An Interview with Karen Mangia
Create an audience persona and talk directly to that person — imagine your ideal social media audience as a single individual who desperately needs to hear what you have to share. Invent their name, age, job, likes, and dislikes, and each time you sit down to film, envision speaking directly to that one person. This approach will not only help your content remain cohesive but also make your audience feel like you are genuinely speaking to them alone.
We often use the term “Influencers” to describe people with significant social media followings on platforms like Instagram, Twitter TikTok, Youtube, Linkedin and Facebook. Influencers have become today’s media titans, sought after for everything from product placements to timely trends. What’s the difference between influence and impact? Fans and followers? Sizzle versus staying power?
In this interview series, called, “How To Cultivate Community In A Click to Connect World” we are talking to influencers about how they define success and what we all need to discover about the true nature of influence. As a part of this series I had the pleasure of interviewing Cait Taylor.
Cait Taylor is a Christian leader and social media influencer, dedicated to empowering and educating people with Biblical wisdom, through her ministry 828 Women. Committed to assisting others in overcoming life’s obstacles, she has become a trusted voice known for her genuine openness and vulnerability. With a substantial online following of over 400,000 people, her content has touched millions worldwide, emphasising the significant impact she has had on a global scale.
Thank you for making time to visit with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. How did you discover your career path and what got you to where you are today?
Thank you for having me! My passion for mentoring young women stems from the challenges I faced in my childhood. Born to a single mother, I didn’t meet my father until I was 22 years old. I also grew up in an abusive home, which led to an eating disorder and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). However, at age 17, when I felt I was about to hit rock bottom, I found solace through going to church and discovering a relationship with Jesus Christ. My life has never been the same since.
In 2021, I started sharing short, encouraging faith-based messages on TikTok, and my account, @lovecait, quickly gained traction, amassing over 100,000 followers in less than three months. As my audience expanded, I began receiving a lot of requests for longer-form content which inspired me to extend my reach to YouTube and delve deeper into my messages. Fast forward to 2024, our 828 Women community has touched the lives of millions worldwide, and this is just the beginning!
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned along the way that influences how you operate now?
Burnout is rampant in the world of content creation. When your life is your job and every little moment, daily task, or life event could potentially become “content,” it can be difficult to differentiate between life and work. Unlike a 9-to-5 job, where you clock in and out at set times, the job of a content creator is technically never “done.” I recently watched a really interesting interview with a Harvard-trained psychologist, who discussed the psychological toll on content creators. He explained that humans are not built to deal with more than around 300 people, so for influencers to be perceived by thousands, if not millions, regularly can be very emotionally taxing. It’s something that is impossible to grasp until you’ve experienced it. With all that being said, the most important lesson I’ve learned is to be mindful of protecting my mental health in this industry.
We’re all searching for some good news. How are you using your platform to make a positive social impact?
My ministry is based upon my life verse, Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (NKJV). This scripture reminds me that not just some things, but all things work together for good when you love God and submit to His perfect will; No matter how painful and no matter how messy. It is through this lens that I approach my work, knowing that every woman that crosses my path has their own unique ‘828’ story that is being woven into God’s greater plan. I want them to know and believe this too, so every piece of content I produce has this mission in mind.
Many of our readers are influencers as well. Others have tried and have yet to succeed. What words of advice would you offer to aspiring influencers, knowing what you know now?
I would give the same advice that I’d offer to any entrepreneur, regardless of the industry: your mission must be bigger than you. There has to be something that drives you beyond vanity metrics or money. In the words of Seth Godin, “What would you do if you knew you WOULD fail?”. What would still inspire you to get out of bed every single morning, regardless of if it ever made you a dollar? That’s the thing you truly love. Do that.
Success is often a matter of perspective. I’ve always resonated with Henry David Thoreau’s quote, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” How do you see success — or define success — for yourself now?
Success, to me, is fulfilling your God-given purpose. I believe that as long as there is breath in your lungs, God still has a purpose for you here on earth. It’s our responsibility to discover that purpose and carry out our mission. What matters most to me is the goal of reaching heaven one day and hearing the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
What are your strategies to make room for who and what matters most?
