Social Pros Podcast

Ivonne Aldaz, Host and Content Creator, and David Ramirez, Senior Marketing Manager at TINT, join Social Pros to discuss the growing value of User Generated Content (UGC) and how TINT is making it a lot easier to reap the benefits of using UGC. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Whether it's from posts in a forum, consumer reviews, or random shoutouts, you've got to admit there's a certain authenticity that comes from UGC. When a brand says something positive about itself, it's flat-out marketing. But hearing how great a brand is from an actual user hits a bit closer to home base. In this episode of Social Pros, Ivonne Aldaz, Host and Content Creator, and David Ramirez, Senior Marketing Manager at TINT, highlight the growing role of UGC today and explain the various ways they're giving UGC a wider platform at TINT. Hear everything from how TINT uses UGC to push its message forward to what makes up an effective UGC campaign. We're getting to the bottom of what makes UGC so successful in this episode. In This Episode: 03:47 What is TINT? 07:58 Ivonne gives an insight into her role as content creator and host 09:42 David explains more about his role as Senior Marketing Manager 12:12 How UGC provides great social proof for brands 13:37 Why is UGC important? 17:54 The benefits of broadening your perspective on UGC 20:48 How Ivonne uses UGC at TINT 24:00 Who should own the UGC efforts in your company? 28:35 Why your HR team should be involved 29:22 Why employee feedback and testimonials are important 34:37 Key elements of a successful UGC or EGC campaign 37:07 Why imperfection is perfect 38:10 Representation is key 40:21 The Big Two with Ivonne and David Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Follow Ivonne on Twitter Follow David on Twitter Check out TINT's Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Luz Bickert, Senior Social Media Manager at Chili's, and Melissa Rivers, Director of Social at Mattress Firm, joined the Social Pros podcast to shed some light on how social media teams can collaborate productively. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Successful social media campaigns all have a number of things in common – effective social listening and being receptive to collaborators are some of the key ones. But what if those collaborators are from a different company entirely? Luz Bickert, Senior Social Media Manager at Chili's, and Melissa Rivers, Director of Social at Mattress Firm, discuss how they successfully navigated a collaborative social media campaign for April Fools' Day. Is it best to thoroughly plan these joint exploits or make decisions off-the-cuff? How do you make decisions without a conflict of interest? Do you plan to go viral or just put all you can into connecting with your audience? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Social Pros. In This Episode: 4:21 – Luz introduces herself 5:02 – Melissa introduces herself 6:46 – The audience reaction to their social media collab 9:50 – The early stages of the Chili's-Mattress Firm collab 13:39 – How the fan reaction felt 16:41 – How they responded to fans after the collab 19:36 – How other companies responded on social media 21:45 – Engagement goals and metrics 25:05 – The do's and don'ts of social media collaboration 29:13 – The benefits of human social listening 33:46 – Luz and Melissa's advice on how to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Schedule a consultation with ICUC Grab your free Social Media Audit Bundle Check out the 'Margarita Mattress' Connect with Luz on LinkedIn Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn Follow Luz on Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Allison Day, Social Media Manager at Reddit, takes the mic on this Social Pros episode to tell us how Reddit successfully maintains a presence across all social media platforms. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Social media platforms featured on other social media platforms – it doesn't get more meta than that. But that's pretty much what Allison Day, Social Media Manager at Reddit, does with her team day-in-day-out. In this Social Pros episode, Allison shares some insights into what Reddit seeks to achieve by creating a presence across social platforms. She also gives us a sneak peek into how she achieves that with the mountains of content out there. Gear up to hear about all the nuances of different social media platforms, Allison's content creation process, and of course, that time that Reddit practically broke the internet over Wall Street bets. In This Episode: 6:15 How people react when Allison tells them she does social on other social media networks for Reddit 7:33 Reddit's goals on other social media channels 9:13 Allison's approach to bringing Reddit to life on other channels 11:36 How Reddit overlaps with other social media platforms 13:27 The major KPIs for sharing Reddit content on other sites 15:15 Allison gives an overview of what subreddit place is 18:50 Where to find Reddit on all social media platforms 19:30 Allison gives a breakdown of her social media team at Reddit 21:00 Reddit's social media strategy on LinkedIn 23:22 How Allison stays up to date with trends on different platforms 26:30 What Allison's content creation process is like 28:58 Reddit: user or business focused? 30:27 Allison's favorite Reddit campaign 37:10 Allison's advice for anyone looking to be a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Follow Allison on Twitter Check out Reddit's Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Paul Roetzer, Founder & CEO of Marketing AI Institute, joins the Social Pros podcast to shine some light on AI's growing role in the future of social media. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details It may seem like it's been going on for ages, but the "to use or not to use AI" conversation is getting louder by the micro-second. But as Paul Roetzer, Founder and CEO of Marketing AI Institute, points out in this Social Pros episode, the role of AI in social media is constantly expanding. So, at this point, there's only one way forward — jump on the bandwagon. Paul discusses how we can reframe how we see AI and its potential, especially as it relates to social media. He also delves into some of the most common use cases for AI in the field. In a nutshell, this episode is about gearing up for what's to come by embracing what Paul calls a "next-gen mindset." In This Episode: 5:18 - Why Paul's new book 'Marketing Artificial Intelligence: AI, Marketing, and the Future of Business' is an essential read 07:16 Why marketers don't understand the full potential of AI 09:12 How social pros can overcome the aversion to learning about AI 11:31 Common use cases for AI 17:25 Paul shares AI use cases that have helped marketers achieve better personalization 20:36 What it means to be a next-gen marketer 22:38 How AI can help with content repurposing and republishing 25:54 What the starting point for AI adoption is 29:14 What it means to use AI for good 37:35 Paul's advice to Social pros Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Check out Paul's new book Follow Paul on Twitter Connect with Paul on LinkedIn Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Justin Tse, the CEO of Feature Media, joins the Social Pros podcast to share his story and insider tips on how he built a monumental followership on social media. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Gaining 1.5 million followers, having a total of seven income streams, and becoming a well-known YouTube influencer all by the age of 25 are successes many of us can only dream of. But, Justin Tse, the CEO of Feature Media has done it all and he joins Social Pros to give some insights into how he managed it. We hear how Justin's passion for content creation started out as a hobby and how he's managed to harness that initial wonder as it evolved into a lucrative business. He also shares insider knowledge on how the influencer-brand dynamic works and how to harness it to the fullest. Alongside practical advice all content creators and influencers can use to perfectly blend their creativity and business acumen, Justin discusses the evolving state of influencer marketing. In This Episode: 05:00 How Justin built a brand with such impressive stats 06:57 Justin's take on product lifespan 08:55 Common brand expectations for influencers 11:36 What the typical process is for brands and influencers 14:12 The dynamics of Justin's team behind the scenes 16:36 Running a media company vs being a lone influencer 18:40 The difference between working directly with brands and working with them through agencies 23:49 The typical timeframe from brand partnership to the actual content creation 25:45 The best way to tap into an influencer's community 28:53 Striking a balance between content creation speed and quality 32:50 How Justin stands out as a content creator 37:44 How Justin tests the content for his course 39:32 Justin's course and how it helps other content creators 46:17 The best place to find Justin's content on social media 43:39 Justin's advice for anyone looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Check out Justin's YouTube page Follow Justin on Twitter Follow Justin on Instagram Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

It's another Greatest Hits episode and this time we're revisiting the insightful discussion we had with Lauren Thomas, Senior Manager of Communications & Social at Intuit Consumer Group. She discusses how Intuit makes tax content fun and engaging. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details In this trip down memory lane, we're revisiting an episode with one of our many fantastic guests, Lauren Thomas, Senior Manager of Communications & Social at Intuit Consumer Group. She discusses how innovation helps Intuit see massive social success and how she leads — not manages— the team that drives this success. Truth be told, tax and budgeting are not the most interesting topics in the world. But somehow, Intuit keeps winning on social by creating content that's fun, engaging, and educational. Lauren takes us back to the drawing board where she crafted some of the engaging content Intuit puts out there. We also hear how the brand works with both personal finance and general lifestyle influencers to create relatable content. In This Episode: 03:46 How Lauren wears so many hats in her team 05:39 How Lauren uses social listening and insights from Voice of Customer 08:27 Why job roles affect how social listening is carried out 10:47 How Intuit engages its audience throughout the year 13:42 Lauren explains how her team handles the shift in social engagement all year round 15:42 How Intuit blends tax and finance content with lifestyle content 18:38 Lauren explains how Intuit used Cameo as a unique marketing push 22:48 How influencers help Intuit turn serious tax topics into something more engaging 26:26 Intuit's social care team's approach to protecting personal information 33:33 Lauren shares the story behind ending up in the Guinness Book of World Records 37:51 How to get leadership to understand your vision 41:11 Lauren explains how she helps others operate in the 'zone of genius' 45:12 Lauren's top tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Follow Lauren on Twitter Check out Intuit's Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Mary Nice, Senior Strategist at Convince & Convert, takes the mic in this episode to share some tried and tested strategies for building a personal brand. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details If you're a social pro, then the idea of building a personal brand isn't so far-fetched. It's already part of your day job, albeit on a larger scale. However, our guest on this Social Pros episode, Mary Nice, the Senior Strategist at Convince & Convert, points out that there are a few differences between working for a bigger brand and venturing out on your own. She walks us through her personal journey in creating a personal brand and her motivation behind taking that bold step. Mary also stresses the importance of passion when building a brand and gives some pointers on how to handle negative comments on social media. She follows that up with a must-listen discussion on the key practices social pros need to bring forward to create their personal brands, which is packed with useful and practical tips! In This Episode: 05:21 Mary talks through her decision to build a personal brand 08:56 What motivates people to pursue their own personal brands 10:47 How passion motivates consistency 12:07 The ins and outs of building a social brand 14:30 How Mary built an audience on TikTok 15:44 Why controversial content works so well 17:34 How Mary and Jay handle negative feedback 22:02 How to pick the right kind of format for your content 26:35 Core practices all social pros should bring forward 30:40 Why you should take a simple approach to creating content 34:30 Can anybody build a personal brand? 