Strut It: Bold Visibility through Instagram Marketing

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Have you ever opened Instagram to post something and immediately started negotiating with yourself? Does this need to be a reel? Would it be better as a carousel? Am I posting enough stories? And when am I supposed to run my actual business? I get it. I run two businesses, I have two kids, and I am not interested in turning every idea into a three-hour content project. But understanding what each format can do for your business makes those decisions so much easier. Today we are talking about reels, carousels, and stories: how they are different, when to use them, and how they can work together to help you get discovered, build connection, and invite people into your offers.

INSTAGRAM UPDATE WORTH KNOWING

Recorded Monday, October 26th, 2026: Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, announced that Instagram has launched longer videos up to 90 minutes long. You can now watch them on your phone and on the Instagram TV app, which works on smart TVs. Horizontal video is now fully supported, meaning you can turn your phone sideways to watch in landscape just like YouTube. This is a major play by Instagram to compete with YouTube’s market share on TV screens. If you have a podcast with video, a masterclass, or long-form content, this is a new opportunity to repurpose and distribute it on Instagram. That said, reels, carousels, and stories are still 100% where Elizabeth recommends small business owners focus their energy for growth right now.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 01:58 Instagram breaking news: longer videos up to 90 minutes now live on Instagram and what it means for small business owners
• 09:14 Start here before choosing a format: what do you want your content to do and who needs to hear it?
• 12:47 Reels: why they still have the highest reach rate for accounts under 50,000 followers and how to use them to get discovered
• 18:33 The “who would my ideal customer send this to?” test and why sharability is a key growth metric
• 22:06 Carousels: why engagement is slightly higher than reels right now, the second-slide second-chance feature, and when to use this format
• 30:48 Stories: why they reach your warmest audience, what the 88% rise in Story replies means, and how to use stories for connection and offers
• 38:17 How one customer question can become a reel, carousel, and Stories post and how to find the right content mix for you

LINKS MENTIONED

• Watch my episode onSocial Media Examiner: Making Instagram Reels Easier, Faster & Scalable
• DMs to Dollars Course
• Free DM Automation Guide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free DM me the word LEADS on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide
• Hot Reels My 12-month Instagram content lab
• Apply for a Complimentary Instagram Breakthrough Session
• Part 1 Ep140: 5 Instagram Growth Hacks You’re Missing

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

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If you are a business owner who has been showing up on Instagram, creating content, and wondering when this is actually going to bring you more clients and customers, today’s episode is for you. I am sharing five things I wish I had known when I first started using Instagram for my business, along with some things I am coaching my clients through right now.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• Hack 1: Get clear on your offer and who you are helping and why this is the foundation of everything that follows
• Hack 2: Go narrow with your messaging and how specificity is what makes a total stranger stop scrolling
• Hack 3: Know what happens after someone finds you and why most business owners have no answer to this question
• Hack 4: Give growth time but be willing to take new actions and what the difference looks like in practice
• Hack 5: Use Instagram to build relationships and how to pitch a collaboration even when you think your account is too small

LINKS MENTIONED

• DMs to Dollars Course
• Free DM Automation Guide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free DM me the word LEADS on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide
• Hot Reels My 12-month Instagram content lab
• Apply for a Complimentary Instagram Breakthrough Session

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

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I am so excited for today’s conversation because we are talking about something I get asked about all the time: LinkedIn. Specifically, how to take the content you are already creating on Instagram and use it to build visibility and authority on LinkedIn without starting from scratch. My guest today is Michelle J Raymond, a globally recognized B2B LinkedIn strategist, founder of B2B Growth Co, international speaker, and co-author of two books on LinkedIn. She has spent over two decades in B2B sales and built one of the most practical, no-hype LinkedIn podcasts available today. What I love most about Michelle is that she is not going to tell you to abandon Instagram or that LinkedIn is better. She is going to show you how the two platforms work together to build a business that gets found by more of the right people.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 04:52 Why LinkedIn is no longer just for corporate job seekers and why small business owners and coaches are leaving serious money on the table by ignoring it
• 10:18 The key difference between Instagram and LinkedIn audiences and why the same person behaves differently on each platform
• 16:35 How to repurpose your best Instagram content for LinkedIn without it feeling recycled or out of place
• 22:47 What the LinkedIn algorithm rewards right now and why it is actually easier to get organic reach on LinkedIn than Instagram in 2026
• 29:14 The Power of Two: Michelle’s signature framework for how personal profiles and company pages work together to amplify your LinkedIn results
• 34:58 The biggest mistakes small business owners and coaches make when they try LinkedIn and how to avoid them
• 41:22 Michelle’s practical starting point for anyone who wants to get going on LinkedIn without adding hours to their content calendar

ABOUT OUR GUEST: Michelle J Raymond

Michelle J Raymond is a globally recognised B2B LinkedIn strategist, founder of B2B Growth Co, international speaker, and co-author of two books on LinkedIn strategy: Business Gold and The LinkedIn Branding Book: Power of Two. With over two decades in B2B sales and more than a decade specialising in LinkedIn, Michelle helps businesses and entrepreneurs turn LinkedIn into a trusted, practical channel for growth. She hosts Social Media for B2B Growth, one of the most respected LinkedIn strategy podcasts globally, and is known for practical, no-hype advice that actually works.

