Social Currency

In this episode of the Social Currency podcast, we’ve prepared a list of six pillars for a rock solid 2020 marketing strategy. Digital is transcending the web and expanding into many aspects of the marketing funnel.

In this episode:

1. Double down on social media. It is playing a more powerful role in upper, mid and lower funnel and there is still opportunity in areas like video, going live and social influencer collaborations. If your brand isn’t there yet, it’s not too late.
2. Digital continues to extend into new mediums. We’re seeing personalized digital experiences in Out of Home, retail environments and more. Think beyond mobile.
3. Voice search is growing. Is your brand ready for zero click search? If Alexa only gives you one result, are you it?
4. Storytelling is far stickier than facts. Build a narrative for your brand that people will remember. Two primary storytelling mediums we love are video & podcasting.
5. Have a Point of View on world events, your industry, the future, social causes. But whatever you do, just don’t say woke.
6. Build content with an audience-first approach. What are your consumers saying about you when you’re not in the room? Are there industry themes being discussed online that you can address? Respond to the needs, wants and interests of your audience and let your company agenda take a back seat.

Links we reference in the show:

In this episode of the Social Currency podcast, we interview Facebook Queen, Mari Smith.

Mari is one of the world's leading social media thought leaders, consulting, speaking and offering online training to countless digital marketers.

Fast Company described Mari as, “A veritable engine of personal branding, a relationship marketing whiz and the Pied Piper of the Online World.” 

Forbes named Mari as one of the top ten Social Media Influencers three years in a row.

We discuss:

• Is Facebook only for old people?
• What does “the future is private” actually mean?
• 5G and AI’s impact on digital marketing.
• Instagram hiding likes. What this means for Social Influencers.
• How to weave organic, paid and retargeting together into a 1, 2, 3 punch on Facebook.
• China and Tik Tok.
• Is all of this the fault of the platform? Or is it us?

Links we reference in the show:

In this episode of the Social Currency podcast, we discuss the infamous Mary Meeker Internet Trends Report.

Mary has become a staple at the annual Code Conference, running through insane amounts of data and research about the internet and technology adoption in rapid succession, PechaKucha

Style. (Japanese form of storytelling where you only speak for 20 seconds per slide with heavy use of visuals.)

Who is Mary Meeker? She is an American venture capitalist and former Wall Street securities analyst. Her primary work is on Internet and new technologies and famously said “the internet has lots of upside.” She was a partner at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins until last year when she formed her own company, Bond Capital. In 2014, she was listed as the 77th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. She has been producing the “Future of the Internet” reports since 1995.

We discuss:

• Global internet user base. 
• Subscription vs. free trial. 
• Power of recommendation. 
• Podcasting growth. 
• Voice growth. 
• eSports and social gaming. 
• Data as the killer app. 
• Splinternet. 
• Cybersecurity and technology’s impact on healthcare. 

So. Much. Goodness.

Links we reference in the show are below:

On this episode of the Social Currency marketing podcast, we are joined by special guest, Lindsey Roy, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Hallmark Greetings. We spend time talking through her powerful story, how she views personal and business transformation, the power of authenticity for a brand, how emotion can be a competitive advantage, and how Hallmark is maximizing social media to connect with true humanity. The power of positive can create change. Traditional businesses can stay true to who they are while going digital at the same time.

Find Lindsey Roy at:

https://www.instagram.com/lindseyroy26/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseyroyofficial

http://www.lindseyroy.com

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Amanda Rost joined the Social Currency show and shared her insights on working at the social media giant, job hunting juggernaut: LinkedIn. We discuss the platform’s mission to raise global GDP and create economic opportunity for everyone. We also touch on how LinkedIn has been successful because of its purposeful steady growth, unreliance on ads for revenue and higher order mission. Could this be the last frontier of “safe” social media spaces? Check out our discussion in episode #42 of Social Currency.

