Tag: platform

Day Trading Attention Book Club: Week 1 Recap

Labor Day’s behind us, the pumpkin spice is flowing, and at Vayner that means it’s Q4 grind time which is basically the first day of school for marketers. To kick things off, our CMO Avery Akkineni and VP of Core Relationships, Nick Dio went live on LinkedIn with the launch of our Day Trading Attention Book Club, a weekly series running all September where we’ll be breaking down the biggest ideas, chapter by chapter, from our favorite CEO, Gary Vaynerchuk’s, latest book.

If you missed the live session… no worries, there’s no pop quiz 😉 but keep scrolling for your TL;DR.

What Is Day Trading Attention (Really)?

Gary’s idea is simple but seismic: attention is today’s most valuable currency in marketing.

Brands that know how to spot, capture, and leverage attention in real time are the ones who are winning.

And before we get into all the details, this is not just about platforms or ads… it’s about culture. Whether it’s billion-dollar empires or a really cool guy on a longboard with cranberry juice, the throughline is the same: attention runs the show.

Chapter 1: The TikTokification of Social Media 📱

Remember when only TikTok had swipeable short-form video? That feels like ancient history. Now, every platform from YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, to even LinkedIn followed suit. (AND let it be known, Gary wants you to be posting on all of them!)

The main takeaway from the evolution of these platforms is to note that we’re in the ✨non-follower era.✨ That means your content wins not because you have 10M followers, but because the algorithm sees people engaging with it. Wedding posts, a fall haul, an ootd for school, or your uncle’s viral Facebook rant… the playing field is wide open.

This is absolutely exciting for brands and creators, but it’s not easy without strategy, so let’s break it all the way down.

Speed Is the Strategy ⚡️

If there’s one word that defines Day Trading Attention, it’s speed.

Culture moves fast. Remember that trend from… two weeks ago? Exactly.

Brands need to move faster. Wait four days for approvals? The moment’s already over. You can’t trend-jack everything, but you can’t afford to miss the right moment either.

Chapter 2: The Modern Advertising Framework

The Vayner framework is an integrated flywheel where strategy, creative, and production move together at the speed of culture and feed the creative we’re producing for brands.

Instead of siloed teams handing off briefs for weeks at a time, insights are flowing in real time and are informing the content that’s relevant today.

The Rise of the Personal Brand

Another big theme in today’s social media era is people trust people. Consumers want real product reviews, behind-the-scenes moments, and the messy human stuff…not polished perfection.

Whether you’re Beyoncé, or a small business owner, building an authentic personal brand is a massive unlock.

Pro tip: Don’t overthink your credentials. You don’t need a Wharton degree to share your POV. You just need to show up consistently and authentically with your audience.

Making Content Out of Culture 🎾

From The Eras tour to the US Open, cultural moments are MASSIVE opportunities for marketers to show up authentically and fast.

At Vayner, even our client outings double as content engines. Instead of just hosting at the US Open, we captured insights, asked mini mic questions, and turned it into LinkedIn content that reached hundreds of thousands of viewers.

Don’t just slap on a logo, and call it a day. The real impact comes from being in the mix and gathering insights that will continue creating content and reach long after the event is over.

Your Homework This Week: Read the Book (Or Join Our Book Club) 🎒

No pop quizzes, but there is homework 😉

Join us live every Wednesday this September as we continue to unpack Day Trading Attention, chapter by chapter, hosted by key Vayner Voices.

Want to catch the live replay from Week 1? 👉 Watch on YouTube

Want a hard cover copy to bring on your commute? 📚 Grab Gary’s book here

See you this Wednesday, September 10th, at 11am ET for our next book club session! RSVP here

Spotlighting Friendship

Our mission was clear: create buzz among Gen Z while leaning into the holiday spirit. With “You’re It, Girl” as the campaign’s mechanism, we helped Kate Spade New York deliver a heartfelt message about friendship. Each sentiment, like “To the one who makes me feel unstoppable, you’re it, girl” paired deeply personal emotions with their products, turning gifting into a celebration of connection.

Icons and Influencers

We knew Madison Beer and her best friend Lena would bring this campaign to life in a way that felt fresh and relatable. Their story — a friendship that began online and blossomed in real life — echoes the connections of so many young people today. Madison’s fans got a rare glimpse into her world, making the partnership feel intimate and authentic.

