348: Social commentary style content, should I try it?

Always chasing content ideas, and none of them feel like you? There’s a style of content that might take the pressure off, because you don’t have to start from a blank page.I’m unpacking social commentary: what it is, why it works, and whether it’s right for your business. I’m also sharing how I use it with a client right now, plus the questions I ask before jumping on anything. You’ll know by the end whether to give it a go.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Social commentary is responding, reacting or adding your take to something already happening, through the lens of your expertise✨ It works for building credibility, not for being controversial or hopping on every trend✨ Ideas are everywhere. News, pop culture, books, podcasts, articles, buzzwords and other people’s videos✨ Reactive doesn’t have to mean hamster wheel. With a strategy and a mostly scheduled content plan, you can slot a post in or swap one outSHOW RESOURCES 👇LISTEN to the episode on comments being content – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/podcast/334JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don’t forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕

Think you’re “not good at selling”? You’re communicating every single day, and your body is doing a lot of the talking.I loved this conversation with Amy Reczek, CEO of Sales and Presence, certified body language expert and author ofConnect to Close. We talk about why selling is just communication, how to show up with more presence when you’re talking to a little circle on your phone, and the simple shifts that build trust before you’ve said a word. I took a few of her tips into my own sales conversations and they work.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.⁠⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Selling is communicating, so shift your mindset from what you want to what your client needs, and get curious about their world ✨ Educate rather than pitch: share what’s happening with your clients, let people get to know you, and keep repeating yourself because it’s not their job to remember ✨ Start with three nonverbal power skills: posture, your hands (keep them in frame and be expressive) and eye contact (look at the camera lens, not the screen) ✨ Ask three questions before you solution anything, and when you’re stuck, “tell me more” is your go-to ✨ Use the BREW Method (Be the moment, Raise confidence, Engage, and What about) and brew your own blendSHOW RESOURCES 👇Check out salesandpresence.com – ⁠https://www.salesandpresence.com/⁠ FOLLOW Amy on LinkedIn – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyreczek⁠ GET a copy of Connect to Close on Amazon – ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Connect-Close-Communicate-Momentum-Results-ebook/dp/B0G5QJCPV7/⁠ JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – ⁠https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcamp⁠Find out more about how to WORK WITH US – ⁠www.contentqueenmariah.com⁠ Connect with us on INSTAGRAM – ⁠https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariah⁠If you like this episode, don’t forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTAmy Reczek is the CEO of Sales and Presence, a certified body language expert, and the author of Connect to Close. With over 17 years of corporate sales experience, Amy teaches entrepreneurs and business leaders the psychology of presence and how to master communication power skills. She is on a mission to help professionals ditch outdated sales tactics and instead use authentic connection, nonverbal cues, and strategic messaging to build momentum and drive real business results.

"Content is exhausting. I don't have time." If you're throwing something up at 5pm just to have posted, and it still drains you, this one is for you.I hear this over and over, and it's the exact reason people come to us for help. This week I'm walking through a few ways to make content feel lighter and more sustainable, so you're not stuck on the hamster wheel or ghosting your audience the second you go on holiday. I'm also doing a free 90-minute live masterclass with Lucy Shrimpton on Thursday 15 October (12pm to 1:30pm UK time), where we'll build your aligned content plan together. Link below.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Work out which part of content is actually draining you (video, writing, planning or ideas) and ask whether it can be outsourced, to a person or to AI✨ It's often the admin around content that exhausts us, not the creating. Map the process into an SOP and batch tasks on set days✨ Look at where you're showing up. Posting less, or choosing a channel that energises you, can give you more return for effort✨ Pull from what you already have: old newsletters, webinars, client calls and everyday stories✨ Build a bank of content in your quieter periods so you're never scrambling at 5pm or going silent when you need a breakSHOW RESOURCES 👇JOIN the free live Content Marketing Masterclass with me and Lucy Shrimpton (Thursday 15 October, 12pm to 1:30pm UK time) – https://www.lucyshrimpton.com/content-queen-registration-pageTAKE the quiz to find the content channel that suits you – https://sales.contentqueenmariah.com/content-quizLISTEN to Episode 319 with Lucy Shrimpton – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/podcast/319JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕

