Podcast Summary: Good Content with Shannon McKinstrie

Episode: Posting Isn’t the Only Way to Grow: Engage More Using This Simple 10-10-10 Method
Host: Shannon McKinstrie
Date: September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

In this short and actionable episode, Shannon McKinstrie demystifies the belief that posting is the only path to growth on social media. She introduces listeners to her tried-and-true "10-10-10" engagement method (also lovingly dubbed the "Shannon Method" by her business partner Emily), offering practical advice for building genuine connections, fostering community, and boosting visibility—without constant posting. Through anecdotes and hands-on tips, Shannon fosters a social-first mindset and encourages listeners to treat social media like a lively networking event or happy hour, emphasizing the power of authentic engagement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reframing Social Media Growth: Beyond Posting

• Shannon acknowledges the overwhelm of content creation and points out that her greatest social media growth often came from community engagement, not just from posting frequency.
  • "[...] a lot of the growth I've had on Instagram, it's beyond just posting, right? So I thought I'd talk about engaging real quick and community building." – Shannon (01:12)

2. The 10-10-10 (Shannon) Method Explained

• First 10 Minutes: Engage with your feed

  • Leave meaningful comments on posts from those you already follow. Avoid generic responses.
  • "I would leave a comment that would spark a conversation or make it meaningful." – Shannon (02:37)

• Second 10 Minutes: Interact with Stories

  • Reply and react to followers' stories.
  • Pro-tip: Start from the end of your story feed to rekindle connections with followers you've lost touch with.
  • "Sometimes...I would swipe my stories all the way left...because a lot of those people at the end are people I haven’t connected with for a long time." – Shannon (03:10)

• Final 10 Minutes: Find new connections

  • Engage with posts under hashtags or accounts followed by your ideal audience.
  • Especially for local businesses, interact with local influencers, coffee shops, magazines, and other community hubs.
  • "What coffee shops are near that yoga studio? What local influencers are your people following?" – Shannon (04:15)

3. Adapting the Method for Busy Schedules

• Don’t have 30 minutes? Split the method into shorter "555" sessions, e.g., 5 minutes each at different points in the day.
• Use spare moments (like doomscrolling breaks) to purposefully connect with others on stories or in DMs.

4. Building Relationships, Not Just Audiences

• Shannon shares a personal story of connecting with Manu, an Atlanta-based social media expert, through a DM about their shared professional backgrounds. This friendship led to future collaborations, including being invited as jurors at a major event.
  • "The reason we started chatting is because we realized we both worked at Turner...Now here we are, all these years later, and she’s asked Emily and I to be jurors." – Shannon (05:03)
• She emphasizes reaching out with genuine curiosity and shared interests rather than selling.

5. Collaboration Over Competition

• Shannon encourages seeing peers as collaborators, not just competitors. She describes inviting other social media experts into her masterminds to reinforce shared industry truths and bring value to her community.
  • "I've never looked at my competition as a competitor. I have collabed with people, I've done—you know, I come into masterminds where someone literally does the same thing as me." – Shannon (06:00)
• Hearing advice echoed by others reinforces credibility and builds trust.

6. Platform-Specific Engagement

• Highlighting TikTok's algorithm, Shannon notes that active engagement (especially commenting) increases content reach.
  • "TikTok especially is obsessed—when you start commenting on other stuff, they will show your content to more people." – Shannon (08:02)
• She also recommends regularly commenting on posts by industry leaders (like Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram) to both contribute meaningfully and increase visibility.

7. Making Social Media Social Again

• Shannon encourages listeners to treat social platforms as virtual networking events that are especially friendly to introverts, since all engagement can be done from home.
• Engagement can lead to new connections, collaborations, and even sales—sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

8. Personal Proof of Concept

• Shannon and Emily’s own business partnership started by meeting through a hashtag, demonstrating the real-world impact of authentic engagement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authentic Engagement:
  "I would leave a comment that would spark a conversation or make it meaningful." – Shannon (02:37)

• On Rekindling Old Connections:
  "Sometimes...I would swipe my stories all the way left...because a lot of those people at the end are people I haven’t connected with for a long time." – Shannon (03:10)

• On Platform Algorithms:
  "TikTok especially is obsessed—when you start commenting on other stuff, they will show your content to more people." – Shannon (08:02)

• On Collaboration:
  "I've never looked at my competition as a competitor. I have collabed with people, I've done—you know, I come into masterminds where someone literally does the same thing as me." – Shannon (06:00)

• On the Social Nature of Social Media:
  "We are on here to be social, not just post." – Shannon (08:50)
  "You can sit on your couch, leave some comments, shoot out some DMs and make a new connection and possibly a sale or business bestie like me and Emily." – Shannon (09:15)

Important Timestamps

• 00:54: Shannon introduces the episode's focus on community and engagement.
• 02:00: Shannon explains the origin and steps of the 10-10-10 Method.
• 05:03: Story about connecting with Manu and the value of genuine DM outreach.
• 06:00: Discussion on collaboration with competitors.
• 08:02: Why TikTok and other platforms reward engagement.
• 09:15: Shannon and Emily's origin story—meeting via social media engagement.

Takeaways

• You don’t have to post daily to grow; purposeful engagement is equally powerful.
• The "10-10-10 Method" is an efficient framework for connecting with your audience and expanding your reach.
• Social media is a tool for real human connection—approach it with curiosity and generosity.
• Treat engagement as your daily networking session; it can spark collaborations, friendships, and business growth.

If you want to level up your social growth, start engaging—because posting is just one small part of the equation.