One way is to do more of your discussion in less-networked communities, and think of ways to support them. If you chat in an IRC channel with 50 regulars, the chances that you'll suddenly become a celebrity with 5000 people lurking in that channel to hear your next word are pretty close to zero. Same with posting in most forums.

I'm not sure IRC or webforums in particular are the future---to a certain extent they're canonical 90s and early 2000s past---but I think looking back towards communities and away from everyone-networked-into-one-huge-community-the-size-of-the-internet might be the way to go.

The chances that someone will see a potential benefit in being exposed to information on a topic of interest for zero-investment cost is fairly high.

Stick to niche subjects and you'll get a niche audience. Everybody eats, most people cook to some capacity.

Start a twitter account about "The Archaeological Assessments of Classic Models of Sociopolitical Types in Oceania" and I guarantee it'll feel like a close-knit community for nigh onto infinity.

Facebook has hard limits on friend counts, and not just to piss off twits like Scoble.