This one’s all about humbling founders who believe their product will “just” be loved because they think it’s great. We’ll call out why markets are indifferent and what to do to earn attention.
The Cold Reality
You might love your product.
Your friends might say it’s brilliant.
You might think it’s the next big thing.
But here’s the brutal truth:
The market doesn’t care.
Not yet. And maybe not ever — unless you make it care.
Nobody’s sitting around waiting for your launch.
Nobody’s refreshing your homepage to see what’s new.
Your potential users are busy — drowning in their own problems, distractions, and noise.
And if you want their attention?
You have to earn it.
Why Markets Start Indifferent
The market isn’t being mean to you.
It’s not personal. It’s just… life.
Here’s why nobody cares at the start:
❌ 1. You’re new, and nobody knows you
It doesn’t matter how great your idea is — if you haven’t built trust or visibility, you’re invisible.
❌ 2. You’re competing with a thousand other priorities
Your product isn’t launching into a vacuum.
You’re fighting for attention against:
- Existing competitors
- Netflix
- TikTok
- Their own workload
❌ 3. Your problem isn’t urgent (to them)
What you see as “essential” might be a “nice-to-have” in your user’s world.
And in a noisy market, nice-to-have = ignored.
❌ 4. People resist change
Even if your product is better, people stick with what they know. Change is work. And most people avoid it.
The point?
Markets aren’t hostile. They’re apathetic — until you give them a reason to care.
How to Make the Market Care
You can’t force people to care.
But you can earn their attention — and keep it — if you hit the right levers.
✅ 1. Solve something urgent and visible
Forget “nice-to-have” features.
Go after pains people feel every week (or every day).
The kind of problem they’d complain about over coffee.
✅ 2. Say it so clearly they can’t miss it
If your value prop sounds like a riddle, you’ve lost.
Make it so simple they can repeat it after hearing it once.
“We help freelancers get paid faster — without chasing clients.”
That’s it. No buzzwords. No jargon.
✅ 3. Show proof early
Case studies. Screenshots. Testimonials. Numbers.
If you have zero customers, show your process, your progress, or early user feedback.
Trust builds interest.
✅ 4. Show up where they already hang out
Don’t expect them to “discover” you.
Find their communities, groups, forums, and platforms.
Talk with them, not at them.
✅ 5. Make the first win quick and obvious
If using your product feels like work, people drop it.
The faster they see a result — even a small one — the faster they start caring.
The Founder Mindset Shift You Need
It’s easy to blame the market.
“They don’t get it.”
“They’re not ready.”
“They’re too stuck in their ways.”
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
It’s not the market’s job to care. It’s your job to make them care.
🧠 Shift #1: Stop expecting applause for showing up
You launched? Great. Nobody owes you attention. You have to earn it every single day.
🧠 Shift #2: Become obsessed with their world, not your product
Every tweet, every landing page, every conversation should scream:
“I get you. I understand your pain. I’m here to solve it.”
🧠 Shift #3: Treat apathy as feedback
If people aren’t biting, it’s a sign you need to tweak:
- Your problem choice
- Your messaging
- Your distribution
The market isn’t cold — it’s just busy.
Your job is to break through the noise until your product is impossible to ignore.
On a final note;
Here’s the thing most founders don’t want to hear:
Your market doesn’t care — until you make them.
They’re not scrolling around waiting for your big launch.
They’re not hoping your app exists.
They’re just living their lives.
That’s not discouraging — it’s empowering.
Because if you know how to earn attention, you can beat bigger, louder, richer competitors.
💬 Try this today:
Write down:
- The urgent pain you solve.
- The exact person you solve it for.
- The fastest way they can see a win with you.
Now ask yourself:
“Would I stop what I’m doing to try this?”
If the answer is “maybe” — keep working.
The market only wakes up for hell yes.
Wole Oduwole, an SEO & Digital Growth Expert is the Founder of SEOGidi. Harnessing with over 10 years of experience to scaling startups and emerging businesses.
