GOING VIRAL STRATEGIES WITH TONY KARIOTIS | E046 PODCAST
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ABOUT THE GUEST
Tony Kariotis is a social media personality, photographer, and travel enthusiast. He gained prominence through his Instagram account, @iamgreece, where he shares captivating photographs and stories from his travels around Greece. Tony is known for providing insights, tips, and guides for travelers interested in exploring various destinations within Greece, including its islands and the capital city of Athens.
Additionally, Tony gained viral fame through his creation of the "Ep! Apagorevete" series, which features comedic skits centered around the catchphrase "Apagorevete." These videos showcase humorous scenarios inspired by Tony's experiences during his travels in Greece. Tony Kariotis has become a well-known figure within the Greek-American community and among travel enthusiasts for his engaging content and passion for showcasing the beauty and culture of Greece.
Tony’s Website:
https://www.greece-media.com
Tony’s YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/iamgreece
Tony’s Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/iamgreece/?hl=en
Tony’s TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@iamgreece_
Tony’s LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-kariotis/
George Stroumboulis sits down with Tony Kariotis in Athens, Greece on the Invigorate Your Business Podcast to talk about all things culture, social media, viral clips, marketing, current events in Europe and so much more.
“The most viral video of my page’s career happened this summer. 23 million views.”
MEDIA RELATED TO THE EPISODE
George Stroumboulis sits down with Tony Kariotis in Athens, Greece on the Invigorate Your Business Podcast to talk about all things culture, social media, viral clips, marketing, current events in Europe and so much more.
On the Invigorate Your Business Podcast, George Stroumboulis meets with Tony Kariotis in Athens, Greece, to discuss culture, social media trends, viral content, marketing, and current events across Europe.
George Stroumboulis sits down with Tony Kariotis in Athens for the Invigorate Your Business Podcast, diving into culture, social media strategy, viral moments, European news, and more.
In this episode of Invigorate Your Business, George Stroumboulis connects with Tony Kariotis in Athens to explore culture, social media dynamics, viral clips, marketing insights, and key events happening in Europe.
In Athens, Greece, George Stroumboulis hosts Tony Kariotis on the Invigorate Your Business Podcast, discussing culture, social media trends, viral content, marketing tactics, and current European events.
George Stroumboulis and Tony Kariotis chat in Athens on the Invigorate Your Business Podcast, covering topics from culture and social media to viral videos, marketing, and the latest in European affairs.
ABOUT THE “INVIGORATE YOUR BUSINESS” PODCAST
The Invigorate Your Business with George Stroumboulis podcast features casual conversations and personal interviews with business leaders in their respective fields of expertise. Crossing several industry types and personal backgrounds, George sits down with inspiring people to discuss their business, how they got into that business, their path to the top of their game and the trials and tribulations experienced along the way. We want you to get inspired, motivated, and then apply any advice to your personal and professional lives. If there is at least one piece of advice that resonates with you after listening, then this podcast is a success. New episodes weekly. Stream our show on Spotify, YouTube, Apple, Amazon and all other platforms.
ABOUT GEORGE STROUMBOULIS
George Stroumboulis is an entrepreneur to the core, having launched several ventures across multiple industries and international markets. He has held senior-level positions at progressive companies and government institutions, both domestically and internationally, building an extensive portfolio of business know-how over the years and driving profit-generating results. George’s ability to drive real change has landed him in several media outlets, including the front page of the Wall Street Journal. George was born in Toronto, Canada to his Greek immigrant parents. Family first. Flying over 300,000 miles a year around the world puts into perspective how important family is to George’s mental and emotional development. With all this travel to global destinations, the longest he stays even in the most far-out destination is 3 days or less - a personal rule he lives by to make sure he is present and involved in family life with his wife and three daughters. To read about George’s global travels, stay connected with his blog section.
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FULL SHOW TRANSCRIPT
George Stroumboulis: 0:00
Welcome to another episode of Invigorate your Business with George Stroumboulis. I sit down with Tony Kariotis. Tony is a returning guest and we're going to break down a lot of his social media tactics and strategies on what he's doing to help drive his business. We're going to talk about some of the new content that he's producing, ways to be able to implement it into your business, and we just cover an array of topics in this catch-up episode. So enjoy this episode starting now. My name is George Stroumboulis and I'm extremely passionate about traveling the world, meeting new people and learning about new businesses. Join me as I sit down with other entrepreneurs to learn about their journeys. This episode of Invigorate your Business starts now. We are in Athens, Greece, right In the center of Athens. What monument is this outside the window?
Tony Kariotis: 0:56
We have the Temple of Zeus the Olympiad.
George Stroumboulis: 1:00
I think he just made that up, but no, he knows his stuff. If anyone knows, it's Tony K Cariotis. It's amazing. I just got in today. Tony's taking off basically tomorrow, the day after, and we linked up schedules. We're going to go out later, catch up on life, but it's always good to sit down with someone who's you know social media expert, someone who's savvy with marketing, has done some really cool stuff in his career so far. The future is yours, right when it comes to this stuff, and just keep building. So I'm very happy to sit down with you again and just chop it up.
Tony Kariotis: 1:31
Likewise bro.
George Stroumboulis: 1:31
Always a great time, always a great time. So how long have you been in Greece this round?
Tony Kariotis: 1:35
This is actually a short trip, relatively speaking. That's about two months in right now. Two months in, that's a short trip, short trip, right. Well, the last few years have been like four, three, five. One time I overstayed my visa. So much the guy at the at the airport. He's like flipping through my password trying to find a legitimate date that makes sense. Yeah, he goes. But meanwhile the day before I called the airport, uh, twice at two different times a day, and just asked the same question without a name. They're like you're gonna be fine, so I get there, he's flipping through, he goes. When'd you come? And I'm like june, he goes, it's november. And like no, no, no. I called yesterday. They said hola, dax, we're gonna be fine. And they're like that's what they told you. I'm like yeah, he goes, all right, then go then go just like that.
George Stroumboulis: 2:19
Yeah, it was the funniest thing ever. Try that same discussion in Germany.
Tony Kariotis: 2:22
See how that goes.
George Stroumboulis: 2:24
Exactly so what have you? You don't just come here for pleasure, you come here you produce content.
Tony Kariotis: 2:31
Produce content, network like hell, travel around. This year I actually got my sailing license. That was a lot of fun.
George Stroumboulis: 2:37
You know what I wanted to ask you about that.
Tony Kariotis: 2:46
So for a decade now more than that I've always wanted to make the time to get that, yeah, so what is that? Uh, so I didn't know. I knew it was an idea for this trip because maria and her mom have like grown up loving the boat industry. They want they've done all their certifications for all different types and they're like we want to get our sail license. But when I got here, two weeks prior to maria, I went to carinos. I went and saw fred andisiros nearby, then picked her up in Athens and we usually go up to Kavala and see her family. But the plan was to also go up there and plan the wedding this year Meet the wedding planner, get everything in order. But on top of that she's like, oh, and we're going to go sailing for lessons every day. I'm like, okay, could be fun, so could be fun. So you had no desire. No, no, I was, I was into it. Okay, I was into it.
Tony Kariotis: 3:27
So we get there and, like that first morning I wake up and they're not home. I'm like they're probably running an errand. But I remember them saying make sure when you go outside to grab the key because you could lock yourself out and to get to the main bathroom. You got to step outside because it's like this mountain style house. You gotta go over here. So I go out there without my phone and the door just pulls and I'm like, oh my gosh, oh boy, I am just in like my sleeping attire. I can't go anywhere. If I walk down to the town to ask someone to use their phone, I'm like, no, this is going to be really bad or some really good PR can happen. And I'm like, oh my God, they may not be back for hours. What am I doing right now? I'm looking around the patio area and I found the spare key. I get back inside.
Tony Kariotis: 4:08
I call them like where are you guys? They're like I told you we're going to go run some errands, but we just met up with the sailing lesson instructor. We're sitting on the boat to talk to him and we might start now. And I'm like what about me? I was in on this right. They're like well, you didn't. You didn't say you wanted to like come, come, and we weren't really like doing the lessons today, but he just so happened to have free time, so he's gonna start today. I'm like well, I want to come. And she's like she's got the car. So I'm like I can't even get down to a 30 minute drive and she goes all right, just take a taxi. I get ready, I grab a taxi, I go down to the port, we start, and it was a really, really cool time. Each day we did something different, whether it was doing the sails, doing the parking, dropping anchor, it was really cool.
