Greg Isenberg recently posted something that caught my attention:
"The fastest path to your first $10M today is not in the IDE. It is in the FYP."
It was aimed at founders — but it has real implications for established brands too.
As someone working on a platform like WordPress.com, I see this shift every day. The way people discover and engage with products is changing fast. Code and product quality still matter — they always will. But in 2025, they’re not enough on their own.
If no one knows you exist, it doesn’t matter how powerful your platform is.
If no one sees your message, your innovation gets buried.
That’s why content — smart, intentional, scroll-stopping content — is no longer just a marketing layer. It’s the gateway to growth.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
The old playbook was:
- Build a great product
- Optimize for Google
- Wait for people to find you
But that’s collapsing.
- Zero-click search means people often get answers without clicking your link.
- AI summaries are eating the attention once reserved for blog posts and landing pages.
- Organic traffic is harder to come by — especially for emerging ideas or brands without a content moat.
And it's not just because of YouTube and TikTok.
It’s YouTube Shorts. It’s Instagram Reels. It’s X. It’s long-form YouTube videos.
It’s the entire social video ecosystem becoming the new front page of the internet.
If you’re not active on these platforms, you’re invisible to a massive part of your audience — especially younger ones.
A Modern Growth Playbook (For Brands and Startups Alike)
This isn't just for indie hackers and creators.
It’s for teams at companies with millions of users — because users still need reminding why you matter.
Here’s Greg's modern content-first approach to growth that any team can adapt:
1. Show Up Where Attention Lives
Don’t wait for search. Be present where people already are — TikTok, YouTube (long-form and Shorts), Instagram Reels, X. Start with one, master the rhythm, then expand.
2. Publish to Learn
Post frequently — not to go viral, but to understand what works. Every piece of content is a mini A/B test. Every scroll, comment, or share is a feedback loop.
3. Hook First, Then Deliver Value
If you don’t earn attention in the first few seconds, the rest won’t matter. Open with clarity, emotion, or tension — and then deliver real value.
4. Ruthlessly Prioritize What’s Working
If a format, topic, or delivery style is outperforming everything else — lean into it. The algorithm rewards focus and momentum, not variety for its own sake.
5. Treat Comments Like Gold
Don't just publish — participate. Comments reveal what your audience really cares about. They’re also a direct line to trust and advocacy.
6. Make It Share-Worthy
What would your audience be proud to share with their peers? Focus less on utility and more on social identity. Great content becomes a badge.
7. Add Built-In Virality
Whether you're launching a new feature or spotlighting an old one, design with sharing in mind. Watermarks. Templates. Collaborative tools. Embedded links. Give people a reason to spread the word.
8. Move Fast With AI
AI can help you brainstorm, prototype, generate assets, and personalize at scale. For big teams, this unlocks a level of agility that used to be impossible.
9. Put Budget Behind Proven Content
Once something resonates organically, scale it with paid advertising. This isn’t guesswork — you’re amplifying what’s already working.
10. Keep Building — But Let Content Lead
Code still matters. Product still matters. But content earns the right to matter. Use content to drive awareness, curiosity, and conversion — then let your product do the rest.
Likes Are Not a Vanity Metric
It’s easy to write off engagement numbers — likes, comments, shares — as vanity. But they’re not.
A like is a micro-yes. It means your message landed.
A comment is an invitation to start a conversation.
A share is someone endorsing you to their circle.
Engagement is the algorithm’s fuel — but more than that, it’s proof that people are connecting with your story. These signals help you learn what’s working, what’s resonating, and where to double down.
In a feed-driven world, these signals are often more valuable than traffic.
What It Means for Established Platforms
For platforms like WordPress.com, this shift is a huge opportunity. We have a massive ecosystem, powerful tools, and passionate users — but we’re competing in an attention economy now.
People aren’t discovering new platforms through tech press or blog posts anymore. They’re finding them in 60-second videos. They’re being influenced by creators they trust. They’re following curiosity, not keywords.
We have to meet them where they are.
And that means showing up — consistently, creatively, and with clarity — on the platforms that drive culture now.
Final Thought
The future of growth isn’t a rejection of code. It’s a recognition that even the best code needs distribution. And the most powerful distribution right now? Comes from content that makes people stop scrolling.
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