• http://b2bgrowthco.com
• Michelle J Raymond on LinkedIn
• Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast
• Business Gold book and The LinkedIn Branding Book: Power of Two

LINKS MENTIONED

• DMs to Dollars Course
• Free DM Automation Guide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free DM me the word LEADS on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide
• Hot Reels My 12-month Instagram content lab
• Apply for a Complimentary Instagram Breakthrough Session

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

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I am so excited for today’s conversation because it is one of my favorite kinds of episodes to record: a real, honest client success story told by the person who lived it. I am sitting down with Talia Schneiderman, a multi-passionate entrepreneur, Meisner-trained actress and acting teacher turned creative identity mentor, millennial mom of two, and someone who has spent the last 12 months in private mentorship with me building her coaching business from the ground up. And I mean the ground up. When we started working together, Talia did not yet have a clearly defined audience, a signature offer, a way to accept payments, or a finished framework. What she had was the desire to build something real and the willingness to keep going even when it got hard. And it did get hard. Today she is going to share the honest version of that journey.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 06:00 How Talia found Elizabeth through a podcast interview and the moment of recognition that made her send the DM
• 11:30 What Talia’s life and business looked like when she first stepped into private mentorship and why she chose to get support before she had it all figured out
• 18:00 What they built in the first 90 days: target market research, her first coaching offer, business systems, and her first paying clients
• 24:30 When things got hard: the self-doubt, comparison, and temptation to pivot that arrived in the middle of the journey
• 31:00 The breadcrumb from a research interview that led Talia back to her Meisner acting background and changed the direction of her entire offer
• 38:00 What Talia’s coaching business looks like today and the offer she has built that finally feels completely like hers
• 44:30 Why Talia says she needed a business mentor and not another business partner and what that distinction made possible

LINKS MENTIONED

• Talia’s Instagram
• Talia's website
• Apply to work with Talia
• DMs to Dollars Course
• Free DM Automation Guide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free DM me the word LEADS on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide
• Hot Reels My 12-month Instagram content lab
• Apply for a Complimentary Instagram Breakthrough Session

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

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I am sitting down with Keenya Kelly, a video and social media strategist who turned short-form video marketing into a seven-figure business. Keenya has helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs build brands on TikTok and Instagram, she has spoken on stages at Fortune 500 events and entrepreneurial summits, and she is one of the most energetic and knowledgeable people I know when it comes to making real money from short-form video content. Today we are talking specifically about TikTok: what the platform is doing right now in 2026, how small business owners can finally start treating it as a revenue stream instead of just a content channel, and the five ways Keenya sees entrepreneurs leaving money on the table every single week.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 04:18 How Keenya turned TikTok into a seven-figure business and what she sees most entrepreneurs getting wrong about the platform
• 09:45 Why TikTok is a discovery engine and Instagram is a nurturing platform and why you need both working together
• 14:32 Revenue stream 1: TikTok Shop and how small business owners are generating passive income directly inside the app
• 20:11 Revenue stream 2: TikTok Live and the underrated power of live selling for coaches, product sellers, and service providers
• 26:44 Revenue stream 3: brand partnerships and creator programs and what you actually need to qualify
• 31:08 Revenue stream 4: driving traffic to your own offers through strategic content and DM automation
• 37:22 Revenue stream 5: repurposing TikTok content across platforms to multiply your reach without multiplying your effort

ABOUT OUR GUEST: KEENYA KELLY

Keenya Kelly is a video and social media strategist, keynote speaker, and the woman who turned short-form video marketing into a seven-figure business. She has helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs build brands on TikTok, Instagram, and beyond, and is known for her high-energy teaching style and practical, results-driven approach. She is a sought-after keynote speaker who has presented to Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial summits, and hosts The Download, her weekly newsletter on what is actually turning content into clients and cash.

