Today's Guide to the Marketing Jungle from Social Media Examiner...
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The weekend is almost here, Alluser! Here's a recap of the most important insights, trends, and updates from the week. Catch up in minutes and go into next week prepared.

In today's edition:

Is Instagram finally giving small business marketers what they've been asking for?
Are your approved Facebook ads not delivering?
5 steps to traction on Instagram
Leveraging your customer successes to drive real business results
How to build AI apps with no code
How to use AI to create custom images for you slide decks
3 strategic AI prompts for marketers
🗞️ Industry news from Gemini, Pinterest, TikTok, and more

Shared Access for Professional Accounts on Instagram

Shared Access is here and it's a game-changer for managing brand accounts.

Instead of juggling passwords and two-factor codes, this new feature lets multiple users manage one Instagram account without compromising security or sanity. Perfect for small teams, VAs, or solo entrepreneurs getting outside help, Shared Access is Instagram's quiet nod to how real businesses work today.

But, not everyone has it yet. Access is rolling out slowly, with Meta Verified accounts possibly getting first dibs. If you've ever struggled with coordinating posts, checking DMs from multiple devices, or wondering who posted what—this could simplify everything.

What are the benefits and pitfalls? Curious if you have access? Jenn Herman has the details. Read more here.

Diagnose and Fix Your Facebook Ad Delivery Failures

If you've ever launched a campaign only to watch it stall with zero impressions, you're not alone. This common (and maddening) scenario usually points to one of four categories of delivery roadblocks. Knowing which one you're dealing with—and how to fix it—can save you hours of guesswork and missed results. Neal Schaffer can help.

Here's what to look for:

1. Account-Level Issues: Sudden ad pauses? Check your payment method, account restrictions, or spending limits. These issues can bring all ads to a standstill—fast.

2. Policy Violations: Was your ad quietly rejected? Facebook flags everything from subtle language choices to landing page mismatches. Diagnosis starts with carefully reading the rejection notice.

3. Technical Errors: Dynamic ads not delivering? You might have pixel problems or broken product feeds. These often cause inconsistent performance, not outright failure—making them harder to spot.

4. Optimization Failures: Ads running but underperforming? Budget fragmentation, audience overlap, or a stuck learning phase could be limiting your reach.

Each of these has a fix—but only if you know where to look. Read more here.

After You Post on Instagram

Are your Instagram posts falling flat, even when the content is solid? Want more traction on your next post?

The answer might not be what you're posting, but what you're doing after you hit Share.

If you're a business marketer trying to grow a loyal audience on Instagram, this one small post-publish routine could make a big difference. It's not about chasing the algorithm or dumping time into complicated tactics.

This simple but strategic process from Lucas O'Keefe centers on genuine engagement, visibility, and smart timing. Try it for just a week, and you'll likely see a shift in how people respond to your content and how your community starts to grow around it. Read more here.

Focus on What You Love Again

Remember why you became a marketer? To create breakthrough campaigns and drive real results? But somewhere along the way, things changed.

Today, you can rediscover your passion for marketing. AI can handle the mundane tasks, so you can focus on the work that energizes you and truly matters.

And the AI Business Society can help.

"The AI Business Society has renewed my enthusiasm and given me more confidence to step out and explore more opportunities," said member Carolyn Jeffrey.

Yes, I'm ready to rediscover my marketing passion.

Making Customer Stories Profitable: A Proven Framework

Not every customer story follows the same format or serves the same purpose. Understanding various story types helps you match the right narrative approach to your specific business objectives.

5 Types of Customer Stories to Use In Your Marketing

Switcher Stories

Switcher stories focus on customers who moved from a competitor's solution to yours. These narratives are particularly valuable when you're competing directly against established players in your market. The key elements to capture include why they made the switch, what prompted the decision, and what made your solution the right choice.

These stories prove especially powerful because they address prospects who are inevitably considering similar transitions. Rather than relying on feature comparison charts, switcher stories provide real-world evidence from someone who has experienced both solutions.

Disambiguator Stories

Disambiguator stories help translate your value proposition when entering new markets or appealing to different roles. These narratives take successful implementations from existing markets and make them relevant to new audiences who may not speak the same language or prioritize the same outcomes.

A practical example involves an industrial air filtration company that traditionally served fiberglass manufacturing clients. When COVID created opportunities in the gym market, they needed to translate their compliance-focused messaging into peace-of-mind benefits that gym owners cared about. The same technology that helped manufacturers meet regulatory requirements could help fitness centers provide safe environments for their members.

