7 Game-Changing Social Media Tips From Gary Vaynerchuk to Grow Your Business Looking to get more followers? Here's where to start.
By Sania Khiljee Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
With more than 3 billion global social media users in 2018, businesses can't afford to ignore the opportunity to build an audience online. Regardless of the growth in users, few have achieved as much success on social media as Gary Vaynerchuk. He is famous for taking his family's wine business from $3 million in annual sales to upwards of $60 million. He credits YouTube for much of his fame and wealth, particularly a channel that he started called Wine Library TV.
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Eventually, he began his own marketing agency, VaynerMedia, and is now a world-renowned thought leader in the digital marketing space. These seven tips from Vaynerchuk will help entrepreneurs leverage social media to get their business massive amounts of attention.
1. Think like a media company.
Thinking like a media company requires putting out content that will either inform or entertain your audience. Vaynerchuk is extremely active in putting out informational videos, articles, quotes and audio clips for entrepreneurs across all the major social media platforms. Similarly, Kylie Jenner, the CEO of Kylie Cosmetics, mixes up her product photos with a range of beauty, fashion and lifestyle posts. This creates a highly engaged audience that helps Jenner sell out of her makeup within minutes.
Entrepreneurs often make the mistake of only posting about their products or services, but thinking like a media company requires creating content that is both creative and relevant without being overly promotional at all times.
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2. Get creative with repurposing content.
Vaynerchuk repurposes his long-form content, especially his keynotes and videos, into micro-content that can be shared across a variety of platforms. There was one keynote in particular that his team repurposed to create more than 30 pieces of social media content, which resulted in more than 35 million views. Business owners are busy, so taking the time to create quality content can sometimes be difficult. By repurposing content, however, they can save both time and effort.
3. Provide massive value before asking for anything in return.
Entrepreneurs can provide value in the form of free content to build trust with potential customers, which Vaynerchuk discusses in his book Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. Similarly, Tim Ferriss, the author of five bestselling books, gives away much of his knowledge for free before asking for book sales in return. He provides value to his audience through content on his blog, social media accounts and podcast. This helps him grow his following, build trust with his audience and establish authority as a self-development expert.
Related: 10 Laws of Social Media Marketing
4. Stay as authentic as possible.
There can be pressure to compete on social media. People and corporations often showcase the highlight reels of their life or business online to make it look like they have it all, but Vaynerchuk encourages authenticity. "You have to understand your personal DNA. Don't do things because I do them or Steve Jobs or Mark Cuban tried it. You need to know your personal brand and stay true to it," Vaynerchuk said. With a commitment to authenticity, entrepreneurs get a chance to display what makes them and their business different from the rest.
5. Reply to as many comments and messages as you can.
The volume of comments and messages that some influencers receive can be overwhelming. Despite this, Vaynerchuk often replies to his audience. Similarly, Lewis Howes, a bestselling author, entrepreneur and athlete, has built a sizable following on social media. On Instagram, he has more than 700,000 followers, but he replies to many of the comments he receives. Entrepreneurs can reply to the comments and messages they receive as a form of high-quality customer service.
Related: 12 Social Media Mistakes That Entrepreneurs Make
6. Hustle harder than your competition.
Vaynerchuk has become synonymous with hustle as he showcases his everyday life on DailyVee. There are many factors in business and social media that entrepreneurs cannot control, but the one thing that they are completely responsible for is the work that they put in. Many entrepreneurs won't put in the time and effort necessary to become influential online. It takes a significant amount of work to create content, distribute that content across multiple platforms and engage with other social media users every day. This is where entrepreneurs who are willing to hustle can succeed.
7. Play the long-term game.
Business owners must make sure to stay committed to their long-term vision despite the distraction of opportunities that may arise online. Jay Shetty, a viral content creator, once said no to a $1 million deal. He was offered a position to host a show that would encourage its viewers to gamble, but Shetty decided that it did not align with his long-term goal to promote wisdom. Though he lost out on $1 million in the short term, his popularity has continued to rise since the incident.
Finally, know that building a brand on social media takes time, patience and consistency. Vaynerchuk has been active on social media for more than a decade. If you haven't already, start growing your business with social media today using these seven game-changing tips.
