Episodes

  • "Hiding the Veggies" in Higher Ed Social

    "Hiding the Veggies" in Higher Ed Social
    Sep 27 2024

    Curating content for higher ed social channels can be a balancing act. How do you pair fun, engaging, and relatable content with important messages students need to pay attention to? Emily Stulz, the Director of Social Media at the University of Arizona says it’s all about “hiding the veggies” in your content.

    Full Episode Details

    We uncover the secrets behind what makes the University of Arizona’s social content so impactful. Emily reveals her approach to assessing content effectiveness and why sometimes you need the courage to walk away when something isn’t working. She calls this “Marie Kondo-ing” your social accounts. If your strategy is falling short of “sparking joy,” it’s time to say goodbye.

    Emily’s advice for social pros is to be proactive in all things – whether it’s keeping yourself up to date on trends, using data to measure success, or deciding how and when to pivot your strategy.

    She offers predictions on the future of social media in higher education, discussing the impact of TikTok and the staying power of Instagram, plus her thoughts on battling against the evolving algorithm and changing audience preferences.

    In This Episode:

    • 1:45 - Emily explains her role and approach to social media
    • 2:44 - How her team keeps things consistent for flagship accounts
    • 4:58 - Emily’s approach to platform-specific content
    • 6:18 - How her team “hides the veggies” when covering important topics
    • 8:49 - The trick to making sure your strategy doesn’t get overlooked
    • 11:15 - How the university keeps up with social media and algorithm changes
    • 14:46 - Emily’s predictions for TikTok and what people use it for
    • 18:11 - Emily reveals her favorite campaign
    • 21:35 - How her team encourages faculty and students to get involved with campaigns
    • 23:51 - Why you need to 'Marie Kondo' your social accounts
    • 28:11 - Emily’s tip for aspiring social pros

    Resources

    • Connect with Emily on LinkedIn
    • University of Arizona
    • Follow the University of Arizona on Instagram
    • Follow the University of Arizona on LinkedIn

    Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.
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    33 mins
  • Nailing Down Paid Social for Your Brand

    Nailing Down Paid Social for Your Brand
    Sep 20 2024

    We see paid social ads every day, scrolling through our feeds, watching YouTube videos… And a lot of the time it can leave us frustrated and eager to swipe past. So how can social pros pause that never-ending scroll and get people interested? Sammy Lent, Creative Strategist and Growth & Acquisition Specialist, joins Social Pros to take us through her strategies for winning the battle against low attention spans and ad-resistant consumers.

    Full Episode Details

    Sammy Lent has worked with several different brands on paid social strategies that involve creative solutions to grab attention even when many are tired of endless advertising. Her top takeaway from this episode is to lean into empathy. Understanding consumers is step number one in any marketing push, but as social pros, who are no strangers to scrolling through our feeds, we can tap into the minds of consumers because we are them!

    In this episode, Sammy breaks down the top differences between paid and organic social, highlighting that they’re two sides of the same coin and can complement each other well. She takes us through some of the creative projects she’s worked on and how platform changes have shifted the way paid social works and compete for attention on your feed. We also hear her take on influencer marketing and why more consumers are resonating with smaller content creators and UGC.

    In This Episode:

    • 2:07 - Sammy takes us through her career story as a creative strategist for different brands
    • 5:07 - The top differences between organic and paid social
    • 7:10 - How paid and organic social can complement each other
    • 8:35 - Why marketers need to lean into empathy, especially in paid social
    • 14:52 - How social media platforms have changed and how paid advertisers react
    • 19:25 - Why TikTok is the platform Sammy would use if she had to start her career from scratch
    • 22:28 - Predictions for the future of TikTok for advertisers
    • 25:35 - How UGC and influencers fit into paid social today
    • 31:02 - How to connect with Sammy
    • 31:41 - Sammy shares her top tips for aspiring social pros

    Resources

    • Connect with Sammy on LinkedIn
    • Follow Sammy on Instagram

    Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.
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    35 mins
  • Building Ideal Customer Profiles for Social Media Success

