The Venus Fly Trap: My Original Content Advertising Strategy Revealed

Earnings Disclaimer: You have a .1% probability of hitting million dollar months according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. As stated by law, we can not and do not make any guarantees about your own ability to get results or earn any money with our ideas, information, programs or strategies. We don’t know you and, besides, your results in life are up to you. We’re here to help by giving you our greatest strategies to move you forward, faster. However, nothing on this page or any of our websites or emails is a promise or guarantee of future earnings. Any financial numbers referenced here, or on any of our sites or emails, are simply estimates or projections or past results, and should not be considered exact, actual or as a promise of potential earnings – all numbers are illustrative only.

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, standing out isn’t just about having a unique product or service—it’s about deploying innovative strategies that captivate your audience and convert interest into action. Back in 2015, I pioneered a content advertising strategy that does exactly that. I call it the Venus Fly Trap, and today, I’m pulling back the curtain to reveal its intricacies and how it can revolutionize your advertising approach.

This strategy isn’t just a theoretical concept scribbled on a whiteboard; it’s a proven method that I’ve perfected over years of hands-on application and millions of dollars in advertising spend. Whether you’re aiming to scale your business to million-dollar months or seeking a fresh approach to engage your audience, the Venus Fly Trap offers practical, actionable steps to achieve those goals.

If you’re serious about going big—really big—this strategy is for you. We’re talking about reaching audiences at scale, engaging them in a meaningful way, and converting that engagement into substantial revenue. So buckle up, because we’re about to dive deep into a strategy that could fundamentally change the way you think about content advertising.

Key Takeaways

• The Venus Fly Trap is a three-video content advertising strategy designed to warm up potential customers before presenting them with direct response ads.
• It’s most effective for audiences who are not yet aware of their need for your product or service, helping them identify as potential customers.
• Proper sequencing, threshold settings, and audience segmentation are crucial for the strategy’s success and maximizing its impact.
• Budget allocation and understanding platform nuances play significant roles in scaling the strategy effectively.
• This approach adds intentional friction to filter and educate your audience, leading to higher conversion rates when they reach your direct response ads.

---

The Origin of the Venus Fly Trap Strategy

I consider myself a pioneer in the realm of content advertising strategies. Back in 2015, during my last marketing job before venturing out on my own, I stumbled upon a feature in Facebook Ads Manager that was a game-changer. In the “Audiences” section, I noticed that you could retarget people based on specific actions they took within the platform—actions like messaging your page, saving a post, or interacting with your profile.

But what really caught my eye was the ability to retarget viewers based on how much of a video they watched. Whether it was 3 seconds, 10 seconds, 25%, 50%, 75%, or even 95% of the video, this feature opened up a world of possibilities. I realized that I could create custom audiences based on these engagement levels and serve them content that was hyper-relevant to where they were in the customer journey.

This was a revelation. I thought to myself, “This is like email marketing automation but within the Facebook ecosystem.” I could apply the “if this, then that” logic commonly used in email workflows to my Facebook advertising campaigns. By segmenting audiences based on their engagement with my videos, I could deliver contextually relevant content at scale, guiding them through a carefully crafted journey from awareness to conversion.

No one else was doing this at the time. This was 2015—nine years ago from today—and the landscape was entirely different. People didn’t even have Facebook pixels on their websites yet, let alone understand the power of remarketing. I was ahead of the curve, and I knew I had stumbled upon something monumental.

Over the years, between 2016 and 2018, I fine-tuned this strategy, testing it across various platforms and niches. Despite numerous attempts by others to replicate or rename it, the Venus Fly Trap remains my original creation, backed by millions of dollars in ad spend and proven results across multiple industries.

Understanding the Strategy: An Overview

At its core, the Venus Fly Trap is a three-video sequence followed by direct response advertising. Instead of immediately hitting a cold audience with direct response ads—which is like proposing marriage on the first date—we introduce intentional friction by requiring viewers to engage with a series of content pieces before seeing a sales pitch.

Here’s how it works:

1. Video 1: An introductory video that captures attention and begins framing the problem or opportunity you’re addressing. This is your chance to make a strong first impression and hook your audience.
2. Video 2: A deeper dive, often using case studies or specific examples to build credibility and demonstrate real-world results. This is where you start to build trust.
3. Video 3: An expertise or objection-handling video that solidifies trust and addresses potential concerns or objections your audience might have. This video aims to overcome barriers to conversion.
4. Direct Response Ads: After viewers have engaged with all three videos to a predetermined threshold (usually 25% watched), they are shown ads that encourage them to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, booking a call, or signing up for a webinar.

By the time the audience reaches the direct response ads, they are significantly more informed, warmed up, and primed to convert. They’ve gone from being unaware of their problem or your solution to being ready to take action.

