Episode 10
Summary
In this episode of the Beyond the Wild podcast, Ron and Jason interview Madi Clark, known as Embark.with.Ember on Instagram. Madi shares her journey of using social media to make a living with her Australian Shepherd, Ember; her adventure buddy. She started a social media account for her dog in 2018, quickly gaining traction and attracting brand partnerships. Madi discusses the challenges of transitioning from posting photos to creating reels and the importance of engagement with followers. She emphasizes the value of building a personal brand, being vulnerable and telling stories to captivate an audience. Madi also shares insights on pricing her work and the significance of engagement metrics for brands. She emphasizes the importance of having a new hobby or passion alongside photography to prevent burnout and also discusses her role as a consultant, helping content creators level up their skills and work with brands. She mentions her involvement in online business management and assisting influencers with their clients. She expresses her loyalty to Nikon and her positive experiences, while Ron and Jason reflect on their experiences with the brand and what made them switch to Canon. Madi shares her favorite outdoor experience, which was seeing a bear in Teton National Park, and reflects on the childhood memories with her dad that sparked her love for nature and photography.
Takeaways
Building a personal brand on social media involves being genuine, authentic, and vulnerable, and telling stories that captivate an audience.
Engagement with followers, such as responding to comments and messages, is more valuable to brands than the number of followers alone.
Pricing your work as a content creator involves considering factors such as your level of professionalism, experience, costs (e.g., time, equipment, printing), and the value you provide to brands.
While reels and other trends can help with growth on social media, it's important to find a strategy that aligns with your strengths and goals.
Engaging with your audience and providing value through your content and interactions is key to building meaningful connections and growing organically.
Dealing with burnout and imposter syndrome on social media can involve taking breaks, avoiding comparison, and focusing on your own journey and unique value. Have a new hobby or passion alongside photography to prevent burnout
Consulting and assisting other content creators can be a fulfilling career path
Building connections online can lead to opportunities in online business management
Loyalty to a brand can result in collaborations and recognition
Childhood memories in nature can shape a love for outdoor experiences and photography
Sound Bites
"Stories sell."
"What's the purpose of your account? What are you trying to accomplish with your Instagram? If it is just to share stuff and be funny and have likes, great, do it, do you. But if your goal is to make money, then you definitely think you need to be more intentional about what you're doing."
"I always tell everyone, just go for it. Honestly, I'll help people write up emails anytime. Just be like, hey, if you wanna work with someone and you've got their contact, or if you've got a relationship with them, I'll help you write the email to be like, hey, I'd love to work with you."
"Make sure you're gonna get a new hobby then."
"Step away, re-center yourself, and then get back into it, right, with a different mindset."
"Teaching others the same things that I have learned within this certain realm."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and pictureline.com Spring Photography Expo
01:24 Guest Introduction: Maddie Clark (Embark with Ember)
06:12 Navigating the Changing Landscape of Social Media
09:26 Pricing Your Work as a Content Creator
10:23 Engagement Matters More Than the Number of Followers
24:17 Transitioning to Reels and Adapting to Algorithm Changes
28:20 The Formula for Success on Social Media
32:23 Dealing with Burnout and Imposter Syndrome
43:59 Falling in Love with Photography Again
48:31 Consulting and Assisting Content Creators
51:44 Building Connections in Online Business Management
55:49 Loyalty to Nikon and Collaborations
01:05:26 Favorite Outdoor Experience: Seeing an epic Bear in Teton National Park
Madi’s Links
Thanks for listening to another episode of Beyond the Wild Podcast.To see more of our show and to watch the hosts, as well as the photos and videos that they discuss, tune into their Beyond the Wild Podcast YouTube channel.
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Beyond the Wild Podcast is sponsored by Pictureline.com and Canon USA.
