Parent doc: VELLOCITY_MEDIA_GROWTH_STRATEGY.md
Created: 2026-03-30
Updated: 2026-03-31 — Milestones adjusted with Metricool 2026 Study data; added Facebook/Threads targets; tempered TikTok expectations; added YouTube scheduling insight
Part 1: YouTube Series Bible
Series Overview
| Series |
Episodes |
Avg Length |
Camera |
Vibe |
| Marketplace GTM Playbook |
15 |
12-18 min |
C70 (A-cam) |
Authoritative, educational |
| GTM Teardowns |
10 |
10-15 min |
C70 + screen share |
Analytical, real examples |
| Industry Pulse |
10 |
8-12 min |
R6 II (casual) |
Current, opinionated |
| AI Certification Path |
8 |
10-15 min |
C70 |
Educational, step-by-step |
| AI Applied |
12 |
12-20 min |
C70 + screen share |
Technical but accessible |
| Building Vellocity |
20 |
8-15 min |
R6 II (vlog-style) |
Raw, authentic, real numbers |
| Studio Craft |
15 |
8-12 min |
Both cameras |
Visual, gear-focused |
| Founder Frameworks |
10 |
10-15 min |
C70 |
Thoughtful, Dan Martell energy |
Episode Structure Templates
Template A: Educational (Playbook, AI Certification, Frameworks)
0:00 — Hook (5-10s) — "Most ISVs do X. Here's why that kills their pipeline."
0:10 — Context (30-60s) — Why this topic matters right now
1:00 — Framework/Core Lesson (6-10 min) — The meat. Teach the thing.
→ Use whiteboard/graphics for frameworks
→ Include 1-2 real examples (anonymized if Phase 1)
8:00 — Common Mistakes (2-3 min) — "Here's what NOT to do"
11:00 — Action Step (1-2 min) — One specific thing they can do today
12:00 — CTA — Subscribe + "drop a comment if you've dealt with this"
Template B: Teardown/Analysis (GTM Teardowns, Industry Pulse)
0:00 — Hook — Show the thing you're tearing down (screenshot/screen share)
0:15 — "Here's what I noticed" (30s setup)
0:45 — Teardown walkthrough (8-12 min)
→ Screen share + face cam (picture-in-picture)
→ Pause on specific elements, annotate
→ Grade each element (good/bad/could improve)
10:00 — Summary scorecard (1 min)
11:00 — "If this were mine, I'd change these 3 things"
12:00 — CTA
Template C: Build-in-Public / Vlog (Building Vellocity, Studio Craft)
0:00 — Hook — "This month I [milestone/failure/surprise]"
0:15 — Context (what I was trying to do)
1:00 — The story (5-8 min) — real footage, real numbers, real emotion
→ Use R6 II handheld for authenticity
→ Include screen recordings of dashboards/metrics
→ Show the messy middle, not just the highlight reel
7:00 — Lesson / Takeaway (2 min)
9:00 — What's next (1 min)
10:00 — CTA
Thumbnail Strategy
The 3-Element Rule (every thumbnail has exactly 3 things):
- Your face — expressing an emotion (shock, confidence, curiosity)
- Bold text — max 4 words, contrasting color (yellow on dark, white on purple)
- Context image — logo, screenshot, relevant prop
Color palette for thumbnails:
- Primary: Vellocity purple (#330582) backgrounds
- Accent: Yellow (#FFD700) or white text
- Avoid red/green (overused on YouTube, also accessibility)
Title formulas that work for B2B:
- "Why [Common Practice] Is Killing Your [Desired Outcome]"
- "I [Did Thing] — Here's What Happened"
- "The [Framework Name] That [Big Claim]"
- "[Number] [Things] Every [Audience] Needs to Know About [Topic]"
- "How to [Outcome] (Even If [Objection])"
YouTube SEO Strategy
Target keywords (long-tail, low competition in this niche):