• https://www.keenyakelly.com
• Keenya on Instagram @keenyakelly
• Keenya on TikTok @keenyakelly

LINKS MENTIONED

• DMs to Dollars Course Use code BIRTHDAY at checkout to get $200 off through Sunday, October 4th at 11:59pm MT
• Free DM Automation Guide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free DM me the word LEADS on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide
• Hot Reels My 12-month Instagram content lab
• Apply for a Complimentary Instagram Breakthrough Session

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

Are you still telling people to click the link in your bio? Or maybe you are dropping your full URL into your caption? No judgment, but there is a much easier way to share your most important links with your audience. Today I am showing you how I leverage DM automation to turn Instagram comments and interactions into leads and sales. And I have a pretty freaking fabulous birthday surprise waiting for you at the end of today's episode. You are not going to want to miss it.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 04:10 What DM automation actually is and why it is one of the most powerful tools in your Instagram marketing system
• 06:59 How keyword automations work in practice and the exact setup Elizabeth uses for her free Instagram visibility jumpstart kit
• 14:19 Why DM automation outperforms "link in bio" and how reducing friction leads directly to more sales
• 18:37 What you can send through DM automation: lead magnets, product links, calendar links, podcast episodes, promo codes, and more
• 23:17 The two funnel types every beginner should know: the simple link funnel and the email collection funnel
• 29:30 Why you do not need thousands of followers or comments for DM automation to work for your business
• 34:39 The birthday gift: introducing DMs to Dollars

LINKS MENTIONED

• DMs to Dollars Course Use code BIRTHDAY at checkout to get $200 off through Sunday, October 4th at 11:59pm MT
• Free DM Automation Guide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free DM me the word LEADS on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide
• Hot Reels My 12-month Instagram content lab
• Apply for a Complimentary Instagram Breakthrough Session
• Part 1 Ep134: The Key to Making Money on Instagram
• Part 2 Ep135: The Instagram Sales Funnel I Used to Build Two Six-Figure Businesses Without Paid Ads

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

Last week I kicked off this two-part series on the key to making money on Instagram by walking you through why most business owners are missing a clear path from their content to their offer. Today I am pulling back the curtain on the exact Instagram sales funnel I have used to build two six-figure businesses without spending a single dollar on paid ads. I am going to show you what this funnel looks like in practice, how to build it for your specific business, and what to do if you already have great content but it is still not converting.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 03:14 The exact five-step Instagram sales funnel Elizabeth has used to build two six-figure businesses without paid ads
• 09:28 How to choose the right lead magnet for your business and why most people pick the wrong one
• 15:42 How ManyChat connects your content to your funnel automatically and why it is the most important tool in this system
• 21:07 What to do in the first 48 hours after someone joins your email list and why this window matters more than any other
• 27:33 The three places on Instagram where your offer should live and why most people only use one of them
• 33:19 How to audit your current Instagram marketing in 20 minutes to find exactly where people are falling out of your funnel
• 38:45 The mindset shift that ties the whole system together: you are not posting content, you are running a marketing system

LINKS MENTIONED

• Hot Reels My 12-month Instagram content lab. DM me the word HOT on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Apply for a Complimentary Instagram Breakthrough Session
• Free DM Automation Guide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free DM me the word LEADS on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

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I want to talk about something that I think is one of the most misunderstood parts of Instagram marketing for small business owners. People come to me all the time saying: I am posting, I have a great offer, I know my audience, so why is Instagram not making me any money? And what I have found, after coaching hundreds of business owners, is that the answer is almost never what they expect. It is not a better hook. It is not more reels. It is not a new trending audio. It is almost always one of two things: either they do not have a clear path for people to take from their content to their offer, or they have the path but they are not showing people how to walk it. Today I am kicking off a two-part series on the key to actually making money on Instagram. Not just growing followers, not just getting views, but turning your content into consistent revenue.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 03:22 Why most business owners are missing a clear path from their content to their offer and what that costs them in revenue every single month
• 07:45 What a customer journey actually is and how to map yours from total stranger to paying client
• 13:10 The three types of content every Instagram account needs and why most people are only creating one of them
• 19:38 How to use DM automation to turn your most popular content into an always-on lead generation system
• 25:14 Why your call to action matters more than your hook and the most common CTA mistakes Elizabeth sees
• 29:52 The Instagram profile audit: the five things your profile must do before any content will convert
• 36:07 Your homework: map your own customer journey from first touch to paid offer in five steps

LINKS MENTIONED

• Hot Reels: My 12-month Instagram content lab. DM me the word HOT on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Apply for a Complimentary Instagram Breakthrough Session
• Free DM Automation Guide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free DM me the word LEADS on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

