Stop Creating for the Comments (Create for the Lurkers)
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Consider this: you post a reel and you're sure it's flopping with only twelve likes that day and you want to delete it. Yet, you receive DMs and feedback but those people never interacted with the reel. If this has happened to you, you are definitely not alone, because roughly ninety percent of your audience will likely never like, comment, or share your content. In 2006, researcher Jakob Nielsen published his participation inequality rule, which revealed that nine out of ten people in online communities only watch quietly (Nielsen, 2006). While it can feel frustrating to get so little visible feedback, this silent majority is actually the most valuable segment of your network.
Your silent watchers aren't ignoring you; their brains are filing you under "trusted friend." Neuroscientists put TV superfans in brain scanners and found that the most absorbed viewers processed their favorite characters in the same brain region, the same way, as people they actually know in real life (Broom, Chavez, and Wagner, 2021). Someone who's never tapped your like button might trust you more than your most loyal commenter. Quiet observation builds real familiarity, even when there's no sign of it.
Of course, you want the comments and shares because they are loud, but loud isn't always valuable. The people chatting in your comments are there for the conversation, while the quiet ones are evaluating. Sophisticated buyers evaluate you silently, and they will often show up in your messages or at your checkout page with zero prior engagement. If your goal is to get comments, you are catering to a tiny fraction of your network while completely ignoring the massive segment that actually builds trust.
The best marketing strategy is to stop creating for the loudest commenters and start creating for the ninety percent who are lurking in the background. Consistency will always beat viral hype because those silent observers convert on genuine familiarity rather than the hyped up trends. Tell me honestly, how do you consume content online? Are you a lurker, or do you actively engage with the creators you follow? The comments section is right below if you feel like chatting and if you'd rather keep watching quietly, that's fine too... I still see you.
References
Nielsen, J. (2006). Participation inequality: Encouraging more users to contribute. Nielsen Norman Group. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/participation-inequality/
Broom, T. W., Chavez, R. S., & Wagner, D. D. (2021). Becoming the King in the North: Identification with fictional characters is associated with greater self–other neural overlap. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 16(6), 541–551. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsab021
- Kristina Bozanich - I am a fractional CMO, media producer, Congressional Record Honoree, and LGBTQ+ Advocate. To see more updates, follow on social media or sign up for email subscriptions.
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