These stories work by taking existing client successes and reframing them in terms that resonate with new market segments. You can use either existing customer stories that happen to serve new markets or translate current stories to show how your value applies to different industries.

Onboarding and Implementation Stories

Many companies wait until the entire customer relationship has run its course before creating stories. However, for organizations where getting implemented or installed presents challenges for prospects, the onboarding process itself becomes compelling story material.

Implementation stories focus specifically on successful installations, smooth transitions, or effective onboarding experiences. Prospects often worry about the complexity of switching solutions or integrating new systems. Reading about other successful implementations can remove significant barriers to purchase decisions.

Upgrader Stories

Upgrader stories feature customers who decided to move to higher service tiers or premium product levels. These narratives capture why clients made upgrade decisions and how their results improved with enhanced offerings.

These stories serve dual purposes. They can influence new prospects to choose premium options from the start, and they can encourage existing customers to consider upgrades. When current clients read about others achieving better results with premium features, they become more likely to invest in higher-value offerings.

Playbook-Style Stories

Some companies create stories that read more like instructional guides than traditional case studies. Mutiny HQ provides excellent examples of this approach with their customer playbooks. These stories focus on the ingenuity of the client and teach prospects with similar problems how to use your tools to solve challenges.

Rather than positioning your product as the primary solution, playbook stories highlight customer creativity while demonstrating practical applications. They start with clear learning objectives and provide step-by-step insights that prospects can apply to their own situations.

AI Apps Made Easy: Creating Whatever You Can Imagine

Have you ever wished there was a tool that could solve a specific problem in your business but couldn't find one that fit your exact needs? Want to build your own software application but feel overwhelmed by the technical complexity and cost?

When you can create custom AI applications, several powerful opportunities open up for your business. You can develop client-facing tools that guide customers through specific processes more quickly and completely, building in interactive experiences and features that wouldn't be possible with simple resources like Google Docs or basic websites.

These applications can serve as lead magnets, offering prospective clients valuable interactive tools in exchange for their contact information. They can also function as bonuses for program participants or premium offerings that add value to your existing services.

Perhaps most importantly, AI apps can automate workflows that you currently handle manually. Instead of walking clients through processes step by step, you can create applications that guide them through your framework automatically, moving into what's called agentic AI where systems operate independently once properly configured.

3 Real-World Examples of AI Apps Built by a Non-Coding Business Owner

Understanding the potential of AI applications becomes clearer when examining specific examples that address real business challenges. These examples built by Molly Mahoney demonstrate how custom apps can solve problems that traditional tools can't address effectively.

Task Buddy: Transforming Habits into Results

The Task Buddy application emerged from a common problem in coaching programs. Despite providing clients with clear frameworks and templates in Google Docs, many participants weren't consistently implementing the recommended action steps.

The solution involved creating an interactive app that guides users through five daily actions designed to unlock revenue in their businesses. These tasks include setting intentions, connecting with humans using provided message templates, and other specific activities that drive business growth.

The app transforms passive consumption into active engagement. Instead of reading static instructions, users interact with each task, record whether they completed activities, make notes about their progress, and access additional resources through embedded links to training materials.

During coaching calls, when clients report feeling stuck, coaches can immediately access the task tracker to identify whether the problem stems from inconsistent implementation of fundamental activities. This provides objective data for coaching conversations and helps maintain accountability.

Onboarding Map: Eliminating Overwhelm for New Members

The Onboarding Map addresses the universal challenge of overwhelm experienced by new members when joining programs with substantial content libraries. Even with clear email instructions and detailed thank-you pages, people frequently report feeling uncertain about where to begin.

This application creates the feeling of personalized guidance through an interactive quiz that collects information about users' goals, experience levels, and specific interests. Based on their responses, the AI generates a customized journey through the program content.

While all users ultimately start at the same foundational course, the app provides specific recommendations for their unique situation and links them directly to relevant resources within the program portal.

The quiz functionality can be retaken as members' needs evolve, ensuring the guidance remains relevant throughout their journey. This eliminates the common support requests asking, "Where should I start?" while creating a more engaging onboarding experience.

Any business that introduces new clients to complex processes or extensive resources can benefit from this approach, whether it's a golf instruction facility, consulting service, or software platform.

Workbook Magic: Enhancing Learning Through Interaction

The Workbook Magic application tackles the problem of passive learning during workshops, courses, or presentations. Traditional approaches often result in participants taking notes while missing important information, or providing static Google Docs that don't maintain engagement.