37:26 Mary's advice to anyone who wants to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Check out Convince & Convert's Social Media Audit Bundle Read Follow Mary on TikTok Reach out to Mary on Instagram See what Jay's up to on TikTok Follow Jay on Instagram Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Kate Winick, Senior Director of Social Media at Peloton, is on the Social Pros podcast to discuss everything from how she makes managing a big social team look so effortless to how Peloton connects with a huge audience. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details With new algorithms popping up every other day, there's a lot to consider when engaging audiences on social. It's no longer just about how many likes or shares a post gets. It's about monitoring how you're perceived in the industry and the world. If there's one person who understands this well, it's Kate Winick, the Senior Director of Social Media at Peloton. She joins Social Pros to share some insights into how things work behind the scenes at Peloton and how the team manages to engage such a large audience. Kate also tells us how Peloton maintains the balance between giving its instructors creative freedom and fostering brand integrity. There's even a little bit on some of the most highly underrated metrics social pros should be looking out for today. So, this is an episode you don't want to miss! In This Episode: 03:27 Kate shares some insights from her day-to-day at Peloton 05:31 How Kate aligns all her duties and fosters collaboration 09:00 How Peloton taps into engaging conversations on social 14:00 Kate talks about Peloton's Cody Rigsby campaign and its unexpected engagement levels 18:49 How Peloton integrates instructors into their overall social strategy 21:05 Steps brands can take to start handing over the reins of creativity to influencers 24:35 How Peloton measures their success 27:12 Highly underrated metrics you should be looking at 28:37 Benefits of having a data analyst 29:39 How Kate approaches team building and growth 34:02 Some of the team training and management challenges Kate faces 37:00 Kate's take on addressing burnout among social pros 41:16 Kate's advice to aspiring social pros Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Connect with Kate on Twitter Check out Peloton's Twitter Peloton's website Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Social Pros catch up with QVC's Head of Social Media Marketing Heather Brinckerhoff to talk community management, content auditing, TikTok and much more! Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details QVC's Heather Brinckerhoff chats about content auditing, social media community management, and more on the Social Pros podcast. In this episode, Heather shares some invaluable tips on how to draw in potential customers and keep them interested in your products. Heather explains that content auditing is a huge part of QVC's strategy to keep content relevant and resonating with its audience. Tune in today to hear why content auditing is so important, Heather's advice for making your content go viral on social media, details about QVC's new TikTok strategy, plus so much more. In This Episode: 02:31 – Heather gives some insight on QVC and its social media output 04:33 – Heather explains what she oversees as QVC's Head of Social 05:24 – A breakdown of the demographic QVC appeals to 06:08 – Heather outlines QVC's social media strategy in detail 07:25 – How the global team keep up with conversation 09:02 – Heather explains how QVC coordinates partnerships and vendors 12:51 – How QVC use social listening 14:03 – Why QVC is always doing content audits 17:38 – Heather compares her role at QVC with her previous positions 19:44 – Heather reminisces over social media 'misadventures' 23:27 – Where Heather found the best engagement for QVC's April Fool's joke 26:03 – Heather shares her views on whether you can predict viral content 30:38 – Why you need to know the customer's experience of your company 32:40 – Heather's tips for aspiring social pros Resources Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers. Schedule a consultation with ICUC

Anthony Yepez, SVP of Brand Strategy & Marketing Partnerships at CEG (Central Entertainment Group) joins the Social Pros podcast to discuss the interesting dynamics of influencer-brand relationships and the best way to maximize them. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Word on the virtual streets has it that influencer marketing is catching on like a wildfire… and it's not dying down anytime soon. With social media users seeking out more genuine connections, there are few better ways to reach out to them than influencers. Joining Social Pros for the second time around, Anthony Yepez, SVP of Brand Strategy & Marketing Partnerships at CEG, takes the mic to discuss the delicate dynamics of the influencer-brand relationship. We catch up on what he's been up to since he last joined the show before he delves headfirst into brand expectations for influencers and the best way to ensure those expectations are met. Anthony also explains where the influencer's creative freedom stops and brand safety kicks in. Hint: it's all about finding the right balance. In This Episode: 03:58 What Anthony has been up to since he last joined the show 06:07 Anthony gives some insights into his new role 07:49 The unique dynamic between sales and relationship building 09:52 What brand expectations for influencers are right now 10:44 The importance of data when matching influencers with your audience 12:20 Why it's vital to know what you want to accomplish with influencers 14:00 How influencer marketing has evolved over the years 16:41 Long term vs short term brand-influencer collaborations 18:46 Why it's important to give creators the liberty to create 21:16 How to balance creative freedom with brand safety 23:20 Common ways brands overlook creative executions 25:29 Anthony's take on which social media platform is the best for influencing 32:17 Why social media platforms need some sort of regulation 35:09 Anthony's advice to social pros on creating a work-life balance 38:18 Misconceptions about content creation that lead to burnout 41:42 Anthony's advice to anyone who wants to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Check out Anthony's first Social Pros Episode Join the Social Media Manager Slack Community Follow Anthony on Twitter Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Jamie Bland, Video Marketing Manager, and Heike Young, Senior Director of Video Marketing at Salesforce, join Social Pros to give some key insight into Salesforce's approach to video and why YouTube is a huge priority. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details We've been in the "age of video" for a few years now, and if you're not already charging ahead with your video strategy, you could be missing out. At least that's what Jamie Bland, Video Marketing Manager, and Heike Young, Senior Director of Video Marketing at Salesforce, have to say in this episode of Social Pros. Jamie and Heike take us behind the scenes of Salesforce's YouTube strategy to explain why video is "mission critical" in marketing these days and how to connect with your audience through video. Heike and Jamie give some tips on what metrics to measure, how to pick out true, meaningful engagement, and why YouTube is an underutilized community management tool. In This Episode: 7:12 – Heike and Jamie walk us through the video team at Salesforce 12:33 – Important lessons Heike brought from social media to the video team 16:35 – Jamie explains the differences between creating B2B and B2C video content 19:53 – Untapped opportunities B2B brands can unlock with YouTube 25:38 – What makes good, compelling YouTube content 29:00 – Why the community aspect of YouTube shouldn't be overlooked 33:22 – Why showing up in search is so important for B2B YouTube channels 35:28 – Tips for integrating a video department with the rest of the business 38:08 – What metrics to measure on YouTube 42:50 – The Big Two questions Resources Schedule a consultation with ICUC Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Jesse Cole, Owner of the Savannah Bananas baseball team, joins the Social Pros podcast to discuss how breaking the mold and rewriting the rules of social media often yields the best results. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Diehard baseball fans may be thinking, why fix something if it isn't broken? But Jesse Cole, Owner of Savannah Bananas and the Founder of Fans First Entertainment, saw a chance to stand out and endear himself to audiences by changing the game… a lot. Jesse's primary aim is to create content that serves his audience, and he's certainly shaken things up when it comes to content creation. To let us in on his secrets, Jesse shares some of his out-of-the-box ideas from his new book, Fans First: Change the Game, Break the Rules & Create an Unforgettable Experience. Jesse breaks down the "five Es" needed to create raving fans and explains why the key to building a brand lies in something as simple as being different. In This Episode: 2:03 - Jesse gives some background insights on Savannah Bananas 4:21 - Jesse talks more about 'expanding the baseball experience' 5:27 - How the Savannah Bananas world tour has evolved 6:17 - A breakdown of who, and what, makes up the Savannah Bananas team 8:11 - How Jesse identified and eliminated friction points from baseball 10:29 - The benefits of taking a fans-first approach 11:59 - How to identify hidden sources of friction 15:22 - How Jesse approaches experimentation for the Savannah Bananas brand 22:31 - How the Savannah Bananas shoot their footage 25:45 - What Jesse's social team looks like 28:00 - Why Jesse believes the Savannah Bananas would still be a sensation without social media 28:53 - Why it pays to be different 33:41 - What lies in the future for Savannah Bananas 35:34 - Jesse's advice to aspiring social pros Resources Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Candy fans unite! This is the Social Pros episode for you. Brian Camen, Senior Director of Media, Content & Public Relations at Ferrara Candy Company, joins Social Pros to let us in on his social mastery secrets. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud ICUC Full Episode Details Brian Camen, long-time candy fan and Senior Director of Media, Content & Public Relations at Ferrara Candy Company, joins the Social Pros podcast to drop some tasty morsels of advice. As a company with multiple brands for different candies, managing social media for them all is a mammoth task. Brian lets us in on his secrets and explains his team's process for creating social content that drives results. He explains why it's so important to know each brand well and its target audience, and balance that with the typical users on each social media platform. We hear how Ferrara Candy made its break into TikTok, and Brian shares some food for thought on the future of the platform. In This Episode: 4:54 – Brian takes us through his career journey at Ferrara Candy Company 12:10 – How to juggle social media for 50+ accounts 14:02 – How Ferrara Candy Company evolves with its audience 16:43 – Brian, Anna, and Daniel swap stories on their favorite candies 19:22 – Brian's approach to testing campaigns and developing a learning agenda 22:18 – What Brian means by "failing fast" 24:29 – How Brian and the team first approached TikTok 27:53 – Brian's take on breaking the algorithm on TikTok 29:32 – Why audio is still a great opportunity on social 32:09 – How Ferrara Candy Company won two REGGIE awards 39:47 – Brian's top tip for anyone who wants to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Schedule a consultation with ICUC Download our free 500th episode celebratory eBook Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Kirsten Jordan from Million Dollar Listing NY joined this episode of the Social Pros to share how she juggles being a mom with living a full life and building a solid social media brand. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details It's not easy being a jack-of-all-trades and a master of all, but Million Dollar Listing NY's Kirsten Jordan somehow pulls it off. She's not just a licensed associate real estate broker, she's also a real estate adviser, the founder of the Kirsten Jordan Team at Douglas Elliman, and the star of Million Dollar Listing New York on Bravo. Kirsten is on Social Pros to share some insights into how she built a thriving social brand alongside her track sheet of other accomplishments. There's a huge difference between leveraging social media on a personal level and using it as an asset — and Kirsten has cracked the code. She delves into the nuances of different social media platforms, time management tips, and how she started the Moms of Real Estate campaign. In This Episode: 5:01 – How Kirsten realized that social media could help her build a brand 7:14 – How Kirsten keeps up with the latest social media trends 9:11 – Why using calendars is key to Kirsten finding balance in her day 11:10 – Getting over the awkwardness of self-promotion 12:40 – How Kirsten's team manages self-promotion 14:30 – How Kirsten broke into TikTok 16:57 – Kirsten's approach to content creation for different audiences 21:33 – Why cultivating a community was so important for Kirsten 25:03 – How to measure success on social media 27:11 – Kirsten shares her personal goals for her social channels 28:17 – Kirsten describes her most successful social posts 31:21 – Kirsten's advice for anyone looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce ICUC.Social Check out Kirstenjordan.com Follow Kirsten on Instagram Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

