Coffees & Content | Marketing, Social Media & Digital Strategy Podcast

Just back from Sydney, recording this two days out from The Social Summit while it's all still fresh. Audio only this week, and it's the honest download. We flew over, took the signage, the cameras and the mics, hosted the networking drinks and closed out the day with the final panel. This episode is what I brought home with me. What we're covering: Why the rooms that scare you are the ones worth walking into, and what showing up at that first conference actually turned into What three founders with repeat viral moments know that most brands don't AI, strategy, and the line between the two Paid or organic: which lever to pull, and when pulling the wrong one too early tanks the whole thing The market research step nearly everyone skips What's coming next on the podcast, including Britt Austin from State of Brand Hit play, and follow the show so next week's episode lands in your feed. Come say hi on Instagram @coffeesandcontentpod, tell us who you want to hear from next. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Leads slow down. Proposals stall. And we start convincing ourselves that our whole strategy is broken. In the first ever episode recorded at TSC Studios, I'm unpacking what's really happening when business feels quiet, and why our instinct to scroll social media for answers usually makes it worse. In this episode we'll chat through: Why turning to social media in tough moments turns into comparison, not inspiration The difference between an actual strategy problem and a confidence problem Why the "highlight reel" we're comparing ourselves to is hiding a much messier reality What to do instead when things feel tough If you've ever panicked when the leads went quiet, this one's for you. 🎧 Listen now and follow along for more from inside our brand new studio. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Every founder and marketing manager I talk to hits the same wall eventually. It's not budget. It's not trust. It's not even whether outsourcing is the right call. It's simply not knowing what's actually missing before they go and hire. In this episode, I'm unpacking: Why "should I get help" is the wrong question, and what the real one is The difference between needing strategy and needing execution, and why most people can't tell which one they're short on Why hiring one person to do it all almost never works, and what to look for instead A real story from my own business, including the hire that taught me the hard way why senior and junior support need to be separated A simple gut-check for figuring out what your business needs before you write the next job ad If you've ever felt like you have too much on your plate but couldn't put your finger on exactly what to hand off, press play. Follow @coffeesandcontentpod for more, and find me at @loren.thesocialcollective. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

We opened the floor at our Cocktails and Conversations event and let a room full of business owners ask the panel anything. What came out was way more honest than we expected. This week's episode is that Q&A, in full. What's covered: Choosing between Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT and Copilot What actually happens once a client's face or product photo goes into AI Handling clients who think a $40 plan replaces a marketing team Skill poisoning, and why that free download isn't as free as it looks Getting your business found and recognised by AI, not just Google Building an AI policy that doesn't need rewriting every month Protecting creative work from screenshot plagiarism Staying a critical thinker when AI is doing more of the thinking Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

It's finally here. The Cocktails & Conversations panel, live and recorded, is Part 1 of a two part drop, and it's everything you were in the room for or heard about after. Karrina Mountfort (The AI Assembly) and Angela March (Brainchild) join me for the full panel conversation. We got into the AI mistake that can wipe your business in seconds, why your brand now needs to be visible and credible to AI systems, not just to people, and where each of us still refuses to let AI anywhere near the decision. This one covers: The full live panel from Cocktails & Conversations, finally on the feed The AI mistake that can wipe your business in seconds, and how to protect yourself Why AI visibility and credibility now matter as much as SEO ever did Where each of us draws the line on human judgment Part 2 drops next week: the audience Q&A from the same night. Listen to Part 1 now. This episode is proudly sponsored by Frankly Podcasting, helping female founders, entrepreneurs and creatives launch, grow and manage their podcasts. Head to franklypodcasting.co.nz to find out more. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Fresh off hosting our own event this week, I'm talking through something I think gets dismissed way too often: showing up in person. In this episode: Why in-person is having a real comeback, and why that's not nostalgia The four ways we personally get in the room - hosting, sponsoring, speaking and attending - and what each one is actually for Why the look and feel of your event is the difference between people scrolling past and people sharing it A first look at what's coming with TSC Studios Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

We're back on the mic after a couple of weeks away, and there's a reason for the hiatus, plus a name change we need to talk about. This episode is the full story behind why the show has gone back to Coffees & Content, and what's actually different this time. In this episode: Why the podcast is going back to its original name, and what changed to make it fit again The one brand decision that reset everything at The Social Collective What "the TSC world" means and why the agency, Studios, Academy and podcast now work as one connected thing An update on TSC Studios opening this September, plus what's happening with private bookings in August Why this show is now built for marketing managers, marketing assistants and founders who want to understand marketing at its core The advice Loren keeps coming back to: don't stay stuck in something that no longer fits Hit play now and follow along for what's coming next. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

