One Million Followers in 30 Days – Brendan Kane’s Formula

In One Million Followers, Brendan Kane reveals how he grew a massive audience in just 30 days, using data, testing, and message precision. This episode breaks down the formula for standing out in a noisy digital world.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to the deep dive, where we plunge into topics that might
seem a little bit like magic, but are actually rooted in pure
strategy. Today we're tackling one of
those seemingly magical feats, getting a massive online
following. You know, you see someone go
from zero to 1,000,010 million seemingly overnight and you
might think, wow, they must be incredibly lucky or they were
already a celebrity with an unfair advantage.

(00:22):
But our deep dive today, guided by Brendan Kane's incredible
book 1,000,000 followers, reveals it's anything but luck.
It's a meticulously strategic, science backed process that
anyone with something valuable to share can leverage.
And the really exciting part? This book lays out exactly how.
You've hit him. The core truth of it.
And this isn't just about accumulating vanity metrics or,
you know, a digital popularity contest.

(00:43):
As Brendan Kane, the author, reveals through his extensive
experiences with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and
countless businesses, a robust social media presence can
genuinely open doors to incredible, life altering
opportunities. We're talking everything from
groundbreaking business deals that secure your startup's
future to achieving mainstream celebrity status.

(01:04):
Even if you, like the author himself, start with little to no
social following. Our mission in this deep dive is
to unpack the actionable strategies, the surprising
counterintuitive insights, and those crucial mindset shifts
that make exponential growth possible for anyone who has a
gift to give the world a messageto share, or a product that
solves a problem. It's about democratizing

(01:25):
influence, really, one strategicstep at a time.
OK, let's truly unpack this, because it really does feel like
a digital gold rush out there, doesn't it?
Everyone's looking for that, that seam of pure engagement.
The author starts right out of the gate by telling us that if
you have a talent, whether it's music, art, acting, sports, or

(01:46):
even building a brand or a startup, and you know how to
leverage these digital platformseffectively, you can truly reach
millions, if not hundreds of millions of people around the
world in no time. Just think about that scale.
It's not just mind boggling, it's transformative for anyone
who historically faced gatekeepers.
It genuinely is. The book highlights how social
influencers have just taken off in ways that are truly

(02:08):
unprecedented. In some cases, they've become
bigger than mainstream celebrities in just a matter of
years. Wow.
And where did many of them start?
Often just by turning on a camera in their living room, or
sketching in a notebook, or sharing a unique perspective on
a topic, speaking directly to their phone, Sharing what makes
them unique. It's an incredible testament to
the accessibility and the sheer reach of these platforms.

(02:32):
The old world of needing a record deal, a talent scout or a
major studio, well, it's rapidlyfading.
I mean, that's astonishing. They're not waiting for a
traditional record deal or a casting agent to pick them or a
big publisher to green light their idea.
They're just doing it. It's like instead of waiting for
a stadium to be built for your electrifying performance and
then hoping someone buys a ticket, you've just rented the

(02:53):
entire global stadium for yourself for free and invited
everyone. But here's the trick.
And this is where the book divesdeep.
It isn't just about getting ontothat stage, is it?
It's about getting the audience,those millions, to shout your
name from the rooftops to tell everyone they know what makes
that trick so elusive for most people?
And how does Cain help us crack that code?

(03:15):
You've hit on the fundamental challenge there.
Most people operate from a broadcasting mindset.
They want to send their message out.
But the book argues that the magic happens when you shift to
a community building mindset, focusing on what compels people
to amplify your message for you.This brings us to the core
insight from the author. It's not enough to just post

(03:35):
content, and it's certainly not enough to simply boost it with a
bit of paid promotion. The truly crucial factor is
understanding what makes people want to share your message.
This is where the magic, or rather the science of
exponential growth happens. Think about it, when one person
shares your message, your exposure and range don't just
double. It grows exponentially,
potentially reaching hundreds oftheir friends and can

(03:57):
potentially reach their friend'sfriends as well.
It's a ripple effect that if done correctly, turns into a
tidal wave. It's the difference between
shouting into the void and, you know, starting a genuine
movement. So.
It's not just about getting eyeballs.
It's about getting those eyeballs to become active
participants, enthusiastic evangelist in spreading your
content. And the author really emphasizes

(04:18):
velocity here, Right. Right.
The quicker you get people to share, the faster you grow
organically. Yeah.
It's like hitting a high note that resonates so deeply,
everyone in the audience has to sing along and tell their
friends about it. It's that immediate, almost
involuntary urge to pass it on. Absolutely, and Kane learned
this crucial lesson by witnessing how well fostering

(04:38):
stronger connections with fans worked for Taylor Swift's brand.
He observed how her fans were willing to share content,
messages, and products with everyone they knew, not because
they were paid, but because theyfelt an authentic connection and
a desire to support her. This observation solidified what
he calls a critical part of my whole approach.
The profound realization that you don't need to spend millions

(05:01):
of dollars on marketing to reachthe masses, You just have to get
people to share your messages for you.
It's an ingenious reframing of how to think about marketing
spend, shifting from a pure transactional model to a
relationship based one. This is not about tricks, it's
about deeply understanding humanbehavior.
That's a huge take away. It really shifts the paradigm
for anyone who's ever felt like they needed a massive budget to

(05:23):
compete. For so long, we've been
conditioned to think big budgetsequal big reach.
But the book essentially says Nope, you just need people to
want to share. And that desire to share isn't
just for individual influencers,is it?
The author points out that thesesocial media numbers apply just
as strongly to established brands and even new startups.