One episode ago, we said a fond farewell to long-time hosts Jay Baer and Adam Brown. But things are far from over on the Social Pros podcast. As promised, this episode introduces our two brand new co-hosts and long-time members of the Social Pros family. Say hello to Erika Lovegreen, SVP of Marketing and Communications at ICUC, and Daniel Lemin, Senior Strategist, CX Advisor at Convince & Convert. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details The last episode of Social Pros marked the end of an era for pioneer hosts, Jay Baer and Adam Brown. But they definitely left Anna Hrach in great company as ICUC's Erika Lovegreen and Convince and Convert's Daniel Lemin step up to the plate as the new co-hosts. Seeing as they're no strangers to the show, they fit right in to this episode of the Social Pros podcast. Alongside Anna, they discuss some of the things they hope to cover on the show moving forward. They also delve into discussions about their favorite social media platforms and round things up with a modified version of the "big two." Heads up: If you're still on the fence about the Metaverse, you'll want to tune in to this episode for some unmissable insights from both Erika and Daniel. In This Episode: 02:20 - Erika's experience keeping the secret that she'd be joining Social Pros 03:28 - Erika shares some info about herself and the ICUC 06:12 - Anna announces ICUC as the podcast's new sponsor 07:34 - Daniel introduces himself and shares his experience as an author 10:59 - Why Erika hopes to discuss growing community spaces on the show 12:46 - Daniel's take on the rising cases of burnout among social media content creators 15:10 - Why mental health is a big conversation in community management spaces 16:44 - Why brands need to gear up for the metaverse 20:11 - Questions surrounding the metaverse 22:17 - Thoughts on how TikTok creators will leverage the new 10 minute time span 24:10 - Why there's more to Reddit than what meets the eye 27:38- Erika and Daniel share what currently excites them about social media Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Listen to Erika on Social Pros Episode 512 Listen to Daniel on Social Pros Episode 193 Erika's Twitter Daniel's Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

We're doing something different this week as our very own Jay Baer, Anna Hrach, and Adam Brown sit down together for what may be the last time in a long while. They reminisce over their humble beginnings, discuss future plans, and the direction the show will take as Jay and Adam transition to new projects. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud With over 10 years and more than 500 episodes under their belts, hosts Jay Baer and Adam Brown sit down together to celebrate the end of an era. With Adam embarking on the adventure of repurposing his father's bestseller, "Life's Little Instruction Book," and Jay jumping on TikTok to discuss all things Tequila, the show is now in the more than capable hands of Anna Hrach (and two new mystery hosts). As promised, it's not our usual episode format, there are games, witty quips, advice for the future hosts, and an interesting anecdote about a mysterious hole in Anna's backyard. So, tune in as they close this chapter to give way for the next one. In This Episode: 02:27 - What Adam will be up to during his sabbatical 05:30 - Adam looks back at his experience in social media 08:45 - How Adam got his start on Social Pros 09:51 - Anna's take on what Jay and Adam's first couple of shows were like 10:40 - Jay officially hands over the reins of the show to Anna 12:10 - How Social Pros got its start 13:11 - What Anna does at Convince and Convert 13:54 - Anna gives some background on what she used to do before Convince and Convert 14:38 - Why Anna thinks Reddit is a fascinating social platform 15:24 - Anna's insights and hopes for the show moving forward 19:13 - What Jay will be up to once he leaves social pros 20:30 - Jay and Adam play 'guess the quote' 27:12 - How the role of social media professionals has changed since the show started 32:32 - Adam and Jay share parting advice 37:38 - Anna shares some clues about the identities of her new co-hosts Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Download Social Pros 500 for FREE! Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Mike Shubic, video producer, travel writer, and publisher of Mike's Road Trip, joins the Social Pros podcast to discuss some of the tactics that have helped him get ahead in the travel content creation game. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details How do you carve a niche for yourself in an industry saturated with travel bloggers, influencers, and enthusiasts? While there's no A+B=C type formula for success, Mike Shubic, video producer, travel writer, and publisher of Mike's Road Trip, joins this episode of Social Pros to share some tips and pointers. It takes a lot more than high-quality photos and a knack for words to make it in the travel content creation space. Mike highlights this as he shares what he calls the Holy Grail of content creation. He also explains why he thinks it's best to stick to one or two platforms when creating content. Mike delves into the unglamorous realities of being a travel content creator and explains what it takes to create a distinct and robust brand in that space. In This Episode: 3:36 - Mike gives a little background on who he is and what he does 5:21 - The benefit of travel conferences 9:25 - Mike explains the realities of being a travel content creator 10:56 - The Holy Grail of content creation 11:53 - The benefits of focusing on one social media channel 12:50 - How Mike presents his footage on different platforms 14:17 - Video quality vs social media algorithms 15:27 - Different platforms to help get your content out there 17:52 - The core essence of being a travel content creator 18:41 - What Mike's creative process looks like 22:25 - How much lead time Mike needs before a job 23:59 - Recent trends Mike has noticed in the travel and tourism industry 26:27 - How social media affects the way destinations present themselves 28:07 - How the tourism industry has grown rapidly 30:56 - How to create a distinct and robust travel brand 32:24 - Mike's tip for anyone looking to become a social pro? Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Check out Mike's Road Trip Follow Mike on Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Abraxas Higgins, Influencer, Social Audio Creator, and Strategist at Abraxas Management Limited, joins this episode of Social Pros to discuss how a total mindset shift can help influencers and brands get the most out of social audio platforms. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud While Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces are undeniably social media platforms, they're a whole different ecosystem when compared to Instagram or even TikTok. So, how do you make the most of these spaces? Abraxas Higgins, Influencer, Social Audio Creator, and Strategist at Abraxas Management Limited, says it's all about wiping the slate clean and looking at things from a different angle. He's on this episode of Social Pros to share his journey to becoming the world's first social audio influencer. Abraxas shares three things you need to be successful as a social audio influencer. He also drops some words of wisdom for influencers and brands looking to dominate the social audio space. In This Episode: 3:15 - Abraxas explains what it means to be the world's first social audio influencer 4:41 - How Abraxas got his start with social audio 7:18 - Why Clubhouse dominates the social audio space 10:02 - Cultivating a community on social audio spaces vs. traditional channels 12:30 - What it takes to be successful as a social influencer 14:32 - What inspired Abraxas to start his own show 17:10 - Why social audio influencers can fit in anywhere 21:53 - Abraxas' take on what brands should do before reaching out to influencers 23:37 - What brands should consider when working with social audio influencers 25:59 - Why some brands haven't been able to leverage Clubhouse effectively 30:11 - The effect of the abating pandemic on the social audio space 35:01 - Abraxas' take on untapped opportunities in social audio 38:35 - Abraxas' advice for anyone looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Check out Abraxas on Clubhouse Follow Abraxas on Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Seth Bridges, the Founder and Head of Product & Marketing at Rival IQ, joins this episode of Social Pros to discuss what it takes to keep engagement rates up and share his 2022 social media industry benchmark report. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Getting likes is important, views are equally great, but what really ties everything together is a keen understanding of engagement rates. Seth Bridges, the Founder and Head of Product & Marketing at Rival IQ believes in the importance of engagement rates so much that he's published six installments of his benchmark report. For context, the report analyzed 5 million pieces of content across 14 industries to highlight the biggest engagement dos and don'ts. In this conversation, Seth discusses the factors that affect engagement rates and emphasizes consistency. He also throws in some pointers on social media algorithms, including how to use them to your advantage. In This Episode: 03:39 - How Rival IQ helps social media marketers 04:37 - The platforms covered in Rival IQ's report 07:09 - How industry and strategy affect engagement rates 14:55 - Why Rival IQ analyzes both organic and paid posts across platforms 19:31 - How consistency affects social media reach 24:31 - Factors that affect engagement rates 31:21 - The surprising aspects of Seth's report 36:37 - Jumping on popular hashtags vs creating your own 40:11 - Seth's advice for anyone looking to become Social Pros Resources Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Carmen Collins, Senior Social Media Lead at Wish, takes the mic on this episode of Social Pros to discuss how brands can 'humanize' their marketing strategies and create true authenticity. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Connecting with customers is vital for the growth of any brand. But how can you connect with your customers on a human level? Carmen Collins, the incredible Senior Social Media Lead at Wish, pushes brands to "put a human face" on their online shopping experience by shining a spotlight on the employees of the organization. Customers want to do business with brands that they like and connect with. This means that if you want to increase engagement, boost conversions, and get people talking about your business, you need to embrace and showcase authenticity. So, how can you do this? Well, I'd start by listening to what Carmen has to say on her fourth time here on Social Pros! In This Episode: 04:15 – How Wish makes the online shopping experience fun (and addictive!) 