The Art and Importance of World Building

In today’s piece we introduce the concept of World Building, why creators can be exceptional world builders, and apply this idea to a doctor creating content around women’s health.

Happy Tuesday Friends,

We live in a world of abundance. A simple online search results in tens, if not hundreds of similar products or services with little differentiation. So, this begs the question, “How do you stand out to an audience when they have endless choice?”

Enter the idea of World Building - a term we first came across from a newsletter written by Alex Danco. In today’s piece we take several of his ideas and apply them to the creator economy.

Note: we have included a link to Alex’s newsletter at the bottom of the piece - it’s well worth the read.

Introducing the Concept of World Building 🗺️ 

You’ve probably heard the following career advice: “Everyone works in sales, even if they don’t realize it.” Alex proposes an updated version for today:

It’s more or less the same idea, but tailored for a time where people have access to endless information and choice. World Building is about creating a captivating world around an idea, product, or service. Alex explains it more fully below:

This is much easier said than done. Holding multiple people's attention over time is challenging as they easily get bored or distracted. But, it has become a core skill any person or company must have if they are looking to build an audience or customer base.

Importance of Purpose 📿 

We like stories because we appreciate clear direction and compelling story arcs. If you can create a world that’s more clear and compelling than the complex, ambiguous real world, then people will be attracted to that story. And when you invite those people into your world and give them purpose inside your world, and they accept that purpose, then they won’t ever leave. This idea is often overlooked with physical products as we live in a world full of complex, disposable junk.

We have found if you want to create a world around a product, the product must be simple and easy to understand. It also must be approached as a tool that serves a specific function. When products are designed as tools, it forces you to pare down things to their essence and define a clear purpose. This leads to creating something people need vs something they want.

Creators as World Builders 👨‍🎨 👩‍🎨 🗺️ 

Creators are exceptionally effective world builders in a world where we are saturated with information. Creators:

• craft engaging and relatable stories that draw people into their world;

• build and nurture communities around their content; and

• share personal experiences and insights to build trust and authenticity.

But, the reality is most creators focus on attention, they are not successfully building their own worlds. We have found that only a small percentage of creators are true world builders. As content increasingly fills our feeds, audiences and their attention will become even more fragmented. This means the art of world building will become increasingly important. If a creator is not an effective world builder, he/she will become less relevant as the creator economy continues to mature. This is already happening where brands and agencies are less interested in audience size and much more focused on engagement.

The era of the, “half-naked hot girl or guy” with a few million followers on Instagram or TikTok has come to an end.

Basic Features of World Building ✔️✔️✔️✔️ 

In Alex’s piece he outlines several core features that all worlds should have. We have highlighted a few of them below:

• Geography: Define the regions and cultures within your world. 

• Trade: Describe how people in your world trade with each other.

• Regional Contrasts: Highlight contrasts and similarities within your world.

• Currency: Identify what is valued and traded within your world, beyond just money.

Nearly every creator that has built a sizable, engaged audience is a world builder at their core. Let’s take a simple example of how this world building framework can be applied to a doctor who creates content around women’s health 👩‍⚕️ 👨‍⚕️.

Geography: Define the regions and cultures within your world

The doctor's world covers different stages of women's health, like prenatal care, postnatal care, reproductive health, and menopause. Each, “Region” of their website or channel has information and resources for one of these stages. Women from different life stages (ie cultures) come to these sections, forming a diverse but connected community centered on women's health.

Trade: Describe how people in your world trade with each other

The doctor gives medical advice, health tips, and personalized care plans to gain patients' trust. Patients show their trust by going to appointments, following the doctor on social media, and joining webinars or support groups. They also share their stories and successes, creating a supportive community. This sharing of information helps build the doctor's reputation and creates a strong sense of community where everyone benefits from the doctor’s guidance and each other's support.

Regional Contrasts: Highlight contrasts and similarities within your world

Each, “Region” of the doctor’s world has two main parts: preventive care and treatment-focused care.

Preventive care helps people stay healthy with good lifestyle choices, regular check-ups, and early detection of problems. Treatment-focused care helps manage health conditions, like menopause symptoms. Patients who want preventive care look for ways to stay healthy, while those needing treatment focus on managing their symptoms. Even though they have different needs, all patients aim to improve their health. The doctor highlights these contrasts by offering tailored content and services for each group, while emphasizing the overarching goal of comprehensive women's health care.

Currency: Identify what is valued and traded within your world, beyond just money

In the doctor’s world, the primary currency is trust and patient outcomes. Patients trade their trust and adherence to medical advice for the doctor’s expertise and care. Positive patient outcomes, testimonials, and word-of-mouth recommendations serve as valuable currency, enhancing the doctor’s reputation and attracting new patients. Additionally, the doctor’s participation in community events, health fairs, and online health forums builds social capital, further establishing them as a trusted authority in women’s health. Collaborations with other healthcare providers and organizations also enhance their network and influence in the medical community.

We have found applying this world-building framework to be an extremely useful tool for companies when they are looking at a potential equity deal or long-term partnership with creators. We plan to apply this framework to how individual creators are successfully building their worlds in future pieces to help you all start to identify the true world builders.

Have a great week and remember to Go Direct!

Jordan & Scott

Link to Alex Danco’s world building post below: