1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: You know how LinkedIn feels a bit soulless at the moment, 2 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,480 Speaker 1: Lots of AI generated posts, lots of noise, and not 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: much that actually stays with you well. In this bonus episode, 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: I am chatting with Schari klonan founder and CEO of 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: digital agency The Digital Picnic, about a really different way 6 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: of thinking about content. Instead of chasing reach or virality, 7 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: Schari focuses on what she calls return on intimacy. In 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: this chat, she shares how she designs LinkedIn content across 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 1: the funnel, why depth matters more than volume, and how 10 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: she uses AI for idea generation and hooks without losing 11 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: her human voice. By the end of this bonus episode, 12 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: you will have a simple lens you can use the 13 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: next time you're wondering what to post and why. Welcome 14 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: to How While I work a show about habits, rituals, 15 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: and strategies for optimizing your date. I'm your host, doctor 16 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: Amantha Imber. I follow you on the socials and your 17 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: post you always so engaging. There's such great stories, such 18 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: great visuals. You obviously run this amazing digital agency you 19 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 1: know that's had such great success for your clients around 20 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: digital marketing and social media. I want to know, and 21 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: let's focus on LinkedIn, giving this the work podcast. Tell 22 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: me how you think about your own personal LinkedIn content 23 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 1: and strategy. 24 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 2: I crave ROI, but it's not the ROI that other 25 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 2: people think when they hear that. So people would hear 26 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 2: ROI and think return on investment. Yes, sure, like that 27 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 2: is nice and that is what every business owner wants. 28 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: But my ROI is return on intimacy. So that's what 29 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: I crave and I'm not really concerned about how particular 30 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 2: post performs, like I don't really care about the reach, 31 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 2: the impressions, the amount of shares and the virality. And 32 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: to be so honest, I reckon I would clock one 33 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 2: to two viral LinkedIn posts per month. But it's a 34 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 2: happy side bonus. I will be honest with you because 35 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 2: what I'm actually craving is being able to connect deeply 36 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 2: and being someone's screenshot that they don't delete from their 37 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 2: screenshots because it just keeps meaning something to them. Where 38 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: am I going to see someone's screenshot in a monthly 39 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 2: client report? Nowhere? Never, Because I'm focused on return on 40 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: intimacy and connecting deeply and clocking that resonance rather than virality. 41 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 2: And so if that's what I'm craving, then my content 42 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 2: strategy is going to be so different like it's I 43 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 2: will end up creating content that has more top of 44 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: funnel parts to it rather than just sale sales, sales 45 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 2: at the bottom of funnel and so on. 46 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: And can you just tell us for those that are 47 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: like not literate in that what top of funnel our 48 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: bottom funnel? Those terms shot all right? 49 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 2: So all content as a strategy is sitting within a funnel. 50 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 2: That's one part of a strategy, but it's an important one, top, middle, 51 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 2: and bottom. So top of funnel is where you clock 52 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 2: a lot of attention and awareness for the right reasons. 53 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 2: Middle of funnel is where you get folks really deeply 54 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 2: considering you and what you do, what you offer, and 55 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 2: then bottom of funnel is getting folks on their feet 56 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 2: and thinking about how they can actually work with you, 57 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 2: you know. So top of funnel I do spend a 58 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 2: lot of time in the top to clock that attraction, awareness, 59 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,959 Speaker 2: that return on intimacy, getting people to think I want, 60 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 2: I hope that people are maybe a slightly better version 61 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 2: of themselves for having consumed something that I might have 62 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 2: shared because I know by the way, that's me with you. 63 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 2: You've continuously made me a better version of myself, you know, 64 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 2: because of your content, honestly, and so that's what I'm 65 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 2: striving to clock myself within that top of funnel. And yeah, 66 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 2: as it turns out, when you focused on return on intimacy, 67 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 2: return on investment follows and why LinkedIn strategy has very 68 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 2: much so kept our business in business. It's one of 69 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 2: the best pieces within our marketing flywheel that we have 70 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 2: and I'm really proud that I keep showing up to 71 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 2: this platform because I do love it. It's an introverts playground. 72 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: I love the idea of return on intimacy. How did 73 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: you know that that was going to be the best 74 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: strategy for you? And therefore the Digital Picnic or TDP. 75 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 2: I think it came down to some maybe just some 76 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 2: good autistic pattern recognition because I'm in the industry, so 77 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,799 Speaker 2: I was clocking that folks were feeling lonelier than ever 78 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 2: because we're getting sort of dumped this fast fashion ish 79 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 2: approach to content that has been designed with really lazy 80 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 2: prompt engineering within AI and so on, and it just 81 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: we're craving soul again, you know, and we don't know why. 82 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: Some of us don't know what we're even craving or why, 83 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 2: But I know why because I'm in the industry, and 84 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 2: so I thought, well, I can come in with what's missing, 85 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 2: which is depth, resonance, and intimacy. And so I just 86 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 2: dialed that up in a significant way and it's been 87 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: one of the best leavers that I've pulled with all 88 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,160 Speaker 2: content strategies, and we apply it with our clients as well. 89 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: Of course, So what metrics do you look at when 90 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,799 Speaker 1: you're evaluating have I achieved a good return on intimacy? 