Stop the Scroll: A social Media podcast with Heidi Schmidt - Social Media and Content Marketing Advice for small business own

Social Media Strategist, Content Marketer and Agency Owner Heidi Schmidt
  • 5.0 (11)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

How do I grow my business on social media? What’s the best type of content to post on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn? How frequently do I post on social media and how do I even know if what I’m doing is working? Welcome to "Stop The Scroll” a podcast dedicated to helping business owners, entrepreneurs and creatives thrive online. Hosted by Heidi Schmidt, a social media strategist and owner of Heidi Schmidt Creative, a social media and content marketing agency. Heidi shares all the best tips to help you show up online confidently with tips such as what really goes into a content strategy and how to stop overthinking your content. Heidi’s strategies have helped her and her clients build six-figure businesses over her 15-plus years in the marketing industry, working with brands of all sizes to accomplish their business goals online. Ready to thrive? Tune in!  This podcast will answer questions like  What are the pros and cons of social media in business?How do I start social media marketing?What are essential strategies for Effective Social Media MarketingWhat are some Top Social Media Trends to Shape Your StrategyWhat are social listening tools and how do I use them to understand my audience?Exploring the Advantages of Social Media for BusinessesHow can you Leverage the Many Benefits of Social Media for Business GrowthStorytelling Techniques That Captivate Social Media UsersThe Art of Storytelling in MarketingCreative Social Media Content Ideas to Refresh Your Feed

  1. 6D AGO

    CEO Debrief: 2025 Wins, Lessons and Reflections

    This year stretched me—in the best and hardest ways. And, if you know what’s to come, this is only the beginning, right? In this unfiltered end of year recap, I’m pulling back the curtain on the wins I didn’t expect, the misses I’d repeat differently, and the pivots that changed our momentum in Q4. You’ll hear why “diversify” became my lifeline, how I navigated client churn and capacity without burning out my team (or myself), and the surprising offers that worked when the “sure things” didn’t. If you’ve been building mid-flight and wondering what to double down on next, don’t miss out on these lessons.  We’ll finish with what’s staying, what’s getting cut, and the 3 focus moves I’m taking into 2026 for the best year ever.  Episode Highlights: The theme of 2025: diversification…of offers, revenue, and relationship. How I protected capacity and let the team lead more. What I learned about new services – with simpler, clearer offers versus offers that drained energy.  Why community beats the algorithm every time and how pruning misaligned work opened doors for referrals. Campaign lessons carried over: clear messaging and consistency drive real conversions. For 2026, how I’m simplifying ops and doubling down on what’s already proven. Resources & Mentions: Join the Leading Lady Business HubBook a Strategy SessionBook a marketing auditGet on the masterclass wait list Subscribe, leave a review, and share Stop the Scroll with a friend or fellow business owner who needs a little more confidence and a lot less overwhelm in their marketing. Your reviews help us reach more creators like you! Drop a question or a review! We love getting feedback from our listeners! Connect with me: Website - https://www.heidijschmidt.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/legallyheidi/ Email - Heidi@heidijschmidt.com

    25 min

  2. DEC 8

    2026 Social Media Trends You Can’t Ignore

    Can you believe we’re less than a month away from 2026? We’ve talked a lot about marketing strategy going into the new year – but today, we’re talking about what to expect in the year ahead from social media marketing. We’ve all felt a bit like we’re screaming into the void on social media and well, it’s not just you. You’re not imagining it. But what do we do about it? We’re breaking down the big shifts that are going to shape the social media landscape in 2026 so you as a small business owner can adapt with confidence. From AI becoming a back office assistant to social platforms doubling as search engines – we’re sharing what matters, what to skip and how to turn this all into a plan you can follow.  Episode Highlights: How AI can truly save timeSocial as a search engine and what to know so you can be found for the right termsShort form video is growing up - less dancing more speaking and authenticity.Communities and owned channels and how to use public feeds for discovery and brand awareness, and closed spaces like Discord, WhatsApp, and online communities for depth and connectionThe challenge with online ads in 2026 - it’s all about the creative baby!Mindset chat – keep it all simple and track what actually moves the needle!  Resources & Mentions: Book a strategy sessionWorkshop Replay Connect on Instagram Subscribe, leave a review, and share Stop the Scroll with a friend or fellow business owner who needs a little more confidence and a lot less overwhelm in their marketing. Your reviews help us reach more creators like you! Drop a question or a review! We love getting feedback from our listeners! Connect with me: Website - https://www.heidijschmidt.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/legallyheidi/ Email - Heidi@heidijschmidt.com

    26 min

  3. NOV 17

    How to Plan Your End-of-Year Marketing (Without Burning Out)

