Anneleen Vaes

Category: Social media

  • 4 lessons you can learn from Pretty Little Marketer’s LinkedIn strategy

    4 lessons you can learn from Pretty Little Marketer’s LinkedIn strategy

    LinkedIn has officially entered its creator era, and honestly, I don’t even mind. One creator that’s really killing it? Pretty Little Marketer! Here are 4 pages you can take from her playbook to score on LinkedIn.

    If you haven’t come across Pretty Little Marketer yet: Sophie Miller, the creator, started the account back when she was still studying. Her goal? To create a safe space for other marketers to learn and grow. Today, Pretty Little Marketer has become exactly that: a go-to source for news, trends, tips and tricks on social media marketing.

    1. Tap into your audience’s pain points

    If you’re into social media marketing, you know that things tend to change quickly on those platforms. 😅 Staying up-to-date with those changes all by yourself and figuring out where Meta has hidden that one specific feature is pretty time-consuming. That’s why I follow Pretty Little Marketer, both for updates on those changes and how peers feel about them. The lesson here? Create content people want to bookmark and return to when they need answers.

    2. 2. Design makes all the difference

    The thing with content creation is that your message is only as good as the package it comes in. And this is something Pretty Little Marketer does well: her posts are visually pleasant, but also pack a lot of info without feeling cluttered. Nail that balance between aesthetics and valuable info and your content has real stopping power.

    3. Don’t shy away from humor

    The life of a social media manager is quite something. From constant Business Manager bugs to everyone thinking their nephew could do your job. 🙈 Yep, there’s a lot of material there to play around with. And Pretty Little Marketer does this brilliantly. Her funniest posts are often the simplest: a relatable one-liner about the chaos of social media management that makes you laugh and feel seen. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s how she reeled me in. The takeaway: don’t be the next expert on LinkedIn trying too hard to sound serious. If your audience appreciates humor (and most do), use it. Guaranteed to stop the scroll and build loyalty.

    4. Don’t give away all your insights for free

    While Pretty Little Marketer shares a ton of valuable info on LinkedIn, she saves the best for her own platform. Think blog posts, courses, memberships and templates. And that’s smart AF. Build credibility and prove your expertise on LinkedIn to get your audience over to your own platform and maybe even sign up or pay for that expertise. That, my friend, is a long-term content strategy.
    Need more social media inspo? Check out these 5 creative Instagram formats you’ll want to steal.
  • Formats I’m loving on Instagram ATM

    Formats I’m loving on Instagram ATM

    To be honest, I was bored of Instagram there for a minute. But the past months, I’ve seen some creative formats that spark interactivity and are just straight up fun.

    1. Carousel reveal

    I started seeing this one a few months ago, but with the holiday season coming up, I think we’re going to see a lot more of it. These carousel posts turn into an interactive experience with each card revealing a bit more. Good to up your completion rate, swipe-through rate and ultimately score higher in the algorithm.

    2. Catcher game

    I love gamification on Instagram, but I haven’t always found it easy to implement. Well, this post just proved me wrong. With a simple emoji slider and items falling from above, designer @sandracreatess made a retro catcher game and I’m all for it. Easy to make it your own, just use branded items and an emoji that fits the vibe better and you’re good to go. In terms of metrics, this is a great way to increase the (average) watch time on your Reels.

    3. Move your thumb to the beat

    I’m pretty sure this format is a brainchild from a millennial that loved playing Guitar Hero or Beat Saber, cause it literally has the same vibe. This type of Reel prompts you to tap your thumbs to the beat, with each beat triggering a visual change.
    What I especially like about this format, is that it keeps the platform in mind. Instagram is not a sound-on platform, but because the prompt is illustrated in the reel, you can still join in without actually having to hear the beat. All too often, brands and creators assume that people will take the extra step to watch their content integrally, but in reality, people are lazy and will scroll if your content doesn’t make sense for their user experience.

    4. Zoom in to see

    I must admit, I am the type of person that uses their phone as a mirror. 🙈 But I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one and this format proves it. It’s a simple image post combining a black shape with a prompt that asks you to zoom in on the shape to see … who wants a donut, who looks extra pretty today, who deserves a matcha latte. You get the gist of it. Easy, fun and effective for brands in terms of dwell time.

