Anneleen Vaes

Category: Blog

  • My favorite content ATM

    My favorite content ATM

    Although I’m currently less chronically on TikTok as I’m used to, I did spot some content that stopped me in my doom scrolling session.

    Angine de poitrine

    I can’t seem to escape this odd duo on my FYP and the good news is that I don’t want to. I said it before and I’ll say it again: in an era were AI slop is taking over our feeds and playlists, authenticity is key.

    And these artists have seemed to crack the code with their microtonal looping and paper-maché masks. To me, the music is reminiscent of Primus, while the look reminds me of an exaggerated version of Buckethead. I dig it! And seems I’m not the only one: they’ve taking the internet and our playlists by storm and are selling out their upcoming tour in a jiff.

    @off_tlmep Le duo @Angine de poitrine interprète sur le plateau de Tout le monde en parle la pièce Fabienk, tirée du nouvel album Vol. II, qui sortira le 3 avril. #tlmep #anginedepoitorine ♬ original sound – Tout le monde en parle

    Gover Meit, CEO of HEMA

    Just like a dozen before him, Dutch comedian Gover Meit gained popularity over here because of the Flemish TV show “De Slimste Mens ter Wereld”. Based on the clips I caught on TikTok, the man is weird AF. But it definitely works for him, as he’s currently on a theater tour throughout Flanders and has been named CEO of HEMA Belgium. Well, at least on social media. 😅

    The brand dropped a video on April 1 (no surprise there) declaring Gover their new CEO. And that change of the guards brought along a fever dream of marketing and business ideas, like a HEMA amusement park, or HEPA, a HEMA for dads. It’s completely unhinged, but it both suits the comedian and the platform. So good job, HEMA, and please release a few more of these vids, cause it’s too good to just be an April fool’s joke.

    @hemabelgie Das goed nieuws. 👔  #HEMA ♬ origineel geluid – HEMA.be

    InStyle’s The Intern

    Haven’t we always been lowkey obsessed with the behind-the-scenes of a magazine? I mean, if the success and sequel of The Devil Wears Prada proves anything …

    InStyle, a fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazine, ran with that and turned it into a content format. With a twist though, because the (scripted) series focuses heavily on Gen Z’s peculiar views on work culture. The result? Not the typical bouji fashion content you would expect from a magazine, but a set of hilarious videos that you want to binge. I mean, turning a bathroom into an exclusive club and denying access based on follower count or outfits? So over-the-top that it just works.

    @instyle InStyle is proud to be an inclusive and non-discriminatory workplace, but when it comes to bad shoes, we have a zero-tolerance policy. Seeking solace from oppressive fluorescent lights in the gender-neutral bathroom, our content experts, Interns @halley & @jaz transformed the space into a vibey members’ club with a dress code that changes as quickly as the current trend cycle. Ugly-cute dad shoes? Only if it’s in an @SSENSE way. No password required, just don’t make anyone say “what are thooooooose?!” DM @INSTYLE for a referral to Loo House and watch all episodes of THE INTERN starring Halley & Jaz at the highlights on our profile now. 🩵🩷 Showrunner @actuallyjonathanborge Editor-In-Chief @Sally Holmes Social Media Director @taylor ford Director @Justine Manocherian Supervising Producer @frankboccia Supervising Producer @amy_lorenc Producer @saharapagan ♬ original sound – InStyle Magazine
    Want more of my insights on content? Check out my thoughts on W’s content series inspired by The White Lotus.
  • Hi brands, let’s ditch the gazillion hashtags on IG, shall we?

    Hi brands, let’s ditch the gazillion hashtags on IG, shall we?

    Over the past few months, I’ve analysed tons of local brands’ Instagram accounts. And one thing most of them have in common? An overkill of hashtags. So let’s put the record straight: in 2026 we’re prioritising keywords over hashtags. So please, please, please, cool it on the hashtags.