(05:44):
Precisely. The author references A
compelling Wharton Business School study that explicitly
shows social media popularity can demonstrate a startup's
ability to build its brand, integrate consumer feedback, and
attract specific customer groups.
This, in turn, directly influences investor decisions.
Imagine if you're a venture capitalist looking at dozens of
pitches. Wouldn't you rather put your

(06:05):
money behind a startup that's already demonstrating
significant market traction and community engagement through its
social media presence? It's a tangible, real time sign
of vitality, a built in focus group and a validated audience.
It's significantly de risks the investment.
It's like a real time global focus group or giant Always On
popularity contest where the winners get funded.

(06:26):
And Kane shares his own personalexperience with this, which is
fantastic because it makes it sorelatable.
He says that as his social medianumbers increased, it directly
led to more clients and partnerships.
He was flown to Sweden to speak and run workshops at the IKEA
Global headquarters, and he secured speaking opportunities
and massive events like Web Summit in Portugal, which mind

(06:47):
you, had 70,000 attendees alongside heavy hitters like Al
Gore, Elon Musk and Bono. That's a serious validation, not
just for his methodology, but for the power of these
platforms. What's fascinating here is that
while we often think of return on investment purely in dollar
amounts, the author expands thatdefinition.
Sometimes the ROI isn't immediate revenue or even direct

(07:07):
sales. It could be the credibility or
the boost you get for getting ATV job into a film, a modeling
contract or record deal, or an investor for your startup OCO.
The deeper, more strategic question he encourages us to ask
is what is the outcome you're looking for and what amount of
money or time are you willing toput in to get those results?
It shifts from a simple cost benefit analysis for a single

(07:30):
campaign to a broader strategic investment in your future
opportunities and long term career.
That's a powerful reframing, looking at influence as a form
of capital. Yeah, and to bring it back to a
place many of us are familiar with, the author also connects
this to Hollywood. He cites John Joshney, A hugely
successful movie producer who confirms that studios pay
attention to the level of socialfollowing and social engagement

(07:52):
that specific actors have when making casting decisions.
Why? Because as Joshney puts it, it's
simply cheaper for studios to reach more people if the actor
already has a built in highly engaged audience.
So if you have two equally talented actors, the thing that
will tip decision making will bethe social reach.
Imagine that your follower countdirectly impacting your next big

(08:15):
role in a blockbuster. It's a purely pragmatic approach
to tell an acquisition in the digital age.
It's about maximizing reach withminimal spend.
If you're trying to sell movie tickets and you have two equally
brilliant actors but one comes with a built in megaphone
connected to a million active fans and the other one doesn't,
who are you going to pick? It's a no brainer from a
business perspective. The actor with the social reach

(08:37):
is essentially bringing their own marketing budget, right?
It's like they've already pre sold a percentage of tickets
just by showing up. But this brings us to a common
trap people fall into when they hear about these opportunities.
The desire for quick fixes. We all feel it, don't we?
It's instant gratification culture, especially online.
There's this common desire for quick results, which leads many

(08:58):
to just throw money at paid media.
They think I'll just boost this post or leverage Facebook and
Instagram sponsored placements and the followers will come.
But the author issues a strong caution.
These tactics do play a part in my strategy, but those who use
them without a solid plan never make the impact they're hoping
for. And this is where it gets really
interesting, he says. It inevitably ends up being

(09:19):
expensive and frustrating. The core mistake?
Focusing on what they think is attractive rather than what will
actually create emotional responses.
It's like trying to bake a cake by just throwing all the
ingredients in the oven. Without a recipe or
understanding the chemistry. You might have great
ingredients, but without the right process, without
understanding why certain reactions happen, you're going

(09:41):
to end up with a burnt, expensive mess.
The boost button is a tool, not a strategy.
A burnt mess of expensive, ineffective ads, no less.
So where do we start with this solid plan?
The author strongly recommends Facebook as the ultimate testing
ground. Why Facebook, you might ask?
Because it's the most democraticand share friendly platform and,
crucially, the easiest and quickest on which to scale and

(10:04):
grow an audience. Yes, and he points out something
truly staggering. Facebook is actually used to
share content more than e-mail or any other online social
platform. That's a monumental stat when
you think about the sheer volumeof daily communication.
But the real game changer is Facebook's advertising platform,
which also powers Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook

(10:25):
Messenger. Kane describes it not just as an
ad platform, but as an incredibly strong market
research tool. He emphasizes that you can
effectively test all kinds of content and see how they
resonate with people from different backgrounds and in
different books of the world. This invaluable data, when
analyzed correctly, gives you a lot of power to enhance your
brand and understand your marketability.

(10:46):
It's like having a superpower topeer into the minds of your
potential audience, understanding their emotional
triggers and preferences at scale.
So it's not just about throwing money at an ad and hoping for
the best. It's about learning from the
ads. It's about data-driven
discovery. And to clarify a common
misconception, the author stresses that when you use the
ad platform, you're just buying likes of followers.
But this isn't true. You're actually paying Facebook

(11:09):
for the opportunity to put a piece of content in front of
someone. It's an exposure fee, a stage
rental fee, not a follower vending machine that spits out
fans without effort. The quality of your performance
and its residence is what converts that exposure into
genuine engagement and chairs. Precisely, you're buying the
stage time, not necessarily the applause.

