Not Everything is HOT or TRENDING: How Our Obsession with Popularity Shrinks our Choices
I got an email from eBay, this morning. It was your typical "marketing piece" advising me on how make more money selling on eBay.
This year actually marks my 20th year of using eBay. To put that in perspective, the retail/auction giant currently has 167 million users. My account number is 4 digits long...
Chives in bloom
"These Popular and Trending Items"
Anyway, the marketing email suggested I could "improve my sales" by selling a list of "popular" and "trending" items.
I thought about that, for a moment.
Then I thought about the reality that everybody is trying to improve their sales by offering certain "popular and trending" items. Which also means that the competition to sell "popular and trending" items is fierce, and sellers have to accept razor thin profits in a market that's utterly saturated with products.
I also thought about Steemit, and how a lot of people here are desperately trying to create a "popular" post that will end up on the "trending" page.
The Problem with Popular and Trending
As consumers, there's little doubt that people are drawn to certain "popular" things. The same could be said when it comes to web content... and publishing on Steemit.
A very popular butterfly
The problem, however, is that everyone is trying to get a slice of that particular "popularity pie." Why? Because it's not only very visible, we also know it's very big. At least for the moment.
Unfortunately, a couple of dynamics play into the popularity market. One is that whereas you may have an extremely large pie, there are so many people competing for that pie that the average slice of the pie quickly becomes microscopic.
"But wait!" you say, "I've seen people make millions/thousands in this particular product/service/topic!"
You're absolutely right!
And typically, those "people" are the "early adopters" who already have extensive expertise and a huge following. They are not YOU. Odds are you will make 17 cents. Which is also why I didn't even bother to read the details of eBay's recommendations for me to increase my sales.
The GREATER Global Problem with Popular and Trending
An idyllic house in the woods, Denmark
On a more personal philosophical level, the increasing emphasis society seems to place on "popularity" concerns me, because it seems to reduce the variety of choices we have.
I first started worrying about the "WalMart-ization of commerce" when I had an art gallery some 25 years go.
Whereas we can feel as we might about giant corporations killing small individual businesses through mass marketing at lower prices, there's a secondary "issue" there.
And that issue is that the big giant companies with the low prices don't have the specialized selections of small sellers. They have "the low, low price" on the 20 most popular items, but not the selection of 100 different choices the (now defunct) small seller offered.
In short, the obsession with "trending and popular" ultimately robs us of choice.
How About Just BEING YOURSELF!
So, what's really my point here?
Which path are you going to choose?
Of you have an idea-- for writing; for a product-- and you are passionate about it, stop worrying so much about the "popular" angle, and instead focus on bringing the very best you have to the world.
"Popularity" tends to mislead us with alluringly large numbers... but it bears remembering that you are far better off cornering 50% of a $100,000 market than struggling to get 0.001% of a $100 million market. Unfortunately, we get blinded by the big numbers... and fall into the trap of believing that WE-- of the thousands trying-- have the "special sauce" to make us riches.
Personally, I'm just going to do my own thing. Sometimes that might be popular, and sometimes it won't. And that's really OK by me!
What do YOU think? Do you catch yourself worrying too much about "what's popular," rather than just doing your own thing? If you're a small business owner, have you noticed how the "WalMart-ization" of the world gradually has reduced our number of choices? Have you ever written on Steemit in an effort to make it onto the "trending" page? How did that work out for you? Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- start the conversation!
(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
I'll let people know as someone who has gotten trending posts in the past of Steemit when the price was at it's lowest, that unless you have a lot of voters, you can't guarantee to get there. It just happens without you even trying. So just post, comment, and link related information in comments like to your own post on the same subject when appropriate.
Diversity is often good. I went into different topics and got more attention. I post about things that at least have my interest in some way, even if it's not my #1 goal of information to post about.
I wish more people understood that, and that there's so "secret sauce" that generates a $500 post... other than doing the legwork consistently, for a long time. Yeah, maybe if you have the right "whales" in your back pocket... but I won't get into the politics of that. A few of my posts have done quite well (i.e. $200+) but I have never been able to find rhyme or reason behind why one and why not another.
