Gary Vaynerchuk's Blog, page 12
April 18, 2021
How to Make a Cryptocurrency or NFT Wallet
Hey everybody. I wanted to write this article for two reasons:
It’s just a good article to write as many of you navigate these uncharted crypto waters.I am currently working on something very cool that is going to happen in early May, and it is very important to me that my OG community is disproportionately benefitting from it.With that said, I know that many of you have not yet created a wallet that is functional for NFT purchasing. You may have a Coinbase account at this point, but very few are actually set up to buy an NFT. Let’s fix that.
I want to say this, though, before you read the rest of this article. Many of you made fun of your parents 10 to 15 years ago when they were scared to put a credit card into a website to buy something. You ragged on them or you made jokes behind their backs…Today, you’re in the same exact position your parents were in. Many of you are now hesitant to open a MetaMask account or even a basic Coinbase account. I just want to remind you that you have become your parents — everyone’s worst nightmare 
.
So please, use that line to inspire you to take this article seriously and set up your wallet. The NFT revolution is here and I want you to be ready. I’ve asked my content team, Team GaryVee, to help write the rest of this article in as much detail as possible, so I hope that you enjoy it.
Team GaryVee here 
Hello everyone, and thanks for reading and your interest in Gary’s NFT project! After a strong response to Gary’s What is NFT? article, we wanted to continue the crypto conversation with a guide on how to set up your own cryptocurrency wallet. Starting off with a general overview on wallets and how they work, we’ll then take you through the exact steps you need to take to create a wallet compatible with purchasing not just Gary’s upcoming NFT project, but any NFT that might be of interest to you. We hope our outline will provide you with the knowledge and foundation you need to make your entry into this space as safe and seamless as possible!
WHAT ARE CRYPTOCURRENCY WALLETS?Cryptocurrency wallets are software used to communicate with blockchain networks to safely access, send and receive crypto funds or assets. Simply put, the software stores your crypto just like traditional wallets store your cash and credit cards. Where things get interesting is in the storage mechanism. Unlike fiat money — aka USD, CAD, etc. — which you store in a bank, crypto assets are stored on the blockchain. Just like you use a debit card to access your paper money at an ATM, you use your crypto wallet to access your crypto on the public ledger. The crypto wallet does not actually hold physical items — instead, it holds unique digital passwords or “private keys” which allow you to transact on the blockchain.
Crypto wallets come in the form of devices, mediums or smartphone applications and help you access records of transaction history that are held on the ledger. Simply put, if you want to actually use your crypto, you’ll need a wallet to do so.
CUSTODIAL VS. NON-CUSTODIALWhen it comes to storing your crypto, let’s talk about two options: custodial or non-custodial wallets. Check out this detailed comparison, but we will give you the breakdown here.
Custodial Wallets
Many people make their first crypto purchases on centralized exchanges. These are online marketplaces where you can buy, sell and store a variety of cryptocurrencies. Many of you may have heard of Coinbase, one of the most popular centralized exchanges in the United States and a great option for beginners! Exchanges like Coinbase are known as “custodians” because they have custody over your cryptocurrency. In other words, when you make purchases with the Coinbase app, Coinbase holds your crypto for you in its own “custodial” or “hosted” wallet. This way, Coinbase acts as a third-party with ownership of your private keys, and you are trusting the platform with the responsibility of keeping your crypto safe and secure.
Custodial wallets are a convenient gateway into the crypto world. It’s as simple as signing up for a Coinbase account with your email address, verifying your identity with a photo ID, choosing a strong password and linking your credit card or bank account to start buying. While Coinbase is great for holding small amounts of crypto and buying major cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and Ether, the company does not yet offer NFTs — although they may soon be considering it.
For now, if you want to be able to purchase NFTs, you’ll need to have what is called a non-custodial wallet.
Non-custodial Wallets
For full control over your crypto assets, a non-custodial wallet is your best and safest bet. With these wallets, there is no third-party involved and you are the owner of your own private keys. While this is ideal for security, it also comes with great responsibility. More on the importance of private keys in just a bit. For now, let’s talk about where non-custodial wallets come into play.
Say you have a Coinbase account but you now want full control over your crypto. Good news, you can transfer your crypto holdings from Coinbase into your own non-custodial wallet! This is especially helpful for those of you looking to store large amounts of crypto, or for people looking to purchase NFTs. Since NFTs exist mostly on the Ethereum blockchain, you would need to purchase Ether on Coinbase and then transfer it to your non-custodial wallet, which you would then use to buy an NFT from online marketplaces such as NiftyGateway, OpenSea, Rarible, etc. You can also buy Ether directly using a non-custodial wallet like MetaMask! If you want to be ready for Gary’s upcoming project, MetaMask is what he recommends. Don’t worry, we’ll get you set up by the end of this article
For the purposes of this article, we will be focusing specifically on non-custodial wallets, which come in several options: software (web, mobile or desktop), hardware and paper. Before we dig deeper into each category, let’s explore how wallets actually work.
HOW DO THEY WORK?Every cryptocurrency wallet functions using public keys and private keys. These keys work in tandem to make secure and verifiable cryptocurrency transactions on a blockchain. For definitions of these and more important cryptocurrency terms, check out this guide from One37 or see this more in-depth explanation to learn more about keypairs and encryption. For now, let’s go over the basics.
Public Keys and Addresses
Wallet addresses are derived from a public and private key pair, and identify your account on the blockchain, thus allowing you to receive crypto. Think of an address like an email address — you can share it anywhere! Whoever knows your address can send you crypto. An Ethereum address will always start with 0x and then a string of 40 alphanumeric characters. It may also appear as a scannable QR code.
Private Keys & Seed Phrases
Every public key is mathematically linked to a private key in a unique key pairing. A private key — which appears as a string of alphanumeric characters — is used to digitally sign a transaction to authenticate your transactions on the blockchain. One private key can generate several wallet addresses.
Seed Phrase > Private Key > Public Key > Address
A seed phrase is a group of 12 or 24 words usually generated within the wallet software that can be used to derive your private key. Further, your private key can be used to derive your public key — however, it is important to note that your public key cannot be used to recover your private key or seed phrase. Therefore, guard your private keys and seed phrases with your life! Check out this guide on best practices for storing your seed phrase safely.
WHY YOU SHOULD ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR PRIVATE KEYSIt sounds dramatic, but we cannot stress this enough. Private keys and seed phrases must NEVER be shared with anyone or left susceptible to discovery or theft. Think of a private key like a password or better yet, a PIN number — whoever has it has access to your crypto assets. Why is this so important? Unlike traditional money, stolen crypto is lost forever. There is no bank to call and report the theft; not even the government can help you recover lost or stolen assets. For this reason, when you create a crypto wallet and receive your private key and/or seed phrase, be sure to store it offline in a secret, safe location only accessible to you. Never store your keys in online notebooks unencrypted, or type into any website.
TYPES OF CRYPTOCURRENCY WALLETSRemember, there are a few categories of crypto wallets. Let’s explore each option.
Software Wallets – HOT storage
Software wallets are considered to be “hot storage,” a term referring to any wallet that has been directly connected to the internet. Software wallets can be further broken down into several wallet types — web, mobile and desktop.
WEB WALLETSe.g. MetaMask Chrome extension, Mycrypto.com
Web wallets include both browser extensions and websites, and can be used on most computers with access to the internet. MetaMask browser extension is a great web option generally accepted on all web3 applications. This makes them extremely convenient, however, they are vulnerable to cyber attacks.
e.g. MetaMask Mobile, Rainbow, Argent
Mobile wallets are accessed via smartphone apps. As they are easily downloadable right to your phone or mobile-device, these wallets are great for everyday, on-the-go access and purchases. Just like your computer, you should always keep your phone updated and protected.
e.g. Mycrypto client-side
Desktop wallets are software programs downloaded and installed directly onto your PC or laptop. Private keys are input into this software and never leave the original machine onto which they were downloaded.
While convenient, software or hot wallets are best used only for storing smaller amounts of crypto due to the risk of hackers or viruses.
COLD storage
On the flip side, “cold storage” wallets store your keys independently of an internet connection, providing higher security and protection.
e.g. Ledger, Trezor
One of the most secure options, hardware wallets are physical devices you can buy that allow you to make transactions without exposing your seed phrase or private keys to the internet. Hardware wallets typically look like a USB or thumb drive which you connect to your computer or laptop when making a transaction, and then remove once finished. Since your private keys are stored on the device itself and not on a computer or online platform, hardware wallets are very hard to exploit.
Paper wallets are really just a way to store the private key and public key pair for your account on a piece of paper. They can be a way to store crypto keys you don’t plan to access for a long time, but are generally deemed obsolete in lieu of seed phrases.
WHERE TO GET A CRYPTOCURRENCY WALLETDepending on your specific needs, you can download your crypto wallet to your computer (desktop) or phone (mobile), create it on a web browser (web), buy it from a store (hardware) or print it out (paper). Where you go to get your crypto wallet depends on need and personal preference. Great options include the Rainbow mobile wallet, Ledger or Trezor for hardware or one of our favorites as a browser extension — MetaMask!
MetaMask is an Ethereum wallet available for both web and mobile, and in our opinion, it’s one of the best crypto wallet options on the market and perfect for anyone interested in buying an NFT. Since its launch in 2016, MetaMask has gathered over one million monthly active users and is proving to be a popular, trusted option among Gary’s community:
Want to learn more? Visit the MetaMask FAQ Support page.
HOW TO SET UP A METAMASK WALLET ON DESKTOPHere is how to create a MetaMask desktop wallet via a Chrome extension. You can also use other browsers such as Firefox and Brave. Whatever you choose, it is very important that you only download from the official MetaMask site.
Go to MetaMask.io Click either of the “Download” buttons on the homepage.Click “Install MetaMask for Chrome.” You will be automatically taken to the Google Chrome web store. Click “Add to Chrome” and add the extension. Once installed, you will be able to view the MetaMask fox head icon in the top right corner of your browser by clicking on the puzzle piece icon. Click “Get Started” and choose between importing an existing wallet or setting up a new one. Let’s assume you don’t have an existing wallet and need to create one. Click “Create a Wallet.” Create and confirm a password according to MetaMask’s guideline of 8 characters minimum. Make sure your password is unique and not being used for anything else. Agree to the terms of use and hit “Create.” Congratulations! You are now the owner of a MetaMask wallet!