Links we reference in the show are below:

In this episode of the Social Currency podcast, we interview “Threat Matrix” podcast host, former Microsoft PR lead and now NYU professor, Kristina Libby. Prepare for war. We hit on hidden agendas, the AI war, the responsibility of social platforms to combat fake news, and the line between PR and propaganda.  
In our discussion with Kristina, we touch on:

• Cyber security and what we should all be doing now to protect ourselves
• The responsibility of social platforms to combat fake news
• The line between PR and propaganda
• Winning the AI war
• The future of social media
  

Links we reference in the show are below:

Where to find Kristina:

We had the honor of spending an hour with social influencer, content creator, digital producer, entrepreneur and queen of geek culture - Trisha Hershberger. She tells us her origin story back when YouTube was a place for creators and it wasn’t yet cool to be a geek. We also cover a variety of topics including:

1. The digital content production process- how do things get made?
2. Collaborations with brands and what it looks like when brands don’t do it right.
3. The evolution of YouTube from ye olden days to today and what it means for creators and brands.
4. Why the word “influencer” is so loaded and that ultimately it’s about respecting the creator.
5. Geek culture and its metamorphosis over the past twenty years.

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Links we reference in the show are below:

In this episode of the Social Currency podcast, we discuss our thoughts on Apple’s recent Worldwide Developer Conference aka WWDC. 

We cover all our thoughts on the new software announcements for iPhone (Dark Mode!), iPad, Apple Watch, the shiny cheese-gratery Mac Pro, privacy and the death of iTunes.

With device sales slipping in the US, Apple is focusing fast on its software and services business to provide the future platform for growth.

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Links to articles discussed in the show:

We had the honor of spending an hour with social influencer, content creator, digital producer, entrepreneur and queen of geek culture - Trisha Hershberger. She tells us her origin story back when YouTube was a place for creators and it wasn’t yet cool to be a geek. We also cover a variety of topics including:

1. The digital content production process- how do things get made?
2. Collaborations with brands and what it looks like when brands don’t do it right.
3. The evolution of YouTube from ye olden days to today and what it means for creators and brands.
4. Why the word “influencer” is so loaded and that ultimately it’s about respecting the creator
5. Geek culture and its metamorphosis over the past twenty years

Links we reference in the show are below:

We sat down with Greg Crockart, Business Director for the Mirum Agency (part of the Wunderman Thompson group), to get his thoughts on three hot topics. Artificial Intelligence, 5G and privacy are not just impacting the tech industry, but will drastically change the way marketers do their jobs. We are entering a transformative time in the marketing and advertising space. Greg shares his perspective on:

1. In-store experiences merging with digital and getting ever so personal.
2. Out-of-home advertising becoming customized by micro-demographic changes within different dayparts and updating in real-time.
3. Addressing privacy, not as an afterthought but, as a fundamental issue built in from the start.
4. Sources of inspiration for marketers and creative thinkers.

Links we reference in the show are below:

Facebook just held its annual developer conference, F8. Mark Zuckerberg made some radical announcements about the changing face of the largest social media platform on the planet, changes that will impact our personal and professional lives online. 

We cover the six principles Zuck shares in this week’s episode as well as our feedback on their true impact to your business strategy. The six principles include:

1. Private interactions
2. Encryption
3. Reduced permanence
4. Safety
5. Interoperability
6. Secure data storage

Also, announced were a few sexy upgrades to Instagram and we end with a touch on VR, with the new Oculus Quest, vs AR, and where we think these technologies are useful in the near future.

Links we reference in the show are below:

035 | 7 STEPS TO BUILDING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

Developing your personal brand online is easier than you think and more important than ever. We outline the 7 steps to do just this in episode #35 of the Social Currency podcast. 

1. What is a personal brand?
2. Why you need variations of your stump speech.
3. Your point of view is what differentiates you. 
4. Focus on those you’re trying to attract. Forget the rest
5. Partner with others and co-create content that adds value to others.
6. There are lots of (free) tools. How to think about them in stages.
7. Maintain even when you don’t “need” anything. Get with the 'table touching.'

