What's my advice to give your dream as much time as possible because you never get to your dream if you don't get a time. You don't want to have that kind of the expense of the other things, but there's cost of entry. As long as you're good with your dream coming through in six years instead of two years, well then you can allocate more time to those other things. If you're not okay with that, you have to realize that that means that you might have to have a cost.
Everything life has a price. That's just a reality. Tension is the number one asset. Hey everybody, it's Gary Vaynerchuk, author of the new book, Day Trading Attention.
Then I'm excited about CEO Vayner X and Vayner Media, 2000 Person Global Agency, a content creator myself. And I'm excited to be here at the Grow With Video Conference. Look, we're living through one of the great changes in marketing history right now with the attention economy going all over the place. And obviously, a video of someone who's benefited from that format since February of 2006.
So 18 plus years in counting. I'm excited to speak about what I'm seeing in the landscape and the marketplace and obviously answer all your questions. I am humbled. I am grateful and I'm excited to be here.
What is up, Gary? Sean Cannell here with Think Media. I want to thank you so much for speaking at the Grow With Video Summit. Question for you is, what are the current trends and changes in the social media landscape that we should be paying attention to if we want to specifically get more reach, get more view.
Get growth right now. Everybody feels the rising competition. So especially if I'm starting from scratch or if I feel plateaued, what should be the mindset that I have and what should be the actions that I take in light of the current state of social media at this exact moment? Thank you so much.
Sean, thank you so much. Have a lot of thoughts on this, as you can imagine. Obviously, you don't have the luxury of having you pay attention for a long time on this journey. The current state, more rigor, more rigor around thumbnails, copy first three seconds to hook.
The science around the art is huge and more commitment to short and long form collaboration. Meaning doing long form video, films, podcasting, that nature, but also doing cut downs for short-term and vice versa. The pyramid content thing that I put out years ago. The trends that I think are interesting are pushing the boundaries of the creative.
Meaning, Dustin, you know this whole model on TikTok and the Stitch where it's like a viral video and then you acted it right? Like somebody tumbling down a hill and then you tumbling and be like, And now what you should do is buy day trading attention. That's a creative tactic, green screens. If I can get everyone here to understand, it's not as easy as it used to be.
I used to be able to yell and be like, be on TikTok. And if you just did it, you won. Now, and back to why I'm like, so focused right now is we're in 301 course land, not 101 course land. And so it's creative strategy, brother.
Like, I don't want to call it testing, but being dramatically more curious and creative. Different formats, written, audio, voice over, humor, seriousness. How much can everyone be a Renaissance man and women? You know, how can you be a variety show?
You just got to do a lot more and a lot of different stuff on every platform. So LinkedIn versus YouTube shorts versus TikTok. Like, it's complicated now and the rising competition is going to get worse. And you have AI content coming and you have just so much coming.
And so it's not going to get less competitive. It's going to get more competitive because what I was yelling about when I wrote Crush It. Can you show it? You know, when I wrote that book in 2009, you know, was this is underpriced attention.
Let's go. I've been doing it for the last 15 years. But now we've been in a election point where like people figured it out and, you know, really comes down to the creative now. And the algorithms create the organic reach.
So it's a whole different world and it requires much more creativity and much more curiosity and much more humility. It goes to macro. And then, technically, it's, you know, you really got to understand how these things work and which platforms do what and what's happening in pop culture. And how do you tie that into your business?
Like, how does Taylor Swift's tour a year ago when it's on fire? How does that factor into your business? And can you speak to it or factor it in? So what's going on in pop culture and what's going on in platforms?
I call it pack platforms and culture. And who are you trying to target? Too many of you are trying to get to everyone. Like, if you know you're targeting 21 to 27 year old male carpenters, go more narrow when you make your content there.
But that also means you can be selling to 42 to 49 year old moms in Seattle that drink high and coffee and yoga. You can imagine those two groups need different content. But if you're selling coffee or a book, you want both of them to buy. Get it?
Hey, Gary, what qualities do you look for in collaborators, whether they're on your team or potential clients? Robert, I look for emotional intelligence. I look for kindness and warmth. I'm very hot, I'm just like nice.
And then you have to figure out if they're good. So I start with humanity. It's easier for me intuitively. Some people are not as good of judge of character, but it's easy for me to be like, Oh, I like this person's warmth.
Like, let's try it out. And then I try to articulate to collaborate or an employee about what I'm looking for. Like, hey, you're signing up for this. Here's what you're in for.
So I over communicate reality and then judging. So it's, you know, I see Jay, right? Intuition, immediately on personality, clarity on what they're getting into. So if they say yes or no, if I see what I'm talking to them, they're hesitant.
