Social Pros Podcast

Data-Driven Decisions is a new limited-series marketing podcast presented by Convince & Convert and shared with our Social Pros listeners. How did this non-marketing but data-driven leader become a Chief Marketing Officer? Shafqat Islam, the CMO of Optimizely, joins this episode of Data-Driven Decisions to share how he’s leading Optimizely’s marketing team into building a culture of data and experimentation. Let the Data Do the Talking In this episode of Data-Driven Decisions, we dive deep into the world of marketing data, measurable targets, personalization and customer-centric marketing. Shafqat shares invaluable insights on how to approach personalization strategically, emphasizing the value of starting simple and scaling up gradually. He discusses the challenges of content creation for personalized experiences and offers practical advice on leveraging AI to find patterns in customer feedback from support tickets and sales calls. We also explore the critical role of experimentation and testing when it comes to new marketing ideas, and why Optimizely considers experimentation part of its culture. Shafqat explains why it’s so important for marketers to have a rock-solid understanding of the typical customer journey and why this should be documented and measurable.  In This Episode: 0:37 - How Shafqat ended up in his role 2:36 - Why Shafqat wanted to build a more data-driven culture 4:58 - How this approach affects the marketing team 7:07 - The importance of experimenting with new ideas 8:28 - Optimizely’s approach to experimentation 12:33 - Why personalization is still a huge topic for marketers 15:22 - Finding a balanced and realistic idea of personalization 18:20 - How Optimizely helps its clients use their own data to make decisions 20:54 - Why all marketers need to map out the typical customer journey and document it 24:25 - How to ensure customers get the right resources 27:09 - How Shafqat researches and understands his customers 30:14 - The most important marketing metrics 31:56 - How Optimizely uses AI to find patterns in customer interactions   Quotes: “Marketing is as much about the customer as it is about the prospect. In fact, in the business of our scale, it may be more customer than even prospect.” “It's really, really important to document the customer journey and understand all the touchpoints and then come up collectively as a marketing organization, with what we want that ideal journey to be." “Experimentation is much more than tools. To me, the idea is how do we create a culture of experimentation?” Resources: Connect with Shafqat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shafqat/ Optimizely: https://www.optimizely.com/  Purchase the book at koganpage.com/datadrivenpersonalization (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.

It’s inevitable. Social media is changing. And if you’re not up to date with the trends, your strategy might be left in the dust. Since Gia Lee, the Chief Strategy Officer at NinetyEight, was last on the show, we wanted to hear about her perspective on the top trends today and how marketers can appeal to Gen Z audiences.  Full Episode Details  Gia Lee, the Chief Strategy Officer at NinetyEight, is a breath of fresh air in the social media space. As a Gen Z marketer herself, she’s already making waves in the industry with her unique insights into how brands can tap into younger markets (without sounding like that Steve Buscemi meme…) In this episode, we hear a bit about her career story and what the top trends in social are today. The biggest shift she’s seen is a move away from big, mainstream trends that take over social. Now, niche-virality is the way forward. A niche trend might not reach everyone… but does it need to? Gia explains that finding your niche is pivotal to a modern social strategy as well as great community management. We also hear some great advice for marketers on researching Gen Z audiences and ignoring the media stereotypes that can keep you from truly connecting with your audience.  In This Episode: 1:22 - Gia gives us a background on her career  3:11 - Social media trends that have changed since she was last on the show 5:51 - How brands are adapting to the shift toward niche trends 7:30 - Brands that are handling niche-virality well 9:58 - What brands could be doing better  12:19 - How brands can create room for Gen Z to share their voices  14:38 - How NinetyEight bridges the gap between brands and Gen Z audiences 16:57 - Has Gen Z broken the marketing funnel? 19:10 - How Gen Z is influencing brand community management  21:57 - NinetyEight’s approach to selling new ideas to brands  28:15 - Gia explains being a guest editor for Ad Age and Marketer to Watch Under 30 30:46 - Advice for Gen Z in business 32:22 - Where you can follow NinetyEight and Gia 33:21 - Gia’s top tip for aspiring social pros Resources  NinetyEight Connect with Gia on LinkedIn Gia's last appearance on Social Pros Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers. 

