It feels like things have really shifted
The world has changed.
I feel like just a few years ago, making content regularly was kind of… optional for growing a business.
But now? It feels non-negotiable.
I’ve spent the last eight years working on my agency, slowly getting clients, figuring things out as we went along. But over the last three or four years, my focus really changed – I started pouring everything into content creation.
And the difference was huge. Seriously.
When I put energy into marketing and content, things took off. We thrived.
When I had to focus on internal stuff, operations, whatever… we just kind of stalled. Stagnated.
It’s pretty clear now: ignoring content is a costly mistake. You just can't afford to do it anymore.
I wanted to share a bit about how I see this changing the business world, especially when you look at social media algorithms.
It's about your face... but maybe more than that.
It’s not just about your face, obviously.
It’s about the whole person – you.
I’ve talked about this a lot because I really believe it: letting your actual personality shine through your content? That’s the number one driver of opportunity.
TikTok’s algorithm is a perfect example of this.
That "For You" page is wild, right? TikTok has one of the most valuable algorithms out there because it figures out what you like so fast. It leads to crazy high engagement, and honestly, it can feel a little addictive.
But here’s the interesting part I noticed from their update last year: TikTok started testing showing you more content from people you’d interacted with, even if you didn't follow them.
The more you interact with someone's stuff, the more you see them on your FYP.
And how do you recognize them? Their face.
And then, their brand, their style, the whole vibe.
So many people have mentioned seeing creators all the time on their FYP without actually following them. They see them so much, it feels like they follow them.
Some people even said they saw less from a creator after they finally hit follow. Kind of weird, right?
This whole approach seems standard now.
Views are easier to get than followers. Think about that.
People need to recognize you – your face, yes, but also your voice, your brand, your style – before they connect. They need to build a relationship with your content before they even think about following.
The rest of the world is catching on.
I really believe this industry is just warming up. It’s going to be one of the most important industries in the world.
And you know how you can tell content creation is becoming critical?
Ivy League universities are adding it to their courses. They're putting it right into the main curriculum.
Schools like Cornell, Duke, Tulane, USC… they now have classes (and clubs!) teaching personal branding, getting followers, all the stuff you need to be an influencer or creator. It’s like, the new "social studies."
“I’ve been studying digital content creation for more than a decade, but the topic has only recently become legible to a wider academic audience,” says Professor Brooke Erin Duffy – author, member of the newly launched Content Creator Scholars Network, and teacher of Cornell’s Platforms
It just shows you – this isn't some fleeting trend. It's real, and it's changing things. You have to pay attention.
Happy creating!
PS: Hit "reply" and send me a question! That's the easiest way to get a direct question from me answered. I love our little email chats