Strategize This: Smart Social Moves That Work | Apr 13, 2026

<p>In this open discussion episode, host Kendall Hotchkiss leads a hands-on social media workshop, fielding community questions and sharing practical strategies. Topics range from promoting free tools to crafting hooks, storytelling techniques, and platform-specific tactics for motion designers.</p><p>This episode covers:</p><ul><li><strong>Promoting free tools and work-in-progress content</strong>: Rather than only announcing a tool at launch with a single video, sharing the development journey—snags, workarounds, and behind-the-scenes moments—builds anticipation and a stronger audience connection. </li><li><strong>Platform strategy for niche audiences</strong>: Different platforms serve different purposes—Reddit and LinkedIn tend to perform well for technical tool creators, while Instagram favors short-form and quick cuts, YouTube rewards vlog-style depth, and TikTok skews toward meme and humor content. </li><li><strong>Documenting process after the fact</strong>: For creators who struggle to post while in the middle of a project, it&#39;s entirely valid to open old project files, film a quick walkthrough, and frame it as a case study or retrospective. </li><li><strong>Posting for availability without sounding desperate</strong>: Framing availability as &quot;booking for next month&quot; rather than &quot;available now&quot; signals that you&#39;re still in demand. </li><li><strong>The chocolate-covered almond hook framework</strong>: Effective posts use a compelling hook (the &quot;chocolate&quot;) to draw people in, paired with genuinely useful substance (the &quot;almond&quot;) to retain them. The three copywriting questions—Can I visualize it? Can I falsify it? Could nobody else write this?—help ensure posts feel specific, authentic, and not interchangeable with AI-generated content. </li><li><strong>Storytelling structure for social posts</strong>: Short-form storytelling follows a simple beginning-middle-end arc—even a monthly recap carousel (&quot;here&#39;s what I did, here&#39;s what I learned, here&#39;s what&#39;s next&quot;) qualifies. The three-panel problem/solution/outcome format and writing as if addressing a specific person (a mentor, a son, a Girl Scout troop) help ground posts in a specific perspective and avoid generic-feeling copy.</li><li><strong>Consistency over frequency</strong>: Posting once or twice a week with focused, high-quality content outperforms daily posting of filler. Engaging on other people&#39;s posts, reposting wit