Before I even listened to Angela McLean’s presentation, I knew it was going to be good. Simply because we share a last name of course!
After listening to Angela McLean’s talk on social media strategy, I feel as though I left with a lot of valuable insights that I can apply not only to my professional life in the future but also to everyday situations. Angela’s career path, starting from concert reviews to managing content strategy for a global company like Accenture, showcased the importance of adaptability, creativity, and strong communication skills. Her perspective on storytelling, organization, and consistency really stood out to me as fundamental skills that go beyond social media and marketing. One of the key points that Angela made, in my opinion, was about the power of storytelling. She emphasized that in social media and in content creation, the ability to create a compelling narrative is what sets successful brands apart from others. It’s not just about posting regularly, it’s about creating content that resonates on a human level to the readers and audience. This personally resonated with me because I’ve always seen storytelling as a creative tool. Yet, Angela’s perspective has helped me realize that it can also be a strategic one. Whether I’m writing a blog (like right now), giving a presentation, or engaging with others online, the ability to tell an authentic story can help build trust and foster better connections. This was the biggest take away from her presentation for me.
Another key lesson was around organization. Angela talked about how crucial it is to stay organized when managing multiple platforms and content streams for obvious reasons. Furthermore, the simplest organizational tools are the most effective from her experience. While there are a lot of more complicated and high tech tools that can help workflows, Angela says that she still uses basic spreadsheets or even notebooks to stay on top of things. As someone who prefers to stay organized in a simple and easy way, I found it reassuring that I can apply this to my life in future work outside of school. What matters most is finding a system that works and sticking to it, whether it’s for personal projects or professional tasks and the simple way is most likely the most effective.
Within her presentation, Angela explained how a consistent tone and messaging are key to building trust with an audience. Whether it’s for a brand or a personal project, she stressed that this kind of consistency helps establish credibility over time. As someone who will be looking for a new job once school is finished, I now know how important it is to maintain a consistent personal brand, not just on LinkedIn, but across all my platforms and in how I communicate to people. Angela’s advice has taught me that being intentional about how I present myself can make a big difference in how I’m perceived by potential employers or collaborators and will be something I will definitely remember for the future.
As a whole, Angela’s talk gave me more than just a blueprint for effective social media strategies. It has taught me practical lessons that I can apply across different areas of my life. Whether it’s being mindful of how I tell stories, staying organized, or remaining consistent in my personal brand. They are skills that will serve me well beyond the classroom.
Lastly, that every McLean has some great stories.