Jon-Stephen Stansel on creativity & humor as a social media pro and dad

Jon-Stephen Stansel on creativity & humor as a social media pro and dad

I’ve followed the work of social media consultant Jon-Stephen Stansel for years, so I was thrilled when he agreed to chat with me for the It’s a Lot podcast. After getting his start doing social media at higher ed institutions and government agencies, his online connections led to him working with brands like Invincible, Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, Hazbin Hotel, Sausage Party: Foodtopia, and Avatar: The Way of Water. In this conversation, we talk about the joys of being creative and funny on social media, how AI lacks taste that’s necessary to succeed as a social media manager, the dark pits of the internet, and more. In the second half of the show, we also explore Jon-Stephen’s life as a dad and the joys he’s finding on his parenthood journey.

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LinkedIn influencer Jayde Powell is ditching outdated notions of 'professionalism'

LinkedIn influencer Jayde Powell is ditching outdated notions of 'professionalism'

Five years ago, I interviewed Jayde Powell here on the Serve Me the Sky blog, long before she became a sought after LinkedIn influencer! Jayde has been building her personal brand for a long time; now, she’s getting $20,000 brand deals for her LinkedIn content and earning over $200k per year from her influencer work. I was stoked to catch up with her for the It’s a Lot podcast. In this episode, we got into the nitty gritty of brand deals (including red flags she’s learned to suss out ASAP), her plans for retiring from social media by 40, what her different income streams look like, how she’s breaking free from the limiting box of ‘professionalism,’ and more. I find Jayde super inspiring, and I hope you will too.

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How to Schedule Posts Natively on LinkedIn

How to Schedule Posts Natively on LinkedIn

Throughout my career as a social media strategist, I have long advocated for folks to 1) be more proactive and 2) utilize a scheduling tool. Scheduling your content in advance is helpful for increasing your efficiency, establishing a consistent posting cadence, and saving your sanity. I’ve tried both third party tools and built-in schedulers for each platform. LinkedIn was one of the few platforms that did not offer a way to schedule posts natively. I briefly tried Hootsuite for scheduling LinkedIn posts, but found it cumbersome and returned to posting in real time. Excitingly enough, LinkedIn recently added the ability to schedule posts right on the platform! I’ll walk you through the steps for scheduling your LinkedIn content to go live at a later time.

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Where Should I Invest My Time & Effort on Social Media?

Where Should I Invest My Time & Effort on Social Media?

As a social media professional, one of the most common questions I get is, “which social media platforms should I be on?” Social media is always changing–you’ve got to keep up with the old standbys of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, then there’s pressure to hop on new platforms, and there are options like LinkedIn and Pinterest to consider. How do you know where to focus your time and effort? Social media is a ton of work, so you want to make sure your time is well spent and that you’re not spreading yourself too thin. Today I’m sharing my best advice for where to invest your time and effort when it comes to social media marketing.

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12 Things Not to Do on LinkedIn

12 Things Not to Do on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a strange platform. While it can be great for networking and professional purposes, many people seem unsure of how to use the platform well. It can lead to inappropriate behaviors and cringey mistakes. In order to use LinkedIn effectively, you need to understand its purpose and why you’re there.

So, what is LinkedIn for? LinkedIn is a much more formal platform than Twitter or Instagram. It’s designed for creating a compelling profile to highlight your professional experience and connecting with people in your field. Ultimately, the goal is to craft a strong network that helps you move forward in your career.

What is LinkedIn not for? So many things! It’s not a dating site. It’s not a sales platform. It’s not for making new friends. Here are 12 things you should not do on LinkedIn.

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How to Craft a Kickass LinkedIn Profile

How to Craft a Kickass LinkedIn Profile

Have you been underutilizing your LinkedIn profile for years? We’ve all been there. It’s easy to neglect. People love spending time on Instagram looking at pretty photos, and many folks are flocking to TikTok to bask in the creativity and be entertained. So are people really still using LinkedIn? Certainly! LinkedIn has 160 million users in the U.S. and 260 million monthly active users worldwide. The site boasts 20 million companies listed and 14 million open jobs, with 90% of recruiters regularly using LinkedIn

If you want to take some time to update your LinkedIn profile one of these days, how do you make sure it’s not boring? You want to stand out and make a positive impression. Here are my best tips for crafting a kickass LinkedIn profile.

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