    Why I never was the biggest fan of hashtags

    Look, I get it. At one point, every so-called growth hacker preached that flooding your posts with as many “relevant” hashtags as possible granted you overnight success. And sure, it might have boosted your numbers for a second, but what’s the real value of vanity metrics like followers and likes? Especially coming from people that aren’t part of your target demographic and have no real interest in your brand. Because, let’s face it, this technique was especially loved by engagement farms.

    Not to say that I never use(d) hashtags. In fact, when they first became a thing, I contemplated how to use them strategically in my texts. As someone who loves snackable content, I didn’t like implementing the hashtags within the text, as it broke the flow of the copy in my opinion. And adding them at the bottom of the copy also felt forced to me. That’s why I always tried to minimize the amount of hashtags.

    On top of that, hashtags on Instagram were not optimized for search. As a social media manager, I often had to look for very specific content on the platform. And specific content also means specific keywords (think: fails from Belgians for example). But the thing is, you couldn’t combine separate hashtags in your search. And that made those searches impossible.

    What’s up with social SEO?

    Somewhere along the way, we started using social media as a search engine. In fact, research has shown that 67% of Gen Z’ers use Instagram for their search queries, while 62% use TikTok. So the platforms had to change accordingly. And I’m happy about that, cause that means that those specific searches aren’t impossible anymore. And that the platforms fit our behaviour more organically.

    But how does social SEO work exactly? In essence, there are three parts to social SEO:

    • First of, optimize your profile for search. This means making sure every field of your profile is filled in and organically includes relevant keywords. This in itself is low-hanging fruit for most brands, as in my experience most brand bios are as vague as possible.
    • Next, improve your content for search. From captions, to on-screen and spoken text: all of these components are important for discoverability. Keyword research can help you find relevant terms to include. I mainly use Google’s keyword planner, Google trends and AnswerThePublic for this.
    • Lastly, accessibility also plays an important part in SEO. So be sure to provide a short but descriptive alt text for your post and include the main keyword. Not too many brands are investing in accessibility right now, so again, this is an easy win. Btw, don’t just assume you don’t need it because you’re posting on a visual platform. This excludes users with a visual impairment and that’s not okay. I literally had a discussion with a lead on this topic once and it’s flat out discrimination.

    So is this the end of hashtags?

    No, not exactly. But it is the end of flooding your posts with irrelevant hashtags. In fact, Instagram’s Adam Mosseri has stated that hashtags won’t help your reach and using generic hashtags can even hurt the performance of your post. So niche is the way to go, as well as minimizing the amount of hashtags to 3 or 5. After all, hashtags still serve a purpose for categorization. But please, do me one favour. Unless you’re Coca Cola or Apple, avoid branded hashtags at all costs.

    The conclusion? Hashtags are out, social SEO is in, so change gears accordingly. Complete your profile with relevant keywords, prioritise discoverability in your content, add alt text and be sparse with the hashtags.

    Want more social media tips? Check out how to manage your community during a crisis and what not to do.

  • How I use AI in my creation process

    How I use AI in my creation process

    The AI slop on my feeds is getting out of hand. And I’m talking about uninspired trash that almost no human touched. Take YouTube for example: recently I was on the hunt for sound effects and the top results were AI generated videos with non-matching SFX on them. 1 word: horrible.

    That being said, I’m not against using AI when creating content. The truth is, I’m an avid user of AI myself. The difference? Intention and craft. There is a time and place to use AI, in my opinion. So let me walk you through how I use AI as a tool, not a shortcut in my creation process.

    1. Concept visuals

    Before AI, I used to spend tons of time in the concepting phase looking for the perfect images to visualize my concepts. Thanks to AI, I cut down on time for that part of the process, which I now spend on refining my concepts even more. A win-win, if you ask me.

    Another thing I recently started experimenting with is AI workflows. This allows you to combine multiple AI models together in one. I use it to go from a loose concept to a full-on video storyboard in no time.

    2. Text

    After writing my copy, I use AI as a proof reader. Having an extra set of eyes on your copy never hurts and the fact that I can now quickly get feedback on basic grammar and spelling is perfect.

    Claude

    3. Photography

    In Lightroom, I use the occasional AI feature to enhance my photos, primarily focussing on the AI masking options. I still prefer to do the heavy lifting myself when it comes to editing and color grading my pics, instead of letting AI do the creative work.