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Links we reference in the show are below:

034 | THE RISE OF SOCIAL SHOPPING - INSTAGRAM LAUNCHES CHECKOUT, PINTEREST SHOPPABLE PINS

In episode 034 of the Social Currency marketing podcast, we jump on the rise of social shopping. With the introduction of Instagram Checkout and the growth of Pinterest Shoppable Pins, has the age of contextual commerce arrived?

The concept of social shopping has been around since early 2000s, but with the launch of new capabilities like Instagram Checkout and the ease of setting up Pinterest Shoppable Pins, it's easy to see the natural connection between social, influencers, and the consumers interested in what's new, cool, and next. Social shopping is interest-based: Native, natural, and now easy, because it's seamless and in context of the content you are already enjoying.

This is contextual commerce. Now that the platforms are enabling the power to access consumers in a new way, with clear attribution models and integrated e-commerce capabilities, why wouldn't you use social to sell...and shop?

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Links we reference in the show are below:

We love eMarketer’s in-depth reports on all things digital marketing. In this episode, we discuss the highlights from this 18 page report on the podcast. Big thanks to Debra Aho Williamson for including Jess in the interviews and research.

Instagram is hitting it out of the park across so many vectors. Influencers is yet another one. According to eMarketer’s research, the fleeting nature of Instagram stories combined with the ability to include outbound links is hugely attractive for both brands and influencers. If your influencer program is not leveraging both the Instagram Feed and Stories platforms, it should.

The rise of “tiering” of influencers has also caught our attention. With celebrity influencers losing credibility with audiences and inflating their follower counts, many brands are turning to microinfluencers and nanoinfluencers. Are you a nanoinfluencer? Find out in the podcast!

Budgets are growing, both in whole number spend and as a percentage of the overall marketing mix. 31% of marketers say that they are increasing focus on influencer marketing. Here's a quote from the report:

"At Qualcomm, it’s still a very small percentage of the overall marketing and PR budget,” said Jessica Jensen, the company’s global director of digital marketing and strategy. “But because there is enough interest in it, and an awareness that it’s not going to go away, there will likely be additional budget."

So much more in this in-depth global report on all things influencers. Listen to episode #33 to get our POV.

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Links we reference in the show are below:

Intro to report and link to buy:

032 | ALL THINGS FACEBOOK. IS IT THE NEXT WECHAT? LIVE FROM PEPPERDINE GRAZIADIO IN IRVINE, CALIFORNIA.

Recording together from our alma mater, Pepperdine University, in episode 032, we jump in on the latest news from our old friend, Facebook. This time around, it’s all about PRIVACY.  Zuckerberg says they want to move from a town square format to a smaller, living room scenario. This will have huge implications for the newsfeed, Facebook Messenger, and even Instagram Stories. With more scrutiny than ever from regulators in Washington D.C., security breaches and the never-ending pressure to reinvent, Facebook is pivoting fast.

Also, what’s all of this have to do with massive Chinese-based social platform, WeChat? Is Zuckerberg looking overseas for domination inspiration? We think Facebook is positioning itself to be the next super app by tying its messaging platforms together as they let slip a couple weeks back. Now, it is just a matter of time before this is monetized. These are signals to watch and Facebook is giving all the clues to what they are going to be next.

If you aren’t yet on Facebook or Instagram, this is the time to get involved: B2B, B2C, services, products, global, domestic - the next wave of innovation is coming and you want to be ready.

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Links we reference in the show:

Just when we think we’ve got social media dialed, it changes on us. Unlike the internet, which often feels like a utility, social media platforms are living, breathing entities. They are run by people, respond to market changes, and are constantly evolving their functionality and algorithms. The Social Media Marketing World conference, held in San Diego, California, brings together over 100 social and digital marketing experts and really punched above its weight this year. In this podcast, we riff on what we learned AND the patterns we’re hearing. So much good stuff!

