No need to burn down your entire Instagram — you’re about to meet social media’s
IG burnout savior.
No need to burn down your entire Instagram — you’re about to meet social media’s IG burnout savior.
And the second you start treating it that way, you’ll not only have a better experience, but also better results.
(self-proclaimed)
SOCIAL MEDIA should be LESS BUSINESS, MORE GROUP CHAT
Hi, I’m Katie, and I’m chronically online —
in a good way (I think).
TRANSLATION: I’M A SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST OBSESSED WITH MAKING INSTAGRAM FEEL LIKE A FUN PLACE TO BE, NOT A PLACE YOU FEEL OBLIGATED TO VISIT FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR MARKETING.
From boy band fan pages, to sorority Instagram management, to unpaid internships, to embarrassingly active YouTube videos in my pre-teen years, my love for social media runs deep.
So deep, in fact, that I decided to get not one but two degrees in social media, in an effort to turn my hobby into a legitimate career.
Since then, social media has become so much more than a job; it’s become the foundation of some of the most important relationships in my life — I was literally in an Instagram friend’s wedding — and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
No solid social media presence is complete without some ~lore~ for your audience to connect with, so here’s mine.
THE KATIE CREATIVE CO TIMELINE
The entire trajectory of my life changed when my best friend introduced me to One Direction, resulting in an unhealthy obsession, and — more importantly — a fan page on social media, which I treated like my literal full-time job. This is where my chronically online identity started to take shape.
THE FANGIRL ERA
circa 2012, deep in my one direction era
I met a fellow Directioner on Instagram, and we planned a One Direction flash mob together. (I know what you’re thinking, and yes, I’m aware of how middle-school-fangirl this was — don’t hold it against me, okay?) This is the moment I realized social media could render friends, too. I was obsessed.
THE Flashmob
a *real* instagram post I made... no caption, just vibes
After a mid-college breakdown about being an education major (ending with me realizing I do not like other people’s children), I realized I wanted to turn my lifelong hobby — you guessed it, social media — into an actual career.
My tiny liberal arts school didn’t have any social-media-related programs, so I created my own major — Mass Media Communications — and graduated with so much excitement to get started.
THE FIRST DEGREE
Because I created my own major, I wanted some more formal education in social media specifically. Enter: grad school. The University of Florida had one of the only social media Masters programs in the country at the time, so I went for it — and loved it.
THE second degree
"I just finished grad school!!"
THE FANGIRL ERA
tHE YOUTUBE CHANNEL
THE hiatus
THE first degree
THE first business
THE second degree
now
tHE flashmob
I’ve never *not* been on social media, since I was literally eleven years old.
POINT OF THE STORY?
THIS SHOULDN’T BE AN UNPOPULAR OPINION — BUT IT IS.
Even after being on social media all these years, I still love it.
Even after being on social media
all these years, I still love it.
I know what you’re thinking — “wait, people actually LIKE Instagram…?” — and I don’t blame you. Because people often approach social media as a tool for marketing rather than as a place to make friends and connections, it’s super easy to get so burnt out, so quickly.
& the reason *I* still genuinely enjoy social media (and have been able to maintain a healthy relationship with it for so long) is MY APPROACH.
I’ve kept my approach to social media the same since my middle school YouTube channel. My goal has always been to connect with people.
Similarly, I’ve always treated Instagram like the place to hang out, prioritizing a fun experience designed to call in exactly who I want to hang out with — as opposed to focusing solely on what the numbers say, and how many new people are following me every month, and whether or not my Reels are going viral.
my core values
Empathy
Community
Authenticity
Creating content that resonates with your community starts with actually understanding them. I believe in putting yourself in their shoes, so you can create an inviting social media presence for your brand they feel drawn to.
People are drawn to brands that show their real selves on social media, so showcasing what makes you different is an important way to build that connection — and to stay
true to yourself.
Social media should be social. Without a community to respond to your content, you’re basically just shouting into the void. Instead, I want to teach you how to build a community that supports your business at every event, every launch, every store opening ... (you get the gist)
in my ig saves
Anything from my ideal wedding flowers, to examples of 10/10 Instagram posts to share with my email list, to the next recipe on my must-try list
Multiple Jellycats (I’m obsessed, I fear), a iced strawberry matcha before noon, a crispy diet coke with lime after noon, (and my dog, Roux, at my feet, usually)
Farmer’s-market- fresh flowers (a need, obviously), a stack of my grandma’s old cookbooks (my fave recipe is a toss up between cheese straws and fried chicken, how Southern of me), and the obligatory sweet treat (Nerds gummy clusters are always a yes, but sometimes they can’t compete with my current baked good hyperfixation, which changes weekly)
The 13-hour playlist of Taylor Swift’s entire discography, the playlists I make specifically for my JDV clients based on their brand’s vibes, and the occasional podcast episode rec sent in my business bestie group chat
A weekly newsletter that ends with these same categories, every Thursday — subscribe to join the Social Soirée for stories + social media tips
on my kitchen counter
in your inbox
in my spotify recently played
on my desk
& WHILE WE’RE ON THE SUBJECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA BELIEFS…
The best Reel audios are Taylor Swift songs
Social media should be FUN — no matter what you use it for
Doom scrolling will never be productive
Your dog photos will always out-perform your selfies (or maybe that’s just me?)
Strategy is a better choice than management for most people
One Direction fan pages are a great way to sharpen your social media skills (okay, that’s DEF just me)
You don’t need a degree to truly know social, but, like… you kinda do