Episode 13
A Successful Digital Strategy is More Than Posts with Katie Brinkley
Welcome our guest Katie Brinkley from Next Step Communications to Saturday Soundbites. We talk about the three biggest mistakes your business can make on social media. Katie has a boutique digital marketing agency based just outside Denver in Littleton, Colorado. In today’s saturated digital world, she takes a creative approach to make your brand stand out – and get results. Her work in social advertising dates all the way back to the MySpace era when Katie marketed for music bands. She did not do it for money; she just thought it was fun.
Next Step Social Communications was born in the same way – a side gig that organically became the main show. She loves this work, and it is evident in her unique approach to digital advertising – she is about nurturing a genuine relationship between you and your audience. It is not just about the post; it is about being true to your readers. Digital advertising is an important part of your visibility strategy and her experience and insight are invaluable. Learn more about Katie Brinkley: https://www.facebook.com/nextstepsocialcommunications
Episode 13 edit
Veronica: [00:00:00] Hello. Hello and welcome to Saturday soundbites. I'm Veronica V sofa. And I'm your host of Saturday soundbites. We come to you every Saturday and on Facebook, and we also have our podcast available for you to download. We talk all things, visibility, strategy, public relations. Advertising marketing branding.
[00:00:18] You name it today. We're going to be talking about social media and how it can support your business. And I've got a phenomenal guest, uh, but I want to do a little bit of housekeeping. First. If you are watching on Facebook, please make sure you let us know where you're watching from. And if you're watching on repeat.
[00:00:34] Play then hashtag replay so that my guests and I can answer any questions you might have or get back to you. And thank you for tuning into the show. If you're listening on a podcast, please make sure you hit the subscribe button. We want to make sure that you don't miss any episodes as they become available.
[00:00:48] So we're going to go ahead and get right. I started today. I've got a great guest and the information you are going to learn is going to really help you with your business and your visibility strategy. So let's bring her up on stage. Now we have the Katie Brinkley who is joining us. Yay. There she is.
[00:01:03] Katie: [00:01:03] Hello. Hi, thank you so much for having me on the show today. I'm so excited that you're here. I love talking about social media. I love talking to people who really have their hands in the work and who have, um, T tips that are going to help us learn and how to grow. So I'm so excited about this conversation.
[00:01:23] So Katie, let's go ahead and talk about, um, what it is you do exactly how you got started and what brought you into this space. Yeah. So I am a social media strategist, and a lot of people say, well, wait, what, what does that mean? Exactly. And it's, I developed the whole strategy behind your social media presence.
[00:01:43] So how often are you going to be posting? What channels should you be posting on making sure that the posts align with your ads, campaigns that you're doing? So I developed the whole strategy behind it, your social media? Um, a little bit about me. I've been doing this for a really long time. I have started doing social media back in the days of my space.
[00:02:06] So I've been doing this for over 17 years. Yeah, I know. And not just posting. Um, I actually started at helping businesses back in the days of my space. And obviously my space was, if you guys remember it was a lot of bands and so I was helping bands, uh, promote themselves and get their music onto radio stations.
[00:02:25] Um, I. Wanted to, I wanted to be a sports reporter. And so I worked at the college radio station and I had started making a lot of connections. My space came out and I again, wanted to make, be that connector and get these bands onto more radio stations. Because when they, when I did, they would give me free tickets to their shows.
[00:02:46] I mean as a college girl, I mean, it was absolutely about perfect, um, little like side hustle for me because I understood it very quickly and I, you know, wanted to get the free tickets to shows. And, um, so I got a job as a sports reporter. I was working in radio. I was always kind of doing social media on the side.
[00:03:04] Side, um, when Facebook went public back in 2006, um, cause it used to just be for schools. Um, I started helping local businesses get their business up on social media and you know, now, um, I, I worked on the corporate side, so I worked, uh, for the. Colorado Rockies television station. And I did their media buying script writing and social media.
