The Content Mix Podcast

Can AI transform content creation without replacing human creativity? In the latest episode of The Global Marketer, hosts Shaheen Samavati and Kegan Gates sat down with Naomi Bleakley, Editorial AI and Process Manager at VeraContent, to dive into how AI is reshaping the way we create multilingual content. From integrating tools like ChatGPT to balancing automation with human expertise, Naomi shared fascinating insights on how marketers can embrace AI responsibly while maintaining the creativity and quality that clients expect.

Ready to launch your brand on TikTok? Our latest podcast episode is packed with insights to help you get started! Hosts Shaheen Samavati and Kegan Gates sit down with Paula Uccelli, VeraContent's resident social media expert, to explore what it takes to succeed on the platform. From creating an original voice to navigating trends and localization, Paula shares practical tips to build a strategy that resonates.  

Is it time to incorporate AI video translation into your marketing localization workflow? Today on the podcast, host Shaheen Samavati chats with three professional linguists who work at VeraContent to discuss the current state of AI video translations and voice overs.  After testing HeyGen's AI video translation tool in 12 languages, Irene Zamora, Lara Luig, Liu Jian (Tom) and Shaheen share their thoughts on how well the AI did in transforming our test video (along with incredibly accurate lip syncing) into  Spanish, German, Mandarin and English. During their conversation, they discuss what the tool did well, where it could be improved, the potential it has for use in marketing content, and how it's likely to impact the localization industry.  

Niki Albon has worked with top brands like Google, Samsung, Coca-Cola and 20th Century Fox and huge influencers such as Mr. Beast with 178m subscribers on YouTube. However, he says you don't need a huge budget to get started with influencer marketing. You just need to know your audience, and be strategic about partnering with the right people. If you're considering or already doing influencer marketing, you'll want to hear what Niki has to say on the topic. He built a following of more than 400k followers on his own social channels, before joining award winning agency Cherry Pick Talent, where he advises brands on influencer campaigns.

"Silicon Valley Bank was slow to react on social media, but they also didn't make it easy to understand what was happening through their other communications channels.” - Leigh Dow Last month, we saw an unprecedented reaction to a Twitter frenzy seeing investors and depositors attempting to pull out a staggering $42 billion from Silicon Valley Bank in a single day. What exactly happened, and what role did social media play in the collapse of SVB? Check out our latest podcast episode, where co-host Shaheen Samavati chats with Leigh Dow, CEO of strategic marketing agency 48 West, about what led to the SVB crisis and how their reaction—or non-reaction—could have fueled the rumors. During their conversation, Shaheen and Leigh talk about what went wrong with SVB's crisis communication, how they could have reacted and ways that brands can be better prepared for dealing with a crisis on social media—including three lessons we can learn from SVB.  

The virality of ChatGPT has shown us the massive potential that AI has for improving business functions—including content creation. While we still believe that humans form an essential part of creating effective content marketing, we can't ignore what AI writing tools bring to the table. Check out our latest episode, where co-host Shaheen Samavati chats with Marty Englander, an expert in using AI for business processes, about his experience using ChatGPT and other AI writing tools. During their conversation, Marty shares his insights on how businesses can take advantage of AI tools, how to know which ones are worth trying out and why it's best to start getting familiar with AI tools now.

“You want around a 90/10 split in terms of how much value you're giving vs. how much you're trying to sell your services.” In today's podcast episode, co-host Kyler Canastra chats with freelance marketer, Josh Saxon, about how to use content marketing to get more leads for your business. Tune in for the full conversation as they talk about when to use paid vs. organic content, different types of lead magnets and the importance of tracking your content. Josh also shares his top tip for where brands should start using content marketing to generate qualified leads.

You don't need industry experts to write high-quality thought leadership content. You need good writers who know how to ask the right questions. In today's podcast episode, co-hosts Shaheen Samavati and Kyler Canastra chat about sourcing expertise for B2B content creation, particularly for creating thought leadership content in niche industries. Tune in for the full conversation as they share more about VeraContent's processes for sourcing knowledge and interviewing experts.