Once you’ve created your wallet, you will be able to view your seed phrase (the 12 word sequence used to recover and backup your wallet). Remember, this must be hidden and never shared with anyone. Do not take a picture or screenshot of your seed phrase — instead, write it down immediately on a piece of paper and put it in a secret, safe location. Even better, write your seed phrase down on 2-3 pieces of paper and store each paper in a separate secure location (like one in a personal safe and one in a bank safety deposit box). Alternatively, you can download the seed phrase and keep it offline on an encrypted hard drive. Having multiple backups of your seed phrase is good practice just in case one copy is ever lost or destroyed. After documenting your seed phrase, click “Next.” Confirm your seed phrase by clicking on the correct words in the correct order of your 12 word sequence and click “Confirm.” Click “All Done.” Optional – you can leave your new account as “account 1” or choose to rename it.It’s that easy! You can now access your MetaMask wallet via the fox icon in your browser and begin purchasing and receiving crypto! If you already have Ether in your Coinbase, you can use your brand new Ethereum address (the long number at the top of your wallet page starting with 0x…) to transfer them over into your MetaMask wallet. If you don’t have a Coinbase account, you can buy Ether directly through MetaMask in some U.S. states, however, Coinbase is our favorite way to get Ether into your MetaMask wallet at the moment.
HOW TO SET UP A METAMASK WALLET ON MOBILEMetaMask also offers a mobile wallet option for both ios and Android. Here are the steps to use MetaMask on your phone if you’ve already set up the desktop extension:
Download the MetaMask app to your smartphone (App Store for iPhone or Google Play Store for Android). Click “Get Started” Click “Sync with MetaMask extension” Open your MetaMask desktop extension, go to Settings > Advanced, Click on “Sync with Mobile” and enter your password.Using your phone’s camera, scan the QR code to start syncing.Now you will be able to access your MetaMask account from either your desktop or your phone! If you do not have the desktop extension and wish to create your first MetaMask account on mobile, follow the same steps above, but click “Create a new wallet” instead of “Sync with MetaMask extension.” Then, follow the rest of the prompts to choose your password and see and confirm your seed phrase.
If you prefer to keep your crypto in cold storage, you can easily connect a hardware wallet like Ledger or Trezor to MetaMask. This gives you the security of a hardware wallet with the ability to connect with any MetaMask/web3 enabled sites.
IMPORTANT NOTE!
We know that many of you are itching to get started in the NFT world! Be aware that if you want to make an NFT purchase, you need to be set up about a week in advance!
When you initiate a purchase on Coinbase, the platform uses what is called an ACH bank transfer system for payments with your bank account. This means that Coinbase will take **minimally 5 days to actually complete your transaction and make your Ether available in your account. Therefore, if you’re interested in transferring Ether purchased on Coinbase into your MetaMask, we highly recommend you get set up NOW so you won’t experience any delays.
Better yet, you may want to avoid the ACH transfer delays altogether, with the option to wire money from your bank into your Coinbase wallet. Defer to your bank for their specific wire transferring process if you choose to expedite your deposits using a wire transfer.
Trust us, come early May, you’ll want to be ready to go! PS: Please make sure you have AT LEAST 1 ETH in your wallet for the project!
THE BOTTOM LINEBy now, we hope you have a much more comfortable understanding of how cryptocurrency wallets work and the different options available to you. Remember, safety first! Whichever wallet you choose, always protect your private keys and be mindful of the people with whom you transact.
If you found value in this article, we would love it if you shared with any of your friends who have been asking about purchasing an NFT or setting up their own cryptocurrency wallet.
The post How to Make a Cryptocurrency or NFT Wallet appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
HOW TO MAKE A CRYPTOCURRENCY OR NFT WALLET
Hey everybody. I wanted to write this article for two reasons:
It’s just a good article to write as many of you navigate these uncharted crypto waters.I am currently working on something very cool that is going to happen in early May, and it is very important to me that my OG community is disproportionately benefitting from it.With that said, I know that many of you have not yet created a wallet that is functional for NFT purchasing. You may have a Coinbase account at this point, but very few are actually set up to buy an NFT. Let’s fix that.
I want to say this, though, before you read the rest of this article. Many of you made fun of your parents 10 to 15 years ago when they were scared to put a credit card into a website to buy something. You ragged on them or you made jokes behind their backs…Today, you’re in the same exact position your parents were in. Many of you are now hesitant to open a MetaMask account or even a basic Coinbase account. I just want to remind you that you have become your parents — everyone’s worst nightmare 
.
So please, use that line to inspire you to take this article seriously and set up your wallet. The NFT revolution is here and I want you to be ready. I’ve asked my content team, Team GaryVee, to help write the rest of this article in as much detail as possible, so I hope that you enjoy it.
Team GaryVee here 
Hello everyone, and thanks for reading and your interest in Gary’s NFT project! After a strong response to Gary’s What is NFT? article, we wanted to continue the crypto conversation with a guide on how to set up your own cryptocurrency wallet. Starting off with a general overview on wallets and how they work, we’ll then take you through the exact steps you need to take to create a wallet compatible with purchasing not just Gary’s upcoming NFT project, but any NFT that might be of interest to you. We hope our outline will provide you with the knowledge and foundation you need to make your entry into this space as safe and seamless as possible!
WHAT ARE CRYPTOCURRENCY WALLETS?Cryptocurrency wallets are software used to communicate with blockchain networks to safely access, send and receive crypto funds or assets. Simply put, the software stores your crypto just like traditional wallets store your cash and credit cards. Where things get interesting is in the storage mechanism. Unlike fiat money — aka USD, CAD, etc. — which you store in a bank, crypto assets are stored on the blockchain. Just like you use a debit card to access your paper money at an ATM, you use your crypto wallet to access your crypto on the public ledger. The crypto wallet does not actually hold physical items — instead, it holds unique digital passwords or “private keys” which allow you to transact on the blockchain.
Crypto wallets come in the form of devices, mediums or smartphone applications and help you access records of transaction history that are held on the ledger. Simply put, if you want to actually use your crypto, you’ll need a wallet to do so.
CUSTODIAL VS. NON-CUSTODIALWhen it comes to storing your crypto, let’s talk about two options: custodial or non-custodial wallets. Check out this detailed comparison, but we will give you the breakdown here.
Custodial Wallets
Many people make their first crypto purchases on centralized exchanges. These are online marketplaces where you can buy, sell and store a variety of cryptocurrencies. Many of you may have heard of Coinbase, one of the most popular centralized exchanges in the United States and a great option for beginners! Exchanges like Coinbase are known as “custodians” because they have custody over your cryptocurrency. In other words, when you make purchases with the Coinbase app, Coinbase holds your crypto for you in its own “custodial” or “hosted” wallet. This way, Coinbase acts as a third-party with ownership of your private keys, and you are trusting the platform with the responsibility of keeping your crypto safe and secure.
Custodial wallets are a convenient gateway into the crypto world. It’s as simple as signing up for a Coinbase account with your email address, verifying your identity with a photo ID, choosing a strong password and linking your credit card or bank account to start buying. While Coinbase is great for holding small amounts of crypto and buying major cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and Ether, the company does not yet offer NFTs — although they may soon be considering it.
For now, if you want to be able to purchase NFTs, you’ll need to have what is called a non-custodial wallet.
Non-custodial Wallets
For full control over your crypto assets, a non-custodial wallet is your best and safest bet. With these wallets, there is no third-party involved and you are the owner of your own private keys. While this is ideal for security, it also comes with great responsibility. More on the importance of private keys in just a bit. For now, let’s talk about where non-custodial wallets come into play.
Say you have a Coinbase account but you now want full control over your crypto. Good news, you can transfer your crypto holdings from Coinbase into your own non-custodial wallet! This is especially helpful for those of you looking to store large amounts of crypto, or for people looking to purchase NFTs. Since NFTs exist mostly on the Ethereum blockchain, you would need to purchase Ether on Coinbase and then transfer it to your non-custodial wallet, which you would then use to buy an NFT from online marketplaces such as NiftyGateway, OpenSea, Rarible, etc. You can also buy Ether directly using a non-custodial wallet like MetaMask! If you want to be ready for Gary’s upcoming project, MetaMask is what he recommends. Don’t worry, we’ll get you set up by the end of this article
For the purposes of this article, we will be focusing specifically on non-custodial wallets, which come in several options: software (web, mobile or desktop), hardware and paper. Before we dig deeper into each category, let’s explore how wallets actually work.
HOW DO THEY WORK?Every cryptocurrency wallet functions using public keys and private keys. These keys work in tandem to make secure and verifiable cryptocurrency transactions on a blockchain. For definitions of these and more important cryptocurrency terms, check out this guide from One37 or see this more in-depth explanation to learn more about keypairs and encryption. For now, let’s go over the basics.
Public Keys and Addresses
Wallet addresses are derived from a public and private key pair, and identify your account on the blockchain, thus allowing you to receive crypto. Think of an address like an email address — you can share it anywhere! Whoever knows your address can send you crypto. An Ethereum address will always start with 0x and then a string of 40 alphanumeric characters. It may also appear as a scannable QR code.
Private Keys & Seed Phrases
Every public key is mathematically linked to a private key in a unique key pairing. A private key — which appears as a string of alphanumeric characters — is used to digitally sign a transaction to authenticate your transactions on the blockchain. One private key can generate several wallet addresses.
Seed Phrase > Private Key > Public Key > Address
A seed phrase is a group of 12 or 24 words usually generated within the wallet software that can be used to derive your private key. Further, your private key can be used to derive your public key — however, it is important to note that your public key cannot be used to recover your private key or seed phrase. Therefore, guard your private keys and seed phrases with your life! Check out this guide on best practices for storing your seed phrase safely.
WHY YOU SHOULD ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR PRIVATE KEYSIt sounds dramatic, but we cannot stress this enough. Private keys and seed phrases must NEVER be shared with anyone or left susceptible to discovery or theft. Think of a private key like a password or better yet, a PIN number — whoever has it has access to your crypto assets. Why is this so important? Unlike traditional money, stolen crypto is lost forever. There is no bank to call and report the theft; not even the government can help you recover lost or stolen assets. For this reason, when you create a crypto wallet and receive your private key and/or seed phrase, be sure to store it offline in a secret, safe location only accessible to you. Never store your keys in online notebooks unencrypted, or type into any website.
TYPES OF CRYPTOCURRENCY WALLETSRemember, there are a few categories of crypto wallets. Let’s explore each option.
Software Wallets – HOT storage
Software wallets are considered to be “hot storage,” a term referring to any wallet that has been directly connected to the internet. Software wallets can be further broken down into several wallet types — web, mobile and desktop.
WEB WALLETSe.g. MetaMask Chrome extension, Mycrypto.com
Web wallets include both browser extensions and websites, and can be used on most computers with access to the internet. MetaMask browser extension is a great web option generally accepted on all web3 applications. This makes them extremely convenient, however, they are vulnerable to cyber attacks.
e.g. MetaMask Mobile, Rainbow, Argent
Mobile wallets are accessed via smartphone apps. As they are easily downloadable right to your phone or mobile-device, these wallets are great for everyday, on-the-go access and purchases. Just like your computer, you should always keep your phone updated and protected.
e.g. Mycrypto client-side
Desktop wallets are software programs downloaded and installed directly onto your PC or laptop. Private keys are input into this software and never leave the original machine onto which they were downloaded.