(11:30):
The applause or the followers come from the quality and
relevers of your performance. And this brings us to what I
like to call the mad scientist approach to audience
acquisition. The core idea here is driving
down the cost of acquisition of a follower.
This means finding the right content that matches the
audience you want to reach and that gets them to click the like
or share button. You need to spark motivation or

(11:52):
intrigue them by finding contentthat resonates, then scale that.
It's about experimentation, constant tweaking, and listening
intently to the data. And the cost efficiencies are
frankly astounding, especially when you consider the
traditional marketing landscape.The author was able to generate
followers for as low as 6 or $0.07 in the US and UK, and in
emerging markets like India, he saw cost as low as a penny or

(12:15):
even less a penny per follower. That's like finding loose change
in your couch cushions, but it'sactually building a global
audience. He even states that with great
content and this systematic testing approach, you can gain
1,000,000 followers in less thana month, even as quickly as a
week if you do it right, for as low as 7500 to $8000.
That's an unbelievable return oninvestment if you think about it

(12:38):
in terms of the potential impacton brand, career or business.
It truly redefines what's possible for entrepreneurs and
creators, and the book introduces something called dark
posts here which are foundational to this testing
strategy. These are news feed style ads
that doesn't publish to your timeline or your followers feeds
organically. Instead, they are shown only to

(12:58):
the specific audience you targetwith your ad.
This is brilliant because it allows you to test numerous
content variations, headlines, and visuals without cluttering
your main feed or spamming your existing loyal followers.
It's like a secret laboratory where you can run countless
experiments in private. You can try out radical new
ideas, measure their effectiveness, and only then, if

(13:20):
they perform exceptionally, do you consider putting them on
your main feed. This ability to fail fast and
iterate on what resonates without public missteps is
incredibly powerful. That's a game changer for
content creation, really. It allows you to be nimble and
responsive to what the audience wants rather than guessing.
And the key metric for measuringsuccess in this viral seeking
strategy is cost per share. CPS.

(13:42):
The author provides a clear benchmark, $0.50 per share.
You're doing OK. Below Acps of $0.30 means you've
got great content and $0.10 is Rockstar status.
Rockstar status. Yeah, this gives you a clear,
actionable metric for how shareable your content truly is,
moving beyond vanity metrics like likes.
You're not just looking at viewsor likes anymore, you're looking

(14:05):
at what actually drives the exponential spread.
And this intelligence glean fromtesting leads to a compounding
effect that is absolutely wild. The book highlights Julius
Stain, the magician who, by rigorously applying these
principles, generated 15,000,000followers in 15 months.
15,000,000. Yeah, he perfectly articulates
the rapid acceleration, saying Ihit my first million only two

(14:26):
months ago and now I'm already almost at 3.
I bet you getting to four or five and six million will be
even faster. That's the power of discipline,
testing and leveraging intelligence.
Once you crack the code for whatresonates and what drives
shares, the growth compounds at an astonishing, almost
unbelievable, achievable rate. It's the digital equivalent of
an avalanche. A small snowball starts rolling,

(14:47):
picks up more snow, and suddenlyit's unstoppable.
That snowball turning into an avalanche?
The dream, right? And the author really emphasizes
this agile approach of producing, testing and measuring
how people are responding to your content in real time.
He suggests you need to act likea mad scientist.
Yeah, I love that. You have to try as many

(15:08):
combinations as possible. Segment out different variables
into separate tests. No, it's not just trial and
error. It's systematic trial and error
learning from every data point. It's precisely that scientific
rigor. He gives a concrete example.
If you were selling women's yogapants, you wouldn't just pick
one picture in one headline. You'd test various variables,
different models, different bodytypes, diverse poses, various

(15:30):
backgrounds, studio, outdoors, home, different color schemes
for the product, and countless headlines focusing on comfort,
style, performance, or affordability.
Which combination makes people click?
More importantly, which one makes them share with their
friends? You learn in real time what
moves your audience rather than relying on gut feeling or
outdated market research. Or consider the movie industry

(15:52):
method, which the author brings up as a parallel.
When a film is in its rough cut before it's released to the
public, studios hold market research screenings.
They show the film to target audiences, who then fill out
incredibly detailed scorecard, providing observations, feelings
and opinions on everything from the plot to the characters to
the ending. This data is then used to direct

(16:14):
the marketing strategy positioning, as well as to
improve the film itself. It's an expensive, high stakes
version of testing, but it highlights the critical need for
audience feedback before a majorlaunch.
And the impact of this mad scientist approach on actual
businesses. The author describes how when he
applied this rapid data-driven testing methodology to
Paramount, the executives were shocked by the level of detail

(16:36):
we generated in such a short period.
They realized they had a new, cost efficient and fast data
source that far surpassed their traditional, slower and more
extensive market research methods.
Imagine that, a major Hollywood studio suddenly having better,
faster and cheaper insights intoaudience response than ever
before, all thanks to the systematic testing.

