Episode 35: Mastering Authentic Content: Tips for Social Media Success

In this episode of Marketing Moves, Ashtyn Morris, Senior Account Executive at VividFront, dives into the critical importance of content creation in modern marketing strategies. Joined by in-house content creator and brand specialist Kristi McKenna, who boasts nearly 50,000 TikTok followers and 12,000 Instagram followers, they explore the evolution of content, the rise of UGC (User-Generated Content), and the necessity of authenticity in today's digital landscape.

00:10
Ashtyn Morris
Welcome to another episode of Marketing Moves. My name is Ashtyn Morris, senior account executive at VividFront. Today's Mini Moves episode is one that is well overdue. Today we're talking all about content and why every brand needs to prioritize content in their marketing strategy. Today I am joined by our very own in house content creator and brand specialist, Kristi McKenna. I can talk content all day, so let's get right into it. Thank you for joining me, Kristi.

00:38
Kristi McKenna
Yay. Thank you. I'm super excited for this one.

00:40

Ashtyn Morris
It's gonna be great. Well, Kristi is well qualified on a lot of fronts to talk about content creation, as she is a content creator herself, boasting nearly 50,000 followers on TikTok and 12,000 followers on Instagram. Before jumping into the questions, I wanna learn, how did you get your start in content creation?

00:59
Kristi McKenna
Yeah, I feel like from a pretty young age, I was interested in content creation. Even in high school, I made, like, my own class just to be able to post about, like, fashion and blogs and lifestyle. So it's always been of interest to me. My mom was a photographer, which is kind of what got me into, like, photography. And then Instagram came to be within our childhood at some point, so then I was finally able to post just like, fun photos, and then it kind of took off from there and connecting with people, making a community online was really what helped me.

01:31
Ashtyn Morris
Were you ever nervous about creating content, not just posting photos? I think there's a difference in terms of if you're actively putting yourself out there in a way of, I want to be a content creator versus just casually posting on Instagram or TikTok.

01:44
Kristi McKenna
Yeah. I feel like to start, like, I am very much a photo person. I really enjoy photos. But then recently, within the last few years, reels have really been prevalent, and you kind of have to do reels to be a creator. So I've kind of been, like, forced more to talk on camera or to do that sort of thing, to stay relevant, I guess, in the space, but not really nervous doing the content. Just, I just post what I like and what other people like, you know, so it ends up being good, but no, it's great.

02:12
Ashtyn Morris
I love your content. So cute. And also very much, now that I know you, it's very authentic to who you are.

02:19
Kristi McKenna
Oh, yeah. Well, that's good to hear. I appreciate it.

02:22
Ashtyn Morris
Have you, when you first started content creating, what was some of the feedback from your family, friends? Were they like, what's going on?

02:29
Kristi McKenna
Yeah. No, I mean, honestly, no, they love it. My mom is my number one, she helps me go out and take photos. Even in high school she would just be like, all right, let's get you an outfit, let's go out, let's shoot some photos. Cause she really enjoyed it too. So it was kind of like a bonding moment for me and her and we still do it now and it's just something fun. Like if we go grab a coffee, let's go take photos, get new outfits, whatever it is. So it's always been really fun with her.

02:56
Ashtyn Morris
I love that. I feel like content creation or content is really such a broad term. So I'm really excited for you to be able to kind of break down the different types of content creators out there. So what really are the different facets of content creation and how do different creators fit into that?

03:14
Kristi McKenna
Yeah, I mean, there's so many different niches nowadays, but I feel like the new things that are coming about are, let's say, like UGC creators. So a lot of people are even making a living off of just posting UGC for brands and they're not using their face, they're not using their brand, which is for a lot of people, their life. So they're using their face just to or not their face to create content. So it's really crazy how that's really up and coming now is just these authentic videos that people want for their brands. And people are able to do that as a creator without even showing their face or their brand.

