Social Minds - Social Media Marketing Answered

Procurement isn't just about cost-cutting anymore. It's about chemistry, collaboration and long-term value. That's the message from this week's guest, Tina Fegent – one of the UK's first marketing procurement specialists and a leading voice in agency-client relationships.  In this episode, we explore how procurement has evolved from tactical to strategic, why “fit over flash” matters in pitches, and how agencies can build lasting partnerships with brands. Tina also shares her take on the future of social media, the role of AI in marketing, and what makes campaigns like Holland & Barrett's Strong for Life resonate beyond the scroll.  Whether you're agency-side, brand-side or somewhere in between, this one's packed with practical insight on how to pitch better, partner smarter and plan for what's next.  Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com 

The Brave Bison team sit down to decode what's next — from search and social to technology and experience. No jargon. No fluff. Just unfiltered insights, bold opinions, and the real stories behind the strategies shaping growth today. Whether you're scaling campaigns or rethinking the funnel, if it moves the needle — we're talking about it. Hit follow to be the first to listen to Decoding Discovery — a two-part series diving into how AI and social are reshaping the way people search, discover, and decide. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brave-talk-podcast/id1813356507 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PrZpvQgYz9qqylkF20N7u

Show your support! Vote for Eve, your SocialMinds host, to win Creative Trailblazer in the Prolific North Creative Awards here: https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/creative-awards-cast-your-vote/  This week, SocialChain strategist Chelsea Noronha joins Mil in the studio to unpack the latest, greatest, and up-and-coming social media features you need to know about. That includes an update to TikTok Ads and its new moderation feature, native reposts on Instagram, and new creator collaboration tools on YouTube. We also cover one LinkedIn feature brought back from the dead, and Pinterest's latest foray into AI with a smart recommendations-based shopping feature. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.  

Platforms change, trends come and go. Brand fundamentals must remain. That's the opinion of this week's guest, Kathryn Swallow - worldwide head of Unilever's deodorants category, previously the global VP for Rexona (Sure) and Dove. Among all of Unilever's brands, the deodorant category stands out thanks to the global success of those brands as well as Lynx (Axe), and their success is owed in part, Kathryn says, to a deep understanding and respect for a brand's positioning, purpose and and proposition.   In this, we ask how brands can stay true to their core - and communicate that - among fast-moving tech, endless data, modernising audiences and, of course, social media. And we find out how Unilever's deodorant brands approach the above to ensure they don't just stay relevant, but are revered.   Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com  

In a space where failure is hidden from a wider audience, Surreal embrace the imperfect. A challenger brand within the staid world of cereal marketing, Surreal have emerged as a distinct voice. John Thornton, Senior creative at Surreal breaks down the process of embracing your marketing bluffs and peeling back the veneer of the social economy.  

SocialChain strategy and innovation director Gareth Harrison joins Mil to unpack this month's Social in Six updates. This time, that's an update on TikTok's ban in the US, which has been extended again; a handful of updates from Meta to improve social SEO and make creator partnerships easier; and LinkedIn's new Trends page that curates videos based on trending workplace topics. Elsewhere, Snapchat has launched a new ad format in Sponsored AI Lenses, while YouTube Shorts has changed the way it measures views.   Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.    

“Have you had your Weetabix?” is an iconic ad slogan as any. But post-pandemic, though Weetabix had become part of online conversations, it wasn't necessarily translating to consumers' shopping baskets. In this episode, Lorraine Rothwell, head of marketing at Weetabix, shares the story of how the brand reconnected with its core demographic while remaining relevant to younger audiences. Discover how social informed ad creative, the power of nostalgia in marketing, and how Weetabix continues to surprise and delight without losing its heritage roots. 

AI is the hot topic on everyone's lips. One which, if you ask most creatives, will be spoken of with some level of selfish scepticism. But what do you do when a company built on the good of tech has their own department of creatives? This conversation is full of honest questions, thought-provoking answers, and candid discussions on how Ai is actually impacting creativity inside and outside of our studios, Don't expect another narrative on how “AI is coming for our jobs” (it might yet) but come away feeling educated on how to make it work for you. 