George Stroumboulis: 4:53
But wait when you're done. It's an actual certification.
Tony Kariotis: 4:55
Yeah, it's a license to rent a sailboat, a 40 foot sailboat.
George Stroumboulis: 5:00
Do you feel confident that? No right, Like that's a big tip. I'll answer that before.
Tony Kariotis: 5:03
I even told them. I'm like look, I know I passed the test, the written test, and you're comfortable giving it to me, but you're not. I promise you, I will not rent a boat until I take more lessons.
George Stroumboulis: 5:14
Stupid question Is there a motor on there or is it strictly sail?
Tony Kariotis: 5:18
No, it's a motor and sail. Yeah. So you usually got a motor when you're leaving and entering the port and then, if there's no wind, you're going to need to motor. Jeez. So how many days was the actual course? It ended up being seven days, wow, yeah, a few hours each day. One day was like five, six hours. One day was like two hours. Up to 40 feet. This was a 40 foot sailboat. Yeah, it might have been a 42. That's a good size. Oh, it's still a full-size sailboat.
George Stroumboulis: 5:44
So when I used to live in New York City, I was on the west side, 57th Street, and I think by like 55th Street, right on the water was the New York Sailing Club and you'd always see these little boats out there and practicing. And for the 15 years I lived there, I'm like I'm going to come here and sail. Never did it, yeah, yeah, but at least I have something to look forward to. You know, when I retire maybe I don't know, but I do want to get involved with that.
George Stroumboulis: 6:06
So, talk to me what's going on business-wise?
Tony Kariotis: 6:15
Business-wise things are good. Greece is still developing. I think Greece media is going to be like a ongoing project, where I'm never going to really stop thinking of how I can expand it or grow it in different ways, Whether it's the marketing department, the citizenship acquisition department. Now we're going to be adding events to Greece Media, which will be like different events in different cities around the world, and the social media part of it is the fun part where I run around, create content, market things in Greece brands, companies. If I want to go to an island and I have a hotel, for instance, that wants some marketing, We'll stay there. We'll create some cool content for them. Encourage people next time they go to, for instance, Santorini to go to this. Check out these guys. They're really nice people.
Tony Kariotis: 6:51
Other than that, just pushing different levels Give me a reason to say I have to be in Greece and it's work.
George Stroumboulis: 6:56
Yeah, absolutely. Well, let me ask you from the state standpoint. Like back home, you're in Boston. You share your time between Boston and Florida, right?
Tony Kariotis: 7:04
You're back and forth in New.
George Stroumboulis: 7:05
York in the middle. What are some things that you're working on there, Like do you use your marketing skills to target clients back home?
Tony Kariotis: 7:12
In the Greek market, of Greek American market. I do so. If there's, for instance since we do the marketing and advertising opportunities for people, if there's a Greek brand that is US-based or is Australia-based that can service or sell this product to the world, then it makes sense to market it.
George Stroumboulis: 7:32
Absolutely so, since the last time we talked, probably a year ago, when we sat down. November, I think maybe it was earlier this year.
Tony Kariotis: 7:40
I think it was either it was somewhere between November and February.
George Stroumboulis: 7:44
Yeah, that's right, that's right. It was earlier this year. Now we're at the end of the year. We chatted about, you know, ai, chat, gbt, all these tools and me personally, like less than a year ago I was like, okay, I would play around with it, fast forward. Now we're at, we use it heavily for sure.
George Stroumboulis: 8:01
Right, like in our operations right now, the obvious chat GBT. But I I encourage, softly, force my team to meeting notes like throw it through. Chat GBT. Right, the gist of it follow up with clients, use that tool. You know we're we use Gmail as our platform, so now we even integrated. Uh, is it Gemini? I think is yeah. Gemini is now in the actual browser of Gmail. So it's fully integrated. And you know it has its pros and cons. Sometimes you know it'll elongate messaging and it's just more words than you need, but from a tech standpoint it is so crucial to what we do and you know, even from a marketing standpoint, we've been playing around with, you know, video generated AI and image-generated AI and it's scary. I'm officially scared and excited on what you're able to do.
Tony Kariotis: 8:51
Yeah, it is scary. It's crazy how quickly things are moving. And I remember seeing what's his Altman, the guy with OpenAI. Yes, he was saying how getting from 1.0 to 2.0 was insanely long, insanely difficult. Again, from two to three was like half the time. Yeah, three to four was half the time of that. So now you're using this brain you created to expedite five, six, seven, eight and it's crazy where it's gone. The one part that, for me, that I'm not crazy about is how, if you're reading chat gbt text, you can tell it's chad. You read the text right. But if you use it for things like give me ideas for this or what compare this or what are your thoughts on this? It's got some really, really good, powerful tools and now I think they just released one that actually thinks yeah, did you see that?
George Stroumboulis: 9:44
where it's got the ability to go back and absolutely, and what I love about it is it builds a database on who you are right. So, depending on what you ask good or bad it knows like if you're talking about your company, if you're talking about questions you're feeding this machine.
Tony Kariotis: 9:58
But a year ago it wasn't doing that. It couldn't read, it didn't know anything from other threads. Yes, now it sees all threads at once. Yes, that's insane.
George Stroumboulis: 10:06
Yeah, and if you have your own login, it's insane. I just saw yesterday what's going on AI being used in ports. So a lot of my businesses commerce product coming internationally to ports. In New York three weeks ago there was a strike the longshoremen, big deal. Everything was just stopped.
George Stroumboulis: 10:23
In China, they've developed the first port in the world and we got to fact check this. That's 100% operated from machines, robots, using AI. So like think of the longshoremen where their job is to take 20 and 40 foot containers physically, lift it up, put it from the ship onto, you know, the dock and all this stuff. It's just this whole community. And while we're doing this, we'll put up the B it from the ship onto the dock and all this stuff. It's just this whole community. And while we're doing this, we'll put up the B-roll so the viewers could see. But that's a big deal. And then you have this counter of unions, right and dealing with unions, striking and more pay and all this stuff, which is fine, like everyone needs to be their own advocate. But then you have this whole port in China, which is massive. The ports in the United States should be getting very nervous with that type of technology and what it could do in replacing. We're talking hundreds of thousands of positions. It's insane.
Tony Kariotis: 11:14
No, it's insane, it's going to. We're like just a few years away from buying a humanoid bot that just you put in the house, you install the best Jack GBT in it or whatever software you want to use and you can literally have a conversation with it. Yeah, and it'll know everything.
George Stroumboulis: 11:27
Isn't that scary? Yeah, yeah, plus affection people that you know want to have conversations and friendships that are to themselves. They think this will be a replacement.
Tony Kariotis: 11:36
I'm just curious where it's going to go and some people are like, okay, well, it will never act and do this like a human, it doesn't matter. Like, if that is my, if I have this thing right here and that thing has all the knowledge for me, I don't want to type and talk like, hey, what are your thoughts on this, this, this and this, and it will break it down for me in the most accurate way.
George Stroumboulis: 11:53
Yeah, but the other side is, what about the kids that are studying nowadays?
Tony Kariotis: 11:59
This just changed the game.
George Stroumboulis: 12:00
It changed the game and then eventually where it's going to go on. I'm not trying to sound like the old person, but well, what's our purpose going to be, just from a productivity standpoint? Obviously, these machines don't have souls and you know a heart and can feel emotion. But if all we're doing is feeding it and that's doing the job, there's going to be so many jobs and careers and professions that are just going to be replaced by this.
Tony Kariotis: 12:21
But it'll create new opportunities. Just going to be replaced by this, but it'll create new opportunities, absolutely. It might kill off 10,000, but it might create 20,000 that we need people to manage this AI. Yeah, yeah.
George Stroumboulis: 12:31
Just while we're on the technology play like have you ever gone to an Amazon supermarket that's unmanned or with no employees?
