Donald Trump X Joe Rogan: A Masterclass on Content Distribution

Joe Rogan’s interview with Donald Trump is a masterclass on content distribution and building a narrative around your content.

If you’ve been offline the past few days, here’s a 15-second summary:

• On October 26th, the interview with Joe Rogan and Donald Trump was published.

• Rogan’s team positioned the episode to look like it was “at risk” of being shadowbanned on platforms like YouTube. While it was later clarified as a technical issue with Spotify’s upload system, the initial narrative that it was being “held back” on YouTube generated massive traffic.

• Rogan’s fans were eager to support “unfiltered” content, and his interview found even broader distribution through Twitter/X, TikTok clips, and commentary from major influencers.

If the interview had simply been published, it would have performed well on its own—after all, it’s Joe Rogan and Donald Trump. But by building a narrative around it—questioning whether it was being “shadowbanned” or suppressed—it gained even more traction, turning a big interview into an online event.

The truth is, content alone isn’t enough. You need to take deliberate actions to ensure your content is being seen. Creating buzz, sparking curiosity, and leveraging network effects are all part of getting your content to reach its full potential. Without a strategic narrative, even great content can get lost in the noise.

So how can you build a narrative in the same way?

• Define the Purpose of Your Content: First, get clear on why your content exists. Is it here to challenge a popular opinion, share valuable insights, or showcase a new perspective? Defining its purpose gives your audience a reason to care. When people understand that your content is here to disrupt, inspire, or inform in a unique way, they’re more likely to engage and share.

• Use Proven Traffic-Driving Methods: To amplify reach, use a mix of organic and paid strategies to distribute your content widely. The game is competitive, so growth hacking, targeted ads, and multi-platform distribution are essential.

Take a note from the most successful figures in media — distribution and narrative building are necessary to amplify your content.

-Eric Otten