Podcast Summary: The #1 Way to Build Brand in 2025
Podcast Information
- Title: The GaryVee Audio Experience
- Host/Author: Gary Vaynerchuk
- Description: Welcome to The GaryVee Audio Experience, hosted by entrepreneur, CEO, investor, content creator, and public speaker Gary Vaynerchuk. On this podcast, you'll find a mix of the Podcast With Friends episodes, WineText TV recaps, Keynote Speeches on marketing and business, interviews, and fireside chats I've given. Enjoy!
- Episode: The #1 Way to Build Brand in 2025
- Release Date: April 8, 2025
Introduction
In the episode titled "The #1 Way to Build Brand in 2025," Gary Vaynerchuk delves into the transformative landscape of branding and marketing. Drawing from personal experiences and contemporary trends, Gary elucidates the shift from traditional paid advertising to leveraging organic, free platforms to build a brand's presence and influence.
The Evolution of Marketing: From Paid to Organic
Gary Vaynerchuk begins the discussion by reminiscing about his early days of marketing for his father's liquor and wine store. He emphasizes the heavy reliance on paid advertising methods:
"When I was a young man marketing for my dad's liquor store and wine store, if you wanted to get people to know about you, you had to pay. You had to pay."
[00:00]
He lists various traditional advertising avenues—newspapers, TV commercials, billboards, direct mail—and underscores the inevitable costs associated with each:
"I had to pay a newspaper to put an advertising in the newspaper. I had to pay a cable company to run my TV commercial... I had to pay."
[00:00]
Shift to Digital and Social Networks
Contrasting the past with the present, Gary highlights the seismic shift brought about by digital platforms:
"Today, the attention of the world lives in here. The things that dominate here is gaming and entertainment and social networks."
[01:30]
He astutely points out that unlike traditional advertising, many social networks offer free avenues to build a brand:
"If you were to advertise on social networks, the cost of showing up, not making it, but showing up is free. This is crazy."
[01:00]
The Power of Attention in Social Media
Attention as the New Currency
Gary identifies attention as the most critical asset in the modern branding ecosystem:
"Attention will get you everything you want."
[02:37]
He reiterates this point multiple times to emphasize its significance:
"Attention. Attention."
[02:39 - 02:55]
Applications of Attention
Gary elaborates on how attention can be leveraged across various objectives:
- Selling Products: "You want to sell a T shirt."
[02:45] - Building Influence: "You want to be the mayor of this town."
[02:48] - Supporting Causes: "You want to raise some money for your nonprofit because you're passionate about it."
[02:53] - Personal Branding: "You want to be an actor."
[02:54]
Free Availability of Platforms
Gary accentuates the unparalleled opportunity presented by social networks being free:
"The social network revolution is insane. It is free to build brand."
[01:50]
He laments that many individuals and businesses fail to capitalize on this opportunity due to insufficient content production:
"Most people in this room... do not produce enough content for how big the opportunity is for free."
[02:00]
Common Mistakes in Social Media Strategy
Misconceptions About Platform Limitations
Gary addresses common complaints regarding platforms like Instagram being "shadow banned" and counters them by attributing lackluster performance to ineffective strategies rather than platform restrictions:
"It's a wow because it's fucking free. And yet people will complain and say, oh, Instagram shadow banned me. Nobody shadow banned you. You just suck at social media."
[02:07]
Emotional Detachment from Platform Choices
He advises maintaining an unemotional stance towards platform selection, suggesting that personal biases or negative experiences shouldn't deter strategic use:
"Being unemotional about where the attention is is very important. Too many of you have demonized platforms out of your subjective opinion."
[02:57]
Lack of Strategic Content Creation
Gary critiques the common practice of posting content haphazardly without considering its effectiveness:
"Most people here, when they post on social media, post because they're following a trend that they think will do well or some shit they want to say, but they give no thought."
[02:55]
He emphasizes the necessity of understanding the science behind content creation to harness its full potential.
The Science of Content Creation
Strategic Content Over Trend Following
Gary underscores the importance of thoughtful content creation over merely following trends:
"They give no thought to the science of the art."
[02:55]
Importance of Quality Over Quantity
He analogizes content creation to health and fitness, highlighting that knowing the right strategies is crucial:
"The way to get healthier is to eat better and go to the gym. And once you understand that, that there's no magic pill, then you can do it."
[02:48]
Focus on Creative Strategies
Gary shares insights from his personal experience, focusing on the meticulous strategies behind successful social media content:
"The thing I spend all my time on today in my career... was the strategies on the creative that we're posting in social."
[03:00]
He emphasizes critical elements like thumbnails and the necessity of aligning content with scientific principles rather than subjective preferences.
Notable Quotes
-
Gary Vaynerchuk on Attention:
"Attention will get you everything you want."
[02:37] -
On Free Social Media Platforms:
"If you were to advertise on social networks, the cost of showing up... is free. This is crazy."
[01:00] -
On Content Creation Strategy:
"They give no thought to the science of the art."
[02:55] -
On Misconceptions About Platforms:
"Nobody shadow banned you. You just suck at social media."
[02:07]
Conclusions and Key Takeaways
Gary Vaynerchuk's discourse in this episode centers on the paramount importance of attention in building a brand in 2025. He delineates the significant shift from costly traditional advertising to leveraging free social media platforms, emphasizing that attention is the new currency driving brand success. Key takeaways include:
- Embrace Free Platforms: Utilize social networks to their full potential without being deterred by misconceptions or negative biases.
- Prioritize Attention: Focus strategies on capturing and maintaining audience attention as it is the cornerstone of achieving various objectives.
- Strategic Content Creation: Move beyond trend-following to employ scientifically grounded strategies in content creation, ensuring effectiveness and engagement.
- Continuous Learning: Stay adaptable and continually refine your approach to social media to navigate the evolving digital landscape successfully.
By internalizing these principles, individuals and businesses can effectively build and sustain their brands in the competitive environment of 2025.