Paul Graham on Founder

Paul Graham@paulg

This may not just be a problem with Google but possibly also the recipe for beating Google. A startup usually has to start with a niche market. Why not try writing a search engine specifically for some category dominated by SEO spam?

1.8K likes96 repliesPosted Jan 2, 2022

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Viral score

Based on absolute engagement — the platform doesn’t expose follower counts here, so large accounts score higher.

From likes, comments.

Why it worked

Ends on a question, which is the most reliable way to turn readers into repliers.
Short enough to read in full without expanding, which removes a step before the point lands.
Short sentences keep the pace up, so the reader never has to re-read a line.
Opens on a negative, which reads as a warning and is harder to ignore than a claim.

The mechanics

Hook: Plain observation
Structure: Hook → Invitation
Style: Conversational paragraphs at a steady pace.
Tone: plain, matter-of-fact
Written for: Founders and early-stage teams

Analysis by ViralLoop — not written by the original author.

Topics

Founder Growth

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