Tony Kariotis: 12:41
No, no, the only Amazon store I went to and I don't know why they killed it off. Have you ever seen the Amazon four-star? No, so basically, if the product has four stars or more on the website, they'll stock it. Really, it was the best store ever for gift shopping. One time we went to the mall and I was like Amazon four star, this is cool, let's walk in. I banged out all the family gifts on one trip because they have the best items.
Tony Kariotis: 13:05
In Boston like proper, this was in Massachusetts. Yeah, okay, it was in. Two years later we would go back for the same thing Christmas time and Amazon decided to close off all their retail stores. That was the best retail store to ever exist Jeez.
George Stroumboulis: 13:18
Because you didn't have crap.
Tony Kariotis: 13:19
Everything in there people have bought and liked.
George Stroumboulis: 13:21
I've never heard of that store, so anything that was four stars or more they would stock it.
George Stroumboulis: 13:27
Interesting. I was in DC last week. I was with my business partner and on the way to our meeting I needed coffee. Right, I just red eye, I needed coffee Starbucks, pull over. I asked the Uber driver and my partner. I'm like, hey, can you guys just wait, I'm going to run in quick.
George Stroumboulis: 13:43
I run in, go up to the counter, can I get a double espresso over ice? And the lady behind the counter does like sign language to me and then she points to a stack of like digital type chalkboards and I didn't understand what she was saying. And then I saw someone else. I'm like, excuse me, can I order a coffee? And the lady behind me she goes this is a 100% death operated, death operated Starbucks. Oh, I go. What does that mean? She goes everyone here is deaf and the only way to place an order is you have to write down your order on these boards and they read it unless you know sign language. I'm like I don't know sign language, so I write down espresso over Ice, you know, tall cup, she processes it. And then the whole time. Now I'm just so intrigued. It's just something. Have you ever seen?
Tony Kariotis: 14:30
this.
George Stroumboulis: 14:30
No, I haven haven't seen that yet, so I'm sitting there and now I'm just looking at it and it wasn't like one or two employees that were deaf, it was seven different employees that are, you know, working this location, and then they had lights. So typically a door would open in a restaurant and you'd hear like a chime or a bell yeah, the door would open the light would just flash.
George Stroumboulis: 14:50
They had it right there. So if they're making a drink they turn around. They know someone's there. It was just the the coolest experience. Got the drink. They were very polite. I asked her how do I say thank you? She showed me. Now that process probably took three times longer than just going through a regular starbucks. So not sound like an asshole. Cool experience definitely want to support. I think that's great. But if I'm in a rush and I know that's the story I personally wouldn't go back. If I'm in a rush because it just took long but such a cool concept.
Tony Kariotis: 15:20
Yeah, that is a cool concept, right so?
George Stroumboulis: 15:22
just bouncing around different stuff. What have you seen, uh, in Greece this summer. That's changed since last summer A lot.
Tony Kariotis: 15:36
So, so lot. So geographically, I mean like, yeah, this is struck. I'm excited to talk about this. Yeah, lots of new. They've done a better job fixing like the streets not necessarily the street, but better information for tourists, like crossing areas, and it feels like they're making the streets a lot safer for tourists. That's one a ton more new hotels and airbnbs are being put up everywhere everywhere everywhere.
Tony Kariotis: 16:03
What else? One thing I didn't like. I went down to a beach that I love going at least once or twice a year and someone completely. It seems like they've upscaled it, but this beach wasn't designed for that, it was like a family atmosphere and I went by and it's usually like five, six years to get in no big deal. And then I go there and they're like, oh, it's uh 15. Now I'm like, oh, I went up this year and she goes, come back in like 30 minutes, it's free at five. And I'm like, all right, I walked across the street, got some souvlaki. I went back, then you go inside and it lost its like yep, the vibe. It's just it's too commercialized and I'm like this place stinks.
George Stroumboulis: 16:44
Now you know, that's become a big issue in general. Greece so many new hotels, so many airbnbs, luxury airbnbs. Today I landed six hours ago athens airport packed, still in october yeah, like it blew my mind, it is still getting the tourists.
Tony Kariotis: 17:03
However, I did here and I went to check the shit and I didn't go there for that, but I went to meekins for the first time like three years.
George Stroumboulis: 17:10
Apparently, they took a hit this year, yes, like a 20 percent hit they took a hit and then the car rental company today I won't say the name because I don't know if this is negative or not blast yeah, put on blast yeah.
Tony Kariotis: 17:20
Six like who?
George Stroumboulis: 17:21
cares. I'm talking to the guy that brings the car to me and I remember him when I see him often and I go hey, tono, masu, he's like uh, speedo, I think it was. Hey, I go, it's packed lineups everywhere. He goes, dude, it's busier than it was in August, I go. So how do you measure like, per rentals per month? He goes per day in August. They have just over a hundred rentals per day in August. He goes in October. Right now it's over 200. I go that's crazy, crazy. Like this doesn't make sense.
Tony Kariotis: 17:53
More people just decided to take, not come on a tourist here, I guess.
George Stroumboulis: 17:57
Well, I could tell you from my own circle I have a little cousin in Toronto that's on her honeymoon right now in Greece in October. We have friends who are just American, no connection to Greece, that are on cruises right now coming. It's just, it's a great time of year to come. It seems like it's all year round now tourism.
Tony Kariotis: 18:15
It's becoming all year round for sure, because it's beautiful in the winter. If I had to guess, the low point is probably I don't know February March. February March, right before the season starting again.
George Stroumboulis: 18:24
Yeah, but there's skiing here, there's so many other things.
Tony Kariotis: 18:27
Yeah for sure.
George Stroumboulis: 18:28
The development is crazy, though, and it's just the pricing is getting insane. So this past summer, talking 2024, the same hotels I've stayed at in the past, and I feel like I'm just complaining about this, but every six months it's like another 15% more, 15% more. It's gotten insane. Hotels that used to cost $200 three, four years ago are now flirting with like that thousand plus mark yeah, everything's doing that.
Tony Kariotis: 18:55
The ferry tickets are insanely going up every year yeah even just to. It used to be where, like, if you're going from an island to an island, it's 40 minutes away. It's a cheap ticket 10 euros. Even those are full price. Now, 60, 70 euros, oh, absolutely. With sea jets, they, they're, they're just full, flat rate.
George Stroumboulis: 19:11
No matter you get on the boat, you're paying the full price you'll appreciate this because you're connected here, a ferry which is always supposed to be your down and dirty. I was excited, fun experience, with my daughter's book of ferry Athens to Naxos and return with a car. It was a thousand euros, it was just under a thousand euros and I'm like a thousand euros.
George Stroumboulis: 19:30
Insane. So I sat there, I booked it and then we got closer and it was like a five hour ferry or four and change. And I'm like, let me just go on Aegean Airways and see, and I go on Aegean Airways or sky jet or whatever the other one is, and there and back was 1200 euros flying there in 15 minutes.
Tony Kariotis: 19:47
Yeah Right, I couldn't bring my car, so I ended up doing I'm like, screw that, like the ferries have officially surpassed yeah, wait, it doesn't make sense it doesn't make sense unless you have to bring the car, yeah, or if you don't care and you don't care about the three, four hours and like getting to the airport's annoying then you hop on the boat yeah, then you hop on it, talk about, uh, helicopters.
George Stroumboulis: 20:08
Can you talk about that?
Tony Kariotis: 20:10
yeah, there's now hopping with a helicopter. Uh, there's a company that I do some work with called fly hoper and if you want to go to like a Santorini or Tinos or whichever locations that they have available for. So when I used to look up the prices just for curiosity for helicopters, it used to be like four grand for like a 30 minute lift and they're doing tickets between like three 400 bucks Per person, yeah, which is reasonable. If you're paying, see, just a hundred and you're paying a G and a buck 50, you get a private ride and you're there under 40 minutes.
George Stroumboulis: 20:45
We just price checked before we started chatting now and to go to Costa Navarino, which is on the Western side of Peloponnese. So you need about three hours to drive there from Athens. So three hours, six hours there and back, yeah, right, which again it's fun, right, but you can get there in like 15 minutes and it was $800 for two people, yeah, right, so it came way down. Yeah, what's a hopper? H-o.
Tony Kariotis: 21:10
Fly Hoper, but with one P Fly hopper.
George Stroumboulis: 21:15
Fly hopper. Okay, okay, because you hope you get there. I don't know bad advertising, I'm taking a flight tomorrow.
