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Join The Arboretum to connect with professionals from around the world. Make connections and discover fresh perspectives on social marketing.

448 Topics
Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Coffee Talk
🔦 Member Spotlight – Zachary Walker, VP of Social Media at The Motion Agency

Time to Meet Zachary WalkerThis month’s Member Spotlight shines on ​@zach.walker, VP of Social Media at The Motion Agency! Zachary’s journey in marketing is as dynamic as it is inspiring, and his passion for elevating others in the industry makes his story one you don’t want to miss.Breaking Barriers in AdvertisingAs a POC and marketing leader, Zachary is proud to represent diversity and champion inclusivity within the advertising industry. He’s a trailblazer who uses his platform to create opportunities and highlight underrepresented voices.From Kitchens to CampaignsBefore diving into marketing, Zachary had dreams of becoming a chef and even worked at one of the world’s best restaurants. (We bet his cooking skills are still top-tier!) That passion for creativity and precision now fuels his work in social media.Highlight Moment: Navy PierZachary’s recent work with Navy Pier is a standout moment in his career. As part of an integrated new business pitch, his agency landed Navy Pier as a

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jaxn.engstrom
Advanced User
17 hours ago
Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Coffee Talk
This Year In Social: The Biggest Stories in Social Media!3-Minute Video

As we say goodbye to 2024, we’re looking back at the moments that defined the year in social media.Check out this week’s special episode of This Week in Social, where we highlight the top four stories that had the biggest impact on our industry. From platform innovations to viral trends, it’s a quick and fun recap you won’t want to miss! What were your favorite social media moments of the year? Drop your thoughts below—we’d love to hear from you! Here’s to another year of learning, growing, and making an impact in the social media world.

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jaxn.engstrom
Advanced User
17 hours ago
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Engaged User
mihaela.stefanovaEngaged User
posted in Coffee Talk
You should try to tailor your initiatives to European customers

It seems like all the extra things Sprout does are always geared at an American audience. All the webinars you do are during times that are after the workday finishes in Europe. This means that none of your European customers can join live and benefit from asking questions, connecting with people in the comments and etc. In addition, this year’s Giveaway Extravaganza emails were sent at 4:30pm in the UK, which would be 5:30 or even 6:30pm in Europe. By the time we’ve seen the email the next day, the competition of the day is already closed. So again, we can’t participate. I also assume you’re not shipping prizes internationally, so we wouldn’t be able to claim anything even if we do win. In which case you could at least exclude us from emails that aren’t relevant. It genuinely feels like we’re missing out on so much and are overlooked as a customer group.  

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Gayatri Shukla
Community Manager
1 day ago
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New User
lindsey.weitzNew User
posted in Coffee Talk
Introducing Myself 😎

Hi fellow social media friends :) My name is Lindsey Weitz, and I am a social media manager for an Automotive Group in Upstate NY. I am a Virginia Tech alum (Go Hokies), but I’ve lived in the Upstate NY area my whole life. Outside of work I love to watch football (Go Giants), watch Formula 1, cook, do anything in the art realm, and travel! My position is brand new within the auto group, and I’m starting from zero when it comes to building their social strategy. I create all the content myself, so I’m always working in Adobe. One of my professional goals for next year is to get better at After Effects. So, if any of you are also social media managers in the automotive industry, I’d love to connect and hear more about how you’ve crafted your strategy! 

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New User
2 days ago
Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Coffee Talk
The Arboretum’s Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza HubNow through December 13th

The 2024 Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza 🎉Welcome to The 2024 Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza, Arboretum members! We’re thrilled to bring you 10 days of fun, engaging activities, meaningful connections, and amazing prizes. From December 2 to December 13, join us every weekday for daily prompts and a chance to win exciting prizes.What’s Happening:Daily Prompts & Prizes: Each day, we’ll post a new activity in the forums. Participate in discussions, share your ideas, and connect with fellow members to win incredible prizes, including Ember Smart Mugs, Bose Headphones, JBL Speakers, and more! Grand Prize: The most engaged member across the entire event will win an exclusive reMarkable Tablet & Premium Accessories on December 16. Participation counts—so the more you contribute, the better your chances! Free to Join: It’s easy and free for all Arboretum members to take part. Daily Prompts & PrizesHere’s a sneak peek of what’s in store:Day 1 (12/2): [Share your top productivity tip]

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jaxn.engstrom
Advanced User
4 days ago
Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Coffee Talk
Giveaway Day 10: Reflect & Celebrate with Us!Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza Finale

Welcome to the grand finale of The 2024 Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza! Over the past 10 days, we’ve connected, shared, and learned so much together. Now, it’s time to reflect on the highlights of our year in The Arboretum community.Here’s What to Do:1️⃣ Share your favorite Arb or career moment from this year in the comments. What stood out, made an impact, or brought a smile to your face?2️⃣ Engage with at least two other reflections to celebrate the memories we’ve created together.Today’s Grand Prize:One lucky participant will win an Upgraded Second Monitor & High-End Ergonomic Desk Chair—a dream setup for any social media professional. 🎁Thank you for making this event unforgettable. Let’s celebrate the connections, insights, and fun we’ve shared. Share your reflections below!