If you have ever wondered whether you are ready to run Meta ads, or whether ads are going to save your business or just speed up your losses, today's episode is for you. I am sitting down with Jenn Possick, known as The Ads Maven, a Facebook and Instagram ads strategist who has been in this space since 2015. She has helped hundreds of coaches, course creators, and service-based business owners grow their email lists, fuel their launches, and attract more clients using paid ads.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 05:17 The honest question every business owner needs to answer before running a single Meta ad and why Jenn will tell you to wait if you are not ready
• 10:42 What it means to have a proven offer and why ads cannot fix a funnel that is not converting organically first
• 16:08 The four things you need to have in place before Meta ads will work for your business
• 21:33 What is actually working in Meta ads in 2026: lead generation ads, list building, and the Instagram DM ad format that is changing the game
• 28:54 How organic Instagram content and paid Meta ads work together to create a marketing system that compounds
• 34:11 The minimum budget Jenn recommends for small business owners who are just starting with ads
• 40:22 The biggest mistakes business owners make when they start running ads too early or with the wrong expectation

ABOUT OUR GUEST: JENN POSSICK

Jenn Possick, known as The Ads Maven, is a Facebook and Instagram ads strategist, speaker, and consultant who has been helping coaches, course creators, and service-based business owners grow their email lists and attract more clients using paid ads since 2015. A former elementary school teacher, Jenn brings a step-by-step, easy-to-understand approach to an often overwhelming subject. She has helped clients generate masterclass sign-ups for as low as $1.89 per person and has worked with six and seven-figure business owners across multiple industries.

• http://jennpossick.com
• Jenn on Instagram @jennpossick
• Launch Fuel Jenn's signature ads course for coaches and course creators

HOT REELS IS OPEN

Hot Reels is officially open for enrollment and this is the last time it will be offered at the current investment. Here is what is included:

• Live coaching twice a month on Zoom
• Weekly trending content idea with exact hook formulas and AI implementation workflows
• Up to two pieces of content reviewed per week inside the private community
• Active coaching support Monday through Thursday
• A program capped at 20 business owners so Elizabeth knows your name, your business, and what you are working toward
• A private bonus coaching session for everyone who enrolls during this launch

Current investment: $444 per month or $4,444 paid in full. This investment increases at the next enrollment.

Enroll in Hot Reels now

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

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If you have been using AI to create content and it still is not converting into sales, you are not alone and you are not doing it wrong. You are just missing one crucial ingredient. Today I am sitting down with Molly Mahoney, known as The Prepared Performer, a digital marketing strategist who launched the world's first AI-focused content membership back in 2021, long before AI became everyone's favorite buzzword. She has built a seven-figure business entirely on organic content, she has had videos reach 39 million views, and she is one of the most brilliant people I know when it comes to blending AI strategy with genuine human connection.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 05:14 What buying beliefs are and why they are the missing ingredient in most AI content strategies
• 09:38 How to use AI to uncover the hidden objections and fears standing between your ideal client and a buying decision
• 14:22 The awareness ladder: unaware, problem aware, solution aware, most aware and how to create content for each stage
• 19:45 Why most business owners are only creating content for people who are already ready to buy and what they are missing
• 26:03 How Molly uses ManyChat automation to move people through the awareness stages and into sales conversations
• 33:17 The exact AI prompt framework Molly uses to train AI on buyer psychology before creating any content
• 39:52 Why your weird is your superpower and how authenticity is what separates AI content that converts from content that just sounds good

LINKS MENTIONED

• The Perfect Person Profile Creator
• http://thepreparedperformer.com
• http://mollymahoney.com
• Molly on Instagram
• AI Content Club Molly's AI content membership
• Enroll in Hot Reels now
• ManyChat The DM automation platform both Elizabeth and Molly use and recommend

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

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Today is a special episode. I am celebrating 16 years in business and I want to do something a little different. Instead of teaching you a strategy or walking you through a framework, I want to sit down with you the way I would sit down with a good friend over coffee and share the things I know now that I wish I had known sooner. The lessons that changed my business, my mindset, and honestly my life. We are talking about Instagram, we are talking about coaching, we are talking about what growth actually looks and feels like from the inside. And I am also sharing a very exciting announcement: Hot Reels is officially open for enrollment. This is the last time I will be offering it at this investment level.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 02:47 16 years of business in 16 minutes: the pivotal lessons Elizabeth has learned about growth, visibility, and staying in the game
• 08:14 Why your business can only grow as fast as you grow and the identity work that nobody talks about in marketing podcasts
• 13:22 The moment Elizabeth almost quit Instagram and what she did instead
• 17:55 Why investing in coaching has been the single biggest ROI decision in Elizabeth's business, every single time
• 22:08 The Hot Reels enrollment announcement: what is included, what has changed, and why this is the last enrollment at this investment level
• 28:36 What the next 16 years will look like and the vision Elizabeth has for her business and her clients
• 33:14 A love letter to the business owner who is still figuring it out

