As writers, we’re in the business of selling ideas.

But the internet is full of people shilling surface level stuff. Algorithms encourage you to pump out commodity content in the name of growth without a care in the world for what truly matters:

Connection.

So today, we’re going to discuss how to engineer the Hell Yes Effect with your ideas. It’s a 5 minute read.

Let’s dive in.

The Hell Yes Effect

The difference between commodity and quality content is how much it makes your audience feel something. The worst kind is useless and generic—easy to read but easier to forget. Better content sells a feeling, like inspiration or excitement.

But the best kind?

Gets your audience to say hell yes—and makes them stick around for good.

The secret is appealing to people’s beliefs.

Because you and I are just a bundle of beliefs bouncing through life, searching for what validates who we are and how we feel.

If you can speak to your audience's deeper motivations, they’ll be drawn to your writing like moths to a flame.

They’ll look for you on social media because, in their eyes, you have something interesting to say. They open your emails because you make them feel heard and understood. And they buy your stuff not just because you have expertise, but because you share a similar worldview.

In short, they're true fans.

This is one reason you need to be careful about growth-at-all-costs content. Nobody has ever been blown away by illegal AI tools or wishy-washy tips from a famous person who is irrelevant to the creator’s story (I see you, new Twitter trend).

It’s the deeper meaning behind your message that sets you apart.

And here’re the only two questions you need to play with:

1. What do you believe strongly about (that most people don’t)?

When you express your strongest beliefs, it’s like planting a flag in the ground and saying:

This is what sets me apart. Come and join me if you feel the same.

But the key is saying something different—else it's just noise.

For example, if I say that I stand for breathing oxygen, it’s hardly worldbreaking, is it?

But if I say that an hour of daily breathwork will change your life, a small group of people will love what I’m saying.

Now, I would struggle massively with a habit like this (15 minutes of meditation is hard enough). But that’s the point—you’re not trying to be the writer for everyone. You’re trying to be THE writer for someone.

A lot of people struggle with broadcasting what makes them different. I do, too. It’s ingrained in our nature. Thousands of years ago, being different meant a higher risk of being kicked out of the tribe, which was a death sentence.

But the internet has flipped the script—uniqueness is celebrated.

Like my friend Dakota Robertson says, you gotta be weird to win.

So whip out a pen and paper and reflect on these prompts:

Think about your niche but also your wider worldviews. These establish a shared lens.

For example, here are my core values and beliefs:

These won't surprise you if you’ve known me for a while. My content is just a projection of myself. But many people don’t know what they stand for—which makes it hard for their audience to know it, too.

Another good prompt is to fill in these statements:

Everyone should…

Everyone deserves…

For example, I believe everyone should understand the power of compounding, leverage, and patience. It’s the closest you can get a cheatcode—and how normal people like you and I can get abnormal results.

So that’s what I write about. A lot.

Kieran Drew @ItsKieranDrew Einstein called it the 8th wonder of the world: Compounding. But few people understand how important it is. Here’s a 2-minute breakdown of the most powerful force in the world: 1:40 PM • Jan 22, 2024 398 Retweets 2193 Likes Read 89 replies

​But positive beliefs aren't enough to create fans. This leads us to the next question.

Question 2: What do you stand against?

Nothing unites a tribe like a common enemy.

This is why politics has devolved into a social media circus shitshow. We put the best clowns in charge without realising they’re just tugging on our lowest common emotions—anger, disgust, and fear.

It’s also why I have no clue who our prime minister is—you’ll never think clearly if you let these idiots control your attention.

Can you see what I just did?

Some of you have just thought, “It’s pretty ignorant that you don’t follow politics.” Others, “Hell yes, I feel exactly the same.”

…If you value clear thinking, I’m appealing to your identity (and complimenting your good taste).

Now, throwing stones at enemies is nothing new. You’re told you must be polarising if you want a stronger audience response. But I find this incredibly short-sighted.

It’s not about being a dick for engagement purposes.

It’s about trying to create change in the world.

The internet has given us a fantastic opportunity (and responsibility) to influence how people think, feel, and act. Your ideas can have a real impact. Make it your mission to bring about change; people can feel it.

"Our job is to make change. Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better than we found them."
​
—Seth Godin

Plus, having a purpose behind your writing makes it more enjoyable. This is crucial because, despite what others in my space might promise you, it ain’t all sunshine and roses to 6 or 7 figures.

Reflect on these questions:

Kieran Drew @ItsKieranDrew The world would be a much happier place if doctors prescribed a daily dose of writing, reading, and walking. 10:24 AM • Apr 15, 2024 14 Retweets 234 Likes Read 106 replies

​Here’s what gets me going:

Cool. So we’ve got two lists now.

You might be thinking, what the hell do we do next?

Building your island of ideas

The internet is a sea of noise, and your mission is to build an island of ideas so that when ‘your people’ find you, they never want to leave.

How?

By infusing your beliefs in everything you create—taking someone from a stranger to a follower to a fan.

Think of your social media content as the lighthouse that beams through the fog, letting people know you exist.

It’s also your testing ground—the perfect place to experiment with elegant expressions to hammer home your message.

Kieran Drew @ItsKieranDrew I don't care how much money you make, if you can't take a day off without asking for permission - it isn't enough. 12:4 PM • Jan 26, 2023 319 Retweets 2536 Likes Read 174 replies

So I start expressing it from many angles (leaning heavily into personal perspective—which is much more effective for creating a connection):

Kieran Drew @ItsKieranDrew When I was a dentist I came close to buying a Jaguar. I used to sit in rush hour and see nice cars and think 'I work hard, I deserve one of those too'. Then I realised it's not the car that's important. It's escaping rush hour altogether. Invest in freedom, not possessions. 12:4 PM • Feb 9, 2023 34 Retweets 561 Likes Read 101 replies

Kieran Drew @ItsKieranDrew I didn't quit my 9-5 to get rich. I don't care about flashy cars or big houses. I just hated not being in control of my time. I hated having to answer to someone else. And I hated not being excited by my work. The online world is about more than money. It's about freedom. 9:33 AM • Mar 20, 2023 76 Retweets 836 Likes Read 111 replies

​You can see how this might be a breath of fresh air when most of my space doesn't shut up about making money.

But you can’t rely on social media to create fans.

Only a tiny portion of your audience sees your stuff, and algorithms dictate your direction.

I can’t tell you how often I’ve shared an idea I genuinely loved, only to have it ‘flop’ so I avoid writing about it again. It's tough to resist incentives—especially the applause of the crowd.

This is why social media cannot be your end game. Instead, you must pull people deeper into your island by building attractive, compounding assets that reinforce the identity you’re creating.

This means your message is inside your lead magnets, newsletters, websites, and products.

Take this email for example.

I know 90% of my audience won't read a 1,000-1,500 word email. But you’re still here—and you’re the person I care most about. How many beliefs have I expressed in this email that got you nodding? How many links have I shared to other articles tackling other problems?

Welcome to my island (grab yourself a cup of tea—it’s a cool place to be).

But I’m just a keen student of the Hell Yes Effect.

I don’t anticipate creating raving fans any time soon. But that’s fine. Creating the Hell Yes Effect is about patience as you test, refine, and slowly carve out a message with a deep resonating appeal.

Few people will play this game.

Especially as the internet devolves into surface-level, dopamine-fueled content.

But if you commit to making your audience care by putting thought into your message, you’ll unlock a level of connection most ‘big’ businesses would kill for. Not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But over the next months, years, and decades—the internet will become your playground.

Focus on your fans.

Speak to their beliefs,

Kieran