I have been told for years I need to promote my own work. It does not work for me. In fact, it backfires hugely. I am seeing gradual inroads to more traffic from trying to prove myself. People get interested in me, think I am smart, traffic follows. For me, it hugely, hugely backfires to try to "promote my site".
I think my situation is extreme but I don't think that principle is unique to me.
"Promote" can mean many things. I've tried almost all of them :)
For example, a piece of technology like a library or a framework is useless without documentation.
Sure you can focus just on making your product better and better to near perfection but it's just too boring if nobody is using it. And it's not till people use it that you realize ways it needs to change to.
If you read "Founders At Work" a common reality is that their success is different from what they start out to build. Without feedback from the masses you won't know what it is that people really want. It just won't come to you in a dream.
I think my situation is extreme but I don't think that principle is unique to me.