Most Businesses Don't Need More Content. They Need Fewer Channels.

Let me guess what your content calendar looks like right now:

• Instagram feed posts

• Instagram Stories

• Instagram Reels

• TikTok

• LinkedIn posts

• LinkedIn articles

• LinkedIn newsletters

• Facebook (because "our audience is still there")

• YouTube

• YouTube Shorts

• Twitter/X (maybe?)

• Threads (remember Threads?)

• Pinterest

• Email newsletter

• Blog posts

• Podcast (that you haven't recorded in three months)

Oh, and you're supposed to be "repurposing" all of this across platforms while also being "authentic" and "showing up consistently."

No wonder you're exhausted.

I'm exhausted for you and....

You’ve been sold a lie.

When I first meet with a new social strategic client the platform talk comes up almost immediatly. I ask how many platforms they are on and then I follow up with what platforms do you actually like to scroll and be on?

Because here’s the truth your businesses doesn’t need more and better content. You need fewer channels.

Somewhere along the way, we collectively decided that being everywhere = being successful.

That if you're not on every platform, optimizing every algorithm, posting at the "right" times across all channels, you're leaving money on the table.

That more visibility automatically equals more revenue.

And on that I call BS.

Because here's what actually happens when you try to be everywhere:

• You're mediocre everywhere instead of excellent somewhere.

• Your messaging gets diluted across platforms.

• You resent the work instead of enjoying it.

• You're reactive instead of strategic.

• You burn out trying to keep up.

• Your audience gets confused about where to actually find you.

You're not building a business. You're building a content hamster wheel.

When I tell people to pick two platforms and do them well they are almost always shocked.

I know a business owner who only uses email and Instagram for marketing.

That's it.

No TikTok. No LinkedIn. No YouTube. No Pinterest. No podcast. No blog.

Just email and Instagram.

And she's running a six-figure business.

Why? Because she's really good at those two channels. She knows them inside and out. She enjoys showing up there. Her audience knows exactly where to find her. Because that's only where she is.

She's not spreading herself thin trying to game seven different algorithms. She's going deep instead of wide.

She trained people to find her where she's at not where they're at.

I might be the only one who will every tell you this but...

You do not have to be on every platform.

You only have to be on the ones that make sense.

And the ones you enjoy.

Because if you are not only your business's CEO but also as the head of marketing you have to enjoy tapping onto the social platforms.

You do not have to have a TikTok just because "that's where the attention is."

You do not have to force yourself to do Reels if you hate making Reels.

You do not have to write LinkedIn think-pieces if LinkedIn makes you want to throw your laptop out the window.

You do not have to have a podcast, a YouTube channel, AND a blog.

You can pick 1-3 channels and be done.

Revolutionary, I know.

And I already know your next question...

So how do you actually decide what platforms to be on?

Stop asking "Where is my audience?" and start asking better questions:

1. Where do I actually enjoy showing up?

If you dread opening the app, that's your sign. Life is too short to force yourself to create short form on TikTok if it makes you feel dead inside. And eventually people- they will be able to tell you dread opening an app.

2. Where do my people actually want to hear from me?

Not where the gurus say they should be. Where do your people actually hang out and engage? This is a great time to check your platforms analytics because the people are actually telling you if they are engaging/seeing your content or not. You don't have to guess the numbers already exist.

3. What format plays to my strengths?

Are you a writer? Maybe email and LinkedIn. Are you visual? Maybe Instagram and Pinterest. Do you love talking? Maybe a podcast, Youtube and Instagram Stories.

4. What can I sustain long-term?

Not in a motivated season. Not when you hire help. Right now, today, with your current capacity—what can you actually maintain without burning out?

You know what Happens When You Go All-In On Fewer Channels?

Magic. That's what happens.

When you stop trying to be everywhere and commit to being excellent somewhere, here's what shifts:

Your content gets better because you're not spreading yourself thin.

Your audience grows faster because you're consistent and present.

You actually enjoy the work because you're not forcing formats that drain you.

Your messaging gets clearer because you're not trying to translate it across 47 platforms speak.

You have time to actually run your business instead of just creating content about your business.

You build real relationships instead of just chasing vanity metrics.

But then eventually the FOMO and Guilt will set in…

You'll email me "But what if I'm missing out on customers on TikTok?"

Maybe you are.

And that's ok.

