Podcast Summary: Building a Brand Strategy and Content Goldmine with Chelsea Castle

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Exit Five CMO Podcast
• Host: Dave Gerhardt
• Episode: Building a Brand Strategy and Content Goldmine with Chelsea Castle, Head of Content and Brand at Close
• Release Date: July 7, 2025

1. Introduction & Viral LinkedIn Post

Dave Gerhardt opens the episode by welcoming Chelsea Castle, highlighting her viral LinkedIn post featuring a Taylor Swift quote paired with a WordPress screenshot.

• Notable Quote:
  • Chelsea (02:04): “It was just funny. Like one of those off the cuff things. A good example of like, you can't plan virality. It's just like lightning in a bottle.”

2. Viral Content and Content Strategy

Chelsea discusses the spontaneity and planning behind her viral post, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of virality and the importance of authentic content.

• Notable Quote:
  • Chelsea (02:25): “I almost thought it would be better if I waited until a little while after Taylor Swift's new album came out.”

3. Managing Content Ideas with AI Tools

Chelsea shares her method of organizing an overwhelming number of content ideas using ChatGPT. She details how she exported her 519 notes into ChatGPT for categorization and subsequently into a spreadsheet for better management.

• Notable Quote:
  • Chelsea (04:39): “I like to write from abundance. So I literally have pages and pages and word docs and notion docs and notes on my phone of ideas.”

4. LinkedIn Posting Strategies

Dave and Chelsea delve into LinkedIn as a primary platform for content distribution. They discuss scheduling posts, the impact of timing, and the challenges of LinkedIn’s algorithm, especially regarding link sharing.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Dave (07:23): “If you put something on your calendar and 90 days from now you posted the exact same WordPress Taylor Swift thing again, it would go, it would, it would work again.”
  • Chelsea (08:33): “I schedule things sometimes... I always try to post in the morning.”

5. Transition to Close and Role Overview

Chelsea explains her move to Close, a company led by Steli Efti. She reflects on Steli’s early adoption of founder-led marketing and his subsequent burnout, hinting at a potential comeback.

• Notable Quote:
  • Chelsea (11:12): “It's just the way I like to think about it. So the workshops go through, like, really fun exercises of, like, if we were a car, who would we be?”

6. Content Strategy at Past Companies

Chelsea recounts her experiences at Chili Piper and Lavender, highlighting successful content initiatives like the Centers of Excellence series and the repurposing of podcast content into written formats.

• Notable Quote:
  • Chelsea (13:38): “They would write about the experiments happening on the CRO and things that the engineers were doing... it was a way to not only elevate the brand but also create valuable content.”

7. Measuring Content Success

The conversation shifts to the metrics and qualitative measures of content effectiveness. Chelsea emphasizes the importance of aggregating qualitative data, such as conversations and direct feedback, over mere quantitative metrics like views.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Chelsea (39:13): “Finding a way to aggregate the qualitative data I think is one of the best ways to start measuring.”
  • Dave (40:07): “It's about showing up and learning and engaging. The community that I've built there is just invaluable.”

8. Common Content Strategy Mistakes

Chelsea identifies prevalent mistakes in content strategies, notably the overemphasis on skyscraper SEO content, where the focus is on length and keyword optimization rather than providing unique value.

• Notable Quote:
  • Chelsea (43:38): “You're not actually saying anything different, you're just saying the same things differently.”

9. Gated vs. Exclusive Content

The discussion explores the pitfalls of gated content, with Chelsea advocating for making valuable content freely accessible to build trust. She differentiates between traditional gated content and exclusive content that offers genuine value.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Chelsea (44:59): “The best way to build an audience and build a brand is through trust and gated content traditionally degrades trust.”
  • Dave (48:06): “Gated content does work to grow your email list, but it often fails to drive meaningful engagement.”

10. Developing a Brand Strategy

Chelsea outlines her approach to crafting a brand strategy through interactive workshops with company leadership. These sessions involve creative exercises to personify the brand, define its personality, and establish brand associations that resonate across all marketing channels.

• Notable Quote:
  • Chelsea (50:21): “It's all about creating, like, if we were a person. People tend to have a hard time with brand because it's a little more nebulous.”

11. Exploring New Marketing Channels

They touch upon the exploration of emerging marketing channels like Instagram and Connected TV, discussing the potential and strategies for experimentation without diluting focus from core platforms like LinkedIn.

• Notable Quote:
  • Chelsea (37:34): “Instagram has a lot of potential for agencies and coaches... So I think that'll be like a big channel for us to experiment with in the future.”

12. Final Thoughts and Takeaways

In concluding the episode, Dave and Chelsea emphasize the balance between maintaining core content strategies and experimenting with new channels. They advocate for value-driven content that fosters genuine engagement and trust, rather than relying solely on quantitative metrics.

• Notable Quote:
  • Chelsea (39:13): “Even if it's like five people who are your ICP saying this is amazing, this is helpful... that means so much more than maybe like a thousand views on a LinkedIn post.”

Key Insights:

• Authenticity Over Virality: Genuine, relatable content resonates more deeply than contrived attempts at virality.
• Organized Content Management: Leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT can streamline the organization and categorization of vast content ideas.
• Value-Driven Content: Prioritizing value in content creation fosters trust and meaningful engagement, essential for brand building.
• Qualitative Metrics Matter: Engagement, conversations, and direct feedback are more indicative of content success than mere view counts.
• Strategic Brand Development: Collaborative workshops and creative exercises are pivotal in defining and refining a brand’s identity and strategy.
• Balanced Channel Exploration: While core platforms like LinkedIn remain crucial, experimenting with emerging channels can unlock new opportunities without compromising focus.

Conclusion:

Chelsea Castle provides an insightful exploration into effective brand and content strategy, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, organized content management, and value-driven engagement. Her experiences across various companies highlight both successful initiatives and common pitfalls, offering valuable lessons for marketing leaders aiming to build robust and impactful content ecosystems.