While convenient, software or hot wallets are best used only for storing smaller amounts of crypto due to the risk of hackers or viruses.
COLD storage
On the flip side, “cold storage” wallets store your keys independently of an internet connection, providing higher security and protection.
e.g. Ledger, Trezor
One of the most secure options, hardware wallets are physical devices you can buy that allow you to make transactions without exposing your seed phrase or private keys to the internet. Hardware wallets typically look like a USB or thumb drive which you connect to your computer or laptop when making a transaction, and then remove once finished. Since your private keys are stored on the device itself and not on a computer or online platform, hardware wallets are very hard to exploit.
Paper wallets are really just a way to store the private key and public key pair for your account on a piece of paper. They can be a way to store crypto keys you don’t plan to access for a long time, but are generally deemed obsolete in lieu of seed phrases.
WHERE TO GET A CRYPTOCURRENCY WALLETDepending on your specific needs, you can download your crypto wallet to your computer (desktop) or phone (mobile), create it on a web browser (web), buy it from a store (hardware) or print it out (paper). Where you go to get your crypto wallet depends on need and personal preference. Great options include the Rainbow mobile wallet, Ledger or Trezor for hardware or one of our favorites as a browser extension — MetaMask!
MetaMask is an Ethereum wallet available for both web and mobile, and in our opinion, it’s one of the best crypto wallet options on the market and perfect for anyone interested in buying an NFT. Since its launch in 2016, MetaMask has gathered over one million monthly active users and is proving to be a popular, trusted option among Gary’s community:
Want to learn more? Visit the MetaMask FAQ Support page.
HOW TO SET UP A METAMASK WALLET ON DESKTOPHere is how to create a MetaMask desktop wallet via a Chrome extension. You can also use other browsers such as Firefox and Brave.
Go to MetaMask.io Click either of the “Download” buttons on the homepage.Click “Install MetaMask for Chrome.” You will be automatically taken to the Google Chrome web store. Click “Add to Chrome” and add the extension. Once installed, you will be able to view the MetaMask fox head icon in the top right corner of your browser by clicking on the puzzle piece icon. Click “Get Started” and choose between importing an existing wallet or setting up a new one. Let’s assume you don’t have an existing wallet and need to create one. Click “Create a Wallet.” Create and confirm a password according to MetaMask’s guideline of 8 characters minimum. Make sure your password is unique and not being used for anything else. Agree to the terms of use and hit “Create.” Congratulations! You are now the owner of a MetaMask wallet!
Once you’ve created your wallet, you will be able to view your seed phrase (the 12 word sequence used to recover and backup your wallet). Remember, this must be hidden and never shared with anyone. Do not take a picture or screenshot of your seed phrase — instead, write it down immediately on a piece of paper and put it in a secret, safe location or download the seed phrase and keep it on an encrypted hard drive. After documenting your seed phrase, click “Next.” Confirm your seed phrase by clicking on the correct words in the correct order of your 12 word sequence and click “Confirm.” Click “All Done.” Optional – you can leave your new account as “account 1” or choose to rename it.It’s that easy! You can now access your MetaMask wallet via the fox icon in your browser and begin purchasing and receiving crypto! If you already have Ether in your Coinbase, you can use your brand new Ethereum address (the long number at the top of your wallet page starting with 0x…) to transfer them over into your MetaMask wallet. If you don’t have a Coinbase account, you can buy Ether directly through MetaMask in some U.S. states, however, Coinbase is our favorite way to get Ether into your MetaMask wallet at the moment.
HOW TO SET UP A METAMASK WALLET ON MOBILEMetaMask also offers a mobile wallet option for both ios and Android. Here are the steps to use MetaMask on your phone if you’ve already set up the desktop extension:
Download the MetaMask app to your smartphone (App Store for iPhone or Google Play Store for Android). Click “Get Started” Click “Sync with MetaMask extension” Open your MetaMask desktop extension, go to Settings > Advanced, Click on “Sync with Mobile” and enter your password.Using your phone’s camera, scan the QR code to start syncing.Now you will be able to access your MetaMask account from either your desktop or your phone! If you do not have the desktop extension and wish to create your first MetaMask account on mobile, follow the same steps above, but click “Create a new wallet” instead of “Sync with MetaMask extension.” Then, follow the rest of the prompts to choose your password and see and confirm your seed phrase.
If you prefer to keep your crypto in cold storage, you can easily connect a hardware wallet like Ledger or Trezor to MetaMask. This gives you the security of a hardware wallet with the ability to connect with any MetaMask/web3 enabled sites.
IMPORTANT NOTE!
We know that many of you are itching to get started in the NFT world! Be aware that if you want to make an NFT purchase, you need to be set up about a week in advance!
When you initiate a purchase on Coinbase, the platform uses what is called an ACH bank transfer system for payments with your bank account. This means that Coinbase will take *minimally 3 to 5 days to actually complete your transaction and make your Ether available in your account. Therefore, if you’re interested in transferring Ether purchased on Coinbase into your MetaMask, we highly recommend you get set up NOW so you won’t experience any delays. Trust us, come early May, you’ll want to be ready to go!
PS: If you want to avoid the ACH transfer delays, you have the option to wire money from your bank into your Coinbase wallet. Defer to your bank for their specific wire transferring process if you choose to expedite your deposits using a wire transfer.
THE BOTTOM LINEBy now, we hope you have a much more comfortable understanding of how cryptocurrency wallets work and the different options available to you. Remember, safety first! Whichever wallet you choose, always protect your private keys and be mindful of the people with whom you transact.
If you found value in this article, we would love it if you shared with any of your friends who have been asking about purchasing an NFT or setting up their own cryptocurrency wallet.
The post HOW TO MAKE A CRYPTOCURRENCY OR NFT WALLET appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
April 12, 2021
What is NFT? Non-fungible Token Guide
NFT. If you follow me on Instagram, you have heard me using this term a lot over the past few weeks. You may have watched a few videos, liked them and kept scrolling, or you may have asked yourself what has quickly become one of the most popular questions in my comments, DMs, and Twitter mentions: what the hell is an NFT? If that sounds like you, keep reading.
We are in the early days of the NFT world — I’m talking prehistoric — and with that has come both incredible enthusiasm and skepticism. For many, the jury is still out on NFTs and the impact that they will — or won’t — have on society. For me, NFTs represent a revolution that has been a long time coming. Almost ten years ago, I named “virtual currency” as the next big wave. In fact, with the exception of blockchain (which I of course didn’t see coming), I’d even say NFTs were top on my mind back then. Why? — because of Farmville.
On a micro level, Farmville was just a silly game where people planted virtual crops. On a much larger level, however, I watched people spend real dollars to buy virtual sheep, and it flipped a switch in my mind. I understood that our lives were becoming more and more digital and I realized that human beings need to communicate through our purchases. It’s why the fashion industry exists — if we weren’t compelled to send each other messages through the brands and logos we wear, everyone would be dressing the same. What these observations told me was that as technology advances, the things we own in digital form would become the new conversation starters. I knew that many wouldn’t understand because they weren’t able to look past the present moment, but NFTs are a reflection of behavior from a macro human standpoint, and they’re about to cause a bigger wave than anyone could have imagined.
Like the internet in the 1990’s or social media in the early 2000’s, NFTs will go down in history as one of the most significant things to happen in modern technology and culture at large. Big statement — I know — so let me tell you why I’m so excited. For me, NFTs are the coalescence of many of my lifelong interests: collecting, trading/flipping, business, creativity and building community. Like entrepreneurship, wine, sports cards and social media, they’re going to become another “home” that will allow me to present a side of myself that many of you don’t normally see. Stay tuned for more on that later .
For now, understand that I’ve only just begun talking publicly about NFTs, but I have spent the last few months watching, listening, and learning. There have been countless hours spent discussing and going down rabbit holes with some folks just as amped up as I am — people like Scott Belsky, Kevin Rose, Matty aka DCLBlogger and more. I’m entering the NFT arena with a lot of enthusiasm, but also with tons of humility and respect for those who have truly been in the dirt. I’m here to respect the landscape and learn, first and foremost, and I encourage you to do the same.
That being said, I truly hope this article will be a foundational guide for any of you who are green to the NFT space, or who simply want to understand my take on just how significant this shift really is.
WHAT EXACTLY IS AN NFT?NFT stands for “non-fungible token,” but what the hell does that actually mean? Check out this comprehensive beginner’s guide from One37, but I’ll give you a breakdown from my own POV here:
NFTs are best understood as unique digital assets, and they exist in a variety of industries from digital art and virtual real estate to collectibles, gaming and more. Basically, any type of media can be minted or tokenized and turned into an NFT: art, trading cards, memes, gifs, video clips, audio clips, tweets, this article — anything. Once tokenized, these assets can be bought, sold and traded using cryptocurrency.
FUNGIBLE VS. NON-FUNGIBLEFungibility basically means interchangeable; any two units that can be evenly exchanged are fungible. For instance, a $5 bill is fungible because two separate $5 bills hold the exact same value, and so for all intents and purposes, they are the same. On the other hand, let’s think about two Jordan Fleer 1986 rookie cards. They may present the same to the outside world, but they are definitely not interchangeable. Even if they look almost identical, there are distinguishing factors that tell them apart — like their centering, the coloring and the sharpness of their corners.
An NFT is a digital certificate representing a one-of-a-kind asset, just like a one-of-a-kind rookie card. Even if two assets appear identical, the metadata on the non-fungible token provides a stamp of authenticity that allows us to tell them apart. Still confused? No problem. Watch me explain NFTs in 60 seconds:
HOW DO NFTS WORK?For a detailed overview on how to create, buy and sell NFTs, I highly recommend you do more research, but allow me to give you the punch line.
Creating NFTs
It all starts with a piece of content. This could be a photo, a drawing, a video clip…you name it. It can be an original, like a drawing or doodle you make yourself, or something already in existence, like the viral Doggface208 TikTok.
Ethereum Blockchain
Once created, that piece of content is “minted” on the blockchain — in other words, it is turned into an NFT. A blockchain is an official ledger shared by thousands of computers, in this case storing a record of NFT ownership and transaction history. You can check out this in-depth blockchain guide, but for now, just know that most NFTs are part of the Ethereum blockchain. Once you officially create an NFT, it now lives in your digital wallet. Technically, nothing is stopping anyone from downloading or replicating your NFT from the internet…we drag and drop gifs and memes all the time — BUT the blockchain confirms your provenance aka proves your ownership of the original and authentic NFT. A common comparison is the Mona Lisa. Just like the one-and-only Mona Lisa exists only at the Louvre, your one-and-only NFT exists on the blockchain, and no copy, however exact, holds the same value.
Once on the blockchain, your NFT is accessed using a wallet. This digital wallet is just the software which decrypts a seed phrase to access the account or address. That account or address is then listed as the owner of the NFT within the NFT contract, and that contract lives on Ethereum.
