TikTok Shop has taken over everyone’s For You Page in the last 12 months, and that’s in no small part down to the commerce ambitions of the business. Layer onto that the way TikTok has (and continues to) change the creator economy, and you’re left with an extremely actionable conversation for brands and marketers that will leave you empowered and educated to perform on your commerce objectives whilst still prioritising creativity and content – crucially, how the two must work together if brands are to compete in 2025 and beyond. 

For years, Primark thrived without an online presence, but post-pandemic, that had to change. In this episode, Kymberley Thomson, senior global social media and community manager at Primark, takes us through the retailer’s social evolution - from having no ecommerce channel to building an engaged digital audience.

Find out how to adapt a bricks and mortar retail strategy for online conversations, why community isn’t just a nice-to-have, and the role social plays in new product development and overarching campaigns. If you want to understand how retail brands can win on social without selling online, this one’s for you.

On this episode of Social in Six, Mil is joined by Callum Woodbridge, senior creative at SocialChain. Together they cover all the headlines you need to know from the world of social, including TikTok Shop’s new feature to get you buying top products, LinkedIn rolling out comment impressions and Pinterest’s plan to stop AI images taking over the feed.

Plus, two updates from Instagram, including a possible new standalone Reels app and testimonials for Partnership Ads. Finally, they give you the lowdown on a new study that says TikTok is the top media channel for short-term ROI. 

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at [email protected].

Retail media is booming, and Very Media Group is making big moves to stay ahead. In this episode, Laura Jones, head of Very Media Group, breaks down how the brand is moving beyond its catalogue roots to create scroll-stopping content, data-driven insights, and collaborations with over 2000 brand partners.

Expect to hear about how social slots into the full marketing funnel, why balancing brand and performance is crucial, and what’s next for retail media.

Creator-led brands are on the rise, and heritage brands with decades of equity are finding themselves threatened and losing market share.

In this episode, social-born brand Tonic Health speaks on the value of using only social, how being an entrepreneur-fronted brand impacts your approach to transparency, and what most brands don’t realise they’re doing wrong.

Expect plenty of candour on what real audiences want, and a welcome reality check on how we can all work to improve and compete with our new competitors.

Last Summer, Kopparberg decided they needed to win back the favour of customers who’ve turned to trends like craft beer and chicken wine. To do so the brand made an unexpected but genius collaboration with Melanoma Fund, tapping into audiences’ interest in skincare and health at peak summer (Kopparberg’s time to shine).

In this episode, Nancy Dales, brand manager at Kopparberg breaks down the case study of that Summer campaign – what worked, what didn’t, and what brands inside and outside of the drinks category can learn from it. Expect to hear the value of physical PR, strategically ignoring social trends, and enabling constant communication amongst your agencies.

Yorkshire Tea is a well-loved social-first brand leading its category in market share – hard to believe when you consider it was once the underdog amongst its multinational competitors. So how did the brand flip the script? By leaning into what made them different: their Northern-ness.

In this episode, Dom Dwight, strategy and innovation director at Taylor’s of Harrogate, breaks down Yorkshire Tea’s approach to social and brand building. Expect insights on the power of consistency, how social went from a novelty to a central part of the brand’s media planning, and how Yorkshire Tea is trying to get more Gen Zers popping the kettle on. 

On this episode of Social in Six, SocialChain strategist Chelsea Noronha joins Mil to break down the latest headlines from social. This time that includes: an update on TikTok US, LinkedIn’s new video features for desktop users, and YouTube’s latest partnership to get you posting Shorts. 

Chelsea and Mil also cover two updates from Instagram, including the platform’s CapCut clone and some changes to the grid. Finally, they break down how Meta’s fact checking program, set to launch next month, will work. 

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at [email protected].

Football clubs’ social output is a different ball game to traditional B2C brands. As one of the world’s most beloved, Manchester City must both use its channels to please die-hard fans whilst enticing the emerging. In this episode, City’s head of social media and international content, Paul Handler, tells us what makes their fans tick and how their strategy facilitates that. Expect to learn how to convert passion into engagement, why leveraging your content archive is crucial, and how to proactively keep a reactive mindset.   

Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at [email protected].  

On a special episode of Social in Six, Mil and our creative director Jake are talking all about TikTok’s imminent ban in the US. They cover everything that’s happened so far, what the short- and long-term impacts of a nationwide ban would be, and what that could mean for the future of social. Plus, they’re ensuring your social strategy is prepared for every possible scenario come Monday with some actionable advice for brands.

Download our free fact guide for brands here: https://www.socialchain.com/social-minds/industry/the-tiktok-us-ban-everything-you-need-to-know/    

Got a question or suggestion for the Social Minds podcast? Get in touch at [email protected].