The Trial Reels Strategy That Actually Works for Local Businesses

What to Post This Week: 3 Content Ideas Small Businesses Can Create Right Now

Three content ideas, three different goals. And all of them are ones you can actually create this week. In this "What to Post This Week" episode, Kat breaks down three content formats that will help you show off your personality, highlight your products or services, and connect with your audience in a real, human way. What you'll learn 👀 * Video carousels are a newer format where each slide is a short looping b-roll clip (and they're performing really well right now) * The "Hills I Will Die On" hook is a great way to share your bold beliefs and differentiate yourself from competitors * How adding a location qualifier makes content even more powerful for your local business * A fun Wipe the Camera trend that is a simple before-and-after format that works for both product and service-based businesses (and it's more beginner-friendly than it looks) Get tutorials, audio links, and templates to make these posts: https://socialkatmedia.com/what-to-post-this-week-3-content-ideas-small-businesses-can-create-right-now/ [https://socialkatmedia.com/what-to-post-this-week-3-content-ideas-small-businesses-can-create-right-now/] Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave 5 stars! ☆ Join the Social with Kat Club: Fun & effective content prompts, coaching, and community for small business owners https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals] ☺ Connect with Kat: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/ [https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/] * Threads: https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia [https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/] ☺ Free Resources to Help Your Small Business: https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals]

The Trial Reels Strategy That Actually Works for Local Businesses

You've seen the headlines: "I grew 3,000 followers this month from trial reels!" but is that actually a strategy small businesses can replicate? In this episode, Kat breaks down the truth about trial reels, why the creators hyping them aren't telling the whole story, and what a realistic, time-smart trial reels approach actually looks like for makers, service providers, and local businesses. Key Takeaways: * The creators growing thousands of followers from trial reels are talking about trial reels — that's not a repeatable strategy for your business * Follower count isn't currency for small businesses; a random follower in another country can't book your massage or shop at your store * Trial reels require 1,000+ followers to access, and Instagram actively penalizes repetitive content * Start by repurposing your top-performing content: tweak the hook, change the video or audio, and make it feel fresh * If you're a local business, try a location-specific hook to filter for the right audience (fewer views, better-fit followers) * Think of trial reels as your boldest content: hot takes, strong opinions, expert tips that stop the scroll * Your caption's CTA should always drive the follow * Trial reels should take the least amount of your time — they're a testing ground, not a production Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave 5 stars! ☆ Join the Social with Kat Club: Fun & effective content prompts, coaching, and community for small business owners https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals] ☺ Connect with Kat: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/ [https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/] * Threads: https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia [https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/] ☺ Free Resources to Help Your Small Business: https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals]

My Weekly Content Creation Workflow (And How to Build Yours)

Ever wonder what a realistic content creation week actually looks like for a small business owner? In this episode, Kat breaks down her entire weekly content flow — from the ongoing research and ideation phase to batching social posts on Monday morning, recording the podcast, and planning emails. You'll learn why batching beats creating on-the-fly, how to ask the right questions to generate post ideas that actually resonate, and why putting content creation in your calendar (even just one hour) is the game-changer you've been missing. Whether you're just starting out or looking to streamline what you're already doing, this episode gives you a practical, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to stay consistent online without burning out. Key Takeaways * Batching content is more effective than creating on-the-fly because your brain performs better doing repeated tasks together. * The research and ideation phase is always ongoing — your best ideas often come when you're away from your desk. * Asking three questions (what's going on in your life, your audience's life, and the world) helps you create content that adds real value instead of just noise. * A content planning tool like ClickUp bridges the gap between scattered ideas and an actual publishing schedule. * Monday is Kat's content creation day — getting it done early means it's scheduled before the week gets busy. * Batching captions together (and visuals together) helps you get into a flow state and create faster. * Even one dedicated hour per week can make a meaningful difference in your content consistency. * You don't need to do everything at once — start small and scale your output as you build the skill. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave 5 stars! ☆ Join the Social with Kat Club: Fun & effective content prompts, coaching, and community for small business owners https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals] ☺ Connect with Kat: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/ [https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/] * Threads: https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia [https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/] ☺ Free Resources to Help Your Small Business: https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals]

How to Sell on Social Media Without a Launch (And Still Get Bookings)

Forget content "balance". What your business actually needs is a content flow. In this Social SOS episode, Kat answers a question from a brand photographer inside the Social with Kat Club who wants to know how to balance educational, personal, and sales content without a formal launch period. Kat breaks down why the idea of balance is a myth (for your content and your life), and shares a practical framework for cycling through promotional and nurture periods — so you're selling consistently without burning out or annoying your audience. Submit your Social SOS question: https://telbee.io/channel/bkcxdbbywolzdwqk7-yifw/ [https://telbee.io/channel/bkcxdbbywolzdwqk7-yifw/] Chatted about in this episode: 🪩 Why "balance" isn't the right framework for content creation 🙏 What content flow actually looks like in practice ✨ How to identify the right times of year to run promotional periods 👀 What a promotional week or 10-day push looks like in content terms 🗓️ Why promotional content can underperform on vanity metrics but still drive real revenue 🩷 How to schedule recovery time after a promo push — for you and your audience ☺️ Using top-performing evergreen content during low-promo periods 📝 Homework: map your next 2 months and schedule your next promotional window Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave 5 stars! ☆ Join the Social with Kat Club: Fun & effective content prompts, coaching, and community for small business owners https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals] ☺ Connect with Kat: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/ [https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/] * Threads: https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia [https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/] ☺ Free Resources to Help Your Small Business: https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals]

Building Community, Being Consistent, and Bricking our Phones with Kalin Sheick of Sweetwater Floral

I'm joined by one of my favourite follows of all time, Kalin Sheick — florist, storyteller, boundary queen, and founder of Sweetwater Floral — for an honest conversations about building community on social media. Kalin has built Sweetwater Floral to over 46K Instagram followers and her personal brand, Kalin Sheick to 27K+ through 12 years of consistent, authentic storytelling. And she's here to share exactly how she did it (and what she'd do differently). In this episode, we talk about: 🌸 How to set real boundaries around your phone, your clients, and your time 🌸 The story behind "clinks" and how an accidental Instagram Stories habit helped build her community 🌸 Why consistency beats virality every single time 🌸 The behind-the-scenes of her move to Substack and why she's finally monetizing her writing 🌸 How to share authentically online while still keeping your private life private Resources & Links Mentioned: * Follow Sweetwater Floral on Instagram: @sweetwaterfloral [https://www.instagram.com/sweetwaterfloral/] * Follow Kalin Sheick on Instagram: @kalinsheick [https://www.instagram.com/kalinsheick/] * Connect with Kalin on Substack: Lucky Girl: Essays for Women Doing Great, Mostly [https://kalinsheick.substack.com/p/welcome-to-lucky-girl-start-here] * Join the (free!) Lucky Girl Book Club: https://kalinsheick.com/bookclub [https://kalinsheick.com/bookclub] * Rot Stop app: https://www.rotstop.app/ [https://www.rotstop.app/] * Foqos app: https://www.foqos.app/ [https://www.foqos.app/] * Opal app: https://opalapp.com/ [https://opalapp.com/] Don't forget to subscribe and rate 5 stars! ☆ Join the Social with Kat Club: Fun & effective content prompts, coaching, and community for small business owners https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/social-with-kat-club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals] ☺ Connect with Kat: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/ [https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/] * Threads: https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia [https://www.threads.net/@socialkatmedia] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-tepylo-murphy/] ☺ Free Resources to Help Your Small Business: https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals [https://socialkatmedia.com/resources?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=social-goals]