Connor Newell used to be the guy behind the camera at Vayner Media, Gary Vee’s agency. He worked on the Vayner Talent team out of the LA office, filming and producing content for people like Tom Bilyeu, Saie Wakankar, and Mark Heyman. After that, he built his own content business working primarily with real estate agents.

I sat down with Connor to talk about what actually works on social media right now if you are a business owner trying to turn followers into clients. Not just views. Not just likes. Actual revenue.

What Working for GaryVee’s Team Actually Looked Like

Most people imagine a content creator is just one person with a camera following someone around. At Vayner, it was a department of eight to ten people. Creative directors, art directors, three or four videographers, editors, and social media managers tracking analytics on everything.

When they onboarded a client, they built the entire creative direction from scratch. Branding, fonts, colors, strategy, ad spend, distribution. They ran full production on multi-day events with a detailed run of show and boots-on-the-ground execution teams.

That level of infrastructure is what allowed them to work with the caliber of people they worked with. And the biggest skill Connor walked away with from that experience was storytelling. Taking somebody’s normal, boring day and finding the thread that makes it watchable. That is the skill that separates good content from forgettable content.

The Metrics That Actually Matter

Here is something most firm owners get wrong. They look at views and comments as their primary success metrics. Connor is adamant that the two numbers you should care about most on Instagram right now are shares and saves.

The people who are actual leads, the ones who might actually buy from you, are the quiet followers. They are not rage-commenting in your comment section. They are saving your videos and sharing them with friends and colleagues. Instagram is prioritizing shares and saves in the algorithm too, so this behavior directly impacts how many people see your content.

If a video suddenly gets 100,000 views but has almost no shares or saves, it probably just got pushed out randomly by the algorithm. It does not mean the content was good. The engagement tells the real story.

How to Make Content People Actually Share

Connor shared a perfect example. He had a golf event recap video that was professionally produced with a drone shot and a logo intro. Looked great. But it did not perform.

So he took a quick iPhone clip from the first tee-off, slapped a hook on it that said something like “when you hire a professional videographer to film your boys golf trip,” and the thing took off. Over 300,000 views and more than a thousand shares.

The difference was connection. Every guy who golfs has a group trip with his buddies. When they saw that hook, they immediately thought of their golf group and sent it over. That is shareable content. You are not trying to impress people. You are trying to make them think of someone specific they need to send this to.

Speak to One Person, Not Everyone

If you really want to create content that converts into clients, you have to speak to an individual person. Not a demographic. Not a vague audience. One person.

Connor put it simply: if you are a real estate agent, do not make content for “anyone looking to buy a house.” Make content for a person in their mid-20s who is trying to buy their first home and does not think they will ever save up enough for a down payment. Call that person out. Talk specifically to their pain points. Give them two or three actionable steps.

When you do that, the person on the other side of the screen feels like you are talking directly to them. And that is when they reach out.

This is the same exercise we do with our clients. We take the top 10% of their client list, identify the commonalities between them, and build content around the specific problems and outcomes those people share. You do not necessarily have to niche into one industry, but you absolutely need to niche into a specific problem you solve.

Make It Easy to Work With You

Connor brought up something that drives me crazy too. Business owners who put their phone number in the caption of an Instagram post and expect people to call them. The person watching your content is scrolling on the toilet. They are not going to screenshot your phone number and dial you.

Instead, you need to reduce the friction to basically zero. Use ManyChat automations where someone comments a keyword and gets a DM automatically. Use story polls to get soft hand-raises, then follow up personally. Give away free resources like budget templates or guides to capture contact info and start conversations.

But here is the piece everyone misses. Posting content is just getting people to raise their hand. It is the equivalent of door knocking or cold calling. After they raise their hand, you still have to go engage. DM them. Ask them questions. Start an actual conversation. Social media is not a set-it-and-forget-it lead machine. It is the top of the funnel, and you are still responsible for moving people through it.

Build Your Email List

Connor learned this lesson the hard way. His Instagram got hacked and deleted about two and a half years ago. Gone. Thankfully, he had built a small email list of about 600 to 700 people through free resources and lead magnets. That list was the only thing that saved him.

This is why we preach the “all roads lead to Rome” philosophy. Rome is your email list. You own it. No algorithm. No shadowban. No platform risk. When you send an email to your list, you know they are going to see it. Whether they open it depends on your subject lines, but at least the message lands.

Connor’s final piece of advice was do not copy trends. He brought up a great example of a kid who does these hilarious speed tours of homes. The content blows up because it matches his personality perfectly. But then other agents start copying it, and it falls flat because they are building that kid’s brand, not their own.

Instead, figure out what is unique about you. Your story, your personality, your expertise. Then figure out how to exploit that in the service of others. That is where lasting brands are built.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important KPIs to track on Instagram?

Shares and saves are the two most valuable metrics for measuring content performance right now. People who share and save your content are your actual potential buyers. They are the quiet followers who rarely comment but are deeply engaged with what you offer. Instagram is also prioritizing these signals in the algorithm, so focusing on shareable content will increase your reach.

How do I make my social media content more shareable?

Build a connection with the viewer so they immediately think of someone to send it to. Use hooks that reference a shared experience or identity your audience relates to. Connor shared how a simple iPhone clip with a relatable hook about a golf trip got 300,000 views and over a thousand shares, while a polished drone edit of the same event barely moved.

How do I find my ideal client avatar for content creation?

Look at who you already work with. If half your clients come from one niche or demographic, lean into that. Alternatively, identify the easiest and most enjoyable clients you serve and create content that speaks directly to their pain points and goals. The key is to stop speaking to everyone and start speaking to one specific person.

What is the ManyChat automation strategy for social media?

ManyChat is a software that connects to your Instagram account. When someone comments a specific keyword on your post, it automatically sends them a direct message. You can use this to deliver lead magnets, capture emails, or start sales conversations. It removes friction and makes it easy for followers to engage without leaving the platform.

How do I convert social media followers into paying clients?

Posting content is only step one. You have to engage back with people who follow, like, or comment. Use story polls, lead magnets, and comment automations to get soft hand-raises from your audience. Then personally follow up in DMs to start real conversations. Social media is the equivalent of door knocking. It gets attention, but you still have to walk through the door.