Category: Social Media

How to Master Instagram Growth: New eBook
12 Proven Social Media Strategies for Real Results

If you’re tired of posting endlessly to your socials without seeing any real Instagram Growth results, you’re not alone. Growing a social media presence can feel overwhelming, especially with so many “gurus” claiming to know the secrets. The truth? There’s no single magic trick—just proven strategies that, when done right, deliver measurable results.

For over a decade, I’ve worked in digital marketing, helping businesses of all sizes navigate the fast-moving world of social media. I’ve tested countless strategies, refined the process, and learned what actually works to achieve Instagram growth. Now, for the first time, I’m pulling back the curtain to share those exact strategies in our brand-new ebook: “Master the Instagram Strategies We Use to Skyrocket Client Success.”

Why Instagram Growth Matters for Your Brand

Instagram isn’t just a place for pretty pictures; it’s one of the most powerful platforms for brand growth, community building, and sales. With over 2 billion active users every month, your audience is there—they’re just waiting to discover you.

But here’s the challenge: Standing out on Instagram requires more than posting beautiful content. You need a strategy that aligns with your audience’s needs, works with Instagram’s algorithm, and turns casual scrollers into engaged followers.

This ebook teaches you how to:
- Master the Instagram algorithm to get your content seen.
- Create saveable and shareable posts that your audience will love.
- Use keywords and hashtags strategically to boost your reach.
- Turn followers into engaged fans—and, ultimately, customers.
A Sneak Peek into the eBook

If you’re wondering, “What exactly will I learn?”, here’s a preview of what’s inside our ebook that will show you How to grow your Instagram audience

1. Mastering the Algorithm:
Understand the core factors that drive visibility on Instagram, like engagement, content quality, and timing. We share actionable tips to keep the algorithm working for you, not against you.

2. Creating High-Value Content:
It’s not just about looking good; it’s about delivering value. You’ll learn how to create posts that your audience will save, share, and engage with—key signals the algorithm loves.

3. Proven Instagram Growth Strategies:
From collaborating with other creators to mastering Instagram Stories and Reels, we break down the growth tactics we use daily to help our clients thrive.

4. The Power of Instagram Ads:
Want to accelerate your results? We offer insights into how Instagram ads can work for your brand and reach the right audience at the point of decision-making. Nurturing sustainable growth for your Instagram page.

Who is This eBook For?

Whether you’re a small business owner, content creator, or marketer, this guide to growing your Instagram account is designed to help you:
- Grow your Instagram presence strategically and sustainably.
- Build a loyal audience who engages with your content.
- Drive measurable results without burning yourself out.
If you’re looking for practical, no-fluff advice that’s been tested and proven, this ebook is for you.

What Makes This Different?

There’s a lot of Instagram advice out there—but much of it is generic or outdated. The strategies in this ebook are the same ones we use with real clients every day. These aren’t quick hacks or trends that fade overnight. They’re long-term approaches that focus on value, connection, and sustainable growth.

Ready to Grow Your Instagram?

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start growing, now’s the time. Download our ebook, “Master the Instagram Strategies We Use to Skyrocket Client Success,” and gain access to the exact tactics we’ve used to help brands thrive.

🎯 [Grab Your Copy Here]

Take the next step and unlock your brand’s Instagram potential. It’s time to grow smarter, engage better, and achieve the results you deserve.
December 17, 2024
How to Create Facebook Ads That Truly Convert
Facebook ads have evolved into a sophisticated platform for digital marketers, with constant updates and changes to its algorithms, features, and audience behaviours. Staying on top of these trends is no small feat, but it’s essential if you want to make sure your Facebook ad spend delivers real results. As we step further into 2024, it’s becoming increasingly clear that certain advertising approaches on Facebook are more successful than others. In this post, we’ll explore the most important Facebook advertising trends and offer practical advice on creating ads that not only capture attention but also convert.

Video Continues to Dominate

The popularity of video content has skyrocketed across social media, and Facebook is no exception. Video ads are proving to be more engaging and far more likely to grab the attention of users scrolling through their feed. This isn’t just limited to long-form content either; short, punchy videos are increasingly taking centre stage. Facebook’s algorithm now favours video content, with autoplay features making it easier for brands to catch users’ eyes without requiring them to hit play.