Selling NFTs
Next, you can choose to place your NFT up for sale. Check out this list of the most popular NFT marketplaces, but some you may have heard of include Nifty Gateway, OpenSea, Rarible and Makersplace. Within these marketplaces, buyers can either place bids or purchase your NFT for a listed price.
Collecting NFTs
Alternatively, you could choose to buy and collect NFTs that you like or deem to be valuable, like pokemon or sports cards. If you think an NFT will appreciate in value over time, you might even hang onto it and decide to flip it down the line.
THE VALUE OF NFTSYou might still be wondering why NFTs are such a big deal. In my opinion, the value of NFTs comes from three things: utility, access and social currency. If you understand the concept behind membership cards, rewards on credit cards, tickets to VIP access-only events, you understand NFTs. If you’ve ever purchased skins or other virtual items for your video games, you understand NFTs. The reason you wanted that item was to be a utility in a world that you cared about, or to have the clout and bragging rights amongst your friends and others. NFTs are going to extend that same utility and “flex” of social currency to everything else.
The reason people are buying NFTs is the same reason people wear clothes with designer logos, drive luxury cars or hang pictures on their wall with important people. It’s the same reason people care about blue checks on Instagram. Years down the line, I believe that we will all be checking out each other’s digital wallets and bonding over the mutual interests in our NFT purchases. Everyone will have some kind of NFT project, the same way everyone has a social media account.
WHAT CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS AN NFT?
Basically anything can be an NFT. If it can exist digitally, it can be tokenized. Right now, much of the NFT buzz is coming from digital artwork. Instead of canvas and paint, many artists who create their works on the computer now have the option of minting their creations into NFTs. For example, “The First 5,000 days” — a piece by digital artist Mike Winkelmann aka Beeple — recently sold for $69 million at renowned auction house, Christie’s. Even memes are becoming art in NFT land, with a token of the popular Nyan Cat meme selling for $590,000.
The first ever tweet — a 2006 one-liner by Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey — sold for $2.9 million, and even the NBA is getting in on the action with their NBA Top Shot marketplace. NBA Top Shot allows users to buy, sell and trade video clips of specific NBA highlights, like a LeBron James clip that recently sold for $200,000.
ARE NFTS A FAD?NFTs represent a major cultural change, and history teaches us that with change comes mass skepticism and confusion. Many who have scoffed at the idea or viability of NFTs have simply not yet understood the larger implications. Like the concept of online dating in the ‘90s or riding in cars with strangers (Uber and Lyft), every idea is “crazy” until it’s not. NFTs will continue to be viewed as a “fad” by those who haven’t yet made the mindset switch to embrace where the world is headed.
SHOULD YOU INVEST IN NFTS?That being said, NFTs are still an incredibly new market, and I implore you to exercise extreme caution with investing, especially in these early days. In fact, I believe that the vast majority of current or upcoming NFT projects are vulnerable to not being successful investments down the line. Why? People right now are very motivated by the quick buck. Many will rush in and buy projects just because someone has told them something will be worth lots of money later. The truth is that we are looking at a major supply and demand issue — there is going to be more supply over the next six months in NFT projects than anyone can comprehend, and most of it will be short-term transactions. If you take one piece of advice from me, it would be to only go for projects you truly believe to be long term plays.
Let me say this again one more time to make sure it’s super clear. Please do not act like NFTs are now a land grab to some quick cash. Many are going to end up getting burned from their purchases when a few months later their NFTs are down 80%. Instead, educate yourself and decide what projects or individuals you truly believe in.
Horses & Jockeys
So, how do you evaluate your choices? I think of it as horses and jockeys. The underlying data, my personal enjoyment of the NFT and subjective opinion on its creative value — that’s the horse, but it’s also crucial to look at the jockey…aka who is the human behind this project? Do you believe in them and their ability to cultivate a real community with real excitement behind their work? I think it’s the artists that genuinely care about their communities that will win, and those will be the projects that stick around for the long haul.
IS ALL THIS A BUBBLE?As for those worried the bubble will pop, I say to sit tight. NFTs right now are in the same place that the internet stocks were in ‘98 to 2000. When the dot-com bubble burst and the stock market collapsed in March of 2000, everyone dismissed the internet, but that’s when I tripled down and it changed my life. Will there be a crash of NFT projects that are selling for lots of money right now? Absolutely. Will it eliminate the NFT market? I really doubt it. On a micro level, we’re looking at lots of risk, but if you zoom out, we’re looking at revolution.
PROS AND CONS OF NFTSWhen it comes to cons, there is going to be a lot of short term thinking, money lost, and high emotions. It’s also important to note the ongoing discussion surrounding the adverse effects of NFTs on the environment. Still, I am bullish on NFTs because I believe they represent a culture shift that will positively impact society in a number of ways.
For one, NFTs will help everyday people realize their true destiny as artists. The same way that social media and the influencer space turned many into personalities and experts, NFTs will open the door for so many people with artistic inclinations to explore avenues they never saw coming or thought possible. I am confident that we’ll see many teachers, salespeople and accountants making the transition to a happy, healthy career in this space.
Secondly, NFTs are a major shift for IP ownership. The fact that artists will continue to get royalties from the resale of their digital works will empower creators in a way we haven’t seen before. I think this will lead to a shift in the way art is perceived in general. Art will start to be viewed as a practical life path, and actually encouraged by skeptics and parents of creatives.
TAKEAWAYSNFTs represent a major shift in culture and modern technology akin to the introduction of the internet or web 2.0 and social. Wild over-supply will lead to the collapse of a majority of NFT projects launched in the next few years, but the market will remain long-term.Crypto art will create immense opportunity for artists to capitalize on their IP, and for everyday people to discover their artistic callings.When it comes to the world of NFTs — or anything, really — I say, have conviction, don’t convince. In other words, I’m not here to persuade you why NFTs matter or to push you to make any purchases. I’m just a consumer of human behavior who is massively excited to see where this takes us. Keep your eyes open 
.
I hope you were able to find some value in this article. If so, do me a favor and consider sharing on your favorite platform!
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April 8, 2021
Team GaryVee: Now Hiring Freelancers Globally
Hi everyone, this is Team GaryVee!
Whenever we are looking to hire, the most frequently asked question is “Are you hiring internationally?” And now, for the first time ever, the answer is now YES!
We are looking for kind, ambitious, talented, curious individuals who know Gary’s content like no other and are driven experts of social media! If you’re ready to dominate and are confident in your abilities to bring impact and add value to Gary’s brand, keep reading.
Below are our open positions and links to apply!
Team GaryVee Post Creative StrategistResponsibilities
Understands the pulse of Gary Vaynerchuk and Team GaryVee’s community.Ongoing monitoring of brand’s social channels & relevant online conversations looking for highest impact opportunities to engage (including proactive identification of conversations & communities strategically and creatively relevant for the brand).
Continuous active listening by responding to comments, responses, DM’s, etc. in a meaningful way, focused on a positive social experience.
Analyze brand and cultural signals to fuel creative output for Team GaryVee.
Lead surprise & delight initiatives across social channels.
Going beyond basic tracking to analyzing and drawing hypotheses, including providing regular observations + recommendations on the next steps.
Seek opportunities to insert the brand in social conversation, whether around relevant trending topics/news or engaging with social influencers/celebrities/other brands. Team GaryVee PCS Apply HERE Team GaryVee CreatorUses and creates on social media dailyHas an ability to make relevant content across all platforms and has extraordinary skills in at least one if not all of these: design, video editing, social media copywriting Videography or design education OR equivalent relevant experience, all applicants will be asked to provide recent content examples from social media accountsShows a demonstrable passion, curiosity and experience in making creative content on social media platforms – Tweets, TikTok videos, Instagram visuals, Youtube editsProficient in one or many of the Adobe Creative Suite programs and eager to continue to learn and evolve in other efficient and effective ways to make social first content: Adobe Creative Suite, mobile creator apps and in app editing (Instagram story creation, TikTok editing etc.) Responsible, accountable, deeply passionate about their own personal interests and hobbies, and of course kind, compassionate and empathetic because you love the magic of collaboration Team GaryVee Creator Apply HERE NOTE ON THE HIRING TIMELINE:
This is a rolling admissions process. We want to encourage qualified and interested applicants to apply to show your interest. When the hiring need arises, we will reach out to you for next steps, which will be a timed content creation challenge. We appreciate your interest and patience.
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April 6, 2021
What is Social Listening and Why is it Important?
Oftentimes, people tend to think I don’t listen because of how much I talk. The truth is, for every second you don’t see me talking, I am listening intently.
Listening informs everything I do from the content I put out to the investments I make, and I take my cues straight from the source: consumers. Whether in business or in life, I have a genuine interest in human beings and what makes them tick. I’m always looking to understand what people are giving their attention to and why. While most brands and businesses are drowning their audiences in self-interested messaging and content, I know the real magic is in the trenches with real people doing hand-to-hand combat — reading and learning as I respond to comments, DMs, emails, tweets, and text messages. Since my early days at Wine Library, “social listening” has been the foundation of my business career.
We are living through the humanization of business. It’s no longer enough to just say how much you value your customers — you have to actually live it by providing real value and utility. The question then becomes, how can you serve an audience if you don’t know them? — their likes, dislikes, the stuff they think is amazing, and the stuff they think absolutely sucks. Social media gives you a direct line to all of the above. What this means for you is that there is an unprecedented amount of free market research available to you at any moment, if you’re willing to pay attention.
WHAT EXACTLY IS SOCIAL LISTENING? Let me paint you a picture. Imagine that you’ve walked into a coffee shop and sat down next to a couple. They happen to be talking about your brand. What are the chances that you would sit there quietly? Absolutely none. I guarantee that you would introduce yourself, thank them for their business, and join the conversation. The benefit of social listening is that it presents this same exact opportunity, but online and at scale. Every Twitter mention, hashtag, Instagram comment or DM is yet another coffee shop conversation you get to join.
Social listening is the process of mining social media platforms and websites for mentions or conversations about your brand, products or services, industry, or competitors, and using those insights to frame your next steps. Listening holds the keys to everything you need to know about how your brand, product, or service is being received, as well as emerging trends and how consumers actually feel. Ignore it, and you leave behind invaluable information. Use it correctly, and you’ll learn how to maximize your content creation, product development, customer service, and marketing so that it resonates with your target audience.
Here is some of the information you can track with social listening:
Your brand/business name and social media handles Your productsYour branded hashtagsYour slogansRelevant unbranded hashtags Industry-specific keywordsCompetitors’ brand names/handles/products/slogansAnalyzing this information allows you to understand social sentiment, or how people are feeling about your brand. More importantly, it lets you understand it in real time. I can’t stress enough how vital this is, but let me put it into context.