03:52
Ashtyn Morris
I've seen that really well blow up on TikTok, especially in terms of it's so cool to see how so many people have side hustles in terms of they can make great money.

04:01
Kristi McKenna
Oh yeah.

04:02
Ashtyn Morris
Creating video and photo content. And even if they're maybe not making a ton of money, if they're getting free products and this is just something they like to do as a creative outlet, it's really growing.

04:15
Kristi McKenna
Yeah, I think a lot of those creators obviously start with those gifting opportunities, which is also great for brands because then they're able to reach out to these smaller influencers or I guess more creators and get them to get content for them, which is really nice. But before I feel like it was just influencers that would get branded products or get paid to do promotion, but now it's really going towards these UGC creators as well and becoming a lifestyle for some people, that's achievable.

04:45
Ashtyn Morris
Absolutely. How does UGC really help these brands feel more authentic? It seems, at least to me, that brands are really starting to lean more into creating content around some experiences and sometimes even focusing less on pushing the product in every single piece of their content. And I feel like UGC really plays a prominent role in that.

05:04
Kristi McKenna
Oh, for sure. And we've even seen it here, I think with some of our clients, like, authenticity is the word of like the year people want authentic content. We're being like fed ads constantly. And I think we had a guest on here that was talking about Gen Z and how we know the amount of ads that we have or Instagram posts we have to scroll through until we get an ad. And the fact that we're just getting fed them all the time means that ads can't look like ads. They have to look authentic.

05:34
Kristi McKenna
And I think that's where the UGC creators come in, because they're able to produce these reels that look like they're from influencers or an everyday type of video that someone would post on their own, which I think makes people want to buy it because it feels like just an authentic posting that anyone else would post.

05:52
Ashtyn Morris
Yeah, and I think that's a good point too, in terms of we are just inundated with ads between stories and on the feed. And listen, we're a digital marketing agency. We set up those ads, we create those ads. But to your point, we know that we've seen with our clients some of the best success from a paid media perspective is utilizing ad content that doesn't feel like an ad. It feels like you're just scrolling and you saw your friends Instagram. Really, it feels very much like, oh, I love how that product is being in use or someone just talking to the camera about their experience. And that content really resonates more, especially with the Gen Z audience, since that's really the name of the game is how do you appeal to them?

06:33
Kristi McKenna
Oh, absolutely. And there's even accounts now, corporate accounts that aren't even posting their product. Like Red Bull, for example. They all post UGC. It's all UGC of different creators and just their experience in life and the thrill of life. And that's their whole brand and that's all that they post about. And I think that's super interesting because they're doing great on socials and people know what the account is, but there's no cans, like you won't see a can in site. And it's very interesting. Also, another brand that I love that does it is La La Land Kind Cafe. And all they post about is about kindness. And that's all that they post about. And I think it's super cool.

07:15
Kristi McKenna
Cause it's a coffee shop, but all they post about is, like, Billy on the street type videos where they're going up to people and just spreading kindness around the community. And I didn't even know it was a coffee shop, so maybe they should add a little bit about that. I just followed them cause they were cute videos. But then I went to the cafe, I'm like, wait, this is the same social.

07:34
Ashtyn Morris
Wait, I love that page.

07:36
Kristi McKenna
So it was very interesting. And it's a cool way that social media has kind of evolved. And we're not really wanting to post ad, we're wanting to post about the experience of a product, which is really interesting.

07:47
Ashtyn Morris
In your experience, if a brand has reached out to you to create content, maybe specifically they're like, we want to use this for a paid media ad. Do you adjust your content creation strategy with that in mind, or does that not really affect how you create that content?

08:06
Kristi McKenna
Yeah, I mean, I would say it obviously depends on what the brand wants and if you're able to do something like that. But in my suggestion, I would say do it as an organic, authentic reel. You using the product out in the world, somehow just showing it off with the experience of it, I think would be key, for sure.

08:28
Ashtyn Morris
Do you have a preference on TikTok or Instagram?