Social is changing the face of search and, with that, the impact on how brands and products are discovered has also shifted. Reddit is among the platforms capitalising on this - tapping into consumer habits of adding ‘Reddit' to the end of every search term, making the brand name the 6th most-Googled term in the US. In this episode with Hannah Walker, Reddit's Head of Mid-Market for the UK, we find out why platforms are leaning on AI to elevate their search offerings, how brands can benefit from Reddit's curious community through both paid and organic, and what their behaviour tells us about what Redditors want from the brands they buy from. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com

Every time you order a Domino's pizza, you're interfacing with countless data-driven touchpoints – whether it's suggested items or Dom the Pizza Tracker telling you your Pepperoni Passion is in the oven. In this episode, Nick Bamber, digital and data director at Domino's, unpacks why the brand sees itself as a data company first and a pizza business second. He reveals how leveraging smart data and AI resulted in 10 million app users, the learnings from Domino's' journey to become “the Netflix of pizza”, and the future of food delivery in an increasingly digital world. 

TikTok Shop has taken over everyone's For You Page in the last 12 months, and that's in no small part down to the commerce ambitions of the business. Layer onto that the way TikTok has (and continues to) change the creator economy, and you're left with an extremely actionable conversation for brands and marketers that will leave you empowered and educated to perform on your commerce objectives whilst still prioritising creativity and content – crucially, how the two must work together if brands are to compete in 2025 and beyond. 

For years, Primark thrived without an online presence, but post-pandemic, that had to change. In this episode, Kymberley Thomson, senior global social media and community manager at Primark, takes us through the retailer's social evolution - from having no ecommerce channel to building an engaged digital audience. Find out how to adapt a bricks and mortar retail strategy for online conversations, why community isn't just a nice-to-have, and the role social plays in new product development and overarching campaigns. If you want to understand how retail brands can win on social without selling online, this one's for you.

On this episode of Social in Six, Mil is joined by Callum Woodbridge, senior creative at SocialChain. Together they cover all the headlines you need to know from the world of social, including TikTok Shop's new feature to get you buying top products, LinkedIn rolling out comment impressions and Pinterest's plan to stop AI images taking over the feed. Plus, two updates from Instagram, including a possible new standalone Reels app and testimonials for Partnership Ads. Finally, they give you the lowdown on a new study that says TikTok is the top media channel for short-term ROI.  Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Retail media is booming, and Very Media Group is making big moves to stay ahead. In this episode, Laura Jones, head of Very Media Group, breaks down how the brand is moving beyond its catalogue roots to create scroll-stopping content, data-driven insights, and collaborations with over 2000 brand partners. Expect to hear about how social slots into the full marketing funnel, why balancing brand and performance is crucial, and what's next for retail media.

Creator-led brands are on the rise, and heritage brands with decades of equity are finding themselves threatened and losing market share. In this episode, social-born brand Tonic Health speaks on the value of using only social, how being an entrepreneur-fronted brand impacts your approach to transparency, and what most brands don't realise they're doing wrong. Expect plenty of candour on what real audiences want, and a welcome reality check on how we can all work to improve and compete with our new competitors.

Last Summer, Kopparberg decided they needed to win back the favour of customers who've turned to trends like craft beer and chicken wine. To do so the brand made an unexpected but genius collaboration with Melanoma Fund, tapping into audiences' interest in skincare and health at peak summer (Kopparberg's time to shine). In this episode, Nancy Dales, brand manager at Kopparberg breaks down the case study of that Summer campaign – what worked, what didn't, and what brands inside and outside of the drinks category can learn from it. Expect to hear the value of physical PR, strategically ignoring social trends, and enabling constant communication amongst your agencies.

Yorkshire Tea is a well-loved social-first brand leading its category in market share – hard to believe when you consider it was once the underdog amongst its multinational competitors. So how did the brand flip the script? By leaning into what made them different: their Northern-ness. In this episode, Dom Dwight, strategy and innovation director at Taylor's of Harrogate, breaks down Yorkshire Tea's approach to social and brand building. Expect insights on the power of consistency, how social went from a novelty to a central part of the brand's media planning, and how Yorkshire Tea is trying to get more Gen Zers popping the kettle on. 

