Sonia and Harley break down how viral views can affect your business as a brand and creator. Should you REALLY be aiming for high views? What happens on your account after? What are the repercussions for your business? And of course, how you can strategize for growth that actually allows you to make more money online.

Resources:

Analyze your Followers to Remove Ghost and Inactive Followers: Fiverr

Timestamps:

• [1:22] Halsey is being forced to go viral.
• [2:32] Consequences of going viral.
• [7:30] The pressure to go viral.
• [14:04] When do we not care if we are growing more?
• [18:32] Focusing on community.
• [20:11] The big takeaways.

--

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: theharleyjordan.com

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: www.soniaelyss.com

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator

Bret Shuford and Mandy Emerson, performers turned Instagram Coaches, join us to discuss the behind the scenes of growing a following: pivoting careers after lockdown hit, what they learned about creating viral content vs high quality content, how they handle social issues online, and the things that drive them bonkers in the DMs.

Resources:

Upstarter Podcast Network:
www.upstarterpods.com
Instagram: Upstarter Podcast Network

Timestamps:

• [2:31] How did it feel to jump into influencing?
• [4:50] Mandy and social media.
• [8:30] Did Bret have to pivot when beginning influencing?
• [11:04] Viral content vs meaningful content.
• [17:09] Scrolling your niches and reels bonuses.
• [21:46] Learning from mistakes and always moving forward.
• [25:54] The success comes when we own who we are.
• [29:01] Trolls and how to deal with them.
• [38:18] Opening up DMs.
• [44:25] What shocked you the most about growing a following?
• [48:08] Advice on putting your personality out there.

--

Find Bret:
IG: @bretshuford / @broadwayhusbands
Website

Find Mandy:
IG: @themandyemerson
Website

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: theharleyjordan.com

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: soniaelyss.com

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator

Influencer price transparency is on the table this week. From Influencer glassdoor initiatives to reels detailing "brands that work with creators under 10k." We are breaking down the call out culture around brands that don't pay, what the process looks like on an agency level, & what to consider when handling a negative brand interaction.

Resources Mentioned:

Influencer Pay Gap
FYPM
Clara

Timestamps:

• [2:01] Clara and FYPM - these apps offer transparency - but the brand needs to see what is happening. 
• [3:37] What happens start to finish with these apps?
• [7:23] Agencies have to take margin out of the budget. 
• [11:05] As a creator, what do we give leeway to?
• [14:05] Ask for your worth - don't tell others their worth.
• [19:03] Language is crucial.
• [22:25] Other forms of transparency. 
• [26:49] Takeaways. 

--

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: theharleyjordan.com

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: www.soniaelyss.com

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator

Tis the season for engagement rates dropping! Before you hit the panic button, join Harley & Sonia as they discuss the evolution of engagement rates, other metrics that are important, and how to stay calm if your engagement rate takes a dip.

Resources:

Upstarter Podcast Network:
www.upstarterpods.com
Instagram: Upstarter Podcast Network

Timestamps:

• [0:47] Why is engagement dropping?
• [4:03] Instagram, likes, and stories.
• [8:10] Will shifting engagement affect rates?
• [12:23] TikTok shows the number of shares a video has. 
• [16:02] Insta's "see more" button on stories.
• [19:10] When does reach actually matter?
• [22:53] Takeaways.

--

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: theharleyjordan.com

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: soniaelyss.com

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator

Darci from @careercoachdarci is back to chat about her zone of genius, negotiating rates. We break down the mindset and strategy involved in confidently pitching yourself, upping those rates, and lying where it counts.

Timestamps:

• [1:20] #1 tip for negotiating a higher pay.
• [4:55] Influencing is like the wild west.
• [8:12] How transparent is too transparent?
• [11:13] How do you ensure brands won't be turned off by a high rate?
• [15:01] How much lying is okay?

