[Top Agency Series] The Social-First Era With Joe Gagliese and Mat Micheli of Viral Nation

Joe Gagliese is Co-founder and Co-CEO of Viral Nation, a global digital media innovation group powering the social ecosystem through integrated solutions that align strategy, talent, media, and technology. He is a renowned expert in influencer marketing and social technologies, with his insights cited in major publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, WIRED, CNBC, Vox, Business Insider, Forbes, and Inc. Joe’s dedication to inspiring and mentoring emerging entrepreneurs has led him to teach marketing courses at academic institutions across North America.

Mat Micheli is Co-founder and Co-CEO of Viral Nation, which works with tens of thousands of influencers across the social landscape and fuels growth for the world's leading brands, including Anheuser-Busch, The Coca-Cola Company, Hasbro, Meta, Oculus, Tencent, and Uber. He oversees the company’s global operations, finance, and technology functions, establishing himself as an authority on athlete influencer marketing and social technologies with his work featured in Business Insider, Forbes, and Vox. Mat has participated in various events and conferences that support diverse entrepreneurial communities, including the Rotman Commerce Women in Business and Women's Leadership Symposium.

In this episode…

In today's ever-evolving attention economy, traditional media marketing alone is no longer sufficient for brands to thrive — they must transition toward social media marketing. However, without the requisite expertise, effectively navigating the complexities of social media can be daunting. Influencers and creators struggle to monetize their content, making it difficult to sustain their creative pursuits. In this context, the question arises — where can one find solutions to maximize the creator-brand partnership?

Serial entrepreneurs Joe Gagliese and Mat Micheli maintain that we are currently in the “social-first era,” which presents many opportunities for creators and businesses. For influencers and creators, there is a constant need for authentic and engaging content. Accordingly, brands must evolve in turn and leverage these creators’ marketing strategies. However, creators often struggle to extract the maximum value of their talent, and brands are often unsure how to transform into social-first organizations. Joe and Mat share how they drive social media transformation and commerce by helping creators and business partners thrive.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz chats with Joe Gagliese and Mat Micheli, Co-founders and Co-CEOs of Viral Nation, to discuss how they are combining marketing, talent, and technology to help brands thrive in the attention economy. They talk about how Viral Nation helps influencers and creators monetizer social media content and helps brands transition from traditional media to social media marketing.