Really interesting research that comes up with semi-contradictory results.  My take: Do a 50/50ish mix of reels and carousels on Instagram.

This is something that I need to get much better at.  I fail to use hooks when I'm writing social posts and the posts suffer as a consequence.

Let’s talk about a little word that carries a whole lot of weight: authenticity. It’s the secret sauce that turns an okay brand into one that people know, like, and trust.

This is an outstanding deep dive on email marketing that focuses on easily actionable tips.  It's a must-read for anybody doing email marketing.  (That should be all of you.)

What is your voice?  Small business owners are often the face of their business.  Consider making your voice the voice of your brand.

In the bustling world of culinary delights, the competition is fierce, and standing out requires more than just delicious food. For restaurants and food trucks, the key to attracting hungry customers lies not just in their menu, but in the visual appeal of their offerings.

Display ads are as old as the internet, but I rarely see small businesses using them.  I used to work with a company that used them effectively, but I've never tried them myself.

Wow, what an outstanding article.  This features stats and research to illustrate the importance of video in your marketing.  Stat of the day: 89% of consumers want to see more videos from brands.  If this isn't your sign to begin video marketing, then I don't know what is.

Imagine you're at an event. The energy is palpable, the crowd is engaged, and the moments are unforgettable. Now, imagine capturing that essence in a photograph. That’s the power of professional event photography.

This one is all about press releases, a tactic that typically doesn't get much attention in this newsletter. However, I've had success doing it with one of my volunteer clients. You can get visibility in the media for free... if you know what you're doing.

This was a really interesting read for me. Some things aren't entirely different, such as testimonials, but the importance of having a phone number and a spokesperson surprised me.

In the bustling world of real estate, where first impressions can make or break a sale, one element stands out as a game-changer: photography.

I use Pocket daily to help me write my newsletters bi-weekly.  I gather content throughout the two weeks and then read the most interesting-sounding articles.  Some of them make the cut, some don't.

Storytelling is a timeless and powerful tool for brands. By weaving narratives into branding videos, small businesses can forge authentic connections with their audience, leaving a lasting impact.

I won't quite call this one a must-read, but it's a should-read. This article breaks down what recent research says are four of the major problems facing business owners with small business marketing and the solutions to them.

This is the first article that I've seen in a very long time, if ever, that claims that text posts work better than photo posts. I'll be keeping a close eye on this on LinkedIn.

I'm toying with the idea of creating a class on when to use and how to create AI images. Would that interest anybody?

We're diving into the realm of product photography and its remarkable role in marketing. From sparking desire to driving sales, captivating product photos are like a magic wand for your brand's success.

The idea here is that you need both strategies to be successful.  Organic is a long-term play while paid focuses on the short term.

This is a good one. This article presents a couple of tried-and-true tactics that typically don't get mentioned in my Facebook Algorithm class.