(16:58):
It's about optimizing for resonance.
This also leads to a completely different mindset when it comes
to targeting your audience. Traditionally, targeting is all
about finding specific demographics for specific calls
to action, like click, buy or register.
But the author introduces a different, more powerful
strategy, finding the advocates that will share your content and
brand for you. That's a huge distinction, and

(17:20):
it's critical. So it's not just about reaching
someone who might buy your product or click your link.
It's about finding someone who will enthusiastically tell
everyone else to buy your product or check out your
content. And here's the paradoxical
insight the book shares. If you can produce great
content, you should choose the second option that will get
people to share your message at a high velocity, allowing you to

(17:43):
generate earned lift from your content and thus drive down the
cost of key performance indicators.
Essentially, you're getting freeexposure and reach because your
content is so compelling that people are actively spreading it
for you. The surprising part?
Those most likely to share your content, which, surprise
surprise, isn't always your target market.
That's fascinating. The people who are your best

(18:05):
amplifiers might not be your primary customers.
So you're reaching a whole new segment that then introduces
your primary customers. And the author gives a fantastic
example with Chat Books, a company that creates physical
photo albums from your digital photos.
They initially wanted to target moms aged 45 and above.
Right, very specific. But the author urged them to
test broader demographics, 18 to65 men and women with broad

(18:28):
interests like scrapbooking, photography and motherhood.
He understood that Facebook's algorithm could help find the
most engaged audience. And keeping the audience wide
generally brings down your cost in the auction, giving you more
impressions and chances to engage your audience.
It's kind of intuitive, but it works by letting the data lead.
It's like casting a much wider net to see what truly catches

(18:49):
the most enthusiastic response, rather than just fishing in one
tiny pond. And the author includes a
powerful caution from Latham Arneson, former VP of digital
marketing for Paramount, who says don't assume movie
marketing might start broad liketargeting young females.
But you need to continuously narrow down to who in the
demographic is most willing to share and truly amplify your

(19:11):
message. Ultimately, you can't be 100%
certain until you actually put it out in the world and see who
responds. The market will tell you.
That's the real test right there.
And for video content specifically, Arneson advises
looking at video completion rateor the video view through rate.
Basically, are people watching your video all the way through?
Are they truly engaged? But even more importantly, you

(19:33):
need to look at the correlative action after someone has viewed
a video, especially sharing. He says to use the people who
take leading actions, like a share or a click on a video
image or link as the best indicators of your target
audience. Those are your true advocates,
the ones who aren't just consuming, but actively
propelling your content forward.So once you've gone through all

(19:55):
this testing, this mad scientistphase, and you've identified
your core audience and more importantly, your sharers, what
then? The book emphasizes the learning
loop, which means you need to retarget the people who engage
with your brand. It's about cultivating those
active participants, building onthat initial spark of interest.
You don't just find them, you nurture them.
And of course, you need the right tools for listening and

(20:18):
measuring. Google Analytics and Facebook
insights are absolutely essential here.
But the author goes beyond just digital analytics.
He advises to analyze prior purchase orders and conduct
surveys with your existing fan base to truly understand who
resonates with your content, whythey bought, and why they stick
around. This combines the quantitative

(20:40):
data from your digital platformswith crucial qualitative
insights from your actual customers.
It's a full 360° view, giving you a comprehensive
understanding of your market. And on that note of listening,
the author stresses the criticalimportance of finding your most
original and compelling voice. Just because a strategy worked
for other brands doesn't mean it's right for yours.

(21:00):
It's not a copy and paste game. You can't just mimic.
You have to innovate based on your own unique offering.
He gives the brilliant example of Dollar Shave Club.
Oh yeah, great example. Before them, Gillette was the
undisputed king of the razor world, relying on massive
traditional TV ads. Then Dollar Shave Club bursts
onto the scene with a funny, crazy, tongue in cheek online

(21:20):
video that represented its new brand.
They didn't try to outspend Gillette, they outsmarted them.
They disrupted A predominant player not by mimicking them,
but by understanding social media, listening to its
audience, approaching things differently, and testing.
This really emphasizes that eachbrand needs to figure out its
own identity and what a specificaudience is interested in.

(21:41):
They truly found their own lane,their distinct personality.
And it's not just about what yousay, but where you say it and
how it's packaged. Joke and Media, for example, a
company famous for licensing viral videos, customizes content
for Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
They vary the length, title, or starting point of the same video
for each platform. This reiterates the need to
tailor and test content individually for each platform.

(22:04):
What works perfectly in one space might fall flat in another
due to user behavior and algorithm nuances.
And amidst all this talk of exponential growth and viral
sensations, Jonathan Skogmo of Duke and Media offers a really
comforting piece of advice. Just because you're not on a
rocket ship doesn't mean you're not growing.
It's a marathon, not a race. You need patience and

(22:25):
consistency because even slow, steady growth built on solid
principles is still growth and often more sustainable.
Don't get discouraged if you're not an overnight sensation.
Keep testing. Keep iterating.
That's a good reminder to keep the long game in mind.
But if you are looking to grow quickly, the book Hammer tell
them a key point we've touched on.
Shareability is the most important metric when looking to

(22:47):
grow quickly on Facebook. It is the ultimate indicator
that your content is resonating with your audience.
It's the applause that generatesmore audience members.
Indeed, Julius Dean, the magician who pulled 15,000,000
followers out of his hat in 15 months, perfectly encapsulates
this philosophy, He says. I don't care if the videos got 2
million views on Facebook. I care about how many shares it

(23:09):
has, because if it's got a lot of shares, that means it's
exponential. He understands that views are
just a raw number. But shares are a fundamental
growth engine, a proxy for genuine resonance and virality.
Views can be bought, shares are earned.
Right, because people are inherently more willing to take
a recommendation from a friend, from someone they trust than
from an advertisement. And this is crucial.