What do social pros today need to know about the top platforms to get ahead? We look back at one of our favorite discussions from 2023 that marked 600 episodes of Social Pros! We asked none other than former Social Pros hosts, Jay Baer and Adam Brown, plus previous guest Allison Day, Senior Manager of Social Media at Reddit, to share their insights into what’s working in social today. Full Episode Details  To celebrate the 600th episode milestone, we brought back previous hosts and guests to share their thoughts on social platforms today, the biggest changes, and predictions for the future. Jay, Adam, and Allison share their ‘love it or over it’ verdicts on Threads, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn, and what they would do if they had to start over today. Jay, aka Tequila Jay Baer, talks about his strategy for starting his tequila influencer journey recently and why he focused on TikTok content to begin with. There are some brilliant insights into how social has and is changing all the time in this episode, plus some great advice for upcoming social pros tackling the space in 2024 and beyond. In This Episode:  5:56 - Love it or over it? Threads and X/Twitter  11:10 - LinkedIn’s evolution and our guests’ thoughts on the platform 15:58 - Thoughts on TikTok and Instagram Reels 24:26 - The biggest changes in social over the past ten years 27:31 - Gaining trust from leaders 32:21 - Why social media was about social, now it’s about media 36:07 - What our social pros would do if they were starting out today 38:28 - Why Jay Baer would start making YouTube content 43:15 - Jay, Adam, and Allison answer the final two Resources  Connect with Jay on LinkedIn Connect with Adam on LinkedIn Connect with Allison on LinkedIn Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers. 

Data-Driven Decisions is a new limited-series marketing podcast presented by Convince & Convert and shared with our Social Pros listeners. How can data help marketing and sales teams achieve their goals? A common mistake some marketers make is not being clear on those goals in the first place. This can lead to marketers and sales teams trying out lots of different tactics in an effort to drive results. But there is a smarter way – using data to build a goal-oriented mindset from the get-go. Start with Marketing Goals, Not Tactics In this episode, Tessa Barron, Senior Vice President of Marketing at ON24, talks about why marketers should shift their focus from traditional marketing tactics to a goal-oriented approach. Tessa explains how marketers often fall into the trap of continuously using new tactics without clear objectives and how harnessing the right data can transform a strategy. Tessa discusses the importance of identifying key signals that indicate buyer readiness, using webinars and events to gather valuable first-party data and using that to create actionable insights that align marketing with sales. We also hear Tessa explain why marketers should create scorecards, identify the metrics that matter most, and improve conversion rates by leaning on data to drive decision-making.  In This Episode: 1:54 - A shift to goal-oriented marketing 6:22 - Leveraging webinars and other tactics for collecting customer data 11:11 - The importance of asking customers the right questions and using those answers 14:41 - Aligning marketing and sales to achieve conversion goals 18:58 - Testing, iterating, and improving conversion rates 26:49 - Why pipeline is a “lagging indicator” 31:32 - Why brand awareness is a leading indicator 33:51 - Using metrics that matter Quotes: “Starting with the goal first, and then the last step is determining the tactic that can really help marketers make the shift.” “What aspect about a buyer makes them more likely to convert to an opportunity than not? By knowing that, you can start to set traps. You can start to create different interactions that will help uncover that.” “There is no database on the planet, no third-party resource that can give you that kind of qualitative information that really makes a difference when we talk about improving conversion rates to pipeline and ultimately revenue.” Resources: Connect with Tessa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessa-barron/   Purchase the book at koganpage.com/datadrivenpersonalization (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.  

