SocialMinds - A Social Media Marketing Podcast

Social media professionals typically suffer from a lack of understanding and respect from the outside world - but there's one position which struggles to gain recognition within the walls of the industry. In episode 017, we're joined by Elizabeth Knights-Ward, marketing director and champion of the social media manager. In this, we address why such a challenging position is regarded as entry-level - and why it's time for that to change.

You might think that kids all want to be YouTubers or Instagrammers when they grow up. But among adolescents, the desire to be an 'influencer' is on the decline. In episode 016 of Social Minds, we're joined by Bexy and Krupali of culture-based agency, Amplify, to discuss the disconnect between youth's craving to be influential and their rejection of 'the influencer'. As marketers seeking to engage and influence a youth market, we first have to ask what influence really means to them.

96% of video is consumed on mobile, so brands and marketers should understand the importance of mastering vertical video. In reality, many remain stubborn in their execution - either hacking, botching or ignoring the pivot to 9:16 entirely. In episode 015 of Social Minds, we're joined by head and founder of Sporf, Nick Speakman, who has brought dynamic vertical content to the screens of 15 million people - diversified for purpose and platform. His advice to his industry peers? Prioritise vertical now, or fall behind for good.

The AI apocalypse is a recurring theme in tabloid newspapers, but journalists have bigger concerns than bots cloning the newsroom. Copywriters are less optimistic, however, and their fears haven't been quashed by the arrival of Phrasee – a tool that uses AI to produce millions of email subjects and social media captions in seconds. In episode 14 of Social Minds, Parry Malm, Phrasee's CEO and co-founder, calls BS on claims that AI will kill copywriting and explains why he wants to liberate wordsmiths, not replace them.

Solving social media can sometimes feel like everyone is in on the secret but you. But for Media Chain head of innovation, George MacGill, growth hacking is not only about having the answers but asking the right questions. Whether it's cracking YouTube discoverability, Facebook's hidden crypto conspiracy or the new app dominating Chinese social media, in Episode 013 of Social Minds, George proves that once you know where to look, there's no shift you can't decode.

Born from a saturation of social media scandals, the age of digital transparency is upon us. Episode 012 of Social Minds hears Matt Wilson, senior media relations officer for the Advertising Standards Authority, explain that while regulators don't seek to censor the colourful, risqué and edgy world of advertising, their duty to prevent harm and offence will not waver. Having lived through the advent of social media and the dawn of influencer marketing in his 14 years at the ASA, Matt has some important distinctions to make and advice to impart, as calls for social media regulation grow bolder.

As marketers, we're obsessed with making people feel. But why should anyone have feelings about a brand? Social Chain's own Oliver Yonchev believes that 'the mindset marketer' will be everything in 2019. And as age and profile labels become redundant, a greater focus will be placed on emotion. In Episode 011 of Social Minds, Oliver reveals his learnings on the youth brain and explains why understanding the mindset of a generation must come first, before earning the right to sell to it.

To the average consumer, augmented reality means little more than face filters - for now. But ask a futurist such as Kat Callow, our guest for Episode 010 of Social Minds, and you'll see how this revolutionary tech is set to shape the future of shopping - causing ramifications for bricks and mortar, e-tailers and influencers. Snap Inc. has shacked up with Amazon and, whilst Facebook opens beta for Instagram Camera Effects under Spark AR, Google Lens looks to move from maps to media buys. As huge changes are on the horizon for 2019, brands and marketers must move fast to trial AR tech ahead of its mass adoption.

For sports fans in 2018, a logo on a shirt simply isn't enough. Sponsorship deals are part and parcel of the beautiful game, but Social Chain head of sport, Rich Johnson, warns that brands are failing to resonate with a modern crowd. As a new generation of sports fans comes of age, it is imperative that marketers meet heightened expectations, navigate endless accessibility and translate the integrity of sport through authentic advertising. In Episode 009 of Social Minds, Rich reveals how.

Social Chain Group CEO, Steven Bartlett, has a responsibility to brands, employees and investors to predict the ever-changing landscape of social media. But how do you predict the unpredictable? In Episode 008 of Social Minds, Steve gives us a candid insight into how he navigates constant shifts, the state of social media - following a scandalous year - and the importance of finding optimism in innovation.

Facebook's algorithm is crippling content which fails to inspire 'meaningful engagement' - but who dictates what meaningful means? As Social Chain strategy director, Mike Blake-Crawford, points out: the perceived value of content differs between people. And as content restrictions continue to contradict Facebook's latest objective, agencies' role to provide unbiased guidance has never been more crucial. In Episode 007 of Social Minds, we translate Facebook's actions and agenda to reveal how brands, publishers and creators can survive in such uncertain times.

When it comes to automated tools, as an industry we're confused. Are chatbots artificial intelligence, a customer service tool, the death of email marketing or all of the above? Syd Lawrence, CEO of The Bot Platform and our guest for Episode 006 of Social Minds, laments the term chatbot; after all, who wants to chat to a bot? Instead he explains why marketers are in dire need of managing their tech expectations, and shows us the real magic that can happen when bot technology is put in the right hands.

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK; nevertheless, a metaphorical handbrake exists whenever the 'S' word is mentioned. This week on Social Minds, we sit down with Simon Gunning, the CEO of CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), who is taking a sledgehammer to the taboo of male suicide with a hard-hitting approach to advertising. We discuss the new face of corporate social responsibility (CSR), poisonous masculine stereotypes and the role data-led technology can have in saving lives.

Calls have been made for urgent action to tackle influencer fraud - before trust is lost forever. But short of being put off, brands continue to blindly pump billions into influencer marketing. Social Chain head of influencer talent, Tom Peters, claims brands still aren't asking the right questions on credibility or challenging ROI. And without adequate action from the platforms, it's up to agencies to educate brands on how to improve the integrity, transparency and measurement of influencer marketing.

When marketing a club night where the venue, the DJ and the drinks deals are all the same, how does one ensure their night out is the place to be? In Episode 003 of Social Minds, we speak to the managing director of student events company Voodoo Events and host of the Modern Wisdom podcast, Chris Williamson. In this, we gain a candid account of social equity, selling the student night out and how championing students' emboldened sense of self is in an events marketer's best interest - if they hope to survive in this unforgiving industry.

If Love Island was ever a guilty pleasure, this year, they dropped the guilty. But how much of the show's success is owed to social media? In our second instalment of Social Minds, ITV business development director, Jason Spencer, reveals how Love Island managed to become the summer's hottest TV show. Covering everything from brand partnerships to savvy social media use and winning the coveted attention of a 16-24 demographic, this conversation challenges the myth that tech is the enemy of traditional television.

Modern Britain is presenting brands and marketers with more challenges than ever before. Staggering social media use and overexposure to advertising has taught us to be cynical - and it's having a major impact on campaign strategy and content creation. But how do you charm a nation of cynics? In the pilot episode of Social Minds, the UK's first social media marketing podcast by Social Chain, we're joined by Kellogg's UK & Ireland social lead, Joe Harper. In this, we ask whether or not consumer cynicism is a behaviour we can unlearn, and Joe reveals how FMCG brands such as Kellogg's are working to educate a woke generation and earn the elusive trust of the UK consumer.