Gary Vaynerchuk Says Every Business Is Now a Media Company, Urges Brands to Prioritize Organic Content
Entrepreneur and marketing expert Gary Vaynerchuk has called on businesses to radically rethink their approach to marketing, arguing that content creation is no longer optional but essential for building successful brands in today’s digital economy.
Speaking at a brand-building event, Vaynerchuk said many businesses continue to underestimate the power of organic social media despite it being one of the most effective growth channels for modern companies.
“If you’re trying to build something and you tell me you don’t have time to create content, I don’t know what you’re doing,” he said. “What could possibly be more important than letting the world know why they should buy your product?”
According to Vaynerchuk, social media has evolved beyond traditional follower-based platforms into what he described as “interest media,” where algorithms increasingly deliver content based on users’ interests rather than who they follow. He argued that this shift has created unprecedented opportunities for startups and small businesses to compete with larger brands through high-quality organic content.
He encouraged companies to expand beyond platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, highlighting YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn, Snapchat Spotlight, Substack, Beehiiv, and X as valuable channels for reaching different audiences. He also suggested that content published on platforms like YouTube could improve visibility in emerging AI-powered search experiences.
Vaynerchuk recommended that businesses dedicate at least 20 percent of their marketing budgets to producing organic content, particularly companies with annual revenues below $100 million. Rather than relying solely on paid advertising, he said brands should use successful organic posts as the foundation for broader marketing campaigns by repurposing high-performing content into paid advertisements, television campaigns, and other promotional materials.
To illustrate the scale of his own strategy, Vaynerchuk revealed his ambition to publish more than 400 pieces of content daily across nine social media platforms and dozens of specialized brand accounts. While acknowledging that such an approach may seem overwhelming, he emphasized that small businesses should focus on consistency rather than volume.
His central message was that every company should now think of itself as a media company first and a product company second.
Addressing entrepreneurs who believe they lack the resources to create content, Vaynerchuk pointed to his own early career. He recalled producing videos for more than eight years before hiring his first employee, beginning with his Wine Library TV series in 2006 using minimal equipment and attracting little attention in its early days.
He argued that today’s entrepreneurs have far greater opportunities because social media platforms allow anyone to reach large audiences at virtually no cost.
“The world’s attention is on that phone, and you can post for free,” he said, encouraging founders to make content creation a core part of their daily business operations.
Vaynerchuk concluded by urging entrepreneurs to stop viewing time constraints as an excuse, insisting that consistent content creation remains one of the most powerful tools available for building brand awareness, attracting customers, and driving long-term business growth.
