Why "reach" isn't the goal.

11.02.25 | By Madeleine Hargreaves | social media

Why "reach" isn't the goal.

Discover what truly drives successful brands

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of attending Melbourne's first Social Summit, a gathering for brand founders, brand managers, and thought leaders ready to share their insights on the rapidly changing online landscape.

What stood out the most? One clear takeaway: the impact of an authentic, distinctive brand story. And the ultimate goal? Building connection, not just chasing reach.

The ever-spinning world of social and brand launches would have you believe that a brand’s job is to follow trends, breathlessly doing its best to keep up, stay relevant, and go viral. But whether you’re a faceless start up or an iconic heritage name, your ultimate goal should always be to build a connection. You do that through telling stories, not chasing reach.

Here are some more of my key takeaways from Social Summit:

Reach is the outcome, not the goal.

Reach should not be your ultimate goal. Don't get me wrong, achieving mass reach is a milestone worth celebrating. But for truly impactful brands, the goal goes beyond numbers alone. It’s about connecting in a way that resonates with their audience.

When we become too fixated on reach we often end up chasing trends or shock value content that is irrelevant to our brand’s positioning, purpose and personality. We have to keep our eyes on what actually makes our brand connect in the first place. The truth is, reach is simply a byproduct of that authentic connection. It's not something to chase for its own sake. Instead, we should focus on crafting a brand story that resonates and fosters genuine relationships within our communities.

Authenticity is here to stay.

“We are transitioning into an era of authenticity, moving away from curated, cultivated identities that dominated the past decade,” said Alison Rice, of Offline. In her discussion about the evolution of personal branding online, Alison addressed how influencers, podcasters, and content creators need to know their brand and community intimately.

“Know your boundaries, your values, and understand which stories are yours to tell and which aren’t”, she reiterated.

Just like a good brand story, personal authenticity is the foundation for a meaningful connection. It’s what will keep your audience coming back for more, again and again.

Take (strategic) risks.

Founders such as Chloe De Winter of Nala and Natassia Grace of Conserving Beauty are no strangers to risk. They’d argue that risk-taking attitude is exactly why their brands have grown to achieve such a strong loyal community and following. However, both highlighted the need for strong strategy underpinning such bold brand moves.

Natassia noted the importance of maintaining flexibility when scaling a brand. “Never put yourself in a box”, she said. “As a founder there is nothing in business that you can’t learn, don’t be afraid to dive in to succeed or learn from others who can help”.

Chloe De Winter shared valuable insight on how her team always keeps the end customer in focus. Their product development and brand experiences are always inspired by that end user, crafting solutions that truly make a difference to their life. Nala's innovative fit guide is a perfect example of this. The online guide features over 30 images of bare chests and breasts, allowing customers to choose one that best resembles their own body. This isn’t just risky or provocative. It’s a thoughtful approach to the end user’s apprehension about the fit of a bra bought online. It also reflects Nala’s brand strategy and core values, which are anchored in diversity, transparency, and trust.

Honouring your brand guidelines.

One of the closing addresses at the summit featured our own Bree Johnson (Willow & Blake’s Managing Partner, co-founder of frank body, and my personal friend and desk buddy). When asked, “If you were to relaunch frank body tomorrow, would you do anything differently?” Bree drew on her 15 years of branding experience and extensive industry experience to share valuable insights. With the same principles she consistently advises her team and clients, Bree’s response was clear: “Be bold. Take risks. Know your customer intimately. And above all, never stray too far from your brand. You need to be so on-brand that it hurts.”

Gemma Diamond from Glow Journal, echoed this sentiment. It’s tempting to jump on viral trends or copy what’s working for others. But as Gemma wisely reminded us: "You need to be comfortable with who you are and what your brand represents. Find your niche and own it.”

If a trend doesn’t align with your values, don’t force it. Know your audience and stay on-brand, even when everyone else is chasing the next big thing.

Connecting through storytelling.

The Social Summit offered countless valuable takeaways, but the most important reminder of all was that your brand story is the heartbeat of your business.

In today’s competitive landscape, grounding your strategy in your story, values, and audience is essential. This strong foundation helps carve out a distinct position in a crowded market, enabling your brand to stand out and thrive. How you craft and communicate that story, along with the connections you build with your audience, will determine your success—while reach may follow, connection is the true goal.

Take (strategic) risks.

Founders such as Chloe De Winter of Nala and Natassia Grace of Conserving Beauty are no strangers to risk. They’d argue that risk-taking attitude is exactly why their brands have grown to achieve such a strong loyal community and following. However, both highlighted the need for strong strategy underpinning such bold brand moves.

Natassia noted the importance of maintaining flexibility when scaling a brand. “Never put yourself in a box”, she said. “As a founder there is nothing in business that you can’t learn, don’t be afraid to dive in to succeed or learn from others who can help”.

Chloe De Winter shared valuable insight on how her team always keeps the end customer in focus. Their product development and brand experiences are always inspired by that end user, crafting solutions that truly make a difference to their life. Nala's innovative fit guide is a perfect example of this. The online guide features over 30 images of bare chests and breasts, allowing customers to choose one that best resembles their own body. This isn’t just risky or provocative. It’s a thoughtful approach to the end user’s apprehension about the fit of a bra bought online. It also reflects Nala’s brand strategy and core values, which are anchored in diversity, transparency, and trust.

Honouring your brand guidelines.

One of the closing addresses at the summit featured our own Bree Johnson (Willow & Blake’s Managing Partner, co-founder of frank body, and my personal friend and desk buddy). When asked, “If you were to relaunch frank body tomorrow, would you do anything differently?” Bree drew on her 15 years of branding experience and extensive industry experience to share valuable insights. With the same principles she consistently advises her team and clients, Bree’s response was clear: “Be bold. Take risks. Know your customer intimately. And above all, never stray too far from your brand. You need to be so on-brand that it hurts.”

Gemma Diamond from Glow Journal, echoed this sentiment. It’s tempting to jump on viral trends or copy what’s working for others. But as Gemma wisely reminded us: "You need to be comfortable with who you are and what your brand represents. Find your niche and own it.”

If a trend doesn’t align with your values, don’t force it. Know your audience and stay on-brand, even when everyone else is chasing the next big thing.

Connecting through storytelling.

The Social Summit offered countless valuable takeaways, but the most important reminder of all was that your brand story is the heartbeat of your business.

In today’s competitive landscape, grounding your strategy in your story, values, and audience is essential. This strong foundation helps carve out a distinct position in a crowded market, enabling your brand to stand out and thrive. How you craft and communicate that story, along with the connections you build with your audience, will determine your success—while reach may follow, connection is the true goal.

Why "reach" isn't the goal.

Related articles.

3 ChatGPT predictions from a lazy copywriter.

10 strategies that are vital for growing consumer health brands.

Download our Health and Wellness Brand Report