My Marketing Moonie Yaps

If you just launched your nerdy brand (or any brand) and the first thing you did was start posting on social media… we need to talk. Here’s the pattern I see way too often: creators jump straight into content creation without setting up the marketing systems to actually support it. Then they’re burned out, bouncing between 6 different apps, wondering where their free time went—and why their engagement’s tanking. Lucky for you, I’m breaking down the six essential tool categories every nerdy brand or anime creator needs to stay consistent, creative, and SANE.

Lately I’ve been seeing Adobe Express influencer ads telling me it’s better than Canva. And every time I scroll through Threads? Designers duking going to battle over which software is best for building brands. As a social media manager and Canva Pro subscriber, I get why this conversation keeps resurfacing. But let me tell you something: Your followers and clients care more about the value you bring than the tools you use. Let’s get to the core of what’s really going on here.

This moonie touched grass recently and went to Canva Create 2025! Besides being absolutely starstruck by Jon Batiste, Cynthia Erivo, and Duolingo’s Head of Social, I dove headfirst into the future of AI, creativity without limits, and learned the fine art of surviving treacherous ball pits (more on that later). Canva’s latest updates will make you clutch your moon rod. I’m already cookin’ up marketing mischief using them—and if you're an anime creator or run a nerdy small business, it’s time you did too.  So What’s New at Canva? Among nearly 70 (!) new features, here are the ones that I’m really excited about: 1. Canva Visual Suite 2.0 Imagine all your creative chaos (brand kits, social posts, mockups, websites) happening in one place—no tab overload required. Powered by new AI tools like Magic Write, Magic Design, AI Video Editing, and AI Image Magic, this suite is your brand’s new bestie. 2. Canva Code You can now create interactive quizzes, flashcards, and mini-apps without know...

I don’t know about you, but I take my social media experience very seriously. If it’s not funny, inspiring, informative, or engaging—I want no parts of it. Like many social media users, I find myself turned off by violent, cringey, overly political, or just plain boring content. Outside of unavoidable ads and suggested posts, I wanted more control over what I was seeing in my feed. So, I decided to create a better social media experience for myself by setting boundaries on how I engage with content. Now, my feed is filled with blerds, anime, goth and alt aesthetics, marketing insights, The Twilight Saga , Lord of the Rings , Baddies Midwest (my guilty pleasure), and updates from friends and colleagues I love checking in on. This intentional approach has not only improved my personal experience but also helped me organically grow my freelance business, Marketing Moonie , by connecting me with my ideal audience. Here are two ways you can refine your social media experience—whether f...

How a Brand Collab Fail Became Your Marketing Lesson It’s funny how a terrible experience with a brand can turn into a marketing lesson. When you see a brand collaboration online, it looks seamless—engaging content, aligned messaging, and a well-coordinated timeline across multiple channels. What you don’t see is the meticulous planning, approvals, and months of communication that go into it. I’m saying this as someone has and still is doing social media campaign collaborations between podcast brands, pharma companies and other marketing agencies at her 9-5. But in my experience with GloMelanin, a small black-women-owned skincare brand with effective products that I’ve used for nearly a year, it felt like none of those things happened. So let me tell you what went down (with receipts) so you can learn how NOT to run a collaborative campaign with other small businesses—and what you SHOULD do instead (with receipts btw).

Big changes might be on the horizon with the potential TikTok ban, and it’s making waves across social media—especially in the anime creator community. TikTok has been a great place creators who edit and share AMVs, cosplay transformations, and more. While this news might feel discouraging, there are ways to adapt and keep your creativity flowing. Why the TikTok Ban Is a Big Deal for Anime Creators and Brands TikTok isn’t just another app; it’s been a powerful tool for creators and small businesses alike. Here’s why its potential ban feels like a major loss for anime creators and brands: 1. An Algorithm We Actually Love TikTok’s unique algorithm makes it easy to connect with the right audience. From anime-inspired art to niche merchandise, creators could reach fans quickly and effectively. 2. Income Streams for Cosplayers, Gamers and The Like For many, TikTok wasn’t just about fun—it was a source of income. Brand deals, merchandise sales, and creator fund payouts were all part of the e...