Because you're also missing out on customers who only shop in person if you're online only. And customers who only find businesses through word-of-mouth. And customers in countries you don't ship to.

You cannot be everything to everyone.

And trying to be is what's killing your creativity, your energy, and honestly, your results.

Here it is the secret sauce strategy:

Pick 1-3 channels maximum. (Email is a non-negiotable channel)

Go deep.

Get really, really good at them.

Build an email list (yes, you still need this—it's the only channel you actually own and a must in the Maven way of doing marketing).

Show up consistently.

That's it.

That's the strategy.

It's not sexy. It's not complicated. It won't make a good LinkedIn carousel.

But it works.

So here's your homework:

Step 1: Look at all the platforms you're currently trying to maintain.

Step 2: Ask yourself honestly: "Which of these am I only doing because I think I'm supposed to?"

Step 3: Delete those apps from your phone.

Step 4: Pick the 1-3 channels where you actually want to show up.

Step 5: Go all-in on those.

No guilt. No FOMO. No "but everyone says I should be on X platform."

Just you, your people, and the channels that actually light you up.

That's it. That's the secret sauce.

Message me when you're ready to get started- my inbox is open 24/7 365.

The Casual Scroll is on Hospice and My Mental Health Knows It

What a week. What a month. What a—honestly, I’ve lost track of time because my office is also the news feed and the vibes are absolutely rancid.

I’ll be honest with you: my mental health isn’t doing the greatest right now.

And I have a sneaking suspicion I’m not alone in this.

Because The “You Must Post About This” Era Has ReEntered The Chat

My client inboxes and feed are starting to feel very 2020 again. You know the energy:

“Silence isn’t an option...” “You have to speak up...” “Why haven’t you said something...” “It’s been X days and you haven’t posted about X” “You can no longer not be political in business”

Ooof. Triggering, even.

And look—I get it. The world is heavy right now. Things are happening that matter deeply. But somewhere along the way, we collectively decided that social media wasn’t where we kept up with friends/family and is instead where we perform our values, prove our awareness, and demonstrate our worthiness as humans and business owners. And market our stuff.

And I’m here to remind us all: this is what’s burning us out.

This month also has shined a light on the days of the casual scroll are now officially on hospice.

Who wants to casually scroll when- lately I open an app to “just check real quick,” here’s what I get in 30 seconds flat:

• Thirst trap

• “Sensitive content” warning

• An ad

• A hot take

• Nail tapping product affiliate link

• Dog video (the only good thing)

• More “sensitive content”

• Another ad

• Someone I’m not following’s unhinged rant

• A carousel telling me I’m doing everything wrong

Blergh.

And we don’t think this is causing some brain damage and pushing people off social?

Spoiler alert: My brain hurts, We all have brain damage AND people are leaving social.

Friends our brains were simply not designed for this level of context-switching, doom-scrolling, rage-baiting, algorithm-manipulated chaos. We’re all walking around with fractured attention spans and cortisol levels that would make our ancestors weep.

So Here’s a Human-to-Human Social Media Follower Reminder I Feel You Might Also Need:

No civilian human owes me their thoughts on social media.

I can unfollow and unsubscribe from anyone at anytime.

No business owes me a post unless it’s about their business.

No human owes me an immediate hot take two seconds after some worldwide event happens.

Humans are allowed to change their minds when new information is presented to them.

I do not control my friends, family, or followers’ stances, feelings, or when/if they post about X thing.

The only control I have is how I choose to react. (that one i say to myself alot lately)

Now onto our cortisol and nervous system- for 10 minutes or an entire weekend:

• Take a break from social

• Remove social apps from your phone

• Go for a walk without your phone (Scandelous)

• Open the window and get some fresh air

• Bake something

• Pet an animal

• Paint

• Call a friend (an actual phone call)

• Email your elected officials

All of this anxiety needs somewhere else to go besides essential strangers’ inboxes or comment section.

Because another spoiler: We’re all living through this together. You AND Me. Wow.

It’s heavy. Our nervous systems are maxed out. The world feels like it’s spinning faster than we can process.

And your soul? Your soul is never going to be here again. You are never going to have this day again.

This exact moment. This exact version of you. This exact life you’re living—it only happens once. And what are we doing- doom scrolling and arguing with people we’ll never meet or buy from on social.

Here lies the casual scroll Oct. 6, 2010 - Jan. 26, 2026

Not that you asked for it but here’s yet another piece of advice to myself (as someone also barely holding it together)

It’s OK to Stay in your lane.

