Social Pros Podcast

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.