This weekend I was in one of my best friend's wedding, someone I've known since we had mushroom bangs and stirrup pants.

That's the thing about growing up in a small town though, I have a group of friends I've been close with since we were 5. And when people know you that long, they know you.

And my friends know that I'm a know-it-all.

They promise me that it's not in an annoying way, "you just know everything about everything." Which sounds annoying to me, but I get on my own nerves a lot.

I don't feel like I have any genius level intelligence, I think I'm just nosey as hell. I can't not know something, especially with Google in my pocket.

But more than knowing things, I need to know how it works. I need to understand the rules, the nuance, the mechanisms. I need to know WHY something works.

Which is why organic & content marketing has always gotten under my skin a bit.

Because I've tried it. You have too, right? Or at the very least you've thought you "should." (Another issue for another day!)

But it's just never felt good to me. There's always been a level of skuzz involved.

You know what I mean - that feeling every time you post, doing all the "right" things but deep down you're like... this is stupid, right? Tell me this is stupid.

Let's talk about why "proven marketing strategies" aren't proving anything anymore...

Everyone's out here screaming: "ORGANIC REACH IS DEAD!"

...while simultaneously telling us... "JUST SHOW UP MORE CONSISTENTLY!"
(Because apparently doing the same thing harder is definitely the solution 🙃)

I don't really think that tells even half of the story.

Because as a professional lurker and figure-outer, here's what I actually think is happening:

People aren't resistant to engaging with content. They're resistant to engaging with content from people they don't know.

When you think about it - when you see a post from somebody you actually trust (ily ash ambirge), you're all:

• Save that shit for later (in the folder you'll never, ever check) ✅
• Send it to your biz bestie (with at least 2 exclamation points) ✅
• Get excited when they show up in your feed (when you resonate with someone you want to binge baby binge) ✅

But when a stranger with low engagment and 162 followers posts the exact same information?

🦗 womp womp

​

That's why I don't think this is a content problem, I think it's a trust problem.

And no amount of:

• Daily posting (while sacrificing your will to live)
• Endless reels (featuring that same 5 damn sounds)
• Algorithm hacks (give it up, they don't feckin WORK mate!)
• Or "proven strategies" (brought to you by the same people still selling you their 2016 Instagram courses) 🚩

...will fix that fundamental truth.

This isn't just about organic/content marketing. This same principle applies to paid advertising too.

We launch aggressive ads and make wild claims and just cross our fingers that the right people will see them.

We're all rushing to get strangers onto our email list or into our funnels because apparently we all collectively forgot how WE make buying decisions...

Imagine if you went out to start your car in the morning, and the battery is dead. No turnover, just a click that feels a lot like a middle finger. And instead of AAA just coming out and replacing it when you call, they're like "have you tried turning the key 3-5 times per day, everyday? You have to be persistent."

Idk 🤪 just something to think about next time you're feeling pressured to "just post more consistently" or "scale your reach" by someone who definitely bought half their followers in 2020.

Olivia

I wanna know what you think and feel about this. Replying to tell me I'm being dramatic is also valid.