Are You Chasing Applause or Impact?

In many ways, social media has made marketing easier—or at least more accessible and measurable. But here’s the catch: it can also make us lazy. It tempts us to chase engagement metrics that feel good but don’t move the needle. We confuse visibility with viability. Applause with impact.

Recently, I spoke with a small business owner who was frustrated by his marketing efforts. He and his team were everywhere—at community events, on social media, showing up with energy and consistency. But it wasn’t translating into business.

Curious, I started looking closer. Their website was polished and professional, but lacked personality. Their social profiles, meanwhile, were filled with photos from local events. It was great for goodwill, but disconnected from what they actually did. They had built a presence, but not a path to purchase. People liked them, but didn’t know why they should hire them.

It got me thinking: how often do we refine our message, only to deliver it to the wrong audience?

Signs You Might Be Speaking to the Wrong Audience

We’re taught to “know your audience,” but in the age of likes and shares, it’s easy to skip that step—or mistake any audience for the right one. Here are a few red flags:

• Engagement from friends and peers, but silence from prospects Don’t just count likes. Look at who’s liking. Are they potential buyers or just familiar faces?
• Generic praise or off-topic questions Comments that miss the point may signal that your message isn’t resonating with the right people.
• Audience growth without relevance Your follower count is climbing, but not with the segment you’re trying to reach.

Why This Happens

• Message refinement without audience recalibration. You’ve polished your pitch, but it’s not reaching the people it’s meant for.
• Distraction by activity metrics. Likes and shares feel validating—but they don’t always reflect progress or impact.
• Chasing virality over value. Going viral might boost visibility, but it rarely builds trust or drives conversions with your core audience.

What to Do About It

If you’ve read this far, chances are you’re my audience—and this message is landing. Here’s how to realign:

• Revisit your audience. Who are they? Where do they engage? Are you speaking to their pain points and priorities?
• Audit your activity. Who’s engaging, replying, registering? If it’s not your target segment, it might be time to consider new channels, direct outreach, or paid media to reach them.
• Refocus your content goals. Make sure your audience understands what problems you solve—not just that you’re active or likable.

Marketing isn’t just about being seen—it’s about being understood by the right people.

Before you chase the next round of applause, ask yourself:

“Is my message landing with the people who need it—or just the ones who like it?”

If this message resonated and you find yourself seeking impact over applause, I would love to connect. I help benefits platforms, brokers, and compliance-driven teams:

• Refine messaging that resonates with the right audience—not just any audience
• Translate complex offerings into clear, actionable content
• Audit engagement patterns to uncover hidden disconnects
• Build communication strategies that drive trust and conversion, not just conversation

Whether you're launching a new product, planning a webinar, or rethinking your outreach, I bring strategic clarity and audience alignment to the table.

Ready to stop chasing likes and start driving impact? Let’s talk.