Most content doesn't fail because it's bad.
Feb 25, 2026
It fails because it's trying to keep everyone.
It fails because it's trying to keep everyone.
It fails because it's trying to keep everyone.
Softened at the edges so nobody's offended or left out.
Softened at the edges so nobody's offended or left out.
Softened at the edges so nobody's offended or left out.
It ends up landing with the gravity of a message aimed at no one in particular.
It ends up landing with the gravity of a message aimed at no one in particular.
It ends up landing with the gravity of a message aimed at no one in particular.
The fix isn't making something better.
The fix isn't making something better.
The fix isn't making something better.
It's making something sharper, aimed at someone specific, even if that means losing everyone else.
It's making something sharper, aimed at someone specific, even if that means losing everyone else.
It's making something sharper, aimed at someone specific, even if that means losing everyone else.
Why narrowing works better than widening
A message built to be acceptable to the largest possible number of people gets glanced at by plenty of them.
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It gets remembered by almost none,
It gets remembered by almost none,
It gets remembered by almost none,
Because nothing about it was aimed specifically enough at anyone to leave a mark.
Because nothing about it was aimed specifically enough at anyone to leave a mark.
Because nothing about it was aimed specifically enough at anyone to leave a mark.
A message aimed at one exact kind of person does the opposite.
A message aimed at one exact kind of person does the opposite.
A message aimed at one exact kind of person does the opposite.
It makes the right stranger lean in immediately,
It makes the right stranger lean in immediately,
It makes the right stranger lean in immediately,
Because for the first time, someone was actually talking to them.
Because for the first time, someone was actually talking to them.
Because for the first time, someone was actually talking to them.
A blunt example of a filter doing exactly this.
A blunt example of a filter doing exactly this.
A blunt example of a filter doing exactly this.
The "stranded prince" email scam has stayed badly written for over twenty years.
The "stranded prince" email scam has stayed badly written for over twenty years.
The "stranded prince" email scam has stayed badly written for over twenty years.
That's not incompetence.
That's not incompetence.
That's not incompetence.
A 2012 Microsoft research paper found the bad writing is deliberate.
A 2012 Microsoft research paper found the bad writing is deliberate.
A 2012 Microsoft research paper found the bad writing is deliberate.
The scam eventually needs to ask someone for real money over weeks of correspondence.
The scam eventually needs to ask someone for real money over weeks of correspondence.
The scam eventually needs to ask someone for real money over weeks of correspondence.
The only person worth that effort is someone who'll believe it all the way through.
The only person worth that effort is someone who'll believe it all the way through.
The only person worth that effort is someone who'll believe it all the way through.
Everyone else, including anyone sharp enough to catch the first typo, is worse than useless.
Everyone else, including anyone sharp enough to catch the first typo, is worse than useless.
Everyone else, including anyone sharp enough to catch the first typo, is worse than useless.
They cost time and convert at zero no matter how the message is worded.
They cost time and convert at zero no matter how the message is worded.
They cost time and convert at zero no matter how the message is worded.
So the message repels 99 people on purpose in the first three seconds,
So the message repels 99 people on purpose in the first three seconds,
So the message repels 99 people on purpose in the first three seconds,
To avoid wasting a minute on anyone but the one person left standing.
To avoid wasting a minute on anyone but the one person left standing.
To avoid wasting a minute on anyone but the one person left standing.
It's a repulsive way to make money.
It's a repulsive way to make money.
It's a repulsive way to make money.
The mechanism underneath it, filtering hard on purpose,
The mechanism underneath it, filtering hard on purpose,
The mechanism underneath it, filtering hard on purpose,
is the most useful, least-used idea in content.
is the most useful, least-used idea in content.
is the most useful, least-used idea in content.
Why the middle is where content actually dies
Why the middle is where content actually dies
Why the middle is where content actually dies
The platforms most content lives on aren't really measuring how many people saw something.
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They're measuring how hard the right people held on.
They're measuring how hard the right people held on.
They're measuring how hard the right people held on.
Watch time, return visits, shares.
Watch time, return visits, shares.
Watch time, return visits, shares.
A message built to offend no one rarely gives anyone a strong enough reason to do any of that.
A message built to offend no one rarely gives anyone a strong enough reason to do any of that.
A message built to offend no one rarely gives anyone a strong enough reason to do any of that.
Broad appeal produces a wide, shallow curve.
Broad appeal produces a wide, shallow curve.
Broad appeal produces a wide, shallow curve.
Lots of glances, almost no memory.
Lots of glances, almost no memory.
Lots of glances, almost no memory.
The four-part fix
The four-part fix
The four-part fix
All four moves are about narrowing, not widening
All four moves are about narrowing, not widening
All four moves are about narrowing, not widening
| Name the exact person this is for, out loud, early.
Not - A video for anyone interested in cooking
Not - A video for anyone interested in cooking
Not - A video for anyone interested in cooking
Try - if you've burned rice three times this month, this one's for you.
Try - if you've burned rice three times this month, this one's for you.
Try - if you've burned rice three times this month, this one's for you.
Naming the person makes strangers who fit lean in immediately, instead of wondering if this applies to them at all.
Naming the person makes strangers who fit lean in immediately, instead of wondering if this applies to them at all.
Naming the person makes strangers who fit lean in immediately, instead of wondering if this applies to them at all.
| Say the thing that will make some people leave.
Not the shocking thing.
Not the shocking thing.
Not the shocking thing.
The honest, specific thing that only the right audience will agree with.
The honest, specific thing that only the right audience will agree with.
The honest, specific thing that only the right audience will agree with.
It should cost you a few viewers in the first ten seconds.
