KONTENT QUEENS

In our season finale, we sit down with our magnificent Kontent Queens to witness the duo do what they do best, intersecting pop culture and social media with a flair and charisma uniquely their own. Kia and Vic discuss new social media apps on the horizon, celebrity turmoil, and creators who’ve experienced recent backlash.

To close out our incredible second season, Kia and Vic reflect on what it has taken to arrive at this momentous occasion—celebrating our decorated alums, the dynamic team behind the production, and the learnings and lessons they’re taking away from the last five months.

It’s been an incredible season, filled with insights, joy, comedy, and self-evolution. Don’t fret. This episode isn’t a goodbye, but a see you later while we sit down somewhere.

See you soon for Season Three.

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen.

TIMESTAMPS

(1:50) Episode Begins

(4:05) Royal Mail

(5:50) Royal Tea

(6:10) Gen Z Loves The "BeReal" App

(10:40) Instagram Subscription Program - But Is It Worth It?

(13:50) Instagram Paying Creators to Create Reels

(16:10) Beyonce Brought the Milkshake to the Yard Without Kelis’ Consent

(23:50) Jackie Aina Under Fire After Releasing New Candle Collection

(28:45) Season Reflection, All We’ve Accomplished & What’s to Come

(54:20) Top Notch Guests, ONLY!

(1:03:30) Question of the Week

(1:03:45) Rapid Fire Questions

(1:05:05) Closing Celebration

If you’re an admirer of the increase in Black men embracing new sides of their masculinity online, from deep cleaning their homes to booking manicures and practicing yoga, you’ve probably familiar with the eye-catching content of Carlos D. Harris Jr.

On top of amassing a following of over 600K on Instagram, Carlos is also the C.E.O. of Harris Marketing & Media Group. A full-scale digital marketing agency. Carlos is also the Founder of N.E.P. STUDIOS, a Dallas-based photography studio and coworking space empowering creatives to reach new heights and expand their talents.

As a creator, Carlos has experienced tremendous growth through his combination of charm, inspiration, and pure hustle, showcasing the behind-the-scenes of his everyday life.

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen.

TIMESTAMPS

(1:50) Episode Begins

(15:04) Interview with Carlos D. Harris Jr.

CREDITS

The world of content creation is filled with legalese, from contracts to copyrights to everything in between, and if you’re trying to make money in this business, you need to speak the language or know someone who does. Lucky for you, the Kontent Queens sat down with an expert attorney for the legal consultation you’ve been meaning to have but haven’t gotten around to.

In this week’s episode, we speak with entertainment and intellectual property business Attorney Marissa Crespo. In the entertainment industry, Marissa has been involved in deals for television shows on major networks such as NBC, VH1, Bravo, and WE tv, including such shows as Love and Hip-Hop and the Real Housewives franchises.

As the principal of Crespo Law Office, P.C., Marissa represents entertainment content creators in complex commercial deals and entertainment transactions.

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen.

TIMESTAMPS

(1:50) Episode Begins

(6:45) Interview with Marissa Crespo

(1:48:25) Hashtag of the Week

(1:54:28) Closing Credits

CREDITS

As the Creator economy continues to expand, so must our methods of decorum both as brands and influencers. But what does that look like? In this week’s episode, we sit down with Shannae Ingleton Smith, Co-Founder & Head of Influencer Talent and Business Development at Kensington Grey Agency Inc.

The conversation is a deep dive into professionalism within the creator economy, what creators can do to be taken seriously, how brands can foster stronger relationships with creators, and how both sides can work to demolish the influencer pay gap.

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen.

TIMESTAMPS

(1:50) Episode Begins

(8:00) Royal Mail

(22:00) Royal-TEA

(27:45) Interview with Shannae Ingleton Smith

(1:28:30) Kontent Challenge

(1:28:45) Hashtag of the Week

(1:30:05) Follow of the Week

(1:31:35) Closing Credits

CREDITS

So a brand has approached you to make content on their behalf, but you’re trying to decipher how to fulfill the brief while being true to yourself. As a content creator, you may ask yourself, how do I create content for clients that fit their needs but maintain my aesthetic?

Insert creative strategist and content creator extraordinaire Skylar Marshai. If we’re talking about creating captivating content that evokes emotion and tells a story, we have to talk about Skylar Marshai. In this week’s conversation, we sit down with the woman who puts the “mood” in mood board and discuss the behind-the-scenes effort required to make her work online look so effortless. According to Skylar, the key to her success is rooted in the idea that less is more.