[00:03:25] And I've had my own company now for about four and a half years. And I specialize in helping people, um, entrepreneurs, uh, real estate agents, home organizers with their social media strategy, um, and getting them basically teaching them. In in a few weeks, uh, what's taken me over 15 years to learn so that they can have a successful social media presence.
[00:03:50] So that was kind of the cliff notes version. But, um, yeah, I've been doing social media for a long time. You start out with, I got into the business on my space. You've got me hooked because I, especially working with online entrepreneurs. A lot of people didn't really start understanding the power of social media until.
[00:04:11] Facebook, but there was, um, an evolution before Facebook and the fact that you were able to be a part of that and develop the growth is just fascinating to me. And, um, I love that there are probably people watching and listening who don't know what my space look like. Yeah, it was, I mean, it was basically like your own little mini landing page.
[00:04:33] You could put music on it, on it and say what you like. I mean, like, it was definitely the, the introduction to social media that it is today, but, um, again, it was mostly bands and there weren't any ads, so, I mean, you just really had to, to network. And, um, like you said, I, I, I saw it early on like how fast connections could be made through this new platform.
[00:04:54] So, um, once I kind of realized that I. I went all in on it and tried to figure out, okay, how can I, how can I maximize this brand's presence? Or how can I maximize my presence to be the go-to for this industry? So it's, it's crazy how things have changed. And there's so many social media channels out there now.
[00:05:12] Um, and who would have guessed that it would be the behemoth that it is today. It's so true. So true. And I loved, um, I heard someone say that about clubhouse recently that it's like the wild, wild West, and that's really what my space was back then. And I know that you're so engaged in all of those areas, but to have that many years of experience is truly phenomenal.
[00:05:32] So tell us a little bit about, um, some of the mistakes that you see, uh, businesses, whether brick and mortar. Or entrepreneurs on the online space making in social media because you've got years and years of experience. So you've got that great perspective. Yeah. You know, there, there's a lot of mistakes that small businesses are making with their social media.
[00:05:54] And, um, I think one of the biggest mistakes that I see is that they are trying to be on every single social media platform, every single social media channel. And you don't need to be on every single social media channel known to mankind. If you think about it, Different social media platforms, um, are attractive to two different demographics to different niches.
[00:06:16] And so if you know who your ideal client and customer is. Go all in on that one platform. I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna talk about Instagram because it is, um, it's, it's one of the larger platforms, but if you, if you think about Instagram and you're like, okay, well, my ideal client is on Instagram, so I'm going to post there.
[00:06:37] Okay, well, there is the feed, so I mean, you can post to the feed. Um, but then there's also Instagram stories, which are those little 15, second clips and the circles up at the top. Um, and then there's also now, uh IETV so that's long form video content and now, Oh yeah, the others Instagram lives. So you can go live by yourself or with another person on Instagram and now they just introduced, uh, another area that you can post to, which is reels.
[00:07:01] And those are kind of the Tik TOK knock off the short form video. Um, That are, you know, full of information in 15 seconds. And if you, if you decide that, okay, Instagram is where I'm going to be spending my time. That's five different ways that you need to be posting to that platform to be seen appropriately because people are going to consume their information differently.
[00:07:24] Um, so I mean, some people might be scrolling through the feed, but some people might only spend time in stories. Other people might only be in the explore feature. So, I mean, if you are on one social media platform and you go all in on it, you that's really all you have time for as, especially as a small business owner.
[00:07:41] I mean, unless you're someone like me who really likes social media, um, You don't, you're not, you don't want to spend all day on it. And I think that that's where if you go to just one channel and be awesome on it and speak exactly to your potential clients and customers, um, and then you can add in more as you go.
[00:08:00] But I think that having that strong presence exactly where your ideal clients and customers are, is what's going to help you be successful. Yeah, I love that. And I, and I can tell you from experience, it is frustrating when you feel like you're starting to get some momentum in one space, and then you get distracted and start going over here to another platform and you're not getting the same momentum, and then you've lost the momentum back where you and that platform you were originally.