With so many moving parts, the key to creating a lot of good content—and being consistent—is having airtight processes. In our latest podcast episode, co-hosts Shaheen Samavati and Kyler Canatra share their experience and insights around developing processes to successfully create content at scale. Tune in to learn more about selecting and evaluating writers, creating solid briefs, setting up content calendars and establishing strong communication and editing processes.

Have you ever thought about writing a book? If your answer is yes, you'll want to tune into today's podcast episode. Co-host Shaheen Samavati chats with Stacy Ennis, a best-selling author, book coach and speaker, about the process behind writing a book and how it's the ultimate form of content marketing. During their conversation, they chat about where to start the book-writing process, how writing a book helps you produce more marketing content and the different options of writing and publishing.

When launching into new international markets, when is it possible to translate existing content, and when do you need to create entirely unique content? There's no clear-cut answer, as it really comes down to your business strategy.  For more insights on the topic, tune in to our latest podcast episode, where co-hosts Shaheen Samavati and Kyler Canastra chat about marketing localization, translation and transcreation—including what each process involves, when you need it and when it's better to create fresh content.

Remote work has been a part of our company culture from the very start of VeraContent in 2016. It's something that's worked really well for us and has played a significant role in how we've grown our business. Our latest podcast episode features co-hosts Shaheen Samavati and Kyler Canastra sharing their personal experience and insights on managing remote teams. Their conversation touches on the advantages and challenges of virtual work environments, what makes VeraContent successful at remote work and how to build long-lasting relationships with international freelancers, plus a few tips to avoid “virtual burnout.”

“Our company's name ‘Vera' comes from the Latin term meaning ‘true,' as we wanted to get across the high level of rigorousness we put into ensuring that everything we publish is true and accurate.” We hold high editorial standards on every piece of content we put out—both internally and for our clients. That's why we're so obsessed with having documented and structured editorial processes in place. Check out our latest podcast episode as co-hosts Shaheen Samavati and Kyler Canastra share their insights on the importance of having strong editorial processes for your team to follow. During their conversation, they talk about the level of editing required in corporate marketing, how to uphold high-quality standards and a look into VeraContent's very own editorial process.

“Automation offers time-saving right off the bat, which is immediately a positive ROI.” In today's podcast episode, co-hosts Shaheen Samavati and Kyler Canastra chat with James Scherer, VP of growth sales at Codeless, about automating and streamlining content creation. Tune in to learn how AI tools can help accelerate your content production, including examples of the tools they use at Codeless.

“Social media platforms are like the motorway to your goals. Your content is the car and paid ads are the fuel.” In today's podcast episode, VeraContent's new head of project management, Joana Aina Sánchez, chats with co-hosts Shaheen Samavati and Kyler Canastra about paid social media campaigns. Tune in to learn about why all brands—big and small—should consider investing in paid social ads and what type of content works best on each platform.

In our latest podcast episode, Kyler Canastra chats with our very own senior content editor and community manager, Meag Gardner, about all things creative translation. Their conversation touches on why more and more brands today need translation services, the most important steps in the translation process, how to translate highly creative texts, why translators should use CAT tools, and much more.

When launching a global social media strategy, how do you know which regions and content to focus on? Can you repurpose your content, or should it all be created from scratch? And how many global social media accounts should you even have? Check out our latest podcast episode as Kyler Canastra and Shaheen Samavati of VeraContent chat with Adriana Carles, head of content and social media at Ladenzeile, answering all of the above questions—and more!   You can also read a recap of their conversation in this blog post:

Tune in to hear expert tips on how to launch successful global marketing campaigns in this interview with three Lisbon-based content marketers: Kyler Canastra of VeraContent, Mário Costa of MANZ and Allan Formigoni of WeTravel. They stress the importance of understanding your audience's nuanced language, connecting with locals and finding the right channels to reach them. They also discuss how to adapt your content campaigns to local markets—whether you're a startup on a tight budget or a global brand with plenty of resources.