Where is the first place people typically go to search something? Google, right? If you ask me, the better answer would be Twitter. Twitter search is the lowest-hanging fruit when it comes to social listening. Literally, go to Twitter.com/search, type in a keyword, hit enter, and you can now see exactly what’s being said about your brand at any given moment. Better yet, you can respond! Google is great, but it doesn’t allow you to create context and build real relationships with the end user. If you want to up your social listening game, Twitter search is the key.
Real time search and real time listening is my favorite way to get consumer insights at scale. There are lots of resources available — check out this list of the best social media listening tools…however, there’s a ton you can do on your own. Just dig in.
SOCIAL LISTENING GUIDELet’s take a deeper dive into how social listening can dramatically impact your content, product, personal brand or business.
FIND YOUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSThe goal is not just to learn how awesome people think you are, it’s to gain information that will help you better serve your community. Something I like to do is simply ask what people want to know:
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
For example, this Instagram post garnered over 5,000 comments. That’s over 5,000 questions from my followers that can now fuel future content. By actively reading and responding to the topics people want to hear about, I now have an arsenal of potential topics for upcoming blog posts, podcast episodes, Instagram lives, reels, and more.
FIND YOUR CUSTOMERS’ MOST COMMON ISSUESFrom general pain points to specific frustrations with your brand, product, or service, social listening gives you a window into your community’s biggest issues. When you can identify their problems, you better position yourself to address their concerns or offer solutions. For example, I make a good deal of content encouraging young adults to move out and experience life beyond their parents’ roof. How did I know this would resonate? Social listening. Through reading a ridiculous amount of comments every single day, I learned that more and more 20-30 year olds were stressed or insecure about the fact that their parents were funding their lives. I recognized that as a major paint point and used the insight to inform my content strategy.
MONITOR BRAND HEALTH The best thing about social listening is that the results are neutral. It allows you to monitor your brand health, or in other words, keep tabs on overall public perception — positive or negative. People are often quick to dismiss negative commenters as “trolls,” but I have a different perspective. Sure, 9 out of 10 times, rude or negative comments come from people who are insecure or looking to get a reaction, but 1 out of 10 times, it’s actually something constructive…and you need to hear it all.
The best social listening approach means taking the bad with the good and using both to make your brand or product better. Positive comments don’t mean you have nothing to improve upon, and public perception can shift at any moment. The minute you become complacent is the minute you’re not actively listening. Remember, the purpose of sentiment analysis isn’t to stroke your ego, it’s to extract actionable feedback to improve the customer experience.
COMPETITOR ANALYSISAnother invaluable benefit is access to insights about your competitors, or simply your industry as a whole. I’m not a fan of paying too much attention to what others are doing, but it’s always good to have an idea of where you stand. What are people saying about comparable brands, products, or services? Where are they excelling and where are they falling short? These are the types of questions and insights that truly live in the comment sections and social feeds.
FIND TOP INFLUENCERS AND AMBASSADORS IN YOUR INDUSTRYIf you want to read more on how to grow your business on social, check out my blog on influencer marketing. For now, let’s discuss two strong examples of how to find influencers using native tools on social platforms. First, you can search by town. On Instagram, enter the name of a town and you can see every single photo that was posted broken down into most popular and most recent posts. Find someone in your niche and DM them: “Hey! We love your profile and would like to work with you!” It’s that simple.
Alternatively, you can find influencers or brand ambassadors through hashtags. Go to Instagram and search your branded hashtags or those related to your industry and engage with people that are sharing posts. Spend a couple of hours on this every day and you’ll be amazed at the amount of underpriced distribution and awareness available to you.
CREATE DEEPER CONNECTIONS WITH YOUR CUSTOMERSFinally, social listening comes down to giving back. We are living in a Thank You Economy, and the best marketing strategy is to care! One of my favorite ways to provide value is through surprise and delight. For more on the power of S&D, check out this case study, but the most important takeaway here is that social media is a great tool to find out about your community’s interests and build authentic connections. Talk to people, find out what they love, and figure out how you can use it to offer value, solve a problem, or just brighten someone’s day. Trust me, it goes a long way.
WHY SOCIAL LISTENING MATTERSSocial listening boils down to a few key things:
It eliminates the guesswork. When you’re actively listening, you don’t have to wonder what will resonate — you know, because you’ve been paying attention.It allows you to join larger conversations. Social listening removes you from your brand bubble and lets you view things within the context of bigger cultural conversations. When you’re properly informed about your target audience’s values, interests, and concerns, you ensure that your brand remains relevant and conscious while avoiding missteps that could lead to a PR crisis. It shows that you care. Consumer attention is a privilege, not a right. If you want to keep it, you have to actually give a damn about those you claim to serve…and the best service comes from listening.This is about real people and real opinions in real time. Tune in and listen up!
Thanks for reading! If you found this post helpful, please consider sharing it with a friend!
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April 1, 2021
How to Quit a Job Professionally
People say “winners never quit and quitters never win.” Actually, I think there’s a great argument for quitting the shit you’re not good at, or the shit you just downright hate. For many people, it’s their boring, unexciting, dead-end job. This is not me bashing 9-to-5 jobs. In fact, I think they get a bad rep.
If you’ve found a place that you love going to every day where the culture is exciting, the people are warm and welcoming, and you have a great work-life balance, you’ve struck gold. That’s exactly what I’m working to build within VaynerMedia. If that isn’t the case, however, you need to ask yourself why you’re staying in a situation where you’re unhappy and give yourself permission to quit.
Quitting is only taboo because people have their priorities screwed up. Too many people think they can’t quit only because they need their job to pay for dumb stuff to impress people they don’t even like. When you stop living based on other people’s opinions, you start to see that quitting can actually be a strategic move. Worst case scenario, you disappoint some people or you regret your decision. The good news is you can always get another job. Stop looking for permission from mom, dad, your partner, society, or people on social media and go live the life you want. If it means less money now for more happiness later, so be it. Why are you not willing to take one step backwards to take a step forward for the rest of your life? 
That being said, quitting isn’t always the answer. Before you make a rash decision, do a self-accountability check and ask yourself how you might be contributing to your own unhappiness at your job. Unfortunately, a lot of people are non-confrontational and end up leaving jobs without first trying to find a resolution. If you don’t communicate your dissatisfaction with kind candor, you miss potential opportunities for the organization to address your concerns.
I urge you to think it through seriously and take a practical look at the realities of leaving your job. If you quit, be prepared to work and understand that things typically get a lot harder before they get better. Quitting your job is your decision, which means no one else should suffer the consequences besides you — aka, don’t expect mom and dad to fund your life. You might need to downgrade your lifestyle and get happy living on less. Many people romanticize the idea of quitting, but in reality, they lack the humility to go backwards financially.
I’m not here to convince you one way or the other, but if you decide to quit, I want you to be as prepared as possible. If you’ve weighed your options and decided to leave, here’s my advice on how to go about quitting your job professionally.
WHEN TO QUIT YOUR JOBEveryone gets stressed about work sometimes, but how do you know when it’s truly time to quit? In my opinion, it’s always a good idea to quit your job when you are genuinely unhappy. If you’ve gone months where you’re dreading going into work every day, that means something’s not right. Sustained unhappiness is not something to accept or endure — you don’t win any prizes for making yourself miserable. You only get one life!
Consider what you’re really giving up by staying in that job — your time, your energy, and your life. Each of these is a much more valuable asset than money. Of course, I understand that people have bills and responsibilities; I’m not arguing that money isn’t important. However, there are too many people keeping terrible jobs just so they can drive a luxury car, have a designer wardrobe, or take a first-class trip. The truth is, none of that is worth trading the chance to be truly fulfilled. Money is never a good enough reason to hate your life Monday through Friday.
On the flip side, you should definitely not quit your job just because you think the grass is greener on the other side. Many people turn to entrepreneurship and fall into the trap where they arbitrarily decide that they’re awesome, only to later find out that the market doesn’t value them the way they value themselves. Now that society has made entrepreneurs cool, many people are vastly underestimating how hard it is to work for yourself. The truth is, it’s easy to quit your job and start a business, but it’s super difficult to actually be good enough to be successful and scale.
I’ll let you in on a secret: the world plays in the middle, but all the action is in the edges. In other words, successful entrepreneurs operate in the extremes. They work longer hours, take more risks, and swallow more failures than your average person is willing to go through. Step one of quitting is having the self-awareness to know whether entrepreneurship is really your calling or just a sexy daydream.
TIMINGWhen it comes to timing, you have two options:
Wait until you’re in a stable enough situation for your own life.Leave your job and live way more humbly (aka, get roommates or move back home).Ultimately, it’s up to you — take whichever lane feels right. For some, that means preparing and saving enough money to live comfortably. For others, it means jumping and finding your parachute on the way down. If you absolutely can’t stand to stay any longer, be prepared to move to a smaller apartment or move back in with mom and dad. Remember, there’s no shame in downsizing or taking a strategic step backwards. It’s all about prioritizing.
GIVING NOTICEEven if you hate your job, you should always give advance notice — and make sure your boss is the first person to hear about it. People will often break the news to friends and coworkers first. If you do this, you run the risk of it circulating through the grapevine and pissing off your higher-ups. Skip the drama and make sure your boss and HR are the first to know. The standard practice is two weeks’ notice at minimum, but it’s generally good practice to give a few weeks or even months’ notice if you are in a particularly vital role.
HOW TO TELL YOUR BOSS YOU’RE QUITTINGTelling your boss that you’re leaving the company is uncomfortable, but it’s a conversation that should be managed head-on. Whatever your reason is — it’s not a good fit, you’ve decided to switch careers, you’re interested in other opportunities — be upfront but gracious. I strongly recommend having a face to face meeting if possible. This is less about being respectful or cordial to your boss, and more about potential opportunity for you. Over the years, I’ve seen that people who resign in person are more likely to receive counter offers on the spot. Sometimes, that in-person interaction leads to a little more money or a show of compassion that you wouldn’t have gotten otherwise, and it may even cause you to reconsider. You never know.
If, however, an in-person meeting isn’t an option, email is more than fine. Send an official resignation letter to your boss and/or the head of the HR department. The key thing to note is it’s important to be clear but kind. State your resignation and list your last date of work, but also express gratitude for the opportunity. Even if it sucked, it at least taught you what you don’t want out of life — be grateful for that! If you’re asked to do an exit interview, this is your time to give constructive feedback. Best case scenario, the company will consider your input and rethink their operations or culture to make things better for the next hire.
WRAP UP AND SMOOTH TRANSITIONINGFinally, it’s always a good idea to use your final days to create a smooth transition, both for yourself and for the person stepping into your role. Save and clear any necessary documents off of your work devices, set up farewell coffee dates with your favorite coworkers, and tie up any loose ends on projects you’ve worked on. Offer to train your replacement, and consider compiling a resource guide to help them through the onboarding process. This will not only help that person, but it will make the process easier for your co-workers who may have to take on your duties until a new hire is brought on.
Ultimately, your life is up to you. I can’t tell you whether it’s right or wrong to quit your job, but if you’re reading this blog, I think you might already have your answer.