[00:08:25] So I'm so glad you said that because I wasn't really cognizant of that, that dividing my time like that. Wasn't helpful. And so that's certainly something last time we talked that I, um, I started implementing in my business and I feel like it's made a difference. So I love that. That's a really important tip for people to hear and understand.
[00:08:45] Yeah. And I think that too, like people think like, Oh, okay, well we need to be on Facebook, Twitter. And I'm like, well, blah, blah, blah, blah. You know, like get, if you're going to be posting the exact same thing on every single platform, then it really is just kind of white noise. So if you, if you're able to put out, you know, if you're, I guess I'm just going to stick with Instagram, but if you go all in on Instagram and have a strong presence there.
[00:09:06] The followers will come to you and the right followers will be there. So don't worry about the numbers, you know, stick with, stick with, you know, your strategy and putting out the best content you possibly can for that specific audience to be those ones that are going to come back and they're going to refer you to their friends.
[00:09:25] Yeah, that's so true. I I'm so glad you said that because I think a lot of people feel obligated to hop on whatever's really popular and then they abandoned what was really working for them. So I think that's great. What are some other mistakes that you're seeing in this space?
[00:09:43] Lack of consistency and the lack of a strategy. And I think it kind of goes back to that last, that last mistake. Um, as, you know, a lot of businesses are jumping on to any and every social media platform and just throwing out a few random posts here and there, and then they disappear for days and weeks or months at a time.
[00:10:00] And when you're, when you're just posting Willy nilly like that, um, It'd be, we kind of like if you walked into a room full of strangers, right. And you started, um, asking people some questions and then you turned around and ran out the door and while they were trying to give you answers and talk to you, which it seems silly.
[00:10:19] Right. And so if you have an actual strategy and start talking about your. Uh, business, you know, ask the questions, you know, respond to the comments. Um, and I mean, like don't just jump right in and start, you know, posting a bunch of random posts and, and start doing ads and, and there's no strategy behind it.
[00:10:38] So if you, if you don't already have a strategy, um, with, with some engagement in a consistent presence, you know, on one social media platform, do you really expect to have a random one-time. Paid ad, um, offering a service or product to drive a ton of quality leads and clients to your business. Um, it's not going to happen.
[00:10:57] And so if you can develop the whole strategy where, you know, the left hand knows what the right hand is doing, that's, what's going to help you grow on that platform and have, you know, an organic and paid engagement that's going to be successful. Um, I think that a lot of businesses just. Overwhelmed themselves.
[00:11:17] And they think, Oh, I haven't posted to Instagram for a while. I better post something. And then it's like a picture of their dog, which okay. If, if you're a pet groomer, great. You know, but how can you work that picture of your dog into the rest of the overall strategy? The second someone lands on your page, they instantly need to know what you do, who you serve and how you can help them.
[00:11:38] And if that's not visible through the pictures and the captions that you have on your page, you're going to lose that potential new lead. Retina potential new follower. And so if you have that strategy where, um, I I'm all about, uh, scheduling content and using a content schedule or, um, a content calendar so that, you know, like, okay, well this week I'm talking about X and how am I going to find photos and captions that are all going to align with this message?
[00:12:04] And when you do that, you, I mean, if you don't need to be sitting down every day to do it, I'm all about like finding an hour. It can be at like 9:00 PM on Sunday. If that's the only time that you have available. But if you sit down and devote that time to your social media one, you're going to feel relief because, Oh no, I don't have to worry about posting for the rest of the week and to all of your clients and followers are going to be like, Oh, I know exactly what's coming and I know how she can help me.
[00:12:30] So I think that that's one of the biggest mistakes is that a lot of businesses just kind of post Willy nilly without a strategy or, or any sort of consistency. And I think that's perfect in, in the conversation of what makes up your visibility strategy because social media is a component of it. So what else are you doing?
[00:12:50] Um, as part of your visibility, are you, um, being a guest on a podcast like this? Are you. Speaking at an online summit or a virtual summit. Um, it doesn't have to just be your social media posts. It's all of the things that you're doing. Did you write a blog and, you know, have you shared it, are you using the key words?
