Social Media Strategy 101

Why this episode matters
Most creators say they want a strategy but don’t actually know what that means. Today’s podcast episode breaks down how to think about social media before you worry about growth, trends, or monetization.

What is covered

• What “strategy” really means (and why most people skip this step)
• The biggest mistake new creators make when choosing what to post
• Why copying “growth tips” can actually hurt your account
• Why selling too soon backfires and what to focus on instead
• How creators actually build loyalty (not just followers)
• The truth about viral growth vs. sustainable growth
• How to find your lane without boxing yourself in
• A simple way to think about content rotation so your page makes sense to new viewers

Who this episode is for

• New creators who feel overwhelmed by “expert advice”
• Experienced creators who feel stuck or unfocused
• Anyone tired of chasing trends without results
• Creators who want clarity, confidence, and direction

Bottom line

This isn’t about hacks or algorithms. It’s about building a strategy you can actually stick with and enjoy.

Need more help? Join the Muthership Creator Studio and learn, level up and make your efforts amount to something meaningful!
JOIN HERE:  https://muthership.mn.co/

In this week’s podcast, I break down how to create social media habits that actually stick — inspired by Atomic Habits and adapted specifically for content creators.

We’re talking:

Why “trying harder” is the wrong strategy

How to make content creation feel almost automatic

The tiny shifts that remove friction and eliminate burnout

How consistency gets easier when the effort gets smaller

If posting feels overwhelming, or dependent on “being in the mood”… this episode will change how you think about content.

Want help putting this into practice?
The New Year Content Challenge is underway right now inside the Muthership Creator Studio.

✔️ Daily prompts
✔️ Weekly content plans
✔️ Accountability + support
✔️ Weekly meetings with me to ask questions

Use code NEWYEAR10 for $10 off your first month.

👉 Join us here:  https://muthership.mn.co

Recording & Editing Tips Every Creator Should Know

In this episode, Helen shares practical filming and editing tips drawn from decades in professional production—simplified for today’s content creators.

What you’ll learn:

• Why the first 2–3 seconds of your video matter more than you think
• How tightening clips instantly improves engagement
• When to use wide shots, close-ups, zooms, and POV shots (and why)
• How camera movement can help—or hurt—your storytelling
• Simple editing techniques that keep viewers watching
• Why taking breaks makes your edits better
• How to create content you actually enjoy so consistency comes easier

Plus, Helen shares two unsponsored favorites and encourages creators to head into the New Year with confidence, creativity, and a focus on making content that feels good to make. 

On Camera Confidence!

In this holiday-themed episode, Helen shares honest, encouraging guidance for creators who struggle with confidence on camera—especially those who feel awkward, intimidated, or frozen when they hit record.

You’ll hear real talk about pushing through discomfort, releasing expectations around views, and why confidence is built through practice—not perfection. Helen also shares a meaningful Unsponsored By spotlight on Alec’s Gift Baskets, a purpose-driven business supporting people with disabilities, veterans, and second-chance employment.

FIND ALEC'S GIFT BASKETS HERE: https://www.alecsgiftbaskets.com/

In this episode, we cover:

• Why feeling “weird” on camera is part of the process (and totally normal)
• How imagining a receptive viewer—not a critical audience—changes everything
• Letting go of views, metrics, and performance pressure
• Taking baby steps to build on-camera confidence
• Why your first take is often your best take
• The power of showing up before you feel ready
• A behind-the-scenes lesson on building an email list through value-driven content

This episode is a reminder that confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build, one imperfect video at a time.

✨ Happy holidays, and get ready to step into the new year with clarity, courage, and creative momentum.

🎙️ Podcast Outline — Why You’re Not Growing on Social Media

INTRO

• Helen returns from a creative brand shoot in Dallas — fresh insights coming soon
• This week’s Unsponsored by Choice: Fable Cosmetics
• Shoutout to Tina at Fable for beautifully branded products and a makeup refresh
• Today’s topic: Why you’re not growing on social media — and how to rethink your strategy

MAIN TOPICS COVERED

1. The Real Reason Growth Stalls

• Relying solely on TikTok Shop, lip-syncs, or still photos = limited growth
• Followers need a reason to follow you — value, entertainment, inspiration, or connection

2. What Big Brands Actually Look For

• Brands favor great storytellers, not just big influencers
• Authenticity > polished sales pitches
• Creators who share their truth perform better than creators who “sell”