(23:31):
They receive content more willingly when they don't feel
like they're being sold something.
It's word of mouth on steroids, amplified by the social network.
It's about authentic connection over overt commercialism.
And here's the beautiful, counterintuitive idea that the
author presents. The irony is that the less you
try to sell, the more you will sell.
The focus should fundamentally be on creating value for people

(23:54):
instead of gaining customers. It's about building trust and
connection 1st, and sales will naturally follow.
Eric Brownstein's Shareability team are masters of this
philosophy. Their top 20 videos of 2017
generated 10.5 million shares, completely outperforming 200
other top campaigns combined. They're in a league of their own

(24:14):
when it comes to viral content creation.
That's incredible. Imagine being that good at
making things go viral consistently.
And the real world ROI from thisvalue first shareable content
approach is stunning. The John Cena Loves the Internet
campaign, for example, drove a mind boggling $122 million in
earned media value. 122. Million and the Hyatt campaign

(24:35):
featuring Dua Liba, a 200 + 1,000,000 earned video value.
These incredible results were driven by the creation and
distribution of highly shareablecontent.
It's not just about likes, it's about hundreds of millions of
dollars in measurable impact. And why were these campaigns so
profoundly successful? The John Cena campaign, for
instance, didn't ask for anything.
Their only purpose was to provide value to the audience,

(24:58):
from making them laugh to touching their hearts.
The second video in that campaign became the most shared
ad in the world in 2017, drivingmore than 2.5 million shares and
110 million views. Once viewers have that deep
emotional connection, that authentic bond, retargeting them
with sales messages became incredibly effective because

(25:19):
they already felt an authentic connection to the brand.
It's the difference between being shouted at by a
telemarketer and being invited to a party by a friend.
You know which one you prefer. Absolutely.
That brings us to a really critical concept, finding your
hook point. The author defines this as
something that makes you stand out, grabs your audience's
attention, and leaves them wanting more.
It's an essential exercise in understanding the value of what

(25:41):
you have to offer and how to package it for immediate impact.
A fantastic example of a solid hook point is Tim Ferris wildly
popular book title The Four HourWork Week.
The author notes that Ferris hada concept, lifestyle, design,
efficiency, outsourcing, but he needed a hook, a magnetic title
to make people pay attention. In a crowded market, the novelty

(26:03):
of a four hour workweek was whatgrabbed people's attention.
Even if some of the core concepts in the book weren't
entirely new, the title itself was the magnetic force that
pulled readers in. That's such a brilliant example
of understanding human curiosity.
The book gives an incredibly practical exercise for finding
your hook point. Imagine you're featured on the
cover of a major magazine or newspaper.

(26:24):
What headline would grab their attention and get them to stop
by the paper or magazine and read your article?
The goal is to stand out because, as the author reminds
us, they're an estimated 60 billion messages sent out
everyday. 60 billion. Yeah, you simply can't afford to
just blend in. You need to be disruptive in the
best possible way. And the author suggests applying

(26:44):
that mad scientist testing approach here to testing
different variations against each other on Facebook.
He likens it to what Tim Ferrissdid with Google Adwords to test
his book title, but says with Facebook's current targeting, it
would be like what he did back then on steroids on Go.
The ability to rapidly test whatresonates, what makes people
stop scrolling, is incredibly powerful.

(27:06):
So it's about being incredibly relevant and hitting an
emotional cord. The book mentions that you can
always find popular tie insurance for almost any
message. Stephanie Barkley, a comedian,
used this to great effect. Instead of a generic headline
like Stephanie Barkley creates great comedic sketches which
would be too distant and irrelevant for a general
audience, she created a skit about Melania Trump.

(27:29):
The headline What Melania Trump Really Thinks About Living with
Donald Trump? Instantly grabs a broader
audiences attention because it taps into a current, highly
discussed topic and promises a peek behind the curtain.
It's about leveraging what people are already talking about
and adding your unique spin. That's so smart, riding the wave
of what's already buzzing, and the author can't stress enough

(27:50):
the importance of emotion. He asked, will this content
create an emotional response in the viewer?
Any content that can make someone laugh, cry, smile, feel
angry, feel motivated, or have astrong opinion is valuable
because, Simply put, emotional messages and content get people
to share. It's an internal switch that
triggers external action. And link to that is Jonah
Berger's concept of social currency, which the book

(28:13):
highlights. This is content shared because
we feel that it reflects well upon us to share it.
It makes us look smarter and as though we are being helpful to
others. Think about Buzzfeed's tasty
food brand. It generates nearly 1.7 billion
video views. Not just because the recipes are
good, but because fans feel theyare helping their friends learn
how to make dishes and it makes them feel important or

(28:35):
knowledgeable within their social circles.
This is precisely why people share this content at a high
velocity. It serves a social purpose, and
you can use Facebook's trending topics to guide your content
creation and find inspiration from successful headlines.
It's about being responsive to the cultural zeitgeist.
It's about becoming a curator for your community.
Yeah. Now let's get specific about

(28:56):
crafting videos for virality, because the book offers some
fantastic, actionable tips gleaned from masters of the art.
Julius Dane, that magician who pulled 15,000,000 followers out
of his hat, emphasizes twists, particularly at the end of a
video. To create extreme virality.
He says he hooks his audience inthe first few seconds, builds
anticipation, and then BAM, something ultra shareable, often

(29:20):
unexpected, happens at the end, prompting that immediate share.
It's about exceeding expectations, leaving a lasting
impression, and the book gives some great rules of thumb that
are incredibly practical for anyone creating video content.
First, keep video introductions to a minimum.
Go straight into something fast-paced and exciting.
You only have a second or three Max to hook someone.