    On top of that, when a pic isn’t framed ideally, I like to use generative fill in Photoshop to solve that problem.

    4. Graphic design

    Yes, AI does have its place in the design process, but you need to be strategic about it. The main way I use it, is when a design calls for a more fantastical approach. Like putting a car in a futuristic setting. Generating those types of background in Nano Banana or Midjourney works like a charm.

    But whenever a design requires a realistic, human approach, I try to steer clear from AI. Viewers aren’t dumb and can spot AI from a mile away, so this is the perfect example of when you shouldn’t be using it.

    5. Videography

    I’m definitely still in the learning phase when it comes to videography. And lighting is one area where I still have room to grow. So I use conversational AI like ChatGPT or Gemini as my gaffer, by simply asking how to place my lights to get the end result I’m after. This way I can quickly start shooting, while also learning how to tackle lighting correctly in the future.

    6. Editing

    When editing in Premiere Pro or After Effects, I use AI to get rid of distracting elements in my video. Meaning generative fill (in Photoshop) if that part of the video isn’t moving, or Runway/Kling when that distracting element is a dynamic part of the video. I apply the same method if the framing of my video isn’t quite there. Or if I don’t have enough footage, I have used Runway or Kling to animate one of the many pictures I did take.

    Within Premiere Pro, I also use the voice enhance feature to enhance the dialogues and voiceovers I record for my videos.

    And lastly, I’m a big fan of the speech-to-text feature that both Premiere Pro and Capcut have. It makes adding subtitles quite an easy task.

    Voice enhancer in Premiere Pro

    7. Voiceovers

    Gone are the days that adding voiceovers to your work is a costly process for which you have to cast actors. I’ve both used HeyGen and ElevenLabs to add voiceovers to my work. Of course, you do need to do some finetuning to get the tone-of-voice just right. But even that part of the process has become so much easier as the tools evolve by the minute.

    So yeah, I’m not against using AI in content creation. But I use it to enhance my process, not to replace my creative input. AI allows me to work smarter and faster, but the creative decisions, the concepts and final touches are mine. And that’s exactly what seperates good content from AI slop.

    Want more of my creative input? Check out my recent videography adventure in which I filmed a cheesecake disaster.

  • Bye influencer trips, hi community trips

    Bye influencer trips, hi community trips

    Gone are the days that brands took influencers out on lavish brand trips, that generated more drama than brand love. Nowadays brands are taking the people who really matter on those trips: their community.

    The good old blogging days

    Yes, influencers used to be just like you and me. Well, we called them bloggers back then. They were just passionate about a certain topic and wrote about their experience on that topic. That led to honest reviews about for example the newest eyeshadow palette. But once brands started to catch on, sponsored posts became a thing and influencers started making serious money, honesty and relatability went out of the door.

    Now, having been a blogger myself, I can confirm that brands play it dirty. I had several brands ask me to not disclose that I was paid for a post. Or to take out the word sponsor after the fact. Which I refused to do. Just to say, it’s not all on the creator.

    Moving to a community-first approach

    That being said, I am a fan of this evolution where loyal customers are being invited on these trips and exclusive events. Because ultimately, they are your real brand ambassadors.

    L’Oréal for example recently took six of their loyal customers on a ski trip in promotion of a bunch of their products (full disclosure: the brand did also invite influencers and press on this trip). The trip included the launch of the new hydrogel face mask during their flight to the ski area. They also slid down the mountain in a toboggan, designed like the newest version of their iconic Telescopic mascara. And topped it off with a pop-up hair salon for après-ski proof hair with the Elvive Collagen Lifter range.

    So why exactly am I such a fan of this community-first approach?

    • You’re shifting brand perception: taking real customers on the trip shows your brand values the people that actually buy your products, not the ones with the biggest following.
    • You’re building authentic advocacy: when those six lucky customers post about their experience, it’s coming from genuine enthusiasm, not because they are contractually obligated.
    • You’re tackling multiple stages of the funnel: while the customers take care of trust in the conversion phase, the influencers on the trip deliver reach in the awareness phase.
    • You’re turning FOMO into motivation: unlike having a massive following, joining a brand community is something any customer can do. That FOMO actually drives engagement rather than resentment.

