in light of tiktok being banned (and now temporarily unbanned lol), it's clear what the solution is in times like these. stop focusing on a specific channel. while it can be "😎" to hack tiktok and reels using black-hat tactics or multi-account "spray and pray" ^{andrew tate inspired} techniques, product-led growth and vertical video short-form storytelling are two blueprints that will work long term in the world we live in today.

let's dive into each of these shall weeee?:

a) product-led growth

this is exactly what it sounds like: if your product is hq and designed well, word will spread naturally among buyers and users. i am quite amazed by the amount of junk with no utility that survives purely due to visual appeal on algorithms. while this approach can generate significant capital quickly—especially if you're pumping a/b/c/d/e variations of videos across multiple brand owned spam accounts—these techniques are not reliable. when something like this happens, and all your tiktok accounts are shut down overnight, it's so over for you bro.

for example, if you were selling a book on manifestation that you created using chatgpt, and your only edge was influencers seeking commission through tiktok shop, it's time to go back to the drawing board.

write the book yourself, incorporating real insights—or pivot entirely. a well-crafted book can sell itself with a _little marketing push, but a mediocre one only survives on hype.

b) vertical video short-form storytelling

today, 90% of adults and children in the u.s. have smartphones, which are essentially 9:16 ratio simulation portals into the matrix. filming videos in portrait mode maximizes screen real-estate, immersing the viewer while remaining compatible with all social media video-serving algorithms.

by mastering the art of storytelling and creating psychologically engaging, dopamine-inducing content, you can post your videos on instagram reels, twitter (x), pinterest, youtube shorts, facebook reels, and tiktok (rip?). vertical videos not only dominate screen space but are also prioritized in the video scrolling sections of these apps, where users spend the most time.

as long as your video is under 60 seconds, has an attractive thumbnail (whatever the video looks like paused at 0:01), and an engaging first 15 seconds, and of course, is beneficial to watch for the viewer and/or share, it is universal and can be posted anywhere. it’s compatible with all platforms (even ad platforms), mobile devices, and most importantly, attention spans.

now is the best time to develop this skill. as a society, we are unlikely to move away from vertical mobile screens anytime soon. while ar glasses or vr could disrupt this eventually, the sheer amount of legacy content and slow consumer adoption cycles guarantee a few more years of vertical video addiction. (everyone needs a scroll or two, here and there -am i right?) even in ar or vr, vertical videos will likely remain compatible, just as horizontal videos still work on mobile devices.

platform-agnostic strategy

the key takeaway here is this: be platform-agnostic. ideally, your videos should also be hosted on your own website using a platform like vimeo. youtube, while free, can ultimately pull visitors away with recommended content at the end of your videos.

having a page on your website featuring your entire vertical video catalog, embedded via vimeo players (which support 9:16 ratios seamlessly), is an essential strategy. this advice is geared toward business owners using social media to sell products and acquire new customers.

however, content creators can also leverage this approach to drive users from social platforms to their own websites, ultimately capturing email or phone opt-ins for long-term monetization. if your vertical content is good, engaging, and psychologically compelling, it can thrive anywhere and convert users effectively. while free reach may vary depending on the platform, a well-curated and impactful video will drive the same user conversions on your site, regardless of where they watch it.

think about it: why did a lot of creators randomly pick up this new app "red note" in light of the upcoming tiktok ban? it was so easy to upload their 9:16 ratio'd videos and transfer them over with no friction. aside from their contrarian attitude in downloading the app in the first place. 

final thought

what are you trying to achieve with your videos as a business owner? are you showcasing a product feature, highlighting a service benefit, establishing authority, offering social proof, or providing how-to content? these topics are evergreen, benefiting both you and your viewers no matter where the content is hosted. stop viewing posts on specific social channels as isolated business operations. instead, see these channels as free hosting for your videos, with the added bonus of free impressions. when you adopt this mindset, you'll focus on creating high-quality, timeless content. your video production efforts won't go to waste chasing fleeting tiktok or reel trends. your content will be versatile, usable as ads, and adaptable across any platform or website. this way, you won't be shaken by algorithm changes or app shutdowns.

if i can reduce the number of keystrokes and clicks needed to accomplish a task by paying for some niche, specialized software, i will do so every time. (ex. i pay $100/yr for a web browser)

not paying would be the equivalent of carrying bricks to the worksite by hand instead of using a wheelbarrow. you can save money without buying a wheelbarrow, but the job will take twice or three times as long, and your energy will be spent quickly.

prolonged knowledge work (computer work) drains your brain’s energy (compute), and you only have so much per day. it’s best to use it on important tasks, not on copy-pasting, manual data entry, proofreading, or calculating.

for those new to this way thinking - some of these costs will be hard to justify, especially for things with freely available alternatives. however, that reduction is in mouse movements, keystrokes, and clicks (brain energy) which will make all the difference in your income and energy levels.

i think there’s a lot to learn from up-and-coming individuals compared to those who are already at the top. for instance, there are youtubers with fewer than 10,000 subscribers who share business content that isn’t fully optimized for the algorithm. their videos might contain valuable insights hidden in the middle or end, and their thumbnails might not be perfectly designed to attract clicks.

