> ”If there is value in what you write then the readers will be there”
I don’t think that’s true anymore. Of course, it depends on how you define “value”, but I think having something “special” to share not always attract readers. Controversial takes, click bait, hate bait, exaggerated praising to a specific niche, all of this works better than “value” in your writing to get readers. Even if you stick to “value”, you have to do it for months or years to get readers. So consistency seems to be more effective than said value too.
I think that’s similar to SEO. 5 to 10 years ago the common advice was that you should just do white hat SEO because Google would always catch you because they were so smart, thousands of the smartest engineers on earth against your silly tricks. Google would always won. But, now, it seems clear to me that black and grey hat SEO beats Google most of the time.
In this case Google kind of painted themselves into a corner. Their ad based model was always counter to producing a good product. As time went on Google profits were more and more aligned with black hat SEO practices. They have now found themselves in a position where in order to fight the SEO spammers they would have to take a huge loss in revenue. They sort of just gave up at that point.
I get the point of results counter to common wisdom though. The pendulum is always swinging so sometimes one side is right and sometimes its the other but that doesn't make it wrong. Life requires timing along with critical thinking.
I don’t think that’s true anymore. Of course, it depends on how you define “value”, but I think having something “special” to share not always attract readers. Controversial takes, click bait, hate bait, exaggerated praising to a specific niche, all of this works better than “value” in your writing to get readers. Even if you stick to “value”, you have to do it for months or years to get readers. So consistency seems to be more effective than said value too.
I think that’s similar to SEO. 5 to 10 years ago the common advice was that you should just do white hat SEO because Google would always catch you because they were so smart, thousands of the smartest engineers on earth against your silly tricks. Google would always won. But, now, it seems clear to me that black and grey hat SEO beats Google most of the time.