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emily.murray
Advanced User
4 days ago
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Advanced User
adrienne.cooleyAdvanced User
posted in Likes & Dislikes
Plenty of wins to celebrate this year!

Social media naturally comes with its share of challenges and I’ve had plenty of venting moments with my team, but when I think back on the year, there are so many wins to celebrate! We’ve already surpassed all of our social media goals and KPIs for the year. I was able to double our goal for number of reels posted, and I created a TikTok channel from the ground up this year. One of my favorite wins: I had a couple instances this year of posting reels highlighting local businesses (I do destination marketing), and then hearing from business owners that they saw an influx of business after the reel was posted. I can look at analytics all day, but none of it is quite as motivating as knowing my work has real impact on my community! It’s so easy to get sucked into the day-to-day frustrations, so rounding up our EOY reports and stats and looking back on the year is a really needed opportunity to look at the bigger picture and see how much my and my team’s hard work has paid off! 

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A
Advanced User
7 days ago
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Engaged User
desiree.linkEngaged User
posted in Likes & Dislikes
Canva-tastrophe :D

💪🏻 A couple weeks back, I finally figured out a to-do list system that works for me, which is a really big win! (I change my system every couple of years depending on the circumstances - if I don’t have a working system, my life literally spirals out of control 😂) 👎🏻 Our parent company decided that we should all share a Canva account, so I had to transfer everything (uploads, designs) from my current into the new account - which was an absolute nightmare. You can’t “bulk download” or “bulk transfer” anything in Canva - whatever you do, it has to be done individually.First, I had to download every single upload (500+) from my account to upload them again in the new account. That completely messed up the order of the material in the new uploads folder. I had already gotten so used to that specific order. 😅Then I had to share every individual existing design with my new account via email and open the link I was sent in my email program in an incognito tab (because I had to have two

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Engaged User
8 days ago
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Advanced User
MisterPAdvanced User
asked in Likes & Dislikes
One of my wins and perhaps a sign of the times...

Over the course of 2024, I’ve used the time to learn AI prompt engineering using online courses, eBooks, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc. I feel it’s critical to know how to optimally leverage the technology rather than be overwhelmed by it.As the quote goes, "You will not be replaced by AI, but by someone using AI," Laurence Liew, director for AI Innovation at AI Singapore. So, I’ll be someone who is able to use AI when and how I want to in the course of my work. Keeping with the curve, if not ahead of it, feels like a win!

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M
Advanced User
8 days ago
Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Coffee Talk
Giveaway Day 5: Why Do You Love The Arb?Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza

Happy Friday and welcome to Day 5 of The 2024 Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza! Today, we’re spreading the word about The Arboretum and why it's such a great place for social media professionals.What to Do:1. Share a post on social media about the benefits of being part of The Arboretum. What do you love about this community?2.Tag The Arboretum by Sprout Social page in your Linkedin post.3.Reply to this thread with a link to your social post. Let’s inspire others to join our growing community! Today’s Prizes:Two participants will win Beats Studio Buds Noise-Cancelling Earbuds, Arb Water bottle and an Auto Face Tracking Phone Holder—perfect for staying focused and creating wherever you are. 🎁And don’t forget—the fun doesn’t stop here! Our giveaways continue next week with even more exciting prompts and prizes. Join us Monday for another chance to connect, share, and win.If you thought the prizes were good this week, wait until you see what we have in store!  

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jaxn.engstrom
Advanced User
8 days ago
emily.murray
Advanced User
emily.murrayAdvanced User
posted in Likes & Dislikes
Instagram Collaborations

One of my recent wins I wanted to share was a collaboration post we did on Instagram with another account, and it has been gaining a lot of traction. Our follower growth has significantly increased, and the engagement on the post itself is constantly growing. I’m glad to see that this collab has been successful for us, and I am excited to do more in 2025 😊 Has anyone else done any collaboration posts that benefited their pages?

