Tag: Social media

The sorry state of social | Issue 153

Post author By Nika Talbot
Post date June 10, 2024
No Comments on The sorry state of social | Issue 153

Mood: Elated 🌹 | Featured art: @sophillustrates

Desk Notes

(Please excuse the mess…Still building dreams) ✨

I’m experimenting with a new (shorter) format because a) I respect your time and b) I need to get outside and enjoy the early days of summer. There might not be much of it in the UK. And it’s my birthday month!

1️⃣ Went to a Leading Expert talk on the Sorry State of Social Media with Brian Clark – an overview of the evolution of social media from a helpful audience-building tool (Digg and Delicious) to a dopamine-fueled distraction and time suck—with more emphasis on ‘influencers’ and attention than community and connection.

From a business perspective, it’s hard to justify spending time on social media. He’s been experimenting with LinkedIn and succeeding, but “there’s no aspect of fun on LinkedIn.” (I agree—it’s boring AF—what can we do about that?)

Some thoughts on how to fix it: Focus on building your email list and a deeper psychological understanding of your prospects. Test paid ads in other newsletters and/or write guest posts for folks in your niche. The business basics: People and relationships power everything, and that won’t change. He says he’s “lost all techno-optimism,” – noooo! BUT there will be something else—we can’t predict it.

2️⃣ Preparing for Joshi Herrmann NUJ talk on launching local news sites and growing your paid newsletter. Joshi is the founder of

The Mill, which has just reached a six-figure reader milestone. Exciting to hear they’ve announced a major hiring round (hiring 11 staff in FIVE cities) and are expanding into Glasgow and London (making hay as the Evening Standard goes from daily to weekly). Love the ambition! Bringing deeper narrative journalism to local news. What local news to you read/need? Let me know and I’ll ask him.

3️⃣ Went to a Scaling Paid Subs Mind Meld with Lex Roman. I love her new project, Journalists Pay Themselves, for reader-funded journalists. Sharing tiny experiments and helpful resources in her newsletter and hosts free monthly meets to help folks grow their paid readership. We discussed pricing and tiers and tried to work out why anyone would pick the middle tier!? Plus, a hot-seat publication rundown is super useful. I’m hosting the next session on Monday, July 1. RSVP here. Interview with Lex coming soon!

Nika

PS It’s the Publisher Podcast & Newsletter Summit / Awards on Wednesday. Esther Kezia Thorpe shared this post on what burnout feels like and how challenging event marketing is as a part-time gig and full-time parent. They’re open to ideas re partnerships, investment, or refocusing to work smarter, not harder. The lineup is insane – last chance to grab a ticket here.

Cool Reads

▶️ 12 mind-opening highlights from the panels at the Newsletter Conference [Newsletter Circle] Great summary. Ciler says an AI notetaker is a must next time to stop the hand cramp.

▶️ An AI-powered necklace that remembers your conversations for you [Compass Wearable] Are we entering the post-smartphone era of personal devices? I might be alarmed to hear how much I talk to myself.

▶️ Tiny Marketing Actions: The Six-Week Experience [Pam Slim on Maven] Like this concept. How to execute TMAs on a daily/weekly basis to grow your business with a community of small biz owners.

▶️ Day Trading Attention: How to Actually Build Brand and Sales in the New Social Media World [Gary Vee] on the nuts and bolts of growing your business in 2024 and beyond. I’m enjoying the audiobook as he goes off-piste.

▶️ Fairytrail app redesigned for finding nomadic friends and adventures worldwide! How they’ve pivoted their business post-Covid to address the problem of loneliness as a remote worker.

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Tags Blog, digital marketing, entrepreneurial journalism, entrepreneurship, journalism, local news, Marketing, newsletters, Social media, social media marketing, writing

Newsletter

Build your Google Business Card

Post author By Nika Talbot
Post date April 2, 2024
No Comments on Build your Google Business Card

I’ve been tinkering around with my Google Knowledge Panel this week. I have an old one from 2007 when I wrote my first book, which is outdated now and looks a bit sparse.