[00:13:09] And so I love the idea of devoting. An hour or two to make sure all of those things are aligned and that they're complimenting each other and you use strategy a whole lot. And that's so important. We have that conversation all the time in this business. You can't just go out there and start throwing things to the wall and seeing what sticks it's gotta be thought out.
[00:13:32] It's gotta be aligned and you have to know what your goals and objectives are. And I have the same conversation with a client last night, and we talked about what's. What the goals are for the next quarter and then the next quarter. And then what's the next quarter going to look like, and it doesn't have to be completely fleshed out, but just the idea that there's a strategy and a blueprint and a path towards something is super helpful.
[00:13:53] So, um, how, how do people, uh, start with the strategy? Because some folks aren't even aware of, of how to even begin. Yeah. So one of the best things to start, like if you're like, all right, well, so now I need to have a strategy for my social media. The best place to start is with a scheduler. So, um, there's a lot of schedulers out there, guys there.
[00:14:17] I mean, there's, there's. In CoSchedule and, uh, Gora posts and, um, planfully and plannable, I mean, like there's so many and, um, I strongly recommend to, to, to do your research on what you think that the best tool is for you, um, a great platform to kind of do comparison shopping is G2. Um, that's where I do a lot of comparisons, so you can see like what the prices are and, and what other reviewers have to say about it.
[00:14:43] So. That's a great place to just do the comparison shopping now. And I wish that they had affiliate links, but they don't. So this is just a free plug for the platform that I use. Um, I use lonely L O M L Y. Um, I find that to be a fantastic scheduler because it's very simple interface. So what day do you want to have it be?
[00:15:04] You know, what platforms are you going to post on? Okay. What's the generic content going to be. And then from there, and step four, you can really specific, like if you want to post on. Facebook and Instagram, um, How are you going to make those, those posts just slightly different depending on the audience that you have on each channel?
[00:15:20] So, um, lonely is the one that I use and I think that it's really, uh, that's the first step is finding a scheduler and looking. So look at your insights of the social media platform that you want to go all in on and be like, okay, well, it's going to be Instagram. Um, so. Now, you know, what days are your audience most active and then just schedule out the content for that week.
[00:15:45] Um, and, and you'll be set because it's, it's, it's only, I, I, I swear you guys can get your social media done. And then Slidell is an hour, a week is just devoting the time to sit down and think about it. So, you know, you, you were saying. Well, if you have a blog, yeah. Talk about the blog. There's, you know, you can repurpose that blog three times.
[00:16:06] I mean, you can have it be, um, a shit, you know, a carousel post, you can be talking about it in IGT, and then you could do a, an Instagram live on it. There's your three content posts for the week. So, um, and it's all based off of that blog that you've already worked so hard on, or you have already had written.
[00:16:22] Um, and I think that once you have that content calendar, like that scheduler set up and ready to go, that's when you're going to be like, Oh, Okay, so this isn't too bad. Um, you know, I it's, it's very easy to just figure it out and then now I can get back to my business and back to, you know, what I am most passionate about.
[00:16:38] Not everyone's, like I said, into social media, like me, so not everyone wants to spend all week doing it well, and the idea that you can repurpose is a time-saver and I love when people. You can't really tell it's been repurposed, but you, it looks familiar because what that does is it reemphasizes the, the point of the message.
[00:17:01] It looks different. It's being talked about in a different way, maybe with some different visuals, but it's the same nugget of information. And I feel like people aren't taking advantage of that often enough. So the idea that you can use one piece of content and really branch it out is just so rich. And it's going to do so much for your business quite honestly.
[00:17:22] Yeah, it's it. And people, I think that they are like, well, why, you know, why would I want to share that blog three times? Aren't people going to be sick of it. And it's all about the presentation. I mean, and also people might not be on social media every single day they might have missed it. Um, so I mean, If you think about it, I mean, like if you get 10% of your followers to see your posts, like that's pretty darn good.
