We continue our monthly series of digital influencer interviews by having a chat with marketing consultant Julia Campbell. A global authority on digital storytelling, Julia shares the evolution of her career and some of her best tips with us.

Where did your story begin?

After college, I was the director of journalism and career development on a program for young teen girls in Boston. I served in the US Peace Corps as a health volunteer in Senegal and then worked as a fundraising and marketing director at several different non-profits. Working in the third sector can be frustrating, but it’s also incredibly fulfilling.

In 2010, while 8 months pregnant with my first child, I began my consulting, speaking and training career. Currently I help non-profits use social media and storytelling to build their movements and deepen connections with their supporters.

How did you become so influential?

I studied journalism in college, and that prepared me for a career in digital marketing and social media. In journalism, you are always looking for the next great story. I love teaching brands and organisations about the best ways to build a community using digital tools, and I’m on a mission to make the Internet a better place.

Do you have any golden rules/mantras for life or work?

“Have a vision. Be demanding.” I got it in a fortune cookie, taped it to my computer and it’s been my mantra ever since!

What are your three biggest tips for building an audience?

1) Do your research.

You need to know who you are trying to reach and understand their motivations. What are they passionate about? How can you help them accomplish their goals?

We all want to reach multiple audiences, but if you get very specific on social media channels you will get more engagement. People like content that is extremely relevant to them, speaks their language, and makes them feel part of something exclusive.

2) Be consistent and have patience.

Social media is a marathon and not a sprint. There are no silver bullets here—success requires consistently showing up for your audience, giving them information that they want, and having conversations with them, via comments and messages.

3) Create content designed for your audience.

We have to flip the script. Too many brands and organisations ask “What can social media do for us? How can we use it to promote our programs, events, etc.?”

We need to view social media as a vital way to create a community of supporters who want to hear what we have to say—because it’s interesting, unique, and relevant to them (not just what we want to push out).

What are your favourite tools/software?

I love Buffer and Hootsuite for scheduling, Canva for creating social media graphics, and Magisto and Animoto for editing and creating short, engaging videos.

What do you feel is the next big trend in social media and content marketing?

“Breaking up” with social media. Brands and organizations will leave channels that are not serving them and their audience, to focus on fewer channels but creating better content. You can’t beat social media on quantity, but you can stand out by posting quality content that is hyper-relevant to your specific audience.

Find out more about Julia’s work on her website and follow her on Twitter.

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