Interactive workbooks that participants complete during live sessions create what learning experts call full engagement learning. When attendees actively participate in filling out materials that correspond with the presentation, they retain information more effectively and stay focused throughout the session.

The application provides guided prompts that align with the presentation content, giving participants just enough structure to stay engaged while feeling like active contributors to the learning process. This approach prevents the mental drift that often occurs with passive listening.

Participants report breakthrough moments with concepts they've struggled to understand for months. The interactive format helps complex ideas click in ways that traditional teaching methods couldn't achieve. The bespoke nature of the experience makes each participant feel that the content is specifically designed for their situation.

This enhanced engagement leads to better learning outcomes and higher satisfaction with educational experiences, whether delivered in person or through virtual formats.

🚨 Heads Up, No Talk Show This Week! 🚨

We took a short break, but don't worry! The next Social Media Marketing Talk Show will be back in your inbox on July 14. Mark your calendar for the latest Facebook insights and updates. See you then!

The Easiest Way to Make Custom Visuals for Your Decks

Designing sleek, brand-consistent presentations without a graphic designer can feel impossible, especially when your options are either generic stock icons or hours in Adobe Illustrator (no thanks). But what if you could instantly generate custom, on-brand illustrations—no design degree required?

Nicole Leffer uses ChatGPT's image generator to whip up transparent-background icons tailored to your exact needs (yes, even in your hex-coded brand colors). Whether you're building decks for pitches, reports, or workshops, this approach gives you creative control without the tech headache.

The images work well with any background—dark mode, gradients, or branded templates—making your slides feel polished and professional in seconds.

Curious how to make them yourself, and what to avoid? Read more here.

3 Strategic AI Prompts to Change Your Marketing

Basic ChatGPT usage is everywhere, but it's not what you need to gain serious competitive advantages. Jay Schwedeleson has three prompts to help you with three specific and strategic use cases.

Take Answer Engine Optimization—only 7% of websites are optimized for it, which means when prospects search AI for solutions in your space, your competition probably isn't showing up. But you could be.

Then there's the newsletter intelligence play. Instead of guessing what industry publications matter, there's a systematic way to identify which email newsletters your ideal customers are reading, to understand where attention flows in your market.

And AI-powered account-based marketing that goes way beyond basic lead scoring. Imagine target account lists that would normally take weeks of research, complete with buying signals, tech stack analysis, and contact intelligence—all generated in minutes.

Read more here.

TikTok Prepares U.S.-Specific App Ahead of Proposed Sale: TikTok is reportedly developing a new version of its app tailored for American users, in preparation for a planned sale of its U.S. operations to a consortium of investors. The app is slated to go live on U.S. app stores on September 5, 2025, and current users will eventually be required to switch from the existing version, which remains functional through March 2026, subject to possible adjustment. Reuters

YouTube Studio Advanced Mode Enables Deeper Analytics Customization: YouTube Studio's Advanced Mode gives creators expanded control over content performance analytics. Accessible via the Analytics section or See More on any analytics card, this mode allows users to drill into data by individual videos, playlists, or custom groups. Reports are refined using breakdowns, filters, and selected metrics, and users can compare performance across content or time periods. Charts can be toggled for visual clarity, and customized reports can be saved or exported to Google Sheets or .csv for further analysis. YouTube

Perplexity Max Expands Horizons with Unlimited Labs and Advanced Models: Perplexity has launched Perplexity Max, its top-tier subscription plan priced at $200/month or $2,000/year, tailored for power users, researchers, content creators, and strategists who need unrestricted AI productivity. The plan features unlimited use of Perplexity Labs and enables creation of dashboards, spreadsheets, presentations, and custom web apps without caps. It also offers early access to new tools like the AI browser Comet. Subscribers also gain priority access to advanced AI models such as OpenAI o3‑pro and Claude Opus 4, along with premium support. Max is available now on web and iOS, with Android and desktop support rolling out soon. Perplexity

Instagram Adds Voice Tools, Insights, and Sharing Options: Instagram has rolled out several updates to improve content creation and analytics. New voice enhancement features offer users better control over audio quality with tools for noise reduction and voice clarity. Reels now provide more detailed performance data, including follower growth and engagement-based sorting. Additionally, users on iOS can now share Edits directly to Instagram and Facebook, with flexible export options to save storage space. Android support is expected soon. Meta Creators