The Mechanics of the Venus Fly Trap

Video Sequencing and Thresholds

The magic of this strategy lies in its sequencing and the thresholds set for progression. Each video serves a specific purpose, and viewers must engage with each one to a certain extent before moving to the next.

• Thresholds: Typically set at 25% of the video watched, but this can be adjusted based on video length and platform norms. For longer videos, you might opt for a 10% threshold, whereas for shorter videos, a higher percentage makes sense.
• Sequencing: Viewers who meet the threshold for Video 1 are then shown Video 2, and so on. This ensures that only engaged viewers progress through the sequence.
• Exclusions: Audiences are carefully segmented to ensure that viewers don’t see the next video until they’ve met the threshold for the current one. This prevents overlap and ensures the sequence flows correctly.

Imagine the process as a funnel:

• Top of Funnel (TOFU): Video 1 casts a wide net to attract potential customers.
• Middle of Funnel (MOFU): Video 2 and Video 3 further qualify and educate the audience.
• Bottom of Funnel (BOFU): Direct response ads prompt the final action.

This structured approach filters your audience naturally, ensuring that by the time they see your direct response ads, they’re highly qualified leads.

Optimizing Video Lengths and Percentages

Understanding viewer behavior is crucial. On average, users scroll through about 356 feet of content per day on Facebook and Instagram—that’s from the top of the Statue of Liberty’s torch down to her toes. They spend only 1.8 seconds per post, which means capturing and retaining attention is a significant challenge.

• Video Length: For platforms like Instagram Reels, videos can be up to 90 seconds. Adjust your content length based on where you’re posting and the complexity of your message.
• Threshold Adjustments: If using longer videos (e.g., 10-20 minutes), consider adjusting your thresholds to reflect meaningful engagement. For shorter videos, a 25% threshold may suffice because it represents a significant commitment relative to average attention spans.
• Content Hooks: The first few seconds are critical. Your opening must be compelling enough to encourage viewers to continue watching past the average 1.8 seconds.

By optimizing video lengths and thresholds, you ensure that the viewers progressing through your sequence are genuinely interested and more likely to convert. This isn’t about vanity metrics; it’s about meaningful engagement that drives results.

Use Cases: When to Implement the Venus Fly Trap

Appropriate Scenarios

The Venus Fly Trap is most effective when:

• Introducing a New Product or Service: Especially if the audience isn’t aware they have a problem that your product or service solves. You’re creating market awareness from scratch.
• Mass Market Advertising: When targeting a broad audience that may not identify as potential customers yet. This strategy helps them see themselves needing what you offer.
• Complex Offerings: Products or services that require education before a purchase decision can be made, such as advanced financial services, cutting-edge technology, or innovative health solutions.
• Market Disruption: When you’re offering something that challenges the status quo and requires a shift in mindset.

In these scenarios, your audience needs to be educated and framed before they’re ready to take action. The Venus Fly Trap strategy provides the necessary touchpoints to guide them through this process.

Inappropriate Scenarios

Avoid using the Venus Fly Trap when:

• The Audience Is Already Aware: If your product or service is well-known, adding friction can hinder conversions. For example, selling pizza doesn’t require educating the customer on what pizza is.
• Immediate Need Products: Items or services that customers already know they need (e.g., emergency plumbing services, seasonal promotions).
• Simple, Low-Commitment Offers: For straightforward products, direct response ads may be more effective and efficient.
• High Urgency Situations: When time is of the essence, and you need to capture quick conversions.

Adding unnecessary steps in these cases can decrease conversion rates and waste advertising spend. The key is to match the strategy to the customer journey and the level of awareness in your target audience.

A Modern-Day Example: Wealth Advisory Firm

To illustrate the power of the Venus Fly Trap, let’s consider a modern example—a wealth advisory firm targeting newly wealthy individuals.

The Challenge

Many new millionaires, especially those who have accumulated wealth quickly through the internet or other ventures, lack knowledge about:

• Tax Strategies: How to legally reduce their tax burden through deductions, credits, and smart financial planning.
• Investment Opportunities: Ways to grow their wealth through diversified portfolios, real estate, and other investment vehicles.
• Estate Planning: Protecting assets for future generations through trusts, wills, and proper legal structures.
• Asset Protection: Safeguarding against lawsuits or creditors by structuring assets appropriately.
• Insurance Solutions: Understanding overfunded whole life insurance policies and how they can serve as both protection and investment tools.

These individuals may not realize the benefits of cost segregation studies in real estate, how the tax code incentivizes certain behaviors, or the importance of setting up trusts to bypass probate court.

Implementing the Venus Fly Trap

Video 1: An introductory video that grabs attention and frames the opportunity.