One of the main advantages of video ads is the opportunity for storytelling. Brands can showcase their products or services in action, which makes it easier for potential customers to visualise themselves using them. It’s worth noting that most people will be viewing videos on their mobile devices, so optimising for mobile is crucial. Using vertical formats or square video dimensions ensures that your content fits the screen perfectly, keeping viewers engaged.

If you’re planning to dive into video ads, brevity is key. Attention spans are shorter than ever, so you want to deliver your message within the first three seconds. This means highlighting your core message or offering in the opening moments to hook viewers before they scroll away.

Tip for Creating Video Ads That Convert:
- Keep it short and impactful: Your video should grab attention within the first 3 seconds. Aim for a 15-30 second duration, focusing on one clear message or call-to-action (CTA).
- Optimise for mobile: Ensure that your videos are optimized for mobile devices, as the majority of Facebook users are accessing the platform via their smartphones. Vertical video formats (4:5 or 9:16) work best for mobile viewing.
The Growth of Facebook Stories

Facebook Stories have grown immensely in popularity, and for good reason. Users are spending more time flicking through Stories, and the immersive nature of the format makes it an excellent advertising opportunity. Stories are full-screen, vertical content that appears between user-generated content, making them a seamless and engaging way to connect with your audience.

One of the main reasons Stories ads work so well is because they are both temporary and immersive. Users feel a sense of urgency when viewing stories, knowing they’ll disappear in 24 hours. This taps into the psychology of immediacy, encouraging users to take action before it’s too late.

To succeed with Stories ads, it’s essential to create visually impactful content. Bold and colourful imagery works best here, as users tend to quickly swipe through stories. Adding strong calls-to-action, such as “Swipe Up,” can guide users to take the next step, whether that’s visiting your website or purchasing a product. Given how fast-paced Stories are, your messaging must be sharp and concise to resonate effectively.

Tip for Creating Stories Ads That Convert:
- Add clear CTAs: Use features like “Swipe Up” to encourage users to take action, whether it’s visiting your website, purchasing a product, or signing up for a newsletter.
- Use bold visuals: Stories ads should be visually striking and quick to convey your message since users typically swipe through stories rapidly.
The Rise of Automation and AI in Facebook Ads

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making its presence felt in Facebook advertising. Facebook has introduced a range of automation tools to help brands optimise their campaigns more efficiently, relying on AI to make data-driven decisions. This is particularly important for advertisers looking to optimise ad placements, targeting, and budget allocations without needing to micromanage every aspect of their campaigns.

The platform’s AI helps to predict which users are most likely to convert, using real-time data and machine learning to automatically place ads where they’re most likely to perform. This approach takes the guesswork out of ad management, allowing brands to focus on their overall strategy.

One feature that’s especially useful is dynamic creative optimisation, which allows you to create multiple versions of your ads by mixing different headlines, images, and calls-to-action. Facebook then tests these combinations and delivers the ones that perform best to your audience. This saves time and helps refine your ad messaging without the need for extensive manual A/B testing.

Navigating the New Privacy Landscape

The introduction of iOS 14.5 by Apple had significant repercussions for Facebook advertisers. With the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature, users can now opt out of being tracked across apps and websites, which has made targeting and measuring ad performance more challenging. Many users have chosen to opt out, which means advertisers have access to less third-party data than before.

This shift towards greater privacy is not going away, so brands need to adapt. One way to do this is by focusing on first-party data – that is, data you collect directly from your customers. Encourage your audience to subscribe to newsletters, sign up for exclusive offers, or create an account on your website. This way, you can continue to reach them without relying on external data sources.

Another helpful tool is Facebook’s Conversions API. This tool enables you to send data directly from your server to Facebook, allowing you to track conversions even when user data is more limited. It’s a great way to maintain visibility into your ad performance despite the new privacy restrictions.

