Dan Farkas on Strategic Content Marketing, AI, and Why Going Viral Isn't the Goal We’re creating more content than ever. But are we actually getting any better at communication? In this episode of The Aware Social Show, I’m sitting down with Dan Farkas, professor of strategic communications at Ohio University, former TV journalist, entrepreneur, podcast host, and author of Strategic Content Marketing: Creating Effective Content in Practice. We’re getting into what makes content strategic, why so many brands struggle to connect with their audiences, and how the rise of AI is changing the way we communicate. Dan shares why strong storytelling still matters, how to make content that actually resonates, and why chasing viral moments can distract you from the work that drives real results. We also talk about the marketing metrics that matter, the importance of understanding your audience, and how to build a content strategy you can realistically maintain. Because sometimes the post you spent hours perfecting won’t perform as well as the quick selfie you almost didn’t publish, and sometimes reaching 20 people who genuinely care is a bigger win than getting thousands of views from people who will never take action. Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, content creator, or communications professional, this conversation is a reminder that the goal isn’t simply to create more content. It’s to communicate with purpose. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Creating More Content, But Communicating Less 01:51 From TV News to Teaching: Dan's Unconventional Journey 05:29 The Foundation That Still Works: Three-Act Storytelling 07:53 Meeting People Where They Are: Perspective-Taking in Communication 08:41 From Necessity to Choice: The Reality of Audience Attention 10:58 AI in the Classroom: Teaching Students to Drive Technology 14:52 The COVID Effect: Soft Skills Aren't Soft Anymore 17:09 Busting Marketing Myths: What Actually Works 19:04 The Attention Economy: Being Repetitive Without Being Annoying 29:47 Content Pillars and Strategic Frameworks: Making Subjective Work Objective 31:51 Do What You Like So You'll Actually Do It: Finding Your Communication Style 36:42 Beyond Vanity Metrics: Measuring What Actually Matters 42:12 The Word I Despise: Why Viral Doesn't Work 44:51 Checklists, Timelines, and Vulnerability: Leading with Humanity 53:00 Reps, Reps, and More Reps: Final Advice for Future Communicators *Keep Up with Aliyah* Follow Aliyah on IG: aliyahware_ (https://www.instagram.com/aliyahware_/) Follow Aware Social on IG: awaresocialco (https://www.instagram.com/awaresocialco/) Follow Aliyah on TikTok: mommaliyah (https://www.tiktok.com/@mommaliyah) Follow Aware Social on TikTok: awaresocialco (https://www.tiktok.com/@awaresocialco) *Keep Up with Dan* Find his book, Strategic Content Marketing: Creating Effective Content in Practice. Listen to his podcast, The Strategic Communicator (https://marketingpodcasts.net/category/strategic-communicator/). (https://marketingpodcasts.net/category/strategic-communicator/) Follow him on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/danfarkasinteractive/) Key Takeaway Stop chasing attention for attention’s sake. Build a content strategy around your audience, tell stories that matter to them, measure the actions that support your goals, and keep improving through practice. You don’t need every post to go viral to make meaningful progress. About The Aware Social Show The Aware Social Show explores the intersection of marketing, social media, business, and real life, with honest conversations about what actually happens behind the scenes of building brands, creating content, and making a living online. Because the internet shows you the finished product. We’re here for everything that happened before you got there. Subscribe for conversations about marketing strategy, social media trends, entrepreneurship, content creation, and the realities of building a business in an always-online world.