Tony Kariotis: 21:17
Don't put any. Don't put any thoughts in my head. Oh no, you'll be fine insurance policy for your fiancee right no, that's good.
George Stroumboulis: 21:25
So you're flying back uh to boston on wednesday wednesday I'm going back to boston.
Tony Kariotis: 21:30
we have a direct flight, which is great. Yeah, gonna, yeah, going to go back to Boston. Reset. We're going to get started with these networking events that we've scheduled out. Yeah, we have one coming up in Boston end of the month. Then we're going down to, we'll go to New York and then Fort Lauderdale. We have Tampa on the schedule, but with the hurricane and all we may postpone it Right. And then we're coming out West to see you. Okay, we're going to LA and Silicon Valley in January.
George Stroumboulis: 21:53
And Silicon Valley. Okay, that's going to be huge. So the purpose of that is what. What are you trying to achieve?
Tony Kariotis: 21:59
Trying to just build community, an opportunity for Greeks and non-Greeks. It's not like you show us your Greek card to come in Right, get together, do some business networking, expand your parea, your community. It'll be a nice way to showcase greek restaurants because each time we'll use a different taverna, so everybody wins and we'll do. A portion of it's going to go to charity. I've teamed up with humanity greece okay they do.
Tony Kariotis: 22:23
They're a crisis relief charity organization here in athens. They have their headquarters, basically like a food bank, where they prepare supplies and food. For once crisis hits, they're prepared to help families.
George Stroumboulis: 22:34
That's excellent. No affiliation like Red Cross, like this is separate.
Tony Kariotis: 22:38
Yeah, it's on their own. I stopped by there to say hello when I first got here this year. I went by last year and they're like oh hi, join that group. Right there they're preparing vegetables, they'll slice some carrots. So it wasn't your typical. Like you go in and you see people in suits and paperwork and this oh, we're sending money here, we're doing this here. No, these are people with aprons preparing for the real world. Yeah, that's right, and right away I'm like all right, these are the people I want to do this with.
George Stroumboulis: 23:03
That's great. That's absolutely great. What type of crisis is this?
Tony Kariotis: 23:09
It's the fires. I think the fire has been the main thing, but any opportunity they have to help they'll be ready for. But the crisis is once the fires and also the severe flooding that happened last year, they were on top of it right away. I remember watching their stories and they just were loading the vans driving up to northern Greece where the highway was shut down and, yeah, they were on it pretty quick.
George Stroumboulis: 23:31
That's great man. That's exciting. Total side note I know you're a big boston guy. I was watching new documentary on netflix starting five, did you see it?
Tony Kariotis: 23:39
I? I put it on last night in my airbnb yeah, download it for your flight. Yeah, I watched three episodes last night, dude, it was great. Yeah, you watched the whole thing, or no?
George Stroumboulis: 23:48
no, no, I think there's nine episodes.
Tony Kariotis: 23:50
I have two left okay, so you're ahead of me.
George Stroumboulis: 23:52
It was incredible and like, honestly I always think, just sports athletes in general, you know they're spoiled or this or that man. You see through this like deaths in the family, struggle, no father present, how dealing with the sick mother, and then you're like, wow, like Tatum.
Tony Kariotis: 24:10
Yeah.
George Stroumboulis: 24:11
You respect for this guy?
Tony Kariotis: 24:12
guy like what a good dude and at the same time, like I've been a lebron hater my whole life. But like you see, like the family side of it, I'm like this guy has to be a good dude, but you hear people that actually know, oh no, he's not a good dude. There's an asset, I don't know documentaries help. They help. They help because we create our own stories for the athletes, totally like there's no, no reason to hate Tatum, and I'm saying that because I'm a Boston fan, but now everyone else is seeing it.
George Stroumboulis: 24:37
No, and you know what? Here's the thing.
Tony Kariotis: 24:39
Side note, lebron James produced this with Uninterrupted so they're going to put the best story forward.
George Stroumboulis: 24:45
I'm a LeBron hater in general as well. Very good but honestly, after watching and maybe this is how fickle I am after watching you're like dude. He came from nothing, from like the ghetto and what he did and where he's at today, and then the time he puts into his kids and he's, you know, not pressuring him and supporting him, and then he starts talking about his son who had cardiac arrest.
Tony Kariotis: 25:07
You know it's just like wow and I truly believe, like I judge a person based off how their family talks about them and their family. It seems like they just adore the guy?
George Stroumboulis: 25:19
Oh, absolutely, and that's a good point. His wife said a statement where I'm like man, that's powerful, and you're getting married soon, right, so you'd appreciate this. She said, uh, yep, we like him being like the big star, it all about him, that's great. She goes I have hard work too here. And then lebron said he goes. I wouldn't be who I am if she didn't let me right without the nagging or whatever. She knows. I want to be great and I'm up here and she brings me down.
Tony Kariotis: 25:46
It was just so nice seeing like the spouse and you could tell that the they're each other's number one fan and that's important totally.
George Stroumboulis: 25:52
And you hear rumors lebron doing this's number one fan, and that's important Totally. And you hear rumors of LeBron doing this, like who cares?
Tony Kariotis: 25:56
But he's never had any off-court issues and I'm a big LeBron hater.
George Stroumboulis: 25:59
Yeah, but he's never really had off-court issues. It's true, it's true, and he's bringing his people. The biggest thing I love is he brings his homies from day one. And who's the other guy that Rich Paul's the maverick? Is that maverick Rich Paul?
Tony Kariotis: 26:14
But my record is the other guy yeah.
George Stroumboulis: 26:16
Like all his guys are in his business and he brought them with him. Yeah, it's just it's a cool thing and that's rare.
Tony Kariotis: 26:23
And that's rare, that's very rare.
George Stroumboulis: 26:24
But even Tatum, he's says it in he goes his mom, at 18 years old, spring break had an affair or like slept with a guy, she got pregnant and dad wasn't existent. You know what I mean you hear that story and it's like, wow, that's why he's such a good father total side note, but it was just now.
Tony Kariotis: 26:42
I was, I was meaning to watch it and the airbnb I was in a couple days ago, the ladies. Oh, I have netflix too on the tv. If you want to watch tv, yeah, like you know, I'm gonna order takeout and watch the starting five.
George Stroumboulis: 26:53
Yeah, absolutely so. Yeah, back to this. You said you've been doing a lot of networking, right? Yeah, which is so important tonight which we're going to have to cut this episode short, we're doing some networking Again. Flew in today, Tony and I chatting hey, are you going to be in town here? I and I chatting, hey, are you going to be in town here? I'm glad you asked and it's like, yeah, I'm actually going to overlap. And then, because I'm only here for two, three days, it's like I need to meet with a lot of people just to connect. So tonight we have probably eight to 10 people just coming from different worlds right.
George Stroumboulis: 27:25
Former ambassador, designer, social media marketing and it's like a couple hours all get together. We network.
Tony Kariotis: 27:33
Something good always comes out of this always, always is always good, always comes out of stuff absolutely, man.
George Stroumboulis: 27:39
Yeah, so this this is going to be a quick one. It's good to connect and we're always going to have recurring discussions, and for sure touch base man. You've been growing what. What else is coming on your social platform like? What are you seeing like success?
Tony Kariotis: 27:52
that's a good question. I haven't, because I've been so like locked into the stuff on this trip. I haven't sat taking a step back to assess that yep but I'm gonna continue growing, um, everything that you see, I'm just gonna keep trying to amplify. I gotta bring back more epa.
George Stroumboulis: 28:08
Whatever I took a break from it, I need to bring that back yeah, and when you have a big following, right Again, refresher for the listeners. We're talking hundreds of thousands of followers, tens of millions of views across all platforms.
Tony Kariotis: 28:22
The most viral video of my page's career. That happened this summer. It wasn't about whatever. Do you know which one? Was it the wine? One, yeah, dude 23 million views on that video. 23 million views On just one video.
George Stroumboulis: 28:36
Do you know? I watched that one like 20 times because it was just so. The hook was so funny. So while we're talking about it, we're going to put it up from your page.
