February 12th Edition

Leveling Up

Welcome back to Leveling Up. Let’s get right to it.

Here’s what I’ve got for you today:

• The “Agency Survival Guide” for not getting replaced by AI

• How to monetize on YT without a million subscribers

• Growing from 0 to 3,000 X followers in only 2 months

• And more…

- Eric Siu :)

Let’s Link

Here are the top 5 most helpful links to check out today:

1. 🤖 How to use generative AI to improve your current content

2. 📈 The real value of a $7M Super Bowl ad (not sales)

3. 🏷️ A big business lesson on labeling and persuasion

4. 🔖 Why high-ticket is a sham

5. 🤑 The keys to success with Amazon ads

Get a Detailed Marketing Plan to Reach Your Goals

Paid Search | Paid Social | SEO | Content Marketing | Conversion Rate Optimization | Digital Strategy

Podcast Highlights

Will Agencies Thrive or Be Replaced by AI?

Join me, Ralph Burns, Kasim Aslam, and Neil Patel in this special collaboration episode between the Perpetual Traffic and Marketing School podcasts.

The group discusses the future of agencies, the changing landscape of marketing, and the need for agencies to provide value beyond media buying.

Here are the key insights:

• 💼 Digital marketing agencies today are like travel agencies before the internet, but that doesn't mean they won't exist in the future.

• 📈 The focus should be on depth, not breadth, to find success in the marketing industry.

• 🤖 Agencies need to provide value that the customer couldn't figure out on their own, not just rely on AI to do the work for them.

• 💰 The value of agencies has changed with AI, and the winner will be the platforms, not the people.

• 💡 The future of marketing lies in finding ways to provide value where platforms are not automating rather than trying to compete with their automation capabilities.

• 🔥 Ralph suggests that some agencies need to "burn off" and be replaced by more competent ones, sparking a debate on agency hierarchy and competence.

• 💰 Understanding the LTV of a customer can create a competitive landscape for agencies in different industries.

Agency Owners - Want to Work With Neil Patel & I?

Imagine a place where you can accelerate growth, mastermind with the best in the business, and unlock strategies tailored just for you.

We're calling it the "Agency Owners Association" (AOA), and it's something you won't want to miss.

Interested in being part of this exclusive community?

We're currently accepting applications. This is your chance to get in on the ground floor and shape the future of your agency alongside Neil and myself.

Deep Dive

How to Monetize Your YouTube Channel Without a Million Subscribers

In an interview with Ali Abdaal, I discussed key strategies for monetizing a YouTube channel without relying on a massive subscriber base.

The key element is to treat a YouTube channel as a business, focusing on diversifying revenue streams beyond ad revenue and brand deals.

Ali shares insights on leveraging organic content creation, such as email newsletters, to engage with the audience directly and discusses the significance of having a product to sell, highlighting a case where a YouTuber made $600,000 from a small audience. 

Key Takeaways:

💰 Diversifying Revenue Streams: It’s important to not rely solely on views for income. By diversifying revenue streams through products like online courses, email newsletters and partnerships, creators can ensure a more stable and less view-dependent income.

🏢 Building a Business, Not Just a Channel: The focus is on treating a YouTube channel as a business that provides value beyond just the content. This involves creating assets and delivery vehicles for products that don’t require the creator’s constant presence on camera.

🚀 Organic Growth and Audience Engagement: Strategies for growing an email list organically, such as offering valuable lead magnets within videos. This approach helps bridge the gap between content and product offerings, facilitating a smoother transition for the audience from viewers to customers.

🌐 Applying Internet Marketing Principles: Applying principles from internet marketing and info product marketing can significantly increase revenue. This includes optimizing offers, funnels and landing pages based on proven strategies from experts in the field.

✍️ Content Strategy and Personal Branding: The importance of a content strategy, personal branding and understanding one’s audience. Insights on how to stand out in a crowded market by being different, not necessarily better.

🔧 The Role of Content in Business Strategy: The interview wraps up by discussing how content creation fits into the broader business strategy, including the use of content as a tool for education, engagement and ultimately, conversion to sales.

Turbocharge Your Business Growth With An Elite Private Network

• Fill out this form to apply

• Leveling Up Founders is an invite-only community for the top founders in media, marketing, and business.

• Next event: Aug 5-7, 2024 in Beverly Hills, CA

Timely Tweets

🎤 0 to 3,000 followers in only 2 months

😄 Quitting a $35k/year software engineer job to start making $35k/month

✍️ Transparency in marketing is becoming the norm

To your growth
- Eric Siu

Ps: We have a ton of free content to help your business grow:

• Listen to our Marketing School podcast for daily marketing news

• Subscribe to the Leveling Up YouTube channel for interviews with key marketers, entrepreneurs, and more

• Apply to join our agency owner’s association with me and Neil Patel

• Apply to join our private network for 7-9 figure founders

• Read the Single Grain blog for actionable marketing tips

• Request a free custom marketing plan if you’re interested in testing our done-for-you services!