Which may leave me to bail out and then judgment and judgment. Like, I'm going to be analyzing. Maybe want to change it. I see, you know, like once they work with you, then you actually know, you don't know before it.
Once they know you're analyzing and then you got to, you know, put deposits into that relationship and try to groom them. So that's how I see the framework. Gary, thanks for everything that you do. My question is about authenticity and my content using my credentials to my advantage, but not feeling like an egotistical jerk when I say things like, I've won two Emmy Awards in my career.
Maybe it's just me, but I need a little bit of help with this. First of all, that was really cool. Congrats. Those Emmy's are pretty gangster.
Look, I mean, I think like, when I'm introduced since like a five time, so maybe six time, New York Times bestselling author or he has as many followers. Like, you know, it is what it is. Like, you want, like, look, I think this should land. Everybody here knows when someone's trying to brag versus when it's naturally in the conversation, right?
Like, you live in Beverly Hills. I get it. But there's a way to tell me that you live in Beverly Hills that is far more authentic and organic. I believe that most humans don't realize that they're animals, animals.
And we can smell things. And I just think we're all very good at smelling when someone's not being authentically when people are actually bragging. Right. And so look, if I had two Emmys, you would know it.
It probably is right here. Right. Like, it's OK. You should be proud of your accomplishments.
But don't force it. That's all. Don't force it. And I think that's really worked for me.
Like, I'm happy to talk about my stuff and I'm happy not to talk about my stuff. There's plenty of times I'm on a podcast. Like, plug your new book. And I'm like, eh, another times where I'm like, the book.
And like, it just, it doesn't feel natural to me that I know it's not going to feel natural to you. So there are natural times in your content and your conversation and the way that you roll that you can integrate those two incredible Emmys. And there's other times where you shouldn't because you know you're forcing it and you're forcing it into a company. Somebody's like, how's the weather?
You know, it's funny you say that when I want my two Emmys, it rained. That's very different than if you're talking about content. You're talking about, hey, Gary, you know, the golf, we think it should be for the saying. I'll be like, look, not that two Emmys mean anything.
But like, the reason those one was because we're coming from a aerial and like, you see what I mean? Those two feel like that feel like. Hey, Gary, Joey here from the coral reef talk and I'm developing an online course and I have an email list that's been growing by offering a free aquarium checklist. But how often do I need to send emails to the entire group so that they're interested whenever the online course drops?
This is a great question. Joey, a couple of things I'm concerned about. One, when you acquire emails from a free thing like that checklist, they'll be interested to see how quality the conversion is. But obviously it's a very narrow niche.
And so it should do pretty well. How frequently? Look, I think I would probably send an email to all of them to a live stream where they get to know you better. So instead of like the email being, hey, we're dropping a product so you buy it after they came in through a free lens.
If you say, hey, we're doing a live stream from 9 to 10 p.m. on YouTube come here and in that stream, you're kind of integrating selling. I think you'll find a lot more success. And so you want to make them aware that you've got something coming and you should do that.
And but how you do that matters, the tactic and I think the tactic of driving them to live streaming and getting to know you better. I think we'll convert them better in the long term. So you don't just go from free thing to buy my course, you go from free thing, checklists to spend some time with me on live stream to the sale. And so I think find that middle step.
Hey, Gary, if you had a new kids YouTube channel in 2024 based on positive moral values, how would you go about marketing that channel? Well, since I do have that exact thing coming with be friends cartoons coming soon, I can tell you that, you know, pre roll YouTube is a big factor. Organic TikTok is another factor. Those two stand out tremendously and then mom influencers on Instagram, DMing them and trying to find ways to bring them value or at least respectfully making them aware of things, those three things stand out.
My friends, so pre roll YouTube YouTube is obviously huge. That's going to give you awareness and that ecosystem. TikTok is a place where you can go with youth content that there's a lot of consumption, even not teenagers, younger, parent, see it that they show their kids. And then three obviously mom influencers, DMing them and you're getting them on board.
There's a lot there. By the way, before I go to the next one, before I go to the next one, I realize what was, why I just jumped in and you got to do a lot of it. Right? Like you can't DM five mom IG influencers and go, Gary, you're saying they didn't work.
I'm talking like 5,000, which is like nine a night, 50 a night for months and months and years. I reply to every single act Gary Vee tweet from 2007 to 11. All of them can go look all of them. I said, you know what, I think we should go back and make that video.
Show all of them. It's there. The receipts are there. Like that's me some real work on somebody on the team, maybe the international team, like going back all the way and finding them.
Like a three minute, four minute green screen of just like, it's just showing every single like. With your voice. Same. Exactly.
