Watch the broadcast replay below—and follow the conversation on LinkedIn.

Welcome to Ad Age Remotely, a streamed video segment focusing on the issues of the day.

In today’s edition of Remotely, social media consultant Rachel Karten joins Ad Age reporter Gillian Follett to discuss her work helping brands revamp their social strategies, as well as some of the recent brand social media trends that she’s analyzed in her newsletter, “Link in Bio.”

After spending about eight years on the brand side of social media in roles at Plated—a now-defunct meal kit service—and food and entertainment publication Bon Appétit, Karten made the jump to consulting in 2020. Since then, she’s drawn on her background in managing social media accounts to advise brands, such as Cava and West Elm, on how to strengthen their social strategies.

As she crossed into social media consulting, Karten also launched the newsletter “Link in Bio,” which she uses to share further recommendations and tips about how marketers should approach social media marketing. She also highlights trends driven by brands on social media, including a recent spate of oil paintings that brands have commissioned from artist Noah Verrier and a commonality among many current social media managers: a background in comedy. 

Karten joins Remotely to discuss her role as a social media consultant, her strategy for differentiating meaningful online trends from fleeting fads, as well as the trends that have been occupying her thoughts most lately.