Q&A with Daniel Collins

Aug 9

This week in our series of Q&As with SocialDay, we’re speaking to Daniel Collins, Strategy Director at Rocket and Co-Founder of The Howl Creative. Daniel is a content strategist for brands and organisations including Penguin Random House, Merlin Entertainments, Nickelodeon, Atlantic Records and Jaegermeister. He’s also a content creator in his spare time, writing and producing music that has been used for commercial purposes by Sky Sports, BT Sport, British Swimming, Spotify, featuring also on BBC Radio 1, BBC 6Music, and Introducing.

At SocialDay 2021, Daniel will be joining our Social Media Content Panel, sharing insights into the youth marketing industry and dispelling myths about TikTok. Until then though, we thought we’d let you get to know him a little better with this Q&A with SocialDay!

Hi Daniel! First off, do you have a favourite social media platform and why?

TikTok as it’s the platform that’s brought audio right back into the social mainstream. Those millennials may remember MySpace when it was all about having a profile song which defined your social presence, now TikTok has really brought that back. It’s so interesting to see the different types of audio clips and songs that completely blow up on TikTok, constantly wondering how and why?

Has being a content creator yourself influenced your role as Strategy Director at Rocket?

Being a content creator myself does mean that everything I do through strategy I’m always thinking about the creative angle. It’s almost like a a tug of war in my mind between what should come first creative or strategy, after arguing with myself for a while it never really gets resolved. It’s important with any strategy that content creation and creativity is a key foundation, there is no clear front runner.
I’ve found in the current digital marketing sphere we’ve got all the targeting we could ever need at our finger tips but brands and marketers just get lazy or overlook when it comes to utilising creative content.

What’s the most important part of a content strategy that people often overlook?

Everyone at the minute wants to attribute everything. Conversions, conversions, conversions what people really overlook is the emotive use of content and the more fluffier brand side. I know budgets are tight and a return on investment is needed, but I think a huge important part of your content strategy is giving an entertaining and emotive reaction to your content / brand.

What’s the best part about working in social media marketing?

The constant movement of the industry, whether that’s a brand new channel or restrictions in pixel tracking, the industry doesn’t let us rest and sit on your laurels.

If you had to describe yourself using 3 emojis what would they be?

🤘📸🎸

And finally, what are you most excited about for SocialDay 2021?

I’ve been a regular attender of SocialDay and it’s an exciting chance to hear from leading individuals in the industry and get different insights into the world off digital marketing.

Thanks Daniel!

Check out the programme and get your ticket to SocialDay 2021 below 👇