HOT REELS IS OPEN

Hot Reels is officially open for enrollment and this is the last time it will be offered at the current investment. Here is what is included:

• Live coaching twice a month on Zoom
• Weekly trending content idea with exact hook formulas and AI implementation workflows
• Up to two pieces of content reviewed per week inside the private community
• Active coaching support Monday through Thursday
• A program capped at 20 business owners so Elizabeth knows your name, your business, and what you are working toward
• A private bonus coaching session for everyone who enrolls during this launch

Current investment: $444 per month or $4,444 paid in full. This investment increases at the next enrollment.

Enroll in Hot Reels now

LINKS MENTIONED:

Join Hot Reels Here:

Descript (video editor)

My Social Media Marketing Podcast Interview:

Listen

Watch

Read: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/new-ways-to-expand-reach-and-engagement-on-instagram

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

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Today I want to answer the question every entrepreneur quietly asks themselves: can I actually do this? I am introducing you to my Hot Reels graduate, Dani Alvarez. When Dani first joined Hot Reels, she did not know how to make a reel. She was not comfortable on camera. She did not know what a trending audio was, and she seriously questioned whether Instagram was ever going to work for her business. Fast forward one year later: she had grown her audience from around 1,800 to more than 22,000 followers, created multiple viral reels including one with more than 15 million views, and added over $100,000 in revenue to her business. This is not really a story about Instagram. It is a story about what becomes possible when you commit to mastering one skill long enough for it to change not just your marketing, but your confidence, your identity, and your business.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• 09:45 Why commitment is the biggest thing standing between where you are today and where you want to be
• 10:44 Meet Dani Alvarez: beverage burro business owner, homeschool mom, and Hot Reels graduate who grew from 1,800 to 22,000 followers and added $100,000 in revenue in one year
• 15:01 Dani in her own words: what it felt like the first time she got on camera and why she almost cried posting her first reel
• 20:48 The 90-day plateau before the breakthrough: how Dani posted consistently for three months with almost no results before one reel hit six million views
• 24:09 The unexpected opportunity Instagram created: how Dani and a business partner launched an entirely new coaching business for farm and beverage animal owners around the world
• 27:36 How Elizabeth landed a live international TV segment on one of the biggest UK morning shows because a producer found her on Instagram
• 30:28 The series wrap-up: five lessons, five client stories, one invitation

Links Mentioned:

• Hot Reels VIP Wait List — enrollment opens Monday, August 17th. Join the wait list for first access and an exclusive private coaching bonus
• Apply for a private Instagram Breakthrough Session
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide
• Part 1 Ep126: The Truth About Instagram Growth in 2026
• Part 2 Ep127: Why Your Instagram Content Isn't Turning Followers Into Clients
• Part 3 Ep128: The Biggest Instagram Mistake That's Repelling Your Dream Clients
• Part 4 Ep129: How to Make Money on Instagram Without Thousands of Followers
• 93: How She Made $100K from Instagram in Under 12 Months with Dani Alvarez (A Hot Reels Success Story)

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

If I could wave a magic wand right now and give you one of two things: tomorrow morning you wake up and your Instagram account has 50,000 new followers, or tomorrow morning you wake up with an additional $100,000 in revenue for your business.

Which one would you choose?

Today I am sharing two stories that illustrate exactly what I mean, and I am answering the question every business owner is really asking: how does Instagram actually make me money?

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 06:35 Why you do not need a huge audience to make serious money on Instagram and what actually determines whether followers convert into revenue
• 08:26 Meet Martine: a Pilates studio owner with fewer than 1,000 followers who made $3,000 in a single day from two clients who had been quietly watching her content for months
• 11:18 Meet Amber: a burnout recovery coach and former veterinarian who built a marketing system that turned her Instagram visibility into consistent leads and a $12,000 client
• 15:57 The framework Elizabeth teaches inside Hot Reels: visibility leads to trust, trust leads to action, action leads to revenue
• 21:22 How the $12,000 client found Amber, what the funnel looked like, and why it felt like the easiest sale she had ever made
• 26:27 Why every interaction with your content is a deposit into the trust bank and how that compounds into predictable revenue over time
• 31:05 Why you do not get an award for doing it by yourself and what Amber says about the real value of coaching and implementation

CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES

Martine
Martine owns a Pilates studio in Seattle. When her breakthrough moment happened, she had fewer than 1,000 Instagram followers. No viral video, no influencer status. Just a business owner who consistently showed up and shared content that resonated with her ideal Pilates client. Two potential clients reached out on the same day after quietly watching her content for months. Between those two sales, she generated $3,000 in a single day entirely from her Instagram marketing efforts.