On this episode of Social in Six, SocialChain strategist Chelsea Noronha joins Mil to break down the latest headlines from social. This time that includes: an update on TikTok US, LinkedIn's new video features for desktop users, and YouTube's latest partnership to get you posting Shorts.  Chelsea and Mil also cover two updates from Instagram, including the platform's CapCut clone and some changes to the grid. Finally, they break down how Meta's fact checking program, set to launch next month, will work.  Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Football clubs' social output is a different ball game to traditional B2C brands. As one of the world's most beloved, Manchester City must both use its channels to please die-hard fans whilst enticing the emerging. In this episode, City's head of social media and international content, Paul Handler, tells us what makes their fans tick and how their strategy facilitates that. Expect to learn how to convert passion into engagement, why leveraging your content archive is crucial, and how to proactively keep a reactive mindset.    Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.  

On a special episode of Social in Six, Mil and our creative director Jake are talking all about TikTok's imminent ban in the US. They cover everything that's happened so far, what the short- and long-term impacts of a nationwide ban would be, and what that could mean for the future of social. Plus, they're ensuring your social strategy is prepared for every possible scenario come Monday with some actionable advice for brands. Download our free fact guide for brands here: https://www.socialchain.com/social-minds/industry/the-tiktok-us-ban-everything-you-need-to-know/     Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Pinterest Predicts is the not-yet-trending report that fuels brands and marketers' plans - and consumers' wildest imaginations – every year. And, every year, we sit down with Pinterest's director of marketing for Europe, Louise Richardson, to learn how these trends to be will shape what we wear, eat, dress, decorate with, plan, drive, and experience throughout the next 12 months. No matter your job title, no matter your brand's category, no matter your personal passions – this report is a non-negotiable for you to sink your teeth into. If you want to start and stay ahead of the curve, that is.  You can find Pinterest Predicts 2025 here: https://business.pinterest.com/en-gb/pinterest-predicts/  And access and track Pinterest's wealth of search data and insights all year round right here: https://trends.pinterest.com/

On this episode of Social in Six, Mil and Eve cover two updates from Instagram: a Trials update for Reels, and its latest new features for Broadcast Channels. They also discuss what Australia's social media ban means for brands, how TikTok is allegedly hoping to boost shopping with TikTok Mini apps, and YouTube's latest slate of updates to facilitate brand and creator partnerships on platform with BrandConnect. Finally, they cover an ads update from Meta that gives your Traffic campaigns increased flexibility. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

When the language learning app's owl mascot, Duo, first appeared on our TikTok screens, marketers and audiences alike couldn't look away from the unhinged comedy bits and hilarious community engagement. Now, as Duolingo looks to build on its success and evolve the brand for the future, we sit down with its Regional Marketing Director for Europe & LATAM, Rebeca Ricoy, to learn what the future holds for Duo and the other ensemble cast of characters you interact with on the app. Expect to hear why the brand wasn't shy to embrace its intimidating reputation, how they approach local vs global social, and how social is just one piece of a much larger marketing plan. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

On this episode of Social in Six, Mil and our associate creator director Emma break down two updates from Instagram, including mythbusting on sponsored content and the news that the platform shows less popular videos in lower quality. Elsewhere, TikTok is tinkering with a new shopping integration, and LinkedIn has some tips to get you optimising for mobile. Plus, YouTube wants to make it easier for you to partner with Shorts creators, and finally, microblogging platforms Bluesky and Threads have seen an uptick in usership following the US election. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Only a decade ago, social platforms were purely that: social. But what started out as places for people to connect and catch up with family and friends has now become an altogether different space.   Nowhere is this transformation more evident than TikTok. From entertainment to discovery to search to sale, the explosion of social commerce means TikTok has effectively become a microcosm of the customer journey, launching its ecommerce platform TikTok Shop in 2021.   Hear more tips from Jackie, Hannah and Gareth as they took to the SocialMinds LIVE stage to prepare your brand for the future of social commerce.   Click below to watch the full session with insights including:  How to diversify your digital footprint cost-effectively through testing  Why listing your products on TikTok could be enough to get you started  The benefits of letting influencers work across your sale funnel Download our key takeaways report from SocialMinds LIVE now.

The creator economy is barely twenty years old,
but already, it's dramatically changed the social landscape for brands and marketers. Audiences crave real life, not challenge videos; excessive gifting is seen as out of touch, not aspirational; and TikTok has levelled the playing field by making creators
out of everyday people sharing their stories. But if there's one thing creators know how to do, it's adapt. Creators are testing and learning, leaning into new content formats and features, and even building empires of their own. And old-school influencers
who made a name for themselves on YouTube have diversified their platforms and income streams as their audiences have grown with them. Play back the live podcast now and find out Nat and Amelia's tips for how brands, like creators, can thrive on social amid constant change. Expect to learn: Whether platforms or creators dictate the changes we see on social How to balance staying up to date with trends with creating a sustainable content strategy  Why your brand should be partnering with creators across every social platform  Download our key takeaways report from SocialMinds LIVE now.

