When a new medium shows up that allocates attention, someone comes out ahead.
They win a Google search, amass a ton of FB followers, hit the jackpot on Twitter or even Clubhouse.
“They picked me!” and the attention feels inevitable. Others see the pennies from heaven and rush in to follow, eager for their share of traffic.
But there is no “they” and you weren’t picked. The algorithm needs to send attention somewhere, and for a while, it sent it over there. But it almost certainly won’t last. Because the ecosystem is changing, all the time.
You can’t post on a same platform twice, because the second time, it’s not the same platform as it was last time.
We have a chance to do work we’re proud of, and to do it for people who care. And maybe we can do it in a way that will lead them to tell the others. Traffic from an algorithm isn’t the point, it’s a random bonus.
No sense being a puppet, especially if you can’t be sure who is pulling the strings or why.