(29:41):
No long intros with logos or music that don't immediately
deliver value. Right.
Get straight to it. Second play into the unexpected
have twist, especially at the end of videos.
This ties back to Julia Stain's approach, making the content
surprising and memorable. Keep them guessing. 3rd, don't
force an obvious call to action.Instead of follow me or go check

(30:01):
this out, get shares by giving areason to involve their friends,
not by saying something obvious like follow me.
Make it a natural impulse to share, perhaps by asking a
question that prompts A tag, or simply by being so good it must
be share. More subtle. 4th Each piece of
content should stand on its own.Don't assume people have seen
your previous work or will remember it.

(30:23):
Every video needs to deliver a complete, compelling experience.
Makes sense. Treat each one like the first
impression. 5th Don't be afraid to create content or leverage
content that's related to your subject and not necessarily
about your subject. The author hilariously notes,
for example, that sunsets and videos of dolphins surfing work
like a charm for almost any brand looking to increase reach,

(30:44):
even if it's not directly related to their product.
It's about finding universally appealing content to draw eyes.
Dolphins surfing OK. And finally, and perhaps most
importantly, follow your gut andbe authentic.
Social media is a two way conversation and when you're
genuine, when you truly connect,it's easier for others to
connect with you. People can spot a faker a mile

(31:06):
away in the digital realm. Authenticity truly is the
bedrock of lasting connection. Now, once you've got your
content game on lock, the next frontier for explosive growth is
strategic alliances. The book uses the amazing
analogy of David Leitch, who started as a stuntman in films
like Fight Club and The Bourne Supremacy.
Yeah, I remember him. And through fostering

(31:27):
relationships and adding value, went on to direct massive
Hollywood blockbusters like JohnWick, Atomic Blonde and Deadpool
Two. He didn't just wait for an
opportunity, he created it through connection.
The moral here, as the author states, is not necessarily to
sign up for stunt class, though that sounds pretty cool, no?
Maybe later. It's to ask yourself what you
can offer a value to influentialpeople in your industry.

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It doesn't have to be your core service or product.
Something as simple as being a runner or an extra in another
influencer's content could lead to future content collaboration.
It's about finding that symbiotic relationship,
identifying what you bring to the table that helps someone
else. It's not about asking for
favors, but offering value first.

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And a very tangible example of this is gifting.
Brands routinely use gifting suites at major events or send
products directly to celebritiesand influencers.
You give them the product for free, but in return you get
pictures of them using it, whichexposes your product to a huge
audience and gives it instant credibility.
It's a classic win win for gaining exposure and

(32:31):
association. It truly is.
The author also shares a fascinating anecdote from his
own work about treating movie bloggers like rock stars.
His team hosted private parties for movie bloggers, giving them
exclusive content and custom video introductions from people
like Jason Statham. Wow, Jason Statham intros.
Right. This helps studios with smaller
marketing budgets. Think fifteen, $30 million

(32:53):
versus fifty $100 million for big blockbusters stand out in a
noisy market. The lesson?
Identify who is influential and who has a large audience in your
industry, and then show them as much genuine attention as
possible. It's about building
relationships, not just sending press releases.
Make them feel special and they'll become your biggest
advocates. It's all about making those

(33:13):
connections feel special, not purely transactional, and smart
collaborations are another powerful way to leverage these
alliances. The book explains how
collaboration helps build and foster your audience by exposing
you to new, relevant communities.
Think musicians offering free music for videos, models working
on free campaigns to build theirportfolio, or athletes like Coco

(33:34):
Ho and Mark Mcmorris posting about each other.
It's cross promotion on a personal, authentic level.
And the book features a great example of this shareability.
That viral content agency we discussed earlier chose Dua Lipa
for Hyatt's Unbound Collection campaign to appeal to a younger
demographic, even though she wasjust starting to take off at the
time. They saw her potential and

(33:56):
leveraged it to reach a burgeoning audience.
But a critical caution comes from Latham Arneson, who
suggests asking 2 crucial questions before entering any
partnership. Is anyone going to pay attention
to the activity or partnership? And does the partnership elevate
your brand? Does it get people to engage or
take action in any way? He stresses that viral activity

(34:17):
for the sake of virality doesn'tmean anything.
It has to serve a genuine, measurable purpose beyond just
noise or fleeting attention. Such an important point.
Don't just chase virality for virality's sake or partner with
someone just because they have abig number.
And another key lesson comes from David O of Fabfitfun, who
applied the mad scientist testing approach to influencers.

(34:38):
He tested more than 5000 different influencers to find
the ones that yield the highest returns for their subscription
box. 5000 That's dedication. Exactly.
Just because an influencer has millions of followers doesn't
guarantee success. It's all about testing and
finding the right fit, the rightaudience, and the right
authentic connection. Exactly.
It's not a one-size-fits-all solution.