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen.

TIMESTAMPS

(1:50) Episode Begins

(3:50) Interview with Skylar Marshai

(1:33:00) Kontent Challenge

(1:34:03) Question of the Week

(1:35:55) Hashtag of the Week

(1:38:17) Closing Credits

CREDITS

The idea of your content competing amongst the millions of people on Instagram can feel like a daunting task. You may ask yourself, “How can I gain notoriety in my niche? How can brands discover me?” Interestingly, the key to thriving online might be spending more time living and creating offline.

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Besidone Amoruwa, an Instagram Executive in Instagram’s Innovative Partnerships Department, and the Black woman responsible for spotlighting Black beauty creators to gain heightened visibility on the platform. Our conversation is an in-depth examination of how to maximize trends online, utilize creator tools to grow your following, and how to set yourself apart and find success on both a micro and macro level.

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen.

TIMESTAMPS

(1:50) Episode Begins

(7:40) Polls of The Week

(9:00) Royal-TEA

(25:44) Interview with Besidone Amoruwa

(1:42:28) Question of the Week

(1:43:19) Kontent Challenge

(1:43:44) Hashtag of the Week

(1:44:20) Follow of the Week

(1:47:43) Closing Credits

CREDITS

Destination and travel kontent continues to soar in popularity, and so do the creators who have made it their niche. But, what does it take to create captivating and awe-inspiring travel kontent?

In this week’s episode, we hop aboard an international flight with pilot and explorer Tanyka Renee. The conversation is a deep dive into the complexities of creating destination kontent, how to secure hotel partnerships, and what it means to be working with brands as a travel influencer.

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen.

TIMESTAMPS

(1:50) Episode Begins

(4:05) Royal-TEA

(26:18) Interview with Tanyka Renee

(1:34:38) Question of the Week

(1:37:10) Kontent Challenge

(1:38:05) Follow of the Week

(1:40:00) Closing Credits

CREDITS

Nana Agyemang created Every Stylish Girl (ESG) in 2016, intending to highlight non-traditional career paths that Black women didn’t traditionally hold. Since its inception, the community has grown exponentially, shifting from an assembly of digital darlings to lavish in-person networking parties appropriately entitled Sip N’ Slay.

In this episode, we chat with Nana about her inspiration for creating ESG, what it takes to moderate and manage a digital community, how ESG has amplified her personal and professional brand and why influencers should consider increasing their rates.

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen.

TIMESTAMPS

(1:50) Episode Begins

(2:45) Reviewing Audience Polls

(8:13) Royal-TEA

(40:00) Interview with Nana Agyemang

(1:44:23) Question of the Week

(1:48:11) Kontent Challenge

(1:49:23) #Hashtag of the Week

(1:52:25) Follow of the Week

(1:55:50) Closing Credits

CREDITS

We get a much-needed check-in with Queen Kia & Queen Vic in our season opener. It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from our royal court here on the podcast, but if you follow them across all social media platforms, you know that the dynamic duo has been blessed to be booked and busy. With much anticipation, The Kontent Queens return to the Kingdom to share updates on all that’s happened since we last heard from them. Their accomplishments, pitfalls, and most importantly, how #creatorburnout altered their perspectives on what it means to be a creator.

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen.

CREDITS

Welcome to Kontent Queens, a weekly conversation about the complexities and nuances of the creator-driven social media economy. Hosted by multi-faceted entrepreneurs and industry powerhouses Kia Marie (The Notorious K.I.A) and Vic Styles.

The Kontent Queens platform exists to inform creators, new and old, about the bounty of wealth and growth opportunities in the kontent creation industry and simultaneously share best practices for creators to have longevity in their careers. 

As new classes of creators continue to ascend into the ranks of the creator economy, there still maintains a lack of decorum and transparency both on the brand, agency, and influencer side. We’re here to fix that. We believe, as an industry, it’s not enough to teach virality if we aren’t also teaching scalability and sustainability, too. 

This is Kontent Queens, where Kontent is Queen. 

