Kelli Hayes Smith discusses the challenges of content creation and posting on social media, emphasizing the importance of intention, clarity, and purpose in marketing strategies for travel advisors. She highlights the pitfalls of posting without substance, the impact of industry jargon, and the need for a structured content plan and calendar.

Takeaways

• Posting without clarity leads to frustration and burnout.
• Consistency and intention are more important than quantity in content creation.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Social Takeoff Podcast
• 05:24 The Importance of Substance in Content
• 11:09 The Use of Acronyms in Content
• 17:01 Avoiding Panic Posting

Trends aren’t bad.
Views aren’t bad.
Engagement isn’t bad.

But hollow views are useless.

In this episode, I’m breaking down why so many travel advisors feel like their content is “working” — but their business isn’t moving. We talk about the difference between being liked and being hired, why instant gratification keeps you stuck, and the four questions every post should answer before you hit publish.

This is not an episode about trends vs. no trends.
It’s about turning attention into traction — without losing yourself, your voice, or your confidence along the way.

If you’ve ever:

• Chased views that didn’t turn into clients
• Felt discouraged by likes not leading to bookings
• Wondered why your content feels hollow even when it performs

This one’s for you.

• The 4 questions every piece of content should answer
• Why being “liked” and being “hired” are not the same thing
• How validation-driven content keeps you stuck
• Why followers don’t equal growth (and never really did)
• What client content actually looks like in practice
• How to show your value without “proving” yourself
• Why perspective beats facts every time

Lyric: “I can change everything about me to fit in”
Song: Mirrorball — folklore

(And why we’re done doing that.)

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https://wanderlust-ceo.com

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https://www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith

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00:00 – Real life, real marketing (and why views aren’t the enemy)
01:10 – When trends become useless
02:05 – The 4 questions every post should answer
03:20 – Why instant gratification keeps us stuck
04:45 – Do you want to be liked… or hired?
06:50 – Showcasing value without proving worth
08:55 – The follower myth (and why it’s outdated)
10:40 – What client content actually looks like
13:00 – Storytelling, decision-making & real examples
15:45 – Why validation-driven content feels hollow
18:10 – Confidence vs. performance
20:25 – How to shift your mindset before you post
22:45 – Mirrorball, people-pleasing & showing up as you
24:20 – Final thoughts + what to do next

A lot of travel advisors think their marketing isn’t working — when really, their expectations are off.

In this episode of Social Takeoff, we reset how social media actually fits into your business, why checklist marketing is holding you back, and what it really takes to build trust, community, and momentum online.

This conversation is about letting go of pressure, unrealistic metrics, and comparison — and replacing them with clarity, perspective, and intention.

If you’ve been posting, following the rules, and still feeling frustrated… this episode is for you.

• Why “posting more” doesn’t equal bookings
• The unrealistic expectations most advisors place on social media
• Why likes, views, and followers don’t measure success
• How checklist marketing creates burnout and false failure
• The real role social media plays as a gap closer in your business
• Why perspective builds trust more than facts ever will
• How your language (even one word) can shrink or strengthen your value
• Why community changes businesses — and virality doesn’t
• A healthier way to look at metrics without letting them control you

You’re allowed one data day per month.

That’s it.

One day to review metrics as data, not validation — and then you get back to building with clarity and confidence.

➡️ Get your free Wanderlust Campus account: https://wanderlust-ceo.com
➡️ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith

🎧 New full episodes of Social Takeoff drop every Tuesday
🧼 Bonus Friday episodes: The Soapbox

Song: You’re On Your Own, Kid
Lyric: “Everything you lose is a step you take.”

Let go of pressure. Let go of comparison. Let go of checklist marketing.

Clarity comes next.