Going back to the idea of Do NOT put all of Yours eggs in ONE Basket.

I've had a growing mistrust of social media platforms, and content hosting platforms/providers. Not only from my own experience, I.e. Vine shutting down or TikTok getting "banned", but also through mutuals in the space around the world.

I'm bringing back my Substack into my Ghost CMS fold, and while that has nothing to do with my platform apprehension. It does limit me in the sense that putting everything onto one site can be a bit risky. Let me explain.

This all started with an exchange I had on Threads:

Source links in case this post moves.

Lily (@lilyraya.official) on Threads
You’ve always been transparent with your process, and this decision reflects the same honesty. You’re building a polymath ecosystem, not scattered islands of content. Moving everything under your main platform gives you the space to scale into books, courses, and higher-level work without technical limitations.
Threads
Dustin Miller - PolyInnovator (@polyinnovator) on Threads
Its a chicken and egg situation. islands of content is actually a good thing, as it decentralizes your ecosystem. Which in the case of something like youtube/medium/substack where you DON’T control the platform. Your presence can be gone in an instant (let this be a warning to everyone), and even your own website is fully safe. It at least is a lot harder to take down. But in my case I just want to put out 10x more than what I am doing, and so I need to streamline where I can.
Threads

Why should you spread yourself out?

Obviously if you are just starting out you need to start someone. Stick one thing, like Substack/YouTube/Podcast, and get good at making long form content. Eventually you can move onto short form content, whether that is videos on Tiktok/shorts/reels, or written content on twitter/blusky/threads. ETC.

You should be spreading yourself out over time, but you also don't quite want to delay either. I'll explain how to do it well, or at least better in the next section.

The point I want to make here is that no one is going to see you. More than likely you'll make content and only reach a small group of people. Statistically there are already so so many creators out there, but ironically not everything is over saturated. I'm saying two different points here:

  1. Its hard to gain traction because it is hard to get your name out there.
  2. It is not too saturated, or "too late" to get started.

The reason that both of these things are true, is that for the most part most niches are come and go. People stop making content on that topic, like how I sort of stopped making stuff for the 🎓 Self-Education - Modular Degree tag for example. Meaning it is open for someone else to take up the mantle, and maybe it'll inspire me to get back into it. Then both people win because there is more activity in the space.

The other angle is that it is so hard to get anyone to SEE your posts. The algorithms work in the favor of the VIEWER ... NOT the CREATOR. Which means you have to work extra hard to get your name out there. However it doesn't always mean that you have to create more, as you can simply go wider as well!

How do you do it without spreading yourself out too thin?

I think a lot of people tend to think that if you are on every platform, that you are not on any of them well. That for the most part is silly. Almost all of us are on most social media platforms if you're even just an average social media user. Alternatively, if you're a content creator, then you've probably planted your flag at least on most of them. You may not use Snapchat, but you have an account, or TikTok, etc.

While yes if you are unskilled at them, then you will often waste some time distracting yourself.

"A jack of all trades is a master of none..."

While this is only the partial quote, in fact only half, there is something to be learned here. You can dip your hands into every cookie jar, and you will end up eating 12 different cookies. Okay, sure, that is true.

However you fail to see that you have now gotten a taste for each one. Then you can learn how each of them work. You narrow down from 12, to 6, then to your top 3, and you can learn how to make those.

"but oftentimes better than a master of one."

By going wide AT THE BEGINNING, then you get a better understanding of which platform suits YOU as the person. In turn since your content is a reflection of you, then what you produce will be better as a result, as you like the platform MORE.

You get good at 1-3 platforms, learn how they work, then you take that knowledge to understand the rest of them. Spend a day with a dozen, pick 6 to spend another day on, and then spend the final 3 days with your top socials.

Thus the full quote being: "A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one."

You go wide, then narrow, and then once you have gained mastery over your preferred platforms. You will have a bigger audience to move over, you will understand how certain content formats work on your chosen platforms, and then you can take those things; Then translate your skills and knowledge onto another platform.

Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok are not all the same places. The short form videos are not going to be the same success story on each of them, but making those videos will be the same skills across the board. Just what is watched is different on each.

Content Syndication and Repurposing

Alternatively, there is the methodology that you should be considering from the start, and that is repurposing your big pillar content into smaller micro-content chunks.

Taking a long form YT video interview, cutting the audio out for a podcast, and then making video clips for shorts/reels/tiktok/pinterest.

You take the same pieces and reformat them for the context of the platform. Then you show up nearly every day, or even multiple times a day across the board.

Once you get to a certain point you can even make a clips channel to have as a backup as well.

Don't fill all your cups at once, let them compound

0:00
/1:20

CC Alex Hormozi

Whether it is sources of income like Alex was saying, or the social media platforms you are pursuing for content marketing.

The point is that you can focus on 1-3 (depending on how your brain works), and then take the wealth you attain there (i.e. followers and skills), and then let it drip into the other socials cups.

Choose your platforms carefully

Some places are more valuable than others, and that can change too over time. For example at the time of this writing Twitter is pretty much useless for most creators, and if you fit into the few categories that are still on there i.e. knowledge management, game dev, or blockchain/web3; Then yes you have a chance, but things are quite saturated now.

Conversely, Threads has continued to be an up and comer on the market, surpassing X/Twitter in users. It is also a better vibe overall over there as well, with real connections forming.

The time you spend on a platform should form the results you get out of it. If you can't enjoy the platform, then it will be a lot harder to spend a lot of time on it.

Check out Decentralized Alternatives to traditional media platforms

Something a lot of people forget is that the main platforms are not the only ones out there. Over the last 5-6 years many platforms have come out to try and replace traditional social networks, with not so great success. Some however have stuck around for quite some time, and it would be a great opportunity for many creators. As there isn't as much competition there, if you are active, and you fit the market it would be a great mesh.

While some sites like Facebook don't have an alternative, as the only similar one "Sociall" had died out. The other Meta platforms like Instagram or Threads would have alternatives.

I.e. Instead of using Twitter or Threads, there are Blusky or Mastodon.

Instead of Twitch there is D.live, instead of YouTube there is Odysee and Dtube, etc.

Plant your flags

I think regardless of which ones you choose, that you should spend an evening or so just simply making accounts on each of them. Not only does it help you age up the account by the time you start posting to it, but it also helps you keep your name secured. Back when TikTok first got popular (2018ish), there were people who still thought that it was for kids or dancing, then in 2020 they were sad to realize their username was gone/taken.

Also if you have a solid plan in place, and you just know you're going to be successful eventually. Then you especially need to do this, as one of my podcast guests pointed out. What if Mr. Beast didn't claim his twitter handle for example? Then he'd have to pay a 5 or 6 figure deal to buy the account.

Don't use the same emails for multiple channels or accounts

This initially comes from Tyler Chou's idea that you shouldn't have all of your YouTube accounts under the same Google email, as if something were to happen to your account like a channel deletion (which flags your other channels too). Then you lose them all.

The other angle of this that is similar in mindset, but different in purpose. Is that instead of the issue being the platform. Your email can also be a deadly bullet. If some hacker got access to your email, such as what happened to some big YouTubers for example. Then they gain access to any account that has that email basically. Meaning if you have all of your accounts tied to one thing, then you are putting yourself at risk.

Your whole ecosystem could collapse.

What should you do with this information?

If you were already in the middle of flow with a project, content, or creative sprint. Then don't change your trajectory because of me.

However if you are in a place of flux already, and/or you have a worry about your sustainability as a creator/entrepreneur. Then I highly suggest finding out a way to decrease the risk to your overall content ecosystem.

Maybe change the emails to your channels, or make a new YouTube channel under a new email/google account, so that you can have a backup to send people to if one goes down. Things like this to protect your livelihood in the long run.

If you are new to creation, go plant your flags, if you are established, then go find alternative platforms.