Alyson Shane, Starling Social — Building Trust-First Marketing That Actually Delivers
Alyson Shane is a writer-turned-digital marketer and the founder and president of Starling Social, a boutique agency focused on content marketing, social media, PPC, and ads strategy. After publishing online since the GeoCities era and earning a degree in rhetoric, Alyson built a team (7–8 strong) that pairs persuasive writing with transparent, process-driven execution. She matters because she champions client ownership, clarity, and measurable results in a noisy agency landscape.
Top 5 Takeaways from the Episode:
Content-first, channel-agnostic: Starling Social creates across blogs, newsletters, web copy, social posts, and ads—wherever content moves the needle.
Process + transparency win: Real reporting, itemized invoices, and clear scopes are non-negotiable; clients should always see where budgets go.
Own your assets: Ad accounts and content should live in the client’s accounts, not the agency’s—so performance data and creative don’t get held hostage.
Vetting agencies: Look for verifiable testimonials tied to outcomes (e.g., admissions up, leads increased), ask about process, and demand regular reporting.
Career arc with backbone: From a stifling accounting job to freelancing beyond her 9–5 and launching in 2014, Alyson built Starling Social by insisting on autonomy, accountability, and better client experiences.
Watch the full episode now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leBOGZwDVMY
Memorable Quote:
“I want all of my clients to have their own accounts so they can go in and look at it anytime.”