Amber
Amber is a burnout and stress recovery coach and former veterinarian of 17 years who helps high achievers, creatives, and vet med professionals heal from burnout. When she came to Elizabeth, she was speaking to everyone and seeing no traction. Together they refined her messaging and audience specifically toward veterinarians, built out a masterclass funnel, and Amber closed a $12,000 client from the very first time she ran it. Since recording her podcast interview, she ran a second masterclass that drew over 150 sign-ups. The funnel is working.

Links Mentioned:

• Hot Reels VIP Wait List — enrollment opens Monday, August 17th. Join the wait list for first access and an exclusive private coaching bonus
• Apply for a private Instagram Breakthrough Session
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

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Have you ever spent 20 minutes writing the perfect Instagram caption, carefully choosing every word, making sure you sounded knowledgeable, only to post it and hear crickets?

Then five minutes later, someone posts a reel that feels almost ridiculously simple, and somehow it takes off. People are commenting, sharing it, booking with them. And you find yourself wondering: how is that content outperforming mine? Mine is so much more valuable.

After coaching hundreds of entrepreneurs across dozens of industries, I've noticed something fascinating — the people with the most expertise are often the ones who struggle the most to communicate it. Not because they aren't brilliant, but because they've forgotten what it feels like to not know what they know. Today I'm sharing the story of my Hot Reels client Christa Rypins, and the messaging shift that completely changed how she creates content.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 07:28 What the "curse of expertise" is and why the more experience you have, the more likely you are to fall into this trap
• 10:55 Why people don't hire the smartest expert. They hire the person who makes them feel understood
• 12:16 Meet Christa Rypins: chronic pain specialist, Hot Reels client, and the messaging shift that changed everything
• 18:23 Why bite-sized educational tips aren't enough and the courage it takes to speak to the problem instead of the solution
• 21:14 Your homework: how to find your next five hooks using the exact words of your ideal client
• 25:45 The client who quietly watched Christa's content for months and what finally made her hire
• 33:27 Three lessons to take away from Christa's story

LINKS MENTIONED

• Hot Reels VIP Wait List — enrollment opens Monday, August 17th. Join the wait list for first access and an exclusive private coaching bonus
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide
• Christa Rypins' Website
• Christa on Instagram @christarypins
• Christa's previous Strut It interview Ep113

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

Have you ever looked at your Instagram and thought — I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do. I'm posting consistently, I'm showing my face, I'm making reels. People even comment that my content is helpful. So why isn't anyone actually converting into a paying client or customer? If that's you, you're not crazy and you're not alone. Today I want to challenge one of the biggest misconceptions floating around the online business world: that if you just create enough content, the sales will eventually come. And today I'm sharing the story of one of my Hot Reels graduates who learned that lesson firsthand. She went from feeling completely defeated by Instagram to getting 7x more reel views and attracting clients directly from her content.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 04:03 Why consistency alone isn't enough and the real reason content isn't converting into clients
• 05:26 The most important question to ask before you film anything: what is the job of this piece of content?
• 08:11 Meet Caroline Hull: podcast strategist, Hot Reels graduate, and someone who had the expertise but couldn't get Instagram to work for her business
• 12:43 Why attention without clarity rarely becomes revenue and the four things your profile must communicate instantly
• 18:43 Caroline's client story: thousands of podcast downloads, zero conversions and the content shift that changed everything
• 21:33 Caroline's Hot Reels results: 7x reel views, increased engagement, and her highest revenue month since her brand pivot
• 24:28 Why a million views on the wrong message produces less revenue than 5,000 views to the right person

LINKS MENTIONED

• Hot Reels VIP Wait List — enrollment opens Monday, August 17th. Join the wait list for first access and an exclusive private coaching bonus
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

If you posted content consistently for five straight months and your follower count barely moved, would you keep going? Would you keep showing up every week if it felt like nobody was watching? Today I'm sharing the story of one of my Hot Reels clients who did exactly that. She joined my program with about 2,500 followers and a totally dormant account she hadn't posted on for years. She spent the first few months of Hot Reels wondering if any of it was working. By the end of our year together, she grew to more than 70,000 followers. If you've ever felt like you're posting, trying, learning, showing up, and still wondering if Instagram is even worth it anymore for your business, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• 01:36 What this new 5-part series is all about (real client stories, real strategies, real data)
• 06:34 The yellow pages analogy: why Instagram is the greatest marketing opportunity small business owners have ever had
• 13:41 The mindset that allowed me to post every day for over a year with little to no growth and keep going anyway
• 17:21 Meet Asli Wade: seven-figure Etsy seller, handmade gift creator, and Hot Reels graduate
• 22:27 The truth about what Asli's growth actually looked like — five months of almost nothing
• 28:34 Why the viral reel revealed the foundation she spent months building, not the other way around
• 30:02 Why I cap Hot Reels at 20 business owners and what close-proximity coaching actually changes