    Belgian brands honing in on community-first

    But community-first doesn’t stop at exclusive trips. Belgian brands are proving you can build genuine connection without a ski resort budget. Radio station Studio Brussel taps into their listeners during festival season with a dedicated WhatsApp group. Why? Because festivals are all about experience and atmosphere. And the best way to capture that is through the people actually living it. In the group, StuBru asks listeners to share their festival pics, tips and moments. They use this input as content for their socials, essentially turning their listeners into co-creators.

    Another brand taking a community-first approach is Dagelijkse Kost. The TV show has its own Facebook group, where viewers can share their own spin on a recipe, transforming passive viewership into a two-way culinary conversation. Home cooks inspire each other and become ambassadors for the show in the process.

    Want to read the benefits of a community-first approach for your own brand? The good news is you don’t need a ski trip. Check out my spin on these 6 Pinterest Predicts trends, one of which is perfect for a community-first campaign.

  • Hootsuite’s collaboration with ICE is not a good look

    Hootsuite’s collaboration with ICE is not a good look

    So yesterday I opened my LinkedIn to find out that social media management platform Hootsuite is collaborating with ICE. Yes, that ICE. You know, the one using brutal force to detain and deport immigrants in the US. This collaboration definitely is … a choice.

    Back in the day, when there was still such a thing as a free tier on social media management platforms and I was working at Graspop, I was an avid user of Hootsuite. But the platform has become more costly each year, so I haven’t used it in a while. I’m still a consumer of their content and blog though.

    So I must say, this move leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Especially for a brand that uses the claim: “Transform social for good”. I do get, from a purely financial point of view, a contract with ICE is interesting for Hootsuite. I mean, landing a multi-year public tender? That’s a major win. Well, disregarding the fact that ICE is a vile instance.

    But while it might be interesting financially, in terms of optics, it’s not. My LinkedIn feed for example is filled with posts from thought leaders in the social media space that are outraged by this move and are urging decision makers and B2B influencers to reconsider using the tool. A move that can hurt Hootsuite … yeah, you guessed that right, financially.

    It’s a good thing the company has a social listening tool at their disposal to immediately tackle this crisis though. But the question is, how exactly are they going to tackle this crisis? Cause the truth is, Hootsuite has been in the same boat before. You see, back in 2020, they already landed the ICE contract. But they decided to back out of that contract because of employee backlash. And that’s what makes this an extra weird choice. It’s not like ICE’s perception has gotten any better since then.

    Brand scandals

    But there’s a bigger discussion here. We all know Hootsuite isn’t the only company making questionable business choices. With public discourse, activism and brand reputation so deeply intertwined, this begs the question why companies aren’t being more strategic in their decisions. Because consumers are pretty vocal about the brands they do and don’t support and why. And it’s often the marketing team that has to deal with the backlash of those types of decisions. Decisions that were probably made above their heads (and pay grade). So no, it’s not just about the money. Because bad optics can hurt you more than missing out on a contract.

    Want more on brands in crises? How about KLM messing up their community management during the recent snowfall chaos?

  • Snow, cancelled flights and deleted comments: 3 words that describe KLM’s week

    Snow, cancelled flights and deleted comments: 3 words that describe KLM’s week

    In case you missed it, last week, it finally started snowing in the Benelux. Reaching its climax this Wednesday, we were blessed with a solid 15 cm of white powder (no, not the snorting kind). The thing is, the Benelux and snow don’t mix well. In Belgium that usually means tons of traffic jams, with the occasional accident, issues with public transport and all in all, a good excuse to work from home. 😉 But in the Netherlands, this time around, it meant cancelled flights and that’s something that airline carrier KLM won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

    No, you can’t control the weather. But what you can control is the way you communicate about the impact that weather has on your business. And when it comes to a crisis, social media is one thing you shouldn’t lose track of.