91 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 2: It's heart and I know I'm lucky because I'm a 92 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 2: content strategist by trade. You have to really back yourself 93 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 2: because you have to know that you're probably a screenshot 94 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 2: in someone's camera roll or the saved post that someone's 95 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 2: taking into the Monday boardroom to talk about X, Y, 96 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 2: and Z and the impact of that piece of content 97 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 2: had on them and so on. So there's a lot 98 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 2: that you can't measure, But what you can measure is 99 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 2: everything that would show up in the analytics, but also sentimentality. 100 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 2: It's the depth that they're matching your depth with the comments. 101 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: Is it just one liners or is it something that's 102 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 2: a real back and forth, you know, conversation, and it's 103 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 2: got depth, and it's got community, and it encourages like 104 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 2: not just back and forth between you and that comment, 105 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,039 Speaker 2: but other people chime in and say, this speaks to 106 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 2: me because dot dot dot. So that's that real sentimentality. 107 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 2: And when we clock that for our clients, we take 108 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 2: screenshots and say, congratulations, intimacy achieved. 109 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: Now there's obviously so much AI generated posting on LinkedIn, 110 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: and you know, I must say it's turned me off 111 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: the platform quite a bit because it's just overwhelming now. 112 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: And even for myself when I'm thinking about content for 113 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: LinkedIn and thinking about how do I use AI in 114 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: my workflow, I've probably changed that quite a bit because 115 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: I feel like, you know, fuel enough, like one hundred 116 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: percent human generated content like stands out like a sore 117 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 1: thumb in a great way. Tell me about the role 118 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:59,359 Speaker 1: that AI plays in your workflow for you know, idea 119 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 1: generation and content creation and any other stages in the 120 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: journey that you have for LinkedIn. 121 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, it is definitely the ideas generation now, but 122 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 2: I actually prefer to write in that human speak as 123 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 2: well for the same reasons. As you that that sea 124 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 2: of sameness gave me the biggest dick. I know exactly 125 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 2: when it happened. It felt depressing. I felt like, if 126 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 2: we can reference my childhood crush being Simba again, I 127 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 2: felt like the pride Lands became what happened when Scar 128 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 2: took over and I was just craving green and nature 129 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 2: and animals, you know, so it just got taken by 130 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 2: the Hyghennas and so on, and so I want to 131 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 2: design content that feels like the pride Lands coming back 132 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 2: to life for the same reasons that you just shared. 133 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 2: So AI, now it just helps me with ideas generation. 134 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 2: What I will say, though, is it does help me 135 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 2: finesse hooks. I'm not very good at hooking. I feel 136 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 2: hooks I understand it as a content strategist, but I 137 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 2: feel it's a bit manipulative. I've always felt hooks are manipulative, 138 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 2: and I've not loved that, to be so honest. But 139 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: I also know it works, and so I've got some 140 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 2: really good prompts to help me get much better hooks 141 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 2: from my content so that I don't feel like I 142 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 2: have to dip into something that I just actually don't 143 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 2: feel comfortable exploring. Or thinking about myself. I let that 144 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: do that for me, and it does come up with 145 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 2: some really good ones that I then TDP off I 146 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 2: shari if I you know, and so on, so I 147 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 2: still make it me. And then outside of that, the 148 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 2: typical AI pieces for me, it's just those little click 149 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 2: of a button automations that you can do that for 150 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,679 Speaker 2: me is a geriatric millennial woman. It helps get rid 151 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 2: of my relentless millennial pause. You know, I've got a 152 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: slower pace of speech. I'm a geriatric millennial, and so 153 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 2: with a click of a button, I can get rid 154 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 2: of that and make a video that I might share 155 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 2: far more interesting because I do know that people just 156 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 2: like it short, snappy, edited, well you know, and so on. 157 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 2: So that's how AI helps me as well. 158 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 1: So here's my takeaway from this chat. The next time 159 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: you're about to post on LinkedIn, don't ask how many 160 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: people might see it. Instead ask whether it's something someone 161 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: would screenshop, save or quietly come back to later. I 162 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: love Shrey's idea of a return on intimacy, and it's 163 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: such a good reminder that connection beats performance, especially in 164 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: a c of AI generated sameness. Thank you so much 165 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: for listening and if this was useful, feel free to 166 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: share it with someone who's perhaps been feeling stuck about LinkedIn. 167 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: If you like Today's Joe, make sure you hit follow 168 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: on your podcast app to be alerted when new episodes drop. 169 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 1: How I Work was recorded on the traditional land of 170 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 1: the Warrangery people, part of the Cooler Nation.