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

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!

Recorded from a hotel room in Sydney at 9pm ... because sometimes building your empire looks like getting cozy in a robe and showing up anyway. This episode is a candid, unfiltered conversation about one of the most important marketing questions every business owner needs to be asking: are you focused on finding new audiences, or are you sitting on a goldmine you haven't tapped yet? In this episode: The difference between awareness marketing and conversion marketing - and why most businesses only focus on one Why your email list is your most under-utilised business asset and how to actually use it The social media to email pipeline - how TSC builds it for clients and why it matters more than follower count Lead magnets, pop-ups and quizzes - how to pull people from your socials into a database you actually own Why most ideal clients sit in your pipeline for 6-12 months before they're ready ... and how to stay front of mind until they are The free TSC marketing audit tool that tells you exactly which levers to pull right now Links: Free marketing audit: www.thesocialcollective.co.nz/marketing-audit 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!

Things are changing fast in the social media world. This episode cuts through the noise so you can stay ahead without spending hours keeping up yourself. This is the very first Coffees & Content episode under the new In Her Empire Era name, and we're kicking it off exactly how we mean to go on. Quick, no-fluff, and actually useful. In this episode: The Instagram hashtag shakeup - what's changing, why it's been coming for a long time, and what three hashtags you'd actually keep Why caption quality now matters more than any hashtag strategy ever did LinkedIn's biggest update for business owners - and why ignoring this platform is closing the door on revenue before you've even tried Why your LinkedIn profile needs to work like a landing page How to show up on LinkedIn with a point of view that builds real authority over time 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!

After almost four years of the Coffees & Content newsletter and over a year of this podcast, something had to change. Not because it wasn't working, but because it was time for something bigger. In this episode, I'm sharing what's been happening behind the scenes at The Social Collective over the last six to eight months, why the In Her Empire Era launch event changed everything, and what you can expect from this platform going forward. This is a space for the intersection of business and marketing - for founders, for women in business, and for anyone who wants to grow and scale something they're proud of. Links mentioned: Join the IHEE WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KOvue6XT1HhDHPE7lpgoFC?mode=gi_t Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/coffeesandcontent Subscribe on Substack: 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, I'm sharing my candid reflections on the challenges of podcasting in the age of video content, platform pressure, and the importance of authentic engagement. I'm chatting through my journey of balancing quality with authenticity, the impact of platform choices on content creation, and practical advice for marketers and creators. Key Topics The impact of platform pressure on content creators The shift from traditional podcasting to video and social media Authentic engagement versus performative content Strategies for sustainable content creation The importance of focusing on platforms that align with your brand Resources: The Social Collective Marketing Audit - https://www.thesocialcollective.co.nz/marketing-audit 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!