Brisbane Digital Spotlight is a blog series that aims to shine light on the exceptional talent within the city’s digital community. With each post, I uncover a devoted individual within my network who I’ve recognised to be deeply engaged in the digital industry. Whether it be a Digital Marketer, a Developer, a Co-founder, a Project Manager, or even a Recruiter – my goal is to highlight the work these remarkable individuals do; day in, day out.
The social media landscape is one that’s constantly evolving with new trends, platforms, and product features.
At the core of an effective social strategy, lies the ability for brands to create engaging content that captivates users.
It takes a special kind of digital marketer to understand how brands can use new tools to share their unique stories. Mackayla Paul is someone who can do just that.
I recently caught up with Mackayla to uncover more about her background, her advice for those interested in social media marketing, and her future predictions for the industry.
Mackayla’s genuine passion for the digital industry allows her to remain at the forefront of the latest trends.
I admire her willingness to learn, alongside her ability to consistently create content of value.
Keep reading to uncover more about Mackayla’s exciting work.
Tell us about your background. How did you end up in the digital space?
Originally I was a 14-year-old high school student who was absolutely obsessed with the burgeoning ‘blogging’ community. It fascinated me that you could just pop a website on the internet, write interesting content and wa-bam, you had a job.
I started blogging on the side in high school after watching countless videos to learn how to build a WordPress website. From there, it all kind of spiralled. I was spending more time after school learning about SEO and brand positioning than I was doing my homework – luckily my OP didn’t suffer any damage because of it.
I knew from the get-go that I wanted to be a digital marketer, and I spent the early years in my career doing everything possible to get my foot in the door in a non-traditional way.
What advice do you have for brands looking to create engaging content worth consuming?
The first thing you’ve got to understand, before you start creating any content, is what your customers actually want to ‘see’ in their newsfeeds/email inbox.
Do they want to laugh at a meme relevant to your industry (B2B)?
Do they want to learn more about your product before they buy, in a unique way that fits with your brand voice (B2C)?
It helps to go out there with what you think your audience want, and then review your social and email analytics to see what is *really* grabbing their attention and switching your strategy using those insights.
As Instagram continues to become a predominant platform, how are you seeing brands adapt to new best practices and features?
From what I’ve noticed, there are a lot of household brands and indie brands who are really taking the new Instagram features by the horns.
Particularly with Instagram Stories advertising features and influencer marketing collaborations. I am seeing a lot of brands stepping up and making use of them as another string to their bows.
In 2019, what role do you see influencers play across the industry?
Consumers are waking up and really taking what influencers say when promoting a brand with a grain of salt. There has been a lot of fraud in the industry and a lot of influencers who are ‘in it’ for the wrong reasons.
The influencers and personal brands that will stand the test of time are the ones who have a clearly defined niche, a unique personality, and a deep understanding and respect for their audience. Brands are waking up to this too and being more diligent when screening potential influencers to collaborate with, and I couldn’t be happier!
What are some predictions you have for the social media landscape over the next year?
TRANSPARENCY AND AUTHENTICITY
One of the biggest trends I am seeing from consumers is wanting more transparency and authenticity from both the brands and influencers that they follow on socials.
THE BAR WILL BE RAISED HIGHER
As social media becomes more and more common for both business and personal use, the quality of content needs to be high in order to compete. The bar is going to keep rising higher and higher depending on what level of ‘success’ you want to achieve with social media marketing.
NEW FEATURES PRESENT NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Social media networks are looking for new ways to engage their audiences and encourage businesses to use their platforms. I am sure that we will see new developments in the content that is supported on platforms (LinkedIn is a great example of this) over the coming years.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to enter the digital industry?
There is so much out there that you can learn for free or at a low cost online. If you are truly passionate about digital marketing, do everything you can to learn about all aspects of it in a way that works for you.
For me, when I’m taking online courses – I dedicate sections of a physical notebook to my notes, almost as if I’m going to write an assignment on it later. It’s the best way for me to learn, but perhaps you learn better from reading articles, books, or by taking real-life workshops hosted by digital marketing experts.
Finally, what are some of your favourite things to do in sunny Brisbane when not at work?
Rollerskating! Both outside and indoor at the local Rollerfit classes – it is such a retro pastime but I think more people should give it a go.
It’s scary when you first put a pair on and stand up, but it is such great exercise and you have to pay attention to where you’re putting your feet, so there’s no time to check social media notifications!
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About me:
I’m a twenty-three year old Digital Marketing & Conversions Specialist based in Brisbane, Australia. With a passion for all things digital and tech, I aim to connect and learn from as many like-minded digital enthusiasts as possible. If you have a passion for emerging technologies and digital practices, I’d love to connect and hear your story.
Lachlan Kirkwood - Digital Marketing Specialist 