Tony Kariotis: 28:46
Yeah, for sure and look full transparency. It wasn't an original thought. It's one of those videos where, like, everyone creates their Really really cool moment. Maybe the most famous person to date that's commented on a piece of content of mine Happened on that who? Nba Hall of Famer Dwayne Wade.
George Stroumboulis: 29:04
I did see that, no way. What did he? He's a big wine guy, right, he's a big wine guy.
Tony Kariotis: 29:08
So it made sense and he was in Europe and I know the way the algorithm works. It'll push it to people in the area he been in Greece, because that was wrong. I don't know if he was at Yanni's wedding or not. He was in Navarino. He was at it, yeah, so maybe that's why he?
Tony Kariotis: 29:22
came up, so maybe LeBron saw it too. I don't know, because he was there, yanni saw it. But yeah, dwayne Wade, he left a laughing emoji and I was like, oh my gosh, I don't get starstruck on stuff, but that one threw me off Dwayne Wade's like let's go, but over 20 million sets of buybacks Is that? 23? Actually, no, I had another 10 million that happened on the other platform, so it's at like 35 million.
George Stroumboulis: 29:46
That's the most you've ever received On one particular video.
Tony Kariotis: 29:49
No, yes and no With me in the video. It's the most. I had this other video of this beach scene. For some reason, instagram just pushed it to the world of this like beach scene at. For some reason, instagram just pushed it to the world.
George Stroumboulis: 30:01
It got 70 million views. Jeez, and what was it?
Tony Kariotis: 30:02
now One. All it was was just the waves hitting the thing and it just said share this with someone, that one that you want to go to Greece with, or something.
George Stroumboulis: 30:09
And that got seven yeah.
Tony Kariotis: 30:11
It just got a ton of views. Everyone was pressing the share button, so what have you seen from your experience?
George Stroumboulis: 30:16
for every 10 million views that you get, how many new followers would you get?
Tony Kariotis: 30:21
Is there an algorithm that there's not an exact number, because some videos can go super viral but they won't generate much follows for the user If it's just one of those videos where like, okay, that's really funny, but like there's no reason to follow this person. But then if it's something where, like you're present in the video, you made the person laugh, they see, okay, this could be a useful follow. I think that video probably brought in I don't know, like three, 3000 people. That's significant, though, right, but there's also a bad part to that. Now, the algorithm percentages. They have no relationship with you. So the next time they see your content in two, three days, they're probably going to skim by it.
George Stroumboulis: 30:56
Yep.
Tony Kariotis: 30:56
So the algorithm's saying a lot of people skipping by his stuff, so now for like the next week, my content was just flopping yep, so I'm like it has to be that there's a lot of new eyeballs that instagram's sending you to, rather than my familiar eyeballs. They're just like ah, whatever. I followed him because I saw that one video just keep skipping, skipping, skipping and for like the next week, I was getting like horrible numbers. That's insane.
George Stroumboulis: 31:19
Yeah, yeah, I never understood, obviously it's the algorithms, its own brain it's its own ai yeah, it's stupid but people that I follow or even like, uh, espn or stuff that I follow. I'll go back sometimes and I'll see it. I'm like shit, I didn't even know. I still follow this page.
Tony Kariotis: 31:33
I haven't seen content forever and that's what stinks is like you build. You spend all this time building a community of followers that genuinely want to see your product, your content. And now, with these new algorithms, let's say, I follow you, right, and instagram can decide one day we're not going to show tony george's content anymore. Yeah, but I signed up to see your content, but you have to like, go in and buy an ad that says send this to my followers on now. So that's what they're pushing ultimately. I don't know. It's either that or they're pushing more organic reach, for I think they're trying to make an effort to help new creators that are just starting out get views. You're going to sacrifice the relationship you have with all the people that have been loyal for you for 10 plus years, right, just because the new kid needs views.
George Stroumboulis: 32:20
I'm convinced again, there's obviously big followings out there. But I'm convinced, unless you're paying for their advertising like that's their ultimate goal, Right, oh, pay to play and do that.
Tony Kariotis: 32:31
And then I get it. Instagram's free, so it's the most powerful tool. I can be in front of everyone's face every day for free. Okay, then tell me pay if you want everyone to see it. If you make it black and white, this is what it's going to cost you. Most of your followers are active to see it. I will pay it. Yeah, exactly, but they don't see that anywhere. No, no so like I might buy the ad. It still might not get to you, so make it clear, yeah, clear.
George Stroumboulis: 33:00
And then, as a marketer, right, if you're trying to promote other brands and services, do you just pay the ads and do that, and then you got to get an influencer to do it.
Tony Kariotis: 33:03
it's like it's a whole and then they created this new algorithm pitch that they're trying to help, which is amazing. It's designed to hinder accounts that all they do is repost other people's work, so if they see that, let's just say use my wine video, for example. If a few other greek pages that don't post original content decide to share it, they claim that they won't go viral it won't be shared, it won't go to explore, won't this? Because it'll detect that they're sharing yours. I don't know if it's started yet. The the head of instagram came out and said this is what we're doing, but I still see these aggregate pages going viral right, right, right, which, and it's it's impossible to know if it's been shared, right, if someone reuses it.
Tony Kariotis: 33:43
No, the software exists to detect it. Tiktok is on point with it. If you post anything that has been posted already, they will not allow it to go to the for you page and instantly detected.
Tony Kariotis: 33:55
So instagram can do it, but they they claim they started on that particular video. I have got notifications saying that we're recommending this one over others that have posted it, but I saw the ones others that posted. They're just mini accounts, hundred people. This is right. I want to see if a mega page shares it, are they going to go viral?
George Stroumboulis: 34:14
and if they do that, what's the point if you're just yeah, reshare.
Tony Kariotis: 34:18
If you're going to claim that we're stopping that now. Then do it.
George Stroumboulis: 34:22
Yep, then do it. Absolutely Talk to me, because we got to bounce. Yeah, your podcast, yes, grease Chats, grease Chats podcast. Traveling, it's been.
Tony Kariotis: 34:30
Yeah, usually I take. I just I shut it down June and I pick it back up I don't know November when I'm comfortably back home. So I'll get some new episodes going this November. Grease Chats podcast you can find it on my Instagram page. Just go to IamGrease or at Grease. So now, oh, one other thing I've left out. So obviously I have at Grease on Instagram, but now have it on TikTok as well.
Tony Kariotis: 34:52
Oh yeah, how did you get that? Someone basically hit me up and said hey, I know you're the owner of akarese, would you like it on tiktok too? I thought he was gonna try to scam me for a few bucks. We worked out a deal. It was over with just like that calm.
George Stroumboulis: 35:04
And what was it before?
Tony Kariotis: 35:06
he, he just had it and there was no post on it and I guess he he got lucky to get it and he was trying to get rid of it. That's huge, yeah, but I got it. But I have not started developing yet. Just because TikTok's algorithm has gotten a little tough where, even if I'm reposting my own content from the other pages, it'll detect it and still not share it that well. So I need to come up with a new strategy for it. Maybe give it like a persona, maybe there it's like I don't know me talking about Grease stuff or something Right, right, right Something different.
Tony Kariotis: 35:33
Something that's designed just for TikTok. Rather than just taking the video I put on Actree's Instagram, put it on Actree's TikTok. They may not like that anymore.
George Stroumboulis: 35:41
Yeah, man, you, you know the science to it, where you see so many things out there where people are paying for followers, they're paying for views, they're paying for all this stuff and the comment it just doesn't add up. You know what I mean and you don't even know what you see, but that's how fickle we are, right? I had a conversation earlier with someone just about restaurants, how people are slowing down going to Yelp for reviews and they're just going for the places and going to Instagram and just because someone posted, oh, this is the best we're, we're starting to use that as our review, right?
Tony Kariotis: 36:11
Right, right, even though it's like paid. Yeah, do you leave Yelp reviews?
George Stroumboulis: 36:16
I've never left the Yelp review in my life. I wanted to on one place because it was such a bad experience. Um, but I don't. Yeah, I've never done it.
Tony Kariotis: 36:25
I've never done it either. That's why I'm asking yeah, it was part of me, is like I ain't no snitch, but sometimes they should know.
George Stroumboulis: 36:33
Sometimes they should know. Yeah, snitches.
Tony Kariotis: 36:36
You know what Look? It might've sucked, but like I'm not going to do that to you, no, I guess sometimes it could have just been like it could just be the small young couple that's just struggling.