In this episode, Loren shares the talk she gave at the NZ Winter Gift Fairs in Christchurch on how to keep sales coming in after customers walk away from your stall. She breaks down the three things your marketing needs (visibility, nurturing and conversion), why your email database is your biggest hidden asset, and how she uses AI to create authentic content that still sounds like you. Grab the free 20-minute content system workbook mentioned in this episode here: https://thesocialco.myflodesk.com/20-minute-system "The businesses that are thriving don't have to have the biggest budgets. You just need to show up consistently." Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

I was recently asked to come back and speak to a room of NZIE students about AI marketing, and I didn't hold back. This one's a proper look inside how we actually use AI at The Social Collective, not the highlight reel version. What's covered: Why treating AI like a vending machine instead of a thinking partner is the real reason content turns into "AI slop" How our Senior Account Manager went from spending an entire week on client reporting each month to half a day, and what that freed her up to do instead The three places AI really earns its keep in an agency: content creation, reporting and analysis, and campaign optimisation Real examples from client pitch decks, training rollouts, and our weekly "thought anchor" process Why I never treat AI as anything more senior than our most junior team member, and what that mindset protects If you're in business and wondering where AI actually fits versus where it's just noise, this is a practical, no-fluff look at what's worked for us. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

The secret's finally out, TSC Studios is open. But this episode isn't really about the studio. It's about the problem it solved, and why that same problem is probably quietly stalling your marketing too. I walk through the real decision behind opening a content and podcast studio three minutes from our office, and why it came down to one realisation: most of us don't have a discipline problem when it comes to showing up consistently, we have a friction problem. The gap between "I know I should post" and actually doing it is almost always logistics, not motivation. In this episode: Why I stopped blaming myself for inconsistency and started looking at my systems instead The habit stacking approach I use every single morning (and why it works) How to spot where friction is quietly costing you momentum in your own content and marketing One question to ask yourself that changes everything Press play, then go find your own friction point. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Quick one this week, besties. There's no new In Her Empire Era episode today, but don't panic, it's for a good reason. I've been sitting on some exciting news that deserves its own full episode next week, and I didn't want to rush it. In the meantime, the news is dropping on social media first. Head to the @inherempireerapod Instagram or my personal account ( @loren.thesocialcollective ) to find out what's coming. Full breakdown, all the details, next week's episode. See you then. Where to find the news: @inherempireerapod on Instagram @loren.thesocialcollective on Instagram Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

This week's episode is a quick but important one - recorded from the car on a busy Monday morning because some updates genuinely can't wait. We're covering what AI is actually doing to how people find businesses right now, why your LinkedIn personal profile has become one of the most powerful visibility tools you're probably underusing, and a few rapid fire updates from the past week you need on your radar. What's covered: How LinkedIn personal profiles are now being cited by AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity for business queries 68% of Google searches ending without a click - and what that means for your visibility The simple self-audit: keywords, email marketing, website accuracy and paid ads Rapid fire: Google's Gemini Spark, Meta's AI creative tools for ads, and the big conversation at Cannes Lions Get your tickets for our next event (13th August): https://events.humanitix.com/in-her-empire-era-presents-cocktails-and-conversations Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