    5. And finally, a format I want to see blow up: shake to reveal

    Back when Instagram was just playing around with the shake to reveal sticker, I was thinking to myself: this has a lot of potential. But I must say, I haven’t seen a lot of brands taking advantage of it. I recently created some trial posts for an Italian food bar and it was a no-brainer to include an Instagram Story using that sticker where users had to shake the matcha latte. I can also see a brand that specialises in curly hair products using it as a reveal from straight to curly hair. Or from ingredients to a fully prepped cocktail. Like I said, there’s a lot of potential in that sticker. And in terms of metrics, this again will increase your engagement, as people will be triggered to shake and reveal.

    Gigio - shake for matcha
    Gigio - reveal the matcha

    Unlike that 5120×1080 trend I ranted about a while ago, these formats actually make the most of user experience. And that’s the difference between a gimmick and a format worth exploring. 😉

  • My favorite content on TikTok this week

    My favorite content on TikTok this week

    Let’s face it: every agency and their mother is on TikTok. And they either jump on trends to get those views or go the more infotainment route to show their expertise. But there’s one agency that’s going against the grain: meet Nounish.

    Their first content piece I encountered was The Client Roller Coaster. One of their designers gets on a DIY rollercoaster, and well, let’s say he’s in for a ride (see what I did there 😏). He gets a design brief AND multiple feedback rounds all the while he’s in the hot seat.

    @nounish_ @Mike Greaney ♬ original sound – nounish ⌐◨-◨

    What makes it even funnier is the stereotypical client feedback he receives: from make the logo bigger to the client’s cousin chiming in. As someone who has had to endure a gazillion feedback rounds, the designer’s reaction to the critiques is even funnier: while I at that point probably would like to have killed the client, he kills them with (albeit ironic) kindness.

    @nounish_

    No one could hear her scream! 👨‍🎨🖼️

    ♬ original sound – nounish ⌐◨-◨

    Another series takes the chaos even further: all their designers are given a subject to illustrate. But the kicker is that they’re all working on the same canvas. Not only was it funny as hell, I also loved seeing the (chaotic) process.

    So kudos to Nounish for nailing the TikTok game. And keep those videos coming. 😉

    Want more insights on my favorites on social? Check out my thoughts on W Hotels’ content series inspired by The White Lotus.

  • I hate this 5120×1080 Instagram Reels trend

    I hate this 5120×1080 Instagram Reels trend

    A new trend has been making the rounds on Instagram. And I’m not a fan. Let’s talk about the 5120×1080 Reels format.

    To be fair, I’m all here for trends. When they make some kind of sense that is. And even then, I feel brands should be careful when jumping onto trends every chance they get, just because it will get them the views. If it doesn’t fit their brand narrative, there is no point in my opinion.

    But I digress, cause this whole 5120×1080 Reels thing is a trend that I just wish would die (which it probably will in a week or so). 

    The thing is, in a sense I get it. 5120×1080 has something cinematic and it disrupts the mainly vertical feed we’re all used to. But it’s a very narrow size that doesn’t allow for a lot of info. I first saw Canva doing it.

    Then other brands followed suit. I just don’t understand why… Well, no, that’s not entirely true. For videographers and such I can see that it’s a nice way to share panoramic footage. But even then, you’re not getting the full, well, picture, because it turns up so small on your phone and even on desktop, as it still needs to fit within the constraints of the platform.

    As a brand, you can’t put a lot of info into that size. I don’t mean text per say, but even visuals get lost in this size. And if you zoom in, you just get a pixelated mess. This became very apparent when I saw (the first seconds of) social media management tool Later’s version of the trend on my phone. Illegible as fuck.

    The only brands that I feel did a great job with this trend are Headspace and KitKat. Headspace turned it into the Tiniest scroll break, while KitKat just placed their bar front and center. They’re both using the disruptive nature of this format to their advantage by either literally referring to a break, or figuratively as that’s what the brand stands for. Next to that, both posts are very legible for such a narrow size. So props to them.

    But I still want this trend to die. Preferably yesterday.

    Want more of my insights on social media? Check out my recent favorites ranging from Oasis to Linkin Park.

  • My favorite TikTok creator in the advertising space

    My favorite TikTok creator in the advertising space

    It’s no secret that I love TikTok. I also love me some quick updates on the advertising industry. Combine the two and I’m really sold.

    That’s exactly what Stuff About Advertising offers on her TikTok account. The creator behind the account, Ashley Rutstein, is a Creative Director & Copywriter who has worked for brands like Guinness, Visa, Meta and Evian, to name a few. And since 2021, she can also proudly call herself the winner of the Adweek Creative 100.

