Thanks for commenting, Neil.

I think the “patient and consistent” thing is the key here. When I first started working on the web in 1995 (eek), and all the way through the social media upcurve at Waterstone’s Online and then at the Science Museum – and beyond, I very soon learnt the (now blindingly obvious) mantra that great content is the heart of the web. I spent a whole 2 years being able to say “Content Is King” without people smirking because it had become such a widely-realised and hackneyed phrase.. 🙂 (I also said “bricks and clicks” with a serious face on, too, but we’ll pretend THAT never happened…)

Content defines everything about compelling experiences. The UX work, the tools, the easy setup of WordPress, the drag and drop, the big fonts, the enthusiasm, the connecting – this is nothing without the *stuff*. This doesn’t belittle the excitement and enthusiasm – this stuff is great, and I’ve been writing for years about user experiences and how technologists need to understand how important this is – BUT I think the “Why Am I Doing This?” and “Can I Continue To Do This?” questions need to sit front and centre.

In terms of numbers, yes, I guess there is a metric there, depending on your particular context and strategy – but I think the personal nature of that connection is waaaay more important than the sheer bulk. I’d much rather have a focused group of 50 people (followers, friends, commenters, editors, people who meet) who really understand each other and really add to the value of that network than 50,000 who only brush past it.