Edits Enhances Ideas Tab with Audio and Sticky Note Tools: Edits has introduced a suite of updates to the Ideas tab, aimed at streamlining content planning and creative tracking. Users can now save audio clips, leave sticky notes directly on them, and mark these notes as done when projects are completed. Additional options allow for filtering and sorting stickies by their status or characteristics, helping creators stay organized. A new feature also showcases other Reels made with the same audio, offering inspiration and discovery opportunities. Meta

YouTube Tests Ask Studio AI for Channel Insights: YouTube is testing a new AI assistant called Ask Studio within YouTube Studio, aimed at helping creators better understand their performance data. The tool provides AI-driven summaries of comments, interprets channel analytics, and offers content brainstorming support. Rather than introducing entirely new capabilities, Ask Studio streamlines existing AI features into a single interface for ease of use. Social Media Today

Gemini Brings Still Images to Life With Photo‑to‑Video Animation: Google is introducing a new photo‑to‑video feature in its Gemini app, enabling Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in over 150 countries to convert static images into dynamic eight‑second videos with audio using the Veo 3 model. This update complements Veo 3's prior success—over 40 million short clips created in just seven weeks—demonstrating the model's appeal. Users simply select "Videos," upload a photo, and add prompts and sound instructions to animate everyday scenes, drawings, or nature shots, which can then be shared or downloaded. Gemini also incorporates multiple safety measures, including visible and digital watermarks, ongoing red‑teaming, content filters, and feedback mechanisms to ensure responsible use. Gemini

Perplexity Launches Comet, an AI Browser With Built-In Assistant: Perplexity has introduced Comet, an AI-powered web browser designed to reimagine how users engage with the internet—from passive consumption to intelligent interaction. Built around the Comet Assistant, the browser enables users to ask contextual questions, automate tasks, and manage entire workflows conversationally. With a focus on accuracy and curiosity, Comet acts as an extension of the user's mind, offering proactive support for tasks like research, communication, and decision-making. Comet is available now to Perplexity Max subscribers, with broader invite-based access rolling out this summer. Perplexity

Meta Enhances Partnership Ads API With AI and Format Flexibility: Meta has introduced new features to its Partnership Ads API, including AI-based recommendations for branded content, a flexible ad header format that dynamically optimizes visibility between brands and partners, and improved Instagram-to-Facebook video uploads via ad code. Additionally, the Instagram Content Publishing API now supports Stories and allows up to 100 posts daily across all formats. These enhancements aim to improve monetization workflows for creators and reduce friction for developers working with partnership ads. Meta

Pinterest Shares Men's Trend Report: Pinterest has released its inaugural Men's Trend Report, showing that male users—especially Gen Z (18–27) and Millennials (28–43)—now make up over one-third of its global platform, around 205 million people. These users are gravitating toward positive, authentic content, rejecting toxic social norms and instead focusing on wellness, self-care, style, technology, and finance. Fitness trends like Pilates and rock climbing have seen surges of +300% and +95%, respectively, while grooming and style searches reveal a growing interest in skincare (+45%), male makeup (+50%), beard design (+205%), and alternative fashion aesthetics. Technologically savvy men are exploring 3D printing (+1210%) and AI video (+800%), alongside an increased emphasis on financial planning tools (+620% for investment apps). In response, Pinterest has launched a new "Pinterest Man" profile, a curated hub for trend discovery and shopping in men's lifestyle spaces. Pinterest

YouTube Phase‑Out of Trending Tab to Take Effect July 21, 2025: YouTube will officially retire its Global Trending page and Trending Now list on July 21, 2025, moving toward YouTube Charts—a new system showcasing top content across specific categories such as music, podcasts, and movie trailers. Gaming trends will continue on the Gaming Explore page. The decision reflects the platform's focus on providing personalized recommendations and leveraging AI-driven tools like the Inspiration Tab in YouTube Studio. YouTube notes the Trending page no longer aligns with how users discover viral content, shifting the emphasis toward category-based charts and algorithmic suggestions. Google

YouTube Adds Channel Insights Sharing and Expands Creator Tools: YouTube has launched a new setting in Studio allowing eligible creators to share aggregated channel and audience insights with advertisers and third-party platforms to enhance monetization opportunities. The update supports a new Creator Partnership Hub, where all YouTube Partner Program creators are searchable, with added visibility for those who opt into insights sharing. Additionally, YouTube is enforcing stricter product tagging guidelines for Shopping Affiliate creators, expanding channel membership badges to 10 years, and introducing a "Pull to Refresh" feature for easier content updates on channel pages. YouTube

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We publish updates with links for our new posts and content from partners. Your information: Email: tukangpostoemel@gmail.com Opted in on: 2021-09-06 17:20:47 UTC.