Creator Science - Episode #199: Katelyn Bourgoin – How to Write Great Social Content (and Lessons Learned from Her Recent Launch)
Release Date: March 4, 2025

In this engaging episode of Creator Science, host Jay Clouse delves deep into the art and science of crafting compelling social media content with guest Kaitlyn Bourgoin (referred to as Caitlin Burgoyne in the transcript), a seasoned marketer and founder of Customer Camp. The conversation spans a range of topics, from content creation strategies to the intricacies of launching successful cohort-based programs. Below is a comprehensive summary of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions drawn from the episode.

1. Content Creation Strategies for Social Media

Automated vs. Methodical Writing

Caitlin begins by distinguishing between her approaches to different types of content:

• Social Media Posts:
  "At this stage, it feels fairly like automatic... I know how to formulate a hook that's gonna work well. I know how to kind of give like a tasty ending." (03:21)
  Her process here is intuitive, relying on established techniques and her extensive archive of resources.

• Sales Pages and Emails:
  "I'm a lot more methodical about it. I'm really thinking about every word because I know that people skim when it comes to those sorts of things." (03:21)
  Here, she adopts a meticulous approach, ensuring each element serves a strategic purpose.

2. The Chocolate Covered Almond Analogy

Balancing Attraction and Substance

One of the standout concepts introduced by Caitlin is the "chocolate covered almond" metaphor:

• Chocolate (Hook and Ending):
  "Your hook is your first temptation... it needs to end in a satisfying way where you either feel... or maybe clicking on her bio to check out a free email course." (05:17)

• Almond (Content Body):
  "The body of the post is the nutritious, tasty, crunchy almond... you need the chocolate layer around it, no one's gonna wanna eat the middle." (05:17)

This analogy emphasizes the importance of enticing hooks and satisfying conclusions to ensure that the valuable content within retains the audience's attention.

Notable Quote:
"For me, it's the chocolate. The top and the bottom should be really tasty and yummy and satisfying." (05:17)

3. Importance of Satisfying Endings

Building Future Engagement

Caitlin underscores that a great hook alone isn't sufficient. The ending of a post plays a crucial role in:

• Providing Closure:
  "They might not feel the trigger. They may not actually want to pause because you didn't give them that satisfaction." (08:28)

• Encouraging Action:
  "I'll reread things that I wrote three months ago and go, oh, my God, that's so bad. But I do think it's an important factor." (09:29)

Notable Quote:
"If you don't leave them with that satisfying reward at the end, then next time they see your name coming in the feed, they might not feel the trigger." (08:28)

4. Building and Maintaining Audience Engagement

Halo Effect and Familiarity Bias

The conversation delves into how established creators benefit from the halo effect, where their existing reputation simplifies audience trust:

• Familiarity Over Content:
  "There's a familiarity bias that we have where we prefer things that are familiar." (10:05)

• Risks of Losing Substance:
  "Some people tend to become chocolate factories and there's no almond anymore... it might fall off the top of that mountain." (11:02)

Notable Quote:
"People are going to buy... based on trust they've built over time." (10:05)

5. Launching Cohort-Based Programs

Unignorable Cohort Experience

Caitlin shares her experiences with launching Unignorable, a cohort-based audience-building challenge:

• Initial Success:
  "We enrolled 306 students into this cohort. So a pretty big success by most measures." (01:29)

• Desire for Improvement:
  "There were some aspects of that launch that she would do differently." (01:29)

Key Learnings:

• Program Length:
  "We made it longer... from 21 days to 36 days to allow more time for lessons and exercises." (44:09)

• Pricing Strategy Mistakes:
  "We raised the price to $1,000... I think the price was the number one reason." (44:09)
  Caitlin reflects on how changing the price affected enrollment and perception.

• Affiliate Program Management:
  "We didn't give our affiliates enough time or help to do a great job as affiliates." (44:09)
  Highlighting the need for better support and timing in affiliate promotions.

Notable Quote:
"I think that if it was differentiated as it should be in the audience's mind, not just in ours, then I think that the price wouldn't have been an issue." (50:06)

6. Pricing Strategies and Lessons Learned

Fast Action Pricing vs. Consistent Pricing

Caitlin discusses the implementation and challenges of fast action pricing:

• Initial Approach:
  "We used fast action pricing where the price increases as more seats are filled." (44:09)

• Feedback and Adjustments:
  "People didn't like it because they saw how quickly the price increased and felt pressured." (50:59)

Future Adjustments:

• Limited Seats Over Escalating Prices:
  "I'd rather see it be fewer people... and consider having limited seats without increasing prices." (53:53)

Notable Quote:
"Price was the number one reason... they didn't think it was worth it." (50:06)

7. Community Engagement and Gamification

Enhancing Interaction Through Gamification

To boost engagement within her programs, Caitlin introduced gamified elements:

• Hookers Space:
  "We created a gamified experience where we have something called hookers... everyone who posts in there gets so much feedback." (55:25)

This approach not only made the community more interactive but also provided participants with actionable feedback to improve their content.

Notable Quote:
"It's been amazing because we always had that space. It wasn't called hookers, it wasn't gamified, and it barely got any use in previous cohorts." (55:25)

8. Current Trends and Future Outlook

B2B Platforms and Audience Burnout

Looking ahead, Caitlin shares her perceptions on the evolving landscape of content creation:

• Rise of B2B Creators:
  "B2B creators are kind of rising up and there's going to be a huge opportunity." (55:38)

• Audience Burnout:
  "There's a lot of burnout happening from all of the audience building rah rah rah." (55:38)

Strategy Adaptations:

• Shift in Content Focus:
  Given the burnout, creators like Caitlin are contemplating changing tactics to better align with audience sentiments and reduce oversaturation.

Notable Quote:
"I think there's a lot more people selling how to build an audience and there is appetite to for people to actually want to build one." (55:38)

9. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up with Caitlin reflecting on her journey and the lessons learned from her recent launch. She emphasizes the importance of:

• Differentiation in a Crowded Market:
  Ensuring that your program stands out to justify its pricing.

• Balancing Quality and Quantity:
  Prioritizing meaningful content over sheer volume to maintain audience trust and engagement.

• Continuous Improvement:
  Adapting strategies based on feedback and experiences to enhance future program launches.

Final Notable Quote:
"I think we didn't do a good enough job of that [differentiation]. And we still need to get better at that." (50:51)

Key Takeaways:

1. Effective Content Creation: Utilize compelling hooks and satisfying endings to engage and retain your audience.
2. Balanced Content Strategy: Combine attention-grabbing elements ("chocolate") with valuable content ("almond") to cater to both new and existing followers.
3. Thoughtful Pricing Models: Carefully consider pricing strategies to reflect the value offered and avoid alienating potential participants.
4. Community Engagement: Implement gamified elements to foster interaction and enhance the learning experience.
5. Adaptability: Stay attuned to market trends and audience sentiments to adjust strategies accordingly.

For creators aiming to refine their social media content and launch successful programs, the insights shared by Caitlin Bourgoin in this episode provide a valuable blueprint grounded in both theory and practical application.

If you enjoyed this summary, consider listening to the recommended next episode featuring Phil Agnew, where he explores the psychology behind Mr. Beast's captivating content strategies.