3. Influencers vs. Creators Today

• The old-school influencer model is shifting
• New audiences don’t flock to “famous influencers” — they follow relatable problem-solvers
• Trust is now the currency, not follower count

4. Value: The Most Important Ingredient

• Followers want content that improves their life in some way
• Value can be: humor, creativity, education, inspiration, personality, or storytelling
• Lip-syncs or shop-only videos rarely build loyalty anymore

5. Flip the Script: Ask Yourself the Big Question

• “Why do I want to post on social media?”
• If your answer is “to make money,” growth will be slow
• Money is the outcome, not the purpose
• Authenticity collapses when the only driver is sales

6. Trust Takes Time — And It’s Worth It

• Real monetization comes from trust, consistency, and community
• Great example: Amber from the Studio—small but powerful niche audience → brand deals
• Niche, passion, and community outperform random product pushes

7. Play the Long Game

• Quick money = short-lived, burnout-heavy path
• Long game = purpose-driven content, sustainable growth, and genuine enjoyment
• You don’t need millions to monetize — you need loyalty

8. Holiday Challenge Reminder

• Join the 12 Days of Vlogmas / Holiday Challenge starting today
• Easy prompts, flexible formats, and a great way to build momentum

JOIN US HERE and use HOLIDAY10 for $10 off your first month!

This week on the podcast, we’re talking about one of my favorite topics:

How to transition from being a content consumer to a content creator.

If you’ve ever felt the nudge to start posting—or you're already creating but want to rethink your approach—this episode will give you a fresh perspective. It’s also a perfect one to share with someone who’s just getting started and isn’t sure where to begin.

Here’s what we get into:

• How to watch your For You Page with real intention and learn from what stops your scroll
• Why clarifying your “why” makes content creation so much easier
• How crowded niches still allow for your unique voice
• The different ways your content can add value—educational, entertaining, storytelling, or character-based
• The truth about growth, consistency, and resilience
• How to filter out bad advice and learn through experimentation
• Why creating what YOU genuinely want is the most sustainable long-term strategy

It's a simple framework, but a powerful one—and it’s exactly what I wish every new creator understood before posting their first video.

Feel free to reply or comment with your questions—I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

🚫 The “bad advice” episode: 

I’m breaking down the most common pieces of social media advice that need to go — and why they’re messing with your head more than helping your content.

⚠️ How fake “rules” spread: Why fear-based, clickbait-y tips (“you’ll get shadowbanned if…”) travel so fast — and how to spot creators who are optimizing for their views, not your growth.

❤️ Spam-liking, shadowbans & other myths: What actually happens when you like a bunch of videos, and the real line between normal behavior and “bot” behavior.

💬 “Engage from the bottom up” & other fake hacks: Why tricks like this only boost the creator who said it — and do absolutely nothing magical for your own account.

👀 Should you only follow people in your niche? I explain how that advice quietly turns you into a copycat, fuels comparison, and limits your creativity.

🎵 “Use this audio to go viral”: The truth about trending sounds, why they can sometimes help, and why anyone promising virality is… let’s just say, stretching it.

🧠 Red-flag language to watch for: Why “always,” “never,” and “guaranteed” are your cue to be skeptical — and how I personally fact-check advice before I believe it.

📈 What actually works long-term: The unsexy but real stuff — consistency, clearer storytelling, better pacing, authentic energy, experimenting, and focusing on impact over viral hits.

These are the kinds of things we dig into in this episode, so if you’ve ever felt confused or discouraged by conflicting social media advice, this one will feel like a big exhale. 🎧📺

Join the studio and learn to create better content: 
https://socialize-studio.mn.co

Why Branding Matters in Your Personal Brand

Welcome to the first episode of the newly branded Muthership Creator Strategy podcast! 🎉

It feels perfectly fitting that we’re kicking things off with an episode all about—what else?—branding.

In this debut rebranded episode, Helen breaks down one of the most misunderstood parts of being a creator: your personal brand. And spoiler—it's not about logos, color palettes, or fancy visuals. It’s about the feeling you give people every time they land on your content.

Helen shares how she unintentionally became a brand long before she ever named it, why even small posting choices can shift how others perceive you, and how staying true to who you are online helps your audience instantly recognize your “vibe.” From defining your brand through your personality, tone, mission, and style, to understanding how consistency builds trust, this episode is a grounded, personal look at what branding actually means for creators.