Not in an apathetic way. Not in a “I don’t care about anything” way.

But in a “I’m going to protect my energy so I can actually show up for the things and people that matter most” to me way.

In a “I’m going to be thoughtful instead of reactive” way.

In a “I’m going to log off and live my actual life” way.

In a “My calling and mission is different” way.

So goodbye casual scroll. We’re killing iit with our hot takes, constant need for content, our performative activism, our algorithmic manipulation, and our collective inability to just... be quiet sometimes.

And honestly?

Maybe that’s not the worst thing.

Maybe it’s time we find better ways to connect, to care, to show up, to be intentional.

Maybe it’s time we stop outsourcing our humanity to platforms that were literally designed to keep us anxious and engaged.

I have faith in you.

I have faith in us.

Even when it doesn’t feel like it.

Even when your mental health is taking a beating.

Even when the news feed feels inescapable.

You’re allowed to step back. You’re allowed to not post. You’re allowed to not have all the answers. You’re allowed to protect your peace. You’re allowed to be human.

And that stuff matters more than any post ever could.

The 2016 Nostalgia Trend: What We Lost When the Algorithm Took Over

Has your feed been inundated with throwback posts from 2016 as well?

2016—the glory days of social media, the days before the algorithm and the advertisers took over.

But instead of nostalgia, what I'm getting from all of these throwbacks is just how uncurated, fun, and carefree we used to be.

2016 Wasn't Just "10 Years Ago"

It was before the algorithm took over.

It was when your feed was chronological. When you posted a blurry photo from brunch without thinking twice about lighting or composition, threw a Valencia filter on it and got 15 likes that made you feel like you knew what you were doing. When captions were genuine thoughts instead of carefully crafted copy optimized for engagement.

That was 2016.

And these throwbacks are showing us exactly what we've lost and that…the homogenization of social media is real.

What stops me most about scrolling through these 2016 posts isn't just the nostalgia—it's the contrast. Back then, everyone's feed looked different- I could tell who was who.

Now?

We're obsessed with the right skincare routine, traveling to the same places to strike the same poses, wearing the same viral outfits, chasing the same post aesthetic for our feeds.

We've learned what "performs well," and in doing so, we've traded our 1/1 of uniqueness for a formulaic existence.

The algorithm didn't just change how we see content. It changed how we create it.

you’ve heard me saying this for a while but I believe the best brands and creators are the ones brave enough to break the mold.

The ones who remember that connection—real, messy, human connection—will always outperform perfection.

If this nostalgia wave is teaching us anything, it's that people are craving humanness again. They're tired of the same. They're ready for something real.

The question is: are you ready to give it to them?

Let's bring back some of that 2016 energy—the uncurated, the spontaneous, the unapologetically human. I promise that your audience will thank you for it.

Here's to being brave enough to be different.

Social Media Has Plateaued (And What Comes Next)

I've been going back and forth for months with this idea that social doesn't really matter anymore. But that just isn't true.

Social does still matter.

And it just looks different in how to use it effectively.

Over the summer of 2025 I paused personally posting. Maven was at a crossroad and I didn't truly know what my offer was anymore.

I was also so annoyed at feeling like I needed to perform for strangers to feel “successful”.

So I took a break.

My clients, my inner circle and my family knew what was happening and on May 7th I made my final post until September. 

I wanted to see if it helped me figure out the thing that I felt was laying just below the surface level and balancing right above my soul level.

And honestly it felt good. It felt like my life belonged to me again and not to all of you and a world of strangers.

It felt special big and yet small because it finally felt like mine.

I took less photos and just enjoyed moments. I realized the photos that I was stopping to take were because the object looked pretty to me or was a candid moment with someone I wanted to capture and eventually print. 

Because I dont know how many photos I have on my phone that have been taken for “content purposes”.

It was beautiful.

It felt SO good to keep my phone in my bag or coat pocket, not constantly reaching for it and pulling myself out of the moment for something just to upload to my stories and brag about where I was, or what I was doing.

And then a little over a month into all of that I got a call that I needed to get back to WI. That one of the people who raised me was fighting for their life and suddenly that was all that mattered. 

It didn't matter what my camera roll looked like or if my feed was updated every day to pacify an alogrithm and to keep you entertained when you were looking to disassociate.

All that mattered was could I make it in time to say every thing that I needed to say?

I did.