Ever notice how the second a camera turns on, you turn into a slightly robotic, over-performed version of yourself? You're not broken, you're just human, and this week's guest has spent her career helping people work on exactly that.I'm joined by Helen von Dadelszen, communication and vocal coach, speaker and author of Courageous Action, to talk about something that's been all over my feed lately: AI slop, sounding the same online, and what it actually takes to bring the human back into your content. We get into stage fright, why polish isn't the goal, and the practical tools Helen uses to help brilliant people communicate like themselves.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah and @present_potential.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ AI isn't something to fear, but outsourcing your voice or your face to it comes at a cost, people can tell when something doesn't quite match up once they meet the real you✨ Confidence isn't something you wait for, it's built through courageous action, doing the thing while nervous, then collecting evidence that you can✨ Your audience doesn't want polished, they want human. Filler words, stumbles and imperfections build trust, not distrust✨ Before you communicate anything, get clear on who you're speaking to and what you want them to think, feel or do by the end✨ Breath, body and mindset are all trainable. Small, practical tools (box breathing, an open stance, watching yourself on mute) can regulate your nervous system before you hit recordSHOW RESOURCES 👇Check out courageousaction.chFOLLOW Helen on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-von-dadelszen/FOLLOW Helen on Instagram –https://www.instagram.com/present_potential JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTHelen von Dadelszen is a communication and voice coach, speaker and author of Courageous Action. Based in Switzerland, she helps professionals turn complex ideas into clear, human communication and use their voice with greater confidence, particularly when the pressure is on. Her work combines practical communication strategies, vocal techniques and the belief that confidence is built through action, not before it.

"Good content" doesn't mean viral, polished or trending. It never really did.In this episode, I'm breaking it down into three parts: the five things that actually make content good, what's working right now on each social channel, and some 101 filming and photo-taking tips, because that's one of the questions I get asked the most.If you've ever wondered whether your content is "good enough" or found yourself chasing polish instead of connection, I got you. If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ The five things that actually make content good (it has a role, it's intentional, it serves your audience not just your brand, it's honest not polished, and it's measured by the right things)✨ Why "vanity metrics" like likes can trick you into pulling good content, when the real result (like link clicks) was hiding in the data✨ What's working right now by channel, from LinkedIn's raw, personal storytelling to TikTok's FaceTime-style videos to Instagram's B-roll and text overlay formula✨ Simple filming and photo-taking basics (lighting, mic, framing, batching, pattern interrupts) that make a bigger difference than people expectSHOW RESOURCES 👇Catch up on our filming and editing video with Mitch - https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/podcast/291 Check out Dupe for natural stock content - https://dupephotos.com/homeJOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) - https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US - www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕

Think a good-looking website means it's actually converting?So we have Anna Tillotson on ep 343 of The Content Queen Podcast to talk about why pretty stores still leak sales, and where product-based businesses are actually losing customers (hint, it's rarely the homepage).Anna is the founder of House of Cart, a Shopify and Klaviyo expert team helping women-led ecommerce brands scale and grow. She's audited and built more than 500 Shopify stores, leads a fully remote team of seven, and is also the founder of Future Ready Kids, AI literacy for kids. This episode is packed with practical, no-fluff advice if you run a Shopify store, or even just suspect your website might be leaking sales somewhere.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah and @houseofcart.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why a pretty store isn't the same as a converting store, and why structure and customer journey do the actual selling✨ Why most stores leak sales on the product page and at checkout, not the homepage, and what to check first✨ Why email marketing is a revenue channel, not just a newsletter, and why it should be doing 30 to 40% of your revenue if it's set up properly✨ How to think about abandoned cart flows and timing (the "school pickup" example), so your emails land when someone's actually ready to buy✨ Why going deep into your own customer journey, and even "spying" on brands you admire, reveals more than data aloneSHOW RESOURCES 👇Check out houseofcart.com.auFOLLOW Anna on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/houseofcartFOLLOW Anna on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/houseofcart/JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTAnna Tillotson is the founder of House of Cart, a Shopify and Klaviyo expert team helping women-led ecommerce brands scale and grow on Shopify. She has audited and built more than 500 Shopify stores, and leads a fully remote team of seven. Anna is also a mum of three, running a neurodivergent home, and the founder of Future Ready Kids, AI literacy for kids. She's currently rebuilding her agency to run on AI, proof that you can amplify the business and design the lifestyle around it rather than the other way around.

I could talk about content strategy in theory all day, but I think it lands so much better with real examples.In this episode, I'm taking you through three business owners from a recent Bootcamp round, each with a completely different plan, different channels, different pain points, because content strategy was never meant to be one-size-fits-all.If you've ever wondered whether a strategy could really work for your specific business, not just "post more" advice, this one's for you.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.JOIN THIS LIVE ROUND OF BOOTCAMP! KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why posting every single day isn't a strategy, and how one client scaled back to a sustainable two-week content sprint instead✨ Why having too many offers and ideas can leave you paralysed, and how narrowing in on themes and building a proper launch runway fixed that for another client✨ Why community can become the actual goal of your marketing, not just a stepping stone to a sale, especially for premium, service-based offers✨ Why "what's trending" or what worked for someone else's business isn't the point, the right strategy depends entirely on your own audience, energy and goalsSHOW RESOURCES 👇Catch up on the last solo episode: "I'm not converting on Instagram" – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/podcast/340 JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy, live hot seat rounds available) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕

Trying to get found on Google and AI search, without turning your website into something that reads like it was built for a robot?So we have Ashley Willis on ep 341 of The Content Queen Podcast to talk about human-first SEO in a very AI-dominant world, and why findability isn't just about ranking, it's about building an ecosystem people can land in from anywhere.Ashley is an SEO strategist who believes marketing is a human-first journey. After years in the beauty industry and then rising through the ranks at a mid-sized marketing agency, she traded the beauty bar for the search bar, building her own human-first approach to SEO that turns technical overwhelm into step-by-step guidance that actually feels doable.If you've ever felt like you're "doing all the things" but still not getting discovered, we got you! If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah and @ashleytheseostrategist.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ The difference between being visible and being findable, and why Ashley thinks in ecosystems rather than funnels✨ Why AI and Google are pulling from everywhere you show up, not just your website, and what that means for your content✨ Why consistency and a plan matter more than perfection, and why starting imperfect beats waiting for everything to be "ready"✨ How to find the deeper, more specific questions your audience is actually asking AI, and use those as content ideas✨ Why the smartest move isn't spreading yourself across every platform, it's repurposing what already works into a video, carousel, newsletter or blogSHOW RESOURCES 👇FOLLOW Ashley on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ashleytheseostrategistFOLLOW Ashley on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleytheseostrategist/FOLLOW Ashley on YouTube – https://youtube.com/@ashleywillistheseostrategistJOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTAshley, "The SEO Strategist," believes that marketing is a human-first journey. She spent years in the beauty industry, where she learned that true transformation only happens when someone feels seen, heard, and valued. After rising through the ranks of a mid-size agency to become the most requested expert for high-level client consultations, Ashley saw a side of marketing that didn't sit right with her, watching brilliant women entrepreneurs and mid-size businesses treated like interchangeable transactions rather than the experts they are, buried in technical wording and reports that left them overwhelmed instead of empowered.Today, Ashley has traded the beauty bar for the search bar to amplify businesses and meet them exactly where they are. Through her signature human-first approach, she provides the strategy to make sure a brand is the "obvious choice" by cross-pollinating its presence across every platform with Omni-SEO, ensuring that from social to search, everything works together, not in isolation. Ashley is the founder of SDM Online Solutions and Amplify My Biz, and is on a mission to bridge the gap between her human-first methodology and data-backed growth.

"Instagram's not converting for me." Sound familiar?I hear this constantly. But here's the reframe I want you to take from this episode: the real issue usually isn't Instagram, it's the role you've assigned it in your overall funnel.In this episode, I'm walking through three real client stories, each one thinking Instagram was "failing" them, and how looking at their actual data and goals changed what Instagram's job was supposed to be in the first place.If you've ever felt like Instagram owes you sales just because you're showing up there, this one's for you.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why "Instagram isn't converting" is usually a sign of a misplaced expectation, not a broken platform✨ How to work out what role a channel is actually meant to play (credibility, top of funnel, DMs, repurposing) rather than expecting every post to sell✨ Why the customer journey isn't linear, and why someone might follow you on Instagram, buy after watching YouTube, and still say "I found you on YouTube"✨ Why comparing your channel performance to what you see other business owners doing online rarely reflects your actual audience or business✨ Why you're a business owner first, not a content creator, and how that shifts what each platform is really there to doSHOW RESOURCES 👇JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕

Worried that everything online is starting to sound the same because of AI?We have Maria-Katarina Johannesson, better known as Links & Maria, on ep 339 of The Content Queen Podcast to talk about why the future of content isn't less AI, it's more human, and how to actually find that balance.Maria-Katarina specialises in link building and digital PR, helping businesses show up on both Google and AI search, always with a people-first approach. If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to keep up with AI, questioned whether something "sounds too AI", or wondered how to stay authentic while still optimising for search, this episode is for you.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah and @linksandmaria.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why using AI without a clear purpose leads to "commodity content", generic output that sounds the same as everyone else's✨ How relying too heavily on AI can quietly erode your confidence in your own voice and ideas✨ Why optimising purely for bots is a trap, and how the real goal is building a holistic brand that works for humans and AI alike✨ Why who you are online needs to match who you are offline, and why that gap is more noticeable than people think✨ Why claiming ownership of a couple of core topics and consistently talking about them builds recognition over time, in search engines and in people's mindsSHOW RESOURCES 👇Check out linksandmaria.comFOLLOW Maria-Katarina on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/linksandmaria/FOLLOW Maria-Katarina on TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@linksandmariaFOLLOW Maria-Katarina on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/linksandmaria/JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTMaria-Katarina Johannesson, better known as Links & Maria, is based in Stockholm, Sweden. She is all about creating "real plant moments" in marketing, genuine, rooted connections that actually grow something. For her, that means showing up with authenticity, honouring who you are, and never forgetting the sales perspective. She specialises in link building and digital PR, helping businesses show up on both Google and AI search, and helps brands build the kind of authority that gets them recommended, not just ranked, always with a people-first approach.