“I believe brands are built on content nowadays. You need content as a brand.” Brazil-native Thiago Kiwi has built a career in content, first as a journalist and now as a content marketer. Thiago is also extremely passionate about education and development, having worked for various brands like the London School of Business and Global University Systems. Thiago's current role as the head of marketing and communications at Headspring, a joint venture by Financial Times and IE University, reflects his love for learning and his dedication to providing educational opportunities to individuals around the globe. Tune in for the full episode as Thiago chats with Kyler Canastra about his career journey, building a brand from scratch and the importance of education and development—plus loads more.

Louise McFetridge's love for the English language and writing started at school, where she enjoyed writing poetry and stories. She was also a huge fan of magazines, which led her to get a journalism degree. Louise's passion for writing later transpired into a career in digital marketing, starting as a copywriter and working her way up to her current role as the head of content and digital PR at Greenlight, a full-service digital and commerce agency in London. Tune in for the full interview as Louise chats with Kyler Canastra about her career journey from journalist to digital marketer, plus her tips for managing a team and working with clients.

“Content marketing can be time-consuming, and it can be difficult to make it local and relevant. So you have to have an overall strategy about what you're trying to achieve.” For Lauren Pedersen, CMO at Airthings, that overall strategy is to educate and create awareness around the importance of air quality. Airthings is a Norwegian-founded manufacturer of radon detectors and indoor air quality monitors—and their main concern is ensuring that people across the world are aware of the concerns around air quality and sustainability. Tune in for this week's episode as Kyler Canastra chats with Lauren about her background of working with agency and startup teams, the role of education-based marketing in startups and how she manages her teams, plus loads more!

“Be humble and be close to your customers and colleagues. Listen to people because this is the only way you can be a better human and a better professional.” In today's podcast interview, Mário Costa, communications director at MANZ in Portugal, and former brand manager at Metro AG in Germany, shares key tips that he learned while coordinating content campaigns for 26 countries, as well as insights from working at a call center at Vodafone. Tune in as Mário chats with Kyler Canastra about his career journey, key advice, role models, and much more.

Today's guest has nearly 15 years of experience marketing a product that we all loveーchocolate! German-native Annika Engelbrecht has held various marketing roles across Europe and Asia at famous chocolate brands Lindt & Sprüngli and Pernigotti. Annika recently switched from chocolate to basketball, as she's currently helping the Italian basketball team, Pallacanestro Varese, to reposition their brand and build a marketing plan. Tune in for the full episode as Annika chats with Kyler Canastra about her marketing career, the importance of storytelling and positive emotions in selling chocolate and her multicultural experienceーplus loads more.

“It's only scary for the first two months, and then it becomes easy.” If you're thinking about making a career change to marketing, our latest episode will inspire you to make the jump. Estefania Veira is currently the marketing campaign director for Clyde & Co, a London-based global law firm. But she started her career in the film industry as a screenwriter, editor and distributor in her home country, Argentina. Tune in for the full episode as Estefania chats with Kyler Canastra about her move to London and her journey from film to marketing—including starting her own talent management agency where she ended up developing a passion for marketing.

“People follow people, and in our case, they follow travel experts.” The pandemic has turned the travel industry upside down and, as it's starting to recover, marketing teams at travel companies have had to find new ways to adapt. For European travel search platform HolidayPirates, they've taken on the role of being the “helping hand” for travelers during the pandemic—from sharing up-to-date and accurate news on travel restrictions to sharing their real-life travel experiences with their latest campaign, Pirates on Tour. Tune in for today's episode on the podcast as Carlo Speth, chief editor of the DACH region for HolidayPirates, chats with Kyler Canastra about travel marketing during the pandemic, how he got into the industry, his style of leadership and insights on the importance of storytelling in marketing.