    Feeling stretched thin as the year wraps up? You are NOT alone.  In this life-and-business update, we’re talking about why Stop the Scroll is moving to a biweekly cadence and how I’m simplifying my own marketing to finish the year strong. You’ll hear real talk about bandwidth, capacity, and what to do when your pipeline needs love because you’ve been head-down serving clients. Then we get practical. I walk through a simple end-of-year planning process you can use right now. You’ll learn how to repurpose past wins, package timely offers, and schedule just enough content to stay visible through the holidays without living on your phone. Episode Highlights: Why I’m shifting the podcast to biweekly and how to decide when something has to giveBandwidth vs. capacity: a sanity check for service providers before taking on more workWhat to do when you haven’t marketed yourself in a while and the pipeline feels lightOffer ideas that convert now: bundles, strategy sessions with short-term support, and workshop promos.How to reuse what you already have: emails, landing pages, and high-performing posts.Pink Friday, Black Friday, and Small Business Saturday: easy ways to tie in your messaging Resources & Mentions: Planning Workshop on 12/5[Book a Strategy Session]– includes 30 days of Slack support for extra 1:1 supportBrowse all episodes & show notes  Subscribe, leave a review, and share Stop the Scroll with a friend or fellow business owner who needs a little more confidence and a lot less overwhelm in their marketing. Your reviews help us reach more creators like you! Drop a question or a review! We love getting feedback from our listeners! Connect with me: Website - https://www.heidijschmidt.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/legallyheidi/ Email - Heidi@heidijschmidt.com

    21 min

  4. NOV 3

    You Don’t Need Social Media to Win. What to do instead…

    Feeling chained to the algorithm? You’re not alone, and it’s not just in your head. This is a challenge I face every day and every week with my clients. Algorithms are increasingly challenging, and the competition to stay ahead and keep up with app features can be exhausting.   In this episode, Heidi makes a bold case: your business can grow without social media, and sometimes, it’ll grow faster when you stop forcing it. Instead of chasing trends, we’re discussing some smarter, saner alternatives: owned channels, search-friendly content, and partnerships that actually drive results. You’ll also get a quick audit to decide if social belongs on your roadmap right now, or if it should take a back seat. If you do choose to show up on social, Heidi shares how to make it count with story-led content and genuine engagement (not just more posts). Episode Highlights: Why strategy matters to growth on social mediaWhy you should priortize owned channels first: website content, email, SEO, Google Business Profile.Why social media isn’t a “set it and forget it” marketing tactic, and the importance of engagement. The importance of the shift towards storytelling versus constant selling—show people, process, personality.How to use a 4-question audit (traffic, capacity, consistency, revenue tracking) before committing.How to let AI assist ideation, but why you need to keep your authentic voice front and center. Resources & Mentions Book a strategy session Schedule a discovery call to learn about our consulting or DFY services. My Favorite Marketing Campaign from DunkinsSprout Social: Pros & Cons of Social Media Subscribe, leave a review, and share Stop the Scroll with a friend or fellow business owner who needs a little more confidence and a lot less overwhelm in their marketing. Your reviews help us reach more creators like you! Drop a question or a review! We love getting feedback from our listeners! Connect with me: Website - https://www.heidijschmidt.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/legallyheidi/ Email - Heidi@heidijschmidt.com

    28 min

  5. OCT 27

    Instagram Reels Made Easy: Easy Video Ideas You Can Batch Today

    If you’ve got 10 seconds, you’ve got a clip: the door opening, a notebook flip, keys on the desk, a client thank-you email. String a few together, add a “how I” voiceover or a strong on-screen hook, and you’ve got a reel…without blocking your calendar or your creativity. In this podcast episode, If you’ve been overthinking reels, try this: film life as it’s happening—eight 3–5 second clips—and tell one specific story. That’s it. In this episode, I break down five easy reels you can batch in about half an hour, why your audience wants authenticity over perfection, and how to track success beyond views (hint: watch time, saves, shares). We’ll ditch the “faceless” trend, lean into you on camera, and make consistency feel doable today. Episode Highlights: Why consistency beats virality: aim for steady, repeatable reels rather than chasing a one-off 10K view spike.Why we need to ditch “faceless marketing”: connection happens when your audience sees and hears you—use B-roll with your voice/story.How to lead with “how I,” not “how to” to position yourself as the expert by telling short, specific mini-stories.Make a shot list: 3–5 second clips from your day (desk setup, coffee pour, walking into a meeting, closing the laptop) are more than enough to tell a story.Batch in micro-bursts: keep an idea bank, capture 8–10 quick moments tomorrow, assemble the edits the next day.Always add captions: accessibility matters, and most people watch with sound off—especially on LinkedIn.Track what matters: watch time (aim 50–70%), saves, shares, profile views, DMs, and site clicks > raw views Subscribe, leave a review, and share Stop the Scroll with a friend or fellow business owner who needs a little more confidence and a lot less overwhelm in their marketing.  Resources & Mentions: The Leading Lady Business HubGuide to IG Hooks Freebie Get your social media audited Drop a question or a review! We love getting feedback from our listeners! Connect with me: Website - https://www.heidijschmidt.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/legallyheidi/ Email - Heidi@heidijschmidt.com

    27 min

  6. OCT 20

    The Toxic Social Media Habit Crushing Your Confidence (& Your Strategy) (Fan Favorite!)

