In this episode of Earning Ears, host Adam Spencer interviews Kayla Medica, a marketing expert and creator of the Mehdeeka newsletter. They discuss Kayla's experiments with LinkedIn, including the surprising finding that posting less frequently actually increased her reach. They also delve into the importance of finding the right content format for your audience and the value of engagement versus reach.

Kayla shares her insights on audience acquisition strategies, the power of long text posts on LinkedIn, and the benefits of zero-click content.

Don't miss this informative and engaging conversation with a marketing pro.

0:00: Podcast Chemistry and Japanese Historical Interests

3:40: Optimising LinkedIn Strategy Through Experimentation

5:44: Exploring Newsletter Growth Strategies and Subscriber Acquisition

7:25: Challenges of Newsletter Promotion and Subscriber Engagement

10:19: Effective Promotion Strategies in Slack and Facebook Groups

12:24: Decoding LinkedIn's Algorithm Through Personal Experimentation

17:12: Content Creation: Passion Over Proficiency

19:15: Dissecting Reach vs Engagement in Social Media Strategy

22:10: Crafting Unique Content in a Saturated Market

24:17: Evolving a Marketing Newsletter for Networking and Reflection

27:19: Effective B2B Marketing Strategies and Platforms

31:37: Setting Boundaries in Marketing Investments

32:55: Podcasting Preferences and B2B Learning Boundaries

34:04: Mastering LinkedIn's Algorithm for Effective Content Strategy

36:21: Exploring WhatsApp Communities for Direct Audience Engagement

41:04: Content Creation: Enjoyment, Sustainability, and Engagement Strategy

In this episode of Earning Ears with Adam Spencer, guest Michael Batko delivers a wealth of insights into content creation, community building, and productivity for startups. Michael Batko's varied experience as the CEO of Startmate fuels a compelling conversation that touches upon his passion for learning, efficient communication within organizations, and the practices that contribute to his own prolific content output.

The discussion delves into Michael Batko's approach to managing his responsibilities at Startmate while simultaneously contributing a considerable amount of content to his field. With personal anecdotes and practical advice, the episode captures a narrative that emphasizes the importance of focusing on customers, the art of productivity, and the power storytelling in driving startups forward. Batko also shares strategies for dealing with setbacks and explains how feedback loops are integrated into his work ethos to continually improve processes and products.

• Identify a niche and understand your audience deeply to create resonating content.
• Establish systems and habits for productivity that are irresistible and keep you accountable.
• The act of writing distills complex thoughts and enables learning through feedback.
• Resilience and customer obsession are key traits observed in successful founders and content creators.
• Feedback is crucial for growth, and building feedback loops into your work helps you evolve as a knowledge worker.

• "You are the average of the five people you spend most time with."
• "Your brain is for having ideas, not for storing them."
• "Don't be afraid of releasing bad content. Nobody cares at the end of the day."
• "Find your niche. If your target market is everyone, your target market is nobody."
• "Increasing the surface area for luck to strike."

• Startmate (company website and community platform): Startmate
• Puddle Pod (productivity community): Puddle Pod
• Startmate Striders (running community association with Startmate)

In the latest episode of Earning Ears, host Adam Spencer sits down with Bree Fedele, Senior Marketing Manager at Airtree, to explore the expansive world of content marketing.

Bree has spent the past decade helping big tech companies and brand-new startups to tell great stories and supporting them to translate their ideas into tangible outcomes. In 2021 Bree joined Airtree, one of the biggest venture capital funds in Australia with over $1.3B under management and over 100+ portfolio startups.

In this discussion, Bree emphasises the importance of understanding your audience and their critical role in crafting effective content. The episode covers a range of content-driven topics, from aligning stakeholders on the role of content to adopting a long-term perspective in content strategies.

Focusing on the importance of delivering value through content, Bree discusses how marketing and content should aim to first serve the reader, while also embodying authenticity and insight. Bree also sheds light on common challenges when selling content internally, offering strategies to overcome objections and secure team support. Bree advises on the necessity of aligning with the long-term vision, prioritising impactful actions, and sharing goals transparently to foster collaborative success.

• Audience Empathy: Recognizing the audience's realities and needs is fundamental to creating magic with content marketing.
• Content Strategy as a Long-term Play: Content marketing is not an overnight success; it's a compounding effect that grows over time.
• Feedback is Crucial: Seeking and incorporating both internal and external feedback is vital for iterating and improving content strategies.
• Qualitative over Quantitative Feedback: While data is essential, audience sentiment and content sharing without prompts ('content in the wild') are golden indicators of success.
• Distribution Matters: Effective distribution is about providing insights and value, not just sharing links – it's critical to meet the audience where they are.

• "Much like you can't build a product if you don't know your audience, you can't create content if you don't know your audience either." - Bree Fedele
• "There's a compounding effect to content. There's generally no overnight success." - Bree Fedele
• "Don't just sharing links is not content or distribution. You need to think about how you can distribute insights, not just links." - Bree Fedele
• "Every job is a sales job." - Bree Fedele
• "Most content is designed to serve the company, not the reader. Let's avoid that from the outset." - Bree Fedele

• Femme Street Newsletter by Sarah at North Zone
• Newsletter by Deb Lou
• Newsletter by Wes Kao
• Newsletter by Molly Graham
• Newsletter by Julian Shapiro
• OnlyCFO Newsletter (SaaS Metrics)
• Book: "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
• Book Club featuring "The Nightingale" and notes by Dolly Alderton
• Marketing Examples website (engine and fuel paradigm)
• Book "Building a Story Brand" by Donald Miller