DOWNSTAGE MEDIA BLOG
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY, MESSAGING, AND EMAIL MARKETING TIPS

What is a Content Stockpile for Social Media? And Why Do I Need It?
Here’s what few people talk about when it comes to social media content: organizing posts after they’ve published. Think about it, if you’re making two to five posts each week on about three different social media platforms, that can add up to 750 different files in a year (Check my math on that). If you don’t have a handle on them, they will get out of control quickly. In this blog post, you’ll discover a way to not only store your social media content, but will collect your thoughts, and backup the social media content that you’ve already scheduled.

Why You Need a Brand Playbook
Among one of the most annoying daily occurrences in work is knowing you have a piece of information somewhere on your computer and can’t find it. It becomes especially frustrating when you’re trying to come across it in a hurry: the font you need to make today’s social media image, or the logo you have to submit to the podcast producer. A Brand Identity Playbook helps you have all of this information - plus vital messaging for your organization - in one place. Let’s break down how to create one, and what needs to go into it.

Marketing Tools to Be Thankful For: Email, Social Media, and More
You wouldn’t try to make a Thanksgiving meal with all new recipes and kitchen tools - you’d be frazzled and scrambling before you even put the turkey into the oven. You shouldn’t make marketing materials with all new platforms and software, either. Here’s a list of the tried and true tools, that I’m grateful for this season. Plus, a few new ones, since it’s always fun to have something new to keep things fresh at the table.

Taking the Headache Out of Email Automations
When you don’t have a big marketing team, the idea of coming up with, writing, and sending out weekly - or even monthly - emails is reason enough to lie down. You’re doing so many other things to keep your brand afloat and now you gotta do that too?! Turn out the lights because there’s a migraine coming on. In this blog post, you’ll learn about three different email automations to set up once and put on autopilot. You’ll be able to nurture your audience while you’re working on other aspects of building your brand. (Or, you know, just lying down.)

What Does it Mean to “Variate” Content
Putting out social media content is a grind. You know how important consistently is - both to your audience and to the almighty algorithms. The trouble is, keeping up with that content can be a time suck. Here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be so hard. By making different versions of your content you can save yourself hours every week. In this blog post, I’ll define “variate” and give you some examples of how that can work in your social media marketing strategy - especially if you are using the PAGER Model.

What are Monthly Live Q&As Like? A Breakdown
There are only twenty-four hours in a day. And building a brand can eat up many of them. Are the Monthly Live Q&As really worth blocking out your limited hours for? Once a month, Annie Schiffmann hosts a group to learn business and marketing strategies with best-selling authors. Afterward, participants get small group coaching from Annie to personalize the material to their brands. Here’s a breakdown of what those events look like so you can decide if it’s worthwhile.

What Does the Simplify Your Social Group Look Like?
If you’ve heard about the Simplify Your Social Media Group and the 5 Day Intensive you may be wondering what’s in store. Here I’ll break down what the process looks, what your commitment will be, and how to get the most out of the experience so you can create great content in batches that you can put on autopilot.

3 Scary Truths (with Data) About Your Brand’s Social Media
Facing the facts about marketing your business on social media can be scary. But if you stay in the dark, you’re limiting your potential. Hootsuite and We Are Socials’ Global State of Media report sheds light on the current state of social. In this post, I’ll break down three truths that most companies ignore, show why they’re important (with data) and discuss how to adjust your strategy so you can banish the boogie man and and your business can grow.

Boost Your Social Media Strategy: How to Use Your StoryBrand BrandScript with the PAGER Method
Struggling to get your social media posts noticed? It might not be your content—it’s your strategy. By combining the StoryBrand BrandScript with Downstage Media’s PAGER method, you can create social posts that not only resonate but also drive real results. In this post, you'll learn a step-by-step approach to crafting clear, engaging content that doesn’t turn your feed into an endless ad, but a true engagement tool.