LINKS MENTIONED

• SHOP for Heartfelt Personalized Gifts handcrafted by Asli Wade HERE
• Asli Wade's previous Strut It interview — Ep61
• Hot Reels VIP Wait List — enrollment opens Monday, August 17th. Join the wait list for first access and an exclusive private coaching bonus
• Free Monetize Your IG Guide

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

I am so excited to bring on one of the leading Instagram strategists for business owners — Michelle Gifford. She helps six and seven-figure brands grow their audience, sell out their offers, and generate real revenue through Instagram. She's also a coach, agency owner, podcast host of The Social Strategist, and a mother of five proving every day that it's possible to build a thriving business without sacrificing what matters most.

When I invited Michelle onto the show, I knew we'd be talking Instagram strategy. What I didn't expect was how deep we'd go into the mindset behind building a successful business on Instagram. Grab your notebook.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 03:15 How Michelle went from teaching photography as a business to becoming one of the leading Instagram strategists for six and seven-figure brands
• 05:07 The moment Michelle realized she wasn't growing on Instagram even though she was teaching it, and exactly what she changed
• 07:30 Why sitting on the fence wastes more time and energy than just deciding to go all in
• 08:23 How to use Instagram results as information instead of validation
• 09:22 The two types of Instagram users every business owner needs to recognize and the decision point each of them faces
• 10:19 Why Instagram now rewards the best content creators and why that's actually a gift
• 11:17 The identity mindset shift required when you move from Instagram consumer to Instagram business owner
• 16:20 What's working for organic Instagram growth right now: carousels, reels, and the share rate metric you need to watch
• 18:44 The content test Michelle uses before posting anything: save it, share it, or watch all the way through
• 20:59 How to keep people watching reels all the way through: layered hooks, visual movement, and ruthless editing
• 22:21 How long your reels should actually be and why Michelle uses a "mini skirt" rule
• 23:20 Why not all content has to go viral and how to separate attract, nurture, and sell content
• 30:17 How Michelle runs a business and creates content with five kids, a dog, and two cats
• 35:36 How Michelle uses AI including Claude Co-Work for competitor analysis and Instagram content research
• 39:05 How Claude Co-Work opens a Chrome browser and analyzes Instagram accounts in real time
• 41:00 How Michelle uses AI to automate daily social media news briefings and podcast guest thank-you emails
• 41:52 Michelle's Descript workflow for podcast editing

LINKS MENTIONED

• Hot Reels (my 12-month Instagram content lab):
• Michelle Gifford's Website:
• Michelle on Instagram:
• The Social Strategist Podcast:
• Michelle AI (Michelle's custom GPT):

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

Today I'm pulling back the curtain and sharing seven ways I've been using AI behind the scenes every single week to market my business, generate leads, increase sales, and save hours of work. Because when I'm learning a new tool or strategy, I don't just want the theory. I want to see how someone is actually using it inside a real business. This is the final episode of our four-part AI series, and it's the most practical one yet.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• 00:44 Series recap — the biggest AI mistakes, using AI without losing your voice, and the AI Thought Partner document from Part 3
• 05:18 Way #1: Creating speaker kits and media kits — how Claude designed a 3-page editorial PDF speaker kit in a fraction of the time
• 08:32 Way #2: Reviewing and improving sales pages — how AI acts as a fresh set of eyes to spot blind spots, redundancies, and missed opportunities
• 10:19 Why AI recommendations aren't always right — and why the thought leader seat always stays with you
• 11:15 Way #3: Competitor analysis and positioning — using AI to understand the landscape without copying anyone
• 13:59 Way #4: Repurposing the podcast into multiple marketing assets — how one transcript becomes a newsletter, LinkedIn post, Instagram stories, carousels, hooks, and more
• 16:25 Way #5: Capturing ideas before they disappear — how Elizabeth uses the voice memo function on walks, in the car, and in the shower
• 20:08 Way #6: Speaking proposals and pricing research — using AI to position pitches and research market rates
• 21:55 Way #7: Supporting coaching delivery, client onboarding, and organization
• 26:34About the live workshop: Build YourAI Thought Partner

Links Mentioned:

• Build Your AI Thought Partner Workshop
• Part 1 (Ep121): Everyone Has AI. Here's How to Stand Out Anyway.The 3 biggest AI mistakes small business owners make — and the mindset shift that changes everything.
• Part 2 (Ep122): The 4 Things AI Needs From YouYour stories, opinions, client stories, and perspective — the human elements AI can't manufacture.
• Part 3 (Ep123): The Marketing Asset That Saves Me 10 Hours a WeekThe 5 categories of the AI Thought Partner document and why it's more valuable than any funnel.