[00:17:43] I mean, it's, that's about the average of people that are going to be seeing it. And so if you can get them those 10%, but then maybe on Wednesday, you re you show it a different way and you get a different 10% or you could even still get that same audience and they're seen in a different way. And then it started to click as to what message you're trying to put out.
[00:18:00] So I think that it's, there's nothing wrong with, with repurposing. It is all about how you do it. Yeah, no, I love that. In fact, uh, when we get done today, that's what I'm going to focus on because you've got my mind rolling here. And so I know that there's some content that I need to repurpose and I didn't spend enough time on Instagram, um, unless I'm on clubhouse, which is way too much, but, um, but I'm going to do yes.
[00:18:23] Oh, it's just, it's addicting. And, and I, it's so interesting how we get distracted from one platform to the next. But if your core is on Facebook or your core is on Instagram, um, the idea of focusing on that is really important because if your objective is to garner new business or get new leads, then that's, that's your funnel.
[00:18:46] I mean, that's your opportunity right there. You're missing it. Exactly. Exactly. And, um, you know, you brought, talked about clubhouse too, and that's a whole nother social media platform to even talk about and think about. Yeah. Yeah. I know that ones that wouldn't be interesting to see, and I know they're still in beta.
[00:19:03] Um, so we'll see what happens. Cause maybe we'll end up talking about them one day as if it was the new greatest thing ever. So we'll see what happens, but I really enjoy it. Um, tell us, is there any other mistakes that you see out there or any other tips that you think businesses need to be talking about or thinking about.
[00:19:26] Oh, I think, yes. So one of the last, Oh, I'm back. I'm back. Sorry. Um, the last mistake that I see businesses making is, um, not being social on social media guys. It's it seems silly saying it, but I it's one of the biggest mistakes that I see and I, I feel like, um, If you've ever been to a dinner party and he found herself trapped in a conversation with someone that, you know, won't stop talking about him or herself, or like about what they do.
[00:19:55] And he keep looking around like kind of hoping that like your, your spouse or significant other or friend would come to a rescue, but no such luck happens. And this person just keeps going on and on and on and on about this single life, his life story. And they will just ask you a single question about yourself or what you do.
[00:20:09] I mean, like, we all hate those conversations and, um, that's what so many. Businesses and, and realtors are doing on social media, you know? So, um, I think that that's, they're constantly talking to. Uh, to the people and they're trying to sell to them. They're not asking any questions or actually trying to form a community.
[00:20:29] Um, they're, they're being that annoying guy, that guy at the party, um, that, that we all try to avoid. And so I think that that's one of the biggest things that I try to teach people is to stick around, you know, stick around, answer the questions. I mean, on, on Instagram, if you don't have, I mean, like, and that's another thing I think a lot of businesses think that they need to post like 10 times a day and.
[00:20:51] Man, if you, if you have a team of 20, that's just strictly devoted to repurposing content for social media, then you go for it and, you know, post 10 times a day. But not all of us are like that. A lot of small business owners, you know, we are the Jack and the Jill of all trades. And so, um, If you can spend your time with your content calendar and your, your scheduler at the beginning of the week.
[00:21:11] And then from there, the rest of the week, just spend time engaging big conversational comments on other people's posts, answer people who have commented on yours. I see that all the time where people were, someone will leave a comment and no, no one's ever answered them. And it's kind of like, well, that.
[00:21:28] That, that person spent time commenting on your posts to engage with you and you just ignored them. You turned around and walked away. So, um, I think that, you know, bring the social back to your social media, uh, try and form that community around your brand. And people are going to want to be around you because they know that you answer.
[00:21:47] They know that you are there, someone's on the other end of the phone. And, um, that's, what's really going to help. You find your, find, your people find those loyal customers and clients that are going to be our biggest brand advocates, because they feel like they have the inside track to you and your company.
