Invest in yourself: Ali Galan, Antler global social media

Shaheen Samavati recently sat down for a chat with London-based social media expert Ali Galan. He’s currently the global social media manager at Antler, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in innovative technology worldwide. In this interview, Ali discusses the challenges of adapting to a variety of goals and platforms, creating a diverse and effective content mix, and staying up to date with the constantly changing social media landscape.

You can watch the full conversation in the video above on our YouTube channel, listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify, and read our recap below.

Key takeaways

At Antler, the goal is to use quality content to connect with people in an authentic and approachable way through social media.

The influence of multimedia content, and podcasts in particular, is growing in all sectors—but no matter the format, it’s vital to stay innovative and on-brand.

Social media professionals must be adaptable not only to new trends, but also to the specific objectives and style of the client they’re working for.

It’s essential to always keep learning, whether through events, books, blogs, podcasts, or active observation of trends on social networks.

You don’t need a certain background or traditional qualifications to build your ideal career; it’s a matter of shifting your focus, putting yourself out there, and being prepared to seize opportunities.

You always have to keep learning and stay ahead of the herd—and one way to do that is by investing in yourself.

Rapid-fire recs

What’s a book you’ve read recently that you would recommend?

I read a lot, but the number one book that I’ve taken a lot from is Ogilvy on Advertising in the Digital Age. It’s by Miles Young, the former CEO of Ogilvy & Mather. It’s very intuitive, with up-to-date information that you can actually replicate.

Are there any marketing influencers who you follow?

In the UK there’s a person called Steven Bartlett, who owns a social media agency called Social Chain. I follow him quite a bit on LinkedIn, and he’s always updating me on different algorithms and changes in social media.

Also check out: 8 inspiring content and marketing influencers to follow

A valuable industry group or resource?

I’ve invested in a lot of courses; I did social media marketing courses from Hootsuite and HubSpot. I’m pretty much looking into new courses every month—you have to be well rounded, because the industry is always changing.

Connect with Ali and Shaheen on LinkedIn.

This post was edited by Melissa Haun, a freelance content creator based in Lisbon.