Why I Stopped Paying Attention To How Many Views My Articles Get
A Discussion On Reach Versus Substance
I published my first article on Forbes.com back in October of 2017. Since then, I’ve gone on to write dozens of pieces on a wide range of topics including business, technology, entrepreneurship, career development, startups, and even gaming.
Some articles receive tens of thousands of views while others barely get a couple hundred.
Generally speaking, my highest-performing articles have been on macro topics like the economy or unemployment rates while my lowest-performing ones have been on niche topics that only appeal to a small group of people.
This obviously explains a portion of the divergence in viewership, but what are some other factors? There are countless explanations for the performance of a given article, including (in no particular order):
The structure and intriguing nature of the title
The newsworthiness or relevance to current events
The day/time of publishing
Broadness/narrowness of the audience interested in the topic
High profile competing stories that garner strong public attention
Virality on social media
...endless other reasons
My article on wealth transfer currently sits as my most viewed article (78k+) but I can assure you that it wouldn’t be the case if I posted the exact same piece today, considering how much the world has changed since then.
Conversely, some of my articles with the lowest number of views on topics of personal branding or gaming could gain traction in the long term because of the steadfast nature of the content or potential shifts in consumer behavior. It’s difficult to know for sure.
I write for a number of reasons: I like sharing ideas I’ve learned or opinions I think are worth debating, I find it to be an avenue of creative expression and I also find it to be a great way to build a public persona and expand my network.
Because of these reasons, I try not to get caught up on the number of views, comments, or social media mentions. Of course, I’m human so I still find myself paying attention to these data points, but I try not to obsess over them.
Interestingly enough, some articles with the least amount of views actually often result in me creating the most connections, direct messages, and long-term relationships that I form.
For example, I think about the article that discusses how automation will disproportionately impact African Americans negatively or the one about mental health tech startups. Both of those had a limited readership base but they also enabled me to create new and exciting business/personal relationships with new people that will undoubtedly be valuable for me.
And there are so many other examples just like those.
With that, I aim to leave you with one message. If you are a writer or ever have any interest in writing (or any other creative outlet), I suggest you become aware of all the factors that influence viewership and make sure you stay grounded on why you write.
Yes, everyone would prefer to get more reach than less, but not everything is in your control. So, I encourage you to continue writing and the rest will follow!