CREDITS

The season finale of Kontent Queens opens with the Queens chatting about getting through the first season of their podcast (1:25). Vic talks about finally and fully moving to Brooklyn from LA (2:40). Vic talks about the legalization of Marijuana in New York and how that will affect her business Black Girls Smoke (3:33). Kia talks about her experience getting verified (4:16), and her Flo Jo collaboration with The Visionary Society (5:59). The girls take a moment to honor the legend DMX (9:31), and chat a little about addiction (11:45). What is so special about being verified (12:15). The girls talk about vanity metrics and chasing trends (15:39). What exactly do you need to do in order to become verified on Instagram (17:03). The pandemic changed the way we consumed and created content (19:40). The girls disagree on if you should mute or unfollow people on IG (24:19). Kia and Vic discuss creative briefs: what to do and what not to do (27:40). What is the correct etiquette for zoom calls, should you turn on your camera? (30:39). Kia shares our audience poll results & her thoughts about Instagram live rooms (33:37). Social media platforms are now releasing audio rooms, much like Clubhouse (35:27). MySpace might be making a comeback (36:18). The girls pose the question: Is the real influencer actually influencing people in your real life (36:58). Hot or Not this episode includes See on Apple TV (38:34), Snowfall (40:05), La Negra De (40:45), Game Changers (42:05), Peloton (44:23). This week’s Dope or Nope includes thoughts on Fohr’s new platform and long term partnerships (47:30), YouTube is considering removing public dislikes from videos (50:43), Snapchat is trying to make a comeback (52:55), IG remix (57:38). The Girls talks about the state of influencer culture 1 year after COVID (1:02:25), celebrity endorsements (1:04:01). How do we feel about luxury influencers buying and returning (1:06:27). Is this the new roaring 20s (1:12:15). Are you obligated to tag the business or service if you purchase it, and crediting creators that influence you (1:14:25). Kia and Vic discuss how they met, and Kia reveals the Vic inspired her to start a blog back in the day (1:21:27). Vic talks about the importance of just creating for fun (1:26:20). Kia and Vic take a trip down memory lane and discuss the importance of blogging and SEO and Pinterest (1:27:45). What is the best etiquette when working with a photographer (1:30:08). Influencers are the plug (1:33:04). The girls answer a few audience questions: what are the pros and cons of being an influencer (1:36:20), How to support a friend who is an influencer if you’re benefitting from their job (1:40:05), if the girls had to choose another career what would it be (1:43:10). The episode winds down with the girls sharing their blocks of the season (1:45:13), Follow of the season (1:45:55), Question of the Week: does the world hate creators (1:46:15), black owned businesses of the season (1:48:18), and wrap up with encouraging words.

Follow of the Season:

Episode 9 opens with the big announcement that the next episode, and season finale, will be a live show. Kia opens up about spending her mornings in a more mindful way with less social media (1:45). Vic was featured in an interview with XONecole (2:40), and Kia was on the Today Show and featured in HypeBae (3:14). The girls talk about ways to capitalize when more eyes are on you (viral content etc.) (6:27). The girls chat about the importance of both staying in the present and planning for the future (11:14). Is being a content creator/influencer for everyone? (12:47). Vic recalls a follower putting her on blast about her opinion of Malcolm and Marie (17:34). Both of the girls share their grievances about followers trauma dumping and asking for money (19:50), and discuss the movie Ingrid Goes West (22:29), and where is the line drawn between being inspired or being obsessed (23:48). Creating boundaries with your followers is important (24:42). Kia talks about followers asking her for money (26:00). Vic explains what Threds, is a new plastic surgery technique, and talks about the pressure social media puts on us to look a certain way. Originality is lacking in social media (Tulum, body shapes, eyebrows) (34:25). Kia and Vic share their process for planning trips, packing, and creating content while traveling (35:14). They reflect on how their lives changed when COVID lockdowns began (40:40). Live events and VR experienced are so necessary now (42:03). The girls talk about the first “live” event they attended in 2020 when the City first went into lockdown (43:01), and they discuss online dating (46:17). In this week’s hot or not Vic talks about how much she loved Bridgerton (47:07), Kia loves the show Your Honor, both girls really loved Lupin, another hot this week for Kia was the movie “I Care A Lot”, and Vic loved the book Vibrate Higher Daily by Lalah Delia. On the not list this week is the Clubhouse app (52:29), and the girls use this as a way to talk about the importance of influencers being early adopters (54:57). Kia and Vic share their average daily screentime with each other (55:20). Kia talks about the new habits she’s implementing (56:05). Vic talks about how seasonal depression has been effecting her since she moved from LA to NYC (59:28). Facebook will no longer have the watch party feature (1:01:03). What are the best times to post on social media (1:02:30). IG Reels will no longer allow videos with the TikTok watermark (1:06:05). Instagram will allow up to 4 participants in their Live feature. (1:07:55). The girls chat about the differences between copying and being inspired by (1:10:49), and give tips on how to find your personal style (1:13:06). Kia and Vic talk about how to write great Instagram captions (1:15:14), and answer an audience question about how to get better engagement and remain consistent with quality content when you don’t have money (1:18:10). The girls discuss children being social media stars (1:24:38). The episode ends with The Block of The Week (1:27:48), Follow of The week (1:29:22), black owned businesses of the week, (1:30:39), and words of wisdom (1:32:00).

