Summary
Highlights
The speaker introduces a significant, overlooked change in social media algorithms affecting artists' reach. Previously, algorithms focused on pushing content to followers. Now, they prioritize showing content to strangers who are potential fans, based on 'interest media' rather than 'social media'. This shift means algorithms look for consistent topics and styles to keep users on platforms longer, ultimately to sell more ads. Sharing content is also highly prioritized as it brings new users to the platform.
The new algorithm optimizes for identity, niche resonance (what users consistently care about), predictability, return viewership, and the depth of connection. This means consistent style, message, and world-building are drastically more important than individual viral clips. The speaker draws parallels to traditional media like TV shows, where consistent characters, settings, and themes keep viewers engaged. Artists should think of their content as a 'TV show' with a consistent point of view, message, and world.
Many music artists are unaware of this algorithm shift, viewing their broken accounts as a problem rather than an opportunity. The speaker compares this moment to the early days of cinema, where entrepreneurial individuals (like early Hollywood studio founders) capitalized on a new medium. Artists today can think like small studio owners, using free platforms as channels to distribute their 'shows'. Instead of putting all diverse content on one page, artists can create niche 'subpages' for different content styles, which the algorithm can faster identify and distribute. This doesn't mean becoming a one-trick pony, but rather rethinking content distribution to make it easy for the algorithm to understand and show to millions.
The speaker provides examples of creators successfully navigating the new algorithm. 'Vinyl Nights' consistently produces cinematic record listening sessions. Wookie, a client, uses a repeatable skit format called 'Beats I Can't Release'. Emma consistently films herself making music with the same setup. Even a larger artist like Charlie Puth uses a consistent selfie video format to teach music making. These examples demonstrate the power of consistent formats where the subject matter changes, making it easy for algorithms to categorize and distribute the content to the right audience.
Building real fans involves standing for something and having a consistent point of view rooted in authentic tastes. This means being oneself and showcasing creative choices and opinions through content. The speaker outlines a six-step process for creating content: 1) Lay out objectives and mission, defining what the content should achieve; 2) Define the brand, ensuring a clear foundation; 3) Define content buckets, outlining styles and formats based on the brand's archetype (e.g., hero, rebel, everyman) and assigning them to appropriate platforms based on audience demographics; 4) Conduct deep research for inspiration, looking beyond current trends; 5) Make the content with proper pre-production (format, script, shot list, editing style, visual language); and 6) Analyze the content for authenticity and uniqueness.
The key to distribution is getting people to spend time with the artist and their brand. Extended engagement builds stronger bonds than short, viral moments. The speaker illustrates this with an analogy of spending 30 seconds versus 3 hours with someone. The brain doesn't differentiate much between digital and real-life interaction, leading to strong bonds with online personalities like streamers. Therefore, artists should offer long-form content alongside short-form content to allow fans to spend more time with them. Authenticity and consistent presence lead to bonding over time, making fans feel like they know the artist, fostering a community rather than just chasing viral hits.
The video concludes by recapping the main points: artists need to understand and adapt to the new algorithm by creating consistent 'shows' instead of random clips. Establishing a proper brand and identity is crucial, as good music alone is no longer enough. Great content requires defining taste, research, planning, and continuous adjustment. Real fans are built through shared values and prolonged engagement. Providing both long-form and short-form content creates a more bonded audience. The speaker encourages artists to embrace these strategies to thrive in the evolving social media landscape.