Formats For Success: Best Post Types for Each Social Media Platform

April 13, 2026 - 1:53pm - by Luke Thiessen

Organic social media just keeps getting tougher for brands and marketers, and with the algorithms constantly changing, new formats being introduced and prioritized, and user engagement habits shifting, it can be hard to punch through.

A great post in any format should still reach an audience, but catering at least some of your content to the algorithms and engagement styles unique to each app can do a lot to maximize your reach. So, we’re going to look at the best formats for reach and engagement across most of the major social media platforms, what they work best for, and how to harness this information for your social media marketing.

Best post types for Instagram

Posts that work best for Instagram can really depend on your goals, but one thing that is consistently and broadly true is that static single-image posts – yes, the kind the platform was built on – generally perform the worst.

Carousels tend to be the best format for overall engagement on Instagram. These are posts with multiple images or videos which users can swipe through. When you swipe on these posts, Instagram reads this as you spending more time and interacting with the post, even if you don’t press like or engage in any other way. 

Some of the success of the format also comes from the types of content that many brands use it for, like “best-of” roundups, how-to guides, before and after photos, and other useful or extra-engaging content. The extra time people spend with these posts, including saving them or sending them to other users, also leads to higher average engagement rates.

Reels, on the other hand, are often best for reaching new audiences on Instagram. They are more likely than any other post type to end up in front of users who don’t follow you but have shown interest in similar content, and are overall the format users spend the most time with on the platform. 

Stories generally come in third place, but are not to be ignored. Many users spend more time in stories than scrolling their feed, and it’s important for reaching and engaging your existing followers to be there often. 

Best post types for Facebook

You might think of Facebook as being only good for arguments in the comment section, and that’s because – surprise! – that’s what the algorithm feeds on.

The best type of post for overall engagement on Facebook is something that draws a lot of comments. Even a purely text-based post (like the big text on colourful backgrounds you see so often) asking a yes or no / either-or question can be a ticket to higher engagement and reach within your followers.

For reaching new people, Facebook is similar to Instagram in that reels (vertical, please) are the number-one way to gain new followers and views from outside your existing audience.

Thirdly, live videos can be a highly effective way to reach your existing followers, as Facebook will even go so far as to send push notifications to some of your followers letting them know you are live. Timely and event-based content like product launches, as well as intentional engagement like Q&A sessions, can be great use cases here.

Beyond these formats, Facebook can really be trial-and-error. It’s a strange place where long-form text rants can go viral while high-quality videos full of relevant and interesting content can pass unseen into the void.

Best post types for TikTok

If you haven’t spent much time on TikTok as a user lately, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s just a short-form video app. Perhaps surprisingly, some of the best-performing posts on the platform are now photo carousels and longer-form video.

Similarly to Instagram, a good photo carousel that people spend time with can be highly effective, as TikTok’s algorithm counts the swiping and lingering time as a high degree of engagement. In terms of content, similar things work well here as with Instagram, and for the same reasons – saves and sends count for a lot.

And while you certainly won’t be punished for posting the common short-form video formats that TikTok is most known for, sometimes a longer-form video can be a good way to get in front of new audiences, as they are increasingly popular in search. A highly informational video with a caption and opening line that answers a commonly searched question can be the TikTok equivalent of great SEO.

Best post types for LinkedIn

Not everyone counts LinkedIn as a social media platform, but when we’re talking about business and nonprofit marketing, it’s just as important as the others – if not more so.

LinkedIn is a lot like Facebook in that there are many different possible post formats, and any of them can do well if the post is catered to your audience and well-crafted. However, some formats are more likely to help you accomplish certain goals.

Carousel posts – in LinkedIn’s case, uploaded as multi-page PDF documents – are often some of the best posts for reach on the platform. Provided the content is useful and engaging, users will spend time with it, save it, and in turn show the algorithm it’s worth showing to more people.

Newer to the platform but gaining importance are short-form video posts. These should be vertical, like TikTok videos or Reels, and don’t need to be anything fancy; under a minute and shot on your phone is just fine. However, remember to use subtitles – most videos are played without sound.

Best post types for Threads, X, Bluesky, etc.

The most popular text-first platforms may have fewer options than Instagram and Facebook, but there are still some approaches that work better than others.

On Threads, images do often perform well, especially things like memes and screenshots of things like notes and lists, where relevant to your brand – but you certainly don’t need images, and may be better off without them. The thing most likely to boost your reach and engagement on Threads is generating discussion; questions, polls, hot takes, and other conversation starters get people engaging with and re-posting your content.

The same advice generally goes for the other text-first platforms, although X (formerly Twitter) can be an outlier in the way it embraces video. We don’t spend much time or energy on X these days, but data shows that short video clips (under 15 seconds) in vertical format are a popular candidate for viral posts on the platform.

Strategy is key

It might be tempting to take all of this and go all-in on one or two formats across all platforms, but ultimately, different formats will serve different goals. A sustainable social media content plan should involve multiple different formats, catered to the individual platforms you’re on. And we know the algorithms and options will change again in the future, so it’s important not to pin your entire aesthetic on one type of post, knowing that might not work or be available forever.

