“Social Media Will Return to Its Original State!” Media Expert Eric Jackman on 2026 (Small Biz) Social Strategy, the Power of IRL, & Future of Media!

Does the future of media lie within the past?

Eric Jackman thinks so.

He's an Executive Producer at Uncrowned (a media organization that partners with Yahoo! Sports), a co-host of my favorite podcast, "The Ariel Helwani Show," a former social media manager at ESPN and Vox Media, and he's also a past colleague of mine.

And for the last five years, he's joined a podcast with me at the end of the year to discuss the media trends that unfolded throughout the year, as well as to forecast what's to come.

In the first (and only) Zoom interview of the year, Eric (known online as NewYorkRic) joins me to discuss why creators are going all in on IRL events, Netflix's takeover of the entertainment industry, the rise of video podcasting, the flaws in the "Seacoast Stories" social media strategy, deploying targeted ads, winning strategies for Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, & LinkedIn, and much more.

CHAPTERS:

• The demand for IRL events (00:00)
• Why social media is destined to return to its original state (06:50)
• The rise of video podcasting & Netflix's takeover (09:56)
• Social media advice for 2026 (16:45)
• SPONSORS: Sage Portsmouth & investment advisor David Higgins (22:25)
• How to make more shareable content (25:20)
• The Seacoast Stories social strategy (35:25)
• The death of the follower (44:32)
• Substack & LinkedIn (48:14)

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Seacoast Stories Dinner Club is taking over Newburyport, MA, on Wednesday, January 7 at 6:30 p.m.! ⁠⁠Book your seat here⁠⁠ to make new friends.

SPONSORS:

• ⁠Sage Portsmouth⁠: Portsmouth's newest luxury condominiums are here ... and they're a steal! From now through 12/31, 20+ select units are available with BIG discounts. Prices start at $429,900. ⁠Inquire here.⁠
• To get started on a path toward better financial investment, email our friend David Higgins ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠david.higgins@wellsfargoadvisors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! He's a Portsmouth legend, and you won't regret it.

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