Today’s newsletter is a week late. It’s been a while since you’ve seen me on LinkedIn, too.
On June 14th, we said goodbye to our rescue dog of six years, Pablo. From daily fetch to vanilla ice cream and one last swim, we gave him the best final week we possibly could. While taking space to grieve, I’ve been a lot more focused on family this month, a lot less chronically online.
Social media platforms thrive on the fear that if you look away — slow down for even a minute — you’ll fall behind. But life is short, and some things are just more important. It’s a gift to unplug and be present with those right in front of us, even when the catalyst for that is heartbreaking.
Of course, I’ve still been consulting and working with clients behind the scenes. (Somebody’s gotta pay that Sniffspot bill…)
So here’s a roundup of the advice and updates I keep hearing myself repeat about Instagram and LinkedIn lately — plus a quick carousel hook makeover I think we can all learn from.
Reader question: is it even possible to grow a small IG account organically anymore?
The organic game on Instagram is genuinely tough right now.
Accounts with less than 1K followers face a real uphill battle, but even established accounts are struggling to see the kind of engagement and growth they’re used to.
So there is nothing wrong with pouring extra fuel on the fire in the form of a few ad dollars. Especially if you’re a brick-and-mortar or regional business, like a healthcare practice, as paid social is the only way to geotarget your audience.
But if your creative isn’t connecting and your profile isn’t optimized, boosting won’t take you where you want to be.
You’re not in it just for the vanity metrics, after all. You’re here to establish credibility, earn trust, and effectively convert the right people into clients, partners, and donors. And without a strategic foundation, no amount of ad spend will snowball into real leverage.
So let’s run a quick check.
Here are three things you should do before you start handing Zuck your hard-earned ad dollars:
Treat your profile like a homepage. First, tighten up your brand consistency — you want someone to catch one of your posts in the wild and instantly know it’s from you. Then pin three posts to the top: a “Start here,” an “About us,” and your best proof you’re the real deal. Done right, pinned posts are a conversion path, walking a brand-new visitor from “What’s this?” to the next step you want them to take.
Show real faces on film. Reels aren’t really optional anymore if you want to reach new audiences on Instagram. Whether you’re trying to grow purely organically or running ads, a real person talking direct-to-camera builds trust and humanizes your brand like nothing else. If your subject matter experts would rather do literally anything else, there are ways to get them on board and make it painless. (See this series.)
Write your opening slides for strangers. Don’t open carousels with concepts, jargon, or your mission statement. First slides need to answer “What’s in it for me?” in specific terms before the right audience will decide it’s worth the swipe. From there it’s a balancing act: build a little tension, but get to the point. (Easier said than done, I know. This might help.)
BTW —If you're done pouring resources into Instagram without seeing the return, my Instagram Makeover gets your profile, bio, pinned posts, and highlights working together as a cohesive conversion path in just two weeks.
One tip to revive your reach on LinkedIn
Rejoice! The days of “Comment KEYWORD and I’ll send you the article” are officially over.
It was a clever way to game the algorithm while it lasted (and before it became annoyingly ubiquitous). But LinkedIn has officially called it out as spammy engagement bait. The new algorithm selects for “thoughtful comments” by clocking how much time commenters spend crafting their replies — which means a flurry of rapid-fire keywords can actually work against you.
So the new way to share off-platform content is almost insultingly simple: just put the link in your post.
LinkedIn swears there’s no penalty for it. But they also say they don’t appreciate “promotional” content — so yes, we’re all threading a needle here. Another option: skip the link entirely and make your key resources easy to find right on your profile instead. (The “featured” section is your friend.)
Or, the move I’m most excited to test: there’s a stat floating around that three or more links in a post makes it more likely to perform. My theory: a handful of links reads less like “look at my thing,” and more like a genuine round-up of useful stuff. And if some of those links point to other people’s work, well — now they’ve got a reason to share it too. (Be sure to TAG them!)
Funny how the workaround is just… being useful.
Hook makeover: from “so, what?” to scroll-stopper
The original hook
Self-Care Seed of the Day: 2025 Wins List
The problem
The concept behind this carousel series is genuinely clever. I love the idea that better mental health can grow from tiny seeds planted over time, and doesn’t require drastic measures like a 75 Hard challenge or a 6-month sabbatical.
But “Self-Care Seed of the Day” is brand language — internal shorthand for the series, even — and “2025 Wins List” is a bit vague without more context. The caption also repeats the graphic text, which is a missed opportunity to pique the audience’s interest with clearer stakes. To a stranger mid-scroll, it all adds up to a riddle they won’t stop to solve.
The rewrite
For the carousel cover: “How to feel good about 2025 even if you didn't achieve your big goals”
For the caption: You actually have plenty to feel proud of, and this will prove it in less than 10 minutes.
Why it works
It skips the concept and goes straight for the feeling — that specific gut-punch of watching everyone else post their year-in-review wins while you’re sure yours was a wash. Then it plants a little dissonance: Wait, why should I feel good if I didn’t achieve what I set out to? Now they want the reframe. And the reframe pays off — leaving them with something saveable and an actual reason to apply it.
→The “Self-Care Seed of the Day” concept can still live inside the post, or even on the cover in a smaller, more subtle font. It just shouldn’t be the thing asking people to stop their scroll.
Cause spotlight: The Love Pit
The Love Pit rescues and rehabs bully breeds here in Dallas (like my sweet pittie, Pablo, RIP). These breeds face all kinds of stereotyping and outright discrimination that makes it harder for them to get (and stay) adopted — and shelters are often overrun with them. All dogs deserve to find their forever homes, but these breeds need a little targeted support. It’s niche work, and important work.
Their branding is well-executed and their social content is on point — but what’s especially worth studying is their donation page.
Inviting you to fund one of five specific services makes donations feel more personal, and more impactful. Donors can picture exactly what their dollars are doing — not just supporting a rescue org, but sponsoring the exact thing that helps a scared, neglected dog become ready for adoption.
The lesson: Specificity converts. “Support our mission” is abstract, easy to scroll past. “Fund a fearful dog’s training” paints a concrete picture.
See you in two weeks,
P.S. Got a strong post that didn’t perform up to expectations? Hit reply and send me the link — I’ll share what I’d do differently, and if you’re cool with it, feature the post makeover in an upcoming newsletter.
