Podcast Summary: Good Content with Shannon McKinstrie

Episode: Your Winning Content Strategy is Hiding in Plain Sight
Host: Shannon McKinstrie
Date: September 9, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Shannon McKinstrie dives into the concept that a winning content strategy isn’t some secret formula—it’s right in front of you, “hiding in plain sight.” Shannon shares personal anecdotes, listener emails, and actionable tips, all focused on demystifying what actually works on social media right now. The episode is rich with real-life examples, memorable advice, and Shannon’s trademark approachable, conversational style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. You’re Not Too Late (01:35)

• Shannon addresses “imposter syndrome” and the fear of contributing to a saturated market.
  • “Does it actually need another marketing podcast? ... I can’t believe how well it’s doing, and I can’t believe I just got this email.” [03:00]
• Encourages listeners to carve out their own space, regardless of what “everyone else” is doing.

2. Listener Success Story – Proof it Works (04:45)

• Shares an email from “Jen,” a silent listener who grew her Instagram to 126,000 followers and saw sales skyrocket in one year because of the podcast’s actionable strategies.
  • “The hooks that you inspire me to use always perform so well.” [07:00]
  • “Last fall, I went from 0 to 10,000 followers in 10 days.” [07:40]
• Reinforces that repeating the basics and iterating on proven strategies drive results.

3. Model What Works—Don't Reinvent the Wheel (10:10)

• Shannon emphasizes: True content strategy is visible in what’s already working for brands outside your niche.
  • “Literally no one succeeding on Instagram right now is doing what [many so-called gurus] are saying. And if you just look at what the brands succeeding … are doing right now, there’s your content strategy.” [11:25]
• The best research: Observe high-performing content and adapt those methods to your industry.

4. Look Beyond Your Niche for Inspiration (13:15)

• Study brands you enjoy—not necessarily direct competitors—for fresh ideas.
• Shannon cites her own habits: Exploring North Carolina, food, motherhood, and interior accounts more than traditional marketing ones.
• She tailors viral content ideas from other industries for her clients, like adapting a viral restaurant reel template for a hair salon owner.

5. Case Study – The Nitro Bar’s Content Magic (17:18)

• Example of the Nitro Bar, a coffee shop with a highly effective and simple content formula:
  • Personal, team-focused content that makes followers feel like locals.
  • Use of recurring formats like:
    • “Let’s make our [viral product] together”
    • Staff interviews (e.g., “Hey, I’m hungover, what would you make me?”)
    • “How lucky are we to be alive at the same time as [product]?”
  • “They don’t look anything like the content that the gurus are telling you to make ... they’re creating very human content.” [19:40]
• Their “same 3-4 formulas every week” perform exceptionally well across both TikTok and Instagram.

6. The Rise of Casual Carousel Posts (22:14)

• Current trend: Unpolished, real photos with straightforward text—almost like storybooks.
  • “They almost look like a short children’s storybook...they just feel like some quick digestible tips and just clear text overlays.” [23:25]
• Example: Day-in-the-life posts with timestamped photos, showing real moments (e.g., making breakfast for her “angel baby” and including her cats).
• Advice: Stop over-polishing—let it be real, messy, and personal.

7. How to Apply It If You’re in a Different Field (25:45)

• These formulas work in any industry—lawyer, real estate agent, therapist, etc.
  • “Whether you are a coffee shop with 20 employees, you’re a law office in the middle of Mississippi, this is what it looks like. We want to know who you are.” [29:25]
• Adapts examples:
  • Realtor features “The stuff Zillow won’t tell you about [city].”
  • Lawyer shares podcasts every business owner should listen to.
  • Therapist talks about healing from anxiety by sharing snippets of personal journey.

8. The Two-Question Exercise for Listeners (32:14)

• Question 1: Name one recent account you followed. Why did you follow them?
• Question 2: Name one recent product you bought. What feeling or need did it serve?
  • “The more you study your own behaviors ... the better you’ll become at creating content.” [34:10]

9. Timeless Hook Formulas That Still Work (37:05)

• Repeat these proven, curiosity-driven hooks:
  • “Here’s what I’m…”
  • “This is the [book/recipe] that…”
  • “You thought you’d found the best [X] until you saw this…”
  • Incorporate FOMO, curiosity, excitement, emotion.

10. Shannon’s Final Encouragement (39:18)

• Study your own habits and use them as inspiration.
• Skip shortcuts; focus on human connection, emotion, and storytelling.
  • “You’re here because you want to start thinking like a marketer. You don’t want a quick shortcut because that doesn’t work. We know that now. And that’s what I’m here to help you do.” [39:40]

Notable Quotes

• On Saturation & Imposter Syndrome:
  “Any industry you look at nowadays, especially because everyone’s creating content, everything feels oversaturated. But ... your world is not the whole world.” [02:15]

• On Adapting Viral Content:
  “I look at what the people who are absolutely crushing it are doing, and some people that were crushing it two years ago aren’t crushing it anymore. ... Go look at what all the people killing it on Instagram are doing.” [14:32]

• On Content Simplicity:
  “What is hiding in plain sight right now is less polished, more real. More real-time, in-the-moment hooks.” [27:53]

Timestamps: Key Segments

• 01:35 — The myth of oversaturation & why your voice matters
• 04:45 — Listener success story: 0 to 126K followers
• 10:10 — Modeling strategy after proven content
• 17:18 — The Nitro Bar: case study on humanized, formulaic content
• 22:14 — New wave: unpolished, story-like carousel posts
• 29:25 — Applying formulas across industries
• 32:14 — Self-study exercise: how and why you follow/buy
• 37:05 — Hook formulas that still work
• 39:18 — Final advice: think like a marketer, not a shortcut seeker

Tone & Style

Shannon’s tone is warm, supportive, straight-talking, and relatable. She focuses on practical examples, real-life results, and encourages experimentation based on observation, not outdated rules.

Key Takeaway

Your most effective content strategy isn’t hidden behind trends or gurus—it’s in the content that makes you stop scrolling. Study your own habits, observe what top-performing accounts are actually doing right now (not what they did last year), and double down on realness, storytelling, and emotional connection.