Is Viral Content Killing Your Business?

The Systems Club Letters by Ken McCarthy is an underrated gem.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

This book contains 57 ideas for transforming an online business. One big takeaway for creators who want to go viral?

The 40–40–20 rule. Ken writes:

“40% of your success comes from having the right audience for your message, 40% comes from having the right offer for the audience, and 20% of your success comes from ‘the creative’.

I wish I’d known this rule when I started my business.

I’ve attracted the wrong audience by SEO and by going viral a few times. I created a lead magnet a few years ago that taught people how to turn a Moleskine notebook into a productivity system for Gettings Thing Done.

My lead magnet was insanely practical and even contained step-by-step photos. I published it on my site, got 1000s of pageviews via SEO, and attracted a few hundred subscribers. However, my lead magnet didn’t align with my ideal client or my offers. So, creating that magnet was a waste of time.

I’ve also created offers that most of the audience didn’t want. I recorded an online course a few years ago teaching publishers how to hire other writers and editors for their business.