There’s a sickness in marketing. A hunger that looks like ambition, but really, it’s just dopamine addiction with a LinkedIn filter slapped on top. Everyone wants to “go viral.” Everyone wants their 15 seconds of algorithm fueled fame. A few thousand likes, a couple of reshares, and a screenshot for your Slack channel to prove your worth that day.
But let me tell you something:
Most of it is worthless.
The best marketing isn’t built for virality; it’s built for usefulness. It’s the stuff people save. The stuff they send to their boss with a “We should try this.” The stuff that makes someone’s day less chaotic, that saves them 10 minutes, that helps them do their job better.
That’s the kind of marketing that matters.
We’re not in the entertainment business, unless you actually are, in which case, carry on. We’re in the business of solving problems, making the complicated simpler, making the impossible feel doable, making the mundane a little less soul sucking.
You want to be remembered? Don’t make noise. Don’t chase a trending audio clip to slap over your next reel. Don’t write a LinkedIn post full of empty motivational platitudes.
Be useful.
Show people something they didn’t know. Teach them how to fix a problem they’ve had for months. Give them a framework that helps them communicate better with their boss or their team. Build a tool that saves them a few hours a week.
Let everyone else fight for algorithm crumbs.
You can be the one people remember, not because you went viral, but because you showed up when they needed you most.
And here’s the kicker:
Useful content outlives viral content every time. The dopamine high from a viral post fades in hours. Useful content keeps working for you long after you hit publish.
If you’re tired of the treadmill, step off it.
Stop trying to go viral.
Start being useful.
Your future customers and your sanity will thank you for it.