The GaryVee Audio Experience

Episode: Anyone Can Use This Strategy To Win On Social Media TODAY | Grow With Video

Date: September 1, 2025
Host: Gary Vaynerchuk
Context: Live Q&A Session at Grow With Video Conference

Episode Overview

In this episode, Gary Vaynerchuk shares candid, actionable strategies for standing out and succeeding on social media in 2025. The format is an interactive Q&A at the Grow With Video Summit, with questions covering current social trends, creativity in content production, collaboration, authenticity, handling burnout, building audiences, and balancing life while growing online. Gary’s advice is rooted in his 18+ years as an entrepreneur and content creator and reflects the essential, practical mindset needed to thrive in today’s highly competitive, ever-changing social landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Current Social Media Landscape (01:20)

• Rising Competition: Platforms are more competitive than ever, requiring more sophisticated strategies.
• Creativity is Essential: Simple tactics are no longer enough; creators must be inventive and test new formats (written, audio, humor, serious content).
• Focus on Creative Strategy:
  • Master the “hook” (first 3 seconds), thumbnails, and the science behind the art.
  • Mix long-form and short-form content, tailoring pieces for different platforms.
  • Example: Using TikTok stitches or green screens for creative spins on trends.
• Niche Targeting: Go deep with specific audience segments rather than trying to reach everyone.

"We're in 301 course land, not 101 course land. So it's creative strategy, brother ... being dramatically more curious and creative." — Gary Vaynerchuk (02:02)

2. Collaborating and Building Teams (04:30)

• Core Qualities: Emotional intelligence, kindness, warmth.
• Communication: Over-communicate expectations and realities to potential collaborators.
• Assessment: Judge collaborators by intuition and real-world interactions over time.

"I look for emotional intelligence. I look for kindness and warmth. I'm very hot on just like nice. And then you have to figure out if they're good." — Gary Vaynerchuk (04:34)

3. Authenticity vs. Self-Promotion (05:38)

• Using Credentials: Share achievements when they naturally fit the conversation—don’t force them.
• Organic vs. Forced Bragging: Audiences sense when self-promotion isn’t authentic.
• Pride Without Arrogance: Be proud, but integrate accomplishments in an unforced way.

"I believe that most humans don't realize that they're animals. We're animals and we can smell things. And I just think we're all very good at smelling when someone's not being ... authentic." — Gary Vaynerchuk (06:20)
"If I had two Emmys, you would know it. ... It's okay, you should be proud of your accomplishments. But don't force it." — Gary Vaynerchuk (06:42)

4. Building & Nurturing Audiences via Email (08:09)

• Value First: Don’t immediately move from a freebie (like a checklist) to selling; create an intermediate step.
• Live Streams: Use email to bring people into a live, interactive environment before pitching a product.

"So you don't just go from free thing to buy my course, you go from free thing checklist to spend some time with me on live stream to the sale." — Gary Vaynerchuk (08:43)

5. Marketing for Children’s or Niche Channels (09:20)

• Channels: Emphasize YouTube pre-rolls, organic TikTok, and DM-ing/connecting with mom influencers on Instagram.
• Volume of Outreach: Massive outreach is key—don’t stop at just a handful.

"You can't DM 5 mom IG influencers and be like, oh, Gary's thing didn't work. I'm talking like 5,000, which is like nine a night, 50 a night. For months and months and years." — Gary Vaynerchuk (10:01)

6. Handling Burnout & Staying Motivated (11:51)

• Reality of Burnout: Even seasoned creators feel it—Gary admits he often enters “micro burns.”
• Recovery: Don’t beat yourself up; motivation comes back if you genuinely love creating.
• Changing Routines: Accept that reality and routines change; adjust without guilt.

"Micro burns instead of burnout is what I like ... There's gonna be weeks and days. ... Just don't beat yourself up. That's what I would say." — Gary Vaynerchuk (12:42)

7. Video Strategies for Service Professionals (14:20)

• Content Model: Use green screen overlays to discuss trending articles and news, especially for complex topics like tax problems.
• Platform Focus: Prioritize LinkedIn and YouTube Shorts, using search-driven titles.

