“Get 10,000 Views in under 10 Days on Your YouTube Channel,” was a title that came across my social media page today.
It was obviously targeted toward artists, such as myself. Regardless, I found it very disappointing. However, instead of lashing out on the inside, I decided to use my agitation to write something about it which hopefully will be a benefit to you.
Why was I irked?
The internet and the maturity of social media have opened up a can of worms. It has given opportunities for people to create wealth for themselves. That’s great. On the other hand, its given rise to people who seek to prey on the naïve and sell them with mediocrity. The ad copy in question was its epitome.
The creator of this AD failed at the opportunity to tell me who they were. I had no emotional connection to the brand at all, didn’t know where they came from, their story, etc. We all have encountered skepticism when being exposed to new things, especially when being sold too, however, it’s harder to sell to someone when you haven’t given them the opportunity to know about you or your brand.
What Was the Problem with This AD?
My main problem with this AD is that it was selling information that is readily available online. There are thousands of experts who’ve put out information for FREE, where anybody with an internet connection can access.
Nevertheless, the intent of the copy was to entice me into buying some course which would teach me how to get views on my YouTube channel, rather than helping me develop a sustainable brand.
From a marketing point of view, the brand equity of someone engaging long-term in my brand far outweighs having views.
You can make more money with a hundred die-hard fans for decades, than a million people watching your video and forgetting about you soon after. Virility happens every day, however, branding is about people caring enough to buy from you in the long term.
What Can You Learn From This?
There’s no problem in selling your product. We all have to make a living. It’s part of life. However, don’t be lazy. Make your product and services of high value to your audience. Also, the best sales tactic is to build a relationship with your audience first.
This is why artists like Taylor Swift are successful and have massive followings. Her success is more an indication of the type of marketing you need to do as an artist. For example, she showed up to a fan’s wedding and even performed after the brooms sister wrote a letter to her. To make a long story short, many major media outlets took coverage of Swift’s kind gesture. It created publicity, which I’m sure it turned some people’s hearts. Furthermore, this is why I believe she is one of the most decorated musicians of our generation. Results speak for themselves.
Moral of the story: engage with your fans and develop an emotional connection with them before selling them. As Gary Vaynerchuk says, jab before you right hook. The most important thing after that is to have a great product or service to sell. It doesn’t have to be perfect, however, don’t just throw something together make a quick buck. The integrity in what you sell will help you develop strong brand equity in the market long term.