This year marks 20 years since Facebook was founded. It's also the year SocialChain celebrated its tenth birthday and welcomed its new CEO Jacinta Faul. Talk about milestone moments. One month into her role, there was no better time for Jacinta to sit down with our CMO Hannah Baker to look back on the past ten years - and pull out some predictions for the future - than at SocialMinds LIVE. For our second Mini Cini session at SocialMinds LIVE: Future Casting Social's Next 20, Jacinta sat down in conversation with our CMO Hannah Baker to give social marketers insight into what the future holds.  Watch the session back now to find out: What Jacinta's learnt from over a decade working at the front lines of digital Why Gen Z talent are the “Swiss Army knives” of our marketing teams What marketers need to do right now to stay ahead next year Download our key takeaways report from SocialMinds LIVE now.

Real people. Real stories. Real moments. Locally created social content can connect with your customers more than generic brand content ever could.    At least, that's the thinking behind Greene King's social strategy. Leveraging its local teams was a mammoth task for the pub chain, which owns over 2,000 pubs and multiple sub-brands across the country. But with over five million fans across its social channels, the UK's biggest pub retailer and brewer is clearly doing something right.   In this episode from SocialMinds Live, discover how you can balance global brand building with leveraging local communities on social, including:  How to empower your employees to be creators   Why you should produce a framework for success (Hint: You don't want local teams sharing memes every day)  What you can do to get buy-in from internal stakeholders    Download our key takeaways report from SocialMinds LIVE now.

Social is no longer just about being social. It's a place where people buy, are entertained, become influenced or even find their dream job. And it's even poised to be a powerful search and discovery channel – look at Search Ads Campaign on TikTok.  With so much change on the horizon, how can marketers make sense of social's evolving role in their broader marketing mix? There's no one better placed to answer this question than the platforms themselves. At SocialMinds LIVE: Future Casting Social's Next 20, senior marketing leaders from TikTok joined Meta and Reddit to discuss what the future feed looks like and how marketers can equip themselves for the next decade of social.   Listen to this epsiode to discover evolving trends and features shaping the future of marketing, including:  Why real people are the influencers of today and tomorrow  How messaging platforms will become hot spots for advertising  The benefits of immersing your brand in niche communities Download our key takeaways report from SocialMinds LIVE now.

Video editing, images and even podcasts. With generative AI tools cropping up for almost every creative skill, there's no doubt AI enables us to work faster.  But that could come at a cost. AI is already making it quick and easy for marketers to get answers, but is it also making us get complacent?   At SocialMinds LIVE, SocialChain strategist Chelsea Noronha and group strategy director Ric Hayes sat down with Brave Bison's director of AI and creative Matt Garbutt to deep-dive on all the practical ways our proprietary AI tool AudienceGPT can challenge us as much as help us, and how we as marketers can balance efficiency with a need to stay curious.   In one of four live podcast sessions at SocialMinds LIVE: Future Casting Social's Next 20, Matt, Ric and Chelsea shared their insights on the practical ways AI can enhance your marketing strategy in 2025 and beyond. Listen to this podcast discover how AI can make you a better marketer with tips including: Why you should prevent simplicity from getting in the way of curiosity  How to tap into an audience's empathy – a superpower we've never had before  What it takes to become a whizz with AI 

Only a decade ago, brands existed on the fringes of social. Now, entire businesses are built and marketed around it. Impressive, right? Even more so when you remember that two decades ago, most social apps we use today hadn't even been invented.   Twenty years on, how are Monzo, Surreal and Lick – three brands who owe a lot of their success to their thriving social channels – integrating this into their wider marketing mix? And how are traditional publishers like ITV Studios adapting to a social-first mindset as the lines between content and broadcast blur?  Catch up with the panel now and you'll learn: Amie's content hack that saved you time creating content and gives you more time building innovative ideas  What ‘brandformance' is and why it's top of the priority list for Surreal's marketing team in 2025  Claire's top tip for your internal teams to make your storytelling shine. You can also watch the full panel over on our website. https://www.socialchain.com/social-minds/insights/the-brand-panel-with-itv-studios-monzo-surreal-and-lick/ Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

