Quick Summary
Managing social media for ourselves is one thing, but producing over 500 videos across client studios and job sites is a whole different ballgame. Over 18 months of delivering video marketing for professional services, we’ve learned that social content is deeply collaborative, time-intensive, and fundamentally human. From navigating "zero-click" viewers to watching social leads convert nearly twice as fast as Google search, this post shares eight honest lessons from the trenches. Above all, showing up consistently on camera builds the personal trust that turns quiet followers into real business.
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What we’ve learned doing social media for clients.
If you’ve been following how AI search (or GEO) is changing digital marketing, you’ve probably noticed that social media and SEO are becoming increasingly intertwined.
About 18 months ago, we introduced social media as a service in addition to SEO.
Clients like Lorla Studio, Piper Gonzalez Designs, Kim Joy Design, Made by Emblem and FrankFranco Architects trusted us to support their social media.
500 Videos and 18 Months Later, We’ve Learned A Lot
It’s one thing to do social media for ourselves. It’s a whole other thing doing it for a client. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned.
- Most people watch without liking or commenting. This is called “zero-click marketing.” People are watching your videos, but they’re not always engaging. That makes it much harder to measure.
- The first 100 videos are practice. Talking to a camera is a skill that takes a lot of repetition. I admire Erin Stetzer, for example, who has posted 3,000+ videos since 2021.
- The energy you bring to the camera matters. If you’re nervous, people can sense it on the other side. So make it easy on yourself. Have fun. Relax your shoulders. Keep videos under 60 seconds. Make the first line interesting. Avoid jargon. Write like you’re talking to a smart 10-year-old. And smile.
- It’s never been easier to make good content. We block one day a quarter to visit clients in their studios and job sites to film content with just an iPhone and good natural lighting.
- Still apply SEO best practices to social media. I shared a few tips about this recently.
- Social media leads “marry you” faster. Instagram leads converted nearly 2x better than Google leads. Why? Those leads already felt like they knew the people behind the business.
- Sometimes the goal isn’t direct leads. For firms targeting ultra-high-end projects, social media may not be a lead generator. But it can help get invite-only events, reconnect with old clients, or secure a second meeting with a strategic partner.
- Some of your biggest supporters online will be your own team and clients.
The biggest lesson? It’s sooo hard to do social media alone.
For our clients, we write the scripts, travel to their studios and project sites, shoot on an iPhone, edit, and post.
I’m proud of the process our team has built and the results we’ve gotten. But damn. Social media is way more time-intensive and collaborative than any other marketing channel (like SEO, email, or ads).
Find a friend (or hire us) to help. Your process will be smoother, and your content will be better for it.
See you next next Thursday.
Tchau,
Daniela