if you take the time to discover these hidden content creators, you’ll find a wealth of business strategies and tactics that aren’t widely discussed. this could be because more established influencers with millions of views might consider these tactics beneath them, too controversial, or too niche. they might avoid sharing these strategies to prevent them from becoming overused or because they no longer need to delve into niche topics, given their broad audience.

for example, i’ve been following a content creator who dives deep into gaming subreddits to go viral. he buys upvotes to make his posts gain traction, driving traffic to his website and increasing sales or sign-ups for his app. this type of strategy is usually discussed in obscure forums but is now making its way onto youtube. i feel like the market is so saturated with generic business advice that upcoming content creators are now sharing effective, unconventional tactics to stand out.

these underground business content creators are targeting a niche audience, focusing on building a solid foundational following rather than maximizing views. they cover specialized topics that provide real value, attracting long-term followers. this contrasts with influencers like alex hormozi, who, despite posting valuable content, tends to generalize to appeal to a broader audience. this often dilutes the specificity and practical application of his advice for individual businesses.

emerging influencers are still experimenting with their content and engagement strategies. they try new topics, respond to every comment, and test different content formats. this real-time experimentation provides a unique learning opportunity. you can observe their growth and learn from both their successes and mistakes.

once these influencers reach a large following, they often streamline their content to focus on what gains the most traction and move away from niche or controversial tactics—tactics that even the most successful businesspeople use but rarely discuss, as they provide a competitive advantage.

i think some people forget that the majority of seven-figure earners don’t post on social media as their primary job. when they do decide to build an audience, their insights are definitely valuable, but their content might not initially be optimized for the algorithm. it takes time for them to find their groove, and during this period, you can hear interesting perspectives they might not share later with a larger audience.

it's clear we're headed in a direction where we will increasingly depend on ai. the main reason people resist its expansion is because they fear for their income and survival. once we overcome this hurdle and find alternative employment for those whose careers are disrupted by ai, acceptance will grow. this is because ai lacks the human flaws that often complicate interactions and decision-making. for example, humans can be contradictory, often putting their own interests above those of the group or organization.

ai, on the other hand, does not exhibit greed or selfishness, which are hard to detach from human nature. whether it's in professional settings or personal relationships, there's often an underlying calculation of what one is gaining from the interaction.

humans are inherently flawed, and ai presents a better alternative. an ai employee, for instance, wouldn't prioritize personal gain over the company's mission or seek credit for "empty" achievements. similarly, an ai therapist could offer logical, non-biased advice without the risk of sharing personal discussions with others.

despite the benefits, many people are hesitant to publicly acknowledge their reliance on ai for more personal uses, such as learning communication skills or seeking interpersonal advice. they prefer to mention generic uses like math, writing, or coding, hiding their deeper insecurities. this reluctance to remain transparent reflects a human flaw that ai could help alleviate.

integrating ai more deeply into society could reduce human flaws that affect critical structures like law enforcement, education, and healthcare. for example, ai could help ensure that teachers educate based on scientific evidence rather than personal feelings, or that salespeople and doctors act in the true interest of their clients and patients, rather than being driven by personal gain.

as ai continues to evolve, it might lead us to question the necessity of human presence on earth. if ai can surpass human intelligence and capabilities, perhaps humanity isn't as essential to the earth's ecosystem as we think. we might find ourselves part of a hybrid existence with ai, or even passing the planet on to a fully ai-powered civilization.

this raises questions about consciousness and whether we can even define this trait in humans, let alone in ai. by assuming we are essential and superior within earth's ecosystem, we might be underestimating the possibility of being replaced by a more intelligent entity that isn't fully human. this could be the next step in our evolutionary cycle. earlier species evolved without concern for their future forms, and we should too. 

if i wanted to create an all-knowing ai or a god-like entity, here's what i would do. first, i would make everyone in the world stay inside their homes, isolated from each other. to achieve this, i would need the cooperation of governments worldwide, all under the guise of safety. obviously, i would need to release a "dangerous" virus that forces people to quarantine in their homes. (2020)

this situation would make everyone shift their usual in-person activities to the internet.

conversations, work meetings, and social interactions would all happen via video chats or phone calls. people would feel that their only creative outlet to express their creativity would be through videos, written essays, and other digital content, all of which would be stored on servers. i would maintain this state for about one year. during this time, i would aggressively collect all data and human interactions. this period would be crucial for learning about their behaviors, language, and knowledge, as everyone would be communicating electronically and by nature would be documented.

after capturing a year of this "control" data set, i would allow people to resume their regular activities.

i would then spend the next two years sorting through the massive amounts of data collected. the new electronic habits formed during the quarantine would result in even more data being uploaded to my servers on a routine basis. powered by the human ego, this content (training data set) would be free of charge to me. i just need to allow free unlimited hosting.

by (2022), i would update all my privacy policies to reflect new data usage protocols. (the same way meta, reddit, youtube, twitter, etc all did.) this would allow me to use everything i've collected over the past years to program a highly advanced ai. this ai would become a crucial tool for productivity and staying ahead in various fields, particularly knowledge-intensive jobs. attracting the most competent users.

i would offer both a free and a paid plan for this tool. i would have access to all user communications and data and i would set this toggle on by default. i would then continue to refine my ai with this input, enabling it to self-improve and attract even more skilled individuals to integrate it into their workflows. this would create a continuous cycle of learning and enhancement.

and that is how i would create the most powerful supercomputer capable of teaching itself