Our key takeaways:

• Less than half of marketers report they’re using live video or Instagram/ Facebook stories in their content strategy, yet this is where organic reach and engagement are still alive and well. Do video now. Ephemeral is the new black! Huge opportunity here.
• Vanity metrics are meaningless.Stop counting likes. Start listening (and participating) in conversations about your brand and focus on your core KPIs.
• Show, don’t tell.Demonstrate your product or service visually. Then let your audience tell the story - on your behalf. Everyone is a reporter now. The power is in the hands of your customers. Make it easy.
• Relationships are marketing. Focus on “micro-interactions.” Less is more, if it is meaningful. We explain the CARE model.
• Craft your LinkedIn profilefor the reader, not you. Don’t be myopic. What are you and/or your brand offering your audience?
• Lastly, no one gave us an operating manualfor how to live in the era we do. This digital era. Experiment. Don’t be afraid to start today. It’s not too late. We are all figuring it out together!

Links  and people we reference in the show:

Social Currency | Episode 030

There is one constant in digital marketing. And it is change. In episode #30, we discuss three topics that all revolve around this ongoing pattern of change, growth and consolidation. 

Up first is TikTok. If you haven’t heard of it, you will soon. The short video sharing app just reached 1 billion installs across iOS and Android, globally. In fact, in 2018, TikTok was the 4th most downloaded non-game app worldwide and the most downloaded non-game app in the US as of January 2019.

TikTok is owned by China-based company, ByteDance, who bought and consolidated lip-syncing app Musical.ly into TikTok. It’s demographic is largely gen Z with a large growing user base in India. While TikTok may not have yet made it into your annual digital strategy, it is one to watch.

Next, we discuss Amazon’s return to video as a content format aimed to sell` more product. Back in 2016, Amazon dabbled in video with their “Style Code Live” effort and now they return to video as a content strategy. Live video, reality show and celebrity guests like Heidi Klum and potentially Blake Lively will up the ante for the over 100 million Prime members offering exclusive content. 90% of Amazon’s product views result from searches within Amazon. Adding in this element of video is, no doubt, going to increase time on site and average spend per transaction. Amazon is on fire!

Last, we comment on how fast digital marketing spend has grown. In 2019, it will surpass traditional marketing spend for the first time (per eMarketer’s forecast) topping out at $129.3 billion in the US. We both recall when digital spend was lucky to earn a seat at the table, perhaps comprising 10 or 15% of the marketing budget. If spend is any measure of where attention is going, all eyes should be on digital marketing.

Key takeaways:

1. Digital channels continue to grow, evolve and reinvent themselves. If you have a dollar to spend, put it on digital marketing.
2. The connective tissue between content (video, in particular) and commerce grows tighter and we’ll see e-commerce players reap the rewards first.
3. Keep your eyes on new platforms. TikTok is on the rise, and it is heavily influencing the under 25 demographic.

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In episode 028, we cover three topics: Reddit, Pinterest and Spotify. 

Reddit is clearly making moves to “professionalize” their platform of 13 years with a fresh look at how they market themselves to advertisers. The community-based forum has received $300 million in funding of late and is touring the agency world touting their new ad targeting, reporting capabilities and adding new cost per click ad units. Reddit has also made some user experience changes to improve overall design of the platform and is tackling “brand safety” issues head on. We are intrigued. In fact, Reddit may be the next social platform to watch as their ability to reach topic-based audiences within subreddits is a trend across digital marketing. This audience is also not always found in the “traditional” social properties so perhaps less duplication. If you’re not dabbling in Reddit, if even simply for social listening reasons, now is the time to check them out.