    @stuffaboutadvertising What goes on in my head when I get a bad brief? 🤔 Listen to the Any Insights Yet? Podcast to hear the rest of this awesome conversation with Chris Kocek (link in bio). You’ll get to hear about an embarrassing moment I had in junior high and what commercial I’d get a tattoo of. 👀 #advertising #marketing #creativebrief #strategy ♬ original sound – Stuff About Advertising
    @stuffaboutadvertising In this week’s advertising news roundup: 🧃 @caprisun_usa and Christian Siriano turned a juice pouch into a runway-ready purse at NYFW 👜 Uncommon Creative Studio put a real Hermès Birkin in an unwinnable claw machine 🎥  A new video with 3 essential advertising books for creatives 🎙️ My guest appearance on the Any Insights Yet? podcast 👀 A leaked deck shows Stagwell has been doing propaganda work for the Israeli government, story by @Drop Site and LinkedIn posts by Zoe Scaman #advertisingtiktok #marketingtiktok #adcampaigns #adcampaign #advertising ♬ original sound – Stuff About Advertising
    @stuffaboutadvertising Want to grab a snack from the fridge? You’ll need to watch a pre-snack ad first. I’m kidding… for now at least. But Samsung is testing showing ads on their Family Hub fridges and people are not happy about brands intruding in their personal space. #advertising #marketing #advertisingtiktok #marketingtiktok ♬ original sound – Stuff About Advertising
    @stuffaboutadvertising I read this Adweek article with my jaw on the floor. Go listen to my Ad-Libbed podcast episode to hear more about the wild internal communications going on at Madwell. #advertisingtiktok #advertising #adagency #agencylife #advertisingnews #advertisingagency ♬ original sound – Stuff About Advertising

    All that to say that she knows her stuff, and it shows in her TikTok vids. I first discovered her through her weekly roundups of the most remarkable campaigns of the week. But she also hones in on news from the advertising industry and gives tips on copywriting and concepting and general ad career advice.

    Why her content resonates with me personally? Well, besides the topic of advertising, I love her female point of view on all of it. Let’s be honest: even today, the ad world, especially at the higher levels, is still male-dominated. So hearing a woman’s perspective is not only refreshing, but often affirming when it comes to her own experience in this crazy industry of ours.

    Want more inspo from the ad world? Check out my insights on recent social media posts from Lidl and Linkin Park.

  • My recent favorites on social

    My recent favorites on social

    I love me a good brand post that perfectly picks up on cultural references, while still staying close to the brand. And these three recent posts are exactly that.

    1. Adobe Express trolling Jeff Bezos

    I’m not sure there’s been another event this year that was the source for so much trolling as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ wedding (hmm, now thinking of it, his bride’s space trip with Kathy Perry does come in a close second).

    I mean, the fact that this man basically wanted to take over Venice for his lavish wedding alone … But then I spotted the leaked wedding invite on Threads and I couldn’t help but think that this was something 13 year old me would have made in Paint. I’m guessing the Adobe Express team thought the same thing when they posted their redesign of the wedding invite. Now that’s what I call plugging your brand perfectly onto a cultural event.

    2. Toothpaste caught in the Lidl

    You might know that Linkin Park brought in a new frontwoman last year. Reason enough for the band to release a new album and announce a world tour. And as they are making their rounds on festivals, the new songs are also making their rounds on TikTok.

    Their song “Two-faced” especially garnered a lot of attention recently, as people confessed that they heard something else in the chorus of the song. They mistook “Two-faced caught in the middle” for “Toothpaste bought in the Lidl”. And you know how quickly these things blow up on TikTok. But what I didn’t expect is that frontwoman Emily Armstrong would, well, roll with it. During their concert in Düsseldorf she came on stage clad in a Lidl outfit and sang the misheard lyrics. Genius!

    3. Lidl captures Liam Gallagher’s love for parkas on the cheap

    Yeah, I know, another one about Lidl. But this time it’s the brand itself that I want to praise for their impeccable timing. Oasis brother Liam Gallagher’s knack for parkas is nothing new. But in the lead-up to the Oasis reunion tour the enfant terrible did a campaign for the brand Berghaus in a parka that resembled the supermarket’s brand colors. Something that fans pointed out en masse on social media.

    So Lidl ran with it and are now selling a dupe for a mere £ 30. The best thing? Their timing. Although the original campaign was released last October, Lidl decided to wait until this week, the week of the first Oasis concert, to launch their version. Naturally, Oasis is a hot topic this week and so is this stunt. Besides the timing, I also like that they went out of their way to make their dupe, plus key visuals as similar as the original one.