08:31
Kristi McKenna
Oh, I'm an Instagram Girly at heart. Like, I wish we would just go back to carousels. That's just a preference. I don't really like reels. I don't really like TikToks, but that's like, I get addicted to it, obviously, but it's just the name of the game. You have to be on reels to be successful. And I've even noticed that when you post to Instagram, if you hit post, it directs you right to reels. It's not gonna show you they want you to post reels. It does not go to your camera roll, it goes to your videos and it goes to reels. So it's just showing like, two. You have to curate your content to video content right now, especially if you're.

09:14
Ashtyn Morris
Trying to grow in that capacity. If you're trying to make yourself known as a content creator, you really have to adapt with what the algorithm is prioritizing. We've definitely seen that shift over the past few years of reels. Reels.

09:28
Kristi McKenna
Reels, yeah. I'll be interested to see if it stays like this, though, or if people are going to start gravitating more towards photo dumps and more organic, authentic content through photography rather than video still, but I don't know. I think they'll both be prevalent no matter what.

09:44
Ashtyn Morris
And it's interesting to hear you say you don't like TikTok because you've made some amazing TikToks for our VividFront social that I would never know that you don't like TikTok.

09:53
Kristi McKenna
Oh, no. I mean, I still love it. I still enjoy it. Preference wise, I would rather see photos. I don't know why, but yeah, it takes a lot of your time watching the videos too, which is the point of the brand, and people want you to watch the videos. But I just get sucked in so easily.

10:11
Ashtyn Morris
Oh, yeah. I don't like looking at my screen time.

10:14
Kristi McKenna
Oh, I know.

10:15
Ashtyn Morris
I'm just scrolling my life away.

10:16
Kristi McKenna
Oh, I know. It's fine. I've learned a lot.

10:19
Ashtyn Morris
Oh, yeah. And I think it's critical, especially in terms of. We’ve already touched on this a little bit. But Gen Z is a few years away from really being the main percentage of people in the workforce. And we've seen that a large portion of this age demographic consumes social media and content at a higher rate than the predecessing preceding generation. So my question for you is, how do you stay up on all the trends? Because there are so many floating around at all times that it can be overwhelming to keep up with.

10:48
Kristi McKenna
Oh, for sure. The way that trends just go so quickly, like it's there and then it's gone, you really have to keep up with that. And I would just say I keep up with them by being on social media, and I'm on it constantly. I try and see the trends as quick as possible, or friends will send me, you know, TikToks, we'll send each other TikToks. So it's really just being in it, like being in social, being a Gen Z, it's just part of you, I feel like. So that really helps. But it's really interesting, though, that in a couple years, like you said, that Gen Z is going to be the main people in the workforce, I guess, or the younger generation entering it, becoming more higher executive positions that are Gen Z'ers.

11:33
Kristi McKenna
And it'll be interesting to me to see how brands evolve from that, because right now I feel like a lot of people are stuck in the ways of old marketing and they don't want the creativity to shine on TikTok, on reels in social media. So it'll be interesting to see if they start, I don't know, going more towards the new way of social and really valuing it more.

11:58
Ashtyn Morris
Absolutely. It's funny that you brought up that we always send TikToks to each other, but just what were talking about before we started recording is that we have a very similar for you page, but also very different. And it's nice to have almost an echo chamber of finding those micro and macro trends. Because sometimes what I think is trending, I'll look at the number of videos. It's not trending. I think I just ended up there. There's like six videos, and then the comments are like, how did we get here? But it is truly crazy how much content is circulating out there. There's no way you can see it all.

12:32
Kristi McKenna
No, there isn't. And I think that's why it's just valuable to have friends that are also sending you things or just hearing it through the grapevine. Like, I remember the candy salad was trending and maybe you didn't know, and then now I don't know about the brat trend. So I have to keep up to date on these things. So I appreciate it when people send me things. Of course.