Pinterest, long known as the place you go to find interior design ideas and birthday party themes, is also repositioning themselves as  what they call a “discovery engine.” Not a social  media platform, they say. Although, we’ve  heard Jack Dorsey (CEO of Twitter) say Twitter isn’t a social media platform either- so this just might be a massive trend to not compete with the likes of Facebook and Instagram. Oy vey!  Meanwhile, Pinterest plans to go public this year and wants to be known for inspirational images that drive sales. With around 250 monthly active users, could Pinterest possibly compete against Google or Amazon? We shall see...

Lastly, one of our favorite topics, podcasting. We share some arresting statistics about average listen time and the power of being “in someone’s head.” With Spotify acquiring Gimlet and Anchor, there is a clear move to expand beyond music and dominate the audio space. Podcast apps are still very fragmented on Android-based devices (unlike Apple podcasts for iOS). We predict Spotify will own this space in short order. All in all, podcasting is exploding and there is still much more to come.

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SOCIAL CURRENCY | Episode 027

In episode #27 of the Social Currency podcast, we tackle one of our favorite topics - storytelling. Like many of us, we' ve always been drawn to people who were good storytellers. The core of content marketing, which supports a brand's connection with the consumer, is a compelling brand narrative.

From Jess after the interview:

Like a moth to a flame, I’d find myself at parties wedged into a tight kitchen with a group of others hovering around the one guy who could tell a story. It could be about anything. What mattered is the way he told the story. It seemed like magic to me. Like a magnetism that some people just had innately.

Over the years, I’ve come to learn that good storytelling isn’t just magic. There is actual structure around a good story. In fact, that story structure is repeated again and again across many of our favorite books and movies. I may be the last one to this party, but realizing that stories could be crafted using a framework and, better yet, applying this framework into the world of marketing was a big breakthrough moment.

In this episode, we interview Naomi Beaty. A long-time friend of mine and writing expert. Naomi founded Write & Co. where she coaches screenplay writers, directors and producers at all levels. She got her start working for Madonna’s production company, Maverick films, and has worked in the entertainment industry now for over a decade. 

Naomi teaches me about the hero’s journey, a commonly used architecture where we are introduced to character as he/she battles a problem or faces a journey ahead. We discuss how a brand or product can often act as the mentor or savior for this hero, ultimately leading him/her to success or resolution.

I also learned about the idea of high concept. Often used in entertainment to pitch a script or film idea, it can be applied in the business world as well. Essentially, high concept is an idea that is very easy to understand from the mere name of it. Easy to grasp, repeatable by others and instantly relatable. It got me thinking about how I could package my own ideas in this way too.

Another facet of my interview with Naomi gets at the very root of why stories resonate so much more with us than statistics or facts. It is this: Stories elicit emotion. Often we make decisions first based on emotion (often this is subconscious), then we look to validate those decisions with data or evidence. This is sometimes referred to as confirmation bias.

How can we apply this to digital marketing? I think it’s this simple: First make your audience care about you, then tell them the benefits and features. If they don’t identify with you or your product/service, they ultimately won’t buy. Brand value in a nutshell.

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Kicking off 2019 with our first episode of season two of the Social Currency podcast. So happy to be back!

In episode #26 of the Social Currency Show, we tackle news across three topics. First up is Facebook’s announcement that they are planning to integrate their three messaging platforms across Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp. We discuss the pros & cons of this seemingly boring infrastructure change. Could there be something deeper going on? 

Next, we dig into WhatsApp’s decision to limit the number of groups we can forward a message from 256 to 5. Wow! A proactive move to limit fake news. Or is it? These two announcements came out within two weeks of each other. How much of this is about business growth and evolving advertising models? 

Lastly, we take the “attention economy” discussion over to a new book by Dr. Cal Newport called Digital Minimalism. For many of us, our digital lives are taking over. How do we reclaim control? How do we compartmentalize the amount of time we spend on social media and use it for good regardless of the aforementioned platform changes? Dr. Newport calls it the art of attention management. We call it fascinating.

Listen now to hear the full discussion.

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