Follow of the week:

Episode 8 begins with the girls recapping episode 7 (1:41), and emphasizing the importance of showing your work on your Instagram page (1:49). The girls dive right in to talking about show Fake Famous (5:35). They touch on the opportunities that could be opened based on followers, and the way Instagram has changed over the years, what they recently learned about internet bots (8:17), the toxicity of influencer trips (11:00), and the importance of cultivating relationships with brands (11:40). They touch on the topic of waking up with a million followers, a carry over from episode 7 (15:04). Vic and Kia give their thoughts on the new film Malcolm and Marie (18:59). Zara is coming out with a beauty line (21:29). The Queens both share their thoughts on the Gorilla Glue hair debacle that everyone is talking about (23:20). The Super Bowl was a bit different this year— The Weeknd performed, equality was a hot topic, and it seemed COVID didn’t exist (31:27). Instagram is considering stopping the ability to share feed posts to stories and the girls recount what effect that could have on creators (35:01). Instagram is also moving to have the ability to recover deleted photos (38:08), other updates (39:17), and the option to hide or unhide likes (40:07). Should Influencers explain to their audience how the algorithm affects their work? (41:58). Twitter is considering a new subscription service and the girls both agree they wouldn’t pay for it (43:57). Kia spills the tea on the new app HIVE (44:38). Should Influencers have a National day off (46:37). Vic and Kia talk about how they both start their mornings with or without social media (50:19). The duo answer audience questions about engagement (54:18) and how to store old video content (57:48), and how to get noticed by brands (1:00:28). The girls vent a little bit about PR packages and the best practices for declining them (1:01:30). Vic opens up about having Imposter Syndrome and Kia gives some suggestions on how to overcome it (1:09:45), and they talk about how brands can do better with diversity and working with black creators (1:12:49). And Kia’s block of the week is Target with their Black History Month collection (1:16:57). The episode wraps with encouraging words (1:20:34).

Follow of the week:

This episode opens with the girls reflecting on celebrating their birthdays and turning 35 (0:46). The looks and energy at the inauguration was all so good (2:39), and they wonder what it would be like to be the White House Stylist (4:33). Kia shares her thoughts on the Ashanti and Keyshia Cole verzuz battle, and Vic tells her thoughts on influencers getting media training (06:18). How is social media affecting our brains (10:37). Vic shares her new loc journey (12:50). Should your whole social media identity be about one thing (14:01). Instagram is not happy with Reels(19:31). The girls talk about all the new Instagram updates (21:50). Vic reveals she may not want to be an influencer anymore (23:10), and Kia rates Vic’s Instagram (28:00). The girls answer the Question of the Week and talk about reinventing yourself(34:38). The girls talk about the Bali woman scandal (36:21). What to do when your video goes viral (44:44), Should people with large followings share their views and opinions (48:30). The girls chat about social media and kids today (55:47), and the importance of parental support (58:00). The girls chat about what types of content men creators should be tapping into (1:02:04). We polled our audience on their thoughts about travel during the pandemic (1:04:17). How can you mentally prepare for another year of lockdown (1:05:23). Content creation is pivoting towards wellness and self-care (1:06:00). The girls discuss wellness for Black women (1:08:31). What does it mean to be truly authentic online (1:13:24). The episode wraps with the block of the week, the follow of the week, and this week’s black owned businesses (1:20:40).