Google still dominates online search results, so I’m keen to grow and improve my KP – it’s your digital business card and the first thing people see when they look you up online.

If you don’t have a Knowledge Panel, you look like a nobody. So, it’s a really good way to push yourself up the career ladder as it were, to be recognised as a leader in your field.
Jason Barnard, the Brand SERP Guy.

I clicked on the dots next to my name and suggested an edit. I added a a short bio, but they rejected it. That info comes from the Knowledge Graph, Google’s information collection about people, places, and things.

So, back to the drawing board. I have to educate Google!

Google is actually a child, thirsty for knowledge who wants to understand the world. It doesn’t care about notability; it just wants to understand everything.

I’m working through this free guide from Kalicube (Jason’s agency specialising in KP). I’ve updated my website bio (Home/About page) and social profiles (Crunchbase, Journolink, Response Source, Haro, Muck Rack, Substack, and LinkedIn).

He says your bio needs to be clear and consistent (who you are, what you do, who you help), and preferably written in the 3rd person. I’m not keen on that; it’s too formal for me, but I’ll try it for now. I can tweak it later.

Repurpose the same bio across all your social platforms and link back your website to “create an infinite loop of self-corroboration that Google understands”.

I checked it this morning, and it’s now updated my name and added my social profiles, but there’s no pic of me or bio, so I still have some work to do.

It could take months so I need to be patient, but at least I’ve made a start.

Thanks to Jason and team for this resource!

I enjoyed his interview with Kristina God on how to create a KP as a writer (Kristina writes on Substack and Medium), plus they touch on other stuff – how Google is explicitly looking for writers, multimedia content, the importance of visual branding (often overlooked) and whether we should let AI crawl our content (we now have that option on Substack).

If the future of search is about how we educate these smart machines, then we need to understand the knowledge algos and how they function. This is a good place to start!

Also, check the information about you on ChatGPT, etc, to make sure it’s correct. Joe Pulizzi asked it what his favourite colour is, and it said ‘purple’ when we all know it’s orange! 🚩

If you make videos, check the auto-generated captions on YouTube, as they can be inaccurate.

Here’s Jason’s website (like an encyclopaedia!) and Knowledge Panel.

Let me know how you’re growing your Knowledge Panel.

Congrats to Kristina on becoming a Substack Bestseller and getting 100 paid subscribers! 🥳

Good Reads

▶️It’s not just you. It’s harder now to make a living as a creator. An excellent essay on how the sea has shifted when building an online business. Those who are killing it are mainly marketers selling courses about marketing. I agree; it’s very meta (more Substacks about how to succeed on Substack). I’m in this space, too, and struggling with it. Some advice on how to look forward and innovate. [Alexis Grant]

▶️Google’s Helpful Content update – reflecting on what happened. The September ’23 HCU caused thousands of sites to lose organic (SEO) traffic from Google in a few days (there seem to be NO recoveries from this), and the March core update rolls on. Here’s Lily Ray on patterns she’s seen in her work, research, and advice for smaller indie publishers. [Lily Ray]

▶️Time to Act. What are publishers doing now? Some industry leaders in the blogging and publishing space have joined forces to create a collective non-profit association, the Web Publishers Association, to inspire change. Tony Hill shares his thoughts on it here [Amy Aitman]

▶️Joe Pulizzi’s new book, The Content Entrepreneur, is out in the next few weeks. I love the cover of the proof copy – very Gatsby! Direct sales only via their websites, not Amazon etc, so a bold move. I’m interested to see how the experiment goes – not sure how it differs from Content Inc. [Joe Pulizzi]

Tags Blog, blogging, digital marketing, Google, Google Knowledge Panel, newsletters, Social media, substack, writing

Newsletter

Retiring projects

Hastings at 4 pm yesterday 🌈

🧩 Q&A with Johanna Renoth, founder of Bye, Social Media! Plus resources for building a biz on your own terms.

I was sad to hear Johanna Renoth is retiring Bye, Social Media!