What do students want to see when researching potential schools? It’s a question that all higher education marketers need to ask, and the answers aren’t always obvious. But good news! Our latest research, the 2024 Higher Education Marketing Report, reveals what the data says about student preferences and the strategies of current marketers in the space. We’re joined by Strategist at Convince & Convert and Co-Founder of Social Fresh, Jason Keath, who takes us through the top insights in the report. Full Episode Details  What marketers plan to do with their content and what students want to see aren’t always on the same page.  In this episode, Jason Keath takes us through some of the top insights that our report covers, including plans of current marketers in the higher ed space and student preferences from marketing content. Jason reveals that some marketers are turning away from email and YouTube, but the data reveals that this could be a mistake and doesn’t align with the type of content we know students resonate with. We hear why video and UGC should be a priority for higher marketers and which platforms are most popular for that audience. This episode is packed with practical advice for higher ed marketers looking to optimize their strategies and allocate resources more effectively. Jason discusses the delicate balance of using AI in content creation, emphasizing the need for a human touch to maintain authenticity and connection with students. Jason also addresses the gaps in content topics that students are eager to see, such as career benefits, financial aid information, and internship opportunities. In This Episode:  2:30 - Some background on the report and who was surveyed  4:35 - The benefits of a 3rd party assessment for higher ed marketers  6:05 - Major themes revealed by the report and the biggest gaps in higher ed marketing  7:59 - Why marketers aren’t utilizing video content as much as they should  11:11 - What Gen Z wants to see from content   13:12 - The surprising potential of traditional marketing   16:48 - Should higher ed marketers use AI? 19:07 - Why you shouldn’t depend on AI for content creation 12:09 - What prospective students want to see  24:29 - Where students go for information  26:09 - How higher ed marketers are using students within content 28:33 - How schools can restructure their strategy to cover topics students want to see 31:48 - Where can people find the report  32:29 - Advice for marketers in higher ed Resources  Download the Higher Education Marketing Report Connect with Jason on LinkedIn Follow Jason on Threads Social Fresh website Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers. 

Data-Driven Decisions is a new limited-series marketing podcast presented by Convince & Convert and shared with our Social Pros listeners. How can organizations drive real impact with data? Many organizations already have plenty of data at their fingertips these days, but it’s not just about the data you collect. It’s how you use it. Joining this episode is Anthony Coppedge, the Principal Lead of eCommerce Seller Initiatives at IBM, who takes us through his methodologies for using data to make a difference in an organization. Organizations Don’t Lack Data, They Lack Insights  Anthony leads business agility aims across sales, marketing, and product at IBM. But how does such a large organization manage and implement data insights to grow effectively? We hear Anthony’s insightful approach to capturing and acting on qualitative feedback with the ‘Retrospective Radar’ approach. With AI such an important topic for many organizations, Anthony also takes us through how he uses the Watson Natural Language Processing tool to analyze unstructured data to create actionable insights. Anthony explains why having a clear north star in your organization is paramount and how his ‘Outcome-Drive Alignment’ model helps different teams come together with shared objectives to make smart, data-driven decisions. In This Episode: 1:51 - How IBM manages to drive impact with data 4:09 - Why data is often underutilized 6:30 - How data can identify challenges and misalignments in a team 14:00 - How the ‘Retrospective Radar’ works 20:41 - How IBM pulls the right insights from qualitative feedback 28:46 - How businesses can use feedback to empower team members 33:15 - How AI can help you gather insights from unstructured data 39:05 - Changing people’s minds with good data Quotes: “Everybody knows what it's like to be swimming in data. What you need to be swimming in is insight.” “Qualitative feedback is a type of data. So if you get feedback in a survey or a poll or a thumbs up or a thumbs down or verbatim text, all of that is a type of data. It's unstructured data, but it's data. And what we want to do is parse that data and understand it in a quantitative way.”   “Feedback is a gift, but aggregated feedback is actionable intelligence.” Resources: Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonycoppedge/ Watson Natural Language Processing Demo: https://www.ibm.com/demos/live/natural-language-understanding/self-service/ Purchase the book at koganpage.com/datadrivenpersonalization (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.

