6 Questions with SMWi Toronto Board Member, Dan Fricker

6 Questions with SMWi Toronto Board Member, Dan Fricker

Dan Fricker is the Social Media Lead at Shopify & an Instructor at U of T. He’s joined us as an Advisory Board Member for SMWi Toronto.

We took the opportunity to sit down for a one-on-one with Dan and ask him #6ix questions about social media in Toronto. Read on to get his take on social media week, Toronto and “the next big thing” in social.

Q: What is your favourite social media platform and why?

A: Don’t make me pick! #SophiesChoice

Each one for different reasons – Twitter for customer service and listening, and industry talk (LinkedIn, likewise); Instagram primarily for all the cute dog accounts, and storytelling in pictures; FB mostly for messaging now, and keeping track of old friends; and Snapchat because it’s challenging brands to rethink everything about Social marketing.

Q: What do you think might be the next big trend in social media?

A: Migration to messaging apps. It’s not even the next big thing, it’s already happened… users are spending their time in chat, companies are just playing catchup.

Q: What brands or campaigns do you think are excelling in social right now?

A: Anyone who’s exploring the above (↑). Whether that’s through extending customer service strategies into chat, automated content delivery, or straight up advertising, it’s relatively unchartered territory, so – as always with Social – experimentation is key.

Q: Who is your favourite Toronto blogger/influencer on social and why (and which platform)?

A: @hypetoronto, @streetsoftoronto & co on Insta. Great to see our city from such different perspectives.

Q: Other than SMWi, what is your favourite annual event in the city? How does Social Media enhance your experience with that event?

A: Exciting to see everyone get in on the convo about the Jays’ run last summer, and the Raptors this year. I think sports has such an incredible potential to bring people together locally, and bridge that online/offline viewing experience for people who share the same city. In a post-Netflix world, it’s arguably the last remaining vestige in live, appointment #SocialTV.