Learn from Natasha Courtenay-Smith about how to keep up with the content monsters and what being visible means for a small business for the next three years.

Natasha is a journalist turned digital marketing expert who has a string of businesses including Buddy and Lola, a pet supplement brand.

She's a powerhouse with a capital P when it comes to marketing and we talk about content monsters and the lessons small business owners and solopreneurs can learn from big brands and gurus like Gary Vaynerchuk when it comes to being visible.

Natasha shares how she grew Buddy and Lola, her own pet supplement brand, how she keeps up with the demands of the content monsters, her predictions when it comes to social media and marketing for the next three years and ways to repurpose your content to lighten the load.

Plus why having a pet business is a gift when it comes to landing press coverage and going viral on social media.

And how letting go of caring about how you look and what people think will enable you to keep up with big brands and feel less overwhelmed.

Key topics and timings in this episode:

2.06 - Natasha’s background.

3.43 - Natasha’s businesses including Buddy and Lola, a pet supplement brand.

4.48 - Behind the scenes of Buddy and Lola and what Natasha and her team have learned from launching on Amazon, moving to Shopify and having a successful small team.

7.57 - Why pet brands are in a brilliant position when pitching to the press as they have so many fascinating stories to package and share.

10.45 - How Natasha and the Buddy and Lola team have been gathering stories to approach the media and examples of the ideas they’ve discovered from their community.

12.57 - Why giving a journalist an easy life will help you and help you get in the press.

14.33 - The content monsters and the challenges they give to small business owners.

16.06 - Natasha’s advice when it comes to comparing your business to other brands that were created at a different time and were able to capitalise on algorithm opportunities.

17.32 - The opportunity presented (and challenges) to businesses by vertical videos and why Natasha believes this organic opportunity is here to stay for the next three years at least.

18.11 - Why viral content doesn’t happen overnight and we need to keep dropping assets into the cauldron that is social media. 

19.42 - Case study - Kerry Whitney from Franky’s Bowtique and how she went viral and how pet brands have a far stronger chance of going viral.

21.38 - Why Natasha decided to put together a White Paper on Content Monsters and the challenges for creative teams and e-commerce brands. 

25.27 - How setting up your own offshore production can help, and Natasha’s work with The Edit Squad.

26.40 - Why Natasha is focusing on organic content over paid ads, how she manages her own content and a behind the scenes of her content creation process.

28.50 - The importance of getting regular ‘underlying bass drum’ content out every day for Natasha.

30.05 - Letting go of worrying about what you look and sound like and why you don’t need to be ‘done up’ on every video.

32.19 - How stopping listening to other people will stop you feeling anxious about putting yourself out there - unless it’s Gary Vaynerchuk.

38.24 - The future of long-form content and changes in SEO.

38.57 - Why people do still want to read more and the best ways to invest your time when it comes to repurposing your content.

41.45 - What to expect from Natasha’s White Paper, The Conundrum of Creative Production - Why your brand struggles with creative production in the TikTok era and three solutions that work.

44.16 - Why picking up your phone and mastering creating your own content and being uncomfortable is the way to keep up.

46.54 - How to find out more about Natasha and know when the White Paper is live.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Natasha's website: https://natashacourtenaysmith.com/

Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tash_courtenaysmith

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashacourtenaysmith/

Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tash_courtenay/

Subscribe to the Bolt Digital Newsletter: https://www.boltdigital.media/

Learn about Buddy and Lola: https://www.buddyandlola.co.uk/

Visit Biz Kids: https://www.biz-kids.co.uk/

Check out the Notting Hill Company: https://thenottinghillcompany.com/