My advice to everyone is to do your best creating things that interest you and you feel passionate about... and then be active in the community.
I totally agree. I have found that I have done the best by being myself, whether it's on Steemit or elsewhere in the cryptosphere, or even in my regular job. On Steemit I've never aimed for the trending page, and I haven't invested in marketing my work either, but I am doing well through the network of relationships I am establishing here.
Relationships-- yes. I remember some of your earliest posts here... and I see something I'm starting to think of as "the Steemit Effect;" people arrive here with lots of plans and ideas on how to make the most of the site... and after a few months the focus becomes more on "community and connecting."
I observe the same in myself... I came here to "write articles" which is something I've been doing for 20 years; but I've gradually become far more personal and "conversational" with my posts.
I've definitely made a lot of good connections with people here on this site, and those connections have been monetarily profitable, and of course, the connections themselves have value. My point was simply that none of that came about by trying to hit the trending page :)
I've just written my first steemit article, and I think yours opened my eyes to the whole HOT and TRENDING thing.
Welcome to Steemit @kev626, and thanks for commenting! Hope you have a good time here-- it's a great community, and a LOT more than any other social content platform I know.
I like your post @denmarkguy. I think it's always best to be ourselves and to keep things real, rather than the "keeping up with the Jones'" mentality we have learned to live. There is enough of everything so no need to worry about our fair share of the pie. I appreciate your sharing your perspective. Upvoting and following you.
Thanks for the comment and the follow, @everlove! Seems to me one of the greatest things we struggle with in this world is people's failure to understand what "enough" looks like. So they end up always trying to become BIGGER and keep up with the Joneses. As you say, we live in a world of plenty... the fear mentality of "scarcity" is frightening, sometimes.
I agree and I feel like most people's lives run on the lack mentality which creates so much fear. One day, when we begin to really help each other and care for our fellow man, we will find the truth about their being enough. No hoarding, no competition, little to no waste. Just imagine!!
I love this! People don't realize the importance of choosing a less popular niche. I feel as things get more competative on Steemit we will be forced to go to a specific niche to survive.
I think people get hypnotized by big numbers. They see "this market has the potential to be a billion dollars a year!" and it's off to the races... with 500,000 other people. Meanwhile, you could work hard and be a market leader in small million-dollar niche. Which gives you the additional benefit of LOYALTY... specialist providers have a much easier time building loyalty than mass-market.
Very good thought out steem very intelligent
Thank you-- and thanks for taking the time to comment!
Of course! I follow you because I like your steems so your welcome! Lol
This is fantastic, from what I've seen so far you do some great work my friend! I've found this to be extremely true and helpful! If I notice my focus is on trying to be popular I
1 - Can only have my focus on one thing, meaning I'm not focused on doing a good job at what I'm working on, and therefore produce worse results.
2 - Am constantly a lot more drained. Being myself is easy and flows. Trying to be "popular" sucks all my energy.
Thank you sir, I look forward to more!
I think a lot of people get trapped by the "popularity trap." But ultimately, your inner happiness will come from just being truly yourself... nobody else can give you contentment in life; you have to create it for yourself.
Every post you write is nothing less then pearl of wisdom! I personally love to read them. Thanks for another eye opener!
Thank you! Glad you got something useful from them!
I have a ebay sellers account since 2014 and I do remember these time.
it was a time when big stores were out of this market and I could catch some hot products and sell them there. But not now. The competition makes a profit so tiny and it's not reasonable to do this any more.
Of course you are right. Racing to hot, trendy and fashionable things always works against racer. It takes a lot of money and energy and always brings nothing as a result (in better cases. For worse scenarios it brings only loss).
I can see that #Steem now in a prototype of a better world, when everyone can keep his individuality and, from the other hand, would survive and grow together.
Thank you for the theme
For me, the most important thing is to stay true to yourself. And that might mean your contributions are very similar every day (because you have a "theme") or it may mean they are extremely different every day... and that is also OK.
"Trendy" has just not ever worked for me.
I think Steemit might just be able to take a step towards creating a better world for all of us... time will tell.