Caridad González recently joined Carlota Pico on The Content Mix to discuss her role as global social media manager for the international English language learning school Wall Street English. Caridad explained what goes into managing the channels for a company that runs over 420 centers in 29 territories across the globe. She also dove into common misconceptions about her role, the brands producing bold content that inspire her, and how companies can stand out when the competition is fierce.
You can watch the full conversation in the video above or on YouTube, listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify, and read our recap below.
Key takeaways
- Having the right skills and qualities is essential for any role. The top qualities of great employees include being a good listener with the ability to concentrate and focus on what needs to be done, being professional and ethical, and being flexible (which is especially important today).
- Social media gives you the opportunity to directly engage with your audience and hear their feedback, both good and bad. Don’t be afraid of being criticized—embrace the opportunity for your company to learn and grow.
- Being a social media manager isn’t all fun and memes. To create strategies and put insights into motion, you need to have the right people dedicated to your team. You also need to be creative, flexible, technical and empathetic.
- The companies that make thumb-stopping content are those that aren’t afraid to be bold. One such brand is Oatly, with their ads centered around witty copywriting. Another example of unique content is National Geographic’s “Your Shot,” a global photography community that showcases people’s different realities around the world.
- When you have many competitors—such as in the English-teaching world—your reputation and legacy will help you stand out. Word-of-mouth referrals, hands-on marketing based on each market’s needs, and brand positioning are crucial in a saturated market.
Rapid-fire recs
A marketing influencer who you follow?
Jake Stainer, the co-founder of Outreach Humans. I met him at an event in Barcelona called MeltinLab where we were both speakers, and I’ve been following him ever since. I would advise anybody who’s interested in marketing to take a look at what he does, especially on LinkedIn. Jake is always running interesting events with people in the industry and sharing very valuable insights on SaaS and growth marketing.
What’s an app or tool that you love?
One is a meditation app called Insight Timer. These days meditation apps are super popular, but I recommend this one because you can find whatever you need to soothe yourself, to help you sleep faster and better, to energize you—anything!
Another app I’d recommend is Yuka, which you can use to scan products in the supermarket like food and cosmetics. The app tells you how healthy the products are, if they have chemicals or questionable ingredients that aren’t great for you, etc. It helps me make better choices and save money too, because then I don’t buy as much stuff!
Connect with Caridad and Carlota on LinkedIn.
This post was edited by Mary Kresge, a freelance content creator based in Madrid.
For more insights into global social media management, check out:
Make room for growth – Santiago Garcia Solimei, global social media director at Meliá
The art of social media campaigns – Justyna Ludwiniak, global social media manager
Overcoming creative blocks – Kavitha Das, global social media manager at BBC StoryWorks
To see the full transcript, click on page number 2 below.