Facebook Shops and the Rise of Social Commerce

Ecommerce has never been more integrated into the Facebook experience. The introduction of Facebook Shops allows businesses to create a fully-fledged shopping experience without users needing to leave the platform. For brands, this means the path to conversion is now more seamless than ever.

Customers can browse and buy products within Facebook, which reduces the friction often associated with moving from social media to an external website. Brands that sell physical products should absolutely be making the most of this feature. It simplifies the purchasing process and keeps customers engaged within the app, meaning fewer steps between discovering a product and completing a purchase.

Moreover, Facebook has integrated product tags into posts and ads, so users can see prices and click through to shop without ever leaving the platform. Ads that use product tags also tend to perform better, as they give customers an easy route to conversion.

For those looking to showcase multiple products, Facebook’s collection ads are a valuable tool. These ads allow you to present a range of products within a single ad, which then leads users directly into your shop. It’s an excellent format for brands with a wide catalogue, especially during sale periods or new launches.

Augmented Reality Ads – A New Way to Engage

Another exciting trend is the rise of augmented reality (AR) ads. These interactive ads are engaging and allow users to try on products virtually or see how items would look in their own space. For fashion and beauty brands, AR ads offer customers the chance to “try before they buy,” which can be the difference between a window shopper and a purchase.

AR ads are not just novel; they create meaningful engagement by offering a personalised experience. Whether it’s virtually placing a piece of furniture in their living room or testing how a pair of sunglasses might look on their face, users are given a sense of control, which makes them more likely to convert.

As AR becomes more mainstream, brands should consider incorporating these interactive elements into their marketing strategy. It may seem like a futuristic step, but Facebook is actively investing in AR technologies, making it an increasingly accessible option for advertisers.

Gen Z’s Growing Influence on Facebook

While Facebook’s audience has traditionally skewed older, the platform is still incredibly popular among Generation Z. This demographic is becoming increasingly influential, and brands need to pay attention to their preferences if they want to capture this emerging market.

Gen Z is far more likely to engage with brands that are authentic and socially conscious. They favour brands that show transparency, diversity, and a strong stance on social issues. If your target market includes younger users, it’s important to be mindful of these values in your ad messaging.

Additionally, user-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool for connecting with Gen Z. They trust real people more than polished brand ads, so integrating UGC into your Facebook ads can help to build trust and authenticity. We wrote a little bit about Gen Z at the start of last year. While some of the platforms are outdated now the report offers a great insight. We have gen Alpha hot on their heels so look forward to addition stories here.

Final Thoughts

The Facebook advertising landscape is evolving, and staying ahead of the trends is essential for creating ads that truly convert. Whether you’re investing in video content, experimenting with AR, or adapting to new privacy regulations, the key to success lies in your ability to adapt and innovate. By taking advantage of these latest trends, you can ensure your Facebook ads deliver results, driving engagement and conversions in the year ahead. We love helping our clients shine online so if you’re ready to sign up to our social media marketing services we’d be happy to help you reach your goals online.
September 25, 2024
Social Media Strategies for Home Professionals

Being a home service professional is a challenging task. Whether you’re a general contractor or an interior decorator, earning and retaining customers is crucial to your success. In the past, most businesses relied on word-of-mouth recommendations to grow, but with the advent of the internet, marketing has long since shifted to the digital era. As a result, your business has probably had to increase its online presence in various ways, and social media has become one of the most effective yet arduous tools for people to come to terms with.
Recent data shows that people spend an average of two hours and 27 minutes per day on social media. Therefore, social media platforms offer an excellent opportunity for home professionals to promote their services and connect with potential clients.
To help you succeed in your social media marketing, we’ve teamed up with some industry experts to produce the ultimate “how to” guide for anyone looking to boost their socials.
Read all about it over at Porch.com

April 13, 2023
Tips To Build A Winning Social Media Strategy For Your Brand

Social Media Tips for your Brand

Social media has established itself as a potent tool for digital marketing. Perhaps the most potent medium for digital marketing today, brands worldwide invest in social media to elevate themselves and be more competitive. Hence, the reason for devising a strategy to use social media effectively.