I used to waste a lot of time responding to hate comments, now I typically just block and remove them. I’d rather invest that time responding to someone who was genuinely helped by my content and who would appreciate the response or spend it creating more content.
How do you reduce or mitigate stress?
Practising a sabbath day is so important, numerous scientific studies support what God teaches as a necessity in the Bible, but I learnt the lesson the hard way! I also try to read comments on my content only at specific times. If I’m low on sleep, having a bad day, or already irritable, it’s not a good time to check my comments, as I won’t be in the right mental space to receive feedback or handle hate.
I’m going to try a few of your tips, and I’m hopeful our readers will, too. Now it’s time for the big reveal — the moment our readers have been anticipating. What are your “five strategies to cultivate a large & engaged social media community?’
1. Share your story — I’m deeply passionate about purposeful storytelling on social media because stories are how we connect with one another. As a content creator, your authentic experiences resonate more profoundly with your audience than perfection. Don’t be afraid to share your struggles, the sweat, and the tears; it’s these genuine moments that people find relatable and inspiring. When you open up about your challenges, you create a powerful bond with your audience, uplifting others who might be facing similar circumstances. All of my most viral content has also been my most vulnerable (eg. recovering from a breakup, or showing that I was filming in my mum’s wardrobe because I had nowhere else to film!).
2. Continually learn the art of content creation — producing successful content is a lot more involved than just turning on the camera. Study your favourite creators in depth, analyse what makes their content engaging and what keeps you returning to their channel. Make detailed lists of their techniques, including their use of hooks, pacing, and visual style. Experiment with various formats and approaches, testing different lengths, topics, and editing styles to see what resonates. Over time, you’ll discover your own unique style that feels right to you and to your audience.
3. Create an audience persona and talk directly to that person — imagine your ideal social media audience as a single individual who desperately needs to hear what you have to share. Invent their name, age, job, likes, and dislikes, and each time you sit down to film, envision speaking directly to that one person. This approach will not only help your content remain cohesive but also make your audience feel like you are genuinely speaking to them alone.
4. Plan a content schedule that you can realistically maintain. Consistency is key, and I believe in quality over quantity. I post one long-form video/podcast episode every two weeks, and I cut that content into shorter segments to post on other platforms when I have time. Perhaps in the future, I’ll increase to one long-form piece of content every week, but right now, that isn’t manageable given my schedule. It’s best to start small and consistent, rather than overstretch yourself and then have to take a step back.
5. Engage with your audience — ask their opinions, listen to their feedback.
What do you do to create a greater sense of connection and community among your fans?
I spend as much time as I can replying directly to DMs. The messages people send me are so vulnerable, I’m honoured that people would trust me with their stories. I also get a lot of ideas for future content by reading my messages because I can see common themes and topics I’m being asked to address.
As an influencer, you are, by definition, a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
It’s a dream of mine to one day host transformative women’s retreats, offering tools for growing in Biblical knowledge and healing from trauma. I envision women from all over the world stepping into the fullness of God’s plan for their lives, where He intricately weaves every aspect of their story together for good.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world with whom you’d like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He, she or they might just see this. 🙂
I’d have to say Gary Vaynerchuk. In terms of marketing and content creation, no one has had a bigger impact on me. I love everything he shares about authenticity, patience, and empathy — all the less thought-about but crucial elements of entrepreneurship. I’d love to get New York pizza and pick his brain for an hour!
What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?
You can find me on Instagram @caittaylor_
My ministry website is 828women.com
And my podcast ‘828 with Cait’ is on YouTube, Spotify & all other platforms.
Thank you for these thought provoking insights. Here’s to your continued success!
About The Interviewer: Karen Mangia is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the world, sharing her thought leadership with over 10,000 organizations during the course of her career. As Vice President of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce, she helps individuals and organizations define, design and deliver the future. Discover her proven strategies to access your own success in her fourth book Success from Anywhere and by connecting with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Cait Taylor Of 828 Women On How To Cultivate Connection & Community In A Click to Connect World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.