This time on Social in Six, Kieran and Mil cover two updates from TikTok, including a keyword search ad update and a new partnership that'll help you get more people shopping in store. They also cover Facebook's facelift to get Gen Z usership on the rise, two new updates from Snapchat, and a surprising update from Instagram. Finally, Pinterest's Halloween report is here to give you inspo for your seasonal cotntent. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

As a platform used by businesses, creatives, entrepreneurs and everybody in between, all over the world, Canva has to create content that shows what the tool is capable of helping others to create, and resonate with international markets who each use the platform differently, for different reasons. Joining us today to speak to Canva's ‘Truly Local' strategy is Lachlan Stewart, Global Social Lead at Canva. In this, he lets us in on the challenges, investments and benefits that have come off the back the brand's all in approach to localised social over the last year – helping you learn the lessons that Canva has alongside them. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast?  Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com. Plus make sure you register for SocialMinds LIVE in Manchester while you can, as places are limited! Just head to socialchain.com/event.

Join us at Ducie Street Warehouse in Manchester on Wednesday 16th October for a day filled to the brim with expert brand speakers, platform workshops, and live podcasts with some of social media's brightest minds. Register for free at socialchain.com/event.

This time on Social in Six, we're back with a very familiar update for YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn's push for more vertical video content, and TikTok's decision to let you edit videos after posting. Plus there are a few key updates to Ads on Facebook and Instagram including better API access for Reminder Ads, and Instagram changes the rules of play for its increasingly popular Broadcast Channels. We're here to simply break it down for you. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Liquid Death only launched in 2019 and has already cemented its place in consumer's hearts and creatives' bucket lists. It's taken the simplest commodity - water - and built a rich universe of personality, creativity and credibility around it, that's turned a product into an entertainment property. In this episode we're joined by Liquid Death's VP of creative, Andy Pearson, who shares with us the creative decisions, crazy brainstorms, and love for comedy which made Liquid Death the third most-followed beverage brand in the world on social. Forget everything you know about advertising. This is a masterclass in redefining what brands can achieve when you throw out the rule book. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com. Download your copy of our latest white paper here.

On today's episode of Social in Six, our associate creator director Emma Lyskava joins our content marketer Mil to break down X's lawsuit against ad safety nonprofit Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and discuss Instagram's analytics changes that put views front and centre. We also cover YouTube's new ad type for livestreams, LinkedIn giving newsletters a boost with paid, a small but handy update from Instagram, and a much-requested TikTok feature. Download your copy of the white paper here. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

“Authentic”. It's one of marketing's biggest buzzwords. Authenticity has become brands' North Star on social, but what does that word actually mean? Our content marketer Melissa Harvey wants to find out. In this episode, Melissa's diving into SocialChain's brand-new white paper Forget Real: Why Brands Should Aim Higher Than Authentic on Social. Together with its contributors, senior creator Eve Young and midweight creator Georgia Hill, they uncover why brands should stop trying to be authentic and start holding themselves accountable instead; why your setbacks shouldn't be swept under the rug; why self-righteousness is failing brands as a creative play; and how you can build genuine community that equates to more than just followers.  Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

On this week's Social in Six, we're sharing the latest on TikTok's answer to virtual influencers: Digital Avatars, and an expansion of its Out of Phone ad placement. We discuss Instagram's exciting addition to Reels regarding audio and an update to its Collab Posts, plus X's decision to introduce downvotes and Pinterest's new AI image editing tool. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

