How a Laid-Off Factory Worker Got 150 Million Followers (Ch 8. Build Your Audience)

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The Power of Video Shorts: A Masterclass in Audience Building

Grab a Copy of the Build Your Audience Book: https://platformgrowthbooks.com

In this episode of 'The Market Your Message Show,' Jonathan Milligan dives into the success of Kabi Lame, a laid-off factory worker from Italy who gained over 150 million followers on TikTok during the global pandemic with his simple, silent video shorts. 

Jonathan outlines the importance of adopting short-form video content to grow your audience and enhance online visibility. 

Key topics include the dominance of platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, and the common mistakes creators make with long-form content. The episode also provides a step-by-step guide on creating and optimizing short videos, leveraging platform-specific features, and establishing a consistent posting strategy. 

Whether you're a novice or seasoned content creator, this episode is packed with actionable insights to elevate your digital communication strategy.

00:00 The Silent Sensation: How One Man Gained 150 Million Followers
00:20 Welcome to The Market Your Message Show
00:57 Introducing Chapter Eight: The Video Shorts Traffic Playbook
01:08 The Rise of Kabi Lame: A Case Study in Audience Building
02:20 The Power of Video Shorts in Modern Social Media
02:40 Common Mistakes in Content Creation
03:40 Mastering Short-Form Video: Strategies and Tips
04:31 Understanding the Short-Form Video Landscape
05:35 Developing a Content Strategy for Short Videos
06:39 Creating Short Videos from Long Content
07:21 Leveraging Platform-Specific Features
08:27 Today's Exercise: Create Your First 60-Second Video
10:24 Key Takeaways: Embrace Short-Form Video

Episode Transcript

Speaker 17 (00:00):
He never said a word and still gained over 150
million followers during aglobal pandemic.
A laid off factory worker inItaly picked up his phone and
quietly changed the internetforever.
We're gonna be talking aboutthat story today, utilizing the
idea of video.
Shorts.

(00:20):
Hi, I am Jonathan Milligan.
Welcome to The Market YourMessage Show, where we focus on
helping you build your audience,scaling your income, and making
a full-time living with yourmessage.
And I am excited to jump intothis next chapter.
We are currently going through.
Book four in my series, buildYour Audience, and if you want a

(00:44):
copy of this book, you can go toplatform growth books.com.
But as a thank you for being alistener of this podcast, I am
releasing the audio book, thefull audio book, one chapter at
a time.
Today we're gonna jump intochapter number eight, the video
shorts traffic playbook.
Let's get right to it.

Speaker 16 (01:05):
Chapter eight, the video shorts Traffic playbook.
In a small Italian town, anunlikely star was born amidst
the chaos of a global pandemic.
Kabi lame.
A factory worker turned TikToksensation, found himself jobless
and restless.
He started creating with nothingbut time on his hands and a
smartphone in his pocket.
Cabbie's videos weren't flashyand they didn't need to be.

(01:28):
His wordless.
Deadpan reactions to overlycomplicated life hacks struck a
chord globally.
No language barrier could stopthe universal appeal of his
exasperated looks in simplesolutions.
From zero to 150 millionfollowers.
Let that sink in.
That's more than twice thepopulation of Italy.
All tuning in to watch shortsilent videos of a guy making

(01:50):
fun of ridiculous life hacks.
Copy's, meteoric rise isn't justa story, it's a masterclass in
modern audience building.
He proved that with creativityand consistency, anyone can
build a huge following throughshort videos.
A keen understanding of whatpeople want is key.
This is the new frontier ofdigital communication platforms

(02:12):
like TikTok, Instagram reels,and YouTube shorts aren't just
trends.
They're changing how we connect,entertain, and influence.
In this chapter, we will unpackthe power of video shorts.
We'll explore why they dominatesocial media.
We'll also look at how differentplatforms embrace them.
Most importantly, we'll discusshow to use their potential to

(02:35):
grow your audience.
Short and sweet, why your longform strategy is costing you
views.
Let's talk about what mostpeople are doing wrong.
Many content creators are stuckin old habits, churning long
form content without adapting tonew trends.
They're like someone trying tosell encyclopedias in a world of
Google searches.
These creators often postinfrequently.

(02:56):
Their audience is left wonderingwhen they'll hear from them.
Next, and here's another commonmistake.
They create one piece of contentand blast it across all
platforms without tweaks.
It's like wearing a tuxedo to abeach party.
It doesn't fit.
Why doesn't this approach work?
For starters, our attentionspans are shrinking faster than
a wool sweater in a hot dryer.

(03:18):
We're bombarded with information24 7 and long form content often
gets scrolled past.
Plus, social media algorithmshave a clear preference.
They love short, engagingcontent that keeps users on the
platform.
By sticking to old methods,creators miss out on countless
opportunities for their contentto go viral and reach new

(03:38):
audiences.
So what should you dodifferently?
It's time for a mental shift.
Embrace the world of short formvideo across multiple platforms.
Think of it as craftingbite-sized irresistible snacks
for your audience.
Instead of serving a sevencourse meal, create a consistent
posting strategy.
Your audience should know whento expect your content, like

(03:59):
their favorite TV show.
And here's the kicker.
Optimize your content for eachplatform's unique features and
audience.
It's not one size fits allanymore.
You need to speak the languageof each platform to truly
connect with your audience.
I.
Remember in short form video,you're not just competing with
other creators in your niche.