“The trick as a CMO is not getting in the way and knowing when to let people deliver.” When you're leading a global team of 70+ higher education marketing experts, trust in your team is pivotal. As the CMO at QS Quacquarelli Symonds, Tim Edwards makes sure to be available as support but to not get in the way of his team. Tune in to our latest episode as Tim chats with Kyler Canastra about his career in higher education marketing, how he still uses his degree in history, ancient languages and religion, how QS has become the most trusted global leader in the higher education sector, as well as his advice for leading a global marketing team.

Euan Brown has an impressive marketing career, having worked with top brands like the BBC, The Walt Disney Company and Coca-Cola. Now Euan is the head of digital and content at Virgin Red, Virgin's new rewards club. Tune in for the full interview as Euan chats with Kyler Canastra of VeraContent about his 20-year career journey, including working on the Coca-Cola London 2012 Olympic Games campaign and the Share a Coke campaign, among many others.

“Learning has no age. Don't be afraid of learning from someone older or younger than you are.” For Egypt-native Nermeen Habashy, learning and keeping up with the latest business and marketing developments is part of her daily routine. As the head of content quality and SEO at B.TECH, the largest retailer in Egypt, she's in charge of leading two teams, both of which focus on creating high-quality content based on their customer and where they are in their buying journey with the brand. Tune in to our latest episode on The Content Mix podcast, as Nermeen chats with Kyler about the importance of high-quality content for SEO and what it's like to target different markets in the Middle East─plus a great list of resources for learning about SEO!

As a kid, UK-native Stuart Cording was always crazy about electronics and programming. So much so that every year he'd read the 650-page catalog by Maplin Electronics (sadly closed now) and practically memorize all the components by heart.  This passion led Stuart to dedicate his career to technical marketing in the electronics industry, working for large semiconductor vendors such as Texas Instruments (formerly National Semiconductor).  Today, Stuart helps his clients through his own consulting company Stuart Cording, and he's also a freelance tech journalist who writes regularly for Elektor Magazine and has his own show on LinkedIn #throughthecableroll.  Tune in to our interview with Stuart and Kyler Canastra to learn more about his career as a tech marketing consultant, plus a great list of book recommendations!

This week's guest on the podcast, Vittoria Gambirasi, has traveled extensively around Europe and worked in various roles from export manager to marketing director (plus a few in between). She also speaks five languages, holds an EMBA and even owns a luxury resort in Croatia (@WeLoveRovinj)! Tune in as Vittoria chats with Kyler Canastra about her career path, including over 12 years at Nestle, and how she landed her current role as the marketing director at IMD Business School, based in Switzerland.

“Being safe with your content and not taking risks is probably the worst thing you can do.” Today's guest on the podcast is all about taking risks and creating disruptive content for brands looking to challenge the status quo. London-based Rory McEntee is the brand and marketing director at Gymbox—a fitness company offering London's most unique exercise classes. Tune in as Rory chats with Kyler about Gymbox's content marketing philosophy and why they create content that aims to entertain rather than convert sales. Listen to the full episode for more insights on creating disruptive but not offensive content, where Rory gets his inspiration from and his take on the importance of taking risks in your career.

“You have to make content that is digestible for people, even if it's hard and unique data.” This week's episode on the podcast dives deep into the world of content marketing with Adriana Carles, head of content and social media at Visual Meta. Among the main takeaways that we got from the interview is the importance of respecting the content marketing process and creating content that's truly relevant. Tune in for the full conversation as Adriana chats with Kyler Canastra about her perspective on content marketing, how she manages a creative team, adapting to living and working in different countries and where she finds her inspiration, among other insightful topics.

Today's guest on the podcast is all about being courageous, taking risks and letting her passion drive her career. With a background in design and having worked on both the creative agency and client-side of marketing, Hayley Collingswood brings her passion for branding to every project she works on. Tune in as Hayley chats with Kyler Canastra about her extensive marketing experience along with her current role at travel management company Ventur, taking risks in marketing and the importance of stepping away from work. 