12:51
Ashtyn Morris
Where do you. This is interesting because I feel like Instagram doesn't really create trends. They follow TikTok trends. But do you agree or disagree with that statement?

13:04
Kristi McKenna
No, I totally agree. I mean, Instagram is behind on reels by like five weeks, I swear it'll be trending on TikTok. And by the time it gets to Instagram, it's not trending on TikTok anymore. It's crazy.

13:16
Ashtyn Morris
How do you know what trends to hop on? Do you ever pass up on trends if it really doesn't fit the brand?

13:23
Kristi McKenna
Yeah, I think that's super important. When considering filming a video or a trend for a brand. I think that you have to be able to somehow fit it with the brand that you're making a video for, because if it doesn't, then just pass on it. That's fine. There'll be another trend the next week that you can possibly do. But I do think that it's really important not to just hop on everything, but to make sure that's fitting your specific niche that you're in because you really want to niche down when it comes to social media. And I think that it's important to stay very consistent with the brand and the personality that you're building for that company.

14:02
Ashtyn Morris
Agreed. As both an in house content creator for vivid affront and your own brand as an independent content creator, how do you strike the balance between producing content that you like versus what a client or brand wants.

14:17
Kristi McKenna
Yeah, I think it's just important to let the client know the importance of social media, the importance of trends, trending audio and how that will boost your engagement. And just letting them know this is what we think will work, this is what has worked in the past and just showing some type of proof of that for, I don't know, just let people know the importance of these trends and the creativity that it can spread on your social. But yeah, I think that there's definitely a balance in that, like educating people on the importance of social media and trends, but also still staying with that personality of the brand and the identity that you've already built.

14:59
Ashtyn Morris
What would you tell someone looking to start their content creation journey? Do you have any tips or tricks?

15:04
Kristi McKenna
Oh my gosh. I would say just keep posting. I feel like consistency, especially when you're starting out, is key because you need to build viewership somehow. And second, I would say to start building a community for yourself, especially if you're a content creator for yourself, I think that's number one, is commenting on other people's posts, is interacting, is dming others, because really the point of social media is to connect people. And I think that once you start building a community of people who really know you and appreciate your content, that's when you really see yourself grow.

15:40
Ashtyn Morris
I love that.

15:41
Kristi McKenna
Yeah.

15:43
Ashtyn Morris
Might motivate me. I have no creativity like you. What type of equipment do people need really, to be an effective content creator? I mean, I wish you guys could all see the podcast studio right now. Obviously this is on a large scale, but there are huge lights everywhere, great microphones, different tripod setups. But if someone really just wanted to make it on their own for any type of content, what are some of the essentials that they need?

16:07
Kristi McKenna
Oh my gosh, a phone. Like, I think a phone. If you want a camera, if you want a tripod, if you want a little light, that's great. That will take you farther, I guess. But a phone is all that you need. And I think that some social media managers can attest that they sometimes feel lesser than because we're just there with an iPhone or whatever kind of phone that you have. But really that's like the blessing that social has is that you can really just have your phone and you can create anything. And if you post it could go viral, it could change your life with just the phone that you have. And I think that's so cool.

16:48
Ashtyn Morris
I love that. For all our business owners who are listening to the podcast today and are looking to elevate their marketing. What is your pitch to them about the importance of content creation?

17:01
Kristi McKenna
I would say that social media is the way of the future. It's how it's going to be. Especially like were talking earlier, Gen Z is going to be more and more in the workforce, and then Gen Alpha after that, it's just going to become more and more prevalent. And I think that it's important to start now, start your brand now on social. Start building that community that you need because it's important. And that's how people get their news. Gen Zers aren't necessarily looking at Google for their news. They're going on Instagram, TikTok, X, whatever it is, to figure out what's going on in the world and to find the new product that they want. So I think that's the way of the future.

17:39
Ashtyn Morris
That's a great pitch. That about does it for us today. Kristi, thank you for a great episode.

17:55
Kristi McKenna
Thank you, Ashtyn. This was so fun.