    Building Ideal Customer Profiles for Social Media Success
    Sep 13 2024
    A marketing strategy can be full of great, inventive ideas but unless it’s targeted at the right people, you could be flying blind. But how do you narrow down and identify your target market? Katie Robbert, CEO of Trust Insights, works with clients to identify their Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) and refine their marketing messages to speak directly to customers. She joins Social Pros to let us in on her strategy for using data insights, AI and targeting messaging. Full Episode Details The best marketing is targeted and specific. It speaks directly to customers who are likely to buy and find value in the solution you provide. It’s marketing that’s elevated by a thorough understanding of a customer’s pain points, needs, and wants, and offers a much-needed solution. But without a clear idea of who those customers are, it’s easy for your marketing to become unfocused and less effective as a result. Enter the ICP, a strategy that helps you align all your marketing efforts to target exactly who you want. Katie Robbert has plenty of experience digging into the details and data of her clients’ best customers to help marketers speak directly to them. In this episode, she explains the value of building an ICP and how using AI tools can help you uncover insights into customers more efficiently. In This Episode: 2:06 - Katie explains her role as CEO and Co-Founder of Trust Insights 5:19 - How ICPs differ from customer personas or archetypes 9:17 - The type of data you need on customers to help you create the best content 10:56 - How the Trust Insights team identifies customer needs 14:34 - How to define or redefine your ICP17:14 - How to use your ICP for creating targeted information 19:21 - Why you need to decide on a measurement method whenever you implement a new strategy20:53 - Katie explains how specific an ICP can be23:19 - How AI tools can help with processing data and finding patterns25:46 - The next steps after you’ve defined your ICP28:11 - Where to find more information about Trust Insights 28:34 - Katie’s top tip for aspiring social pros Resources Join the Trust Insights Slack CommunityConnect with Katie on LinkedInFollow Trust Insights on LinkedInFollow Trust Insights on InstagramFollow Trust Insights on XFollow Trust Insights on TikTokSubscribe to Trust Insights’ YouTube ChannelVisit Trust Insights’ Website Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.
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    33 mins
  • Greatest Hits: How Community, Creation, and Culture Fuel Canva's Social

    Greatest Hits: How Community, Creation, and Culture Fuel Canva's Social
    Sep 6 2024

    Canva has opened the doors for just about anyone trying their hand at creating visual content, whether you’re a pro graphic designer or brand new to it all.

    So, it’s no surprise that it’s an incredibly popular tool for marketers, brands, and social pros alike. We decided to revisit this episode from last year with Jacky Barker, formerly the Social Lead at Canva, to remind ourselves of how Canva’s social strategy brings the brand to life.

    Full Episode Details

    Canva is a marketer’s best friend! The smart visual communications platform helps social pros with marketing, building presentations, graphic design, branding, and has even expanded into video editing and website building. As Jacky likes to say in this episode, it offers “the full shebang”!

    But how has their social media strategy contributed to Canva’s success? Jacky explains in this episode how community and culture are cornerstones of Canva’s ability to stay in the spotlight.

    We hear about the day-to-day responsibilities of a Social Lead, how Canva identifies target audiences, and how its social team leverages creators, UGC, plus Pinterest and TikTok to reach more people.

    In This Episode:

    • 1:50 - An introduction to Canva
    • 2:52 - Jacky’s day-to-day responsibilities as a Social Lead
    • 5:12 - Where Canva takes its cultural cues
    • 6:44 - How Canva stays on top of trends in the “creator world”
    • 8:04 - How Canva engages with its super fans
    • 10:57 - How Canva determines its target audience
    • 13:13 - How Canva has changed its messaging around features
    • 16:23 - Canva’s approach to expanding into a global brand
    • 19:35 - Why Pinterest is a big focus for Canva
    • 24:44 - How Canva determines its next steps for the product
    • 29:11 - Jacky’s parting advice for social pros

    Resources

    • Canva
    • Canva on Pinterest
    • Follow Canva on X
    • Connect with Jacky on LinkedIn
    • Follow Jacky on X

    Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

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    33 mins
  • A Social Pros Special: Looking At Q4 and 2025