How do some of the top brands like Netflix, Nike, and Disney drive audience participation and fandom? We find out in this episode, where we look back at one of our favorite conversations from last year with Alyssa Bonanno, the Chief Creative Officer and Founder of next-gen creative agency Better Half.  Full Episode Details  Audience participation and engagement are crucial for the consumer and entertainment brands that Better Half works with. But what’s the key to tapping into those fandoms? For Alyssa Bonanno, the trick is being “fandom-led.” She joins the show to share how her agency fosters great working relationships with huge brands and their audiences to drive results. We hear how the small-but-mighty team thrives, the benefits of intentional hiring, and how her agency manages consistently high-quality social output for brands. Alyssa gives us some back story on how she built her team, Better Half’s own strategy for success, and why she believes you need to take big swings on social to get noticed.  In This Episode:  1:32 - An introduction to Better Half 3:35 - Excelling for big clients in a boutique agency 6:07 - Sustaining community engagement with Netflix 9:46 - Matching Netflix’s identity on social 12:15 - Operating in the niche vs mainstream 14:09 - Intentional hiring for difficult roles  19:47 - Alyssa’s team structure decisions 21:45 - How Better Half showcase their culture 25:10 - Better Half approach to social 28:32 - How Better Half uses Substack 30:14 - Where to find Alyssa and Better Half  33:09 - Alyssa answers the Final Two Resources  Alyssa’s website Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn Follow Alyssa on Instagram Better Half website Connect with Better Half on LinkedIn Follow Better Half on Instagram Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers. 

Data-Driven Decisions is a new limited-series marketing podcast presented by Convince & Convert and shared with our Social Pros listeners. How do you compare with your peers? It’s a question that every marketer asks, and data is the trick to removing the guesswork from that answer. But finding the right data to benchmark yourself against your peers can be a challenge. Joining the podcast this week is Rob Garf, the VP and General Manager of Retail at Salesforce. He explores how Salesforce builds insights for retail customers to gain clarity on where they sit in the market.  Infuse Data into Everything You’re Doing In this episode of Data-Driven Decisions, Rob discusses how retailers use Salesforce’s Shopping Index to compare their performance with peers and what types of data are most important to focus on. Our conversation delves into the methods of collecting actionable insights, the importance of understanding customer behavior, and why data-driven personalization is key to building a great customer experience.  Rob also shares plenty of examples of how retailers have used Salesforce's data to enhance their business operations and offers advice for organizations aiming to build a data-centric culture. We also explore how Salesforce’s annual holiday predictions have increased brand recognition and built trust with executives.  In This Episode: 1:40 - How Salesforce gathers insights that impact customers 3:37 - How Salesforce decides which data is most useful for clients 5:11 - Tying data insights into day-to-day actions 9:26 - Empowering clients and the Salesforce team to build a culture of data 11:59 - Using research as content 16:33 - How data can drive personalization 20:52 - Why customers now expect personalization 23:07 - Salesforce’s holiday insights campaign 26:20 - How Salesforce’s insights drive brand recognition 31:44 - Rob’s advice for organizations that want to lead with data 35:42 - How Salesforce builds a culture of data in a large organization  Quotes: “Anytime we're thinking about collecting data or thinking about telling stories with the data, we try to get as many stakeholders involved in it as possible. And so, we're really getting collective wisdom.” “I really encourage the team to think about the headline. It's really the thesis. What are we trying to convey? And then work backward to understand how we get the data to either substantiate that point or counter it.”   “Brands and retailers are looking for different and creative ways to capture data in exchange for some value rather than asking a consumer to fill out a questionnaire to learn who they are. It's about then using that data, activating that data, and using it to better their shopping experience.” Resources: Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-garf-224395/ Purchase the book at convinceandconvert.com/data-driven (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.