06:58 – An insider look at the business objective of Wish's social media strategy 09:46 – What Wish's team structure looks like now that the brand is transitioning from a privately owned company to a public company 13:46 – How the social and influencer teams work separately 16:20 – How the customer care team handles customer support questions 18:08 – The power of leveraging Instagram Live 21:45 – Why more brands need to show empathy and authenticity 25:08 – How Wish has put a human face on their brand 30:23 – Why social media pros and marketers should learn as much as possible about NFT communities 32:20 – How to get started with Discord 36:27 – A look at how Wish approaches their content strategy on TikTok vs Instagram reels 41:14 – Tips for balancing efficiency with effectiveness Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Download Social Pros 500 for FREE! Check out Wish Follow Carmen on Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Kate Bradley Chernis, the Co-founder & CEO of Lately, joins the Social Pros podcast to have a chat about the revolutionary power of AI in the content creation and marketing space. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Kate Bradley Chernis, the Co-founder & CEO of Lately, joins the Social Pros podcast to discuss AI applications in the world of sales and marketing. Kate explores why social pros need to look for more interesting and compelling ways to draw audiences in and how Lately is helping users raise engagement levels by generating words that convert. We hear how important it is for social pros to break down communication barriers using touchpoints that trigger nostalgia, memory, and emotion, as well as the various ways AI can make that process easier. In This Episode: 4:17 - Kate gives some background on Lately.ai 09:23 - The importance of adding variety to your message 11:29 - Why archived content is still viable 16:47 - The engagement boosting power of Lately.ai 19:26 - The best source material for Lately.ai 21:50 - Why AI can't replace humans 23:05 - How empathy ties into working with AI 30:03 - How Lately.ai helps both content and social teams 32:20 - How AI boosts human interaction 34:32 - Kate gives some insights into her 'Lately Office Hours' sessions 38:34 - Kate's advice for anyone looking to become a social pro Resources Lately.ai Lately.ai's Twitter Kate Bradley Chernis' Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Erika Lovegreen, the SVP of Marketing & Communications at ICUC, is on Social Pros this week to talk about the intricacies of managing communities in an ever-changing landscape. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Erika Lovegreen, the SVP of Marketing & Communications at ICUC, has made "people" her business — whether it's blurring the lines between community management and customer service or adapting to new trends/platforms to meet customer needs. Erika kicks off with a little ICUC backstory, starting from their humble beginnings moderating WWE conversations via text messages to partnering with Forbes list brands. She also explains what it takes to offer their services efficiently on a realistic and scalable level. We hear how changes in the digital landscape, as well as global events, have not just changed how audiences react but community managers as well. Erika also highlights the importance of learning to embrace a bit of discomfort and pushing boundaries as the social scene changes more rapidly than it has in decades. In This Episode: 03:19- Erika explains what ICUC does 05:28 - The line between community management and customer service 06:59 - How the ICUC relates with their agency partners 09:01 - Why prioritization is important when managing clients at scale 11:36 - Erika's take on the evolution of customers' attitude over time 13:47 - Why empathy is vital for both brands and the communities they serve 15:55 - Erika breaks down the scoreboard of a typical interaction between ICUC and their clients 18:06 - How passion and logistics play into assigning staff to subject areas 20:47 - The advantage of specialization and forming the right partnerships 23:39 - How the social media age has changed the skillsets needed at ICUC 26:32 - Steps brands should take to ensure they have the right engagement strategies for the future 31:49 - How Erika's background in healthcare feeds into her present role 34:12 - Erika's advice to people looking to become social pros Resources ICUC's Twitter ICUC's LinkedIn Erika's Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Nathan Allebach, the Creative Director of Allebach Communications, joined the Social Pros podcast for a chat about the ins and outs of creating brand voices and how he created the iconic Steak-umm brand persona. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Nathan Allebach, the Creative Director of Allebach Communications, is on the Social Pros podcast to share his thought process behind creating the Steak-umm brand persona, and the ins and outs of balancing client expectations with audience expectations. Jumping on the Twitter scene at a time when big brand personas just started dominating the platform, Nathan admits to being pleasantly surprised once the Steak-umm voice rose in popularity. Nathan discusses how his success simply boiled down to experimentation and how he had to apply clear-cut strategies to keep the brand persona out of the red and in the black. He also shares a few pointers on pitching brand personas and earning client trust further down the line. Nathan also explains why it's important for social pros to prioritize basic media literacy and critical thinking. In This Episode: 04:12 - Nathan tells us about his podcast "What's Really Good" 05:13 - How Nathan's wealth of knowledge helped make him a social media expert 07:46 - Inspiration behind the Steak-umm brand persona 10:10 - The general reaction when the Steak-umm voice took off 13:12 - How to breathe life into brand voices 16:50 - How Nathan handled non-marketing related messages sent to the brand 20:15 - The dynamics of Nathan's relationship with the Steak-umm stakeholders/brand managers 23:04 - The kind of topics Nathan would avoid under the Steak-Umm umbrella 26:52 - How to establish trust within brand-agency relationships 30:01 - When to pitch vanity metrics vs actionable metrics 31:34 - Nathan's take on whether the Steak-umm playbook could work for any brand 41:26 - Nathan's advice for anyone looking to be a social pro Resources What's Really Good with Nathan Allebach Nathan's Twitter Allebach Communications Allebach Communications' Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Nora Cata, Marketing Specialist at the Stanford Center for Professional Development joins the Social Pros podcast to discuss the importance of leveraging platform experts to ensure that social media campaigns hit their mark Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Nora Cata, the Marketing Specialist at the Stanford Center for Professional Development joins the Social Pros podcast to explain the importance of forming relationships with platform representatives and experts. Nora has spearheaded some pretty bold and daring social media campaigns during her time as a marketer, but her confidence isn't just on account of her wealth of knowledge. Over the years, she has formed solid connections with platform representatives which, in turn, gives her more insights into what works and what doesn't. She delves into some of the great work she's done as a result of her affiliation with platform representatives in LinkedIn and even Google. She also offers a few pointers on how to get in touch with some of these platform representatives, ranging from networking to simply asking nicely. In This Episode: 03:49 - Nora gives some insight into what the Stanford Center for Professional Development does 04:54 - How the Stanford Center for Professional Development carries out its very precise marketing strategy 08:52 - Nora describes her typical target market 10:48 - How virtual engagement has spiked since the pandemic 13:12 - Nora discusses virtual content and how she uses it 17:22 - The inspiration behind their out-of-the-box virtual content 18:49 - How communicating with platform reps boosts the success of a social media campaign 22:43 - Nora shares tips to get in touch with a platform rep 25:34 - How Nora's team is structured and how that contributes to her success 28:58 - Who gets credit for what on Nora's team 30:37 - What Nora looks for in metrics 32:09 - How Nora manages the messaging for two different brands under one umbrella 38:11- Nora's advice for anyone looking to become a social pro Resources Stanford Center for Professional Development Nora Cata's Twitter Nora Cata's LinkedIn Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Whitney Magnuson, Senior Director, Social Marketing at Northwestern Mutual, is on Social Pros this week to talk about the strategy behind making finance content fun on social media. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Whitney Magnuson, Senior Director, Social Marketing at Northwestern Mutual, joins Social Pros to give us a window into how her team creates fun and engaging social content. Whitney explains how social media is a team effort that goes beyond the marketing department and how financial advisors use their expertise to pitch in with ideas. She also shares the challenges of creating content for such a highly regulated industry. Memes and pop culture might not be what you expect from a financial services giant like Northwestern Mutual, but the social team pulls it off with a nice balance between fun and informative content. Whitney also shares Northwestern Mutual's approach to working with influencers and why they focus more on micro-influencers who represent everyday people. As a self-proclaimed data junkie, Whitney also explains why data is so important in this field and how it can help you tweak and fine-tune your social strategy. In This Episode: 5:57 – Whitney fills us in on what Northwestern Mutual offers 7:50 – How Whitney helps financial professionals with their social media efforts 10:24 – How to navigate compliance regulations on social media 11:35 – How Whitney and her team makes financial content fun 14:23 – Why Northwestern Mutual uses a very different tone on social 17:10 – How Northwestern Mutual went from being "the quiet company" on social to a social-first organization 19:11 – Advice for taking over a new social media team 21:11 – How Whitney's background as an attorney plays into her current role 22:55 – Where influencers fit into Northwestern Mutual's marketing strategy 26:59 – How Whitney picks influencers to work with 28:44 – How customer relationships with financial advisors have changed since COVID 31:06 – Why data is one of the most important parts of social media 34:49 – Northwestern Mutual's focus on younger customers 37:37 – Why LinkedIn content differs from Instagram content 38:55 – Why Whitney isn't a huge fan of Reels 43:26 – Whitney's top tip for anyone looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Onalytica B2B Influencer Compensation Report Northwestern Mutual's Twitter Northwestern Mutual's Facebook page Northwestern Mutual's LinkedIn Northwestern Mutual's Instagram Northwestern Mutual's YouTube channel Whitney's blog - Mrs. Millennial Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Chad Colemen, the VP of Brand Partnerships & Digital Engagement at Dude Perfect, joins the Social Pros podcast to discuss the dynamics of brand partnerships and how to discover what works and what doesn't. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Chad Colemen, the VP of Brand Partnerships & Digital Engagement at Dude Perfect, is on the Social Pros podcast to share the ins and outs of forming and maintaining brand partnerships. As a fan of golf and a proficient digital marketer, Chad admits that he's landed his dream job. However, it's every bit a job as the next role. It's not all trick shots and hanging with the Dudes for him. He juggles a number of behind-the-scenes duties, including managing all the brand partnerships that come their way. Chad offers a peek behind the curtains at how Dude Perfect picks brand partners and what goals need to align before the partnership is considered successful. He also paints a vivid picture of what the wrong partnership looks like and how partner expectations have evolved with the success of Dude Perfect. In This Episode: 7:04 - What the Dude Perfect's creative process looks like 13:31 - Chad's description of a typical week at Dude Perfect 15:31 - Chad's elevator pitch for his job role at Dude Perfect 17:21 - How Chad's role has evolved with over the years 23:24 - How Dude Perfect vets brand partnerships 26:49 - How advertiser expectations have changed with the success of Dude Perfect 30:49 - Why embedded marketing messages work better Dude Perfect 39:14 - How Dude Perfect manages varying social media algorithms 45:44 - Chad's top tip for people looking to be social pros Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Chad Coleman's Twitter Dude Perfect's Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Neil Hoyne, the Chief Measurement Strategist at Google, joins the Social Pros podcast to talk about the untapped potential of data and how marketers and social pros alike can leverage it. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Neil Hoyne, Chief Measurement Strategist at Google and author of the book Converted: The Data Driven Way to Win Consumers' Hearts, is on the Social Pros podcast to address an issue plaguing most organizations today — what do we do with all this data? Neil explains that the journey from one data driven decision to ten of them is a gradual and progressive one. He also discusses the need to use timely and relevant data on account of the dynamism of customer behavior. Drawing from a few excerpts from his book, Neil answers seemingly simple but pertinent questions such as "why marketers don't as the right questions" and "whether aspiring marketers should dabble in courses like psychology." In This Episode: 06:31 - What it takes to handle the monumental amount of data available today 10:16 - Neil highlights the importance of having real-time consumer data 13:15 - Three reasons why marketers don't ask the right questions 16:07 - What prevents companies from embracing lifetime value 19:55 - How to demonstrate the lifetime value of social media without the math 22:41 - How social pros can successfully chase the same objective as other parts of an organization 26:02 - Neil's take on whether social media practitioners should also do measurement and analytics 29:59 - Why Neil believes acquisition is the best way to build your business using social media 32:38 - Why all organizations need some semblance of a Chief Digital Officer role 34:46 - Why Neil advises marketing students to work across disciplines 37:08 – Neil's top tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Grab the Social Pros Turns 500 free commemorative eBook Neil Hoyne's Twitter Converted: The Data-Driven Way to Win Customers' Hearts Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Tim Williams, CEO of Onalytica, joins the Social Pros podcast to talk about the power and rising popularity of influencer marketing in the B2B space. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Tim Williams, CEO of Onalytica, is on the Social Pros podcast to discuss the rise of B2B influencers, how much they get paid, and the best practices for working with them. Tim takes us into the story of what Onalytica does for brands and shares why he thinks influencers have become so key to the marketing world. He explains that there's a major trust problem with brands, meaning that marketing is starting to lose its effect – paving the way for influencers to save the day. Tim discusses Onalytica's recent B2B Influencer Compensation Report and what the data shows about how much influencers are paid around the world. He also shares some red flags that brands and influencers should watch out for before starting a partnership. In This Episode: 4:08 – Tim explains the different stages businesses want to work with influencers 5:58 – Why influencers are replacing the trust that brands have lost 8:14 – How B2B has started to embrace influencer marketing 10:54 - What the B2B Influencer Compensation Report says about payments 14:40 – How the expectations of influencers differ around the world 17:37 – How to measure the effectiveness of B2B influencers 20:25 – Deciding how many influencers and what type of influencers to hire 22:41 – How the demand for influencers is creating new roles in the B2B space 25:40 – Tim explains the difficulty of managing influencers in a broader business structure 28:03 – How Onalytica helps clients determine what employees would make good influencers 30:07 – How the expectations of influencers have changed 35:27 – Tim explains how influencer marketing and account-based marketing will work together 38:56 – Red flags that influencers should be aware of before working with a brand 43:58 – Tim's top tip for someone wanting to become a social pro or an influencer marketing manager Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce B2B Influencer Compensation Report Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Jess Zafarris, Director of Audience Engagement at Adweek, joins the Social Pros podcast to chat about one of the most important aspects of social media - audience engagement. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Jess Zafarris, Director of Audience Engagement at Adweek and author of the book Once Upon a Word, knows how to get people talking online. As head of audience engagement, it's her job to ensure that social content sparks conversation while also telling an accurate story of the latest news. Jess explains what it's like to engage with people with different levels of expertise due to Adweek's highly varied audience. We're also taken behind the scenes of how the Adweek weekly Twitter chats came to be, how its TikTok strategy is going, and what it takes to create engaging pieces of content. We hear how Jess balances the creator vs. reporter side of her role and blends informative content with fun, creative content to get the most engagement. Jess also gives some examples of brands she thinks are killing it in the world of audience engagement and shares some of her favorite campaigns she's seen brands take on. In This Episode: 3:30 – What it's like managing social media for a publication 4:47 – How Adweek creates content for such a broad audience 6:35 – Jess explains how they manage their content calendar 8:46 – How Jess' role fits into a journalistic environment 13:01 – Jess explains Adweek's TikTok strategy 16:33 – How long it takes to create content 19:11 – How social media has changed over the course of the pandemic 22:32 – Jess says who she thinks is nailing audience engagement on social media 27:17 – How effective cross-promotion programs can be across different brands and subjects 30:44 – Crafting a balance between creative content and statistics-driven content 32:58 – Why Jess thinks "metaverse" should be in the dictionary 34:39 – How brands are preparing for the metaverse 36:18 – Jess tells us about her book and side projects in etymology 38:26 – Jess' top tip for anyone looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Adweek's website Adweek's Twitter Jess Zafarris' Twitter Useless Etymology's Twitter Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Marking this incredible milestone, our very own Jay Baer, Anna Hrach, and Adam Brown sit down to discuss the most important (and surprising) lessons learned over 10 years of the Social Pros podcast in this special one-off webinar. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details With more than 500 interviews with hundreds of industry-leading social specialists under their belts, hosts Jay Baer, Anna Hrach, and Adam Brown look back over the developments that have shaped social pros roles in the last decade. In this very special episode, the hosts share insights from previous Social Pros guests about the changes, evolutions, and the biggest surprises in social media since the podcast began. They also revisit some of the very best tips and advice from the experts over the years. The hosts go on to discuss what's in store for the future of a social pro and what developments you can expect to see in social media roles in the next ten years. They also share their one dream guest they'd like to interview on the Social Pros podcast. Discover all the key findings and insights from 500 episodes (and counting) in our companion eBook, where you can also check out the video version of the webinar. In This Episode: 3:22 – Jay reflects on the early days of the Social Pros podcast 4:50 – Adam shares what it's been like talking to different social pros over the years 8:26 – Why Social Pros' success is all down to featuring great guests 12:37 – The biggest surprises in social media over the last ten years 15:24 – What a previous guest had to say about producing authentic content 17:58 – How social media has become part of customer care 20:22 – How social media has changed so much over the last decade 26:24 – Why the role of a social pro has evolved so drastically 28:43 – Predictions on what skills future social pros are likely to need 32:11 – The top guest tips for anyone looking to become a social pro 40:48 – Dream guests Jay, Adam, and Anna would love to see on the show Resources Grab the Social Pros Turns 500 free commemorative eBook Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

We're skipping our usual podcast this week but will be back on December 31 with a special episode to mark a huge milestone... To mark the Social Pros podcast reaching its 500th episode, we ran a live webinar to talk about what we've heard and learned over the past 500 episodes. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details In this webinar and the special podcast episode to follow, host Jay Baer and co-hosts Anna Hrach and Adam Brown join together to celebrate one of the longest-running marketing podcasts hitting its 500th episode. The Social Pros hosts discuss different episodes, favorite guests and looks at some of the very best advice our guests have given listeners over the years. To mark the celebration, we've also produced a companion guide eBook that we're really proud of. It features different highlights from the show, exclusive insights from social media experts, and gives a full rundown of the history of this podcast. To download it for free, head to this link. For those who couldn't make the live show on December 22, the podcast episode will be available on December 31. Until then, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from all of us at Convince and Convert! Resources Grab the Social Pros Turns 500 free commemorative eBook Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Kristen Maldonado, Senior Manager of Social Media at MTV, joined the Social Pros podcast for a chat about building a strong community of loyal fans. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Kristen Maldonado, Senior Manager of Social Media at MTV, is on the Social Pros podcast to share how the team over at MTV managed to build such a fantastic community and fan base. As a lover of pop culture herself, Kristen appears to have the perfect job. Kristen explains that rather than relying on boring, false Tweets and overly manufactured campaigns, the approach at MTV is more about posting from one fan to another. The social media team at MTV are all huge fans of the artists and movies they post about, which goes a long way in making the content feel more authentic and exciting. This, Kristen explains, is key to building a strong community and boosting engagement with fans. Kristen talks about why MTV prioritizes social listening, and she also shares a glimpse into how they put together Instagram campaigns and test out different content formats. She also explains how being a content creator on the side has helped her in her career and why it's her top tip for other social pros. In This Episode: 3:44 – Kristen explains how the MTV social team are just as excited as the fans 5:30 – How the MTV social team manages to produce so much content with a small team 7:24 – How MTV's social team members collaborate with different content calendars 9:50 – The balance between pre-planned content and posting lightning-fast reactions to news stories 10:42 – The role of social within the MTV brand as a whole 13:14 – Kristen explains how they coordinate with artists and how it plays out to the fans 16:55 – How the social team at MTV put together such a successful IGTV campaign with celebrities 20:11 – How MTV's social team tests different content formats 23:18 – How the voice of MTV's social channels came to be 26:34 – What MTV looks for when hiring new team members 28:33 – Why having a content creator background is so helpful for a social media career 32:33 – Kristen gives her top pick for an underrated show everyone should watch 35:26 – Kristen's top tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Kristen's YouTube channel about pop culture Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Amy Woods, CEO and Founder of Content 10x, is back on the Social Pros podcast to share her content repurposing expertise, and the importance of consistency, copy, and having a platform-focused approach. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Amy Woods, CEO and Founder of Content 10x, joins the Social Pros podcast for a second time to chat about why writing is still king when it comes to content creation. Whether you're creating podcasts, videos, audiograms, or graphics – it all starts with the writing. Amy shares some of her content repurposing expertise and a little look behind the curtain at how Content 10x creates awesome repurposed content for this very podcast as well as many others. On the social side, Amy explains why a platform-specific social strategy is always best and why it's so important to know each platform inside out to get the very best out of it. Amy rounds off the episode with some tips for new podcasters and explains why it's crucial to have a seat at the table when putting a content strategy together. In This Episode: 4:43 – The current state of the content repurposing industry 7:10 – How to create the right content for the right platform and audience 11:01 – Consistency with publishing schedule vs. consistency with topic 12:49 – How to successfully approach topical content 14:36 – Amy discusses whether you need a consistent 'face' for your brand 17:04 – How Amy prioritizes the Content 10x teams 19:50 – The implications of the rising number of podcasts 22:18 – Is it better to be niche? 26:44 – Where social media practitioners should invest their time 32:46 – The consequences of not having a content strategy 35:08 – How to become a social pro 37:27 – Amy's choice for a video call with any living person Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce The Content 10x podcast Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