    A Social Pros Special: Looking At Q4 and 2025
    Aug 30 2024
    What is exciting about social right now, and what are the things that bug you the most? This special episode of Social Pros gathers together Convince & Convert experts to talk about their shared frustrations with social, the future trends they have their eye on, and the potential out there for brands right now... Full Episode Details In this unique, collaborative episode, hosts Daniel Lemin and Hannah Tooker come together with Convince & Convert strategists Sunny Hunt, Jennifer Harmon, and Jason Keath to explore the challenges and opportunities facing social pros today. They talk about their shared belief in the need for platforms to improve moderation systems and the rise of internal creators within brands that are engaging authentically with their audiences. They also discuss the question they hear most frequently from social media leaders – ‘where should I focus my time, energy and budget?’ Plus they share strategies for overcoming analysis paralysis and how to build authenticity and trust in the age of AI. In This Episode: 1:21 - This episode’s guests introduce themselves4:53 - The inconsistent enforcement of community guidelines and the spread of misinformation 8:00 - Jason highlights the lack of trust in social media and the need to prioritize user experience over profit9:42 - The rise of inadequately disclosed sponsored partnerships11:04 - The growing trend of brands hiring internal creators12:36 - Some of the most common questions from social media leaders14:17 - The challenge of selling the value of social media to leadership16:13 - The importance of connecting organic and paid social teams to improve quality and performance of content22:11 - Things happening in social that marketing teams need to be paying attention to28:19 - Why you need to be participating in short-form video, especially in B2B35:44 - How to build authenticity in the age of AI 41:40 - Daniel’s pro tip for aspiring social pros Resources Grab your free Social Media Audit Bundle Convince & Convert WebsiteFollow Convince & Convert on XFollow Convince & Convert on InstagramConnect with Daniel on LinkedInConnect with Hannah on LinkedInConnect with Sunny on LinkedInConnect with Jennifer on LinkedInConnect with Jason on LinkedIn Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.
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    43 mins
  • An AI Storytelling Masterclass with Mike Allton

    An AI Storytelling Masterclass with Mike Allton
    Aug 23 2024
    Can AI help us to become better storytellers? Your immediate thought might be no, of course not! But while an AI tool won’t craft a compelling narrative out of nowhere, it can help us to become better at our jobs by saving time and acting as an advisor and assistant. For this episode, Mike Allton, the Chief Storyteller at Agorapulse, drops a masterclass on using AI to craft intriguing stories that all marketers and social pros can learn from. Full Episode Details As Chief Storyteller, Mike has fully embraced the new age of AI and shares his experience of learning how AI tools can play a role in storytelling. He shares examples of how AI can streamline research and content preparation and save time on the nitty-gritty work that bogs down creatives. For those new to social media with AI worries, Mike shares advice (and reassurance) and explains the common mistakes even seasoned marketers make when using AI. He makes it clear that it is no magic wand, but it’s powerful – if you use it right. Mike weighs up AI’s strengths and limitations, offering practical advice on when to utilize it in content creation. One example he recommends is using AI to identify gaps in your content strategy, freeing up time for humans while highlighting opportunities for great content in the future. In This Episode: 1:45 - What does Mike’s role as Chief Storyteller involve? 2:31 - What makes a good story? 5:45 - How AI and marketers can work together to tell stories 8:31 - The top thing marketers get wrong with AI 10:57 - How AI can help you find gaps in your content 13:00 - Mike’s advice for overcoming AI wariness and using it to improve your work 19:02 - How humans can differentiate themselves from AI 22:11 - How Agorapulse is integrating AI into the platform 27:06 - The best places to connect with Mike, including his website and podcast 27:32 - Mike’s top tip for aspiring social pros Resources Connect with Mike on LinkedInFollow Mike on XFollow Mike on InstagramMike’s Blog - The Social Media HatAI in Marketing: Unpacked PodcastAgorapulse Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.
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    32 mins
  • Greatest Hits: Creating Harmony in Creative Work with Joél Leon from New York Times Advertising

    Greatest Hits: Creating Harmony in Creative Work with Joél Leon from New York Times Advertising
    Aug 16 2024

    We take a look back at one of our favorite episodes from last year this week. When Joél Leon, Creative Director, T Brand Studio at New York Times Advertising, joined us in episode 601, he brought plenty of wisdom and some mic drop moments.