    If checking your follower count is the first thing you do when you open Instagram… we need to talk. Obsessing over followers and unfollows isn’t “staying on top of your metrics”, it’s a toxic habit that triggers anxiety, imposter syndrome, emotional exhaustion, and desperate content. Even worse? It pulls your focus away from the metrics that actually grow your business. In this episode, I’m sharing why your follower count is not a true indicator of success, how this habit quietly sabotages your strategy, and what you should track instead to build real momentum online. Because when you focus on nurturing your current audience and creating valuable content, everything changes. Episode Highlights: Why tracking unfollows destroys your confidence and creativityThe psychological toll of “vanity metrics” (and why they keep you stuck)Real client examples that prove follower count does not equal successThe metrics that actually show if your content is workingHow to create engagement-driven content your audience actually wantsSimple mindset shifts to protect your energy and stay consistent Resources & Mentions: Free Hook GuideStrategy Session Subscribe, leave a review, and share Stop the Scroll with a friend or fellow business owner who needs a little more confidence and a lot less overwhelm in their marketing. Your reviews help us reach more creators like you! Drop a question or a review! We love getting feedback from our listeners! Connect with me: Website - https://www.heidijschmidt.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/legallyheidi/ Email - Heidi@heidijschmidt.com

    20 min

  7. OCT 13

    Q3 Social Media Updates That You Need to Know

    If it feels like the rules of social media change the moment you find your groove, you’re not wrong. Social media is ALWAYS changing.  In this Quarterly Updates episode, I’m pulling together what actually shifted on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn, what it means for small businesses, and translating those changes into simple actions you can try this week.  No panic, just perspective and a reminder to keep your strategy diversified so your content keeps connecting wherever your audience chooses to hang out. Episode Highlights: What changes are happening in Meta (especially important if you utilize shops or ecommerce!) Why we need to optimize for watch-through, and lean into credible, conversational content on Instagram. Changes in Short-Form Video on LinkedIn. Why every brand should diversify platforms and measure what works. Subscribe, leave a review, and share Stop the Scroll with a friend or fellow business owner who needs a little more confidence and a lot less overwhelm in their marketing.  Resources & Mentions: Social Media TodayGet your social media audited Drop a question or a review! We love getting feedback from our listeners! Connect with me: Website - https://www.heidijschmidt.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/legallyheidi/ Email - Heidi@heidijschmidt.com

    23 min

  8. OCT 6

    Why Business Owners Need a Creator Mindset When Showing Up on Social Media

    Are you treating social media like another task on your to-do list? Do you treat it as a tool to genuinely connect with your audience? For many small business owners, the difference between feeling overwhelmed and seizing an opportunity comes down to one thing: mindset. This week, I’m exploring what it means to adopt a creator mindset in your marketing. This shift isn’t about becoming an influencer or oversharing. It’s about weaving in stories, values, and moments of connection so your audience feels seen and understood. When you bring the personal into the professional, you create content that resonates….and ultimately, converts which is what we all want, right? If you’ve ever struggled with making your content feel authentic (without oversharing), this conversation will give you the perspective and practical tips you need to humanize your brand and show up online with confidence. Episode Highlights: Why the traditional “check the box” approach to social media doesn’t workWhat it means to adopt a creator mindset (and why it’s not about being an influencer)How storytelling builds stronger audience connections than endless “how-to” contentWhy authenticity and relatability matter more than perfection in your contentWhy treating social media as a creative sandbox helps you experiment, play, and grow Subscribe, leave a review, and share Stop the Scroll with a friend or fellow business owner who needs a little more confidence and a lot less overwhelm in their marketing.  Resources & Mentions: Download our Free Guide to Hooks (updated for 2025!)Book an Instagram Audit Drop a question or a review! We love getting feedback from our listeners! Connect with me: Website - https://www.heidijschmidt.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchmidtCreative/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/legallyheidi/ Email - Heidi@heidijschmidt.com

    21 min
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5
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11 Ratings

About

How do I grow my business on social media? What’s the best type of content to post on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn? How frequently do I post on social media and how do I even know if what I’m doing is working? Welcome to "Stop The Scroll” a podcast dedicated to helping business owners, entrepreneurs and creatives thrive online. Hosted by Heidi Schmidt, a social media strategist and owner of Heidi Schmidt Creative, a social media and content marketing agency. Heidi shares all the best tips to help you show up online confidently with tips such as what really goes into a content strategy and how to stop overthinking your content. Heidi’s strategies have helped her and her clients build six-figure businesses over her 15-plus years in the marketing industry, working with brands of all sizes to accomplish their business goals online. Ready to thrive? Tune in!  This podcast will answer questions like  What are the pros and cons of social media in business?How do I start social media marketing?What are essential strategies for Effective Social Media MarketingWhat are some Top Social Media Trends to Shape Your StrategyWhat are social listening tools and how do I use them to understand my audience?Exploring the Advantages of Social Media for BusinessesHow can you Leverage the Many Benefits of Social Media for Business GrowthStorytelling Techniques That Captivate Social Media UsersThe Art of Storytelling in MarketingCreative Social Media Content Ideas to Refresh Your Feed

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