Current and Future Social Media Trends Trends with Latasha James

Part 1: How to Build and Grow a YouTube Community

Episode Summary:

In Part 1 of this episode, Tejas is joined by Latasha James, a marketing strategist, digital content creator, and coach. Latasha is the Founder and Creative Director of James + Park Creative, a creative video and social media marketing agency. She is also the Founder and Content Creator of Online Business Launch Lab, a premium education platform for marketers and creative entrepreneurs.

Today, Latasha joins us to discuss how to build a thriving online community, current social media trends, why you should create YouTube content, and finding the right influencers for your business.

Key Highlights:

• 2:36 – 4:53 – Growing an Audience on YouTube – If you want to grow a successful YouTube channel, you should build a community of people willing to follow you. And that requires consistency. It’s not an overnight success. You have to upload videos several times a week, on the same days, every week. Try reading all the video comments and responding to as many as possible. Before making a video, do proper subject research and use SEO tools. Mix up the subjects, and beware that most videos might not have many views. But you have to remain consistent in making and uploading videos.
• 4:53 – 8:00 – How to Build an Online Community – It’s about two-way communication. Be authentic and open to your community. The same applies to brands as well, which should assume the role of creators. People want to be a part of the process and see the real you. Anytime you film or work on something, go live or use stories to ask people’s opinions and get them involved. But your content should also provide value for the community.
• 8:00 – 9:39 – The YouTube Effect – One great plus for YouTube is that it is an SEO-driven platform. Your content may be relevant for long years after you uploaded it and get thousands of views each year. So it will help you build that community and gain brand awareness. For other platforms like TikTok, the content has a short shelf life. Combining YouTube and TikTok and other platforms is what drives success. You can take your YouTube videos and adapt them for TikTok or Instagram Reels.
• 12:45 – 15:03 – What Does a Successful Video Look Like on YouTube? – Make sure you give people valuable, tangible, and actionable advice or pieces of information. Pay attention to tags, titles, and thumbnails. And get straight to the point of your video to capture people’s attention to get them to want to continue watching throughout.
• 12:45 – 16:24 – Finding the Right Influencers – Find a creator that works for your brand. Make sure that they align with your brand values and style by properly researching them. Look at the metrics to see if they captivate your audience but do it authentically. And consider micro-influencers as they tend to build stronger communities.

Part 2: Current and Future Social Media Trends

Episode Summary:

Latasha has vast experience in marketing and social media and has worked in-house for nonprofit organizations, tech startups, and multiple Fortune 500 companies.

Today, Latasha joins us to discuss current and future social media trends, strategies for growth, the rise of TikTok, and how brands should approach social media to build strong communities.

Key Highlights:

• 2:10 – 5:02 – TikTok VS Instagram – Instagram tends to be a millennial platform, where TikTok is most popular among gen Z. But, that doesn’t mean Instagram will become irrelevant and disappear. TikTok is still pure engagement, social, and entertainment, while Instagram does tend to be more optimized for businesses.
• 5:02 – 7:03 –  The Future of Social Media – Audio entertainment is something to watch out for. More people listen to podcasts. There might be a place for micro-content in the audio space. The format simply needs to become more engaging and authentic.
• 9:43 – 13:53 – Social Media for Brands – One of the things that brands do wrong on social media, especially on TikTok, is they advertise instead of entertaining and creating relevant content. The secret is to think like the audience, not like a brand. It’s about building engagement and awareness. So get to know your audience and think of it as a long-term investment.