She also opens up about her own evolution—from baking videos to tutorials to the full-circle moment when everything from the studio to the newsletter naturally gravitated back to “The Muthership.” It’s a candid conversation about ego, humility, clarity, and letting your brand grow with you instead of forcing it into a box.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why branding is really the feeling you give people
• How to decide what is and isn’t “on brand” for you
• How clear branding attracts the right audience without begging for followers
• Why consistency builds trust (and matters to brands)
• How your comments and online behavior also reflect your brand
• How to let your brand evolve as you evolve
• Simple prompts to help you define or refine your brand today

If you’ve ever felt scattered, off-brand, or unsure how to define your creator identity, this first episode will help you find clarity and confidence—while staying true to yourself.

Tune in and welcome to the new era of the Muthership!

Episode Overview

Rebrand Updates

• Everything is aligning under the Mothership Creator brand.
• Newsletter is officially moving to Substack next week for easier commenting, a clean chronological feed, and one central home.
• New schedule:
  • Tuesdays: Mothership Creator Forecast newsletter
  • Fridays: Creator Strategy podcast
• Tuesday’s issue will always preview Friday’s podcast topic.

Unsponsored By Picks

• Saltwater Luxe Sweater — cozy, stylish, compliments from all ages.
• VRURC Portable Charger — heavy but powerful; charges your phone multiple times; a creator must-have.

3. Main Topic: Content Strategy Basics From This Week’s Audits

Key Things Creators Must Clarify:

1. Your North Star – the deeper purpose behind your content (beyond selling or making money).
2. Your Style & Sweet Spot – tutorials, voiceovers, lip syncs, vlogs, humor, etc. Rotate formats so people see range and depth.
3. Your Content Categories – define your pillars and rotate them so new visitors instantly understand what you offer.

Quality reminders:

• Good lighting, clear audio, tight editing, strong hook, proper vertical formatting.

Closing

• Gratitude for the growth in the Studio and for everyone joining the rebrand journey.
• You’re committed to helping creators grow, feel seen, and level up.
• Exciting chapter ahead — thanks for riding the ship with me!

🎙️ Why Every Creator Should Learn Transitions (Even If You’re Not in Fashion or Beauty)

🧴 Unsponsored By

Remembrin Daily Cleanse Deep Body Wash
Helen shares her hilarious discovery of this “anti–old person smell” body wash after seeing a viral video about “old man smell” and learning that persimmon can help neutralize it. The verdict? She loves it — and it’s officially Julie-approved. Slightly exfoliating, fresh-smelling, and now stocked in every shower she owns (plus one for her mom, who doesn’t yet know the “real” reason she’s getting it!).

📰 Big Announcement

Helen reveals the upcoming brand consolidation and rebrand:

• The podcast becomes The Muthership Creator Strategy Podcast
• The newsletter becomes The Muthership Creator Forecast
• Everything moves under one unified Muthership umbrella on Substack
  The shift reflects Helen’s decision to combine her production, directing, and teaching worlds into one clear, connected creator brand.

🎬 Main Topic

5 Reasons Every Creator Should Learn Transitions — No Matter Your Niche

1. They’re Scroll-Stopping.
Eye-catching, fast edits grab attention in the first two seconds — crucial for any creator on TikTok, Reels, or Shorts.

2. They Level You Up.
Even a simple, well-executed transition instantly makes you look like a more advanced creator — regardless of your niche.

3. They Spark Creativity.
Transitions force you to think differently: how to tell a story visually, connect clips creatively, and make vlogs or product videos more dynamic.

4. They Keep You Sharp.
Learning new editing skills keeps your brain active, your content fresh, and your workflow efficient — no matter your age.

5. They Build Loyalty + Support.
Showing your creative journey (even imperfectly) inspires your audience, builds community, and encourages engagement.

💡 Helen’s Takeaway
“Transitions aren’t just for beauty influencers or fashion creators — they’re for everyone. They make your content stronger, sharper, and more engaging. So love the player, love the game.”

🚀 Challenge of the Month

Join the Transition Challenge HERE:  https://stan.store/themuthership
Week one is wrapping up, but it’s not too late to jump in.
🎟️ Use code TRANSITION10 for $10 off your first month in the Muthership Creator Studio.

Catch the replay of the first live session and start mastering your transition skills today.

👉 And hey — if you already know your transitions, gift the Studio to a creator friend this holiday season!