A social media strategy serves as a guideline in utilising social media’s power to market your brand. It’s a plan ahead of time to ensure that you’re making the best decisions to yield a return on your investment. Managing social media for a brand is a tall mountain to climb, so a strategy is necessary to reach its peak. The competition is stiff between brands around the social media landscape. Also, there are plenty of factors that come into play in attaining success in social media marketing. With that in mind, here are tips to help your brand in building a winning social media strategy.

State your mission and set your goals

Goal-setting is key to any strategy, especially for social media marketing. The goals that
you set to attain are also useful for tracking your strategy’s progress. It will also help
assess your social media efforts’ effectiveness, so you can determine which works and those that aren’t yielding good results.

You can start your goal-setting by focusing on the bigger picture. Once you’ve done that, you can plan the necessary steps to take and the resources you need to achieve them. This involves budgeting and communicating with the right people or groups for
social media services or consulting about your plans.

To reach your high-level social media goals, you can complement them with secondary ones for each social media network. You’ll also need to tailor your approach to each platform, as they all offer different things where your brand can stand out, and user behaviour is also unique to each.

Research on your target audience

The primary reason brands turn to social media is to have diverse ways to reach their
target audience and expand that reach. To develop an excellent social plan to do that, you need to learn more about your target audience. Users will be the ones to judge your content, and different social media platforms cater to different demographics.

You’ll have to know who you’re making content for to create content that speaks to
them. That’s the key to impress in social media and to reach your target audience. If your brand already has a social media presence, you can start using your current
followers for basis.

Creating a buyer persona comes in handy when you’re looking for your potential target audience. It’ll help segment demographics and interests, which will narrow down who you need to reach.

Study your competitors

You can learn plenty of things about social media from your competitors, just like in
business. Look for their social media accounts and see how they’re doing. You may pick
up a thing or two that you can use.

You can also come up with better ideas by looking at their content and engagement rates. Using the top social media brands in your industry as a benchmark can help when you assess your strategy results.

Choose the best social media platform for your brand

There are plenty of social media platforms where you can market your brand, but not all of them may return your investment as excellent as you expect. You need to figure out which channel is best suited for that purpose. To do so, you need to evaluate your following, current and potential, analyse your content’s performance, and understanding each social media channel’s strengths at your disposal.

You should also try exploring other platforms that you can use. There may be greener
pastures outside of the familiar ones that you know.

Setup a content pipeline.

The content that you release on a regular basis will make or break your entire social
media strategy. Producing content for social media is challenging due to the factors in play; thus, you need to set up an organised approach of what to create and when to
release it.

The most effective way to do that is by creating a content calendar. It’s a schedule of
content development and releases that you’ll implement as part of your strategy. The basis of a well-planned content calendar is your objectives and defining the proportion of content that you should dedicate to attain each of them.

Evaluate and adjust as necessary

After you’ve begun implementing your social media strategy, the next thing to do is assess its results. Evaluating it is vital to the success of your efforts. You don’t need to evaluate everything, just the important metrics that affect your objectives.

The insight that you get from your assessment will help in refining your strategy. Things
are continually changing in social media, so you have to learn how and when to make
adjustments.

Final thoughts

With the proper plan, you can win in using social media to expand your brand’s reach
and boost its presence. You just need to devote time and effort to devise your winning
strategy, and your investment will return.

If you need help with your social media strategy, get in touch. We offer a range of social media services for new and existing businesses of all sizes.

Guest post by Edwin Deponte

Edwin Deponte is a motivational writer who is also passionate about anything digital and social media marketing-related. On his free days, he spends his time indulging in digital and social media marketing books.

May 26, 2021
Australian online shopping habits

With major world events spurring changes in people’s day-to-day lives, 2020 has been a monumental year. In The 2021 Topics and Trends Report From Facebook IQ, they analyse four regions—Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America—and eight countries within them, exploring how COVID-19 is affecting individuals and communities. Spanning borders, the pandemic has created common experiences that touch on local cultures in different ways. In many instances, it is accelerating cultural developments that were already underway.
We take a look at the rise of online shopping hobbits here in Australia and how distribution challenges and a penchant for the old school have helped shaped the online landscape.