If you saw Jeremy Allen White's Calvin Klein ad, count yourself lucky. It was shared without ALT text, so blind and partially sighted people couldn't join the fun. That was until RNIB schooled us all. Behind every sassy, creative, and inventive post from the Royal National Institute of Blind People is an important message: People with sight loss exist. Social media content manager and previous copywriter for Specsavers' agency, Helen Dutson, and RNIB's social media officer Holly Tuke, who's registered blind are on a mission to show social media that accessible content is achievable, necessary, and rich ground for creativity. In this episode we got a lesson in what scrolling through social is like for someone with sight loss, how to make truly accessible content, who's doing it well, and how platforms can improve their features. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we're joined by SocialChain senior strategist Gareth to break down the top stories circulating in social right now. On the agenda are two updates from Instagram – the first being a test for text overlays and different image ratios in Carousels, and the second being unskippable in-feed video ads. We also discuss TikTok replacing its Creator Centre with new TikTok Studio, X launching new analytics (with a catch), and LinkedIn implementing yet another AI ad tool. Finally we unpack findings from a new Pinterest report, which offers some key insights into getting attention on the platform. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Oatly's punk reputation needs no introduction, but its new media plan does. The brand is scaling up and growing up. So how can Oatly's provocative ads and content stay that way, while it steps into this next, more mature, phase? In this episode we're joined by its Global Media Director, Sarah Sutton, to reveal when brands are over-strategising, why Oatly still won't write TOV guidelines (I know, I know) and how they're approaching social reactive and creator partnerships after watching the rest of us do it first.  Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

A good social strategy should be a lot of things. But the best ones are built around, and for, the fans. Go behind the curtain of a campaign that dominated the FYP page in 2023: SharkNinja's fan-first approach promoting the Ninja Creami on TikTok. And discover how you too can build campaigns that outlast you. Hear from SharkNinja director of social media & influencers, and SocialChain's head of influencer Amelia Wollaston, and senior strategist Gareth Harrison. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Measuring social's effectiveness can be a minefield. We all want to create more effective outcomes for our brands through social, but social media's KPIs often seem disconnected to marketing effectiveness principles. That's what we aim to clarify through this panel discussion – with Ric Hayes, SocialChain group strategy director; Hannah Kimuyu, Brave Bison MD of performance; and Angie French, founder of ALF Consulting. In this, they simplify what it means to know how hard your ads are working – and show you exactly where to start. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

In this instalment of Social in Six, we're joined by SocialChain strategist Kieran Hughes to break down the latest social updates. This time that includes collaboration posts from TikTok, an algorithm change from Instagram, and several new premium ad types from TikTok. We also talk about Meta and TikTok's new crackdown on AI generated content, Instagram's plan to grow Threads' userbase further, and what Adam Mosseri had to say on Reels best practice. Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

What should we, as brands, be doing to make our campaigns more engaging and, ultimately, more effective? There's no one better to ask than those who write the rules of engagement – the platforms themselves. At SocialMinds LIVE 2024 we put three of the major social players around the same table to find out – algorithm be damned - what formats, campaigns and ad solutions really drive engagement on their respective channels. Hear from Tobi Demuren, head of advocacy marketing at LinkedIn; Matthew Siberry, head of home at Pinterest UK; and Molly Rajanathan; agency solutions at Meta. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Join us from the SocialMinds stage in London, as we go behind the scenes of the ODMC (the Oatly Department of Mind Control) to find out what makes a distinctive brand on social. Hear from Sarah Sutton, global media director for the illustrious Oatly, as we learn how vowing to be consistently inconsistent has enabled everyone's favourite oat drink to build reams of brand equity. Plus, listen as your questions get answered in our Q&A section. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

This week on Social in Six, we're talking about Instagram's latest move into collaborative social, with Blend, TikTok's push into shopping ads and search, and YouTube's focus on creator-led shopping. Elsewhere, Facebook's rules for video uploads have changed, while Reddit and LinkedIn both have exciting updates to their ads offering, branching into generative AI, live events, and Connected TV or CTV.  Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Riverside.fm. Click here to try it for yourself, and use the code socialminds to get 15% off any available plan. What we learned this episode: saying people don't care about product-focused posts isn't true. What today's guest says, is they don't care by default. Doesn't mean you can't make them. That guest is John Thornton, senior creative at Surreal and ex-SMM & copywriter at Innocent Drinks. Surreal's product posts and ads make people care - as do Innocent's. So in this episode, we're on a mission to find out how the hell John does it. Why do some brands just *get* how to make their product pop, while other brands are in the trenches? Expect to learn where self-awareness trumps ‘story', why “soft outrage” often equals success, and how you're probably breaking that promise you made to humanise your brand. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at social.minds@socialchain.com https://creators.riverside.fm/SocialMindsPodcast 

SocialMinds Live is back, and we're heading to London! Listen to this quick update to get the lowdown, and be among the first to register your interest to hear Oatly, SharkNinja, American Express and more, in the flesh. To find out more, visit https://www.socialchain.com/event/