- "cloud marketplace GTM strategy"
- "AWS marketplace listing optimization"
- "ISV partner marketing"
- "co-sell strategy cloud"
- "marketplace demand generation"
- "B2B cloud marketplace content marketing"
- "AWS AI certification study guide"
- "building SaaS in public"
Per-video SEO checklist:
- [ ] Keyword in title (first 5 words if possible)
- [ ] Keyword in description (first 2 lines)
- [ ] 3-5 tags (keyword + variations)
- [ ] Custom thumbnail (3-element rule)
- [ ] Chapters/timestamps in description
- [ ] End screen: subscribe + next video
- [ ] Pinned comment with CTA (Substack, free resource)
- [ ] Cards linking to related videos in series
- [ ] Schedule publish for Tuesday 12 PM or Thursday (Metricool 2026: YouTube peak is Tue 12 PM)
Show Name Candidates
| Option |
Vibe |
| The Market Layer |
Direct niche reference (Vellocity's category) |
| Listed & Loaded |
Catchy, marketplace + ready-to-go energy |
| Post-Listing |
Owns the positioning — what happens AFTER you list |
| The GTM Playbook |
Straightforward, searchable |
| Cloud Market Insider |
Authority + insider access |
| Format |
Episodes |
Length |
Frequency |
| Solo deep-dive |
12 |
15-25 min |
1/month |
| Guest interview |
16 |
30-45 min |
~1.5/month |
| Hot take / news react |
4 |
10-15 min |
Quarterly |
| Total |
32 |
— |
~3/month |
Solo Episode Structure
0:00 — Cold open (clip from later in episode — best insight)
0:30 — Intro + topic setup
2:00 — Main content (3-4 sections with clear transitions)
→ Use a framework or numbered list as skeleton
→ Include 1-2 real stories/examples per section
18:00 — Recap: "Here's the 3 things to remember"
20:00 — CTA: Substack, YouTube, or product (Phase 2)
Guest Interview Structure
0:00 — Cold open (guest's best quote)
0:30 — Intro: who the guest is, why they're on
2:00 — Their story (let them talk — 5-8 min)
10:00 — Deep-dive question 1 (tactical, specific)
18:00 — Deep-dive question 2 (contrarian or future-looking)
28:00 — Rapid-fire round (5 quick questions)
33:00 — Where to find them + CTA
Ideal Guest Profiles
| Guest Type |
Why |
Example Titles |
| ISV founder who crushed marketplace GTM |
Social proof, real stories |
CEO/CTO at successful ISV |
| Partner Development Manager (PDM) |
Insider perspective on what works |
AWS/Azure/GCP PDM |
| Alliance/Partner Marketing leader |
Buyer persona, their pain is your product |
VP Alliances, Dir. Partner Marketing |
| Cloud marketplace analyst/journalist |
Credibility by association |
Canalys, Forrester, Bessemer |
| Founder of a complementary tool |
Network, cross-promotion |
Tackle, Suger founder (friendly, not combative) |
| Dan Martell orbit (SaaS founder/coach) |
Audience crossover |
SaaS founders, B2B coaches |
| Creator/studio builder |
Studio craft pillar crossover |
B2B creators with strong production |
Guest Outreach Template (Phase 1 Safe)
Subject: Quick invite — [Podcast Name] episode on [their expertise]
Hey [Name],
I'm launching [Podcast Name], a show for people building and scaling
in the cloud marketplace ecosystem. I've been in this space for 8+ years
and I'm bringing together the sharpest voices in partner GTM.
I'd love to have you on to talk about [specific topic related to their work].
The format is a 30-minute conversation — tactical, no fluff.
Interested?