Compared with other countries, Australia has been slow to embrace online shopping, since the country’s geographic spread makes deliveries hard to fulfil efficiently. But since Amazon entered the market in 2017, interest in e-commerce has grown significantly. That interest is intensifying as shoppers discover the convenience of deferred payment plans and rapid delivery where they can find it.
Between March and April 2020, e-commerce spending increased 29% month over month as people sought out necessities online, and nearly half of Australian online shoppers reported using at least one new digital shopping platform for the first time between July and August 2020. Among new shopping trends taking off are subscription boxes, which supply people with new selections of drinks and snacks, beauty products and vitamins each month. In a time when people’s schedules and surroundings are otherwise predictable, unboxing these deliveries provides some much-needed serendipity.
Australians are taking care to select online retailers who are able to serve their regions efficiently, and many prefer click-and-collect programs, which enable shoppers to pre-order and pick up their purchases at a local store. Out of necessity, Australians are quickly forging a hybrid shopping experience that fits their needs online and offline.

Read the Full Report

January 18, 2021
How to use Instagram to grow your database

Instagram isn’t the only free marketing tool out there. Email may feel a bit old fashioned but it’s still one of the best ways to establish an ongoing relationship with some audiences. ⁣⁣
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Here‘s how to use Instagram to grow that database 👇🏼⁠⁣⁣
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#1: Add a Call-to-Action in your Instagram bio (offer an incentive to why people should sign up)⁠⁣⁣
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✨ Discount code for first purchase⁠⁣⁣
✨ Free download to a PDF full of value⁠⁣⁣
✨ A challenge ⁠⁣⁣
✨ Mini Course / short video full of value⁠⁣⁣
✨ Free sample⁠⁣⁣
✨ Access to products/services before anyone else⁠⁣⁣
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#2: Make your email subscription easy to find on your website! Make sure your link in bio allows people to sign up easily without searching your entire site! ⁠⁣⁣
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#3: Promote your newsletter on instagram stories, posts, IGTV and reels! ⁠

August 10, 2020
Creativity in the age of Mobile Marketing

Most marketers are aware of the rise of mobile, you’d be hard pressed not to be. Mobile has not only ushered in a new era of consumption for people, it’s given marketers a new canvas to tell stories. But many companies (or at least some of the people that marketers report into perhaps) are still applying the same rules they learnt in print, and TV placements to help define mobile strategies.

To help better define the mobile landscape The Marketing Science and Creative Shop teams at Facebook partnered to examine over two years of internal and commissioned research to better understand how behavioural shifts are impacting marketing and creative strategies. Together they have examined of over 2,000 Facebook and Instagram ads to help build an understanding of why creativity matters more than ever on mobile.

We’ve said before that a visual first approach is the only way to go when building a website but this report will help better define the mobile first landscape. Not just for digital marketers, looking to build a stronger digital strategy, but developers and designers alike.

As Facebook say in their report “The opportunity is literally at our fingertips. And it’s time for marketers, strategists and creatives alike to connect with people, get inspired and play more with their creative as we take on the mobile frontier together.”

How can we as an industry break conventional norms and redefine storytelling and campaign planning now that the thumb is in charge?

Download the full report from Facebook here. A must for any digital content creator.

July 13, 2019
How many hashtags should I use on Instagram?

Selecting the best hashtags for your Instagram posts can mean the difference between appearing at the top of your feeds or sinking to the bottom without a trace. Get it right and you can enjoy long tail success collecting likes through discovery for days after but getting it wrong can mean your post could be lost in the darkest shadows of your social media community.

If you make your hashtags too generic like #happy or #Monday – and your post will be drowned out instantly by millions of others. It’s better to use a mix of tags that are trending now and relevant to your industry allowing you to connect with your targeted social media followers.