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amanda.coe
Advanced User
8 days ago
Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Likes & Dislikes
Giveaway Day 8: Share Your Likes and Dislikes!Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza

Welcome to Day 8 of The 2024 Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza! Today’s action is about taking a moment to reflect and share what’s been working (or not) in your day-to-day as a social media professional.Here’s What to Do:1️⃣ Create a new post in the Likes and Dislikes Forum.Share your wins, your challenges, or even a funny moment that sums up your day-to-day. Feel free to keep it light and relaxed—this is your space to vent, laugh, or celebrate!2️⃣ Engage with at least three other posts to build connections and share encouragement.Today’s Prize:One lucky participant will win a Google Nest Hub and an Upgraded Mini Fridge—because staying informed and refreshed makes everything better. Let’s keep the conversation flowing and have some fun along the way. Start sharing below!

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Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
8 days ago
jaxn.engstrom
Advanced User
jaxn.engstromAdvanced User
asked in Coffee Talk
End of Year Brainstorm - #Wrapped Content on Social?

It’s officially grind time to start working on our year-end recap for both our social channels and team reports. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been refining what I want the “End of Year Recap” to look like on social, and I’ve had some mild success with it.I use the Reports tab in Sprout to find and highlight the top posts from the year. Since we’re a healthcare organization, most of these are patient stories, which is great because it allows us to give them some well-deserved recognition again. Specifically on LinkedIn, I’ll reshare the top-performing blogs, noting that they are our most viewed posts of the year, and it usually gets decent engagement.I’m curious—what does your brand or company do, if anything, to recap the previous year? I’d love to hear your ideas and brainstorm together!

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K
Engaged User
8 days ago
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Advanced User
tori.zitoAdvanced User
asked in Likes & Dislikes
Likes: When Platforms Go Down (shh...)

LOL, I’m kind of joking with the title, but sometimes it’s a nice break when all of Meta goes down! Unless you desperately needed something to go out, then it’s a big dislike. 

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O
Advanced User
8 days ago
lisa.rodrigo
Advanced User
lisa.rodrigoAdvanced User
posted in Likes & Dislikes
Like: ChatGPT conversations

ChatGPT helps me with a lot of things every day, so I asked it: “based on what you know about me, what do I like about social media?” And she nailed it! Based on what I know about you, one thing I think you like about social media is its ability to build authentic connections through storytelling and personality. You seem to enjoy blending creativity (like humor, emojis, and visuals) with meaningful messaging that resonates with both audiences and brand values. Social media, for you, seems to be a space where you can celebrate team wins, share clever takes on trends, and highlight the human side of businesses—whether it's through employee stories, event highlights, or showcasing volunteer efforts. It’s about making content relatable, impactful, and engaging. Let me know if I’m on the right track!

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M
Advanced User
8 days ago
MandyH
New User
MandyHNew User
posted in Likes & Dislikes
Vent on Meta

Who else is endlessly frustrated with reach on Instagram? Or changes to Meta platforms that nobody wants?Mosseri talked last week about wanting to boost small creators, but doesn’t address the problems we’ve been dealing with for years. And this Meta AI is nothing but annoying. Some days I wish I could leave IG altogether, if I’m being honest. 

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D
Engaged User
9 days ago
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Engaged User
joyous.kramerEngaged User
asked in Likes & Dislikes
Carousels on LinkedIn

We’ve had a ton of success posting Carousels (Document posts) on LinkedIn this year. The engagement is off the carts - typically about 3-4X the engagement we’d see from an image post, and even higher than a video post (most of our image posts perform better than our video posts on LI). Plus, they’re a great format to share more complex/in-depth messaging. 

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D
Engaged User
9 days ago
scott.mck
Agency Partner
scott.mckAgency Partner
posted in Likes & Dislikes
Wins and Challenges - Day 8 Give-a-way

Hey Arbors,Here’s a WIN!  We recently upgraded to paid Canva at work (I went 2.5 years on the free plan.  NOW being able to resize my creative to other social channel sizes is a HUGE WIN for me.  What an incredible time saver.Here’s a CHALLENGE. - Meta’s dashboard is a nightmare at times to figure out.  So, I recently had them shut me down.  I applied twice with challenges.  The 2nd time, they lifted the restriction and said it was a mistake made by their technology.  But, when I go to Ads Manager I have 2 big notifications on the page saying my account is suspended.  It says go to “Business Support Home” for more info.  When I go there, it has the message, “We removed your restriction because we made a mistake.  I am able to run campaigns from Facebook Business Suite, but I can’t do anything in Ads Manager.  I sent support screenshots asking why I have two different, contradictory messages (about 3 weeks ago) and have heard nothing back.Did I mention I don’t like Meta’s system much?Ha

