Writing About the Right Things at the Wrong Time
If you’re the rational type, you’ll likely do some research before sharing your thoughts on something.
Sure, there will be exceptions when you answer or write something impulsively, but in most cases - especially if you want to teach someone - it will be fact-based.
I’ve gotten pretty efficient at doing research. It was part of our day-to-day lives at the University, and it is at the heart of software development.
So let’s say at some point you decide you write up some good stuff on Twitter about hiring people. You’ve been doing this for a long time as an experienced engineer, and you thought you’d share some wisdom.
But your thread flops.
Let’s also assume your writing was entirely practical and helpful advice from the first to the last tweet.
So why it didn’t work?
I’ve been sharing a wide range of thoughts on Twitter since April 2021, and here’s what I had to realize:
We know all sorts of things. And I’m sure you could tell me 10 things you know better than I do. You could write a thread on those topics, and in each of them, I’d learn something new, but
What you share matters as much as what you’re known for,
You could have the best cooking advice with exclusively organic ingredients, but unless you presented yourself over time as the Organic Cooking Buddy, no one will care. You both have to talk long enough and good enough about organic cooking so people will have time to create your brand in their heads.
But hold on, don’t you create your brand?
(Personal) Brands are created in people’s heads.
If you show up every day as the organic chef, people can’t resist but learn that you’re the organic chef. At some point, the same fantastic recipe you shared at the beginning of your online chef career will magically explode, and everyone will see it.
Your ideas are most likely good.
You just have to let your brand cook.
Cheers,
Akos