[Your name]
Production Setup
| Element |
Equipment |
Notes |
| Primary mic (host) |
Best of your 9 — likely Shure SM7B or equivalent |
Consistent across all episodes |
| Backup mic |
Secondary dynamic mic |
For in-person guests |
| Remote guests |
Riverside.fm |
Separate audio tracks, local recording |
| Recording |
Dedicated audio studio (1 of 4 setups) |
Treated room, minimal reverb |
| Editing |
Descript or Adobe Podcast |
AI-assisted editing for speed |
| Hosting |
Spotify for Podcasters or Buzzsprout |
RSS distribution |
| Show notes |
Auto-generated from transcript → edited |
Repurpose to Substack |
Part 3: Substack Editorial Calendar
25 Posts Mapped to Pillars
| # |
Title |
Pillar |
Tied to YouTube? |
| 1 |
Why I'm Building a Media Company (Not a Software Company) |
5 |
Yes — Frameworks #1 |
| 2 |
The Cloud Marketplace GTM Playbook (Complete Guide) |
1 |
Yes — Playbook series compilation |
| 3 |
My AWS AI Certification Journey — Study Guide + Resources |
2 |
Yes — AI Cert #1-3 |
| 4 |
Month 1: Real Revenue, Real Costs, Real Lessons |
3 |
Yes — Building Vellocity #2 |
| 5 |
Why 90% of Marketplace Listings Never Generate Pipeline |
1 |
Yes — Playbook #1 |
| 6 |
The A/B Testing Playbook for Marketplace Listings |
1 |
Yes — Playbook #5 |
| 7 |
Bedrock vs. OpenAI: An Honest Technical Comparison |
2 |
Yes — AI Applied #7 |
| 8 |
The $0 to $X Journey — Quarter 1 Retrospective |
3 |
Yes — Building #19 |
| 9 |
How to Find Your Ideal Co-Sell Partner |
1 |
Yes — Playbook #8 |
| 10 |
Building 35+ AI Capabilities as a Solo Founder |
2 |
Yes — Building #6 |
| 11 |
The Funding Programs Most ISVs Don't Know About |
1 |
Yes — Playbook #14 |
| 12 |
My Complete Studio Setup Guide for B2B Creators |
4 |
Yes — Studio #1 |
| 13 |
Credit-Based Pricing vs. Seat-Based — The Math |
5 |
Yes — Frameworks #4 |
| 14 |
State of Cloud Marketplaces 2026 |
1 |
Yes — Industry Pulse #1 |
| 15 |
The Content-to-Pipeline Attribution Problem (And How to Solve It) |
1 |
Yes — Playbook #10 |
| 16 |
Half-Year Report: What Worked, What Didn't |
3 |
Standalone |
| 17 |
The No-Code AI Agent Revolution in B2B GTM |
2 |
Yes — AI Applied #16 |
| 18 |
How I Batch Create 15 Pieces of Content in One Day |
4 |
Yes — Studio #7 |
| 19 |
The Multi-Cloud Marketplace Strategy Guide |
1 |
Yes — Industry Pulse #3 |
| 20 |
Why I Chose to Bootstrap (For Now) |
5 |
Yes — Frameworks #8 |
| 21 |
The Partner Marketing Budget Breakdown |
1 |
Yes — Playbook #11 |
| 22 |
AI Agents Explained: What They Actually Are |
2 |
Yes — AI Applied #8 |
| 23 |
Q3 Retrospective: Scaling What Works |
3 |
Yes — Building #19 |
| 24 |
The "Build |
Sell |
Market" Framework |
| 25 |
Year 1: The Full Story |
3 |
Yes — Building #20 |
Part 4: Metrics & Milestones
90-Day Targets (Months 1-3)
| Metric |
Target |
Why |
| YouTube subscribers |
500 |
Momentum signal, unlock community tab. Views +76% YoY — tailwind. |
| YouTube videos published |
24 |
2/week cadence established. Publish Tue 12 PM + Thu (Tue is peak). |
| TikTok followers |
800 |
Algorithm threshold for push. Tempered from 1K — reach is -19% YoY, interactions -32%. |
| TikTok videos published |
36 |
3/week cadence. Authenticity > polish — quick clips outperform edited content. |
| Facebook followers |
200 |
New channel. Cross-post TikTok clips. FB reach +51% YoY — easy early wins. |
