Well hello there Reader! 👋🏽
I hope you're having a fabulous week! You might’ve noticed I’ve been a little quiet the past week or two. I wish I had some glamorous jet-setting reason for that, but honestly? It’s just been a tough few weeks and I’ve struggled to get everything done! 🤣
But I’m a big believer in remembering that there are real, living - and sometimes struggling – humans behind the screen. So I’d rather be honest and upfront about what’s been going on. Truth is, I’ve had some personal stuff going on, been trying to juggle a lot, and that’s had an effect on my own state of mind. And when I feel like that, it’s hard to show up and record videos or write emails. Even though I WANT to.
I know I’m not the only one who feels like that sometimes, but you are important to me and so I always want to be at my best when I share and connect with you… but the reality is, that’s not always possible. Because, you know - human and all that. 😜
I’m working on remembering that I'm allowed to have weeks when I’m not at my best. We all are. Despite what the capitalist machine would have us believe, our worth is not tied to how productive we are every day.
Life stuff aside (this adulting thing is not as fun as they made it out to be, btw 🤨), the other reason I’ve had a lot on my plate is because I’ve got a load of new templates, ideas and projects I’m working on at the same time and I'm SO excited to share them with you soon – including the full update of my CanvaOS course!
So right now I’m taking my own advice (OK, TRYING to take my own advice 😜🤣) and just tackling things one step at a time.
It’s a reminder that my pace of business isn’t the same as everyone else’s – and that’s OK. We’re not machines. In fact, this is exactly why we work so hard at building our own businesses: to create a life and a way of working that works for us.
Social media and the long game
You may have heard the buzz that social media posts are now showing up in Google (and Bing) search results. Some folks are acting like this is brand new - but as my friend and SEO whiz Trona pointed out recently, it’s not! Google’s been indexing social content for a while now – they’ve just expanded it into more regions, which is why it’s back in the headlines.
So what does this mean for us? Well, for ages, social media content had a very short shelf life - useful only while it was visible on that specific platform (and that kept getting shorter and shorter!). But now, with posts popping up in search results, even older content can continue to bring people to your business.
The key to getting found? Create content with search in mind (a very simplified way of talking about SEO). Think about what your audience might be typing into Google, and create content - even short-form posts - that answers that.
That kind of content is so important because it keeps working for you. Long after it’s posted.
But beyond strategy, this is something I’ve advocated for years: just focus on creating content that adds real value. Help your audience. Get to know them and share things that are genuinely useful to help them achieve their goals.
Not just because it helps you get found, but because it builds trust. And trust is everything in marketing - especially now. It’s the long game. The one that actually leads to real growth – not just flashes of virality or vanity metrics.
As Justin Welsh recently put it: "Your best content likely isn't your most popular content. It's the content that made someone change their mind, their work, or their life."
Can I get an 'Amen' up in here? 👏🏽
Meaningful Creations
This one’s for the AFOLs out there (that’s Adult Fans of Lego, in case you didn’t know). And let’s be honest, most of us are Lego fans to some degree. 😁
This week’s Meaningful Creator takes it to a whole new level: Andrzej Łukomski is a stop-motion animator who brings the most incredible food scenes to life - using nothing but Lego, imagination, and a frankly ridiculous amount of patience.
I adore his creations - not just because they make me smile every time I see them, but because the attention to detail is absolutely insane. Bubbles on the coffee? Individual sugar crystals in the lemonade? Watch a few - and the BTS at HOW they are made - and you’ll see what I mean.
The planning and skill that must go into each of these videos is just mind-blowing. But most of all, they’re a joyful celebration of play as an artform. And that’s what I love most. 🖤
I think we could all do with a little more joy, so check out their instagram and spend a few minutes feeling like a big kid again. And tell them I sent ya. 😉
That's it you lovely humans. Sending a gentle reminder today that progress looks different for everyone - and sometimes the most meaningful thing we can do is keep showing up… even quietly and imperfectly.
Thank you again for being here - I really appreciate you.
Have a great week. 🖤
