How to Use Influencer Marketing To Create a Successful Social-First Brand

How to Use Influencer Marketing To Create a Successful Social-First Brand

Author: Dorien Morin-van Dam August 14, 2025 Duration: 31:01

Influencer marketing is evolving. And Robyn Nissim is leading that evolution.

She built Ulta Beauty’s first-ever influencer program, grew Anastasia Beverly Hills to 24 million followers, and took Alo Yoga from zero to 4 million in under a year, all before founding her own consultancy, Social Proof Agency.

In this episode of Strategy Talks, Robyn reveals how to go beyond campaigns and follower counts to build culture-driven, social-first brands from the inside out.

Tune in for real talk on zero-budget creativity, internal alignment, and what not to do when building your influencer strategy in 2025.

★★★★★

Robyn Nissim began her career on the agency side of advertising, opening social handles for brands such as Michelin and Nissan. After five years in the Ad World and winning a Webby Award, she learned that she could make waves on social platforms using zero brand dollars, which led her to launch an independent freelancing business. 

During this time, Robyn built out Ulta Beauty's first-ever influencer marketing program, leading strategy and execution for their team. At the forefront of the influencer bubble, Robyn played a significant role in revolutionizing how brands connect with consumers online and leveraged influencer marketing to build trust with consumers, create content, and alleviate internal creative resources. 

From there, she went on to manage some of the largest social communities in the world in-house on the brand side, taking Anastasia of Beverly Hills to its peak (24M Followers on Instagram) and building out Alo Yoga's entire social footprint, sprouting to +4M in less than one year (opening channels Alo, Alo Men, and Alo Wellness)

After driving massive results at both brands and receiving acknowledgments from Instagram, Robyn established Social Proof Agency. S.P.A. is dedicated to empowering organizations to think social-first via corporate training on social media strategy, rollout, and execution company-wide. 

★★★★★

Strategic Thinkers. 

Expert Insights. 

Strategy Talks.

Join Dorien Morin-van Dam every Tuesday at 8 AM ET on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube for 'Strategy Talks,' where she dives into the latest insights on business, AI and marketing strategies!

★★★★★ 

Resources:

Dorien on LinkedIn

Robyn's programs

Robyn on LinkedIn

Strategy Talks | Season 1 YouTube Playlist: https://bit.ly/3veW5re

Strategy Talks | Season 2 YouTube Playlist: https://bit.ly/3YbXet0

Strategy Talks | Season 3 YouTube Playlist: https://bit.ly/3O5JlK8

Strategy Talks | Season 4 Youtube Playlist:  https://bit.ly/3WVPUUg


Dorien Morin-van Dam knows what it's like to build a content engine without a massive budget or staff. In Strategy Talks: Content Strategy for Small Teams, she brings that practical, hands-on perspective to every conversation. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a direct line to operators who are in the trenches, sharing the specific, repeatable plays they use to turn thoughtful content into genuine business pipeline. Designed for founders, small teams, agencies, and solo consultants, each half-hour episode is tightly focused. You'll find discussions rooted in one of three critical areas: the fundamentals of content strategy and planning, the nuts and bolts of distribution and SEO, or the practical application of AI for content operations. The goal is always clarity-first, by defining a common problem many face, and then by unpacking a tangible solution. Listening to this podcast feels like having a seasoned strategist in your corner, cutting through the noise to deliver actionable insights you can apply almost immediately. If you're responsible for content but short on resources, these conversations provide the structured thinking and tactical advice to make your efforts more effective and less chaotic.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Strategy Talks: Content Strategy for Small Teams
Podcast Episodes
Your Email List Is Lying To You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:01
Your open rates aren't the problem you think they are. In this episode, we're getting under the hood of email marketing — the welcome sequences, the authentication settings, and the domain reputation scores most small bu…
B2B Needs Fans, Not Just Customers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:10
Your LinkedIn following isn't one audience. It's two, and most small B2B teams are writing for the wrong one.This week's guest split his own following into fans and customers, then built his content strategy around fans…
Should My Brand Be on Reddit? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:19
I'll admit to opening Reddit last month and thinking, 'Okay, AI search loves this platform, I should be here.' And then, scrolling for ten minutes, having no idea what to post or where...and so... I gave up and closed th…
AI Agents Don't Replace Content Strategy: They Run it [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:25
It's Thursday, and nothing's gone out since Monday. Not because you didn't know what to post — the editorial calendar is full and the strategy is solid. Getting it written, published, and adjusted is the part that keeps…
Before You Spend a Dollar on Ads... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:39
The world's top Facebook ad buyers will tell you the same thing: if your foundation isn't solid, paid traffic doesn't fix the problem. It speeds it up.In this episode of Strategy Talks, Liana Ling, who personally manages…
Stop Posting. Start Building a Content Pipeline. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:44
You're posting consistently. You've got a content calendar and a plan, and yet... the premium clients aren't showing up.So you do what any smart business owner does: you try more. Adding more platforms. Trying more forma…
Small Business PR: You're More Newsworthy Than You Think [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:25
You don't need a big budget, a PR firm, or a Shark Tank appearance to earn real media coverage. What you need is a strategy, and the right story.In this episode of Strategy Talks, host Dorien Morin-van Dam and guest Mick…
Story Before Strategy: The LinkedIn Edge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:31
Lotsa people treat LinkedIn like a billboard. They pick a look, post some updates, hope the right people notice.And when it doesn't work, the instinct is to fix the tactics. Better headlines. More hashtags. A new posting…
Turn Podcast Listeners Into a Loyal Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:19
You can have thousands of downloads and still feel like you're talking to nobody. The difference between a podcast people consume and one they can't stop talking about isn't production quality or a big marketing budget;…
What a Fractional CMO Wants from Content Decisions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:27
You pour yourself into a piece of content. You write it, refine it, hit submit... and then silence. Did it go live? Did it get changed? Did someone above you decide it wasn't right, and never tell you?Most content creato…