“Building strong relationships takes time, and that’s what many B2B marketers miss,” says Mike Allton, Chief Storyteller at Agorapulse

In this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, Mike Allton, Chief Storyteller at Agorapulse, joins Jonathan Gandolf to discuss the evolution of social media marketing and why relationships, not quick sales, are the foundation of B2B success. Mike shares his journey from influencer ambassador to storyteller at Agorapulse, his thoughts on how brands can empower employees to share their story, and why relationship-building in social media cannot be automated by AI. He also discusses the challenges of AI-generated content, the importance of brand consistency, and why LinkedIn connection requests shouldn’t always lead to a sales pitch.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How to empower employees to authentically represent your brand
2. Why building relationships on social media requires patience and time
3. How to balance automation with personal connection in B2B marketing



Resources:

Connect with Jonathan Gandolf on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/

Explore AudiencePlus: https://audienceplus.com

Connect with Mike Allton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeallton/

Connect with Mike Allton through The AI Hat: https://theaihat.com/connect/

Explore The AI Hat: https://theaihat.com/ 

Explore Agorapulse: https://www.agorapulse.com/

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:31) Mike Allton’s journey and role at Agorapulse

(04:03) The importance of empowering employees to share brand stories

(07:02) The shift from corporate to human voices in social media

(11:06) Navigating AI’s influence on social media content

(12:30) How AI is both a tool and a challenge for content creation

(13:04) The dangers of LinkedIn pitch slaps

(14:30) Balancing automation and personal connection in outreach

(19:17) The evolution of social media marketing in B2B

(22:19) The future of relationship-building in digital marketing