December 2021 Recap

First and foremost, we were thrilled to be back in person this year for our #ShowAndTell event sharing behind-the-scenes, insider info. on how businesses manage - and succeed with - social media. The event was filled with tips from some of the most well-known brands in the business.

Check out this killer lineup and the key takeaways from each presentation below:

Pinterest

Zak is the Head of Consumer Brand Research at Pinterest and has been in the social industry since 2013! He previously worked with Edelman Intelligence, which works with top brands like HP, Salesforce, Facebook and more.

Key Takeaways

Zak took us through their “not-yet-trending report” called Pinterest Predicts which makes predictions for the upcoming year. And apparently, he and his team are pretty good at what they do: ”8 out of 10 of our predictions for 2021 came true.” Here’s what else he had to say:

  • Trends on Pinterest take off faster

  • Trends on Pinterest live longer

  • 2022 Predictions

    • Pets. People love their pets. So much so, in fact, that Pinterest predicts a trend in “Barkitecture” or home design to accommodate your pets.

    • Fashion. Goth is coming back…but bigger! This time around to include baby clothes and kitchen décor.

    • Home. What they call “curve appeal” will be all the rage when it comes to the home. Curved design including couches, bar, walls and more. 

Kroger 

Layla is the Social Media Specialist at Kroger, right here in Cincy! Her work with Kroger on TikTok has been incredible, going from 0 to over 100K followers. She previously worked for Siemens, Ikron and the Cincinnati Cyclones.

Key Takeaways

  • High-quality videos over quantity. Maintain a short format with eye-catching thumbnails, voiceovers and 6-7 appropriate hashtags. 

  • Maintain a proper posting cadence; she recommends 1-3x per day.

  • Lean on influencers for their content, not just their reach: most of Kroger’s TikTok content is UGC

  • Engage with the community. 

    • Respond with content based on community requests & comments.

    • Comment for “no reason.” 

    • Share love and support to employees, shoppers and other influencers.


Sprout Social

Jonathan Zuluaga is a Social Media Strategist at Sprout Social based in Chicago, IL. From working at agencies like Havas to being in-house at Great Wolf Resorts, his background has given him the chance to understand clients and brands from both sides of the business. A passionate strategist during the day and a creative in his off time, Jonathan spends his free time as a photographer, making cocktails and studying his obsession with minimalism.

Key Takeaways:

  • Social Commerce is on the rise with Instagram and Pinterest providing the “most relevant social commerce experiences.” Other social platforms are expanding their offerings in order to provide a seamless customer conversion from discovery to purchase all within their preferred app. 

  • AR & VR. The future is now. This technology provides customers with more information, boosting their confidence to make quicker choices which results in quicker transactions. Think virtual showrooms, superimposing products into your space and branded filters.

  • While videos are key, video formats are constantly evolving. 

    • Shorter is better; 15-60 seconds. 

    • Keep it casual. And vertical.

    • Go live!

Slate

Becca Toth works for Slate, a content creation platform for real-time social media. Slate is trusted by teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, EPL, MLB as well as major brands in media and entertainment. Before that, she spent time with Sprout as a Customer Success Manager and also as a Senior Social Media Strategist at We Are Unlimited where she led campaign social strategy for McDonald’s North America.

Key Takeaways:

  • Have a real-time content strategy. 

    • Real-time content includes real-time events and trending real-time content. 

    • Real-time content is vital and should have an established groundwork including: brand voice & tone, creative look & feel, channel strategy and content pillars. 

    • Having a strategy will allow you to efficiently manage your social outlets because you will know “what works.” 

  • TikTok is not impossible. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works for your brand.

What did we miss? Share your top takeaway with us by Tweeting @dooleysocial with #ShowAndTell.

Photography by: Shea Renusch Photography





Matthew Dooley