Follow of the week:

The show opens with Vic and Kia sharing their thoughts and experiences with period panties (1:00). They reflect on turning 35 this month (5:02). Therapy for black girls (8:57). How do you escape as an influencer and care for your mental health (12:04). Should Influencers speak about politics or social issues (12:45). The girls discuss Amanda Ensing and her support of Trump (13:15). The importance of being yourself in this industry (19:16). Kia talks about the importance of storytelling (23:14), and Vic poses the question: how do you rebrand yourself when you’re an influencer (24:39). Traveling during a pandemic as an influencer, is it a yes or a no? (27:45). How to be open and vulnerable in the online space (32:41). Is Twitter problematic...should you clean up old tweets or even be held accountable for immature thoughts and tweets from your past (34:43). The girls discuss the benefit of growing up without the internet and the way it affects children now (38:57). How to secure sponsorships for travel (40:00), and are influencer trips worth it (42:24), and how to plan your own influencer trip (44:00). The ladies answer audience questions about creating a new account for content creation when your current audience is family and friends (44:54), and How do you find management (47:30). This episode we talk about men influencers: tips, what do ladies want to see, and how they can capitalize in this industry (51:41). The girls discuss the results from their Twitter polls (55:42). This week’s hot or not includes museums, CeraVe, Lovecraft Country, and Sauca Botanicals, and Kamala Harris on the cover of Vogue (57:10). How do you incorporate many different categories into your content (1:02:12). How to create responsible content (1:13:03). The episode wraps with the follows & blocks of the week (1:20:02),

*FOLLOW OF THE WEEK*

Episode 4 of Kontent Queens kicks off with Kia explaining the importance of being a well rounded creative (02:25). The queens share poll results and feedback from episode 3 (5:58). Instagram introduced vanish mode and the girls share their candid thoughts on the feature (7:45). This week’s Cop or Drop is from Apple, they're releasing AirPods Max (9:01). Kia shares her thoughts on Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Cream (10:17), Valentino’s new perfume Voca Viva (10:25), and Issa Rae’s Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl (11:07). Vic shares her thoughts on Neutrogena’s Hydroboost line (14:03), and Vlogmas. How can creators and influencers give back this season? (16:11). What are some digital gift ideas to give content creators (19:07). The girls discuss the risks and benefits of traveling right now (23:45). The bulk of this episode covers sponsored content do’s and don’t (28:56). The girls discuss how people wanting brand names and links to everything can be overwhelming (40:33) and share a few pages they think do sponsored content really well (41:46). What is a good way to decline a partnership (44:45). The Queens talk about the benefits of working for “free” (51:15), and sharing information with other influencers (56:25). The girls wind down the episode with audience questions (1:02:06), Black owned businesses of the week (1:15:38), block of the week, follow of the week, and wrap with some encouraging words of advice. 

*BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES*

This episode of Kontent Queens kicks off with Kia and Vic reflecting on having a podcast and the newness of recording remotely (1:00). The girls answer questions from listeners about maintaining originality, incorporating trends into content, creating content that isn’t solely focused on your race, budgeting for photo shoots, buying & returning clothes, sustainability, and borrowing clothes from friends (4:30). Is the PlayStation 5 a Cop or Drop (16:34)? Kia reflects on being a gamer (17:40) and the girls dive into the nostalgia of Sega Genesis (18:30). On this week’s Dope or Nope the girls chat about Twitter “Fleets” (19:35) and Instagram “Guides” (21:42). On this episode’s Hot or Not Kia gives her thoughts on Sakara Life meal plan (24:15), and the NYX Bare with Me Tinted moisturizer (29:55) and HBO’s “The Undoing” (30:55). Vic is loving guided meditations (31:27) and reflects on socially distanced brand events (32:15). Kontent Queens would love to see screenshots from listeners letting us know your favorite parts of the episode (34:15). Vic and Kia give their honest thoughts on dating someone with a large social media following (35:00). The girls give the tea on what motivates them (43:00). How and when should you start the content planning process (45:58). What is an editorial calendar and how is it beneficial to content creators (47:05). The girls chat about the importance of creating mood boards (50:43), and should creators batch create (52:08). Vic shares that she’s doing Vlogmas, and Kia offers tips on how to tackle it (55:11). the girls discuss Affiliate links and how to use them (59:28), Ways to support creators (1:02:55). Influencer @stylenina spills the tea on how she grossed 2k in one month from affiliate links (1:07:22). The Kontent Queens offer tips on how to increase engagement (1:17:48). Sustainability and access in our community (1:27:52). Being intentional with your buying during this time (1:33:47). We hosted our first Job Board on Clubhouse and summarize some tips from the board (1:36:25). What is a media kit and practicing professionalism in this industry. (1:37:25). The Mulatto drama and what is the proper etiquette for posting gifts (1:38:32). They wrap up the episode with giving their Blocks of the week, follows of the week, Black owned businesses to support, and end with encouraging words & advice (1:46:50).

*FOLLOW OF THE WEEK*