It should cost you a few viewers in the first ten seconds.
It should cost you a few viewers in the first ten seconds.
If nobody clicks away, you probably weren't specific enough to matter to anyone either.
If nobody clicks away, you probably weren't specific enough to matter to anyone either.
If nobody clicks away, you probably weren't specific enough to matter to anyone either.
| Go deeper into the narrow thing, instead of wider.
Don't cover five related tips.
Don't cover five related tips.
Don't cover five related tips.
Cover the one thing completely, further than anyone expects a short piece of content to go.
Cover the one thing completely, further than anyone expects a short piece of content to go.
Cover the one thing completely, further than anyone expects a short piece of content to go.
Depth is what makes a stranger trust you enough to come back.
Depth is what makes a stranger trust you enough to come back.
Depth is what makes a stranger trust you enough to come back.
Breadth just makes you forgettable in a slightly different way each time.
Breadth just makes you forgettable in a slightly different way each time.
Breadth just makes you forgettable in a slightly different way each time.
| End by speaking to the person who stayed, not the crowd who left.
Not - Thanks everyone for watching.
Not - Thanks everyone for watching.
Not - Thanks everyone for watching.
Try - if you're still here, you're exactly who this was for.
Try - if you're still here, you're exactly who this was for.
Try - if you're still here, you're exactly who this was for.
The people who left were never going to remember you anyway.
The people who left were never going to remember you anyway.
The people who left were never going to remember you anyway.
The ending belongs to the ones who didn't.
The ending belongs to the ones who didn't.
The ending belongs to the ones who didn't.
Run a broad, generic version of something next to a narrow, specific version aimed at one exact person.
Run a broad, generic version of something next to a narrow, specific version aimed at one exact person.
Run a broad, generic version of something next to a narrow, specific version aimed at one exact person.
The retention and comment activity tell you everything.
The retention and comment activity tell you everything.
The retention and comment activity tell you everything.
The broad one gets glanced at and forgotten.
The broad one gets glanced at and forgotten.
The broad one gets glanced at and forgotten.
The narrow one gets watched to the end and shared.
The narrow one gets watched to the end and shared.
The narrow one gets watched to the end and shared.
Proof this works even in a tiny niche
Proof this works even in a tiny niche
Proof this works even in a tiny niche
A hobbyist starts a channel about sewing, posting general beginner tips.
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Broad advice available in a hundred other places.
Broad advice available in a hundred other places.
Broad advice available in a hundred other places.
Views stay low for months.
Views stay low for months.
Views stay low for months.
Then, almost by accident, they post one video about a single, specific fault on one exact vintage machine model.
Then, almost by accident, they post one video about a single, specific fault on one exact vintage machine model.
Then, almost by accident, they post one video about a single, specific fault on one exact vintage machine model.
A fix so narrow almost nobody outside a small collector community would ever search for it.
A fix so narrow almost nobody outside a small collector community would ever search for it.
A fix so narrow almost nobody outside a small collector community would ever search for it.
It finds every single person on Earth who owns that exact machine.
It finds every single person on Earth who owns that exact machine.
It finds every single person on Earth who owns that exact machine.
They don't just watch it. They send it to each other.
They don't just watch it. They send it to each other.
They don't just watch it. They send it to each other.
The general videos got a few hundred views each.
The general videos got a few hundred views each.
The general videos got a few hundred views each.
That one narrow video is the reason the channel exists now.
That one narrow video is the reason the channel exists now.
That one narrow video is the reason the channel exists now.
Nothing about the sewing improved between the two.
Nothing about the sewing improved between the two.
Nothing about the sewing improved between the two.
The channel just stopped trying to be for everyone who sews,
The channel just stopped trying to be for everyone who sews,
The channel just stopped trying to be for everyone who sews,
And became unmistakable to the handful of people who owned that one machine.
And became unmistakable to the handful of people who owned that one machine.
And became unmistakable to the handful of people who owned that one machine.
How to know if the filter is working
How to know if the filter is working
How to know if the filter is working
You don't have to guess. If your content runs anywhere with comments, read them.
You don't have to guess. If your content runs anywhere with comments, read them.
You don't have to guess. If your content runs anywhere with comments, read them.
| This is oddly specific and I kind of love that, means the sharpness landed.
| Not really for me but I respect how exact this is, means someone outside the filter noticed it. Its own kind of proof.
| Tagging the three people who need to see this, means the filter is doing your distribution for you, for free.
If everyone's reaction is mild and polite, the edges probably aren't sharp enough.
If everyone's reaction is mild and polite, the edges probably aren't sharp enough.
If everyone's reaction is mild and polite, the edges probably aren't sharp enough.
A few people mildly annoyed, a few people who found their exact reflection.
A few people mildly annoyed, a few people who found their exact reflection.
A few people mildly annoyed, a few people who found their exact reflection.
That's usually the filter working as intended.
That's usually the filter working as intended.
That's usually the filter working as intended.
| Bottom line
| Bottom line
| Bottom line
Nothing you make needs to convince everyone.
Nothing you make needs to convince everyone.
Nothing you make needs to convince everyone.
It only needs to be unmistakable to the one person it was actually built for.
It only needs to be unmistakable to the one person it was actually built for.
It only needs to be unmistakable to the one person it was actually built for.
Everything else is math the scam email already figured out, just aimed at something worth making.
Everything else is math the scam email already figured out, just aimed at something worth making.
Everything else is math the scam email already figured out, just aimed at something worth making.
Go find the last thing you made. Find out who you actually built it for.
Go find the last thing you made. Find out who you actually built it for.
Go find the last thing you made. Find out who you actually built it for.