Episode Overview

Title: StubHub Head of Social: How to Get the Coolest Job in Social 🎟️ w/Caity Bransby from StubHub! | Ep. 427
Podcast: Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson
Release Date: October 10, 2025
Host: Guru Media Hub
Guest: Caity Bransby, Head of Social Media at StubHub

In this high-energy episode, host Jay Schwedelson sits down with Caity Bransby, StubHub's Head of Social Media, for a candid and practical conversation about what it truly takes to land, and excel in, one of the "coolest jobs" in the social media world. Caity shares real-world insights into her career journey, secrets to social media success, the importance of moving at the speed of culture, and actionable tips for anyone looking to break into or level up in social media marketing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Makes the "Coolest" Social Media Job?

• Misconceptions about the Glamour:
  • While the job involves going to concerts and live events, it's as much about capturing great content as it is about having fun.
  • “A big part of the job is going to shows and going to events and capturing content. So it's like 50% of what I do…”
    — Caity Bransby [01:13]

2. Career Journey: How Caity Got Here

• Started in College, Created Opportunities:
  • Caity took the initiative as a student at Cal State Long Beach, volunteering to start the school's first Instagram account for free.
  • Navigated early warnings that social media “wasn’t going to last,” but stuck with her passion:
    • “Don't work in social media. Like, it's not going to last... Like, I really like this. This is, like, really fun.”
      — Caity Bransby [02:24]
• Progression through Major Brands:
  • Early experience at Honda’s headquarters (including “Honda Stage”), then at NBC working on live events—including the Olympics.
  • Realized her passion was primarily in live event coverage rather than traditional TV marketing.

3. Breaking Into Social Media: Advice for Aspiring Pros

• Everyone Can Start—Just Post!
  • Building a “portfolio” of real, public-facing accounts is critical.
  • “That's always my advice, is just start posting. I think I should get it tattooed. Like, always be posting.”
    — Caity Bransby [04:31]
  • Brands often hire from “Stan accounts”—fan-run, viral accounts with unique voices.
• Proof Over Promises:
  • Having actual accounts with measurable results matters more than just talking about skills.
  • “A lot of people think they want social media jobs and then they do the actual work and they're like, whoa, this is a lot.”
    — Caity Bransby [05:42]

4. What Social Media Work Really Entails

• Not Just Memes and Posts:
  • Production and editing on mobile devices, optimizing content for each platform, crafting effective hooks, and writing SEO-friendly captions.
  • Creative instinct + technical skill is the secret sauce.
  • “The gut feeling of, like, this is really cool and it’s going to do well, really, like, comes with practice.”
    — Caity Bransby [06:40]

5. Moving at the Speed of Culture

• Virality = Science + Speed:
  • Staying “chronically online” to catch and ride current trends and fandom conversations.
  • Understanding when and why a trend is happening—and moving fast to participate:
    • “I have to find that angle in, like, the next couple hours? Like, I can’t wait. It has to happen right now.”
      — Caity Bransby [08:44]

6. Leadership Perspective: Staying Hands-On

• Leading by Example & Staying in the Trenches:
  • Caity prefers to stay “hands on the wheel” creatively rather than just manage from above.
  • Trust with her team comes from participating directly in content creation and trendspotting.
  • “Part of the reason why I left working at NBC is that I had just gotten promoted...and I felt like my hands were leaving the wheel.”
    — Caity Bransby [09:27]

7. Always Be Posting… But Quality Over Quantity

• Content Volume vs. Content Quality:
  • While analytics matter, setting forced quotas often lowers creative quality.
  • “For me, quality over quantity always.”
    — Caity Bransby [11:15]
  • Posting frequency adapts to what’s timely, interesting, or viral—sometimes posting once, sometimes 10 times if the content merits it.

8. Community Engagement & Brand Voice

• Interaction Is Key:
  • Unlike many brands, StubHub prioritizes community management, responding to fans, and joining viral comment threads.
  • “If you mention StubHub, you'll at least get a like from us. But you might get one of our community managers in the comments…”
    — Caity Bransby [13:28]
  • The rise of TikTok’s comment culture is making engagement more important than ever.

9. Platform Strategy: Go Where Your Audience Is

• No Need to Be Everywhere:
  • Caity focuses energy (and resources) on where Gen Z and her goals align: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts.
  • “They each have a different objective. They can each achieve different things. My goal right now is broad brand awareness with Gen Z.”
    — Caity Bransby [14:23]
  • Only prioritize other platforms (Reddit, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) if that's where your audience spends time.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Always be posting.”
  — Caity Bransby [04:31, 15:40]

• “Virality is not magic. Like, it's definitely moving at the speed of culture.”
  — Caity Bransby [07:55]

• “...having your hands on the wheel. I think it was nice of you to say at the beginning that I'm cool, but it's so important when you're in social that you are cool in a sense that you know what's going on…”
  — Caity Bransby [10:18]

• “I'm a total, like, concert junkie… a big part of the job is going to shows and going to events and capturing content.”
  — Caity Bransby [01:13]

• “If you want this job, you have to prove you’ve done it, you like it, and here’s my example of how I’ve done it well—then that’s perfect.”
  — Caity Bransby [05:43]

• “If I had all the resources in the world, I’d be everywhere all the time.”
  — Caity Bransby [14:55]

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [01:13] - Caity describes the reality of the StubHub social media role.
• [02:01]–[03:52] - Caity’s career journey: from college to industry leader.
• [04:20]–[05:53] - How anyone can break in: “Always be posting,” building your portfolio.
• [06:01]–[07:04] - What social media managers really do every day.
• [07:55]–[09:05] - Moving at the speed of culture and trendspotting in real-time.
• [09:24]–[10:39] - Caity’s leadership style: staying involved and creative.
• [11:04]–[12:35] - Posting priorities: quality vs. quantity, leveraging viral moments.
• [13:09]–[14:09] - Community management strategies and why fan interaction matters.
• [14:21]–[15:00] - Platform strategy and focusing resources.

Closing Thoughts

Caity Bransby’s episode is a must-listen (or must-read) for anyone interested in social media marketing, especially those aiming for high-profile brand roles. Her journey underscores the importance of initiative, building a visible body of work, and actively participating in digital culture.
Her parting advice sums it up:
“No, just always be posting.” [15:40]

Connect with Caity Bransby

• Name: Caity Bransby (C A I, T, Y B R, A, N, S, B, Y)
• Role: Head of Social Media, StubHub
• LinkedIn: (link in show notes)