A Monthly Check-In on Reach, Consistency, and Momentum
I’ve never been interested in going viral or chasing likes.
But in the same breath, I also believe you can only manage what you can measure.
This post is the first in what I intend to be a monthly check-in—a simple, honest accounting of where things stand in terms of visibility, reach, and momentum across the platforms tied to Paul MacPherson Photography. Not as a scoreboard. Not as a brag sheet. But as a way to stay grounded in reality rather than perception.
The Plan vs. The Reality
When I launched my website and committed to building this new online brand, I had a rough idea of how the early weeks would unfold.
By January 1st, 2026, I thought I’d have published six YouTube videos.
In reality, I published none before the new year—and only released the first one on January 5th.
On paper, that looks like a miss.
But context matters.
I didn’t spend those six weeks doing nothing. I spent them writing—45 blog posts, to be exact. I spent the time getting comfortable with my own voice, learning how I think on the page, and building the muscle of showing up consistently.
- Comfort leads to confidence.
- Confidence leads to efficiency.
And I’m convinced that this writing-first phase will ultimately make me better on camera—not because I’ll perform better, but because I’ll think more clearly. Better scripts. Better structure. Better intent.
The Website as the Home Base
One of the clearest ideas to emerge during this period is something I’ve already written about extensively: the website is the home base, and everything else is just a flyer.
Social platforms come and go. Algorithms change. Reach evaporates overnight. But the site is the one place I control the message, the pacing, the depth, and the archive.
Every post I wrote wasn’t just content—it was infrastructure.
The Numbers (So Far)
Since November 9th, 2025, here’s how things look:
| Platform | Nov 9, 2025 | Jan 7, 2026 | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluesky Followers | 1,462 | 1,571 | +109 | +7% |
| Facebook Friends | 247 | 262 | +15 | +6% |
| Instagram Followers | 77 | 79 | +2 | +3% |
| Threads Followers | 58 | 77 | +19 | +25% |
| YouTube Subscribers | 14 | 14 | +0 | 0% |
| Website (in the last 28 days) | 0 | 164 unique visitors | — | — |
| Website time on page | 0 | 7m 04s | — | — |
None of these numbers is impressive in isolation.
But that’s not the point.
What matters more to me than follower counts is behaviour—and the website data is the quiet standout here. An average time on page of over seven minutes tells me something important: people who arrive are actually reading.
That matters far more than a drive-by like.
Visibility Without Noise
I’ve written before about why my photography must be seen—not out of ego, but because visibility is the bridge between intention and connection. Making work in isolation is safe. Sharing it invites friction, misunderstanding, and vulnerability.
But it also invites meaning.
This early growth hasn’t come from trends or tactics. It’s come from consistency, clarity of voice, and a refusal to dilute what this project is actually about.
What This Series Is (and Isn’t)
- This monthly series isn’t about growth hacks.
- It isn’t about winning social media.
- And it definitely isn’t about pretending momentum where there isn’t any.
- It is about paying attention.
- It is about staying honest.
- And it is about tracking progress without letting numbers dictate identity.
Some months will show growth. Some won’t.
Some platforms may stagnate. Others may surprise me.
But if I keep writing, keep publishing, and keep treating the website as the long game—everything else becomes supporting cast, not the main character.
This is simply where things stand right now.
And next month, we’ll see where they stand then.