 Almost none of them will have the daring to put such a move into play.\u00a0 And 9 times out of 10 it\u2019s not for anything but lack of\u00a0fear\u00a0that holds them back.\u00a0 That\u2019s why it\u2019s such a potent strategy for you to cast fear aside and stop trying to please everyone.<\/p>\n If you are really being yourself, others are going to love you and others are going to hate you.\u00a0 The point is you\u2019ll evoke some sort of reaction.\u00a0 If you are self-censoring, stripping your personality from content or otherwise making concessions, the following you do build (if any) will be unconnected and uninterested. They won\u2019t\u00a0really<\/em>\u00a0trust your word.\u00a0 And what\u2019s the point of that?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The other day I received an email which makes me think I\u2019m doing all the right things.\u00a0 What was that … <\/p>\n