    And this is where KLM should have done better. As of Monday, the airline carrier had to cancel more than 1600 flights. Granted, they did communicate through their website and the press, and I’m pretty sure they did keep their customers up to date through mail as well. Plus, my guess is their customer service will be working overtime ATM.

    Reactions KLM crisis

    But on their public social profiles, it was pretty much radio silence except for a few stories. The result? Customers going off in their latest post (ironically, a New Year’s post, probably not the start they had in mind), complaining about the difficulties of getting through to customer service. But also voicing their complaints about their comments being deleted. And on top of that, customers who do get a reply (in this case, on Instagram), get a standardised message that lacks any sense of empathy.

    Here’s the thing, social media isn’t just for shits and giggles. You can’t cherry-pick when you show up, posting feel-good content when it suits you, only to basically ghost your audience the moment a crisis strikes. So here’s how I would have handled this crisis specifically on social media:

    How to tackle community management in times of a crisis

    1. Monitor the crisis through social listening

    Before anything, you need to know what people are saying and obviously social listening is essential in this process. Don’t just check your own profiles for comments and replies, check your private and public messages AND check for your name and hashtag. You can do this through social listening platforms like Sprinklr, Sprout or Brandwatch.

    2. Draft up a statement and share it on social

    Take the insights you gathered in the first step to build your statement on. Draft the statement together with PR and customer service so it encompasses all those areas. And then put out the statement, yes, also through social media. That’s where it goes wrong most of the time. A lot of brands don’t want to bring those types of messages to social media. But the rule of thumb should be: if you’re on a platform (and using it actively), you should also use it for crisis communication. In fact, it’s what your target audience expects of you.

    3. Adjust your reply template

    First, let’s have a look at KLM’s standard reply: “Regrettably, we do not offer support services via Instagram. Since personal information is required to assist you further, we kindly request that you contact us via WhatsApp, Facebook, or Messenger.”

    The good? Yes, KLM is tackling some of the comments. And yes, in essence, their response is correct. As you need personal info, you do need to handle it through a DM.

    But what the airline company gets wrong is the complete lack of empathy in their message. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Apologize for the situation, acknowledge their inconvenience. Explain why they need to contact you through a DM and end with the advantage of that for them. Personally, this would be my reply: “We’re very sorry for the inconvenience. We understand how stressful a missing suitcase is, and this is absolutely a priority for us. Could you send us your customer info through DM so we can jump on this immediately and get your case resolved?”

    Side note from an experienced community manager: you can adapt those answer templates to fit the specific comment you’re replying to, to make the most of the automation while combining it with personalisation.

    4. Monitor and respond to ALL comments and messages

    And on top of that, you need to be servicing clients on ALL the platforms you’re active on. You can’t just tell them to contact customer service through another platform. The good news: tools like Sprinklr and Sprout make it easy to set up an efficient workflow so social media managers, community managers and customer service can work together on this. With the help of filters, AI and some minimal human intervention, you can do a first sweep, automatically flagging urgent cases, routing questions to the right team and prioritising which comments need immediate attention. The key here is that routing to customer service should be handled internally. The customer shouldn’t have to take extra steps (well, apart from the DM on that specific platform, that is). Make it seamless for them, not just convenient for you.

    Another side note from an experienced community manager: deleting comments is a big no-no. Unless they go against your social media charter (which is a must, btw), you shouldn’t be deleting comments because they get you in a sticky situation. Instead, actively show the community that you’re tackling those issues.

    The bigger picture

    Tackling community management

    Unfortunately, KLM is definitely not the only brand to underuse community management. The difference is that a crisis exposes these gaps instantly. Here’s the thing: strong community management separates the good from the great. And you don’t need to wait on a crisis to start. Active engagement isn’t just good for your reputation, it’s also essential for the algorithm. Each time a follower comments on your content, reply back, focussing on the positive of course. And trust me, in 2026, you want to get on the community management train, cause there’s lot’s of growth potential there.

    Want more of my insights? Discover how I would use these 6 trends from Pinterest Predicts as a brand.