How many times have we been asked to make it simpler, easier, shallower! Of course, focusing on the essentials is always a good intent. But chasing for virtual likes and digital followers has somehow distorted the debate. For two main reasons:
- First, it underestimates the audience’s aspiration for trustworthy information, real contributions, and added value.
- Second, and most importantly, it twists the target: By serving the many who look for shallow interaction you deceive the few that are ready to engage. And ultimately you foster an audience that it is of little value.
In the race to the bottom the fastest will lose… so we’d better take care the best we can of the few who really care. Seth Godin has written a blog post on making things better rather than more popular. It’s worth reading.