Yeah, like I'll even go even deeper. But like, anyway, by the way, I don't want this edited. I want everyone to see what just happened. You're constantly creating content.
Do you see what just happened? I don't want this edited out. I want you to see how my brain works. I'm like, oh, I just thought something.
Let me talk to my team. Let's go make something that did a constant flow of content creation that goes back to the first question. Sean, you got to mix it up now. You got to be better.
Hi Gary, Zach here. You're a master content creator and you have a large audience. Have you ever come up against burnout? And if so, what are some of those tips or things that you do to get yourself back on camera and in front of your audience?
Thank you for taking my question. I would argue that I'm in burnout mode right now in some way. Because there's a lot of times where I'm like, I don't want to be filmed. I'm in such operation mode right now that, yeah, of course, I'm a human being.
There's going to be times where I'm feeling it more than I'm not feeling it. Right? And so, you know, the way I get back to motivation is it's not sustained because I love it. Like burnout that's sustained means that you hated it.
Like occasional little burn, microburns instead of burnout is what I like every other people. I think a lot of people call burnout just microburns, right? So like there's going to be weeks and days. There's definitely days.
There's even weeks. And now there's even months where I'm like, because I got out of practice pre-COVID. I was just filming all the time. It was just like my life post-COVID.
I'm so operational right now with B friends and VaynerX that I'm just head down. And like it's kind of hard for me to get up on these on these video days. Like we just don't live the same life. And I don't travel 12 hours a day the way DRock and I did.
And when DRock and I were doing that, I was in 40 different settings, a keynote. And then meeting an influencer in this meeting and then back in the office for 30 minutes. And now it's like me and my office for 12 hours. That's not as compelling.
And so, and then even like because I do that all the time when we go and hit the road, it's a little hard for me to get back on the saddle. And so, yes, it's an adjustment. You know, like actually when I post COVID, when I really traveled for the first time without a camera person, it was like weird to me. And the second time I was like liberating, like, oh, this is relaxing.
And that made me not want to do it as much. And so it's all just interesting stuff. You just have it flow. Up, that's what I would say.
Like, if it's meant to be, you'll get back on it. I'm not, you're motivated because you like it. You're motivated because you're ambitious. And so, just follow that track.
Hey, Gary. Carl Sam and Diego, Redlands, California. I am an enrolled agent. I actually represent people who have IRS tax problems.
What would you say would be the one or two strategies that you would use in regards to video on how to attract more clients? Clients that have personal clients or personal or small businesses that have IRS tax problems and they're looking for somebody to help those IRS tax problems. Thanks again. You're welcome, my friend.
That's pretty easy. I would go with, especially with you, Carlos, a very heavy green screen strategy. Take articles about IRS issues and make video overlay where you're explaining the issues at hand. Right?
So, take articles from CNBC, TheWallSRAJOURNAL, tax.com or whatever the big sites are. Things that you have, things to contribute to and talk over them over the green screen. And I would focus very heavily on LinkedIn. LinkedIn now has its own 4U page, just like TikTok and just like the algorithms work on meta and all these other platforms.
And I would pound LinkedIn and YouTube Shorts naming the YouTube Shorts videos based on search query and common tax problem questions because YouTube's the second biggest search engine. So, people are searching and they are for certain things. That's what I would do. Hey, Gary, if people are going to use AI to be able to search in the future, is there a recommendation that you have for businesses to be able to get their information out there in a way that AI will pick up to best utilize the attention from that?
That is a very good question. The answer is content content content content. We just don't know where and how and what yet. So, video, written word, it's been content content content content content content content.
And so, really, really bubbling down on that heady. That's the answer. Like, the answer is we don't know where open AI, we don't even know which AI is going to win. Right?
Is it going to be Google? Well, that's going to come from the same basis of their web stuff, but probably a whole bunch of other stuff. So, just content content content content content content. Hey, Gary, thank you so much for taking our questions.
My question is this. How do you stay focused when there's so much going on in life? So, you know, squirrel moments, things that just come up and everyday tasks. What kind of fences or parameters do you have set that keep you on an open track to getting what you want done done?
Thank you. My friend, really good admin infrastructure. So, having people really care about my time. So, my schedule is hardcore.
It's really fragmented 15 minute meetings, 30 minute meetings, really tight at my time. And then, so it's one is black and white, one is gray. That's what works on me tactically, the calendar, the admins and calendars. The gray is not judging myself.
Like, when I do squirrel out or when I do get distracted, I'm a human being. And I don't dwell. It's kind of like the reason people don't get into shape. Right?
They go well for a week, then they have a big meal. They don't even realize they don't really go up 5 pounds. There's water weight, there's all this, but they're all bent out of shape. And then they give up.
