It was only a matter of time... Meta is now limiting you to TWO external links per month if you are on an unpaid account. In order to bypass this limit, you have to opt into Meta One for Business, a subscription that ranges from $15-$499 per month. Access to additional links starts at $49/month. Guess what else you get for $49 per month? Clickable links in Instagram captions. Who would have thought we'd ever see the day?! In my opinion, that price is a little ridiculous for your average local...
about 10 hours ago • 1 min read
I read some e-commerce advice the other day that got me thinking... Someone I follow on Instagram has had great success selling website planning worksheets as an onramp to her business courses and consulting services. She knows her repeat customer rate is 60% (which is insanely high in e-commerce). Once someone buys her $5 printable worksheet, they're highly likely to buy her $300 course, then some of them will buy her group and private consulting. The advice that piqued my interest? "Don't...
7 months ago • 2 min read
How to turn any paper-and-pen scribble into a dynamic Canva icon... I know the right people will geek out over this one with me 🤪 Instead of reading: Follow along with my video tutorial! What do I mean when I say "Canva icon"? Well, it's like this: You can change the icon's color freely -- not just changing the shade of the image You can scale it up really large without losing image quality Have you noticed that when you use elements on Canva some of them follow these rules and some do not?...
8 months ago • 2 min read
Here's an idea to build off of YouTube views you're already getting: Do you know how many times I've heard the following from pastors I work with? "Yeah, we put my sermons on YouTube. People will visit church and say they've been watching for a couple weeks before they attend for the first time, so that's been good." So. many. times. This is amazing! What an awesome demonstration of how the internet can be used to remove barriers to an in-person connection (which is, of course, the ultimate...
8 months ago • 2 min read
This is one of those things that feels illegal to know. Today I want to take a minute to highlight a resource I use regularly in my work that, somehow, I've never shared with you. 🧐 Keep reading for 3 applications you can use this week. Click to go to Answerthepublic.com This website crawls both search engines and, nowadays, AI models to display what people are looking for related to any given topic. It's super interesting and super free. (The advanced plan is paid but I've never found it...
8 months ago • 1 min read
If I know anything about you... ...you're coming leadership conference in a little over a week. 📌📌📌 Pin this email to the top of your inbox so it's handy when you're ready to jot down your goals over a little Chicago cocktail. 📌📌📌 Not coming to Leadership Conference? We'll miss you! I think you'll still like this, though, so keep reading... Back in 2023, I was impressed by the number of actionable tools and tactics shared in just the five breakouts I attended at Leadership Conference. That's...
9 months ago • 1 min read
You don't have a system if it's not written down. Let's start 2026 strong with a clear direction and system for communicating online and in print! Take 45 minutes to sit down with my new Brand Direction template. This is NOT just a brand guide: there may be some sections you aren't expecting 👀 I created a one-page template for you to use as you refresh your approach in the new year. It's similar to my old brand guide with a few new (and critical) sections added. Click here to make a copy on...
9 months ago • 2 min read
I've been putting in hours on this tool over the past few weeks. As a part of this project, I've visited a. lot. of church websites. Unless I can figure out how to automate this process, I'll be getting around to all 1,200. Maybe yours is next 👀 I've noticed: many, if not most, of the websites I've visited are relatively empty. There is usually a homepage with less than 25 words of basic info, a single sentence or graphic for an upcoming special event, and a Contact page. I don't fault anyone...
10 months ago • 1 min read
I've mentioned this concept in the past, but it's time to deep-dive. I'm calling it: The Long Conversation Method. Catchy, I know. Reply with better ideas, please. 😂 Let's start here. Think about all the ways the outside world can find you: Social media Your website Online ads A booth at festivals & farmer's markets Outreach events Print marketing: mailers, flyers, brochures, posters... What do all these channels have in common? They're all momentary. Someone visits your website for 2...
10 months ago • 2 min read
Sometimes the best marketing is a new & improved event! Here are a few small ways to tweak your event plan. Ask yourself if any of these apply to your events to give them a refresh in 2026. 1) Simplify it! Most of the time, advertising fewer things will attract more attention. It's counterintuitive, but it works. Think about it: If you came across a busy Facebook event or flyer with 250 words describing your event in minute detail... Vs. "Visit 123 Main Street this weekend for a free pumpkin...
10 months ago • 2 min read