Stop Competing for Fake Internet Points
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes
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One of my bugbears is the focus, these days, on winning the timeline.
Founders now measure fundraises by impressions. This was a direct contributor, starting sometime around April 2025, to what now feels like a legal requirement have a flashy video accompany a company fundraise. For videos, of course, help stop the scroll! (No matter that you are launching a consumer software product or perhaps a protein bar — your video must include a staticky film clip of a rocket launch, perhaps a voiceover from JFK. Silicon Valley is, after all, in the business of moonshots.)
Then, there! In the distance! Hark, the herald girlboss sings, “Everyone’s a creator now! People follow people, not companies!” So now founders need followers, too.
And now, VCs are apparently resorting to buying views to convince…whom? and of what, exactly?
Collectively, it seems, we’ve lost the plot about what any of this online engagement is actually for.
So this is my friendly reminder that communications is not about impressions or or followers or views. It is about advancing a goal, usually by getting an audience to do something.
Winning the timeline may or may not help you do that. (Hint: Unless you’re selling a product people can easily buy online, like a lipstick or a very small-dollar subscription, it probably won’t.)
The effectiveness of the timeline depends on who your audience is and what they respond to. The people with the power to purchase your autonomous sea drones are probably not scrolling TikTok. The AI researchers you want to lure away from Anthropic probably aren’t wowed by viral stunts. VCs…well, VCs are chronically online, so keep on keepin’ on.
The point is: Stop starting with tactics. Start with strategy.
I know, I know. Tactics come with big ol’ hits of dopamine. The likes! The comments! We’re all just Sally Fields accepting our Oscar; we all just want to be loved.
Well: Too bad! Get your dopamine hits elsewhere! This is business, baby!
So how do you build a comms strategy that actually moves business goals?
Why, the First Principles Approach, of course! The full post below is worth a read, if I do say so myself, but in short:
Start with business goals.
Identify the audiences that move the needle.
Figure out what they need to believe in order to take action.
Meet your audiences where they are.
Ta ta till next time.