A note on why engagement matters for ooooIYKYK — and how you can help keep it growing.
ooooIYKYK, ISSUE #oo41, SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER ON SUBSTACK.
I’m not a fan of barriers.
ooooIYKYK exists because enthusiast coverage increasingly runs into them.
One of the things that made the early internet so powerful was its openness — the ability to discover information, share ideas and learn from communities built around shared interests. Increasingly, that openness feels like it’s disappearing.
Part of running this website effectively and keeping abreast of Audi news around the world is monitoring outlets across the internet. Add to that the curation of video content and YouTube also becomes a regular stop when assembling the mix. Increasingly, across all of these, I’m met with paywalls, memberships, protective practices against off-platform linking and algorithms that only seem to reward virality to fuel doom-scrolling.
I don’t begrudge the need for revenue. As a small publisher I understand the requirement to make the effort pencil out. Paywalls and subscriptions are publishers’ attempts to contend with an online reader base that increasingly seems drawn to only a precious few platforms.
I’m now a little over a year into this ooooIYKYK experiment. While I do believe it has proven its worth as a go-to location for Audi content meant to inform, educate and entertain enthusiasts around the globe, the platform is far from a sustainable venture just yet.
Income is generally associated with readership volume. To win that game you must go viral. Catchy, often misleading and sometimes obnoxious posts are much more likely to drive likes and clicks than an informative story or objective analysis.
Add an algorithmically effective and facially dopey thumbnail or a fast-talking rundown from the TikToker du jour — which you’ll forget in 3…2…1… seconds — and the bonus displays follow.
AI slop is a whole other sidetrack on which we could spend days.
In modern advertising though, commoditized quantity over quality tends to rule conventional ad strategies. Collaborations, sponsorships, advertising and other forms of support tend to follow trends rather than lead them — trailing big, obnoxiously viral accounts rather than serving consumers by introducing them to something new that might actually be useful and on brand.
The @ooooIYKYK Instagram account hit 4,000 followers this past week, and several of its stories were shared by Audi’s Chief Creative Officer Massimo Frascella. I hope I don’t put him off by shining a light on that, but Massimo’s personal account is an example of leadership in this space — casually curating his own mix of things he finds interesting or important.
That he has shared this site and does so with some regularity is the ultimate compliment for me on whether I’m getting it right… even if 4,000 followers is relatively small by conventional Instagram standards.
That situation also aligns with the “If You Know, You Know” theme chosen for the name of this project.
This site — this Audi-focused media project — is meant for those in the know.
Most Audi fans saw the RS 3 competition limited for the first time this week. If you’re a regular reader of this site or subscriber to its newsletter, you likely saw it a month earlier with a detailed description and spot-on renderings. You’ve likely been following along since the first intel dropped and was reported here back in August.
This site also has readers without whom such coverage wouldn’t be possible. Some of the content run here — stories like the initial intel on the RS 3 competition limited — is crowd-sourced from those in the know who choose to share that knowledge with others closely dialed into the brand.
Sorry though.
It all happened sans TikTok fast talk or YouTuber face.
This audience may not be massive by social media standards.
But it is highly focused — Audi owners, collectors and enthusiasts who care deeply about the brand and follow its story closely.
I’m motivated to keep this website and the associated newsletter free of charge. Yes, the newsletter has a paid option and I am immeasurably grateful to those of you who choose to help produce this website by paying for it.
However, that paid subscription is intentionally optional — even if it is unconventional.
There’s another way to do this.
Back in my Vortex Media Group days — when we built enthusiast platforms like VWvortex and Fourtitude into global communities — we believed it was our responsibility to find advertisers and industry players who saw value in what our websites and their associated discussion forums brought to the community, and who were willing to underwrite and support them.
That approach is old-school web publishing practice, but I prefer it.
I rely upon subscriptions, but I find paywalls incredibly annoying — the antithesis of the information discovery ethos ushered in at the advent of the internet.
The plan here, over the coming months, is to identify brands, companies and Audi dealerships who see this ooooIYKYK Audi-focused content as valuable and who want to connect directly with a deeply engaged Audi enthusiast audience.
Those partners would be helping keep Audi owners and aspiring owners informed and impassioned about the rich world of Audi.
So here’s my ask to you.
If you LOVE what ooooIYKYK is delivering here, then LIKE it. Be intentional. Click like on the posts. Take the time to follow the social media accounts. Subscribe to the free newsletter or the podcast. Click through on the website.
These are the metrics that marketing professionals in this space see as evidence of a platform worthy of their investment.
If you REALLY LOVE what is being delivered, then go one step further… consider paying for a subscription. Share it with your Audi enthusiast friends or customers. Suggest to your dealership, favorite brand or shop that they consider sponsoring this project.
And when sponsor ads and placements begin showing up on this site, click on them and support their businesses.
Even something as simple as liking a post or sharing a story helps move this project forward.
This project won’t be indefinite if it’s not made sustainable. However, I’m committed to making that happen. I’m committed to elevating the presence of what is offered here should the market support that as well.
Would you like to be involved in the ooooIYKYK project or see your brand as a supporting partner and patron of this growing community at a time when Audi is once again showing fortitude and returning to the fore?
Partnerships, sponsorships and collaborations are welcome.
Drop me a line at george.achorn@ooooIYKYK.com and let’s talk.
We all get ahead when we’re intentional.
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If you love it, then like it.
NEXT UP THIS WEEK’S NEWS & FEATURES
CURATED PODCASTS & VIDEO CONTENT
The Last 5-Cylinder Audi Ever? RS 3 competition limited | Remove Before Race
New Audi RS 3 competition limited & Other Topics | The Gassing Station by PistonHeads
Reveal! 2026 Audi RS 3 competition limited – Tribute or Missed Opportunity? | Auditography
Alex Brundle Drives the Audi A6 e-hybrid 600 Miles to the French Alps
Audi F1’s Dark Horse Era Has Begun | LawVS
2027 Audi RS 5 gets more power, tech, weight – First Drive| Driving.ca
ooooIYKYK AUDI ARCHIVE UPDATES
This story is the basis of an issue of the ooooIYKYK Newsletter on Substack. If you’ve got too much going on in your life and don’t want to keep coming back to this website just to check in and see what I’m writing about, signing up to the ooooIYKYK Newsletter is an excellent way to get this content coming directly to you in your inbox. Subscribe at Substack via the link below, and consider becoming an optionally paying subscriber if you want to help support the viability of this title.Subscribe to the ooooIYKYK Newsletter on Substack HERE.