Thank you for reading! If you got any value from this article, I would love it if you would share it on your favorite platforms!
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March 29, 2021
How Does Instagram Work? Everything You Need to Know
There is no denying that Instagram has been at the center of consumer attention across the world for the last several years. In fact, just last year it came in third place for the most popular social apps in the world, behind only parent-company Facebook, and new competitor TikTok — which became the most time-consuming app of 2020.
While some wonder whether Instagram will stay relevant or join the social media graveyard, the app’s continual evolution as a product sweep is undeniable. With innovations like Instagram Checkout, users will soon be able to complete a shopping experience fully within the app. Passing the one billion users milestone, Instagram is still going strong, but I think many are missing the real value.
First, a little background. Instagram launched on October 6, 2010 thanks to Stanford University grads, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. Originally called Burbn, it was later renamed Instagram (“instant” + “telegram”) after the duo zeroed in on what really made their app stand out — photo-sharing and filters. While microblogging site Tumblr was hot at the time, Instagram stole the attention with its mobile approach in the era of smartphones, and filters that turned average Joes into photographers. I knew Instagram was a gamechanger in the making, and even predicted on that it would be bought by Facebook back in January 2012. Just a few months later, I was right. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg bought the app for $1 billion less than two years after its launch, and everybody laughed — except for me. Check me out on this clip from CNN where we discuss my prediction.
What the critics didn’t see was Zuckerberg’s apt ability to capture and understand consumer attention, plus Instagram’s long term ability to drive culture. If we can get beyond the vanity metrics, there’s lots of value to be gained. This is not a beginner’s guide, instruction manual, or helpful hack. It’s also not How To Get More Followers On Instagram, which I’ve written about before. This is more my personal take on how Instagram works, why it’s important, and how to use it for your advantage.
Too many people treat Instagram like their own personal art gallery. They’re so hung up on followers that half of them are posting for aesthetics, and the other half are too scared to post at all. This isn’t about perfection, it’s about purpose. If you have a personal brand, product, or service, you need to be in the trenches — posting often, answering comments, sending messages. Still, I get lots of questions on how to use the features and make an impact, so I’ve written this article to teach you everything you need to know.
WHY INSTAGRAM?Before Instagram, everyone could take photos, but not everyone could take good photos. The advent of Instagram filters provided a utility that allowed users to make bad pictures good, and good pictures even better. Better yet, they could do it all on the go thanks to the mobile app. Evolving from images to 60-second videos, Instagram has continued to turn out updates people love (or love to hate)!
Since 2010, Instagram has developed into a virtual magazine where people share their “best” lives: accomplishments, selfies, favorite products, musicians, and breaking news. The app is bigger than individuals; it’s amazing for businesses as well, hitting 1.16 billion in potential audience reach for advertisers in 2020. What does this mean? Instagram isn’t supplementary to a strong marketing approach, it’s central. Think of it like this. Instagram is the new website; it’s the face your business puts out into a world dominated by social media, where users use apps like search engines to vet their next purchase… all before they even visit your website.
Before we dive in, I want to stress something. A good content strategy blends two things: art and math. Art is content. It’s the photos, videos, and words you create. Math is analytics — how many shares, likes, and leads did you get? The reason people struggle on Instagram (or any platform) is that they prioritize either the qualitative or the quantitative without marrying the two. They go hand in hand. It’s about being creative and making lots of relevant content, and then running the media behind it to get it seen. Gone are the days when brands could win on organic alone. It can happen occasionally, but it’s a much longer game. If you don’t have the budget for paid, just know that winning on Instagram will be a marathon.
Now, let’s talk features. Understanding the platform features and how to leverage them is what will give you a leg up in this competitive landscape. Not only is Instagram constantly pushing out new updates, — check out this staggering list of Instagram updates since January 2020 — but it has also replicated other popular apps as functionality into its ecosystem. While some disapprove, I think it’s super smart. Case in point: if Instagram didn’t come out with their own version of Snapchat’s “stories” feature back in 2016, Snapchat would be the biggest platform in the world. Today, Instagram is trying to recapture that same magic with reels — their answer to the explosive popularity of TikTok. Rather than reinventing the wheel, Instagram takes cues from what’s working outside aka capturing attention and brings it home.
Now, let’s dive into the various features that Instagram offers.
CONTENT FORMATS:IMAGESPost photos from your camera roll or take an original photo in-app. Once uploaded into Instagram, choose from a library of filters for that finishing touch. While Instagram allows photos of varying sizes, a ratio of 4×5 is best because it takes up the most real estate on someone’s screen. More real estate equals more attention.
VIDEOSInstagram’s short-form video originally capped at 15 seconds. In-feed videos (meaning vids that show up on your profile and in your followers’ feeds) have since been upgraded to 60 seconds.
REELS“Reels” is one of Instagram’s most recent features, hitting our phones in August 2020 and allowing users to have fun pairing mult-clip videos with a variety of filters, text, audio, and music clips. Unlike in-feed video posts, reels max out at 30 seconds (originally 15) and won’t be shared to your personal Instagram feed unless you choose. Instead, they live in a separate dedicated reels feed which can be accessed by the center button of Instagram’s home page, or on the top right of the explore page.
IGTVIGTV is Instagram’s long-form content, where users can post videos up to 15 minutes (from their phones) and up to 1 hour (from the website). If you choose, IGTV videos can be added in-feed with a preview clip of the first 15 seconds before viewers have the option to click and watch the full video.
CAROUSELSIn 2017, Instagram launched carousel posts, where users can upload up to 10 photos or videos (or a combination) to one in-feed post, thus creating mini-albums for followers to swipe through.
STORIESInstagram’s stories feature allows users to post 15-second clips that disappear after 24 hours. Instagram stories are then archived so you can revisit them later. A great way to supplement in-feed posts, they are a huge source of engagement with 500 million people viewing Instagram stories every day as of January 2019. Users can experiment with adding stickers and gifs for a more engaging experience, drive traffic to in-feed posts, or direct followers to a specific website with swipe-up links (available for users with 10K followers or more).
LIVES/ROOMSThe livestream feature allows you to broadcast live video from your phone while followers leave comments in real time. Originally limited to two users, Instagram introduced “Instagram Rooms” just earlier this month, letting up to four people go live together.
DIRECT MESSAGESKnown as DMs, Instagram’s original direct messaging feature has since been replaced with an embed of Facebook’s Messenger app, allowing users to send private messages, photos, or videos to their friends. I think DMs are stunningly effective and wildly underrated for networking, and gaining access to people you might not normally have a line to. For instance, check out this clip of a fan named Justin who landed a job at Vayner by shooting his shot in my DMs:
INSTAGRAM SHOPInstagram shopping allows businesses to host a digital storefront, and lets customers make purchases straight from the app. Easily accessible from the main navigation bar, the shop feature allows users to tap product tags to view prices, save for later, add to cart, and buy.
GUIDESInstagram guides are kind of like the app’s version of a blog, allowing users to curate existing text, photo, and video content together in lists of recommendations for their followers. You can then click into each post within a guide to learn more.
HOW INSTAGRAM WORKS: DISTRIBUTION & ANALYTICSIf features tell you what kinds of content you can make, distribution and analytics tell you where that content lives and how it performs. Again, it’s about the math.
DISTRIBUTIONLet’s take a look at all the different places where your content can live within Instagram:
In-feed In storiesIn explore In search and hashtagsIn messagesContent that exists in-feed, in stories, or in your messages is typically only viewed by people who follow your Instagram account. On the other hand, content that lands on the explore page or that you group under specific hashtags may be found by Instagram users outside of your community.
For even more reach, you have several options:
Pay — Run an ad on Instagram to promote a specific post and drive traffic back to your profile or website. You can also pick your desired audience with customizable targeting. Use influencer marketing — Instead of paying Instagram, pay an influencer to promote your product or service to their following. Influencer marketing is a wildly valuable and underpriced tool that you can learn more about in my recent article, What Is Influencer Marketing?Pay with your TIME — My favorite method is to roll up your sleeves and put in the work through commenting and relationship building. I call it The $1.80 Instagram Strategy To Grow Your Business Or Brand, and all it means is you leave your $0.02 on the top 9 trending posts for 10 relevant hashtags. Every. Damn. Day. Why? Nothing crushes on social media like actually being social. Try it out. ANALYTICSAnalytics provide important data on how your content performs. It’s important to note that only business or creator accounts are able to access specific analytics. These accounts can do everything personal accounts can, but with the added benefit of running promotions, ads, and accessing data. Unlike personal accounts which can be set to private, business pages are public. Here are the insights that Instagram provides for analytics:
Followers – number of followers gained or lost, as well as your followers’ top locations, gender, age range, and most active times on the appReach – how many unique accounts have seen your contentImpressions – how many times your content has been viewed in totalShares SavesCommentsLikesRemember, it’s vital that you actually like what you post. For example, if your skateboard trick videos get lots of love on Instagram but you hate skateboarding, don’t force it just for the likes. Your content should be true to who you are first and foremost, but it should also resonate with your community. Analytics will tell you how well that’s happening based on quantitative results, and allow you to test new things, or rinse and repeat what’s working within your content strategy.
TAKEAWAYSIf you’ve made it this far, let’s recap some key points:
How long Instagram sticks around is irrelevant. What matters is that it’s here now and providing massive value to a huge audience. Ignore the vanity metrics. Instagram is not an art gallery. A strong social strategy means knowing that creative and media go hand-in-hand. Art and math. Social media should be social
Whether you’re building a personal brand or marketing your business, show the human side. You can have the best product, service, or content in the world. None of it means a thing if you’re not creating impact. On Instagram — and any platform, really — that boils down to being human and using soft-skills. Posting a photo takes nothing, but building a community means responding to comments and messages, and providing free value. It means giving your $1.80 strategically, but also with empathy, kindness, and gratitude. Being human will take you far.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this article and think it provided value, I’d love for you to share it on your favorite platform!
The post How Does Instagram Work? Everything You Need to Know appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
March 19, 2021
How to Start a Podcast: Complete Step-by-Step Guide
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – every influencer and individual interested in producing content, building a brand, starting or growing a business, selling a product, service, or idea should learn how to start a podcast. I have been preaching the power of podcasts and voice technology for the last four or five years. Podcasts and audio-first consumption are clearly exploding, and they’re one of the best ways to get started creating or diversifying your content. From iTunes to Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio and more, there are plenty of platforms out there to help you spread your voice – literally.
Why are podcasts so important? I recently wrote an article on “The Rise of Audio and Voice” that you can read to understand my $.02, but here’s the gist. As multitasking culture continues to grow, podcasts take on a more important role in our everyday lives. We all care about our time and if there’s a way to save some, we’ll do it. Just like music or audiobooks, podcasts can be consumed while doing laundry, going to the gym, washing the dishes, or just relaxing. They’re a great way to learn something new, catch up on news, or be entertained. In a newly remote world, podcasts also recapture the magic of live events. Start a podcast, and you can safely bring together a panel of experts and offer value to your audience from anywhere in the world. For anyone serious about growth in 2021, podcasting is no longer a “maybe” – it’s a “must.” Get with it.