In today's interview, we speak with Daniela Klein, content marketing manager at Trusted Shops, a German-based company offering trust-building services to online shops and their customers throughout Europe. Learn how Trusted Shops use content marketing to foster trust among their audience by educating online shoppers around online shopping security. Tune in as Kyler Canastra chats with Daniela about the different roles she's had in content marketing so far, the importance of being flexible, and more about her role at Trusted Shops.

“Don't study marketing, study anything that you're passionate about and then bring that passion to marketing.” Today's guest on the podcast, Gastón Tourn, is a huge believer in formal education, but only in things that you're passionate about. With a degree in communications, an MBA in marketing and a master's degree in creative writing (and another in software engineering in the works), Gastón is no stranger to diversifying his education. In this interview, Gastón chats with Kyler Canastra about his diverse educational and professional background, and how it's helped him in his marketing career where he is currently the CMO at Appear Here, a global marketplace for retail space.

“Drop perfection. Just keep it simple and get on with it.” For Ant Martland, co-founder and marketing director of Dubai's leading fitness chain GymNation, this message underpins a lot of what he's done throughout his successful career. It's also one of his top pieces of advice—don't overcomplicate things. Check out the full conversation with Ant and Kyler Canastra to hear all of his great insights into the world of sports marketing and why giving back to the community is so important.

What's the best way to optimize your LinkedIn profile and network?  Find out the answer in today's interview, as expert social seller Oliver S. Bauer from Allianz Global Investors shares solid advice on getting the most out of LinkedIn. Oliver also explains the ins and outs of social selling, as well as how to empower sales teams in today's digital environment. Pro tip: Rather than creating so many of your own LinkedIn posts, it's better to add valuable comments to other people's posts. And make sure to share a mix of personal and fun content, too—not just business. That's why they call it social! Tune in as Oliver and Kyler Canastra chat about the best tools, tips and techniques for LinkedIn and social selling. You won't want to miss it!

“There is such a thing as good timing, but there's also such a thing as making excuses. Just do it.” In today's interview, agency co-owner and self-proclaimed “digital hustler” Andrea Aldana speaks about her path to becoming an entrepreneur. After working for several marketing agencies and as a freelancer on Upwork, she recently launched her own company, Expulso. Tune in to this engaging interview as Andrea and Kyler Canastra, who happen to be friends, share their personal stories and sound advice on how to be a successful marketer in today's world.

”You don't speak to people in Russia like you would to people in Brazil. Everything has to be adapted to local markets, from the content to the channels. And this is what we are after.” Tune in to our recent interview with Paris-based Bertrand Serrano, who speaks with Kyler Canastra about his career as an agency co-owner and now marketing manager at Danone. Highlights include the importance of creating locally relevant content, understanding the fundamentals of marketing, and why keeping an eye on your long-term strategy while delivering short-term results is critical.

In today's interview, Sorana Duca sits down with Kyler Canastra to share her top insights from over 12 years' experience in content marketing across Europe and the US. A marketing and PR professional who speaks five languages, Sorana delves into how she ended up focusing on marketing in the charitable sector and became a founding member of the UK-based MarketingKind community, which brings together marketers, brands and causes to create positive change. Tune in as Sorana chats with Kyler about everything from product marketing and localization to why we should use content marketing for the greater good. You won't want to miss it!

Having grown up in Dubai and worked in London for over a decade, Nilofar has a truly unique perspective on marketing in Europe and the Middle East—from both a consumer and marketer's point of view. Tune in to this insightful interview as Nilofar, who's currently Senior Marketing Manager at Charles Taylor InsureTech, sits down with Kyler Canastra of VeraContent to share her firsthand experiences and advice with others in the industry. Nilofar also stresses the importance of strategizing your social media marketing campaigns in advance, choosing the right platform for your business, and not being afraid to test different ideas.

“Success is a habit—nobody is successful just by talent.” According to Davide Pagliaro, global marketing expert with 20 years' experience, you need to have a true passion for what you do and a structured routine if you want to be successful in your career and your life. Tune in to today's insightful interview as Italy-based Davide sits down with Kyler Canastra to discuss content marketing in the medical device industry, having worked for Johnson & Johnson, Baxter and now Merit Medical. Davide also speaks about the benefits of living and working abroad, key tips for industry professionals, and why cooking is a great way to relieve stress.