And then it hit me that on peoples death beds they are not thinking about their camera roll, feed or if their outfit was fire.

They are going back through their life to moments that meant something, moments where they wished they said the thing, or where they wished they would've kept in touch with so and so.

They want to go back to the physical places where their soul felt happy, free and alive.

They could give two shits about what the strangers they are following are doing.

So with their borrowed time that's how I spent the remainder of summer. Driving them to those places, searching to see if those people were still earthside and how to contact them.

Tying up loose ends.

And eventually to an extent realizing social does matter, but it doesn't matter like it did in 2018 or 2019. 

Instead in 2026 it matters in a people way.

It matters in a community way. 

Shifting is the performing for lead generating.

Here now is an opportunity to share and attract a community of humans experiencing a similar thing and not feeling alone.

Because more and more people are coming to the conculsion of the grip that our devices have on earthly experience and that life is worth living.

And not through a phone.

Therefore social is changing.

And that's the gnawing truth that has been with me since I stopped personally posting in May.

Social isn't the future of marketing.

Social has plateaued.

The future of marketing is going back to it's foundation- of being relational.

You can churn out all of the ai written content that you want to but by this time in 2027 people are going to see right through it and you.

Because offline people are searching, seeking and longing to feel a par of a community. A community of inside joke, stories, gathering and life.

And it's translating differently online.

After summer I got back and went to an ai training and a prompt was needed for the training so I asked it “What is the future of social media marketing?”

It asked me 3 follow up questions but then answered with “In 5 years social media marketing will not look how it does now. A shift is happening toward platforms instead where you own you customers."

My hands went to my face and I squealed and felt validated. 

Because I have been feeling and talking about this for 4 years. 

Performative social is NOT the future for many reasons but number 1 being it is not sustainable for the human.

Our brain isn't equipped to constantly be churning out and consuming content.

Since the concept of the sourdough starter connecting us all in 2020 hit me in 2022 this where I have mentally been marinading.

And it's time to bring the sourdough starter into the future- I'm done helping businesses perform for strangers. Instead I'm here to help you build digital communities that matter with the people already in and subscribed to you. 

So- If you're ready for that conversation, reply to this email.

And aren't you excited to be on this journey with me? 

When "Apology Letters" Become Humblebrag Disasters: Why This Trend Is Backfire Waiting to Happen

One trend that I truly hope stays in 2025 is the  "apology letter" format that brands are using—where products humorously "apologize" for being too popular— because it represents a fundamental misunderstanding of both apologies and effective brand communication.

If you’ve been anywhere scrolling on Instagram the past 3 months you’ve seen them, if you haven’t it’s a post on company letterhead that looks like something posted after someone did something to get themselves canceled but it’s instead just a humble brag about how awesome they are at what they do.

I get it we all want to stop someone’s scroll and what is more scroll stopping than a piece of content that appears to be hot gossip?

But this trend is actually damaging because it mistakes smugness for charm.

What these brands think they're doing is creating self-aware, humorous content that celebrates their success while acknowledging minor customer inconveniences. What they're actually doing is wrapping a humblebrag in the language of accountability, which undermines both.

Real apologies acknowledge harm and accept responsibility. This format co-opts that language to essentially say "we're so amazing that we've created problems for you—aren't we great?" It's the corporate equivalent of someone complaining about how exhausted they are from their luxury vacation.

It trivializes actual customer service failures. When customers have legitimate complaints—poor quality control, unresponsive service, actual problems—this jokey format suggests the brand doesn't take feedback seriously. You're training your audience that "apologies" from your company are really just marketing exercises.

It alienates people who aren't already fans. If someone doesn't already love your product, this reads as insufferable. "Grandma is off the wagon again" might get a chuckle from devoted customers, but to everyone else it's just a brand being weirdly self-congratulatory about... beer.

It's the opposite of humility. True humor about your success requires actual humility. This format has the structure of humility (an apology) but the substance of arrogance (we're too good). People can sense that mismatch, and it breeds distrust.

It’s also breeding a PR disaster because what happens when you actually need to publicly apologize on social for something serious?

When something does happen that needs a public statement- because let’s be honest it will, you’ve already used that language for marketing so your online credibility is shot. It’s giving the brand who cried “viral social campaign” can’t cry “product recall” effectively.

You're creating exhaustion. Every brand doing cute, quirky, "we're so relatable" content creates fatigue. When your "apology" is obviously not an apology, you're contributing to the cynicism people already feel about social media communication.