She’s had a great ride – and it’s time for a change, she says in her latest post. “Over the course of the past two years of writing this newsletter, I’ve enjoyed connecting with you in the inbox tremendously!…

“At the same time, I struggled with building a brand online. Doing so frequently felt at odds with what I enjoy: exploring ideas and creativity.”

I relate. Building a brand solo is hard, especially if you aren’t visible on social media. Just heard Jenny Blake talking about this and how she’s pausing her pods for a bit to figure out what her broader business wants to become.

Switching context and juggling the maker’s and manager’s schedules is also challenging – Paul Graham’s essay. I’m using my time in units of half a day when I can.

I really admire what Johanna’s built – a strong premise and a reminder to have fun, experiment, and be playful. There’s no solopreneur manual on the internet to follow – “it’s for you to make this digital, marketing, and business world your own.”

She’s keeping the blog on Beehiiv alive to continue to be a resource for those who want to build a biz on their own terms and create an intentional relationship with social media.

Good luck with whatever you create next, Johanna – and thank you for connecting. I enjoyed our chat – here it is (still one of my most viewed pages, so you’re on to something!!)

interview with johanna renoth

What’s key is choosing the platforms you enjoy that add value – for me, that’s Substack, LinkedIn and Reddit, as they are more conversational and text-based – and then scheduling proper work time to use them.

On Reddit, I’ve helped folks with their Substacks, shared my Newsletter Talent Directory, and met a developer building a similar resource who was keen to collaborate.

I shared my panic after getting heart palpitations with NMN supplements (I thought I was having a heart attack – much too high a dose!), and I’m very grateful to Redditors for reassurance and an explanation. It helps you feel less alone.

This week, LinkedIn has brought me:

A free 1:1 call with a high-performance success coach
An invitation to join a free programme of support, networking and mentorship locally to help me grow my biz
A new book about newsletters
An illustrator who can teach me how to draw (I want to add sketches/doodles to this newsletter)
A new client and a testimonial
Ideas, inspo and links. I get excited about sharing other people’s stuff – it brings me energy and hope.

Approach it like a dating app – be intentional and get it offline as soon as possible. I offer a free 1:1 intro call because I care about and value connection and relationships. Feel free to book in here if we haven’t spoken yet.

Make use of the digital tools we have available to us. This week, I’ve been testing Sendible for social media scheduling (thanks to Adriana Tica for the recommendation – interview coming soon). I came off Hootsuite as it’s gone all corporate and is far too expensive for soloists.

Enjoying it so far – nice dashboard and a content calendar for inspo. It’s saving me time as I’m not scrolling sites natively and getting distracted by my feed. It also prompts you to re-schedule posts – a reminder to repurpose your content as not everybody sees it. Make your content work harder for you!

Happy writing ✍️

Nika 🙂

PS I’ve had enough of this bloody rain! I got wet on every run this week, and my joints don’t like it. Thanks to Kate Arnold for making me laugh.

5 Things

CJ Chilvers’ new book, Principles for Newsletters, condenses the most important lessons he’s learned from 37 years of newsletter publishing into 49 short principles. I read this last night with a glass of vino – smart and succinct.

The most important thing that determines our health | Dr Ellen Langer x Rich Roll – on how you can harness mindfulness to take control of your health. Her classes must be such fun. I’ve watched this twice – it’s that good.

Neal.fun made a museum of the internet – explore artefacts from the early internet – “a collection of everything I made when I’m bored during lecture.” Discover who sent the first spam email (DYK the term ‘spam’ was inspired by a Monty Python sketch?)

How long does it take to find (or generate…) an image to go with your posts? Er, quite a while and I often end up buying one. Drawing could be faster and more fun. Turn your scribbles into professional illustrations – even if you think you can’t draw.

My dream writer’s studio. Bringing the outside in. Walk past 1700 poets to get to your desk – with a 180-degree view of nature. Full of distractions but the right kind of distractions. Isn’t this fabulous?

Thanks for reading. If you have topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, please get in touch: nika@nikatalbot.io. I’d love to hear from you.

