3 Quick Ways to Launch

1) Pilot an Idea on an Existing Content Platform

The quickest way to create content that people engage with is to post it to an open platform like Medium. If you tag your material, people interested in your subjects can find it whether or not they’ve ever heard of you. Medium distributes content to  users based on relevancy and others’ recommendations. So even if you aren’t famous, people can find your work if they’re interested in the topic. Many of the most widely-read posts on Medium spread simply because they’re good and address a significant issue of contemporary concern.

 

A shared content platform like Medium makes it easy for anyone to recommend or share what they find with others. That increases the likelihood your content will reach more people than if you had simply posted it on your own site. Because people congregate on content platforms like Medium, others see and engage with your content there without having to remember your Web address or Google it. You can launch your content on Medium for free and take advantage of excellent publishing features like built-in embedding of images, video, slides, social posts, maps and other kinds of content you may want to include.

 

How to Get Started: Write a post on Medium about an issue of interest to you to test three things.

• First, do you have something to say that you’re able to summarize in a concise and clear way?

• Second, are there people interested in the topic and will they share what you write with others?

• Third, when you’ve completed the piece are you motivated to follow-up by spreading the piece and later writing more on the subject?

 

What to Write About: One option is to write a manifesto or thought piece about the problem you’re solving. That will alert people passionate about the topic of your interest. It may also help gauge people’s interest in the subject. Some may reach out to you. This is how some founders find early teammates. Putting your ideas out there also helps position you as an expert or at least someone focused on the issue.  

2) Test Something Out on a Social Platform

An alternative to posting on a platform created for written content is to build a community on a social network. Platforms like Facebook make it easy for people to find new pages and new communities, and to contribute their own content to those pages and communities.

 

This was done to great effect by Jersey Shore Hurricane News, which by 2017 had more than 200,000 Facebook followers. Founder Justin Auciello started out by inviting New Jersey residents impacted by storms to read and respond to updates on local conditions. He ended up building a community conversation hub that addresses many other topics as well.

 

In addition to being easy and free to use, social platforms have tremendous reach across the world. They’re optimized for mobile usage and for sharing, which helps increase the likelihood that your material will find its way to its intended community, assuming you’re offering something of value.

 

How to Get Started: Create a Facebook page or group on the topic you’re focused on and start posting regular content. Before you launch the group or page, write up a summary description and create a graphic header so that your presence has a professional look. That process has been simplified by services like Canva.com and Fotor.com, which offer free templates for creating professional-looking graphics suitable for major social platforms.

3) Reach People by Email with a Newsletter Platform

Email is the one thing almost everyone online reads every day. Reaching someone with a newsletter can be an outstanding way to renew their attention on a regular basis. If you only reach people through a site, you’re reliant on visitors remembering to regularly click over to your Web address. Email is delivered to every single recipient. Social platforms, by contrast, rely on algorithms that limit the reach of your posts. Less than 20% of Facebook fans of a page may see any given post.

 

Not all email subscribers open or read every message you send. And increasingly, email systems can play an intermediary role by channeling email into various inboxes. Email newsletters typically are opened by 20 to 25% of recipients, though some are read by 50% or more.

 

How to Get Started: Write up a newsletter pilot and send it to select recipients. Using a service like Mailchimp or Tinyletter you can start for free. Write another email and send it to an expanded list. By measuring how many people open your missives and click on links you can get quick feedback signals based on actions not professed opinions. Remember that if you ask people if they like something, they’ll rarely risk their relationship with you by giving you candidly negative feedback. Knowing that criticism can be hard to stomach, most people are reluctant to give it. As a result, the most valuable input is data about people’s behavior (open rates, link clicks, etc), not their cheap words about your product.

“If you ask people if they like something, they’ll rarely risk their relationship with you by giving you candidly negative feedback.”

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