“So you’re rich and aiming to become wealthy. There’s a big difference between the two, and in this video, I’m going to show you how you can bridge that gap. Imagine lowering your tax bill by hundreds of thousands of dollars, increasing your net worth exponentially, and setting up your family for generations to come. Let’s dive into how you can transform your financial future.”

This video plants the seed, making viewers aware of potential opportunities they might be missing. It speaks directly to their aspirations and introduces the problems they didn’t know they had.

Video 2: A detailed case study that builds credibility.

“Meet Jeremy, an entrepreneur just like you, who was crushing it in his business but bleeding money through taxes and inefficient financial structures. We helped Jeremy save $700,000 in taxes last year, increased his annual cash flow by hundreds of thousands, and set up a comprehensive plan to protect and grow his wealth. Let me break down exactly how we did it.”

This video provides tangible proof of results, diving deep into the strategies used, such as:

• Tax Reduction Techniques: Leveraging deductions, credits, and investment strategies.
• Estate Planning Measures: Setting up trusts and wills to protect assets.
• Investment Vehicles: Introducing overfunded life insurance policies, real estate investments, and more.

Video 3: An expertise and objection-handling video.

“You might be thinking, ‘This all sounds complicated, and I’m not sure it’s for me.’ Trust me, I’ve been there, and so have many of our clients. In this video, I’m going to address the most common concerns we hear and show you why now is the best time to take action. We’ll cover how these strategies are not just for the ultra-wealthy but are accessible to anyone serious about scaling their wealth.”

This video tackles objections head-on, discussing:

• Complexity Myths: Simplifying concepts to show they’re manageable.
• Risk Concerns: Explaining how proper planning reduces risk.
• Accessibility: Demonstrating that these strategies are within reach.

By the time viewers have engaged with all three videos, they’ve been educated on the problems they didn’t know they had and are primed for the solution you offer.

Direct Response Ads:

Now, you present your compelling call-to-action.

“Ready to transform your financial future and join the ranks of the truly wealthy? Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation. Let’s start building your wealth legacy today.”

This approach ensures that only the most engaged and interested individuals reach your direct response ads, increasing the likelihood of conversion and maximizing your advertising ROI.

Setting Up the Venus Fly Trap Strategy

Technical Steps

1. Content Creation: Develop three high-quality videos aligned with the stages of awareness, interest, and decision. Each video should have a clear purpose and deliver valuable content.
2. Platform Optimization:
   • Instagram Reels: For videos up to 90 seconds, post directly to Instagram and optimize for cross-posting to Facebook. This maximizes your reach across both platforms.
   • Longer Videos: For videos exceeding platform limits (e.g., 10-20 minutes), post directly to Facebook where longer formats are more acceptable.
   • Dark Posts: Consider using dark posts—ads that don’t appear on your page’s timeline—to keep your page content streamlined while still delivering your message.
3. Audience Segmentation:
   • Create Custom Audiences: Use Facebook’s Audience Manager to create video view audiences based on your defined thresholds (e.g., people who watched 25% of Video 1).
   • Set Up Exclusions: Properly exclude audiences at each step to prevent overlap. For example, exclude those who have watched 25% of Video 2 from seeing Video 1 again.
4. Campaign Setup:
   • Campaign Objectives: For the videos, choose the “Engagement” objective and optimize for “Video Views” to maximize throughplays.
   • Ad Sets: Set up each video as a separate ad set, targeting the appropriate custom audience and excluding those who have progressed.
   • Ad Scheduling: Ensure all campaigns are active simultaneously to accommodate varying user behaviors and consumption patterns.
5. Optimization:
   • Monitor Metrics: Keep a close eye on your engagement metrics, such as video view percentages and audience sizes at each step.
   • Adjust Thresholds: If you notice drop-offs, consider adjusting your thresholds or refining your content to improve engagement.

Budget Allocation

Budgeting is a critical component:

• Video 1: Allocate the largest portion of your budget here to capture a broad audience. For example, if your total daily budget is $6,000, you might allocate $3,000 to Video 1.
• Video 2: Decrease the budget proportionally, as the audience size will be smaller. Continuing the example, you might allocate $2,000 to Video 2.
• Video 3: Allocate less than Video 2 but ensure sufficient spend to reach your engaged viewers. Perhaps $1,000 goes here.
• Direct Response Ads: Adjust your budget based on the size of the audience progressing through your sequence. You might find that spending $1,000 here is sufficient due to the highly qualified audience.

Remember, the audience size naturally decreases at each step, so your budget should reflect that. However, don’t hesitate to adjust based on performance. If you’re not getting enough people to the next step, consider increasing your spend on the previous step or refining your content.