(35:00):
It's data-driven influencer marketing.
And Ken Sheng, founder of Django, offers a clever strategy
called Influencing the Influencer.
Sounds intriguing. He advises that it's not about
going to the biggest influencersor celebrities directly, because
they're often inundated. Instead, you have a much better
chance of success if you focus on influencing the influencers

(35:22):
who influence your target influencer.
This creates a network effect where smaller, more accessible
influencers organically spread your message up the chain,
eventually reaching the larger target.
It's like a digital pyramid scheme, but for good building
influence layer by layer. I love that.
Like if I can get this person totalk about me, then their
influencer will notice and then their influencer will notice.

(35:44):
It's very clever and strategic. And Speaking of collaboration,
the book introduces engagement groups as a powerful form of
partnering for growing fast organically.
Yes, Joy Von Wade, founder of the Wall of Comedy, a massive UK
based online entertainment platform, literally created a
share network where share each other's content, like and

(36:04):
comment on each other's posts. This dramatically increases
visibility, boosts algorithmic favorability, and increases the
chances of hitting platforms like Instagrams.
Explore page. It's collective support.
A rising tide lifting all boats.A perfect real world example of
this is Michael Dappa's big Shaqviral sensation Man's Not Hot.
Oh yeah, classic. The author notes that it's

(36:27):
explosion happened mainly owing to a mass amount of big social
accounts sharing it at the same time.
The velocity see these shares made it go viral this year.
Speed and volume of coordinated sharing propelled it into the
stratosphere. So the call to action for you,
the listener is clear. Find accounts, pages and people
that are in a similar space as you, perhaps slightly bigger or
at a similar stage. Reach out to your peers and ask

(36:49):
if they would like to partner and be in an engagement group
with you. It's about building a community
of mutual support and amplification.
And while Facebook is often the primary focus for rapid scaling
due to its shareability mechanisms, the book also
touches on Instagram specific strategies.
It acknowledges upfront that growth is slower on Instagram
than on Facebook. Be patient and consistent.

(37:11):
Instagram is a visual platform less about direct content
sharing and more about discoveryand direct engagement with
accounts. But there are still powerful
tactics. Right, it's more of a long game
demanding a different approach. The author suggests identifying
large pages in your niche and asking for guaranteed follower
packages rather than just shoutouts.
This means you negotiate a pricefor a certain number of

(37:33):
followers, providing a tangible return on your investment,
rather than just a one off mention that may or may not
convert. And Anthony Aaron, an
influencer, has a clever privacysetting trick.
He randomly sets the account to private after posting videos to
encourage people to follow him to access the locked content.
It creates a sense of exclusivity and urgency.
That's a bold move playing on curiosity, but hey, if it works

(37:56):
for your content and audience, it works.
And for increasing visibility and retaining credit, the book
highlights using Clearwater marks like Follow at Imjust
Bait, so even if content is reposted or goes viral
elsewhere, your handle is alwaysvisible and encouraging.
Tagging friends is key, especially on Instagram as it's
a personal invitation to see content.

(38:18):
It's how people organically share on a platform not built
for Direct Re shares. And the World Surf League
provides a great example of brand building on Instagram.
They use the platform for more funny moments in real time
through Instagram stories and more behind the scenes moments
of the athletes letting their guard down.
It's about showing a different, more authentic and often more
personal side of your brand or talent, which fosters deeper

(38:40):
connection. Moving beyond alliances and
platform specific tactics, the book makes a strong, compelling
case for adopting a global mindset.
While not every business is suited for it, like a highly
localized e-commerce company only selling to the US, the
author finds that emerging markets are the next big thing
in social and digital in terms of scale.
This is fascinating because it talks about cost efficiency.

(39:02):
You can do things in emerging markets that would cost you
millions of dollars in the United States to achieve.
For example, remember those followers for a penny in India?
Yeah, incredible. That's an insane return on
investment for building scale, and even if you're not selling
products globally right away, having a large following,
regardless of where the followers come from gets people
to take you more seriously. It's about validation and

(39:25):
credibility that transcends geographical boundaries.
Think about it from an actor or musician's perspective.
Country borders especially don'tmatter as much in the digital
age. Did you know that 60 to 70% of
box office revenue for Hollywoodfilms now comes from overseas?
That high? Wow.
Yeah. So if you can walk into a studio
or casting director's office andsay, you know, India is the

(39:47):
third largest box office market in the world with $1.9 billion
in sales a year, and I have X number of followers there, that
should make you stand out and give you some serious clout.
It's a powerful bargaining chip that speaks directly to a
studio's financial interests. That truly puts the global
opportunity into perspective, doesn't it?
It's about leveraging those hidden opportunities.

(40:09):
And Kerry, cited in the book, shares an amazing insight if
you're pitching AUS company in places like Indonesia, Thailand
or Vietnam. Your quote so unusual that
you'll get better quality meetings with more senior people
and have a better opportunity toclose deals.
Simply showing up and showing commitment can be a massive
differentiator. He backs us up with the Paranoid

(40:31):
Fan case study. This sports mapping company
gained 30 million users and secured deals with major
football teams across Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and
Chile simply by physically visiting them, not just sending
emails. Being there in person,
understanding the local market, and shaking hands gave Paranoid
Fan the opportunity to sign deals quickly building trust and

(40:52):
relationships that digital communication alone couldn't
replicate. It shows the power of being
present and committed to those markets.
So it's not just about the digital numbers, it's about the
real world connections and showing genuine investment.
And the author suggests that if you build up a huge audience in
Indonesia, India or Brazil, it'sfar easier to strike deals with
the head of Coke in those countries, which can then lead

(41:13):
to introductions to the executives in the United States
or United Kingdom. This proves that your brand or
company can drive success on a global scale, creating a
compelling case study for domestic expansion.
And John Jasne, the movie producer, emphasizes the
universality of good content. He notes that film makers
sometimes fear that making something for the masses will

(41:34):
dilute their cultural identity, but the universality of theme,
character, relatability and emotion will transcend borders.
A compelling story, a genuinely funny moment, or a deeply moving
emotion resonates globally, regardless of language or
specific cultural context. We all feel joy, sadness, fear
and wonder. Absolutely.

