playbook 004_timeless social strategy

how we prepare for the next ban, + chinese spies and staying demure 😌

WE ARE SO BACK!

TikTok is online again after the longest 15 hours of our lives, and it’s my first Rec of the year. there are also lots of new faces here — if it’s your first time, say hi!!!!

I started toying with the idea of timeless social strategy last week, but after the tumultuous sequence of TikTok being banned and unbanned, Instagram releasing platform updates AND a new editing app (called, you guessed it, Edits), and all of us talking about YouTube, this feels important.

the one thing we know about social strategy (and, well, life, but that’s for a different substack) is that change is inevitable.

platforms come and go, popularity swells and fades, demographics and conversations will ebb and they will flow. these are constants.

and the more we’re equipped to handle them, with solid foundations and timeless principles, the better off we’ll be for the next ban or the next platform.

these were true when we were all on MySpace, but are even more true today.

so, introducing the timeless social strat principles — for success no matter the platform or the era.

playbook 004_timeless social strategy

1. great hooks

   grab attention immediately through your visual, audio, and written hooks. good creators, and brand content, have all three. take Dunkin’s Sabrina Carpenter collab content as an example.

2. compelling storytelling
   creating narratives that resonate emotionally, feel authentic, and keep people invested will always hit. what’s the build-up, conflict, tension?

we all still talk about the Michael Cera x CeraVe Super Bowl spot because of the winding story they told us across channels.

3. audience insights at the core

   using a deep, empathetic understanding of your audience’s needs, desires, and behaviors to shape content that feels personal to them.

4. real-time marketing
   capitalize on trends, cultural moments, creators, or news while it’s still relevant — staying agile and reactive (and carving out budget for it!).

5. real people

   highlighting authentic voices, faces, and stories that feel relatable and human build trust. we all still like looking at people a lot more than graphics. and humans will continue to perform better, on average.

   make this a requirement in your next campaign brief.

6. humor

   use wit and levity. ultimately, humor makes us like the content and the brand more, when executed well. note that Gen Z places more emphasis on this than any other group, but it hits high for every demo. timeless!

7. personality
   a distinct tone, persona or character(s) can do a lot of heavy lifting, and always has. throwback to when we brought back The Fruit People for Fruit of the Loom, or cue any mascot on TT.

   

8. amplify your advocates

   elevate the loyal fans, influencers, and employees who organically champion you. authentic UGC and testimonials are excellent sales drivers from a content perspective, but also, it’s just very human.

9. consistency, with flexibility
   staying true to your brand’s voice and values while adapting to platform nuances and audience feedback.

10. drive participation

    design content to prompt meaningful engagement—comments, shares, debates. not everyone wants mayo cologne, but a lot of people will talk about it and share it.

    

11. platform-first thinking

    understand the unique strengths, algorithms, and cultures of each platform and tailor accordingly.

12. add value

    going beyond entertainment—educating, inspiring, or providing utility is always sticky.

13. quick iteration, with data

    use analytics to refine continuously, learning from what works and what doesn’t. this might be post data, or just what people are saying in the comments. learn and react. fast.

14. emotion at the core

    building content that taps into universal emotions—joy, nostalgia, aspiration, empathy—to drive resonance.

15. cultural relevance

    whether that’s conversations, trends, brainrot, or the sentiment of an audience at a given time, align your content with what matters now. this was true even before the internet (I hear), but has become even more important.

16. impact over impressions

    more measuring the increase in brand love, key business metrics, and customers. if you create a lasting impact, the (right) impressions will come.

the thing I love most? all of these are achievable, for any brand. because being a great strategist is not about using a trending tiktok audio (though that’s part of it), but about knowing who you are and what you’re after.

and not even a ban can change that.

before you go!!!!! some insights and highlights.

for you:

• my vibe on tiktok today was in line with Maddie Grace Jepsons. welcome back!

• we’re all reuniting with our Chinese spy

• not panicking is very demure, according to Jools Lebron

• there’s already content playing off of the sheer volume of “we’re back” videos. I suspect we’ll see plenty of it this week.

• the speed at which tiktok came back is kind of, well, embarrassing?

talk soon, friend.

✨DL