AJ Vaden, CEO and Co-Founder of Brand Builders Group is on the Social Pros podcast to discuss the increasingly important concept of personal branding. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details AJ Vaden is a personal branding expert and CEO and Co-Founder of Brand Builders Group. She joins the Social Pros podcast to share the tips and tricks (and common mistakes) all businesses need to know about when it comes to personal branding. According to AJ, we are in the "era of the individual," and personal branding is more important now than ever. She explains that personal branding is not the new concept we think it is. It's just more visible now in the digital world. It's not just some fad or trend we can skip. Personal branding is key to building your reputation and customer trust. AJ shares the common mistakes she sees clients make and how entrepreneurs can really reach their audience through content, not just sales pitches. In This Episode: 2:54 – AJ takes us through Brand Builders Group 5:40 – Why Brand Builders Group is not just about personal brand strategy but business strategy as well 6:30 – Why personal branding is not a new idea or trend 9:36 – AJ discusses the latest research from Brand Builders Group 14:19 – The importance of company executives having their own personal brand 19:08 – Why AJ advises companies to create their own internal influencers 25:29 – The most common personal branding mistakes on social media 31:20 – AJ's advice for using different social platforms 34:48 – Why building a personal brand isn't about getting social media-famous 36:00 – AJ's top tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Trends in Personal Branding Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Jenn Herman, Instagram Expert, Speaker, and Author at Jenn's Trends, joins the Social Pros podcast for a new and updated chat about Instagram's best practices. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details If Jenn Herman, Instagram Expert, Speaker, and Author at Jenn's Trends, sounds familiar, it's because she's a returning guest twice over. She joins the Social Pros podcast for a third time to deliver more fantastic Instagram tips and insights. Given that Instagram is perhaps the most frequently changing social media platform, Jenn always has something new to share. In this episode, we look at what's changed on Instagram and which best practices you should focus on in the future. The last time Jenn was on the show, Reels was a promising new feature. Given what it is today, Jenn explains why you should definitely prioritize Reels in your Instagram strategy. We also hear some quickfire tips from Jenn for any social pro trying to gain traction on Instagram, including why you should only ever post your best content. Tune in to the episode to learn what makes a winning Instagram strategy, what she'd love to see on the platform in the future, and why the color blue is surprisingly good for engagement. In This Episode: 4:08 – Jenn's take on Meta and why she thinks it's unlikely to affect Instagram 6:05 – How to deal with ever-changing Instagram updates and why Reels is the one to focus on (for now) 7:43 – How to repurpose content for Reels 11:37 – Jenn explains why "more hashtags is more," as long as they're relevant 15:03 – Why Instagram recently rolled out the 'Rage Shake' feature 16:23 – The benefits of being able to delete and edit Carousels 19:12 – Jenn discusses the new ability to post from the desktop 21:33 – What photos work best on Instagram – Jenn's top tips for boosting engagement 24:23 – What features or updates Jenn would love to see in the future 26:53 – The place Instagram has in customer service 29:18 – Why Jenn believes you should have a customer service background to work in social 31:10 – The top thing that Instagram users overlook 34:24 – Jenn shares her top tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Leah Schultz, Senior Director of Brand & Social at TwinSpires Racing, Sports & Casino, joined the Social Pros podcast to discuss a winning real-time social media strategy. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Snapchat Full Episode Details Leah Schultz, Senior Director of Brand & Social at TwinSpires Racing, Sports & Casino, is on the Social Pros podcast to share the secrets of TwinSpires' success. Social media never sleeps. And in the world of online gambling, sports, and racing, social pros need to have their finger on the pulse. Part of what makes TwinSpires' social content so engaging is that it pops up exactly when the fans need it – in real-time. Leah and her team don't delay when it comes to pushing out content. Someone just won their 7000th race? Her team will push out recaps, graphics, and copy, right there and then. Leah explains why this is especially important in this industry and what other social pros can do to stay ahead. She shares the strategies behind social listening, community management, and why a trusting, close-knit team is key to making fast decisions for social content. Leah also shares a little about the challenges of promoting racing and gambling content, including the regulations and how they differ by state. In This Episode: 4:34 – Leah shares a bit of background on TwinSpires Racing, Sports & Casino 5:50 – How Leah navigates the different regulations for social content 7:30 – How the TwinSpires team manages national vs. state-specific social content 11:20 - What Leah learned from her time with Papa John's legal team 13:30 – Why online casino and racing are a 24/7 business for the social team 16:55 – Why having a social team with passionate sports fans is so important for TwinSpires 20:19 – Where community management fits into the social team 22:05 – How TwinSpires manages age gating with its content 26:14 - Leah shares how she talks to leadership about social media and how that's changed over the years 29:41 – Leah gives her take on how VR and AR will play into the future of online casinos and sports 32:40 – Why Leah prefers Twitter over audio-only platforms like Clubhouse 35:52 – Leah's top tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Double your advertising spending on Snapchat Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Brittany Cabriales, Head of Social Media at GoFundMe, joins this Social Pros podcast episode to discuss how social media can be a force for good. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Brittany Cabriales, Head of Social Media at GoFundMe, is on this episode of Social Pros to share the strategies and successes behind GoFundMe's social media push. GoFundMe is an instantly recognizable name in the online fundraising world. Part of this is down to users sharing their fundraisers on social media, which almost every user does. Brittany explains how the social team helps to get the word out about important causes and the effect this has on fundraising. Brittany shares why timing is crucial and how timely fundraisers can raise thousands of dollars more. This is why promoting on social media is key, so you have to move fast. Brittany also shares how GoFundMe's social media success is largely down to organic content rather than paid advertising. We also hear how different social platforms do better with certain types of fundraisers and how to tell an effective story with your fundraiser for maximum success. In This Episode: 3:18 – Why GoFundMe is hoping to broaden its audience reach 4:41 – The impact of the pandemic on GoFundMe 6:28 – How the pandemic spurred people into action through fundraising 7:21 – How GoFundMe uses social media to spread the word about good causes 9:36 – Brittany explains how GoFundMe targets both fundraisers and participants 10:17 – How different social platforms are better for different audiences 11:25 – How GoFundMe decides what fundraisers to promote 13:52 – Why Brittany is always trying to stay on top of social media trends 14:21 – How GoFundMe's choice to highlight fundraisers affects the donations 16:34 – Brittany explains GoFundMe's new social strategy 17:38 – Why GoFundMe sees more success with organic search over paid 18:29 – The top metrics that GoFundMe watches 20:19 – How Brittany approaches campaigns on different social media platforms 22:33 – GoFundMe's new ventures on TikTok 24:34 – Brittany's tips for gaining traction with your GoFundMe campaign 27:41 – Why Gen Z is one of the most engaged donor demographics on GoFundMe 28:43 – GoFundMe's approach to social care and social listening 29:15 – How Brittany's experience in customer support helps her in her role now 31:06 – Why "every cause is important" in Brittany's eyes 32:33 – Brittany's top tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce GoFundMe's Instagram Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Jon Loomer, Owner of Jon Loomer Digital, is on the Social Pros podcast to talk all about the future of advanced Facebook advertising. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Jon Loomer, Owner of Jon Loomer Digital, joins the Social Pros podcast to share some of his words of wisdom and advice for those looking to take Facebook ads to the next level. With the recent Facebook to Meta rebrand, things are a little up in the air in the social media world. But Jon weighs in on the future of Facebook and how marketers will have to adapt to succeed. He gives some solid advice on getting started with Facebook ads, why you should focus on targeting the right people, and how to be mindful about sticking to a budget. Jon goes on to talk about how competition has affected advertising on Facebook over the years and why it's more important than ever to be creative and experiment to find what works. In This Episode: 2:50 – Jon's thoughts on Facebook's rebrand to Meta 4:38 – What is "the metaverse"? 6:23 – How Jon Loomer Digital evolved into the resource for Facebook advertisers 10:08 – Why tie your Facebook ads to different stages of your funnel 12:07 – Creative, targeting, or budgeting: which is the most important? 14:31 – Why microtargeting is so powerful 18:00 – The factors holding people back from experimenting with Facebook ads 19:48 – How advertisers can set realistic result expectations 21:52 – How to get started with Facebook ads 25:56 – The challenges with dayparting 29:12 – Understanding how iOS14 can impact Facebook advertising 34:35 – What makes a good Facebook ad call to action 35:51 – How much should you trust Facebook's auto-optimization? 41:48 – What experience and skills help you run successful ad campaigns 43:33 – Jon's one tip to becoming a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Jon Loomer Digital A Facebook Ads Experimentation Guide Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Thea Neal, Global Talent Marketing Manager for Royal Caribbean Group, joined this episode of Social Pros to share how she's utilizing the power of social for recruitment. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Thea Neal, Global Talent Marketing Manager at Royal Caribbean Group, is on the Social Pros Podcast to share the inventive ways Royal Caribbean Group recruits staff. With a constant need to fill roles on the many ships within the Royal Caribbean Group family, recruitment is a huge priority. But rather than simply throwing up a few job adverts, Royal Caribbean has turned to social media to really drive that hiring push. Thea explains how they use user-generated content from existing staff members to paint a picture of life at sea for potential candidates. She believes this goes way further than what marketing campaigns can produce because it's authentic content that people really want to see. Thea also shares how recruitment is a long game for Royal Caribbean Group and how social is currently driving around 20% of referrals to job applications. We also hear a bit about the struggles during COVID, including visa changes, recruitment competition from other brands, and how the travel industry is recovering. In This Episode: 4:39 – How Thea is managing a huge hiring push after a COVID pause 7:27 – How being a talent marketer differs from being a regular marketer 9:39 – The ways talent marketing has changed over social media 11:27 – Why Royal Caribbean's social recruitment push is a long game 12:40 – How Thea works with her counterparts to ensure the messaging is consistent 14:21 – What the pandemic taught Thea about the challenges of global hiring 16:20 – How Royal Caribbean manages a constant recruitment push worldwide 18:01 – How Royal Caribbean uses specific and targeted hiring campaigns 20:06 – Why Glassdoor ratings were such a big priority for Thea 24:10 – How user generated content gives insights into job roles that marketing campaigns can't 26:08 – Why most UGC is created organically at Royal Caribbean 27:04 – Thea explains the 'Journey with Us' campaign 29:04 – How Thea measures success with recruitment campaigns 35:20 – Royal Caribbean's hiring campaign plan post-COVID 36:50 – How Royal Caribbean competes with other companies for the best talent 38:54 – Thea's one tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Careers at Royal Caribbean Group Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Lauren Thomas, Senior Manager of Communications & Social at Intuit Consumer Group, joins the Social Pros Podcast to discuss how Intuit makes tax content fun and engaging. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Snapchat Full Episode Details Tax and budgeting are, by most people's books, not the most interesting topics to hear about on social media. And yet, Intuit has managed to create content on social that's fun, engaging, and educational. This is thanks to the work of Lauren Thomas, Senior Manager of Communications & Social at Intuit Consumer Group, and her team. Lauren joined Social Pros to talk all about her work and how she's brought innovations and big ideas to the team to drive its success. We hear about Intuit's ventures on TikTok and how it works with both personal finance and general lifestyle influencers to create engaging and relatable content. Lauren explains how Intuit has developed its light-hearted and fun brand voice to appeal to those who would usually shy away from hearing about tax. In This Episode: 4:16 – How Lauren manages to wear so many hats in her role 6:10 – How Lauren uses social listening and the insights she's picked up 8:47 – Why the area of social you work in affects how you use social listening 10:45 – How Intuit's social media content changes throughout the year 13:40 – Lauren explains how social engagement shifts depending on the time of year 16:09 – How Intuit blends tax and finance content with lifestyle content 18:46 – Lauren explains how Intuit used Cameo as a unique marketing push 22:49 – How influencers help Intuit make serious tax topics engaging 26:55 – Intuit's social care team's approach to protecting personal information 34:02 – Lauren shares the story behind ending up in the Guinness Book of World Records 37:54 – The challenges of getting leadership to understand your vision 45:34 – Lauren's top tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Double your advertising spend with Snapchat Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Gwynne Spann, Director of Content Marketing at Visit California, joins this episode of the Social Pros Podcast for a behind-the-scenes look at their TikTok strategy. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Gwynne Spann, Director of Content Marketing at Visit California, is on Social Pros to chat about TikTok, content marketing, audience targeting, and much more. She shares the initial hesitancy she and her team had around TikTok and how her daughter convinced her to finally take the plunge. While fairly new to TikTok, we get a glimpse into how Visit California approached the platform in the right way, prioritizing authenticity and a tailored strategy specific to TikTok. Gwynne explains how the wider marketing strategy uses a lot of geographic targeting based on audience travel habits and how that influences the type of content they post. We also hear a bit about how Visit California works with travel partners, brand ambassadors, and Gwynne hints that we'll likely see more influencer content in the future. In This Episode: 4:41 – How marketing to in-state residents differs from out-of-state audiences 7:44 – How Visit California uses audience targeting 11:28 – Why Visit California launched its own TikTok 17:48 – Why TikTok is such a different beast than other social channels 20:57 – How Visit California works with all its different business and venue partners 24:30 – The success metrics that Visit California monitors 26:56 – How Visit California does sentiment analysis 31:02 – Gwynne explains what type of content is resonating the most on TikTok 36:10 – The top piece of advice Gwynne has for those thinking of becoming a social pro Resources Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Bari Rosenstein, Social Media Manager at Auntie Anne's Pretzels, joins this episode of Social Pros to talk all about her winning social media strategy. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Bari Rosenstein, Social Media Manager at Auntie Anne's Pretzels, is back on the Social Pros Podcast, this time to share her strategies behind promoting pretzels to a growing fanbase. Impressively, Bari works as a social team of one but collaborates with other social media managers in the Focus Brands portfolio and beyond. In this episode, she discusses how Auntie Anne's likes to use user-generated content from its passionate fans to create relatable social content. Bari also explains how she reaches out to influencers and how a simple gift of free pretzels led to a highly successful campaign during the Olympics. One of the reasons Bari loves her current role is that it's so open to trying new creative ideas. That's why she's been experimenting with the increasingly popular Auntie Anne's TikTok channel. In This Episode: 5:59 – Auntie Anne's expansion into drive-throughs and beyond 8:46 – Where Auntie Anne's works within the Focus Brands family 10:33 – How Auntie Anne's works with franchisees on larger marketing efforts 13:58 – Bari walks us through how they manage the social media calendar 16:09 – The reports and KPIs that Bari measures for franchisees and the larger business 18:12 – How Bari manages to be a social media team of one 23:10 – How the Focus Brands social media managers collaborate 26:10 – How Bari gained the trust of her team to post freely on social 28:28 – Bari talks about how Auntie Anne's crisis management works and the struggles during the pandemic 31:52 – Where influencer marketing fits into the Auntie Anne's social strategy 36:27 – Bari shares her ultimate Auntie Anne's pick 37:41 – Bari's top tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Josh Greenberg, Director of Social Media and Digital Consumer Engagement at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, is on Social Pros to put the spotlight on customer care. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Snapchat Full Episode Details Josh Greenberg, Director of Social Media and Digital Consumer Engagement at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, says that being "customer obsessed" is the secret to their success. But what does customer obsession look like? SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment likes to focus on the individuals who love the brand and find ways to connect with them one-on-one. By doing so, the brand manages to make customers feel special and valued. Josh explains how SeaWorld manages to strike a balance between being a fun and silly brand whilst also prioritizing world-class customer care. He takes us through some fantastic examples of how SeaWorld has gone above and beyond what other brands would do on social media. Josh explains how interactions like these work behind the scenes and how collaborating with different departments and brands under the SeaWorld name works. In This Episode: 5:02 – How working in an agency differs from being a permanent part of a social team 7:51 – How Josh adapted to his new role and responsibilities 9:41 – How Josh balances social media across all the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment brands 12:41 – The metrics and KPIs that SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment looks at 16:13 – The types of content that drive guest engagement the most 18:19 – The lessons Josh learned about change management when he first took his role 21:03 – Why it's so important to build a relationship with people on social media 25:05 – How Josh's team became customer obsessed 27:53 – How Josh helped to overhaul the SeaWorld Twitter accounts 31:22 – Why social care needs to be authentic 34:25 – Josh explains the metrics and analytics he's looking at on TikTok 37:00 – Why you need to create content that's relevant for each specific channel 38:26 – Josh's top tip for anyone thinking of becoming a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Double your advertising budget on Snapchat with free ad credit Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Andrew Stebbins (Influencer Marketing and YouTube Strategist) and Rob Yoegel (Senior Director of Marketing) from Linode joined this episode of the Social Pros Podcast to delve into their success on YouTube, influencers, and more. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Linode's Andrew Stebbins (Influencer Marketing and YouTube Strategist) and Rob Yoegel (Senior Director of Marketing) are on the Social Pros Podcast to talk all about their YouTube and influencer strategies. Linode is a cloud hosting company that's been in the space for 18 years now. And yet, it's only been in the past few years that they've really ramped up their focus on marketing. From relying entirely on word-of-mouth recommendations to now mastering YouTube, Linode has been on a big learning journey. In this episode, Rob and Andrew share more about how and why they got started on YouTube and why it's been a key part of their education and customer acquisition strategies. Andrew gives a detailed look into his work with influencers and brand advocates and where they fit into Linode's marketing push. Rob also shares some stats behind their success and how leveraging influencers on YouTube has led to 15-20% customer growth each month! In This Episode: 4:05 – What Linode does as an "alternative cloud provider" 5:47 – How Linode's marketing stance has changed over the past 18 years 7:46 – Rob explains why content marketing has become key for Linode 9:45 – Why YouTube became a huge focus for Linode 11:38 – Linode's advice to other social pros about using YouTube 14:08 – How Linode's YouTube channel started and where it is today 20:26 – How Linode works with brand advocates and influencers 23:01 – The benefits of using existing customers as influencers 25:56 – Rob explains how Linode uses paid advertising on YouTube 29:47 – Linode's approach to repurposing content 32:20 – How optimizing metadata on YouTube is key to success 34:29 – Why using video chapters is such an underutilized yet useful feature 36:04 – What the analytics say about engagement on YouTube 39:22 – The next steps for Linode 40:50 – The key YouTube performance indicators Linode's marketing team prioritizes 42:58 – Andrew gives his top tip for someone wanting to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce How to Host Multiple Discord Bots on A Single Server from Linode's YouTube channel Deploy A Static Website Using The Linode CLI | Object Storage Tutorial from Linode's YouTube channel Here's how to roll your own VPN | WireGuard Tutorial from Linode's YouTube channel Clickbait is Unreasonably Effective from the Veritasium YouTube channel Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Dan Gingiss, Chief Experience Officer at The Experience Maker and keynote speaker, joins this episode of Social Pros to throw the spotlight on the customer experience. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Dan Gingiss, Chief Experience Officer at The Experience Maker, is a keynote speaker and author of 'Winning in Social Customer Care'. His latest book, 'The Experience Maker' offers fantastic insights into how to build remarkable experiences for your customers. He joins the Social Pros podcast to give us a sneak peek at the wisdom he's packed into his latest book. Dan discusses the importance of customer experience and how the pandemic only highlighted this. While there's a lot of competition in many industries, there's not much competition when it comes to providing a fantastic customer experience. Dan talks about how we're often disappointed by brands and that one clear way to stand out is to go beyond customer expectations. Dan takes Social Pros listeners through the WISE system of creating content and communicating with customers, and why good customer experience starts with good employee experience. In This Episode: 4:40 – Why there's an ongoing need for books about customer experience 9:23 – How you can still overdeliver on social media to keep customers happy 12:22 – Why you can't do good customer experience without good employee experience 15:11 – How a focus on customer acquisition rather than retention affects the customer experience 21:03 – How Dan feels about brand voices on social that don't match the brand 24:05 – Dan explores some examples of brands that are getting it right 26:45 – Why marketing's job has always been to promise the customer experience 28:24 – The most important metrics for social media 31:38 – Why CEOs are overlooking the ROI of satisfied customers 32:27 – Why Dan thinks using social to sell is the wrong approach 33:30 – Why customers and brands now prefer direct messages on social media 36:46 – Dan's top tip for someone looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce The Experience Maker by Dan Gingiss Winning in Social Customer Care by Dan Gingiss Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Izzy Greer, Marketing Manager of Portfolio Brands at Balsam Brands, joins the Social Pros Podcast to discuss how to make seasonal content engaging all-year-round. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Snapchat Full Episode Details Izzy Greer, Marketing Manager of Portfolio Brands at Balsam Brands, oversees marketing strategies for brands including Balsam Hill, the Christmas and seasonal décor store. She joins the Social Pros Podcast to share how she and her team keep the holiday spirit going on social 365 days a year. As a seasonal brand, Balsam Hill has to get really inventive in keeping its content both relevant and engaging, even in the summer months. Izzy explains why Balsam Brands prioritizes authentic user-generated content, working with influencers, and promoting on Pinterest. Izzy also shares some of the strategies behind paid versus organic content and how her team likes to unite them to create authentic content that resonates with its customers. In This Episode: 5:34 – How Izzy structures content all year round for seasonal products 7:00 – How internal systems and pacing works for marketing seasonal content 8:53 – The reasons why people engage differently with Balsam Brands throughout the year 10:10 – Izzy's key insights from social listening 12:40 – How Izzy's team manages effective customer conversations 14:44 – Why Balsam Brands looks for an authentic connection when working with celebrities and influencers 20:20 – The tools Balsam Brands uses to collect and analyze content performance data 21:56 – Why an effective Pinterest strategy considers the platform's planning and search engine functions 25:05 – How to create the volume of visual marketing content needed for social media 28:27 – How Balsam Brands taps into user-generated content Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Double your campaign spending with a Snapchat special offer Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Adam Brown, Executive Strategist at Salesforce and Social Pros host, joins this episode as a special guest to talk all about Salesforce's latest State of Marketing Report. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details Adam Brown, Executive Strategist at Salesforce and our very own Social Pros podcast host, joins this episode from the other side of the table. He's on the show to share all the wisdom and insights that Salesforce's latest report has to offer, including the highlights and surprising trends. The State of Marketing Report is something Salesforce publishes every year, and each time it comes out, the marketing world learns so much from it. In this episode, Adam discusses how the role of CMOs has changed, why businesses are focusing more on user-generated content, and how marketing is now all about data science as well as creativity. In This Episode: 1:50 – Adam explains how Salesforce put together the State of Marketing report 3:34 – What the report tells us about customer experience 5:25 – How marketers' top three priorities are also their top three challenges 6:58 – What the report reveals about the way CMOs track their progress 8:29 – Why 88% of marketers have changed their marketing strategy 11:34 – Why marketers are increasingly using social media and email to boost reach 14:56 – The ways marketing departments want to level up their strategy 16:49 – Why training in influencer marketing and user-generated content is so vital 19:25 – How improved marketing tech empowers social pros to do less of the tactical stuff and more of the strategy 20:45 – Why 77% of marketers believe that their work provides more value now than a year ago 24:36 – How Salesforce has expanded its report with sub-reports and a Tableau dashboard Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Dave Fleet, Managing Director, Head of Global Digital Crisis at Edelman, is on the Social Pros Podcast to share his insights into modern digital crisis management. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Full Episode Details In times of crisis, it pays to plan ahead and act fast, says Dave Fleet, Managing Director, Head of Global Digital Crisis at Edelman. Dave joins the Social Pros Podcast to discuss how the ways businesses handle crises today have changed over the past few years. He talks about the impact of the digital world and how businesses have had to completely change the way they respond to crises. According to Dave, the old ways businesses managed crises are now obsolete. Today, organizations need to plan ahead and act fast in a way that's rooted in trust. Misinformation spreads like wildfire. Dave discusses the use of multimedia content and different platforms to handle crises and why businesses need to be careful not to make things worse. In This Episode: 4:52 – Dave explains the scope and scale of the work that Edelman does 6:24 – How crises play out online in the modern world 10:38 – Which is more important, how you respond to a crisis vs. being prepared 13:31 – What a well-formed crisis response looks like 14:33 – Why you should communicate early in a crisis 17:07 – How Edelman uses data and social listening to keep on top of a crisis 20:04 – How Dave and Edelman counsel customers in a crisis 22:41 – Dave's tip for better utilizing social listening 24:12 – Why video communication is preferred for some customers 29:05 – How Edelman uses paid advertising as part of its crisis response strategy 32:07 – What the PR crisis "war room" looks like in 2021 35:26 – Social media's place at the table during an online crisis 37:28 – The best ways to prepare for digital crises in 2021 41:17 – Dave's one tip for those looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

John Jantsch, Founder and author of Duct Tape Marketing, joins this episode of the Social Pros Podcast to share his methods for revisiting your marketing strategy. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Snapchat Full Episode Details John Jantsch, Founder and author of Duct Tape Marketing, discusses what has changed (and hasn't changed) in the marketing landscape and how you can stay relevant. He talks about how marketing fundamentals may remain the same, but the way we need to reach customers has changed. Customers are making buying decisions in different ways in the modern world, and so to keep ahead, you need to constantly tweak your strategy. John shares some great insights into how you can leverage customer reviews and use them in your strategy. He also gives his take on brand storytelling and how it has almost become a cliché (unless you do it right). In This Episode: 1:15 – Why John decided to write The Ultimate Marketing Engine 2:16 – How John pulled all his knowledge together to write such a comprehensive book 3:35 – John explains what he means by the "marketing hourglass" 6:05 – Why John refers to customers as members 9:30 – Why customer service is an overlooked part of marketing 13:11 – How The Ultimate Marketing Engine builds on the wisdom of his previous books 15:21 – How you can uncover the "real problem" in business (and solve it) 17:17 – Why customer reviews are a "hidden goldmine" of customer research 19:15 – Why businesses often miss the boat when selling a solution 21:59 – The importance of narrowing your focus in marketing 25:59 – The difference between storytelling and narrative 31:55 – What John has learned about social media from being one of ten children 34:05 – John's approach to generating referrals and whether you should compensate them 40:05 – John's top tip for anyone wanting to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Double your campaign spending with a Snapchat special offer Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Brad Baker, VP of Brand Strategy and Creative at Holiday Inn Club Vacations, joins this episode of the Social Pros Podcast to share how he keeps up with the ever-changing "organic beast" of social media. Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors for helping us make this happen. Please support them; we couldn't do it without their help! This week: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Snapchat Full Episode Details Brad Baker, VP of Brand Strategy and Creative at Holiday Inn Club Vacations, has been in the social media business for a long time. In that time, he's seen just how much everything can change, whether its strategies, best practices, algorithms, platforms – you name it. He joins the Social Pros Podcast to share his thoughts on revisiting social media strategies, how the team at Holiday Inn Club Vacations pulls it off successfully. He explains how they keep their finger on the pulse and adapt their strategy when needed – while also maintaining Holiday Inn's strong brand legacy. Never has a travel or vacation business had to adapt more than during the pandemic. Brad takes us behind-the-scenes of how Holiday Inn Club Vacations adapted its social strategy during that difficult time. Brad also discusses how Holiday Inn works with influencers to tell an authentic story of the brand. In This Episode: 4:45 – Brad gives a little background on the Holiday Inn Club Vacation Program 6:13 – How Holiday Inn Club Vacations navigated an unpredictable year of travel 8:07 – How the use of social media changed over the pandemic 9:56 – Brad explains the "virtual vacation" tab Holiday Inn Club Vacations introduced on their website 11:40 – How Holiday Inn Club Vacations are tapping into local knowledge to promote properties 12:53 – The KPIs that timeshare companies should measure 15:59 – How Brad's team has moved more towards paid social 16:34 – The challenge of finding authentic influencers 19:48 – Why Holiday Inn Club Vacations is so transparent about its timeshare model 23:25 – How Brad directs and collaborates with the marketing and social teams 26:29 – How Brad makes the business case to leadership to invest more in social 29:28 – Brad shares the surprising challenges in his earlier marketing and social career 31:30 – Why social teams are so risk-averse right now 33:09 – Brad explains why social teams need to re-evaluate their strategy at least once a year 37:14 – Brad's top tip for anyone looking to become a social pro Resources Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce Double your campaign spending with a Snapchat special offer Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.