(04:20):
You're up against every cute catvideo, every viral dance trend,
and every oddly satisfying clip.
You need to play the gamesmarter, not harder to stand
out.
Step one, understand the shortform video landscape.
The digital world has a newdarling videos that are 60
seconds or less.
These bite-sized snippets havetaken over our feeds.

(04:41):
Capturing attention in a worldwhere time is our most precious
commodity to thrive in thislandscape, you need to know the
lay of the land.
TikTok, Instagram stories,Facebook stories, YouTube shorts
and LinkedIn each have their owntake on short form content.
They're like differentneighborhoods in the city of
social media, each with its ownculture and language.

(05:03):
Get to know them.
Spend time on each platformobserving what works and what
falls flat.
Think of short form videos asmodern day newspaper headlines.
They need to grab attentionquickly and convey a message
efficiently in a sea of content.
Your video needs to be the onethat makes thumbs.
Stop scrolling.
Mastering this format isn't justa nice to have anymore.

(05:25):
It's essential for building asolid online presence in today's
digital landscape.
Ignore it.
You risk becoming as relevant asa flip phone in the smartphone
world.
Step two, develop a contentstrategy.
Now that you understand thelandscape, it's time to map out
your journey.
Who are you trying to reach?
What makes them tick?

(05:46):
Your target audience isn't justa demographic, they're people
with preferences.
Get to know them like you'd getto know a friend.
Next, create a content calendar.
Consistency is key in the worldof short form video.
As Gary Vaynerchuk famouslysaid, content is king, but
consistency is queen.
Your audience should know whento expect your content.

(06:08):
Like when their favorite TV showdrops new episodes.
Plan a mix of content thatentertains, educates and
promotes.
Think of it as a balanced dietfor your audience's.
Content consumption.
Too much of one type and they'lllose interest.
Strike the right balance andthey'll keep coming back for
more.
Remember, a well-planned contentstrategy isn't just about what

(06:31):
you post.
It's about building arelationship with your audience.
It's the difference betweenshouting into the void and
having a conversation.
Step three, create short videosfrom long videos.
Do you have long form content?
Don't let it gather.
Dust tools like Opus Pro areyour new best friend.
They can extract the most viralworthy 60 seconds from your

(06:53):
longer videos giving you a goldmine of short form content.
But don't stop there.
Adapt these snippets fordifferent platforms.
What works on TikTok Might needa tweak for LinkedIn.
It's like translating a joke.
The punchline needs to land inany language, cross promote your
content across all your socialmedia channels.

(07:13):
It's like being your own hypeman.
The more places your contentlives, the more chances it has
to be seen and shared.
Step four, leverage platformspecific features.
Each platform has its own secretsauce, hashtags, sounds,
effects.
These aren't just bells andwhistles.

(07:34):
They're powerful tools to boostyour visibility, participate in
trending challenges and topics.
It's like joining a conversationat a party.
It helps you connect with othersand shows you're in the know.
Use platform specific tools.
Tiktoks Duet feature, forexample, is a goal mine for
engagement.
It's like having a dialogue withyour audience, but in video

(07:56):
form, remember the birth of thehashtag on Twitter in 2007.
It revolutionized how wediscover content on social
media.
Today's platform specificfeatures are doing the same
thing.
Master them and you'llsignificantly boost your
content's visibility andengagement.
In short, leveraging thesefeatures is about more than just

(08:19):
being trendy.
It's about speaking the nativelanguage of each platform.
Do it well, and you'll not justbe part of the conversation,
you'll be leading it.
Today's exercise, create yourfirst 62nd video.
Ready to put your new knowledgeinto action.
Let's create a 62nd video tomake waves across three social
media platforms.

(08:39):
Start by crafting your message.
Who are you?
What's your brand all about?
Distill your essence into apunchy, engaging narrative that
fits into 60 seconds.
Remember, you're not writing anovel here.
You're creating a trailer foryour personal brand.
Now, grab your smartphone.
Don't worry about fancyequipment.
Authenticity trumps productionvalue in short form video.

(09:01):
Find a well-lit spot with aclean background.
Take a deep breath and hitrecord.
Once you've got your raw video,it's time to optimize for
different platforms.
Let's tackle three TikTok,Instagram reels, and LinkedIn
for TikTok, add some trendingmusic in the background.
Use text overlays to emphasizekey points.
Remember, many users watch withthe sound off end with a strong

(09:24):
call to action, encouragingviewers to follow you for more
content.
On Instagram reels, focus onvisual appeal.
Use Instagram's built-in filtersto give your video a polished
look.
Add relevant hashtags in yourcaption to boost discoverability
for LinkedIn.
Keep it professional butpersonable.
Use captions to provide contextand highlight your expertise.

(09:48):
Consider adding subtitles.
They're vital for accessibilityand for viewers scrolling
silently during their workday.
Post your videos and payattention to the engagement on
each platform, which versionresonates most with your
audience.
Use these insights to refineyour approach for future
content.
Remember, this isn't aboutperfection, it's about getting

(10:09):
started.
Your first attempt might feelawkward, but that's okay.
The beauty of short form videois that you can always create
another one tomorrow.
So go ahead, put yourself outthere.
Your audience is waiting to meetyou.
Key takeaways.
Embrace the power of short-formvideo content to grow your
audience and increase onlinevisibility rapidly.

(10:33):
Consistency, quality, andplatform specific optimization
are crucial to a successfulvideo shorts strategy.
Engage your audience, analyzeperformance, and adapt to stay
relevant in the fast changingdigital world.