[00:22:03] And I love that. Bring the social back to social media. I I've seen that way too many times. I feel like, um, you know, you'll see a post that says, you know, post, but don't ghost and it happens so often. And I think there's a missed opportunity for people, um, to really engage and, and. I'm thinking to myself, if you have time to sit there and copy and pay something, but you don't have time to con congratulate someone or thank someone, then you probably don't need to be in that space.
[00:22:32] She probably just gets them onto somewhere else. Yes, exactly. And I mean like, and that's where kind of coming full circle, you know, if you only, if you only have time. For one social media platform. Be amazing on that one. So you can build that community. You can answer comments, you can post on other people's comments on other people's posts.
[00:22:51] So, um, that's really what I try to teach my clients and my, my, you know, my coaching clients and people that I help with social media, because it's, it can be overwhelming. And, uh, it doesn't need to be, if you. If you do it strategically. No, I agree. I love that. Um, so speaking of how do people get to work with you?
[00:23:12] Tell us a little bit about your business and your firm and how it set up and, and how it is. You help people with their social media. Yeah. So I offer, um, group coaching, which is eight weeks long. And we start with, um, like Facebook and Instagram and, um, the way I also offer one-on-one coaching, where it's, you know, we we've look at all of your insights and decide like, okay, well, where is your ideal client and customer, and what platforms make the most sense for you to spend your time on?
[00:23:39] And we, we learn how to do everything from like setting you up yourself, up as a business account, how to read your insights, how to. Philip, you know, beautiful graphics in Canva, um, how to create a content calendar and a schedule or that'll work for you. So it's really, um, it's an hour a week, and it's just trying to get that repetition that you can be successful on social media and as little as an hour a week, you just need to devote the time to it.
[00:24:04] And so, um, yeah, if you want to, if you're interested in learning how to be more strategic and grow your social media, um, That's that is the best way through, through group or one-on-one coaching. And you can check that out at my website, which you just popped up. Yup. Yup. And for those of you listening on the podcast, it's next steps, social communications.com, and it will be posted in the show notes as well.
[00:24:28] So you can definitely, um, reach out to Katie. Do you have a team that works with you? Um, or are you a one person shop? Um, I, uh, so I asked me, and then, um, I also have a podcast and I have, I'm a virtual assistant that helps me with my show notes and all that for my podcasts, but I'm, I'm a one-woman show. So you would get the opportunity to work with directly me and, um, it's.
[00:24:52] Like I said, I've been doing social media for a long time and I'm extremely passionate about it. Um, and I am all about trying to, to be smarter with it and work, work smarter, not harder, um, and still get success and, and see results. So, um, yeah, I, I love social media. I could talk about it for hours, but it's podcasts went by so fast.
[00:25:11] That was 30 minutes. It does go by so fast. Well, Katie, I got to tell you, the content you've shared with us is fantastic. And, um, I literally feel like I have homework to do as soon as we are done with this because, um, there are so many opportunities for all of us to grow our businesses and, um, it looks like we've had some, um, great.
[00:25:32] Viewer content I or comments here. I think the content was super rich. Guys. If you get an opportunity, go check out Katie. Um, Katie's website, uh, listened to her podcast. She has just got some great gems. Listen, if this person was the thing on my space. And then transitioned into Facebook and now is a, is a powerhouse on clubhouse.
[00:25:55] This is a person you need to be working with. This is who you need to get your tips from because she knows exactly what she's talking about. So Katie, thank you so much for joining me. I enjoy the conversation and I loved all the information you provided. Thank you so much for having me. This has been a pleasure and it was a fantastic, fantastic show.
[00:26:12] So thanks again. Great. All right, well guys, again, Katie is, uh, available to chat. Um, make sure that you, um, check out her website. You can reach out to her there and, uh, thank you for tuning in to Saturday soundbites. We had a great conversation today. If you're listening on the replay, make sure you let us know by putting hashtag replay in the comments on Facebook.
[00:26:35] And if you're listening on our podcast, Then make sure you hit the subscribe button because we want to make sure that you don't miss any episodes. And with that, I'm going to wish you a great day with lots of positive energy and light. And we will talk to you again next week. Thanks so much.