"Take articles about IRS issues and make video overlay where you're explaining the issues at hand ... focus very heavily on LinkedIn." — Gary Vaynerchuk (14:26)

8. Future-Proofing for AI Search (15:35)

• Volume & Variety: Keep producing various content types; the best approach is quantity and diversity until the dominant AI platforms and standards become clear.

"Content, content, content. We just don't know where and how and what yet." — Gary Vaynerchuk (15:40)

9. Focus, Distraction, & Balancing Life (16:25)

• Admin Solutions: Tight scheduling and effective administrative support ("black and white" structure).
• Self-Forgiveness: Don’t dwell on getting distracted—just return to productive behaviors.
• Balance: Accept the trade-offs of time spent between work, family, and dreams. Progress may be slower with less time investment, but patience is crucial.

"My schedule's hardcore. It's really fragmented, 15 minute meetings, 30 minute meetings, really tight on my time." — Gary Vaynerchuk (16:28)
"As long as you're good with your dream coming true in six years instead of two years, well, then you can allocate more time to those other things." — Gary Vaynerchuk (16:59)

10. Blending Multiple Niches & Live Streaming (18:26)

• Livestreaming: For combining niches (e.g., gaming + personal development), streaming on Twitch, TikTok, and YouTube is the fastest way to build authentic connections.

"You just gotta find them all and you gotta put in the reps ... like, nobody followed me until the first person. It's day by day putting out that content." — Gary Vaynerchuk (18:44)

11. Being Present Across Multiple Platforms (19:18)

• Omni-Channel Presence: Don’t focus solely on YouTube—diversify to maximize reach.
• Content as “Real Estate”: YouTube is your “house”; other platforms are your restaurants, workplaces, and vacation spots.

"YouTube can be your house, but the other social platforms have to be the restaurants you visit, have to be your vacation, have to be your place of work." — Gary Vaynerchuk (19:28)

12. Earning Trust & Authority as an Expert (20:08)

• Earned Status: Audience decides who is an expert, not self-proclamation.
• Consistency: Keep producing content—trust and expertise are results of repetition and value.

"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." — Gary Vaynerchuk (20:14)

Memorable Quotes

• "We're in 301 course land, not 101 course land. So it's creative strategy, brother ... being dramatically more curious and creative." — Gary Vaynerchuk (02:02)
• "I look for emotional intelligence. I look for kindness and warmth. I'm very hot on just like nice." — Gary Vaynerchuk (04:34)
• "Most humans don't realize that they're animals. We're animals and we can smell things." — Gary Vaynerchuk (06:20)
• "If I had two Emmys, you would know it... It's okay, you should be proud of your accomplishments. But don't force it." — Gary Vaynerchuk (06:42)
• "You can't DM 5 mom IG influencers ... I'm talking like 5,000." — Gary Vaynerchuk (10:01)
• "Micro burns instead of burnout is what I like ... Just don't beat yourself up." — Gary Vaynerchuk (12:42)
• "As long as you're good with your dream coming true in six years instead of two years, well, then you can allocate more time to those other things." — Gary Vaynerchuk (16:59)
• "Being branded an expert comes from being earned ... you can just speak your truth." — Gary Vaynerchuk (20:14)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:20] — Key social trends and content strategy
• [04:30] — Qualities for collaboration & teamwork
• [05:38] — Authenticity in self-promotion
• [08:09] — Building audience with email + content bridges
• [09:20] — Kids channel marketing & influencer outreach
• [11:51] — Burnout and staying motivated as a creator
• [14:20] — Video advice for service professionals (tax expert example)
• [15:35] — Preparing content for the AI-driven future
• [16:25] — Time management, distractions, and balancing family/career/dreams
• [18:26] — Combining gaming and personal development with live streaming
• [19:18] — Platform diversification for creators
• [20:08] — Building trust and being seen as an expert

Tone & Takeaways

Gary’s approach is frank, energetic, and empathetic—he stresses relentless creativity, humility, patience, and truly loving the game. His clear-eyed realism about the difficulty of standing out in today’s social landscape is balanced by actionable tactics and motivational guidance drawn from personal experience. For creators at any stage, the episode delivers both tough love and the precise playbook needed to grow sustainably and authentically online in 2025.