Newsletter Talent Directory! Add your deets here for collabs
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Tags creator economy, digital marketing, entrepreneurship, Johanna Renoth, Marketing, newsletters, Social media, writing

Newsletter

🕵🏻‍♀️ Insights on Israel-Palestine, Shoplifting woes, self-care, and a bit of Mitski

Post author By niccitalbot
Post date October 19, 2023
No Comments on 🕵🏻‍♀️ Insights on Israel-Palestine, Shoplifting woes, self-care, and a bit of Mitski

Marcio Waismann | Getty

Five solidarity actions you can take right now

It’s a week since Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, and the footage coming out of Israel, Gaza is horrific and heartbreaking.

Can’t look at it, but can’t look away.

My thoughts are with the people of the Middle East – Israel, Gaza and beyond. Praying for peace and hope for the future.

I was in two minds about whether to post anything this week – it’s not BAU, is it? It feels insensitive and inappropriate to be posting humorous content right now.

And we need to be mindful about what we’re sharing on social – lots floating around from unverified accounts.

upgrade to paid

As Prof Samuel Woolley said about Russia-Ukraine, sometimes it’s better to say nothing and let the witnesses and experts take up the space.

People need to practise strategic silence. We should leave it up to the people who really understand the situation to post as much as possible.

We should give them our support, but we should allow people with expertise to do the talking.

Kaya Yurieff posted about this dilemma and how some creators are pausing brand partnerships and usual content now.

There’s no right answer. It’s a tricky balance – damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Silence is communication.

So, you do whatever feels right, which for me is to share stories from human rights monitors, shine a light on them, and let the oppressed educate us.

Graphic war images go viral

I’ve never seen such graphic imagery on social media – photos of dead babies promoted as ads on X from Israel’s government account.

It is shocking and deeply uncomfortable, but I can see why they’ve done it to ensure maximum visibility and tackle any conspiracy theories. There is a lot of misinformation. I have to verify my X account every time I post/update.

Seeing regular ads pop up on my feed is also jarring and annoying.

A simple and succinct historical background

I’m trying to understand this conflict better – often described in Western media as complicated and deadlocked. So, you have to choose your media wisely and seek out writing by indie journalists in Israel and Palestine.

• A simple guide to break down one of the world’s longest-running conflicts [Aljazeera English]

• Five solidarity actions you can take for Palestine and Israel [Quakers in Britain]

This escalation must be understood in the context of 55 years of Israeli military occupation of Palestinian land and 75 years of dispossession and oppression of the Palestinian people.

It has been proven time and time again that there can be no military solution. Without an end to the occupation, equality, and full dignified human rights for all, this cycle of violence will never end.

• +972 Magazine is an independent, online, nonprofit magazine by Palestinian and Israeli journalists.

I don’t know the solution for Israel/Palestine, but war isn’t the answer.

As the son of a missing Israeli peace activist said, “You can’t cure killed babies with more dead babies. We need peace.” Vengeance is not a strategy.

5 solidarity actions you can take

Shoplifting woes

I bought some eco pens from WHSmith yesterday – £9.99 and security-tagged with a plastic padlock 🙄

This is a new thing. I asked the sales assistant why, and he said, “It’s not just pens; it’s everything.”

Shoplifting is a big problem.

The cost-of-living crisis is still with us, and Xmas is coming. I saw on CBS News that Target is closing nine stores because of surging retail theft.

People are struggling everywhere – it may be less visible, but it’s no less important.

Have you noticed there are more security guards in the shops? Chatting on their walkie-talkies and sharing intel.

I’ve had them follow me round. I hate it. Puts me on edge and doesn’t make for a relaxed shopping experience.

Stealing isn’t right, but again, it’s context and empathy. People must be desperate to steal pens and food.

There’s bad shit happening, and the world can feel scary sometimes – planes are flying overhead as I write this.

A gentle reminder to step up the self-care, look after No 1 and check in with others this weekend 🙏

I’m enjoying Mitski’s new album. There’s something about the simplicity and purity of this that’s resonating with folks – My Love Mine All Mine is beautiful.

Miski: The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We

– Nika

PS I applied to host a Substack Writer Meetup. I was planning to start one, so am happy they’re providing support.

