Learning from big shows without comparing

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What’s up, Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Brendan Kane - author, speaker, and founder of Hook Point, who’s helped brands like Taylor Swift and MTV generate billions of views through storytelling.

In this episode, we dive into why storytelling is the #1 skill for creators in 2026, how to craft viral formats, and how to turn attention into income.

If you’re a creator or founder looking to master storytelling and grow your brand, this one’s a must-listen.

Want to go deeper on what Brendan shared today?

Grab a FREE copy of his latest book and discover the proven system behind 60+ billion views 👇

https://hookpoint.com/505

Inside, you’ll learn:

•⁠ ⁠How to engineer viral storytelling, not hope for it

•⁠ ⁠The repeatable formula used to generate over 100 million followers

•⁠ ⁠The psychological patterns that make people stop scrolling and start paying attention

Connect with Brendan:

📱 instagram.com/brendankane

🎥 youtube.com/brendankane

🌐 hookpoint.com

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Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

1:03 – Why Storytelling Beats Every Algorithm

4:16 – How to Become a Better Storyteller on Social

6:02 – Why Social Media Rules Don’t Actually Change

8:53 – Finding the Right Content Format for You

11:27 – Authenticity vs. Imitation: What Audiences Feel Instantly

12:55 – Personal Brand Kickstart

13:19 – The Key Ingredients of a Great Story

17:01 – How Tension Keeps Viewers Hooked

17:46 – The 6 Communication Types That Shape Your Content

22:12 – Why Most Brands Fail to Connect Emotionally

26:20 – How to Script Content That Actually Performs

30:02 – Best Performing Formats for Real Estate, Law & More

31:42 – The General Principle: How to Go Broad Without Selling Out

33:54 – Building Trust Before You Sell

35:58 – Why Views Don’t Equal Sales

37:53 – Turning Attention Into Income

39:30 – Optimizing Your Backend Systems for Growth

42:12 – Production Quality vs. Performance

43:48 – Why You Should Study (Not Compare) Big Creators

48:36 – Viral Content Comparison Challenge

59:34 – Dissecting the “How Do You Know” Format

1:00:17 – What Makes a Low-Production Video Go Viral

1:01:06 – Why Simple Storytelling Still Wins

1:02:55 – How to Build Emotional Hooks into Any Video

1:05:53 – More Viral Content Comparison

1:12:01 – Why the Video Performed Better

1:15:06 – The Golden Triangle

1:15:41 – Comparing 505 Instagram Reels

1:19:04 – The Data Behind Great Hooks

1:20:47 – You’re Not Shadowbanned — You’re Misreading the Metrics

1:22:58 – Hook Point’s Process for Analyzing Formats

1:23:59 – Why Some Hooks Don’t Convert

1:26:11 – Telling Stories That Stick

1:28:32 – Avoiding the Trap of Trend-Chasing

1:29:43 – The Power of Pattern Recognition in Content

1:31:39 – Storytelling ≠ Viral — It’s About Connection

1:33:32 – How to Turn Insights into Actionable Strategy

1:34:23 – What Makes a Great Hook

1:37:36 – Applying Hook Point to Your Own Content

1:39:33 – Final Takeaways with Brendan Kane

1:42:10 – Post-Pod Debrief

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