--

LINKS:

Follow Darci:
IG: @careercoachdarci
TikTok: @careercoachdarci

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: www.theharleyjordan.com

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: www.soniaelyss.com

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator

Darci Smith of @careercoachdarci has joined the chat! We sit down to discuss the moment that it *just clicked* on TikTok, the business strategy behind her polarizing content, repurposing on Instagram and how she keeps her story views so dang high.

Resources:

Upstarter Podcast Network:
www.upstarterpods.com
Instagram: Upstarter Podcast Network

Timestamps:

• [1:35] How did you get into TikTok?
• [4:10] How much do you talk about within a single video?
• [7:21] Tell viewers about the problem.
• [8:34] Who are your people? Instagram or TikTok?
• [12:38] How Darci comes up with ideas.
• [15:18] Authenticity in marketing.
• [19:25] How do you avoid feeling boring when working from home?
• [23:43] Biggest piece of advice for content creators?

--

LINKS:

Follow Darci:
IG: @careercoachdarci
TikTok: @careercoachdarci

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: theharleyjordan.com

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: soniaelyss.com

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator

How far are influencers going to portray the perfect life? Join us as we reveal some shocking stories from the influencer industry with tales of purchased followers, fake paparrazi and more. While the industry is evolving to reward people who embrace reality and connect with their audience on NOT having the perfect life, are we moving quickly enough?

Timestamps:

• [0:41] The life of an influencer.
• [2:53] Faking it until you make it. 
• [5:00] Does "pretty" still sell?
• [9:25] Gifting influencers, and the money they make. 
• [12:55] Working in an "aesthetic" space.
• [16:33] Are the "fake lifestyles" bad?
• [17:52] You don't need aesthetics, you need a thing.

--

LINKS:

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: https://www.theharleyjordan.com/

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: https://www.soniaelyss.com/

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator/id1609505183

Harley & Sonia are both Millennials but born almost a decade apart, they have unique perspectives on how each age group is using social media. On this episode, the duo discuss and dissect the differences between the consumption and content creation done by Brands & Creators from each era.

Timestamps:

• [1:05] How do Millennials show up on online vs Gen Z?
• [4:02] The content they are posting.
• [7:54] "Curated" vs "casual."
• [10:14] Advertising to Gen Z.
• [12:09] The usage habits between these two generations.
• [16:06] Closing thoughts and takeaways.

--

LINKS:

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: https://www.theharleyjordan.com/

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: https://www.soniaelyss.com/

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator/id1609505183

Timestamps:

• [0:58] Buying old Instagram accounts.
• [4:03] Instagram using data.
• [6:12] The brand space and Instagram giveaways.
• [10:53] The sales strategy of a brand on Instagram.
• [16:31] What about on the creator side?
• [19:29] Red flags when scouting influencers.
• [22:53] Engagement pods.
• [25:52] The age of the "pretty girl" influencer is dying. 

--

LINKS:

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: https://www.theharleyjordan.com/

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: https://www.soniaelyss.com/

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator/id1609505183

Sonia and Harley take on a hot button subject: Social/Political issues on social media. Should influencers and brands speak up? If they do, what should they consider and expect? Does the "happy little corner of the internet" still exist or should everyone be using their platforms to raise awareness for issues they are passionate about?

Resources:
Defy gravity and grab a Flipstik for 20% off with code 'harley' at www.getflipstik.com/harley

Timestamps:

• [2:20] Things feel heavier because of social media. 
• [4:40] How you relate to clients and the audience. 
• [8:26] Being trauma informed.
• [11:43] Do you have to post for every cause?
• [13:27] Should we be sharing receipts?
• [17:42] Brands jumping on every cause.
• [19:28] Pop culture memes from brands. 
• [21:31] Can we have a happy corner of the internet?

--

LINKS:

Find Harley:

IG: @theharleyjordan
Website: https://www.theharleyjordan.com/

Find Sonia:
IG: @Sonia.elyss
Website: https://www.soniaelyss.com/

Follow The Brand Meet Creator Podcast:
Rate, Review, Subscribe & Share: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-meet-creator/id1609505183