Let me know if you’re local (Sussex/Kent) and fancy co-hosting one 👯‍♀️

Smart move – the network effect. Like Avon, Ann Summers, and Tupperware had strong communities – Substack will soon be a household name.

Thank you for being my subscriber – and on this journey with me.

Thoughts, ideas and suggestions welcome. Let me know if there’s a topic you want me to write about or someone you’d like me to interview: nika@nikatalbot.io.

Guest posts are welcome too. I love getting your emails, and I read and reply to every.single.one.

Tags content creators, content strategy, disinformation, Israel, Israel Gaza Conflict, Israel-Gaza war, Palestine, Social media

Interviews Newsletter

Twitter and Threads 🧵

ALSO: An interview on marketing without social media | #121

Have you left Twitter for Threads yet? 😉 I played for a couple of hours on launch day.

Instagram has over 2bn monthly active users, which explains why Threads has exceeded 70m sign-ups in less than 48 hours.

Very smart move letting you port your existing audience over (stop, think. Do you actually want to!?). The worst thing about joining a new social network is starting from scratch with zero followers.

Initial thoughts – it’s fast, clean, light, good UI. I like the simplicity – no fancy features yet, fun for now. Good vibes – it feels like Twitter c2008. It is the first-week flurry and novelty factor, but people seem to be enjoying it.

I’m not loving the data grab.

Threads collect the same data as Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. From Znet: “Threads collects users’ physical addresses, health and fitness data, and sensitive info like biometric and ethnic data. Twitter does not collect these types of data.”

It’s unavailable in the EU for now – privacy nightmare, but people are finding ways around it – a tip here from Jens Joseph Mannanal, co-founder of Passionfroot.

Future versions will integrate with ActivityPub, a decentralised social networking protocol, so you could potentially take your content elsewhere. The friendly fediverse as it’s called – interoperability is where the industry is heading.

Early days, but I think it’s worth your time, especially if you used to enjoy Instagram.

All this talk about strategies to win on Threads already. Ugh. Chill, keep it light, and reconnect with long-lost friends! Mine will be tiny threads as I hate typing on my phone. There’s no desktop version yet.

LinkedIn is still my main social platform, and I’m trying something new over there – themed weeks focusing on specific topics. So, this week it’s ‘newsletters’, and how to market yourself off-socials. Timely!

Meta has chosen a name that the Germans can’t pronounce very easily, which seems bizarre in their quest for world domination.

Expect to see even more puns on the platform. Stitch is a serious contender.

At least it’s not Threadz… 🙀

Listen to a special episode of the Hard Fork podcast with the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, on why the company now wants to take on Twitter.

Interview: Johanna Renoth, founder of Bye, Social Media!

Johanna Renoth is the founder of Bye, Social Media!, an agency for marketing without social media. She helps small businesses, creators, and solopreneurs thrive away from the algorithms.

In this interview, she shares her insights into moving her marketing off all social media, how her PhD on social media inspired her to make the move, and what she’s learnt in the past year of pursuing this avenue.

Food for thought here – enjoying your marketing is important.

I have mixed feelings about this. I agree with a lot of what Johanna says, but social media is a gift and we’re lucky to have it.

I don’t take it for granted – it is a great time to be a creator. We can share ideas and connect with others for free.

If I stop enjoying it, I’ll stop doing it.

READ JOHANNA’S STORY

Things to Read, Listen, Watch

The Write to Roam | Ethan Brooks. An inside look at how 6 & 7-figure writers make money, and on their own terms (via the Copyblogger podcast).

Chenell Basilio | Build In Public podcast on what newsletter creators are doing differently to grow to 50K subscribers. “Find the thing that feels like torture to others and a gift to you. And do that thing!”

Josh Spector studied the home pages of 10 smart creative entrepreneurs. They have a LOT in common. Here are six approaches you can borrow from them for your own site (via For The Interested).

– Just keep going 🙂

Nika

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Tags content marketing, digital marketing, entrepreneurship, newsletters, Social media, Threads, Twitter, writing