George Stroumboulis: 36:45
See, and that's what I think it is, the other side of it is, if you leave a bad review versus just telling them in person, you got to be just a dick for me to want to get fired up. If to be just a dick, yeah for me to want to get fired up if it was like the food was crap or it was undercooked and they just had a crappy attitude.
George Stroumboulis: 37:03
Yeah, I would want to. I still wouldn't, because then I just don't want my name on the internet associated with like oh, george was being a bitch here and didn't like his chicken parm because right, you know what I mean. So it took too long, or something I just don't because that lives out there forever yeah yeah, well, guess what?
Tony Kariotis: 37:18
We're in Greece. It's supposed to take a while. One other thing before we hang up on this yeah, there is one other topic I want to talk about, and it's what is going on with the Greek language in Greece. They all they do is speak English now, but but they're speaking Greek when they speak English, so give an example.
Tony Kariotis: 37:37
You hit someone up, hey, you want to meet up Wednesday? They'll call you back and then they feel it, I feel it. You couldn't just say there's another way, you can say it Totally, and then they make fun of us for using.
George Stroumboulis: 37:52
Gringlish.
Tony Kariotis: 37:54
I'm like. You just called me and said sorry bro.
George Stroumboulis: 37:58
Really.
Tony Kariotis: 37:58
Are you going to make fun of me?
George Stroumboulis: 38:00
Yeah, I use Gringlish because I forget that Greek word and I have to throw it nine times. But there's one.
Tony Kariotis: 38:05
Greek word that even Greece adopted as a Gringlish word, and I'll let you try to guess it. It's not an original Greek word, but I think this one was like the first one. That probably happened back in the 50s and now everyone just assumes it is a.
George Stroumboulis: 38:22
Greek word. Oh geez, give me a hint.
Tony Kariotis: 38:24
I did this thing when I got here today to this spot With my car parka, this parka, yes, yes, but got, but got is a, but got is more about a car. Oh, the park is my it.
George Stroumboulis: 38:39
Oh, but it is my yeah. Yeah, you're right, that is one.
Tony Kariotis: 38:41
So the real word is the. I was talking about it last night with a friend.
George Stroumboulis: 38:46
Stuffmore something yeah.
Tony Kariotis: 38:48
It starts off with S-T-A, so if there's a hard Greek word, I feel like they've adopted the English word Totally. Like signomi takes like three syllables. So now they like saying sorry, sorry, yeah. Yeah, sorry bro. Like Signomi takes like three syllables. So now they're like saying sorry, sorry, yeah, yeah, sorry bro.
George Stroumboulis: 38:59
Well, 10, 15 years ago, when I was way younger, they would do it just to flex on. Hey, I know my, but now it's like part of them speaking every day. Yeah, absolutely, and I'm like bro.
Tony Kariotis: 39:11
You just said you're talking Greek, but you used all English words and then you make fun of me.
George Stroumboulis: 39:15
Well, yeah, then you make fun of me? Well, yeah, and then the texting and the writing. With the younger generation, everything is like they don't finish the sentence.
Tony Kariotis: 39:22
They don't finish the word yeah, or like pare me til.
George Stroumboulis: 39:25
Yeah, they wouldn't even say pare. It's like pare til yeah Pare til For pare til efono. Call me yeah.
Tony Kariotis: 39:44
And then my favorite is when people like read out acronyms. They're like umidzi. It's great like at the end of the day, it's all just fun, but just don't make fun of our english. Don't make fun if you guys are saying sorry, bro, you're a fool, yeah like, come on as long as you're trying.
George Stroumboulis: 39:52
Yeah, it's funny, man I wonder what words are coming next here exactly well, it's english. I mean, on average, your, your average greek who's in their 20s 30s. They speak fantastic english, right compared to other european nations like italy's.
Tony Kariotis: 40:07
Very hard the youth they don't speak english spain the same in the 90s. They started making emphasis on teaching the english language here and people speak it really well, absolutely, and it's such a small country, 11 million people.
George Stroumboulis: 40:19
You have to speak. English to survive For sure. That's it, tony. On a future episode we'll talk about politics, political aspirations.
Tony Kariotis: 40:28
That's for another Awesome man. I'll buy whatever. I'll buy whatever for Awesome man.
George Stroumboulis: 40:38
Let's go have some drinks, let's go have fun tonight. Right man, there you go.
Tony Kariotis: 40:45
Thank you for having me.
George Stroumboulis: 40:45
It's always a pleasure always a pleasure, brother we'll talk soon absolutely, and we'll figure out what the monuments are across the street no, it was it's, it's, it's. I was right I'm gonna show a view out there and just see. I think you're right. If anyone knows, it's gonna's going to be you.
Tony Kariotis: 40:58
It is, it is, it is Okay.
George Stroumboulis: 40:59
It is Awesome, man, let's go All right. Thanks for listening to this episode of Invigorate your Business with George Strombolis. Please hit the subscribe and like buttons and follow me on all the main podcast streaming channels. Also, please share your comments when you can. I appreciate your help in expanding this network to a worldwide audience. Until next time, stay invigorated.
CONTENTS OF THIS VIDEO
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:30 - Travel and Sailing Adventures
00:06:07 - Business and Greece Media
00:07:36 - The Growth and Future of AI
00:12:33 - Innovation with Brick and Mortar Stores
00:15:24 - Change in Greece
00:20:06 - Greek Island Hopping with Helicopters
00:21:25 - Connecting and Helping the Greek Community
00:23:36 - Our Perception of NBA Players- Lebron James
00:26:58 - Producing Viral Content
00:31:20 - How the Social Media Algorithm Helps/Hurts Creators
00:34:27 - Greece Chats Podcast
00:35:57 - Yelp Reviews
00:37:30 - Greeklish
HOW TO CREATE VIRAL SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
Creating viral social media content requires a mix of creativity, strategy, and an understanding of your audience. While there’s no guaranteed formula for going viral, following certain principles can significantly increase the chances of your content catching on. Here’s a guide on how to create viral social media content:
1. Know Your Audience
Identify Your Niche: Understanding your target audience is crucial. Tailor your content to their interests, values, and the type of content they already engage with. Use tools like social media analytics, Google Trends, and audience surveys to gather insights.
Speak Their Language: Create content that resonates with your audience's style, humor, and emotions. Whether it's using relatable slang, addressing pain points, or tapping into current trends, speaking your audience's language builds connection and shareability.
2. Tap into Emotions
Evoke Strong Emotions: Viral content often triggers a strong emotional response—whether it's laughter, awe, surprise, or even sadness. People are more likely to share content that makes them feel something. Positive emotions, like joy or inspiration, generally perform better than negative ones.
Make It Relatable: Content that reflects real-life experiences, challenges, or joys tends to be more shareable. Think of memes, funny videos, or heartfelt stories that viewers can see themselves in.
3. Leverage Trending Topics and Challenges
Join Popular Trends: Jumping on a viral trend or challenge can give your content a massive boost. Whether it’s a TikTok dance challenge or a meme format, participating in trends can put your content in front of a larger audience.
Use Hashtags: Trending hashtags can increase your content’s visibility. Use relevant, popular hashtags strategically, but don’t overdo it. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok often recommend 3–5 relevant hashtags.
Create Your Own Challenge: If you're feeling bold, create your own challenge or trend. Encourage user-generated content by making it easy for others to participate and share their own versions.
4. Keep It Short and Simple
Bite-Sized Content: Attention spans are short on social media. Short-form content like TikToks, Instagram Reels, and bite-sized Twitter threads perform well because they’re quick and easy to consume.
Easy to Digest: Make your message clear and concise. People are more likely to share content they can understand immediately. Use visuals, captions, and storytelling to convey your point effectively.
Optimize for Mobile: Most social media consumption happens on mobile devices, so make sure your content is mobile-friendly—easily viewable and engaging on smaller screens.
5. Utilize High-Quality Visuals
Eye-Catching Design: Whether it's a photo, video, or graphic, high-quality visuals attract attention and increase the chances of your content being shared. Invest in good lighting, sound, and editing for videos or create professional-looking graphics.
