The landscape of social media has fundamentally changed over the last four years, evolving into what entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk terms “interest media.” This shift means that content feeds are no longer primarily dictated by who a user follows, but rather by their recent interests. As a result, algorithms now prioritize content based on a user’s propensity for a specific topic, regardless of their direct follower connection to the creator.
This algorithmic change has significant implications for content strategy. Vaynerchuk explains that advice considered poor five years ago, such as creating multiple social media handles, is now highly effective. For instance, a new TikTok account with zero followers can achieve hundreds of thousands of views on a relevant post if it aligns with user interests. The audience is no longer defined by who follows a creator, but by individuals interested in the specific content being produced.
The transition to interest media also means that creators can post diverse content without alienating their existing followers. If a follower is interested in fashion but a creator posts a marketing video, the follower is likely to simply skip the irrelevant content rather than unfollow. This allows creators to explore niche or even “dorkier” topics that round out their personality, as people will engage with content that aligns with their specific interests, even if they bypass other posts from the same source.