Learn in Public, It’s Great: Harnessing the Power of Visibility and Conversion for Success

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Hatched by Glasp

Aug 19, 2023

5 min read

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Learn in Public, It’s Great: Harnessing the Power of Visibility and Conversion for Success

In the world of learning, hustling, and creating, there is a divide in approaches: Some advocate for working in silence and only revealing the end product, while others believe in showing the process and progress publicly. Both strategies have their merits, but in recent years, the concept of "learning in public" has gained traction. This idea, similar to what David Perell discusses in his articles on online writing, emphasizes the importance of sharing your journey and learning experiences with others.

Creating accountability is one of the key benefits of learning in public. By making your progress and goals public, you create a sense of responsibility to yourself and others to follow through and achieve what you set out to do. This accountability can be a powerful motivator to stay on track and push through challenges.

Building a feedback loop is another advantage of learning in public. When you share your work and progress with others, you invite feedback and constructive criticism. This feedback can help you improve your skills and refine your ideas. It also provides an opportunity for collaboration and learning from others who have different perspectives and expertise.

Seeing your progress is essential for personal growth and development. When you learn in public, you have a tangible record of your journey. You can look back and see how far you've come, celebrate your achievements, and identify areas for improvement. This visual representation of progress can be incredibly motivating and inspiring.

Establishing a community/following is perhaps one of the most significant benefits of learning in public. By sharing your work and ideas, you attract like-minded individuals who resonate with your message. These connections can lead to collaborations, mentorship opportunities, and a supportive network that can help you grow personally and professionally.

Austin Kleon, in his book "Show Your Work!", emphasizes the importance of letting go of our egos and sharing our process. By doing so, we open ourselves up to the possibility of forming ongoing connections with people who are interested in our work. This connection, in turn, helps us move forward and grow.

Visibility is leverage in the digital age. With the advent of the internet, it has become easier than ever to make your work and ideas accessible to a wider audience. A simple Google search of your name can reveal more about you than a traditional resume ever could. This visibility can help you establish credibility, attract opportunities, and build a personal brand.

One of the remarkable outcomes of learning in public is the opportunity to connect with supportive and like-minded peers. Through platforms like newsletters, blogs, and social media, you can find individuals who share your interests and passions. These connections can be invaluable for personal and professional growth, as you can learn from each other, collaborate on projects, and provide support and encouragement.

However, learning in public is not just limited to personal growth and development. It also has significant implications for consumer startups and their distribution and conversion models. Success or failure for internet businesses often hinges on two key metrics: distribution and conversion.

Distribution refers to how businesses acquire new customers. In the age of digital advertising dominance by Google, Facebook, and Amazon, finding new avenues for distribution can be challenging. However, there are still opportunities to exploit emerging platforms and channels for growth. Startups should constantly experiment with newer, less crowded platforms to find low-cost distribution hacks.

Conversion, on the other hand, measures how successful a business is at optimizing the user experience to achieve specific goals. While distribution is crucial, it is not enough on its own. Conversion is the never-ending process of deepening and optimizing engagement with users. Startups often focus too much on monetization, when the real emphasis should be on conversion.

There are several actionable tactics that startups can employ to improve conversion rates. Firstly, leveraging social proof can create virality. People are more likely to engage with a product or service if they see others doing the same. By tapping into consumer behavior and validating it through social proof, startups can drive conversion.

Driving discovery is another critical aspect of conversion. By creating platforms or marketplaces that allow users to be discovered, startups can drive loyalty and create brand equity. The "Etsy Effect" demonstrates how consumers are more likely to engage with a platform if they know they have a chance to be discovered.

Influencer marketing can also be a powerful tool for conversion. By leveraging the audiences of influencers, startups can tap into a highly fragmented distribution channel with more opportunities for exploitation. While scaling influencer marketing can be challenging, the low-cost customer acquisition potential is often worth the effort.

New platforms, whether they be mega platform shifts or breakout individual platforms, offer new opportunities for distribution. Startups should be on the lookout for these shifts and exploit the features and capabilities of emerging platforms for growth. Just as Zynga piggybacked on Facebook, startups can find success by aligning themselves with new platforms.

In addition to distribution tactics, there are also conversion tactics that can boost engagement and drive conversion rates. A/B testing, auctions, entertainment as conversion, community-driven conversion, gamification, gambling psychology, and scarcity are all strategies that startups can employ to improve conversion rates.

Before concluding, here are three actionable pieces of advice for startups and individuals looking to learn in public:

  • 1. Embrace visibility and share your journey: By opening yourself up to the public and sharing your process and progress, you can create accountability, build a feedback loop, and establish a supportive community. Leverage the power of the internet to make your work accessible to a wider audience.
  • 2. Constantly experiment with new distribution channels: Don't rely solely on established platforms and channels. Keep an eye out for emerging platforms and be willing to try out new strategies and tactics. The less crowded a platform, the more opportunities for low-cost distribution hacks.
  • 3. Focus on conversion, not just monetization: While monetization is the end goal, conversion is the ongoing process of deepening and optimizing engagement with users. Leverage tactics such as social proof, driving discovery, influencer marketing, and gamification to improve conversion rates.

In conclusion, learning in public and harnessing the power of visibility and conversion can be incredibly beneficial for personal growth, professional development, and the success of consumer startups. By embracing visibility, experimenting with new distribution channels, and focusing on conversion, individuals and startups can unlock new opportunities and achieve their goals. So, don't be afraid to share your journey, connect with like-minded individuals, and leverage the power of the internet to propel yourself forward.

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