Bright Colors and Bold Text: Visually appealing content with bright colors or bold, clear text is more likely to catch someone's eye while they’re scrolling through their feed.
6. Tell a Story
Storytelling is Key: People are naturally drawn to stories. Craft a narrative arc that’s compelling—whether it’s a customer success story, a personal anecdote, or a how-to tutorial. Stories create emotional connections and are more likely to be shared.
Cliffhangers and Surprises: Use suspense, surprise endings, or unexpected twists in your storytelling. This keeps viewers engaged and eager to share the content with others.
7. Use Humor and Memes
Inject Humor: Funny content tends to go viral because it’s easily shareable and light-hearted. Tap into relatable humor, pop culture references, and playful tone. Memes, parodies, or jokes can spread quickly across platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
Create Memes: Memes have become the language of the internet. If your content is meme-worthy, it stands a good chance of being widely shared. Memes that highlight shared experiences, humor, or ironic situations often gain traction quickly.
8. Collaborate with Influencers or Other Creators
Leverage Influencer Reach: Partnering with influencers who have a loyal and engaged following can exponentially increase your content’s exposure. Influencers can introduce your content to new audiences and boost its chances of going viral.
Collaborate with Peers: Sometimes collaborating with other content creators (even if they’re not influencers) can introduce your content to new circles, increasing the likelihood of it being shared.
9. Encourage User Participation
Engage Your Audience: Prompting your audience to participate or engage with your content boosts shareability. You can ask a question, run a poll, or encourage followers to tag their friends.
Create Shareable Content: Design content with the intent of it being shared—whether it's relatable quotes, stunning visuals, or practical tips. Content that provides value to others is more likely to be passed along.
Host Contests or Giveaways: Contests that ask participants to share your post or tag their friends are great for generating shares. Make sure the prize is enticing enough to motivate participation.
10. Master the Timing
Post at Peak Times: Understand when your audience is most active on social media and post during those times. Tools like Instagram Insights or Hootsuite can help you determine peak engagement hours.
Capitalize on Cultural Moments: Timing your content around holidays, major events, or trending news can increase the likelihood of virality. People are more likely to share content that taps into current conversations or emotions.
11. Create Interactive and Engaging Content
Polls, Quizzes, and Surveys: Interactive content is fun and engaging. Social media platforms like Instagram Stories offer features like polls, quizzes, and “Ask Me Anything” stickers that encourage participation and sharing.
Gamification: Adding a gaming element to your content (such as a challenge, quiz, or task) can drive engagement and lead to higher share rates.
12. Optimize for Each Platform
Tailor Content for the Platform: Not all content works well across all platforms. Customize your content for the specific platform you're posting on. For example, TikTok is all about short, catchy videos, while Instagram emphasizes visually stunning images and Reels, and Twitter thrives on witty, concise text.
Use Platform-Specific Features: Take advantage of each platform’s native tools like Instagram Reels, TikTok’s music library, or Twitter’s trending hashtags to enhance your content’s visibility.
13. Use Music and Audio
Trending Sounds: On platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, using trending sounds or music can boost your content’s visibility and virality. These platforms often prioritize content that incorporates popular audio clips.
Soundtracks that Match the Mood: Music has the power to amplify emotions. Choose audio tracks that complement the tone of your content, whether it’s a fast-paced, upbeat soundtrack for something funny or something more serene for heartfelt moments.
14. Hook Viewers in the First Few Seconds
Grab Attention Immediately: The first few seconds of your video or content are critical. Start with a strong hook—whether it's a striking visual, a provocative statement, or an unexpected question—to draw people in.
Start with a Question: Posing a question at the beginning of your post or video sparks curiosity and engagement, encouraging users to watch further or respond in the comments.
15. Analyze and Iterate
Analyze What Works: Track and analyze the performance of your content using social media analytics. Look at engagement rates, shares, and comments to understand what resonated with your audience and why.
A/B Testing: Test different types of content, formats, and posting times to see what generates the most engagement and shares. Learn from your top-performing posts and iterate on them to refine your strategy.
Continuous Learning: The social media landscape is always evolving, so stay up-to-date with the latest trends, algorithms, and user behaviors to keep your content fresh and relevant.
Conclusion
Creating viral social media content requires a combination of creativity, understanding of your audience, and the ability to adapt to the ever-changing social media landscape. By evoking emotion, tapping into trends, using high-quality visuals, and encouraging user interaction, you can significantly increase your chances of going viral. Remember, there’s no guaranteed path to virality, but by consistently producing engaging and relatable content, you’ll grow your chances of creating a viral moment.
WHAT IS THE MOST VIRAL VIDEO ON THE INTERNET EVER
The most viral video on the internet ever is "Baby Shark Dance", a children’s song and dance video uploaded by the South Korean educational company Pinkfong. As of now, it holds the record for being the most-viewed YouTube video with over 13 billion views (and counting) since its release in June 2016.
Why Baby Shark Went Viral:
Catchy Tune and Simple Lyrics: The song’s repetitive melody and easy-to-sing lyrics made it an instant hit with children and parents alike, encouraging repeat plays.
Global Appeal: While originally aimed at young audiences, the video transcended language barriers and spread across cultures, making it globally popular.
Dance Challenge: The Baby Shark Dance challenge contributed to the virality, with people, including celebrities and influencers, creating their own versions of the dance and sharing them on social media platforms.
Cross-Platform Engagement: The video was widely shared on multiple social media platforms beyond YouTube, including TikTok and Facebook, amplifying its reach.
Family-Friendly Content: Its appeal to very young children meant repeat plays, contributing to its astronomical view count.
While other videos have also gone viral in significant ways, such as Luis Fonsi's "Despacito" and Psy's "Gangnam Style", Baby Shark Dance remains the most-watched and arguably the most viral in terms of global reach and sustained popularity.
HOW DOES GREEK APPEAL TO SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS
Greece appeals to social media influencers for several compelling reasons, making it a popular destination for creating visually stunning and engaging content. From its rich cultural history to its breathtaking landscapes, Greece offers influencers a diverse range of opportunities to produce shareable, high-quality content that resonates with global audiences. Here's how Greece attracts social media influencers:
1. Iconic Landscapes and Aesthetic Appeal
Scenic Beauty: Greece is known for its stunning natural beauty, from the iconic whitewashed buildings of Santorini and Mykonos to the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean Sea, lush green hills, and ancient ruins. These picturesque locations provide perfect backdrops for photos and videos that captivate audiences.
Instagrammable Spots: Destinations like Santorini, with its blue-domed churches and breathtaking sunsets, and the Acropolis in Athens, offer ideal settings for creating content that garners likes, comments, and shares on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
2. Diverse Content Opportunities
History and Culture: Greece’s ancient history and rich cultural heritage offer influencers a chance to create content that highlights more than just scenic beauty. From exploring ancient ruins like the Parthenon to participating in traditional Greek festivals, influencers can share cultural experiences that educate and engage their followers.
Luxury and Adventure Travel: Whether it’s yachting around the islands, enjoying luxury resorts in Crete, or hiking through the mountainous regions like Meteora, Greece caters to influencers from various niches, including luxury travel, adventure, and lifestyle.
Cuisine and Food Culture: Greek cuisine is another major draw for influencers. Dishes like souvlaki, moussaka, and fresh seafood from seaside tavernas provide opportunities for food influencers to create vibrant and mouthwatering content. The farm-to-table movement and Greece's emphasis on fresh, organic ingredients make the country a hotspot for culinary tourism.
3. Accessible and Affordable Luxury
Luxury with Value: Greece offers luxury experiences, such as boutique hotels, private villas, and exclusive beach clubs, at a more affordable price point than other European destinations like the French Riviera or Amalfi Coast. This makes it appealing to influencers who want to showcase aspirational yet attainable travel.
Well-Connected Islands: With numerous ferry connections and flights between the islands, it’s easy for influencers to travel between destinations like Santorini, Mykonos, and Crete to create diverse and varied content in a short period.
4. Strong Support from Tourism Boards and Hotels
Collaborative Campaigns: The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and various regional tourism boards actively collaborate with influencers to promote specific destinations, offering press trips, free stays, and sponsored experiences. These collaborations help influencers access exclusive locations and experiences that elevate their content.
