Weekly newsletter brought to your inbox every Wednesday, by your friends at Elite Blog Academy®—full of valuable insider marketing tips, tricks and inspiration to help you keep pushing forward when the days get long.

FEATURED READS

It’s no secret that Instagram and other similar social media platforms are on fire right now. But at the same time, the ever-changing social media algorithms can make your head spin. Features you rely on today to reach your audience might be deprioritized tomorrow, leaving you to shift and adapt. 

This is a stark reminder that building your business solely on someone else's platform is risky. So how do you capitalize on the social media boom, while letting your efforts work for you to build your business? In today’s EBA blog post, How to Create an Algorithm-Proof Traffic Strategy, we share exactly that.

POWER MOVES

Unlock Instagram magic with A/B testing

Feeling stuck in a content rut on Instagram? You're not alone. While you might be pouring your heart into your posts, engagement might not be where you want it to be. Enter A/B testing—your secret weapon for unlocking what truly resonates with your audience. It’s something we’ve been testing on our Instagram accounts (like Ruth’s newest business-focused account) and it’s been fun to see what clicks!

WHY A/B TEST?

Because what works for one account might not work for another. Your audience is unique, and A/B testing allows you to scientifically discover which elements of your content perform best. Imagine split-testing two captions—one funny and one informative—to see which drives more comments. A/B testing helps you optimize every aspect of your reels and feed posts, from the time of day you post to the video style you use.

WHAT TO TEST:

Post time: Engagement can fluctuate depending on the time of day. Test posting at different times (mornings, evenings, weekdays, weekends) to see when your audience is most receptive.

Hook: Those first few seconds are crucial. Experiment with different hooks—questions, surprising facts, humor—to grab attention and keep viewers engaged.

Video style: Does your audience prefer fast-paced edits or slower, more in-depth explanations? Test different video styles to see which resonates best.

Captions: Captions can make or break engagement. Try informative captions, questions that spark conversation, or even shorter, punchier captions with emojis to see which drives more interaction.

Hashtags: The right hashtags can significantly increase reach. Test different hashtag combinations, including a mix of popular and niche hashtags, to see which bring in the most relevant followers.

TIME TO TAKE ACTION:

• Choose a variable: Pick one element to test at a time. Focus on testing two hooks this time, video style next.

• Create variations: Develop slightly different versions of the chosen element. For captions, try a funny vs. informative approach.

• Track results: Use Instagram Insights to see which variation performs better based on your goals (engagement, reach, website clicks). And then track your results on a spreadsheet or document so you can track what your audience responds to the most!

Remember, A/B testing is an ongoing process. Keep testing different elements to continuously refine your strategy. And embrace the data—it's your guide to creating content that truly connects with your audience and unlocks your Instagram magic!

WE’VE GOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT

BIG news is coming!

If you haven’t heard, we have something big in the works and we can’t wait to tell you all about it! Ruth is going LIVE on Instagram and Facebook this coming Tuesday, July 30th, at 3pm EST! Save the date because you won’t want to miss this! Click the button below to follow on Instagram to catch the live and more behind-the-scenes updates.

Our new free guide

Are you struggling with Instagram content that stops the scroll? Our Instagram Reel Playbook will not only give you 50 ready-to-use hooks, proven to grab your audience's attention from the start, but we'll show you our proven strategy for reels that convert. 

MINDSET MATTERS

Taming the juggling act of online entrepreneurship

Ever feel like your brain is a juggling act gone rogue? As an online entrepreneur, you wear many hats: marketer, strategist, content creator, customer service rep and maybe even tech whiz. It's no surprise mental fatigue can creep in. But fear not—we have some actionable steps to tame the juggling act and reclaim your sanity:

Action Step 1: Identify your energy killers.

We all have peak productivity hours. Notice when your focus wanes and what tasks drain you. Are late-night social media spirals your kryptonite? Does bookkeeping leave you glazed over? Recognizing these energy-suckers is the first step to tackling them.

Action Step 2: Batch similar tasks.

Multitasking is a myth. Instead, group similar tasks together. Dedicate mornings for creative brainstorming, afternoons for emails and scheduling, and evenings for content creation. This batching approach minimizes context switching, allowing you to dive deeper into each role without mental fatigue.

Action Step 3: Delegate or automate.

Not everything needs your personal touch. Consider outsourcing repetitive tasks like social media scheduling or email building to free up mental space for strategy and creative endeavors. You can even explore automation tools for scheduling posts, responding to FAQs or generating basic reports.

Action Step 4: Embrace the power of "no."

Don't be afraid to say no to new projects or requests that don't align with your goals or stretch you too thin. Remember, quality over quantity. A well-curated workload will leave you feeling accomplished, not overwhelmed.

Action Step 5: Schedule "me time."

Just like your business, your well-being needs dedicated time. Schedule breaks, walks outside or hobbies you enjoy. A refreshed mind is a more productive mind.

Bonus Tip: Utilize project management tools! Trello, Asana, or even a simple notebook can help you prioritize tasks, track progress and visualize your workload. Seeing your progress, even in small steps, can be a huge motivator.

Remember, you're not a one-person circus. With these steps, you can transform your juggling act into a well-orchestrated performance. Let us know how it goes!

SHE MEANS BUSINESS

This week we wanted to share a recent post from Zoniashka of Budget and Save Blog.

We love her message because every week our coaching team has conversations with our members about pushing through fears and taking imperfect action—and that’s exactly what she’s done. 

And here’s the thing, perfection does not exist and if you are waiting for the perfect time or spending all of your time tweaking something before getting it out there to make it perfect, you’re actually just slowing down your progress. 

We get that sometimes it’s easier said than done, so want you to hear it from Zoniashka:

I hope this encourages someone today!

I have been trying to fight off my self imposed limitations and following Ruth's advice and take a risk in my business.

At the beginning of 2024 I had really really amazing big goals and hit the revenue I wanted to make. I wanted to make $50k in the first quarter of 2024 and I hit that goal in mid Feb. I ended the quarter making $65k surpassing my original goal. 

I was also super laser focused on my email list and writing to them every single week but

I haven't been selling to them. But I had been nurturing my email list every week this year and the past 4 week I haven't even sent out an email to my 20,500 + email subscribers.

So I was like let's do it scrappy and not over think it.

I prayed and was like let's just share a positive story from those DMs I've been getting and write a call to action pointing to the product she had bought.

And omg in just a few minutes I'm telling you, sales started pouring in!!

I guess what I'm trying to put into practice is to take more risks and not overthink stuff.

I hope this email tip helps someone today! 

So, NAME, this week our challenge to you is to fail forward and take imperfect action.

Then let us know what happens as a result!

MARKETING FUN FACT

The concept of branding a product with a recognizable symbol is surprisingly ancient. Archaeologists have found pottery from ancient China (around 2000 BC) with maker's marks, a very early form of branding.