The B2B space is not something you usually associate with the world of influencer marketing. And yet, Salesforce is leading the way in B2B influencer collaborations. How? We find out in this episode of Social Pros with Mikaely Quaranta, Senior Manager of Social Media, and Ashlyn Remillard, Director of Global Social, Influencer & Content Strategy. Full Episode Details Mikaely Quaranta and Ashlyn Remillard lead the employee advocacy program, global social strategies, influencer marketing, and community management sides of Salesforce’s marketing department. With a lot of plates to balance, we hear in this episode how they approach all of these segments and how a B2B brand like Salesforce can win on social media. Our conversation covers the duo's innovative approaches to social channels, their experience in community management, social listening, analytics, and influencer partnerships. We hear how they measure success and ROI, and their approach to managing different creators and business partners. Ashlyn and Mikaely also swap stories of their favorite campaigns they’ve worked on, where they turn for inspiration, and their tips for social media success. In This Episode: 2:26 - Mikaely and Ashlyn explain their roles at Salesforce 4:35 - Why Salesforce invests in influencer marketing  7:09 - How Mikaely and Ashlyn manage messaging across different tiers 12:12 - How Salesforce defines micro influencers  15:06 - How Salesforce measures success both externally and internally 19:45 - Surprising experiences of managing influencer marketing  23:21 - How Mikaely and Ashlyn give space for new ideas 26:18 - How Mikaely and Ashlyn manage creators and business partners 29:23 - Where they go for inspiration  33:55 - Mikaely and Ashlyn share their favorite campaigns and social channels 38:44 - The best places to connect with Mikaely and Ashlyn and Salesforce 41:52 - Top tips for aspiring social pros Resources Connect with Mikaely on LinkedIn Connect with Ashlyn on LinkedIn Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.

Data-Driven Decisions is a new limited-series marketing podcast presented by Convince & Convert and shared with our Social Pros listeners. Is it true that many Americans perceive their homes not just as living spaces, but as vehicles for wealth accumulation? And can this lead to a disconnect between their desires and the reality of home ownership? In this episode of Data-Driven Decisions, we find out.  What do Americans really want from their homes?  Is it just a cozy living space, or something more profound? Join us as we dive into the psyche of the modern homeowner with Erin Willis, Chief Insight and Marketing Officer at Sekisui House, one of America’s leading home builders. We look at the importance of understanding customer happiness and how it's at the core of creating homes that truly feel like a sanctuary. Erin also delves into the methodology behind Sekisui House's customer-centric approach, revealing the synergy between data-driven decisions and a genuine understanding of customer needs.  From leveraging video diaries for real insights to incorporating behavioral science into home design, this episode shines a light on the innovative strategies employed to make homes that genuinely cater to the happiness and health of their residents. This includes addressing common challenges like storage and space optimization, which are crucial for creating a stress-free, comfortable living environment.  Erin also shares the exciting launch of SHAWOOD, a brand that exemplifies Sekisui House's commitment to offering architecturally unique, environmentally friendly homes that meet modern needs.  In This Episode: 01:04 - Introducing Erin Willis and Sekisui House 03:09 - The overall strategic goals of Erin’s role as Chief Insight and Marketing Officer  05:31 - What American homeowners are looking for compared to other countries  08:20 - How Sekisui House conducts research into homeowner needs  10:40 - Building a culture of curiosity in your team and organization 13:29 - Turning insights into messaging that resonates with your audience  16:27 - How the data impacts the content that they create 19:44 - How Sekisui House sets customer expectations and measures them 22:15 - The launch of SHAWOOD and what it means for Sekisui House  25:02 - How Sekisui House validates hypotheses   27:31 - How the company extends customer lifetime value and builds loyalty  30:50 - Advice for marketers to start using data insights to develop a better customer experience 34:03 - Practices and guidelines that promote a sense of safety and creativity within the team 36:20 - Insights Erin wishes she had known at the beginning of her journey 39:23 - Examples of companies Erin admires for marrying customer-centricity and data   Quotes: “Building a culture of curiosity is something that I always encourage organizations to do. What kinds of practices do you have in your team's meetings or in your guidelines or in your processes that help to create that sense of safety, and make sure that folks feel like they can bring their questions and their ideas to the table?” “A lot of Americans view their home as an investment property. It's a vehicle to accumulate wealth. And it ceases to be a home when you start to think about it like that. A lot of people don't feel at home in their homes.” Resources: Sekisui House: https://www.sekisuihouse-global.com/ Connect with Erin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinboggswillis/ Connect with Zontee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zonteehou/ Purchase the book at convinceandconvert.com/data-driven (use code CCData20 for 20% off and free shipping in the UK and US) and sign up for more content at convinceandconvert.com.