More and more of you are getting on board. I get dozens of emails each week asking me how I produce The GaryVee Audio Experience, my Alexa Skills, and my newest addition #podSessions, which is a new show made directly for my audio experience. I thought I would have my audio engineer Seth give you his POV and the knowledge he has gained since producing my podcast firsthand. There’s no one better to explain how to start a podcast than him, so I hope you enjoy
Hi – I’m Seth!
I produce Gary’s podcast The GaryVee Audio Experience, as well as his Alexa skill, GaryVee 365, and other projects within the VaynerX world. I’ve been playing with audio since high school, majored in it in college at SUNY Purchase, but really learned everything through trial and error. If you’re just here looking for the list of gear I use, it can be found HERE. To get you thinking about how you can scale your content, here’s how we approach the podcasts.
A podcast is inherently a piece of digital audio content that’s available for digital download or streaming consumption.
When it comes down to it, the only things you REALLY need to start a podcast are a cell phone or computer, an internet connection, and something to talk about
The general workflow: Ideate, Record, Edit, Upload.
1. IDEA & OUTLINEOnce you have a topic in mind, before you jump in and start to record, take some time and think about how you want your show to flow. Is it segmented? Is it just you, or you and a friend? Do you have guests? Remote interviews? Is it more like a talk show? You should start to think about a cadence, so your podcast listeners know when to expect the next episode – weekly? Monthly? Once you’ve nailed this down, move on.
2. THE SOFTWAREThe absolute easiest way to start a podcast if you have a smartphone is an app called Anchor. Anchor is a relatively new app that lets you create a podcast with just a few clicks, but it’s also more than just a podcasting app. Right now they’re trying to revamp the audio space, providing the space for you to have your own talk show, utilizing short form audio, long form audio, music, and more. You can interview your friends directly in-app, and even publish to iTunes. Create an account with Anchor, start recording, and then follow their instructions to distribute your podcast across their and other platforms.
3. THE GEARYour cell phone is a good option for recording, but if you’re thinking about becoming serious, higher quality audio is always much, much nicer to listen to. If you’re on the hunt for audio recording equipment, this is a great example of a starter kit, and it’ll allow you to record with up to two microphones at a time. You’ll record directly to your computer from the Focusrite interface using the two Audio Technica mics.
An alternative to the Focusrite interface would be this Zoom H4n, which records to an SD card instead of a computer. You’ll plug the mics directly into it, and then put the SD card into your computer to get the raw files off after recording.
4. RECORDING & EDITINGAudacity is my favorite free audio recording and editing software, but you can also use GarageBand if you have an Apple computer, or Adobe Audition if you’re rolling with Creative Cloud. Recording and editing is extremely similar across all three of these platforms but I’ll focus on Audacity mainly, since it works on Mac or PC. Plug your audio interface to your computer. Plug the mics into the interface, and set up Audacity to record from them. Then, hit record and start talking! This guide has a good tutorial of things to watch out for in Audacity when recording, and how to fix things like plosives and other odd noises. Once you’re done recording, you can start to edit. When editing, focus on cutting up any awkward silences (unless you’re into that) and anything that you don’t want in your final cut. Then, export the file.
5. DISTRIBUTING YOUR PODCASTBefore you publish your podcast, it’s a good idea to have 3-5 episodes ready to publish at once, especially for iTunes, to get your listeners hooked. It also gives you a little bit of lead time to create new content.
Once you’re ready to publish your podcast, you’ll want to upload it for everyone to hear. The two main components here are the distribution / hosting service and podcatchers. The distribution / hosting service hosts your files for anyone to download, and generates an RSS feed that “podcatchers” (like iTunes) read to know where to download the file from and information about the podcast. Each distribution platform will essentially do similar things, but you should read up on each to decide what fits your needs best.
The Best Distribution & Hosting Services for Podcasts:
Anchor – The all in one solution for creating and distributing a podcastLibsyn – This is what we use for Gary’s podcastShoutengine – Awesome for just starting outPippa.io – A new startup focusing on an easy entry into the podcasting spaceSimplecast – Another low-cost alternative that’s worth a lookThe Best Podcatchers for Podcasts:
A lot of podcatchers like Overcast will automatically begin to show your podcast once iTunes has accepted it, but here are a few podcatchers that you’ll need to manually sign up and submit your RSS feed for:
iTunes – This should be your first move. It’s a little more in-depth, but definitely the most popularSoundcloudStitcherTuneInSpotify – This process is a little different although Anchor and Libsyn currently support itHOW TO PROMOTE A PODCASTNow, obviously, in order to be heard, you’ll need to get the word out about your new podcast. Just because the content is in audio-form doesn’t mean you can’t get creative about how you promote the show. You should be promoting it across every social channel possible by utilizing all the digital tools you have at your disposal.
Here are a few examples of how we promote Gary’s podcast:
HOW TO PROMOTE A PODCAST ON INSTAGRAMView this post on InstagramA post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)
Plugging your podcast on Instagram with a relevant and valuable audio clip is a great way to go. In the example above, we promoted this episode of The GaryVee Audio Experience with an Instagram in-feed post. The graphic of a hand holding a cell phone immediately lets prospective listeners know that Gary’s podcast is available for mobile consumption. Secondly, the title at the top of the video, “why legacy is so important,” gives people a sneak peek into the topic of the podcast episode. Finally, invite your followers to check out your podcast with a call to action, like Gary’s “U on that podcast joint?”
Once you’ve posted, be sure to share your in-feed video or photo to your Instagram stories with a swipe up link taking followers directly to the podcast episode.
HOW TO PROMOTE A PODCAST ON FACEBOOKFor Facebook, we took a different approach. Rather than promoting one specific podcast episode, we shared a video demonstrating the full range of content available through The GaryVee Audio Experience. Here, we honed in on the fact that podcast listeners can expect everything from keynotes to interviews and rants, and we also closed with a list of everywhere the podcast is available for listening.
In example number two, we included the tags of two prominent social figures – @girlwithnojob and @saweetie – as a hook to draw people into the video. Now, they know to expect similarly amazing guests on future episodes of #podSessions.
HOW TO PROMOTE A PODCAST ON TWITTERhttps://t.co/JVYvdbwBvJ pic.twitter.com/jlmoni1iHh
— Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) February 3, 2018
If you’re promoting on Twitter, add a visual or audio clip from a podcast episode you want people to check out. Adding closed captions is a great way to work around the 280-character limit while still giving followers a great preview of the podcast.
HOW TO PROMOTE A PODCAST ON YOUR BLOGFinally, it’s crucial to make your podcast easily accessible from your blog. Your website is your owned corner of the internet, and a simple link like the one above can take readers to a playlist of your favorite or most popular podcast episodes of the month or of all time.
PODCAST GUIDE TAKEAWAYPodcasts are still one of the most important white spaces to build your business or brand. The cost of starting one is practically zero (granted, you have a smartphone and access to WiFi) and you can easily get the ball rolling with just the bare basics. Gary had me write this article to give you the blueprint on how it’s not only possible but practical to start a podcast of your own. I hope you enjoyed and I can’t wait to see what you create.
Find me at:
—
Thanks for reading!
I would love for you to leave a review on iTunes or check out Gary’s new Spotify playlist “Monday to Monday.”
The post How to Start a Podcast: Complete Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
March 8, 2021
How to Use Hashtags Correctly: A Guide to Every Social Network
People often forget that the first word in social media is “social”. I see so many people look for quick hacks or bots or gimmicks to build their social media presence, with no respect for the actual human on the other side of the screen. Success on social media is predicated on building relationships with others, which requires being social, interacting, listening and joining conversation.
With that, let’s talk about hashtags. So we’re all on the same page, a hashtag is the pound symbol on your keyboard. It looks like this #. Everyone who’s around my age would remember it used to mean, “number””, but times have changed. In 2007, a twitter exec realized it might be a good idea to to use the # sign to group related tweets together. The rest is history.
They’re important because if you use them correctly, they could really grow your business.
The Purpose of HashtagsHashtags can be used to grow your business and community with people who like and believe the same things you do. Here’s how that can work: when my former personal trainer, Jordan, wanted to focus on building his Instagram, I told him to post more and use hashtags. In less than eight weeks, he had over 3,000 new followers. And the key is not even the followers, what I’ve been most impressed with is just the engagement level; the way they care about him. He’s built a community.
Forget about the top line amounts. Some people have 10,000 more followers but only 187 care about them. Of his 3,000 new followers, it feels like 2,000 care about him–and that’s big.
It’s so crazy how very basic my advice is, but it’s not so easy to implement.
The same way that staying in good shape is not easy…it’s easier to not eat well and not work out. Now, are you going to really attack content, produce it, and engage with it, or are you going to be like most people when they engage with content and use hashtags and make it about, “me, me, me?”
It’s important to remember that hashtag culture is underrated and no one can actually “own” a hashtag. When you pick a hashtag anybody in the world can jump into it and change that conversation. If you were to Google it, we could find a hundred mishaps with brands like McDonald’s, Skittles, or Entenmann’s. Instead of trying to establish your own hashtag, look at the hashtags that are trending and try to figure out how to use them in your own piece of content or storytelling. Use three or four hashtags that are riding the wave of attention.
Hashtag BasicsFollowing hashtags, understanding why hashtags work, is one of the greatest post-creative strategies of all time (if you don’t understand what that is, I talk about post-creative strategy here).
Hashtags are a currency of understanding the pulse of relevance in culture and is one of the great things to understand in society, period.
In order to use a hashtag, you first have to type the # symbol and what community/topic you’d like to find, without leaving a space between the two. So, if you type #Fridaythoughts on Twitter’s search engine, you’ll find everyone who’s tweeting about what they think about Friday. Don’t put a punctuation mark, symbol, or space in between the # and the first word, or no one will be able to find it.
Fun Fact: the first hashtag ever was written by Chris Messina and was #barcamp, and used to find people who had attended that conference. Since then, hashtags have been used on all social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
Twitter, the birthplace of the hashtag, compiles lists of the 30 most popular hashtags, and updates this list constantly. There’s an overall list, aka what’s found in the “Trending” tab, then there’s the “For You” list. That list is based on your location, your interests, and who you follow. Twitter is a good place to start if you’re getting familiar with hashtags, but it isn’t the only neighborhood you should get to know.
How Hashtags Work on Twitter, Facebook, and InstagramThere isn’t much variation in the functionality of a hashtag on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Across all platforms, hashtags pretty much function in the same way.
