What a week of fall wonder here in Knoxville. We’ve already seen snow, and I think we may have even gotten it before Colorado this year, and even if we missed that mark, Mt. Leconte was the coldest point in the contiguous US this week… so there’s that. We also had the northern lights for two nights this week. I mean, at this point, we might as well become part of Canada, right? No, not really, but it’s been a wild week for weather here, which is why I decided on Thursday that it would be a great idea to go swimming… outside.

No, I’m not a polar bear, but I am certainly built like one, and, thankfully, my local YMCA just installed a heating system for their outdoor pool, so I got to swim in 81-degree water, not 46-degree water. It was very therapeutic, and I highly recommend it for those who don’t mind turning into a popsicle the minute they jump out of a pool.

In addition to the crazy weather, we’ve got some really cool content in this week’s newsletter. We just released an interview with Vince Wang of Mustard for We Built This Brand, and some interesting developments in the world of podcasting, which include two of my favorite subjects: TikTok’s “will they, won’t they” relationship with podcasting and some interesting results from video podcasting research.

So with that, let’s dive in!

 

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris chats with Vince Wang, Chief Marketing Officer at Mustard Love, the platform helping restaurants connect with local influencers and track real ROI.

Vince shares how data-driven marketing and startup experience shaped his approach to influencer campaigns that actually drive business results. A must-listen for marketers, restaurant owners, and creators looking to turn influence into measurable impact.

Listen to the Episode

 

Yes, TikTok is developing a multiplatform partnership with iHeartMedia, including 25 new podcasts hosted by TikTok creators. No, it’s not going to start hosting podcasts in their app again. We all know that ended poorly last time… and I doubt they want to repeat that mistake. But, just like your obsession with the latest true crime story, they’re coming crawling back for “just one more taste” of the industry.Personally, I’m glad they’re staying involved in podcasting. After all, their platform is a big discovery source for podcasters looking to grow their brand, and they’ve got a lot of voices that would benefit from podcasts. So it’ll be exciting to see where this leads. (Read The Press Release on Podnews)

 

 

Ever wonder if video podcasting is worth the effort? A recent study from the Podcast Marketing Academy makes a strong case for its effectiveness. The biggest takeaway in this study is that while it costs more per episode to produce a video podcast, the ROI was significantly larger as well. (Read More)