Summary of the Key Points
This article discusses the phenomenon of young people creating personal brands (IPs), pointing out that many currently view "being seen" (or gaining traffic) as the ultimate goal, yet overlook the essential question of "why others should continue to follow you." The article emphasizes that a personal IP that can sustain itself in the long term must first possess "core value"—professional skills, the ability to solve problems, and the capacity to continuously create value—before using traffic to amplify its impact. It also notes that times have changed, and the traditional approach of "capturing people's attention before providing a product" is becoming increasingly difficult. In today's environment of competitive markets, professionalism, credibility, and the continuous creation of value are key to standing out over the long term.
Detailed Analysis
1. The Misconception: Treating "Being Seen" as the Whole of an IP
Many young people focus solely on increasing their followers, becoming popular, and gaining more visibility when building their IPs, without considering what others can gain from their content. For example, some candidates mentioned in the article have been consistently posting videos for over a year and have accumulated thousands of followers, but some still wonder if they can make a living from their IP without a traditional job. This highlights that being seen does not equate to having a sustainable competitive advantage; while traffic can create opportunities, it cannot sustain them without a solid foundation.
2. Reversing the Cause and Effect
The article points out that people often reverse the order of cause and effect when building IPs, thinking that they need traffic first to generate value. In reality, value must come first; only then can traffic help amplify that value. For instance, teachers with decades of experience, doctors who have been sharing health knowledge for years, and investors with deep industry insights all have a strong foundation of expertise. They use their content to create value, and traffic serves to make their expertise known to a wider audience. Without solid content, even large amounts of traffic will not be meaningful if the core is lacking.
3. The Times Have Changed: The Old Approach No Longer Works
In the past two decades, the internet grew rapidly, allowing companies to quickly capture user attention and then improve their products. However, now we face:
- Competitive Markets: The market is no longer expanding; there are fewer users to compete for.
- Expensive Traffic: Platform traffic has become more expensive, and users' attention spans are short.
- Path Dependency: Those accustomed to relying on trends and algorithms to gain followers quickly tend to neglect developing their expertise. When traffic declines, they struggle to maintain their popularity.
4. Professionalism as an Irreplaceable Foundation in the AI Era
While AI can write articles and produce videos, making it easy to start an IP, what truly matters cannot be replaced by technology:
- Professional Judgment: For example, a doctor's experience in handling complex cases.
- Problem-Solving Skills: The ability to help businesses solve real issues.
- Credibility: The trust that people place in your recommendations.
These are the essential elements of an IP. The article advises against viewing building an IP as a way to avoid working traditionally; instead, focus on becoming someone worth sharing—whether you're a designer or a chef, share your expertise, and traffic will naturally follow. Professionalism is what helps you retain followers.
5. The Real Barrier: What You Leave Behind
Being seen is no longer the ultimate goal; the real challenge is to leave a lasting impact after gaining attention. Accounts that become popular overnight may attract many followers but quickly lose them if they lack continuous value. Those who succeed do so through professionalism, credibility, and ongoing value creation.
Conclusion
Building an IP is not a bad thing, but don't reverse the order of these steps: develop your expertise and create quality content before trying to build a brand. In today's competitive market, what truly matters is your ability to be trusted and valued beyond the platform you use. Instead of worrying about how to gain followers, ask yourself: What can I offer that others cannot? What unique skills do I possess? That is the foundation of a successful IP.