(41:54):
Phil Ranta of Studio 71 agrees, noting YouTube's Global Unlock
and how digital platforms are truly global.
He suggests creating content that's not language specific.
Jukin Media's viral fail videos are a perfect example.
An Ouch is an Ouch in any language, he says.
That's true. There's 75%.
International viewership proves that good content travels really

(42:17):
well when it taps into universalhuman experiences.
And Renta even believes that those who aren't thinking
globally now are going to struggle in 5 or 10 years as
Internet infrastructure expands globally and more people come
online with content streaming devices.
It's a look into the inevitable future of audience building.
Ignoring global audiences is effectively ignoring the vast
majority of potential growth. Which brings us to the ultimate

(42:39):
goal, the capstone of this entire deep dive building a
lasting brand, not just a fleeting.
Following. The book makes a crucial
distinction between who you are and what you do.
This is profound, and it's a concept that truly separates the
temporary successes from the enduring ones.
Most people think of Nike as a shoe company, but they're not.
Nike is a performance company that makes shoes as a way to

(43:02):
inspire and enable human performance.
Right. The feeling, the idea.
Exactly the brand identity, who they are, is stable.
They are about inspiring athletes and human potential.
The products, what they do can change Shoes, apparel, tech.
Building this kind of core brandcreates a safety net for a
longer career. Without a strong who you are, if

(43:23):
someone else makes a better product, your company ceases to
matter because you're just a commodity.
It's about building loyalty to avision, not just a product.
That's a powerful thought. Your brand is your lasting
legacy, your core identity, the emotional connection people have
with you or your company. And he uses Target as another
example. They're campaigns that didn't

(43:43):
feature products at all, aimed instead to make people feel that
Target is fashionable, cool, accessible, and fun.
People buy from a brand they love, a brand they feel aligns
with their values, not just for the cheapest product on the
shelf. The product becomes a byproduct
of the brand affinity. And Chris Williams of Pocket dot
Watch, a company focused on kidsentertainment, explains that

(44:05):
getting a million followers on Facebook or getting 50,000 views
on a video doesn't mean you havea brand.
To turn a large number of followers into a brand, you need
to reach people in multiple places, solidifying that
identity across various touch points.
Like Jake Paul's appearance on Disney Channel's bizarre Dvark,
it transcended his digital brand, building recognition
beyond a single platform. People who might never have seen

(44:28):
his YouTube content suddenly recognized him.
When people start seeing you in multiple places, you start
building your brand, he says. It's about building ubiquity and
recognition beyond a single channel or content type.
And underpinning all of this is the idea of a continuous
journey, a marathon, not a Sprint run.
Chan of Nine G's continuous success comes from constantly

(44:49):
learning and testing to figure out new ways to improve.
OK, core principles like storytelling and emotion remain,
but how you package content for each platform constantly
evolves, as does the platforms themselves.
It's about fundamental adaptability in a rapidly
changing digital landscape. Exactly.
The author points out that Facebook's News feed changes,
like shifting to prioritize family and friends over brand

(45:11):
content, highlight the absolute need for agility and the ability
to pivot. The landscape is always
shifting, and what worked yesterday might not work
tomorrow. And finally, the book ends with
a profound message echored by Prince Ek and Joy von Wade.
Everyone has a purpose and a talent.
And importantly, personal growthmust happen before you can have

(45:32):
professional success. It's about understanding who you
are and what unique gift you possess to give your gift to the
world. Don't quit on your dream,
because, as the author concludes, the pursuit of a
dream is more interesting than living a complacent life doing
something you dislike. Wow.
We've covered so much of this deep dive into Brendan Kane's
1,000,000 followers. From the surprising exponential

(45:53):
power of shareability to the madscientist approach to constant
testing and iteration and the strategic art of forming
alliances and reaching global audiences, the core message is
clear. Whether you're building a
personal brand or a business, cultivating a massive following
isn't about luck. It's about intentionality,
data-driven decisions, and genuine connection.
It's about being invaluable to your audience, providing value

(46:15):
1st and watching the ripple effect take hold.
And consider this, as the authorreminds us, in a world saturated
with billions of messages daily,a vast majority aren't relevant
or interesting. This gives you, the motivated
learner, a distinct and powerfuladvantage if you can master the
principles of resonance, emotion, and strategic
partnerships. Truly understanding what moves

(46:36):
people to share. What unique gift, as Princia
suggests, Are you ready to sharewith the world?
What hook point is waiting to bediscovered within your own
passion, waiting to be amplified?
The path to 1,000,000 followers,or whatever your impactful goal
may be, truly begins with a willingness to experiment, to
listen deeply, and to consistently offer something
undeniably valuable. The stage is set.

(46:56):
All that's left is for you to step onto it.