If you want to get closer to your audience, then you need to regionalize your content.  And working with local influencers is one of the most effective ways to do so, according to Amsterdam-based Livia Gonçalves, who has been working in international marketing, with a focus on fashion, for over a decade in her native Brazil and in Europe.  Livia was PR & Communications Manager at Crocs EMEA before landing her current role as Global Marketing Manager at Scotch & Soda.  Tune in to today's interview as Livia chats with Kyler Canastra about the best ways to lead teams, build buzz around your brand, collaborate with people across disciplines, and reach regional audiences. 

Making a real impact on practitioners' daily lives is the most rewarding part of André da Silveira's job.  As EMEA Senior Product Marketing Manager at GE Healthcare Digital, André explains how the company's content and digital solutions provide value to their target audience, which should always be our ultimate goal as content marketers. Tune in to today's podcast interview as André sits down with Kyler Canastra to also discuss why all marketers should understand value proposition design, outcome-based marketing, and how to make PowerPoints correctly.

If you want your content to reach the right audience, SEO alone isn't enough. Search engine optimization is only effective when it's incorporated into great content that's displayed on a great website. That's why collaboration among SEO specialists, content creators and web developers is key to successful content marketing. In this week's episode, Jake Peterson, SEO specialist at Atiba, shares with Kyler G. Canastra his best practices for SEO and provides valuable advice for those looking to take their web content to the next level.

“We live in a world where a lot of things happen at scale, especially in marketing and sales. And it's very easy to forget who's on the other side—people turn into numbers instead of being actual people.” Tune in to today's episode featuring Jeroen Corthout, co-founder of Salesflare, who sits down with Kyler G. Canastra to discuss the importance of focusing on the end user in any marketing or sales campaign. Learn how Jeroen and his team fine-tuned their content marketing strategy to help Salesflare become a leading CRM solution for startups worldwide.

Mickael Bensassi, marketing manager at greatcontent in Berlin, and Vikrant Agrawal, one of the organization's co-CEOs, both started working together at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Combining their experience in marketing and business development, the duo have been integral in the success of greatcontent's online platform, which provides users with a talent database of 30,000 linguists working all over the world. In today's episode, Mickael and Vikrant join Kyler Canastra to discuss the importance of creating content that is more than just SEO keywords, and how companies and brands need to engage their audiences with content that is worthwhile. They also explain why it's essential to have the right team behind your content—especially linguists who live and work in your target market.

“It's not only a marketer's job to project the voice of the company externally, but also internally; you've got to enable your teams on what the latest programs are going on.” Listen in as Rob McGlanaghy sits down with Kyler Canastra to discuss the importance of a human-centered approach to marketing campaigns, and how this is essential to his work at TIBCO. Rob also shares a few of his personal hacks to increase productivity and motivate his team members to push themselves and learn together!

Do you want to go back to the office? Or do you prefer working from home? These are questions that you should really ask yourself, according to Maya Middlemiss, author and founder of Healthy Happy Homeworking. Just because things are opening back up again doesn't mean that commuting and office life are ideal for everyone. Take this opportunity to think about what you want—whether that means working from a co-working space, your living room or a new city! Tune in to today's interview as Maya chats with Shaheen Samavati about setting boundaries to make remote-work life enjoyable and sustainable, plus the future of the workplace and exciting shifts in society.

“The best stories come from speaking with other people,” says Avinash Srivastava, product and content marketing specialist at global fintech enterprise SaaS company HighRadius. In today's episode, Avinash joins Shaheen Samavati to talk about the most important things he's learned throughout his journey in marketing—especially when it comes to telling great stories and leveraging those from others. Avinash also offers tips for navigating the challenges of marketing when you're not physically located in the markets you're working in, plus great advice for those just breaking into the industry.