    Full Episode Details

    If you want your creative team to make magic, then you’ve got to foster a healthy environment for them to thrive in. As Creative Director, Joél believes there needs to be more “harmony” within the creative process. And part of that is by building the right environment and leadership.

    In this episode, we hear Joél’s take on what it means to be a great creative director and why it’s important to trust your team and give them safe spaces to flourish creatively. Joél takes us through some examples of his favorite campaigns he’s worked on and how his team defines success. He explores why it’s necessary to practice what you preach, especially when joining conversations about social issues.

    In This Episode:

    • 1:39 - Joél explains his role within T Brand Studio
    • 4:54 - How Joél’s team works alongside the newsroom and editorial teams
    • 6:35 - Joél shares some details of campaigns his team has worked on
    • 7:51 - How Joél leads his team to deliver the very best content
    • 12:00 - Joél’s methods for managing expectations and working with brands
    • 15:07 - How leaders can create a healthy work environment
    • 16:50 - How to protect the interests of your team while keeping clients happy
    • 20:07 - Joél shares some of his favorite campaigns to work on
    • 23:42 - How Joél prefers to think about failure and success
    • 26:45 - Finding a harmony between creativity and social issues
    • 30:50 - Why listening is the most active form of communication
    • 31:20 - Joél announces his publishing deal and book
    • 33:03 - Joél’s top tip for those wanting to become a social pro

    Resources

    • Connect with Joél on LinkedIn
    • Follow Joél on X
    • Follow Joél on Instagram

    Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

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    38 mins
  • How Quizlet Turns Fans into Friends on Social

    How Quizlet Turns Fans into Friends on Social
    Aug 9 2024
    When people head to social media, usually the last thing on their minds is studying. But Quizlet, the widely popular learning platform, has managed to build an impressive social media presence that engages learners around the world. Tori Mueller, Senior Social Media Manager, joins Social Pros to clue us into their strategies. Full Episode Details Quizlet has perfected the formula for “edutainment” content with its unique blend of educational content, pop culture references, and community building on social. Tori heads up the social media department and joins this episode to take us through Quizlet’s strategy for appealing to an audience of learners, particularly Gen Z. We hear about Quizlet's three-pillar approach to content creation: edutainment, building the brand, and tapping into culture. As serious study content isn’t what people usually want to see on their social media feeds, Quizlet combines educational content with cultural commentary on the trends that appeal most to its audience. She explains why this strategy is so successful in keeping the brand top of mind for learners. Tori also shares a great example of how Quizlet engages in social listening by building a fully-fledged April Fools’ campaign, “Rizzlet,” based on a real user story on social. Quizlet also partners with influencers, and Tori shares how a partnership with @maxnotbeer led to high community engagement and new Korean language lessons added to the platform. Authenticity over polished content is a common theme in social at the moment, and Tori agrees that authentic content is performing much better for her team. To tap into that authenticity, she explains how part of their strategy is to show the real people behind the brand. In This Episode: 2:42 - An introduction to Tori and Quizlet4:12 - How Quizlet engages an existing user base with its three content pillars 8:56 - How Tori determines what pieces of culture/trends to capitalize on11:10 - How Quizlet’s April Fools’ prank came from UGC 16:15 - The challenge of getting employees to be on camera 19:02 - Why Quizlet leads with “dessert-first” content 20:32 - Tori tells us about an influencer collaboration and Instagram quiz campaigns 24:43 - Unusual use cases for Quizlet25:51 - How Quizlet measures success and avoids vanity metrics 29:13 - Why Tori is most excited about the move toward authentic content 31:05 - Where Tori goes for inspiration 32:30 - The platforms Tori would choose to focus on if starting again from scratch34:27 - Tori’s top tip for aspiring social pros Resources QuizletFollow Quizlet on TikTokFollow Quizlet on XFollow Quizlet on InstagramSubscribe to Quizlet on YouTube Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.
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    39 mins