Brief Summary
This video provides five unconventional lessons for growing and monetizing social media presence. It emphasizes the shift from social networking to media platforms, the importance of targeted virality over broad reach, focusing on a single platform, treating social media platforms as separate islands rather than an interconnected ecosystem, and understanding that value accrues at the platform and offer layers, not the media layer. The key is to adapt to the evolving dynamics of social media, focusing on targeted content and leveraging media presence to drive traffic to owned products and services.
- Social media is now primarily a media platform, requiring a focus on matching content to the right audience.
- Targeted virality is more effective for monetization than broad, untargeted reach.
- Focus on mastering one platform where your audience is most active.
- Treat each social media platform as a separate island, not forcing cross-platform engagement.
- Value accrues at the platform and offer layers, so use media to drive traffic to your own products and services.
Intro
The video introduces strategies for faster growth on social media, highlighting that difficulties in growth often stem from suboptimal content strategies. The speaker shares his experience in mastering various social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube, accumulating millions of followers and billions of views. The core of the video reveals five unconventional insights into how social media truly functions, lessons understood by successful creators but potentially overlooked by others.
Uncommon Learning 1: Social media is not social
Social media has transitioned from being primarily social networks to media platforms. Originally designed to connect users and share content with followers, platforms like TikTok and YouTube prioritize media consumption. This shift, triggered by TikTok's success, has redefined the content game, making audience matching the primary goal. The key to growth is helping the algorithm match content with the right viewers, which leads to user satisfaction and further promotion. To achieve this, creators should focus on consistent themes and topics in their videos, which helps the algorithm understand the content and target the appropriate audience.
Uncommon Learning 2: Virality is a trap
Virality can be a trap if the goal is to monetize content effectively. There are two types of virality: pure and targeted. Pure virality aims for broad reach, often resulting in a diluted audience that is difficult to monetize. Targeted virality, on the other hand, focuses on reaching a high percentage of the intended target audience, which allows for more specific and niche content. Algorithms favor accuracy over breadth, making it better to be a cult favorite in a niche than liked by everyone. The key is to create content that resonates with a specific audience, addressing their pain points and interests, to foster deeper trust and engagement.
Uncommon Learning 3: Fish where the fish are
It's not necessary to be active on every social media platform simultaneously. Instead, focus on the platform where your target audience spends the most time. By concentrating efforts on one primary platform and email marketing, businesses can avoid overcomplication and better understand the platform's culture. This focused approach allows for deeper engagement with the community, such as commenting on posts and responding to comments, which helps establish a strong presence in the chosen niche. The secret is that video content is universally effective, regardless of the platform.
Uncommon Learning 4: Islands vs Ecosystems
Social media platforms should be viewed as separate islands rather than an interconnected ecosystem. Each platform has its own unique characteristics, algorithms, and user behaviors. Platforms often discourage users from leaving, so trying to force cross-platform engagement can be counterproductive. Instead, creators should tailor content to each platform and allow users to discover them naturally. The only connections to build are from rented platforms to owned assets like email lists or communities. Consistent branding and messaging across platforms help create a cohesive world, making the brand recognizable and trustworthy when discovered on different platforms.
Uncommon Learning 5: Value doesn't accrue at the media layer
Value doesn't significantly accrue at the media layer in the content stack, which consists of the platform layer, the media layer (content creators), and the offer layer (products and services). Most of the money flows to the platform and offer layers. To monetize content effectively, creators should use media to drive attention to their own products and services rather than relying solely on AdSense revenue or brand deals. This involves creating products, services, or affiliate partnerships with unlimited growth potential, shifting from a media-centric to a business-centric approach.
Summary
The video concludes by summarizing the five unconventional lessons for social media growth and monetization. Social media is now a media platform, requiring content to be matched with the right audience through consistent themes and topics. Targeted virality is more effective than pure virality for monetization, focusing on specific audience pain points. Creators should concentrate on one platform where their customers are most active, engaging through video content and community interaction. Platforms should be treated as separate islands, with content tailored to each, and the only connections built should lead to owned assets. Finally, value accrues at the platform and offer layers, so media should be used to drive attention to owned products and services.