If you want to celebrate your popularity, just do it directly. "We can't keep this on shelves—thank you!" is honest, grateful, and actually endearing. If you want to be funny, be funny without appropriating the language of accountability. If you actually have supply issues causing customer frustration, address them seriously and outline what you're doing to fix them.

The brands succeeding long-term aren't the ones with the cleverest format hijacking. They're the ones building genuine relationships through consistent quality, transparent communication, and knowing when to be sincere versus when to be playful.

REI closes on Black Friday and encourages people to go outside instead—prioritizing their customers' wellbeing and shared values over short-term profit. Trader Joe's employees will open any product for you to taste before buying—reducing your risk and showing they trust their quality. Costco has maintained the same price on their hot dog combo since 1985, even at a loss—demonstrating respect for customers over maximum revenue extraction.

None of these require clever copywriting or viral potential. They're just businesses making choices that put customer value first, then letting those choices speak for themselves.

The "apology letter" trend will fade because it's built on a foundation of self-centeredness that becomes more obvious with each iteration. And as more brands pile on, the joke becomes "look how many brands think this is clever" rather than "look how clever this particular brand is." 

And in an era where people are increasingly savvy about marketing tactics, that's a losing strategy.

Instead the brands that build genuine loyalty don't do it through clever formats or viral moments. They do it through consistent, humble service to their customers' actual needs.

But the deeper issue won't fade: the disconnect between what brands think customers want (entertainment, personality, clever content) and what customers actually want (reliability, honesty, respect, value).

The brands that will thrive long-term are those that resist the temptation to perform and instead focus on serving. Not because service is more fun or creative—it's often boring and unglamorous—but because it's what actually builds trust and loyalty.

When your customer can't find your product on the shelf, they don't need a cute apology letter about how popular you are. They need you to fix your distribution, communicate clearly about availability, or suggest where else they might find it. That's connection. That's respect. That's what lasts.

The irony is that by trying so hard to seem relatable and human, these brands reveal how disconnected they are from what their customers actually need. Real connection doesn't announce itself. It doesn't need clever formats or viral potential. It just shows up, day after day, putting the customer first—even when no one's watching, even when it's not content-worthy, even when there's nothing clever to say about it.

That's the difference between brands that become beloved institutions and brands that become cautionary tales about marketing trends that age like milk.

When 'I'll fix it later' Costs You The Crown Jewels

Quick question: What do the Louvre and your 2023 "I'll update this later" marketing plan have in common?

Both involve things we meant to get back to.

So here's a story to make you feel better about whatever's sitting in your drafts folder...

The Louvre—yes, that Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa and priceless treasures—just had crown jewels stolen. And their IT password?

Louvre- allegedly

I imagine some IT tech during a frantic software update thinking, "I'll just set this quick and come back to change it tomorrow." Then tomorrow became next week. Next week became next month. And well... you know how the story ends.

Crown jewels: stolen.
Headlines: everywhere.
IT department: not having a good time.

But here's the thing—we ALL do this.

Maybe not with museum-level security, but with our digital marketing? Oh, we absolutely do.

Your version of "Louvre" might be:

• That "Coming Soon!" placeholder page from 2023

• The broken link in your email signature nobody's clicked in months

• Google Business hours that still say "Closed for COVID precautions"

• The About page bio mentioning an award from 2019

• Social bios with dead links to that webinar you ran once

• That one form that sends inquiries into the void

Here's what we know about temporary solutions: They become permanent problems when we're not looking.

We all get distracted!

The difference is, when the Louvre gets robbed, it makes international news. When your potential client lands on outdated info? They just... leave quietly. 

No headlines. No second chances.

So this weekend, set aside some time to do your own "password audit":

Take 30 minutes and look for your digital "I'll fix it later" moments. The placeholder copy. The outdated links. The thing that's fine but not right.

Because unlike pulling off a museum heist, fixing these things doesn't require Ocean's Eleven-level planning. Just a little focused attention and the self-awareness to admit: "Yeah, I've been meaning to update that."

Enjoy this throwback photo to me at the Art Institute. 

Restore the Balance: My 90s Marketing Manifesto

I recently ate a Choco Taco.

Now I know what you're thinking “Jade, they stopped making Choco Tacos in 2022, did you unbury one in your freezer? If so that's disgusting."

No. No. No.

It was nothing like that. 