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lisa.rodrigo
Advanced User
9 days ago
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Advanced User
TAMAYSAdvanced User
posted in Likes & Dislikes
AI is becoming the "I don't know fill in the blank" tool

A la South Park Step 1. Collect underpants.Step 2. ?Step 3. PROFITI’m seeing AI become the go to for people who want something done on social (or really anywhere that’s not their realm of expertise)  and when there’s push back on how it’ll take longer, or a certain skill set or resources, it’s “to the GPT!” as if you don’t have to do the thinking to have GPT deliver the results.  Really having people understand Gen AI, it’s capabilities and limits will be the best thing for everyone. But we’re still in an era of it’s a magic wand just wave it and everything you need appears. A win is that I am almost done planning 2025 and very very excited about the aligned and well paced direction! 

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T
Advanced User
9 days ago
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Frequent User
sydney.burdick1Frequent User
asked in Likes & Dislikes
Sh*t posting on Threads

Hello friends! As Threads is ramping up, I’m working on a strategic plan to keep momentum going on our account. One of our goals this year (and ongoing) is to engage more with a younger audience to increase brand awareness. The only thing that’s really seemed to work for us is my being unhinged on Threads. The only posts that get literally any engagement are those that have nothing to do with our brand / usual content. So my Threads slide on my 2025 social media strategy pitch deck that I have to present to our exec team literally says “shit posting = not shit engagement” 😅 

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T
Advanced User
9 days ago
Michelle_IndianaDunes
Engaged User
Michelle_IndianaDunesEngaged User
posted in Likes & Dislikes
Mini-Vent: All social software programs should have two users minimum

Here’s my tiny little social media hill that I’ll die on. I think all social media management tools should have a minimum of two users provided in a plan. Since social media doesn’t take weekends off, many teams have a weekend and/or night person to manage social media so one person doesn’t have to be on call 24/7. It’s the only healthy way to do it! So every tool should have two users given by default or they shouldn’t prohibit the sharing of one account. I’d even be happy if they increased the price and included two seats. Charging double for a second seat just encourages leadership to stick to the idea that social media management is a one person job. There, that’s my end of year dislike! 

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T
Advanced User
9 days ago
raven.gill
Agency Partner
raven.gillAgency Partner
posted in Likes & Dislikes
Day 8 of The 2024 Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza!

Likes: Seeing all the news and trends first. Dislikes: Seeing all the news and trends first.  It makes it hard and funny sometimes when talking with family and friends. Did you see this meme? Did you know this famous actress passed away. Yes, yes I did. Sometimes I tell them. Sometimes I don’t so I don’t crush their joy of sharing something with me. Then on the rare occasion they do show me something I haven’t seen for the first time I feel like I’m a failure at my job because I missed something. It often feels like a lose-lose situation sometimes. 

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T
Advanced User
9 days ago
scott.mck
Agency Partner
scott.mckAgency Partner
posted in Likes & Dislikes
My thoughts on AI?

So, here are my thoughts on AI.  You may have read them already on the thread for the contest, but apparently they want us to post our answers as new posts (nothing more authentic than feeding the algorithms).AI is here to stay, so learning where it can streamline your workflow is important.I appreciate the suggestions it makes, but I still feel it need a human to add the human touch.Where AI will really shine is analyzing the analytics and making predictive suggestions, such as when is the best time to post, or where to find similar target audiences.It is amazing in it’s creative abilities, but it also tends to be identifiable as AI artwork as opposed to an artist’s work.  This will improve over time, so some universal AI labelling is going to have to be implemented.AI will replace people who don’t learn how to work with AI.  Prompting is the new creative art.

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Advanced User
9 days ago
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Engaged User
fb.responseEngaged User
posted in Likes & Dislikes
X Links

We have not lost a lot of our following on X but our posts don’t get a lot of impressions. We just recently tried posting our hyperlinks as replies instead of in the initial post to see if that helps as we have heard that links in original posts get down regulated in the algorithm. Has anyone else tried the links in the reply and have been successful? Or tried and haven’t been successful?Do you have other suggestions on how to get more impressions on X? 

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T
Advanced User
9 days ago
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Frequent User
calla.wycheFrequent User
posted in Likes & Dislikes
The Wins and Woes of Financial Services Social

Running the social media team for a financial services institution can be really rewarding and really frustrating.On our best days, we’re connecting with our members and educating them on the services and perks credit unions offer.😊On other days, we’re bogged down by weeks of approvals workflows and the dreaded email saying we have to add a 10-line disclosure to a post.😵

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T
Advanced User
9 days ago
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