The Mindful Marketing Podcast (Formerly Known As The Savvy Social Podcast)

Pinterest has changed a lot over the years, and if you still think of it as the place where people save wedding inspo and recipes, it may be time for a little refresh.
In this episode, I’m joined by Kate Ahl of Simple Pin Media to talk about what’s actually working on Pinterest in 2026. We get into why Pinterest is still one of the best platforms for cold traffic, how users are searching and saving content right now, and what business owners need to know before adding Pinterest to their marketing strategy.
Kate breaks down why Pinterest is a slower-moving platform, what metrics matter most, and how to think about images, keywords, video, and ads without turning this into a full-time job. Bless.
We also talk about the AI situation on Pinterest, including AI-generated images, Pinterest’s AI labels and filters, and how AI is being used more thoughtfully inside ad tools and product visuals. Plus, Kate shares how she’s using AI in her own agency while still protecting the human strategy, creative judgment, and experience that make her work valuable.
In this episode, we talk about:
Why Pinterest is a strong cold traffic platform in 2026
How Pinterest users behave differently from Instagram and TikTok users
The two Pinterest metrics Kate recommends watching closely
What makes a strong Pinterest image today
How often business owners should actually be pinning
Where keywords matter on Pinterest
The current role of video on Pinterest
How Pinterest is handling AI-generated content
What to know about Pinterest ads and Performance Plus
How Kate is marketing her own business through Google, YouTube, Pinterest, email, and podcasting
What marketers can learn from choosing the platforms that match their energy
Kate’s quick action step is a good one: open the Pinterest app on your phone and use it like an actual person. Notice what catches your attention, what annoys you, what makes you click, and what makes you immediately back away from a website because there are approximately 175 pop-ups trying to ruin your day.
Because yes, sometimes the best marketing research is remembering that real humans are on the other side of the screen.

I went into April wanting one thing in particular: more engagement. Not more pressure. Not more posting just to say I posted. I wanted to get out of autopilot, pay closer attention to what was actually connecting, and see what I could learn by creating inside a smaller, more intentional container.

I’m breaking down what worked, what flopped, what surprised me, and what the data confirmed. I’m also talking about the energetic side of the experiment, because the truth is, content does not happen in a vacuum. Life, capacity, creativity, travel, stress, and real human energy all affect how we show up online.

In this episode, I talk about:

what I was actually trying to measure in this experiment
why short-form video stayed my preference
what happened when I dropped the day numbers from the challenge
the kinds of content that performed best
why “just post more” is not a strategy
how energy and real life affected the experiment
what I’m keeping, what I’m dropping, and what I’m still testing

And if this hits a little close to home, come join us inside the Mindful Marketing Lab for my class Imperfect Motion: How to Experiment Without Spiraling. Inside the session, we’re talking about how to test ideas with more intention, less pressure, and way fewer unnecessary identity crises.
Join the Lab: onlinedrea.com/lab

AI has changed a lot in the past year… and so have my thoughts on it.

In this episode, I’m sharing my 2026 perspective on AI in marketing—what I’m using more, what I’m using way less, and why I think business owners need to stop outsourcing their voice, strategy, and judgment to tools that are really, really good at sounding confident… while also sometimes making things up.

We’re talking about:
AI as a shortcut (not a strategy)
Why your standards need to get higher as AI gets better
Where AI actually saves time—and where it quietly makes things worse
Why your voice matters more now than ever
And how to use AI inside a mindful marketing approach without turning your content into robot soup

If you’ve been feeling a little “wait… is this helping or hurting?” about AI lately, this one’s for you.

✨ Free AI Audio Series + ChatGPT Starter Pack

Short, practical episodes on how I actually use AI in my business (without sounding like a robot)

You’ll learn:
How I write captions with AI (without the cringe)
My “vibe check” editing process
What I don’t use AI for—and why
How I turn testimonials into better copy

👉 Grab it here:
onlinedrea.com/ai

🎧 This Episode is Sponsored By Riverside

If you’re recording a podcast, interviews, or any kind of video content, Riverside is what I use to get high-quality audio and video without the tech headaches.

👉 Try it here:
onlinedrea.com/riverside

Staring at a blank page wondering what to post next? You’re not alone.
In this episode, I’m joined by Fope Nkwocha, a marketing coach who helps service providers simplify their content strategy and focus on what actually drives clients. We talk about why content often starts to feel overwhelming and how to create a system that turns everyday client conversations into meaningful marketing.
If content creation has started to feel like busy work instead of business growth, this conversation will help you rethink your approach.
In this episode, we talk about:
Why content overwhelm happens and how to simplify your strategy
How to turn real client questions into powerful content ideas
A framework for building trust with your audience through your content
How to create content that connects directly to your offers
Ways to prevent burnout while staying consistent with your marketing
This Episode Was Made Possible By:
Riverside All-in-One Podcast & Video Platform
Visit Riverside and use the code DREA to get 15% off any Riverside individual plan. We use it to record all our podcast interviews!
About the Guest:
Fope Nkwocha (Fopsy) is a business coach, educator, and speaker who helps service providers overcome the “execution gap” and build predictable revenue. With over a decade of experience across Google, startups, and the provincial government, she combines corporate-level strategy with hands-on execution.
At Google Canada, she co-led a partnership that brought 50,000 small businesses online and drove triple-digit adoption growth. Today, she translates those systems into her 1:1 coaching program, Money-Making Priorities™, helping service providers make more in 12 weeks than they have all year.
Fope’s journey spans entrepreneurship, academia, and community leadership—running multiple ventures, teaching business at Conestoga and Mohawk Colleges, and serving on nonprofit boards. She hosts two podcasts, Money-Making Priorities and Dear Fopsy, and is the author of Situationship: How to Stop Breaking Your Own Heart. Her work blends business strategy with practical lessons on resilience, helping clients succeed in both business and life.
Website
LinkedIn
Instagram
Resources Mentioned:
Join Fopsy's FREE Lead Sprint: Get 100 Qualified Leads in 5 Days

The episode discusses the 'Only Parks' trend, its origin, and why it's working. It explores the psychological impact, the shift in content creation, and the global events influencing the trend. It also delves into applying the trend to business marketing, the foundation of perspective, the importance of new angles, borrowing momentum, lowering the production bar, and commitment to the trend, highlighting the lightness of marketing.

Takeaways
Pattern interruption and emotional activation drive engagement
Businesses can benefit from low-lift, low-pressure content creation

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Only Parks Trend
05:31 The Psychological Impact of the Trend
12:20 Applying the Trend to Business Marketing
19:54 Commitment to the Trend