| Facebook videos published |
36 |
Same as TikTok — cross-post every clip. |
| LinkedIn followers (net new) |
300 |
Quality > quantity. Post 3/week: carousels + polls. Publish Tue 1 PM. |
| LinkedIn posts published |
36 |
3/week cadence (was 1/week — too low for a platform with +108% more accounts). |
| Instagram carousels published |
24 |
~2/week. Carousels get 30,810 impressions — 2x Reels. Prioritize over Reels. |
| Threads followers |
100 |
New channel. Cross-post LinkedIn text. 89% more impressions than LinkedIn. |
| Threads posts published |
24 |
~2/week cross-posts from LinkedIn. |
| Substack subscribers |
250 |
Email list is the real asset |
| Podcast episodes |
8 |
3/month cadence |
| Content buffer |
2 weeks ahead |
Never running on empty |
6-Month Targets (Months 4-6)
| Metric |
Target |
Notes |
| YouTube subscribers |
2,000 |
Platform growing +76% views YoY — strong tailwind |
| YouTube avg views/video |
500+ |
Avg across platform is 687 — achievable |
| TikTok followers |
4,000 |
Tempered from 5K — saturation (-17% views YoY). Still #1 discovery. |
| Facebook followers |
1,000 |
Cross-post channel. FB reach +51% YoY. Reposted video goes viral. |
| Facebook avg reach/video |
2,000+ |
Tiny accounts avg 163 impressions; with video content expect more. |
| LinkedIn followers (net new) |
500 |
Carousel + poll strategy. Impressions -23% YoY, so quality > vanity. |
| LinkedIn avg impressions/post |
800+ |
Platform avg is 812. Carousels should push above average. |
| Threads followers |
500 |
Growing 128% YoY. Cross-post from LinkedIn. |
| Substack subscribers |
1,000 |
|
| Podcast downloads/episode |
200+ |
|
| Inbound product inquiries from content |
10+ |
|
12-Month Targets
| Metric |
Target |
Notes |
| YouTube subscribers |
8,000-10,000 |
Flagship channel. YouTube views +76% YoY — best growth story. |
| TikTok followers |
12,000+ |
Tempered from 15K. Still #1 in reach (28,483/post) but declining -17% YoY. |
| Facebook followers |
3,000+ |
New. Cross-posting TikTok clips. FB is #3 in impressions (9,377/post). |
| LinkedIn followers (net new) |
1,500+ |
Carousel/poll strategy. LinkedIn growth rate is 6.92% — 3rd strongest. |
| Threads followers |
2,000+ |
Cross-posting LinkedIn text. 400M MAU, growing 128% YoY. |
| Substack subscribers |
3,000+ |
|
| Podcast downloads/episode |
500+ |
|
| Email list total (all sources) |
5,000+ |
|
| Speaking invitations from content |
3+ |
|
| Product trials attributed to content |
50+ |
|
| Revenue influenced by media |
Trackable via UTM |
|
Platform health context (Metricool 2026 Study):
- YouTube and Facebook are the growth platforms (views +76% and reach +51% respectively)
- TikTok and Instagram are saturating (views -17% and reach -35%) but still have the highest raw numbers
- LinkedIn is getting more competitive (+108% accounts) — format strategy matters more than frequency
- Threads is emerging and free to cross-post — upside with near-zero cost
Conversion Funnel
AWARENESS (social impressions, YouTube views)
│
▼ 2-5% subscribe/follow
AUDIENCE (subscribers across platforms)
│
▼ 10-15% join email list
EMAIL LIST (Substack + product waitlist)
│
▼ 5-10% start free trial
PRODUCT TRIAL
│
▼ 15-25% convert to paid
REVENUE
The key metric is email subscribers. Everything else feeds into this. Own the relationship — don't rent it from algorithms.