We rounded out the cast with micro-influencers like Lilly Russell, who brought her best friend Maya Traber, and Pamela Valdez, who featured her sister. Each duo had their own compelling story, ensuring the campaign resonated on a personal level.

Behind the Scenes: Creating a Social-First Campaign

Collaboration was at the heart of this campaign. Working closely with our friends at Mandai Loop (creative strategists behind the work), we partnered closely with the Kate Spade New York team to leverage docu-style storytelling to capture raw, emotional moments on set. This approach fostered authentic connections, aligning perfectly with the campaign’s message. Strategic partnerships with Eva Nosidam Productions and AIR Productions on set added extra polish during post-production to ensure that every detail shined.

Campaign Highlights That Sparkled

The campaign’s results spoke volumes. Madison Beer’s Instagram post drove over 3 million views, with fans engaging not just with her but also with Kate Spade. Comments showed that viewers felt inspired to shop, proving the campaign’s impact on brand perception.

Beyond social metrics, the campaign garnered glowing press coverage from WWD, Shots, Design Rush, and Yahoo. It was clear that the message of friendship and gifting struck a chord.

The Legacy of Friendship & A New Chapter for Kate Spade

This is the start of a new chapter for Kate Spade New York. We’re proud to have been part of their Gen Z brand strategy shift toward storytelling that’s authentic, social-first, and emotionally resonant.

Friendship is a gift—and this campaign captured that truth beautifully.

Here’s to building connections that inspire, this holiday season and beyond. 🎀

The Overlooked Key to Engagement: Thumbnails on LinkedIn

We know why your LinkedIn posts aren’t performing, and it’s not the content.

When it comes to LinkedIn content strategy, most brands focus on headlines, copy, and targeting. But there’s one critical element hiding in plain sight that could make or break your post’s performance: the thumbnail.

Your thumbnail is the first thing people notice in a crowded LinkedIn feed. It’s your chance to grab attention and spark curiosity. But too often, brands overlook this small detail and miss out on a big opportunity to stand out.

Why Thumbnails Matter

On a platform like LinkedIn, where professionals scroll with intention, your thumbnail has a split second to grab attention. With LinkedIn’s growing emphasis on video content—such as the introduction of the ‘Recommended Video Tab’ and the option for users to display only videos under their profile’s activity sections—thumbnails have become even more critical.

LinkedIn allows you to add a custom thumbnail (still or GIF) for all videos. Thumbnails are crucial for many reasons, one of the most important being SEO. They’re viewable in key areas like the video tab on your profile and the recommended video shelf. In the shelf, the first video auto-plays, but others rely entirely on their thumbnails to drive engagement.

When done right, thumbnails act as a mini billboard for your content, enticing professionals to pause, engage, and take action. A compelling thumbnail can:

• Drive curiosity and clicks.
• Establish professionalism and credibility.
• Make your brand stand out in a sea of sameness.

The Cost of Ignoring Thumbnails

Overlooking your thumbnail can lead to a mismatch between the quality of your content and how it’s perceived. A generic, poorly designed, or irrelevant thumbnail can lower engagement, even if the content itself is high-value. In a platform driven by algorithms, those missed clicks can push your post further down the feed, costing you visibility.

How to Create Thumbnails That Work

Here are a few tips to level up your LinkedIn thumbnails:

1. Keep It Clear and On-Brand: Use visuals that align with your brand identity but avoid clutter. Simplicity is key.
2. Use Faces or Eye-Catching Imagery: Thumbnails with people or bold, recognizable visuals tend to perform better.
3. Add Text Strategically: A short, punchy phrase can amplify your message but don’t overdo it—your design should still feel clean.
4. Test and Optimize: A/B test thumbnails to see what resonates most with your audience.

If you’re wondering how to add a thumbnail, it’s simple. When uploading a video on desktop (up to 15 minutes), click the video thumbnail icon and select “Upload Video Thumbnail.” From there, you can add a custom .png, .jpeg, or even a GIF to make your content pop.

By following these steps and creating intentional, eye-catching thumbnails, you’ll give your LinkedIn content the boost it deserves.

The Takeaway

Thumbnails aren’t just a “nice-to-have”; they’re a critical part of your LinkedIn content strategy. Treat them with the same care you give to your copy or targeting, and you’ll likely see a significant boost in engagement.

It’s time to stop overlooking thumbnails and start seeing them for what they are: a game-changer for your LinkedIn presence.