Because in Portland they have been reborn. 

And I had no idea that getting your hands on one was going to be so difficult probably because we just walked into Salt & Straw and grabbed one or three.

But this isn't meant to be completely about the Choco Taco- instead it's about a meme I saw over the holidays that said “We have angered the gods. Bring back the Choco Taco. Play music videos on MTV again. Make movies under 120 minutes. Do history on the history channel. Only make cake out of cake. Stop making me sign into an app just to dim my lights. We must atone.”

And it's true we must atone.

We have angered the marketing gods- the signs are unmistakable: our last campaign had a 0.8% engagement rate. The client call was supposed to be 30 minutes but turned into a two-hour existential crisis about brand positioning.

Effective immediately, I am implementing the following corrective measures to restore balance to our marketing efforts:

URGENT INITIATIVES:

Bring Back the Choco Taco (Your Former Campaign Win) – Someone go dig through the case studies folder. Remember when we used to  launch that simple, straightforward campaign that actually resonated? That had ONE clear message? That didn't require three rounds of stakeholder approval? That's what we need now. Nostalgia sells, but so does clarity.

Create Content That Actually Gets Watched – Stop optimizing for algorithms you don't understand. Make ads people want to watch, not skip. Bring back the storytelling. Good music. Actual emotion. The gods (and your audience) remember when commercials were memorable- or at least what a commercial was.

Deliverables Under 120 Seconds – Your social media content should be snackable. Your video ads shouldn't require a commitment equivalent to watching a feature film. If your message can't land in two minutes, it's not sharp enough.

 Cut the fluff. No one has an attention span for fluff.

Keep It Factual – Stop making up fake statistics to support your strategy. No "studies show" without an actual source. No "our data indicates" when you're just guessing. The History Channel learned this the hard way. Be the factual voice in a chaotic media landscape. It's more powerful than you think.

Authentic Products, Authentic Messaging – Only promote what you believe in. No disingenuous brand partnerships just to hit quarterly goals. No "we're so woke" campaigns that ring hollow. Give customers the real thing, not the substitute. Cake should taste like cake.

Stop Requiring an App – Every. Single. Thing. Does not need to live in a proprietary app or behind a login wall. Sometimes a good email, a website, or straightforward social media is enough. Don't create barriers between your brand and your audience just because you can. The user experience matters more than data collection. I'll say that part again. The user experience matters more than data collection.

Me and other marketing gods are tired. We're tired of campaigns that prioritize metrics over meaning. We're tired of strategies built on the latest trend instead of timeless principles. We're tired of complexity masquerading as innovation.

Business owners angered them by forgetting that the best marketing is simple, memorable, and human.

We must atone by returning to what actually works.

Which may also require a 90's reset. 

This blog was sent via straightforward copy. No click-through optimization. No A/B tested subject lines designed to trigger FOMO. No tracking pixels beyond basic analytics. Just clear communication.

The great social media exodus (and where everyone's going instead)

I left the internet for 5 days in September to set new intentions and recalibrate and I came back to a Tik Tok sale,  new version of the Tide pods challenge, more screaming at each other and just in general digital ick. 

And it's got me wondering on how now as businesses can we market on social when more and more people are leaving social for days, weeks and months at a time?

My first thought was email, email is the new primary way. But I think it's more than just moving all of your marketing efforts over to email because even now people are so inudated with email that they aren't opening them because they might not remember how they got on a certain list or they think that they will go back to it and then they just forget. 

For the record I still believe in the power of email. But I believe email conquers the world with a power partner and I'm trying to figure out who that new bestie/ power partner is.

And my gut is telling me that it's blogging and long form content.

Now before you roll your eyes and start drafting a response email back to me about how people don't read.  Let me remind you that they might not however the search algorithms and AI summaries you're getting when you search are scrolling through the internets for words.  And the words that it is fed is through people creating them alas the comeback of blogging.

The other piece of long form is either a vlog (Youtube) or a podcast. 

Because they people they still want the content the just want to go directly to the content they want without the algorithms feeding them all different sorts of content that it thinks the person will like.  

And again both of these platforms have sparks and fireworks of best friend potential with email marketing campaigns. 

What are you seeing? Are you seeing a bunch of departure announcements from social?

And also as we get closer to the end of the year there are usually so many “I’m leaving social posts”

Pro tip if you are going to leave social, there's no need to announce your departure and all the reasons you're leaving. 