The number of hashtags you use per post on Instagram is also critical. While Instagram allows for up to 30 tags, a mass of tags underneath your caption risks looking unprofessional. Save your tags elsewhere so you can group tags under your likely topics of engagement. To help tidy your chosen hashtags bury them under a run of full stops like so:

April 4, 2019
Meet Generation Z

A new report published by Think with Google lifts the lid on Generation Z, the newest generation of tech savvy, mobile wielding, video consuming kids to hit the streets. The in-depth audience report conducted by Ipsos delivers revealing insights about the social media habits of the 13 – 17yrs olds outlining what they consider cool and what devices you’ll likely to find them on. It’s a must for social media strategists and digital marketing managers alike.

“While millennials were mobile pioneers, teens are mobile natives,” Google writes in the study. Unlike previous generations that learnt how to use new digital, mobile and social products later in life, these teenagers’ have had mobile technology embedded in their lives since birth. 78% of all US teens now have a mobile phone and the age at which they first receive them is getting younger and younger.
The report shows that across all races and demographics 12 is now the average age that many kids receive their first mobile phone. Almost four years earlier than their millennial counterparts, bringing with it social status and benefits of cool together with a daunting sense of peer pressure:
“Teens are equal parts aware of and wary of their dependence on technology—meaning their online lives are both spontaneous and carefully curated”

Snapchat, and Instagram are the coolest platforms for these young teens to express themselves. Facebook is still a daily habit for most teens for consumption and stalking, but they rarely post and it’s not seen as “cool”. Generation Z are also shifting from texting to messaging apps to communicate, 52% prefer options like Snapchat and WhatsApp to communicate.
The report is a great read for digital marketers and social media managers planning their next campaign strategies.

You can download the report here.

February 23, 2019
How to create a Facebook Business Manager Account.
We get asked this question all the time so wanted to explain the best way to set up your Facebook Business Manager Account and take control of your social accounts.
Facebook Business Manager is a powerful tool for businesses that need multiple people involved in managing Facebook and Instagram, have multiple assets to manage, or want deeper insights into audiences and targeting. This quick guide will help you and your team get up and running quickly.
Go to Facebook Business Suite: Start by visiting the Facebook Business Suite site. You can find this by typing “Facebook Business Suite” into your search engine or going directly to business.facebook.com.
Create an Account: Click on the “Create Account” button. You’ll be asked to log in using your personal Facebook account credentials. Remember, your personal information will not be visible on your Business Manager account.
Enter Your Business Details: After logging in, you will be prompted to enter information about your business. This includes your business name (which should match the name people use to look up your business), your name, and your business email address.
Set Up Your Business Profile: Once your account is created, you’ll need to add all the relevant details about your business. This includes your business’s physical address, website, and phone number.
Add Your Facebook Business Pages: If you already have a business page on Facebook, you can add it to your Business Manager account. If not, you can create a new page directly from the Business Manager setup.
Add People or Partners to Manage Your Account: You can add colleagues or partners to help manage your account. Under the “Users” section, click on “People” and then on “Add.” Enter their email addresses and choose the level of access or permissions you want to grant them. To allow Marzipan to partner with your with your online advertising just add our ID which is: 11054 96059 473516
Link Your Ad Account: If you plan to run ads, link your ad account to your Business Manager. If you don’t have an ad account yet, you can create one in this step. Go to the “Accounts” tab, click on “Ad Accounts,” then either “Add” an existing ad account or “Create a new ad account.”
Add Other Assets: You can also link other assets such as Instagram accounts, product catalogs, and more. This is found under the “Accounts” section as well.
Configure Business Settings: Take some time to explore the business settings. Here, you can configure additional settings like payment methods for advertisements, set up more advanced features like pixel tracking for website analytics, and manage all your linked assets.
Review and Start Using: Review all the information and settings to ensure everything is set up correctly. You can now start using Facebook Business Manager to manage your pages, ad accounts, and other business-related activities on Facebook more efficiently.
Make sure to keep your Business Manager information up to date and review your security settings regularly to protect your business’s Facebook presence. If you need further assistance with specific features within the Business Manager, Facebook’s help center provides detailed guides and troubleshooting tips.

If you run into trouble or wish we’d gone into more depth on a particular section let us know. Anything to add that might help other?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
February 11, 2019