[Interview] Keith Kakadia, founder, Sociallyin

As AI transforms marketing and social media continues to evolve, brands must balance automation with creativity, authentic engagement and measurable business results.

Keith Kakadia, Founder of Sociallyin, shares insights on building effective social media strategies, AI-powered commerce, creator credibility and the future of community management.

How does Sociallyin bring strategy, creative and social media together to deliver results?

It comes down to what happens between teams. You can have a strong strategy and talented creatives, but if they're working towards different definitions of success, the client feels the disconnect.

At Sociallyin, the client's business goal must carry through the entire process, from initial strategy to the person answering comments. Information also needs to flow back. Repeated questions under a video can guide the creative team, while an idea that looks great in a presentation but fails to connect with audiences may need adjusting. The work improves when everyone understands what happened after their part was finished.

What makes a social media strategy successful?

You have to give people a reason to care before asking them to take action. Brands often start with what they want to announce, whether it's a product launch, award or new service. But audiences are asking, "What does this have to do with me?" A good strategy closes that gap.

I've also learned that brands can get bored with an idea before audiences have even noticed it. Building something recognisable requires patience. Keep testing how you express the idea, but don't change direction every time a post underperforms.

How is AI changing the role of social media marketing agencies and their services?

Clients are right to ask what they're paying an agency for when AI can produce drafts or content variations in seconds. The answer is judgment: deciding which ideas are worth pursuing, whether claims are accurate, whether content reflects the brand and whether audiences will find it useful or entertaining.

AI can speed up production, and agencies should translate that into better service. But faster production also creates more material to review and more decisions to make. Agencies must take responsibility for what goes out. "The tool generated it" isn't an explanation I'd accept from a team.

What makes a good AI shopping experience, and what should brands test before launch?

I'd start with a simple test: can it tell a customer that a product isn't right for them? If every conversation ends with a recommendation to buy, I wouldn't trust it as a shopping assistant.

It needs to understand what matters to the customer, whether that's budget, fit, compatibility or delivery time, and explain the trade-offs. I'd also test expired promotions, contradictory requirements, unconfirmed delivery promises and situations where customers are frustrated or want human assistance. I'm less interested in a convincing demonstration than in what happens when a conversation stops following the script.

What role do creators play in building trust in AI-powered shopping?

People still want to know whether somebody has actually used a product. An AI assistant can compare features, but a good creator can reveal things missing from product descriptions, such as whether a bag is awkward to carry, a device is difficult to clean or an expensive feature becomes redundant after a week. That helps explain why credible creator reviews can make AI recommendations more reassuring.

Does the rise of AI agents change the role of social media and community managers?

Both routine work and strategic responsibilities will change. Teams should embrace automation, but someone must understand the community well enough to decide what should be automated.

A community manager can recognise that ten complaints point to the same underlying problem or identify when a technically correct response is inappropriate for the moment. My concern is businesses using automation to reduce their listening capacity. Time saved should instead go towards understanding customers and bringing valuable insights back to the business.

How should brands measure social media success beyond vanity metrics?

I want to know what those numbers helped the business achieve. Are leads relevant and converting into customers? Is customer service resolving problems, or simply responding quickly? Is awareness reaching the right audiences?

Teams should agree on objectives and measurements upfront, then report results honestly rather than highlighting whichever number looks strongest. They should also recognise that social media can influence purchases without generating the final click, investigating that contribution without claiming credit for every sale.

How can brands balance automation with human community management?

Nobody wants to explain a problem three times because a system keeps sending them back to the beginning. The priority should be making the handover work. When a customer requests a person or a conversation becomes sensitive, it should reach someone who can help, with the relevant history provided. A quick acknowledgment helps, but someone must own the next step.

How do you expect social media to change over the next two to three years?

I'm cautious about predicting which platform or format will dominate. Brands can spend considerable energy preparing for a future that doesn't arrive as expected.

What I do expect is a much larger supply of content. That will put pressure on brands to be recognisable through their point of view, genuine expertise and people audiences want to hear from. I'd invest in clear product information, strong creative and teams that understand customers. These investments provide options as platforms change.

Additional comments?

I'd encourage marketing leaders to read their own comment sections and customer messages regularly, not just reports summarising them.

You'll discover unanswered questions, promises people think you've made and recurring frustrations. There's a lot of direction in that feedback if you're willing to pay attention.

www.sociallyin.com

Follow Marketing Report on LinkedIn