03-23-2012, 07:53 AM
Mac Miller, a white rapper from Pittsburgh has found incredible
success as a musician by leveraging the powers of YouTube. Boasting a
view count in excess of 273,738,340 views on his numerous videos on
YouTube, Mac has built a brand and a community and as a result has
propelled himself into the limelight. Now in major publications like
XXL, Mac Miller has reached the major leagues.
Preston…WTF?! I’m not a rapper or a musician. What the hell does this have to do with marketing?
In a word – EVERYTHING!
Today’s digital natives (teens) understand the power of the available
platforms that can be used to communicate, post media, and build a
brand. As a marketer, hopefully you recognize the same. You see, Mac
Miller found a way to generate a following by continually working on his
craft and by using the tools that are available to him and everyone
else on the web, like YouTube and Facebook. Traffic? Not a problem for
Mac Miller. He figured that part out very quickly. Now, please don’t
misunderstand, I am not stating that you too can chunk up a couple
videos and generate 200 million plus views, but you can certainly take
your niche and leverage YouTube to drive traffic to your site(s). DO IT!
Why not? Find a way to make these tools work for you!
SIDENOTE:
Excuses are lame. You either want it or you don’t. I can’t even begin to
tell you how many times I have spoke with Ruck and Ryan on skype at 2AM
while we were all working, building campaigns, blogging, working on the
IMG website code, building graphics, etc. because we all share one
thing in common. We love what we do and we enjoy the rewards that come
from building properties and brands with our own hands.
While other people were drooling on their pillows under their down
comforters, we were working and chances are, that our private forum
members were doing the same – building their businesses because they
love it. Same can probably be said about Mac Miller. This kid probably
slept in the recording booth a time or two because he had an opportunity
to do something and he was building a brand and a business.
What is your movement? What niche are you attacking with tenacity?
Are you building a fanbase? What tools are you using? Are you using
YouTube? Are you using video syndication tools?
You don’t have to be a musician or rapper to get tons of views on
YouTube or build an audience to generate traffic and even make some
money. What you need is the tenacity of a pit bull and the power to stay
up while others sleep. Work harder than the next guy in your niche.
Outbuild him/her. Out-video him/her. Clobber the web with your HIGH
QUALITY CONTENT. The audience will build organically. And folks, there
is nothing better than audience. Your audience may not be the size of
Mac Miller’s but no matter, you still have an audience and this means
that you have evangelists that are going out and telling others about
your content or your product(s).
I’ll leave you with this music video for inspiration – Frick Park
Market (“My pen game is something these motherf%$^ers have never
seen. All city champion everybody is second string”)