This week I'm sharing a piece of feedback that stopped me in my tracks - a brand new client who not only loved the content my team delivered in their very first month, but was equally impressed by the systems and processes behind how it was delivered. That feedback sparked a conversation I've been wanting to have on the mic for a while. Because here's the truth: you can have the best content strategy in the world, but if the infrastructure behind it isn't there, your marketing will always feel harder than it needs to. In this episode I cover: Why the infrastructure behind how you deliver is part of the impression you make The real reason founders stop marketing when business gets busy — and how to break that cycle Why content without systems is just noise (and what to do instead) The simple four-part framework I use to build a marketing system that's actually scalable What good marketing infrastructure looks like - a practical checklist you can action today How my team and I rebuilt TSC's entire backend over nine months and why that's directly driving our best growth yet Why AI is your best friend when you're starting from scratch with systems The mindset shift that changes everything: marketing is a mandatory business function, not a task you do when you have time Mentioned in this episode: Cocktails & Conversations - my next In Her Empire Era live panel event, Thursday 13 August, Tada Studios Auckland CBD. Early bird tickets are almost gone - grab them right here: https://events.humanitix.com/in-her-empire-era-presents-cocktails-and-conversations Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Instagram just changed something that sounds small but changes everything for anyone creating content on the platform. And once you hear what it actually means, you'll realise this isn't just an Instagram update - it's a signal about where every platform is heading. Here's what's covered: The new Instagram "Your Algorithm" update - what it is and why topic clarity now directly affects your reach Why every platform is starting to reward human, specific, real content - and penalise the generic stuff The difference between using AI well and letting AI think for you Why founders in particular need to be showing up as a person with a point of view What kind of content is going to cut through in feeds that people have now curated themselves Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Two of our clients had some of the biggest wins of their businesses this week. And it got my team and I thinking hard about one of the biggest gaps I see in service businesses: what happens to your marketing the moment a lead arrives. What we cover: Why ecommerce and service marketing are fundamentally different The customer journey moment most service businesses completely ignore What TSC actually does from the moment an enquiry lands The one question every service business owner needs to ask themselves Event announcement: Cocktails and Conversations, Thursday 13 August, Auckland CBD Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

This week's episode came out on a Tuesday ... and I promise it was worth the wait. I've just come off the back of speaking at the Christchurch Winter NZ Gift Fairs (more on that very soon), and I'm recording this before heading into an Auckland content shoot — so we're keeping it sharp. Three updates that all connect to one bigger idea: the platforms are rewarding people who show up with a clear point of view, consistently, and every post needs to earn its place on its own. This week we cover: LinkedIn's new Creator Marketplace - what it actually means for your personal brand and how TSC is already running it for clients Social commerce crossing $1 trillion, and why the behaviour behind that number matters more than the number itself for service-based businesses Instagram's grid reorder feature — and an honest take on whether it's actually worth your time A big announcement at the end of the episode you won't want to miss Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Hot off a conversation with my senior account manager Morgan over lunch - we keep noticing the same thing with business owners we meet. Growing off referrals, feeling comfortable, and not building anything underneath it. I wanted to get honest on the podcast this week about how TSC actually started. Because it wasn't referrals. In this episode: The real story of how TSC began (it was messy and scrappy) Why a referral-based business is a privilege and a risk at the same time What actually happens to every word of mouth lead if you're not nurturing them What a resilient pipeline looks like … and it's simpler than you think The levers to pull when referrals go quiet Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

This week something quietly shifted in the algorithm - and it might already be affecting your reach without you knowing. I'm covering three updates this week that every business owner needs to understand right now, across Instagram, LinkedIn, and the broader digital landscape. What's covered: - Instagram's new primary success metric (it's not likes or comments anymore) - LinkedIn's 360 Brew AI system and why engagement bait is finally getting penalised - Why Meta is projected to overtake Google in global ad spend in 2026 - and what that means for your strategy Hit play and bring your coffee. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

If you've been sleeping on LinkedIn, this episode is your wake-up call. This week I'm sharing a conversation I had with a potential client last week that perfectly illustrates why LinkedIn is the most underrated tool in your marketing stack - especially if you're out there doing the hard work in person and wondering why it isn't converting faster. I break down the difference between your personal profile and your business page, why you need both, and how the two working together can keep you in someone's mind long after you've walked out of the room. Plus I share something that happened the morning this episode dropped that is the perfect example of LinkedIn working exactly the way it should. Connect with me on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Free marketing audit: thesocialcollective.co.nz/marketing-audit Interested in sponsoring an IHEE event or the podcast? Email info@thesocialcollective.co.nz Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Welcome back to another Coffees & Content Monday. This week I'm breaking down three things happening in the marketing world right now - including one we're already testing inside The Social Collective. OpenAI has quietly opened the door for everyday businesses to advertise through ChatGPT and the early adopter window won't stay open forever. I share what I'm seeing, what the limitations are, and whether it's worth your time right now. I'm also chatting through the Instagram reach drop that's affecting accounts across the board, why it's only going to get harder, and what that should mean for where you're putting your energy. Plus, a teaser for what's coming next from In Her Empire Era. Sponsorship opportunities for the next Auckland event are open now. Links: Sponsor enquiries: inherempireera.com Instagram: @inhererampireerapod WhatsApp community: Join here Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Join the WhatsApp community Follow on Instagram: @coffeesandcontentpod Find Loren on LinkedIn: Loren Tomlinson Visit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz Loved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!