Will the Marketing Mentorship Work for Me? Warning Signs it Won’t
The Marketing Mentorship that Downstage offers is a great DIY option for some people: there are online classes paired with 1-on-1 coaching. But… it’s not for everyone. No one wants to feel like they’ve put time, money, and effort into something that isn’t worthwhile. This blog post will lay out some red flags that will help you decide if this option is right for your brand.

How do I Get Started With the PAGER method?
Changing the way that you create, schedule, and automate your social media content can be tricky - it may seem like a lot of work to set up a new system, until you start to realize the time that you get back every day that you don’t have to think about posting.
Here you’ll find a list of what you need to get started incorporating the PAGER Model for your social media marketing: what stuff you need to have handy, recommended apps, and free downloads that will make setting up this system faster and easier.

Are You Wasting Money on Advertising? 10 Ways to Know
Most people are wasting money on advertising and don't even know it. This issue is a serious problem and needs to stop. In this article, Evan Cox from Caffeine Marketing, unpacks ten of the most common ways people waste money on advertising.

What is General Content for the PAGER Method and How to Make It
General Content is the “G” of the PAGER method, and it can be the most confusing because it’s the most vague category. But these are the posts that show your audience that you understand who they are and you know how to solve their problems. Read on to understand what these posts are, see them in action, and learn how to implement them into your content mix so you can turn your audience into your community.

What is Engagement Content for the PAGER Method With Examples
The “E” of the PAGER model for social media strategy is Engagement, and it can be tricky to make since they’re the most unusual posts. But these are the posts that help build your relationship with your audience because you are asking them for their opinion. And if there’s anything social media has taught us it’s how to express our opinion. Let’s break down what Engagement posts are, the various forms they can take, and how to include them as part of your overall social media strategy.

7 Elements Every Lead Generator Needs
No one wants to take the time to create a lead generator and then automate it with their email platform, if it’s not going to build relationships with your audience. But a lame lead generator can do just that. Dive in to the seven elements your lead generator needs to establish your brand, project, or company as one that’s worth knowing!

What is the PAGER Method? The Social Media Strategy Explained
It’s time to simplify social media for small businesses and brands. The PAGER Method is a social media strategy that you can easily use on any platform and in any niche. You’ll know what to create, ensure that your content isn’t too salesy, and still promote the events and initiatives that your business needs to survive. Here, get an overview of Downstage Media’s own content method with examples.

How Do I Create Social Media Content from Blog Posts Using the PAGER Method?
When you are short on resources for creating social media content, you need to make the most out of what you do publish. Learn how to mine your existing blog posts for ideas you can repurpose throughout your social media channels. This social media strategy builds relationships with your audience by giving them what they want: great tips right in their feeds. Especially helpful for anyone using Downstage Media’s PAGER Method.

3 Simple Tasks to Do Every Day on LinkedIn
You know that fresh content on LinkedIn is important, but sometimes you just don’t have to time to create, schedule, and automate it. Sometimes you have to post on the fly. Here you’ll learn three simple tasks to do every day that not only includes great content, it also gets your brand in front of other people’s audiences, and nurtures relationships with your connections.

How Artists and Creatives Can Use a StoryBrand BrandScript to Simplify Their Marketing: 9 Ideas
Unlock the full potential of your creative business with a well-crafted BrandScript. This guide will show you how to take your BrandScript off the shelf and put it to work across your marketing channels. From refreshing your website to enhancing your social media and email campaigns, discover nine actionable ways to use your BrandScript to connect with your audience, share your artistic vision, and grow your business. Don't let your message get lost—make it resonate with every piece of content you create.

What is Promotional Content and How to Make It
If you don’t post on social media about your promotions, initiatives, or events your audience won’t know what you have going on business-wise. So you can start to question whether all of the time that you spend posting is worthwhile at all. Here you’ll learn a simple system to create posts that will help you reach your business goals without making your account seem like a salesy billboard.