I don't chase popularity, I cultivate quality

I’m happily reintroducing the original format of 🐚 The Salty Shell and diving into a topic that’s close to my heart and crucial to our lives: the power of community. Communities were the original social networks and existed before marketing. 🧂 Salty Insights: Community Isn't a Buzzword Every day, there seems to be a new theory about the ‘future of social media’ – that it should be more personal, more segmented/niche, and more about real connections rather than broadcasting into the abyss....

Listening to Nothing More’s new single, House on Sand, inspired this issue. 🎶 I built my house on sand, hoping it would stand the storms coming my way, and now I’m left to face the weight of my mistakes and a chance to start again. 🎶 What the hell does this have to do with marketing? Well, you know how every time a platform goes down for a few hours and marketers freak out, most posting “THiS iS yOuR rEMiNdER To nOt bUiLd On rEnTed LaNd” So many of us post that (I’m guilty), and it’s true,...

Awareness is the first step in every customer journey – it’s where you make the brand visible, memorable, and recognizable. It sets the tone for someone’s experience and leaves a lasting impression. Don’t take a shot every time I say awareness because today, we’re getting into awareness in marketing in general and for causes. The beautiful thing about awareness is that it creates community, which in turn becomes your free word of mouth marketing force. Think about a product you recently...

One of my non-negotiables? Performing a social media audit before creating a social media strategy. Some social media professionals avoid data because they’re uncomfortable with numbers, but I think when it’s avoided, it’s because they don’t know what they’re doing. How else can you truly gauge a brand’s performance and even your own content’s effectiveness without taking a closer look? Audits are crucial – they are the nutrient-rich soil for your social media foundation to be built on; the...

I didn’t anticipate how impactful the community management section of last week’s issue would be. Based on the replies I received and what I've noticed while scrolling for years, most brands and people aren’t doing this or are unaware of what community management takes, so here we are! Community management goes beyond the surface-level approaches of liking and replying to comments. To truly build your community, brand, reach, and awareness, you need to do proactive and reactive community...

Engaging and posting effectively on social media can be daunting for nonprofits and small businesses operating on tight budgets. This issue is packed with insights and tips designed to enhance your social presence, foster meaningful connections, and grow your community—ensuring your message resonates. Community Management Proactive AND reactive engagement is crucial for staying relevant and growing your brand or organization on social media. Proactive engagement: actively seek out...

Four years ago today, the world was shut down. On my birthday, Monday, March 16, 2020, I woke up to multiple canceled client contracts because of the UnpReCeDeNtEd shutdown. Happy birthday to me. 🫠 While some businesses came to a halt, others were sent into overdrive. I still had multiple CPG/FMCG clients whose products were sold in grocery stores. I don’t have to remind you about the state of grocery stores in 2020, do I? Everyone had to, unwillingly, start cooking – some three meals a day...

I’ve always believed that the true measure of a brand’s vitality isn’t only found in analytics but in the depth of its relationship with its community. Numbers tell a part of the story; the full narrative unfolds through genuine interaction and understanding. From focus groups and personas to advocates and influencers, there are a multitude of ways to learn about your consumers and community – but how, why and what’s most impactful? I’ll tell you, but first, let’s get a few terms straight:...

Thank you, Brianne, for requesting this topic! (Yes, THE Brianne2K! Subscribe to Making The Brand at the end of this!) Next week, we’ll be back to marketing (or whatever you want to talk about). The job market is rough, and a lot of people are turning to freelance as a solution, but don’t get it twisted – freelancing is not a quick fix or a “side hustle.” Not only are you doing the job you’re a subject matter expert, but you are now managing your finances, invoicing, pitching, execution,...