Hospitality Industry Engagement: Many luxury resorts, boutique hotels, and travel companies in Greece offer collaborations with influencers, providing complimentary stays, amenities, and experiences in exchange for social media exposure.
5. Rich Storytelling Potential
Mythology and Legends: Greece’s deep connection to mythology and ancient legends gives influencers the ability to tell unique stories. Whether it's visiting the supposed birthplace of Zeus or exploring ancient temples dedicated to Greek gods, the country offers a wealth of narrative content that connects emotionally with audiences.
Cultural Traditions: Influencers can tap into Greece’s vibrant cultural traditions, such as Easter celebrations, olive harvest festivals, and traditional music and dance, providing followers with immersive and culturally rich content.
6. Seasonal Appeal
Summer Hotspot: Greece is a well-known summer destination, attracting influencers seeking sun-soaked beaches, vibrant nightlife, and stunning coastal views. Summer months provide ideal weather for creating outdoor content that appeals to travel and lifestyle audiences.
Year-Round Destination: While summer is peak season, Greece also appeals to influencers during the off-season. Cities like Athens offer rich cultural experiences year-round, and the lesser-known islands like Hydra or Naxos provide quieter, more intimate settings for content creation during spring or fall.
7. Adventurous and Wellness Experiences
Adventure Tourism: Influencers in the adventure niche can take advantage of activities like sailing, windsurfing, diving, and hiking. Regions like the Peloponnese and Crete offer unique experiences such as exploring caves, climbing mountains, or discovering remote beaches.
Wellness and Mindfulness: Greece has long been associated with the idea of balance, health, and well-being, from its ancient philosophy to its Mediterranean diet. Influencers focused on wellness can create content around yoga retreats, mindfulness, and spa experiences in peaceful settings like mountainous retreats or seaside resorts.
8. Sustainable and Authentic Travel
Sustainability Initiatives: With the rise in eco-tourism, Greece is increasingly positioning itself as a sustainable travel destination. Influencers can highlight eco-friendly accommodations, renewable energy initiatives on islands like Tilos, or promote responsible tourism efforts that protect the natural and cultural heritage of the country.
Authentic Local Experiences: Many influencers seek out authentic experiences that go beyond typical tourist attractions. Greece offers opportunities to engage with local communities, explore traditional crafts, and participate in meaningful, off-the-beaten-path activities, which align with the growing desire for experiential and responsible travel.
9. Connectivity and Ease of Travel
Digital Nomad Appeal: Greece has introduced digital nomad visas, allowing remote workers and influencers to stay longer and create content over an extended period. With excellent internet connectivity in urban areas and growing infrastructure in more remote islands, Greece is becoming a hub for digital creators.
Convenience for European and International Travelers: Greece’s geographical location and its extensive flight connections make it an accessible destination for influencers from Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Major cities like Athens and Thessaloniki serve as easy entry points for influencers to begin their travels and create content.
10. Global Pop Culture Presence
Movies and TV Shows: Greece has been featured in numerous films and television shows, from Mamma Mia! to The Bourne Identity, which adds to its global appeal. Influencers can capitalize on the recognition of these locations by visiting famous film sites and creating content that references these pop culture moments.
Music and Fashion: Greece has also become a popular backdrop for music videos and fashion shoots. Influencers can create visually stunning, editorial-style content with Greece’s natural beauty as the canvas.
Conclusion
Greece’s combination of breathtaking scenery, rich cultural heritage, diverse experiences, and collaborative tourism industry makes it an irresistible destination for social media influencers. Whether they focus on luxury, adventure, wellness, or authentic cultural experiences, influencers have endless opportunities to create visually engaging and highly shareable content in Greece. Through its natural beauty, affordability, and variety of experiences, Greece continues to be a top destination for influencers seeking to captivate their audiences and boost their social media presence.
MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE
From Spontaneous Adventures to AI Innovation: Navigating the Future with Tony Kariotis
Building Connections and Communities with Tony Kariotis
Discovering New Horizons: From Travel Tales to AI Trends
Adapting to Change: Tony Kariotis on Social Media and AI
The Future of Travel and Tech: Insights from Tony Kariotis
Ever wondered how a spontaneous decision can lead to a lifetime of adventure? Join us in Athens for a lively chat with Tony Kariotis, a social media maestro who turned an overstayed visa into a unique journey of adaptability and opportunity. From obtaining a sailing license to producing engaging content, Tony shares his insightful experiences and the secret sauce behind leveraging social media to spur business growth. We discuss the importance of seizing spontaneous opportunities and how these moments can enrich both personal and professional life.
As we navigate the future of AI and technology, Tony and I explore the ambitious global expansion plans of Greece Media, emphasizing the transformative role of AI technologies like ChatGPT in modern businesses. Together, we reflect on the double-edged sword of automation, balancing enthusiasm for innovation with thoughtful consideration of its impact on job markets worldwide. Our chat provides a comprehensive view on how AI is reshaping industries, offering listeners a thoughtful perspective on what lies ahead.
The conversation rounds off with a look at Greece’s evolving tourist scene, the impact of social media on networking, and practical strategies to navigate Instagram’s ever-changing algorithm. With rising travel costs and commercialization shaping the Greek experience, we highlight innovative solutions like affordable helicopter services. Plus, we delve into upcoming networking events and charitable partnerships, underscoring the power of community and empathy in both personal and professional spheres. Don't miss out on stories that blend travel, technology, and community with a dash of insight and humor.
Blog Post
In the exciting world of entrepreneurship, understanding social media dynamics is crucial for success. This episode features an in-depth conversation with Tony Kariotis, a social media guru whose insights into navigating the digital landscape can help businesses soar. One of the most notable aspects of our discussion includes his recent adventurous sailing trip. Tony shares how he was able to obtain his sailing license and explore various content creation opportunities while in Greece this summer. His experiences not only gave him a newfound skill but also enriched his content strategy for his brand, Greece Media.
Tony's approach to utilizing locations, such as breathtaking Greek islands, for marketing purposes demonstrates the value of immersive experiences. He advocates for brands to capture authentic lifestyle moments that resonate with their audience. With the influx of tourist traffic in Greece, he emphasizes the evolving landscape of marketing strategies, pushing brands to create engaging content that elevates their business presence. Whether it's promoting hotels or showcasing local businesses, Tony aims to use his platform to encourage tourism while establishing strong connections with brands.
Transitioning to AI’s impact on entrepreneurship, we delve into the tools that have revolutionized marketing operations. With the rise of AI technologies, including ChatGPT, Tony discusses how these advancements can streamline tasks such as content generation, customer interaction, and data analysis. While these tools offer immense potential, they also raise questions about the future of employment and the nature of human connectivity. As businesses adopt AI for efficiency, what does this mean for job displacement and the shifting responsibilities of human workers?
We also explore some fascinating developments in transportation, particularly surrounding the tourism sector. With the introduction of helicopter travel, such as services provided by Fly Hopper, the ease of reaching destinations in Greece has dramatically improved. This new mode of travel has made it feasible for tourists to access beautiful locales that were once considered challenging to reach. As Tony notes, the cost of helicopter travel is becoming more competitive, posing new challenges to traditional ferry services that are seeing price hikes.
As the conversation unfolds, we discuss the changes in the Greek tourism landscape, especially concerning the increasing commercialization of certain beaches and local attractions. Tony expresses a sense of nostalgia for the charm of Greece that seems to be fading with each passing year as tourism booms and prices climb. Despite the draw of luxury amenities and experiences, he worries that this shift could alienate the very essence of what makes Greece a sought-after destination.
At the same time, we recognize the impact of technology on communication. The rise of “Gringlish” – a hybrid of English and Greek, reflects changing cultural dynamics among the youth in Greece. Tony comments on how modern dialogues often merge languages in amusing yet significant ways, revealing the evolving identity of Greek speakers in a globalized world.
By the end of this enlightening episode, it's clear that Tony's unique perspective and skill set highlight the importance of adaptability and innovation in the digital age. Whether it’s embracing new technologies, reshaping marketing strategies, or navigating the sociocultural nuances of language and communication, the fusion of these elements creates a captivating landscape for entrepreneurs. As we wrap up, listeners are left inspired to invigorate their own business strategies by exploring and adapting to the ever-changing tides of social media and technology.
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