Whereas if you just got back to the beginning of the next day, you're good. That's how I am with business. I see a lot of people spinning out when they're not. So, my question is, what actionable advice would you offer to someone, balancing family and a demanding career, who is looking to embark on a desire to embark into YouTube entrepreneurship without compromising their family life and job security?
That's a great question. Look, you have job security. I need to try to do this as a side hustle at first with the hope that it brings you value in the future plus family time. Honestly, patience.
If you're going to allocate a lot of time to your stability and a lot of time to your family, that means that you're not giving as much time to your dream. You're only 12 to 15 hours a day, you know, 17, 18 hours max in a day. You're breaking up that up into things. One is your peace of mind and sanity, right?
So that's gym, that's watching TV, that's laughing at a YouTube video, that's talking about a different, the other's family, the other is your stability, like you mentioned, your job. And then the last part is your dream. What's my advice? To give your dream as much time as possible because you never get to your dream if you don't get a time.
It's not about the expense of the other things, but there's a cost of entry. And so as long as you're good with your dream coming through in six years instead of two years, well then you can allocate more time to those other things. If you're not okay with that, you have to realize that that means that you might have to have a cost. Everything life has a price.
That's just a reality. And so I think it's just, everyone's balance is different. I thought, I work crazy, right? But I grew up in a place where the fact that I'm home on Saturdays is like insanity.
Insanity. I grew up from 14 to 34. I worked every Saturday. And my father worked every minute on Saturday and Sunday.
And so I thought when I was growing up, I worked later because of technology. But I don't know. I thought I was around so much more and had more work life balance. My dad even though I was working more in some ways.
And so, you know, but if someone looked at my life and had a parent that worked nine to five, they think I worked crazy. So everyone has their own judgment on balance. When I hear that you don't want to compromise your family time or your stability. And I know that you're going to need some leisure.
Looks like you work out in the video. Then, you know, that just means you're giving your dream less time. And so you need to be patient. You're not going to get to your dream as fast as someone who's giving it 15 hours a day when you're giving it to.
And that's okay. Choose amazing. You just have to be patient. And accountable.
Don't blame other people who are successful and be like, well, they got lucky. They did it for 15 hours a day. You're doing it for two hours a day. I want to build a brand that combines the niche of gaming and personal development in order to make the journey of overcoming multiple disabilities on the way to financial, spiritual, and physical freedom.
How can I combine these niches and connect with people who might be interested? I like it. Such a great question. I think for you, what stands out for me is streaming, streaming, streaming.
Like, I think that especially if you're talking gaming and personal development, I think you need to get on Twitch and TikTok live and start streaming live. And like, I promise you, for three seconds into watching you, you're a motivation and inspiration for many. You just got to find them all and you got to put in the reps. Especially when you're talking about gaming, I think you need to be really seriously looking at Twitch or TikTok or YouTube live and stream on all of them.
You stream yard, connect them all live and just start putting in the reps. Just like I did. Like, nobody followed me until the first person. It's day by day putting out that content.
And I think you're doing gaming or talking about gaming videos just being a streamer will crush. Hi, Gary. How important do you think other social media platforms are to YouTubers in 2024? Is it still worth posting content over there or should we just focus solely on YouTube?
I believe that depending on how big you want to be, what you want to achieve, you want to to have attention everywhere. That's the purpose of the latest book that I wrote. And so I think it's always been important for YouTubers to be relevant in other platforms. And I think the more you do that, the more success you'll have.
Of course, some will say, focus on one thing. Sure, YouTube can be your house. But the other social platforms have to be the restaurant's, you visit, have to be your vacation, have to be your place of work. You too can be your house.
But you got to many other places, your job, you go every day. And so that can be TikTok or that can be Instagram. The restaurant's, you visit, it can be once a week. That might be Facebook or LinkedIn.
And vacations, like you can post a Snapchat once in a while. That's how we do it. Alright, last one. So, how did you establish yourself as an expert that the audience is entrust with every piece of content that they publish?
Thank you. Being branded an expert comes from being earned. You can't position yourself that way. You can just speak your truth.
And then the audience decides that you know what you're talking about at scale. And so that would be the focus, in my opinion. And that's how I would think about it. And so that's what I would do.
That's what I see. And that's how I think you should attack it. You don't get to decide your expert. They do.
And so just keep putting in the reps and follow the tactics of the other questions. Like, put out more content, YouTube shorts, TikTok, Instagram, along with Longform YouTube. You just need more attention. Because competition is going to keep coming.
Everybody, thank you so much for having me. I hope this brought you value. I hope the book brings you value. And I can't wait to see you in the real world.