What’s different is, because Twitter is so writing heavy, it’s easy to find people talking about basketball without having to type #ilovebasketball in the search bar. You can just search “basketball” and people who like that sport, and are tweeting about it, will show up. Now, it’s different if you’re looking for a specific event or topic. For example, the Toranto Raptors used the hashtag #wethenorth, so anyone searching for that hashtag would come up with Toranto Raptors content specifically.
Instagram is a little different. If your caption is, “I love traveling so much, I can’t wait to vist____ again” not many people will see that if they don’t already follow you. You have to include #travel or #balilife if you want people to find you.
Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn are like a combination of those systems. You use a hashtag to help people find your content, because if you don’t it would be really hard for people to find you. Sure, maybe if your Facebook or LinkedIn post had “marketing” in the copy, it might show up in search. But, putting #marketing at the end really lets the algorithm, and the audience, know that your post is about marketing and they should pay attention.
How to Find Relevant HashtagsThere are so many ways to find relevant hashtags to use for your content. There’s Google Trends, Pinterest Trends, Moz, Twitter, and a bunch more. If you do some “keyword research”, you will know exactly what your community or your audience finds interesting. When I was building Wine Library, I would literally research hashtags for 8 or 9 hours a day. That kind of effort pays off.
Think of a hashtag like a neighborhood. They’re a great way to find someone or something and engage with them. I call that leaving your two cents. Do that 90 times a day, you’re gonna drop $1.80 a day. Think about it, two cents at a time, nine top posts times 10 different hashtags every day, and that will massively build up your audience. And that’s your $1.80 strategy.
When you’re looking at hashtags you never know who you’ll find. You could find somebody’s account, let’s say a sous chef in Kansas City, that has 813 followers. If you see that person loves Italian or Mediterain cooking, figure out how you can add value to their brand. Are you a small retailer or conissor? Engage with that person and see if they’re interested in a collaboration. You could say, “Look, I’m importing amazing olive oil and I’d like to send you a bottle to try it out and if you enjoy it, would mean a lot if you could post about it.” That’s how you begin to build your community/your reputation–that’s how your brand grows.
Remember, patience matters. You may only get 1 reply out of the 100s of posts or replies that you create. Just know that one is greater than zero–that one conversation may lead to the valuable insights you want. I was willing to put in the work and take advantage of the fact that since I had put in the work with a particular community, I had permission to jump into every pertinent conversation I saw, in order to further my name and brand. If you take anything from this section, remember that this game is about patience and adding value. Make it about them!
Hashtag Examples & Creative UsesI’ve mentioned the Raptors social campaign, but that’s just the beginning.
This one by Planters really shows what I mean. Notice how there are no “new” hashtags, they’re not trying to dominate the conversation. Rather, they’re talking about something that’s contextual (Valentine’s Day) and making a popular hashtag (Crunchtime) their own.
This one by Planters really shows what I mean. Notice how there are no “new” hashtags, they’re not trying to dominate the conversation. Rather, they’re talking about something that’s contextual (Valentine’s Day) and making a popular hashtag (Crunchtime) their own.
Even though they don’t specifically use # this is still a great example of hopping on a trend and making it your own. Plus, because this is twitter, anytime someone searches “Wyd” this post could come up. Note how high the engagement is, with people trying to figure out what “dywmtgysca” means.
Here’s another example of hopping on trends and making a cultural moment relevant to a younger audience.
Notice that when something works, you have to go even harder on that content/strategy. Here, Planters switched it up and added a video, as well.TakeawaysHere are three simple rules to follow when you’re using hashtags to grow your business. These rules apply regardless of the platform.
Your account needs to be public–if it isn’t, users can’t find your content.Ride the wave of what’s currently trending, don’t try to make your own hashtag.Don’t include too many hashtags in one post, or users/your community/your target audience will assume your content is spam.So, that’s an overview of what hashtags are and how to use them to grow your business. If you liked this article, be sure to share it on your favorite platform!
The post How to Use Hashtags Correctly: A Guide to Every Social Network appeared first on GaryVaynerchuk.com.
March 2, 2021
What is Influencer Marketing? Guide on Growing Your Business
Marketing and the places we give most of our attention to have dramatically changed over the past decade (our attention has really been evolving for much longer)! From a word no one has heard of 20 years ago, to an established multi billion dollar industry, influencer marketing isn’t a fad. It’s a critical marketing channel to anyone looking to grow their business.
Influencer marketing is essentially an endorsement deal a brand has with another human, instead of paying a platform for distribution (aka paying Facebook for Facebook Ads) you have the opportunity to pay another individual for what may comparatively be very underpriced distribution and awareness. Not only do you pay for distribution but based on the campaign you may also pay for the ad or content the influencer creates, which really has the potential to move the needle in your marketing efforts because the people who follow that influencer inherently trust them or value their opinion on the content or niche they create around. At the end of the day that’s what influencers do– they’re trusted voices in their space and they influence the culture around them through the community they cultivate.
The Current State and Value of Influencer MarketingInfluncer marketing has been on the rise for years. According to Business Insider, the influencer marketing industry is worth just under 15 billion dollars. And it’s only going to get bigger. This is why I recommend tasting and learning as many platforms as you can – each platform is nuanced in it’s own way and can have huge potential in returns if you find the right influencer to partner with. Instagram is the most popular market for influencers and almost 80% of brands use it when they do social media campaigns, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look at other platforms as well.
Influencer Marketing Hub states 36% of businesses use Youtube for marketing, then Twitter with 24%, and LinkedIn with 12%. If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know how bullish I am on LinkedIn and TikTok. I really feel it has so much underpriced attention, aka organic reach. The same is true for new apps like Clubhouse. As you continue to explore and do homework on different platforms, it is crucial to be an early adapter and practitioner on emerging platforms that have the most attention.
How to Create a Influencer Marketing StrategyWhen you’re planning an influencer marketing strategy you have to think about who you’d like to target and where their attention is. Most of you know where this is going; I’ve spoken about underpriced attention before. Basically, it’s the most valuable place to spend your budget and make your pennies work like dollars. Clubhouse and LinkedIn have so much potential because people are just beginning to see the value of influencers on that platform. Now what does that mean for your business?
In general, there are two types of influencers: macro and micro. Micro influencers have a more dedicated fanbase and they’re good for brands to collaborate with if they want to target their audiences with intention. Macro influencers (think Logan Paul, Kylie Jenner, or Mr. Beast) have huge audiences–but as a rule, targeted reach, cost-effective value, engagement, and accessibility are harder to obtain with the heavy hitters. It’s like a laser, it’s easier to hit your target with a smaller beam. A big beam might reach your target, but not with as much impact as you’d like. That’s why you see so many brands out there that have really utilized micro influencers and crushed as a result.
When you’re planning your strategies, it makes sense to prioritize influencers that have an engaged community and come in at price points that are competitive to the marketplace. Choose influencers you trust and build a relationship with them–whether or not they have five thousand followers or five million followers, you want to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck. Of course, there may be tremendous upside if you really believe in a micro influencer that is on their way to become a macro influencer. And if that sounds unlikely, just look at Fashion Nova’s deal with Cardi B. I’ve written about the value of micro influencers before, so check that article out if you’re still not convinced that investing in micro influencers is one of the best marketing strategies there is.
Once you’ve found an influencer, you have to think about what you’d like them to do. Don’t limit yourself to the platforms they are on; influencers have massive potential to review brick and mortar stores like Sephora and Ulta. Here’s a free idea for all the entrepreneurs that have physical storefronts–hire an influencer to come to your store, promote your products, or do a Q&A. Maybe offer your location as a safe place to do a meet and greet?
Now, a lot of people are going to have trouble working with influencers because their ego gets in the way. They’ll have trouble giving the influencer a hundred percent autonomy and eliminating their subjective opinion on creative. I know exactly what my brand stands for and exactly what it means to people. I think the biggest eye-opener to me in corporate America and the brand world is the level of ideology, audacity and ego. The thought that Coca-Cola, Heineken, and Adidas have the same meaning to all people is just laughable.
When I say the word Supreme or Kentucky Fried Chicken, different people think different things. Brands need to trust an influencer’s interpretation of a chocolate shake or sneaker or blow dryer…they decide if it needs to be funny or snarky. It has to be authentic to them. If a brand wants more business, the best thing for a brand to do is get out of the way. Stop micromanaging.
As a brand, you get to pick the influencer you work with. But once they pick them, they need to let the influencer do their thing–that’s the reason you picked them in the first place.
The ROI on influencer marketing is 11 times greater than digital media and 10 times greater than paid media. So, don’t be afraid to spend your sweat, or your coins because it’s likely to pay off.
How To Budget and NegotiateInfluencer rates vary widely, but a good rule is to conserve as much of your budget as possible. First of all, have you already tried reaching out to everyone in your network and asking them to promote your brand? It’s likely you already know a few micro influencers that would be glad to help you out. This is a strategy I feel no one talks about, but it’s an important one.
Where most people get confused is, they think they might be bothering people close to them. Other people don’t want to come off as too aggressive. But negotiations are all about self awareness, giving value, and candor. Be kind when you’re asking friends, and influencers. If your budget is small, think about what else you can offer them. Business is a “them game” and no matter what you have to provide value.
When you’re leveraging your relationships, or asking for something, you have to think about what you’ve given to this person. Every budget should be value driven–and it’s the only strategy that matters. Now, how do you scale a budget, that’s based on value, that you’d like to conserve as much as possible?
Ask more people.
That’s it. There’s no magic or algorithm. Every influencer will charge something different, every influencer wants something different. Get nice, get cozy, and DM people. Figure out if they’ll promote your business for a fee or if they’re willing to promo as long as they’ll get to use your product or service for free. Scaling things that are not scalable comes from sheer effort and time.
If you want to get technical, I would personally spend 30% to 50% of my budget on influencer marketing. It is incredibly cost effective. But, this is just one man’s opinion, formed by my own research and experience.
How To Find The Right InfluencerNow, you’ve figured out your strategy, and how much you want to spend–how do you decide who’s the right influencer for your brand?
This one is simple: the person who is authentic and gives you the best creative at-bat for meaningful distribution to a relevant audience. Aside from identifying the most cost effective influencers to work with, I truly feel one’s authenticity is more important than any other trait you can look for. And you can’t measure it. This is where intuition and knowledge of your business’s target audience and the influencer marketplace come into play.
There are tools you could use to measure things like engagement rates or the ROI on your deal. But if you want a long lasting, successful relationship with an influencer, go for authenticity.
TakeawaysI know some of you skipped to the bottom of the article. To recap:
Influencers marketing is the modern day endorsement deal.There is a massive ROI on influencer marketing.Your strategy should include ways to capture underpriced attention by using influencers and emerging platforms.In order to effectively identify the best influencer opportunities for your brand, it will require lots of research, outreach and negotiations. Based on your business you could be spending 30 to 40% of your budget on influencer marketing.The right influencer will be authentic and gives you the best creative at-bat for meaningful distribution to a relevant audience for your brands.Bonus tip: When you find the right influencer, don’t micromanage!
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