Marissa Rachel and Shanna Lisa are the authors of the new book Attention Is the New Currency: The Ultimate Guide to Standing Out & Getting Paid on Social Media. They are sisters, and are the co-creators of the Youtube channel @MarissaRachel. They are based in Los Angeles.
Q: What inspired you to collaborate on this book?
A: The main inspiration behind this book was the knowledge we spent years searching for during our own social media journey, as well as everything we learned firsthand through 15 years of working in social media, digital content creation, and marketing.
We would often go to YouTube events and hear the same tips over and over again, like, "Post consistently" or "Just be confident so your audience can connect with you."
While we agree with this advice, we felt like it was overly generic and didn't actually help us figure out what to do next. We wanted something more practical, with specific strategies and actionable tips that creators like us could actually implement.
For example, one exercise they would often have us do in focus groups and creator sessions was to make a list of dream brands that we wanted to work with. We always said to ourselves that yes, having dream brands in mind is awesome... but how does someone actually get to those brands and pitch them correctly?
Our book was inspired by everything that would've helped us and set us up for success in our own creator journeys.
Today, more people than ever want to become influencers and content creators. Social media is now the second biggest influence on young people's career choices, behind only family, friends, and teachers, according to forthcoming research from University of Wisconsin Stout professor Matthew Simoneau and his colleagues.
More than 60 percent of middle and high school students surveyed between 2021 and 2024 said they wanted to become influencers or chose career paths based on what they saw online. Even second graders in Wisconsin and Norway drew YouTube and TikTok logos when asked what they wanted to be when they grew up.
With so much conflicting information out there, we wanted our book to be a guide for people who want to pursue social media as a career, and learn how to do it the right way.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: Funnily enough, the title "Attention Is the New Currency" was originally suggested by our publisher, BenBella, as the subtitle to another title we had been considering but none of us felt particularly passionate about: "Social Media Stardom."
We also toyed with a play on "How to Win Friends and Influence People," replacing the word "friends" with "followers," but that didn't quite work either.
We went through many titles before ultimately deciding on this one. Once it was suggested, we couldn't get it out of our heads. The more we said it to ourselves, the more we liked it. It encompasses so much of what we believe about social media and the world we live in today.
We really resonated with the title because it rang true to us. Attention quite literally is a form of currency in today's world.
You can go out for a night on the town, enjoy a lavish $800 steak dinner, and post about it instead of paying with money. You can enjoy a dream vacation worth thousands of dollars in exchange for social media promotion. You can even receive luxury designer items and expensive diamond jewelry in exchange for creating content.
These are all things we've personally done, and our goal with this book was to teach others how to harness the power of social media to its fullest potential and use it to unlock an incredible range of opportunities, especially those who may not know where to begin.
Q: Do you think it's more difficult to stand out on social media today than it was a decade ago?
A: Yes and no.
The social media landscape has changed dramatically over the past 10 years, and it will continue to evolve. In the earlier days of the digital era, having anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 followers gave you a much more significant footprint. Today, those numbers can be considered relatively modest, and the threshold for what people perceive as "viral" has risen considerably.
There is also far more saturation than there was a decade ago. Since the 2020 pandemic, when short form content exploded in popularity, the number of people creating content has only continued to grow, with no signs of slowing down. More people than ever are competing for attention, which can make it harder to break through the noise and build a recognizable presence.
At the same time, the enormous growth of social media has also created far more opportunities. A decade ago, creators often had to explain to brands what an influencer was, why social media mattered, and justify why companies should invest money in digital content. Today, social media budgets are already built into the marketing strategies of most major brands. Companies understand the value of creators, and entire careers and industries now exist that were virtually unheard of 10 years ago.
The opportunities have also become more diverse. In the past, a relatively small group of top influencers dominated the social media landscape and secured the majority of major brand deals and opportunities. Today, brands increasingly work with creators of all sizes, including microinfluencers and niche creators with smaller but highly engaged audiences. You no longer necessarily need millions of followers to build a successful career or make a meaningful impact.
So yes, it may be harder to stand out because there are more people competing for attention. But there are also more platforms, more niches, more ways to monetize, and more opportunities to turn an audience into a career than ever before. The number of ways to become successful has expanded dramatically.
Q: What do you see looking ahead when it comes to creating a successful social media presence?
A: One of the most surprising things we discovered while researching this book was the rise of in-person experiences. Podcasts are going on tour. Fitness influencers are hosting live workshops and classes. Beauty influencers are hosting live masterclasses. Creators who built their audiences entirely online are increasingly finding ways to bring those communities together in the real world.
For years, the ultimate measure of influence was whether you could build a large audience online. Now, there is a new question: Can you inspire that audience to actually do something in person? Can you get them to buy a ticket, show up in person, attend an event, or participate in an experience?
The ability to translate online attention into real world action will become an increasingly important measure of influence over the next several years.
Another major shift will be the continued push for authenticity. Audiences are savvier than ever. They can immediately tell when they are being pitched to, lied to, or sold something that a creator does not genuinely believe in. The creators who build lasting trust with their audiences will have an enormous advantage.
But there is also a danger in taking authenticity too far. The pressure to constantly share more of yourself can easily become oversharing, and creators have to navigate the increasingly complicated line between being authentic and protecting their privacy. One unpopular political opinion, one poorly worded comment, or one mistake taken out of context can still lead to enormous backlash.
At the same time, we are already seeing significant pushback against cancel culture and a growing recognition that people should be allowed to make mistakes, learn, and evolve. In our book, we walk creators through exactly what to do if they find themselves facing "getting cancelled" or a major online controversy.
Ultimately, we believe creating a strong and impactful social media presence requires thinking beyond follower counts and the pursuit of going viral. One of the biggest themes we focus on in the book is longevity. Large numbers can be exciting, but they are temporary unless you have built something meaningful and sustainable behind them.
The goal should not simply be to get attention, but to know what to do with that attention once you have it. If you go viral, have you built a brand people will remember? Do you have a loyal community that will stay with you? Have you created a business that can turn a temporary surge of attention into long term opportunity?
Q: What are you working on now?
Marissa: I am an avid martial artist who does boxing and other forms of martial arts. Right now, I am working toward getting my black belt in Krav Maga. It has been a long journey that has taken several years and has been delayed by injuries and other setbacks, but I am determined to get there! Another dream of mine would be to make a horror film and bring it to a film festival!
Shanna: Raising my daughter is my top priority, as she is a toddler about to turn 2! We just tackled potty training, and next up is preschool and advancing to the next level in swim class. Things are constantly evolving when you have a young child, and there is always a new milestone on the horizon.
Professionally, I would love to write another book, but this time, fiction. I have had ideas for a novel brewing inside me for years, and when I put my mind to something, I know I can do it. I also have a few business ideas in the works that I am currently exploring. We will see which one takes off!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: We really poured our hearts and souls into this book, and we truly believe it can help people on their journeys. Whether you're a business owner, a student, an entrepreneur, someone with a passion project, or simply someone who loves creating content, this book offers practical strategies for building your presence and making the most of the opportunities available online.
Today's world is digital, and learning how to adapt to it is one of the best ways to broaden your horizons, create new opportunities, monetize your skills, and put yourself out there.
If you're willing to put in the work and take some of the advice in Attention Is the New Currency to heart, you can set yourself up for success, open doors you never thought possible, and learn how to turn attention into real, meaningful opportunities.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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