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

Today I'm sharing something that sounds a little boring on paper but has changed everything about how I use AI. It's not a funnel, it's not a sales page, and it's not a complex system. It's a single living document. And it has become one of the most valuable marketing assets I've built in the last two years. If you've ever felt like AI gives you generic, forgettable content, this episode is going to show you exactly why that's happening and what to fix in your strategy moving forward.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 04:57 Why I built my AI Thought Partner document — and why it's more valuable than any funnel or sales page I've created
• 06:24 The exhausting mistake most business owners are making with AI: starting from zero every single time
• 07:49 What an AI Thought Partner document actually is — and why it's a living, breathing asset
• 10:00 Category 1: High-level business overview — who you are, what you do, what makes you different
• 11:51 Category 2: Your target audience — what keeps them up at 2am, what they desire, what they fear
• 14:14 Why being a paid user of both Claude and ChatGPT means this document goes everywhere with you
• 14:44 Category 3: Your offers — what you sell, who it's for, what objections people have before buying
• 18:27 Category 4: Your brand voice — why a list of adjectives isn't enough and what to do instead
• 19:24 Category 5: Your stories — your founder story, client wins, lessons learned, and the moments that shaped your perspective
• 21:14 About the live workshop: Build Your AI Thought Partner

Links Mentioned:

• Build Your AI Thought Partner Workshop
• Part 1 → Ep121: Everyone Has AI. Here's How to Stand Out Anyway.
• Hot Reels — my 12-month Instagram content lab. DM methe word HOT on @elizabethmarberry
• Free DM AutomationGuide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free — DM me the word LEADS on @elizabethmarberry
• FreeMonetize YourIG Guide

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.

Send us Fan Mail

Every reel, every caption, every time you show your face on camera — you're building something you can't fully see yet. You never know where all of this will lead until you get into action and start finding your voice.

This is part two of my four-part series on how to use AI to market and grow your business on social media without losing what makes you you. Last week I covered the three biggest AI mistakes small business owners make. Today I'm diving into the four things AI actually needs from you if you want your content to stand out instead of blend in.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

• 01:19 Why Elizabeth is speaking to 150 people in Cincinnati — and what it proves about content compounding over time
• 02:44 Why most small business owners are under-leveraging AI even though everyone is using it
• 03:36 A quick recap of Part 1 — the three biggest AI mistakes (and how to avoid them)
• 04:32 The missing ingredient in most people's AI content strategy: the human element
• 05:00 Thing #1: Your stories — why your lived experience is the raw material of your brand
• 06:52 Thing #2: Your opinions — where thought leadership actually lives
• 09:34 Thing #3: Your client stories — what AI will never know unless you tell it
• 11:50 Thing #4: Your perspective — the differentiator AI can't replicate
• 13:44 Your homework this week: how to build your Story Vault in a Google Doc
• 15:34 What's coming in Part 3 — the exact document Elizabeth built to train AI on her brand
• 15:59 About the live workshop: Build Your AI Thought Partner

YOUR HOMEWORK: BUILD YOUR STORY VAULT

Open a Google Doc this week and create a document called My Story Vault. Add these four headings:

• Stories from my life (mistakes, wins, pivotal moments, childhood memories that connect to your work)
• Client success stories (transformations, results, things clients have said to you)
• Things I believe (your hot takes, opinions, frameworks, things you'd push back on in your industry)
• Questions my audience asks (the same questions you hear on sales calls, in DMs, in emails — every week)

Add five items under each heading. That's it. Once you start feeding this into your AI conversations, the quality of everything it creates for you will shift dramatically.

Links Mentioned:

• Build Your AI Thought Partner Workshop
• Part 1 → Ep121: Everyone Has AI. Here's How to Stand Out Anyway.
• Hot Reels — my 12-month Instagram content lab. DM methe word HOT on @elizabethmarberry
• Free DM AutomationGuide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free — DM me the word LEADS on @elizabethmarberry
• FreeMonetize YourIG Guide

WORK WITH ELIZABETH MARBERRY

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

Please be sure to rate, review and follow the show on Apple podcasts (or wherever you find your podcasts) so we can get this free value to other people who need it.