We’ve all been there. You post something, and the views roll in. Maybe it’s hundreds, maybe thousands. For a moment it feels good—like you’ve cracked the code.

But then what?

Views don’t necessarily mean clicks. They don’t guarantee comments, replies, or someone leaning in closer to hear more. That’s the trap of reach. It’s about how many people see you, not whether they care.

Reach has its place—it builds awareness. But awareness without connection is like waving to someone across a busy street. They might see you. They’re probably not crossing over.

And I learned this the hard way—through a post that looked like a complete flop, but ended up being one of my biggest wins.

A Real Example: When “Failure” Was Actually Resonance

I’ll never forget one post I made that, honestly, looked like a total dud. Hardly any likes. No shares to speak of. If I had judged it by the usual vanity metrics, I would have written it off as a flop and moved on.

But then my inbox started filling.

First it was a DM: “This really landed for me—can we talk?” Then another. And another. By the end of the week, that “failed” post had sparked eight Instagram conversations.

Five of those turned into discovery calls. And three of those calls turned into new VIP Day clients.

On paper, the post was a failure. In reality, it was one of the most profitable pieces of content I’ve ever shared.

That was the moment it really clicked for me: reach is about how many people see you, but resonance is about who cares enough to respond. And in business, the response is what matters.

What Resonance Really Means

Resonance is different. It’s when your words land.

It’s the moment a reader thinks, “That’s exactly how I feel,” or “I’ve been wondering about this.” It’s a blog post that gets bookmarked, shared in a group chat, or sent to a colleague.

Resonance doesn’t always show up in the public metrics. Sometimes it looks like a quiet DM that says, “I needed this today.” Sometimes it looks like a client telling you on a call, “I’ve been reading your posts for months, and this one finally made me reach out.”

That’s resonance—it sticks.

Why Resonance Wins Over Reach

Reach is a numbers game. Resonance is a relationship game.

Reach might bring someone to your site once. Resonance brings them back again and again.

Reach might make you recognizable. Resonance makes you trusted.

And trust is what leads to clients, referrals, and the kind of reputation you actually want.

When you think about it, reach is just the spark. Resonance is the fire that keeps people gathered around.

🔥 Hot Tip: The next time you check your analytics, don’t just look at page views. Click into time on page. If people are lingering, that’s resonance at work. If they’re bouncing fast, you’ve got reach without resonance.

How to Write for Resonance (Without Ignoring Reach)

Resonance doesn’t mean ignoring SEO or forgetting about visibility. The two actually work together—reach gets people to you, and resonance gives them a reason to stay. Here’s how I think about it:

Start with what people are already searching for. Use tools like Google autocomplete or “People Also Ask” to find the real questions behind the clicks.

Answer those questions in your own words. Don’t just define terms—tell a story, share an example, let them feel like you’re talking with them, not at them.

Keep your language human. If it wouldn’t sound natural over coffee, it probably won’t resonate online.

Build little bridges. Use internal links to guide people to the next step—like connecting this topic to [how to know if your offer is ready] or [positioning vs. marketing].

🔥 Hot Tip: Take your last 3 posts and scan for comments, DMs, or replies. Notice which ones sparked a conversation versus just collected likes. That’s your resonance tracker—no fancy tools needed.

That “failed” post taught me more than any viral one ever could. It reminded me that reach is easy to chase—but resonance is what actually moves people.

At the end of the day, it’s not about how many people saw you scroll past in their feed. It’s about the handful who cared enough to pause, reply, and take the next step with you.

Reach may fill your numbers, but resonance fills your calendar. And that’s what makes your work worth returning to.