The Creator Spotlight Podcast Ep. 94: 15 years of social media strategy advice in one hour ft. Jack Appleby
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Jan 20, 2026 Jack Appleby, a seasoned marketing strategist with 15+ years of social media expertise, dives into the nuances of audience building and content creation. He reveals why most brand content flops and discusses the importance of storytelling over high production values. Jack shares insights from his successful TikTok ventures, the balance of running a profitable series like Hoop Forever, and how to organically grow a newsletter to 80k subscribers. He also emphasizes the need for strong opinions in content and predicts a future demand for better quality in short-form videos.
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Early Viral Break Changed Approach
- Jack's third short video went viral and hit a million views on a 7,000-follower Instagram account.
- He used the momentum of that early success to trust message and storytelling over production polish.
Social Skills Don’t Replace Marketing
- Jack argues many new social media marketers prefer platform tactics to core marketing principles.
- He sees that as causing brands to produce 'social media' content instead of marketing that shows why customers should care.
Give Audiences A Reason To Root
- Give your audience a reason to root for you by telling a coherent, repeatable story.
- Focus on what you are asking your audience to believe and support, not just chasing trends.