We get it- it's bad. Just slip out the back door like a party or networking event you're ready to leave. 

Almost Everyone's Faking It Online. What If You Didn't?

Remember “Away” messages or when we used to say “BRB” when we were online?  We don't say that anymore. 

We live online now. 

I mean when is the last time you went for a walk and left your phone on the kitchen table and it didn't cause anxiety?

The internet as we know it is shifting.  And I feel like 6 months from now you're really going to want to go back to this post about how marketing is also shifting.

Because…

Once upon a time we used to escape to the internet to avoid real like and now we are escaping the internet for real life.

Which means this is what your audience is also doing.

Myself included.

The truth is our reality having an identity crisis.

(It's not just you-it's all of us)

But here's the thing: This moment is pure gold for anyone willing to tell the truth.

While everyone else is faking authenticity with Ai and algorithms, the real opportunity is being aggressively, unapologetically human.

Messy. Honest. Raw.

The companies that survive this identity shift won't be the ones with the best deepfakes or the smoothest bot interactions.

They'll be the ones that looked at this dumpster fire and said: "Not us. We're going the other way."

Which is what I have been implementing for 2 years now. 

The unflitered, uncurated looking feeds. 

The true case studies that talk about the middle.

And you know what NOW that is trendy and what everyone wants to see and read.

So…

What if we stopped playing their game entirely?

What if being real and human was the most radical thing you could do in your marketing?

I'm not talking about making social your journal- keep journaling all your innermost things.

Instead I'm talking about showing up as a human instead of the filter of how social media wants you to show up.

You Can't AI Your Way Into a Personality: The Death of Copy-Paste Marketing

In Six months the only brands standing out on social will be the ones not letting AI write their personalities.

The past two weeks in client holiday consultation calls the same musings have been coming up and they are as follows:

“Instagram just feels gross.”

“I don't even know what to do anymore.”

“What direction is social even going in.”

I don't know if you've noticed as much as I have but for the past year I've watched Instagram turn into the Home Shopping Network.  So much so that QVC the sister to the Home Shopping Network is laying off 900 people. 

There are so many people on all of the platforms who are look and sound like each other. I've been saying this for awhile but it's getting worse. 

It's difficult to know who is who because all of the vibes are the same. 

Photographers and content creators are churning out the same aesthetics and you're paying big bucks for them to make you look the same as everyone else. 

People are desperately trying to copy everyone else's aesthetic because they think it's what is working when it's really only working for one person- the person the aesthetic is original to. Trying to use the same viral hook templates to also go viral but gain nothing except strip the personality from your brand.

And all of this couldn't have been any more apparent than a few months ago when Tay Tay announced her new album. You know the day that the majority of posts on every social channel turned orange, the color that you probably forgot even existed. 

The brands whose social teams elegantly executed this trend in real time and on brand with the easter eggs are the real winners here.  

The brands who jumped on days later or just changed the color of something to orange in photoshop to post an attempt to get into the groove of everything are exactly who I'm talking about here. 

The posts I loved didn't just go orange—they made orange feel native to their brand experience. When everyone forgets the color orange even exists.

And in my opinion there were four that did it the most timely and the truest. The day after the announcement I saw almost every other business try and jump on the now burned out trend, chasing likes and to somehow become or stay relevant in the algorithm that was shifting toward something else.

But what I am noticing is….

In this new social space where almost everyone is looking the same and putting out the same vibes the effective trend marketing happens when brands have team members who are genuinely part of the communities they're trying to reach. 

You can't fake being a Swiftie at 6 AM when those teasers drop & staying up until midnight to see what they are all about.

I get the allure of jumping onto a viral pop cultural moment but when you don't execute it correctly it looks like you're just copying your way to credibility. 

You CTRL C + CTRL V your way to be one of the “cool” ones in the feed.  

When instead you're getting scrolled right by because the consumers have photo fatigue.

You can't copy your way into credibility and you certainly can't AI your way into a personality. 

The next 6 months are going to be detrimental to setting yourself apart by simply showing up as yourself on social. 

Yeah- I went there.

It's time to stop chasing what's working for someone else and figure out and build on what is going to work for you.  You share your story, your struggles, your wins, your tidbits.

Because in a world of plain white wonder bread it's time to be artisan sourdough. 

It's time to make social media and marketing creative and human again. 

It's time to find your confidence and show up as yourself.

I'm here to help.