Numbers are just numbers. You know that.
But then why do we get so hung up on reaching X subscribers or X views?
We forget a core truth about data or numbers:
1 ≠ 1.
A view from Sally, who is your grandmother, is not as important as a view from Sharon, who is in your target audience. Sorry, grandma.
Having 55 subscribers with 25 being your target audience is waaaaay better than having 1,000 subscribers with only 15 being the target audience.
It’s harder to quantify that, however. It’s easier to put 1,000 subscribers in our bio than put 10.
This is especially true when trying to promote your content.
Which sounds better?
A. I write to 1,250 developers on how to unlock career growth
B. I write to 65 marketers on how to improve their writing.
(A) all the way. I want to be a part of the larger community.
But what if (B) framed their numbers better:
Join 65 marketing leaders from companies like HubSpot, Box, and Drift and learn how to improve your writing.
If you had VPs of Marketing or CMOs from those companies, it would be far more important than the total number.
That’s one hack. Another would be sharing results.
I’ve helped 35 of my 70 subscribers get new jobs in marketing. Will you be next?
Chasing numbers is a losing battle. It forces you to optimize for things not necessary. It also is a never-ending challenge. You can always get more.
Instead, chase meaningfulness. Make something that helps people. Engage with your subscribers and build a compassionate community.
The lesson: Don’t be discouraged by low numbers.
Instead, focus on making something worth consuming, find your differentiation, and put that upfront, along with subscriber count, to promote your content.
What are your thoughts about numbers? What story do they tell you?
🧠 + ❤️ // JO