Nuances and Caveats

• Threshold Flexibility: Adjust thresholds based on your content length and the engagement patterns of your audience. Longer videos may require lower percentage thresholds.
• Monitor Performance: Regularly check your metrics to identify choke points in the sequence and adjust budgets or content accordingly. Look for significant drop-offs and address them.
• Avoid Overcomplicating: Don’t add unnecessary steps for audiences that are already primed to convert through direct response ads. This strategy adds friction intentionally, so use it wisely.
• Exclusions Are Essential: Properly set up exclusion audiences to ensure viewers only see the content relevant to their stage in the sequence. This prevents ad fatigue and ensures a smooth journey.
• Platform Behavior: Users consume content differently. Some might binge through all your content in one session, while others take days. Have all your ads running simultaneously to accommodate this.

By paying attention to these details, you’ll maximize the effectiveness of the Venus Fly Trap strategy and avoid common pitfalls that could derail your campaigns.

Scaling the Strategy for Million-Dollar Months

To achieve significant revenue goals, such as million-dollar months, scaling the Venus Fly Trap requires a strategic and data-driven approach.

Increased Ad Spend

• Top of Funnel Investment: Be prepared to invest heavily in Video 1 to feed the top of your funnel. This could mean spending tens of thousands of dollars per day, depending on your market and goals.
• Budget Fluidity: Adjust your budgets dynamically based on performance metrics. If you see high engagement in Video 1 but a drop-off in Video 2, consider increasing the budget for Video 2 or refining the content.

Content Quality

• High Production Value: Invest in professional video production to ensure your content is engaging and trustworthy.
• Compelling Messaging: Your scripts should be persuasive, clear, and aligned with your audience’s needs and desires.
• Emotional Resonance: Tap into the emotional drivers that motivate your audience, whether it’s fear of missing out, aspiration, or solving a pressing problem.

Data Analysis

• Performance Metrics: Use analytics to refine each step continually. Monitor Cost Per View, View-Through Rates, Click-Through Rates, and ultimately, Conversion Rates.
• A/B Testing: Test different versions of your videos, headlines, and calls-to-action to see what resonates best.
• Audience Insights: Leverage platform analytics to understand your audience’s demographics, behaviors, and preferences.

Audience Understanding

• Deep Customer Profiles: Develop detailed buyer personas to tailor your content effectively.
• Feedback Loops: Use surveys, comments, and direct feedback to understand what’s working and what needs improvement.
• Adaptability: Be willing to pivot your strategy based on the data and changing market conditions.

Team and Resource Allocation

• Skilled Team: Ensure you have a team capable of managing large-scale campaigns, including media buyers, content creators, and data analysts.
• Tools and Software: Invest in advanced marketing tools for analytics, automation, and optimization.

When executed correctly, this strategy not only increases conversions but also builds a loyal audience that is more likely to engage with future campaigns. It’s about creating a sustainable and scalable approach that can handle the pressures and demands of significant growth.

Conclusion

The Venus Fly Trap strategy is a powerful tool in the marketer’s arsenal, especially when dealing with audiences that require education and framing before making a purchase decision. By sequencing content and adding intentional friction, you guide potential customers through a journey that builds awareness, trust, and ultimately, conversion.

This strategy isn’t about quick wins; it’s about creating deep, meaningful engagement that leads to long-term customer relationships and substantial revenue growth. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to break through to million-dollar months, the Venus Fly Trap offers a roadmap to achieve those ambitions.

Remember, in today’s saturated digital landscape, standing out requires more than just a great product or service. It demands innovative strategies that connect with your audience on a deeper level. The Venus Fly Trap does just that—it turns strangers into informed, engaged, and eager customers.

Next Steps

If you’re serious about scaling your business and want personalized guidance, consider exploring my Inner Circle program. It offers:

• One-on-One Coaching: Twice a month calls to dive deep into your specific challenges, providing tailored strategies to accelerate your growth.
• Weekly Group Calls: Collaborate and learn with like-minded entrepreneurs who are also aiming for massive success.
• Access to Exclusive Content: Detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), examples, and advanced strategies not available elsewhere.
• In-Person Masterminds: Quarterly events in Miami, Florida, to network, learn, and grow in an immersive environment.
• Direct Access: Get your questions answered directly through a private group chat, including voice notes and personalized feedback.

For those looking to train their teams, my Master Internet Marketing program provides extensive classes, homework libraries, and worksheets designed to increase retention and drive results. It’s perfect for business owners who want their staff to be at the cutting edge of digital marketing.

If you’re already operating at a high level and looking for an agency to execute these strategies for you, we offer full-service solutions. You must be prepared to invest significantly, both in terms of ad spend and service costs, but the returns can be transformative.

---

Ready to transform your advertising strategy and achieve exponential growth? Join the Inner Circle or Enroll in the Master Internet Marketing Program today.