At Starling Social, we help brands and nonprofits of all sizes develop social media strategies that work. Get in touch today to book a free discovery call – we would love to help you turn your social channels into something that builds relationships with your audience and drives revenue for your organization.

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Our Guide to Email Marketing in 2026

March 22, 2026 - 8:17pm - by Luke Thiessen

Email marketing may be one of the oldest forms of digital marketing, but in a landscape where you’re increasingly having to pay for reach on supposedly “free” platforms, a direct line to your customers probably sounds pretty good.

While it’s far from new and sexy, email marketing is still pulling in industry-high ROI rates, with many studies showing an average return of $36 to $40 for every $1 spent. And for businesses embracing the latest tools for targeting, segmentation and personalization, that ROI can be even higher.

It’s true that privacy laws and spam detection filters have made some aspects of email marketing more difficult – even for those of us doing everything right – but given the low cost and high potential return, it’s well worth the effort.

Let’s look at some trends and new technology we’re following for email marketing in 2026, along with how to ensure your emails are getting delivered, getting opened, and avoiding unsubscribes.

Email marketing trends for 2026

One of the biggest shifts in email marketing in recent years has been toward hyper-personalization. 

This is where technology has really supercharged things, from AI-powered CRM software to analytics and segmentation tools within your email marketing platform. For any business with an online store, gone are the days of a mass email to all subscribers with nothing but the first name swapped out.

Now, if you can capture someone’s email (and permission – we’ll get to that shortly) when they start shopping, your CRM and email tools can send a series of automated emails tailored to that individual, and to what they viewed and did on your site. 

Another trend we’re seeing lately is interactive elements in marketing emails, especially less sales-focused ones. Often this is some kind of poll embedded into the lower part of a more informational email, asking the reader to rate how they liked the email or what they liked best (or disliked) about it. This provides valuable feedback for your email marketing program, but also makes your email more interactive for the reader, feeling more like a dialogue and less like advertising.

Privacy, spam filters and CASL

Government and email clients alike have done a lot in recent years to help protect consumers’ privacy, and protect them from spam and scam emails. In some ways, this makes our job as marketers harder, but in other ways, it has also helped keep email marketing viable by protecting people’s inboxes.

What this means for us is that in order to build a successful email program, we need to follow the rules – both legally and in terms of best practices.

Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (or CASL) is the biggest piece of this for marketers in Canada. Most email marketing platforms have compliance built-in for Canadian users, but to summarize: CASL requires explicit opt-in, meaning the customer must proactively sign up. No pre-checked “subscribe” boxes or implied opt-in buried in fine print.

Beyond following the law, you also want to ensure your emails are making it through spam filters. This starts with ensuring your sending email address is verified and set up correctly with your marketing platform, which is more of a technical and infrastructure challenge than a marketing one.

Another aspect to avoiding spam filters is simply respecting your email recipients and not sending them something they are likely to mark as spam. Consider the volume and frequency of your emails, the balance of content (we’ll talk more about that shortly), and the overall tone.

Building your email list

Adding new subscribers to your email list is a harder and slower process than it used to be. Gone are the days of buying email lists or simply adding anyone whose email address you’ve collected to your list automatically.

But the same things that have made it harder to build the lists have also made the email addresses you do collect properly even more valuable.

The most common way to do build an email list in 2026 is to prompt sign-ups on your website, usually with a pop-up form, and to offer something in return. 

Whether it’s a discount code, a PDF of some original research or other useful content, entry into a prize giveaway, etc – a compelling offer is often the best way to get someone’s email address and explicit opt-in. Ensure whatever the offer is can be delivered by email.

The downside here is that many of these offers are one-time discounts or a single piece of downloadable content. If your ongoing email marketing is interesting and relevant to the reader, they may stick around, but many will unsubscribe shortly after receiving the offer.

One way to combat this churn and keep people subscribed is to make it clear up front is to offer ongoing benefits to your subscribers, and make that clear up front. When someone signs up for email marketing based on an initial offer, make sure to tell them that email subscribers get exclusive discounts throughout the year, or are entered into a draw every month, or something similar. The easiest action a person can take is no action at all, so if they have an incentive to stay subscribed, they will.

The 60/40 content rule

A general rule of thumb with email marketing content is the 60/40 rule. This means you want 60% of your emails to have no selling involved.

What do I email my customers if I’m not selling to them? I’m glad you asked.

Nonprofits are often better at this, because they can share stories of impact, of how your donations are helping their cause. But for-profit businesses have plenty to talk about. You just have to get more creative.

Do you sell food products? Share recipes. Clothing? Share outfit inspiration. Service-based business? Share tips on when, why, or how often people should be using your service, and how to maximize its impact or usefulness.

This is also a good place to get interactive with your customers, offer giveaways, and otherwise get them engaging with you. Ask them to send in photos of themselves using your products in order to win a prize. Ask them to share their recipes for inclusion in a future recipe. Get creative with it.

That 60% of your email marketing is truly the most important long-term. The remaining 40% where you sell your products or services, or ask for donations, etc, is only useful if your subscribers are sticking around and opening your emails.

We can help

Need help getting started on your email marketing program? Struggling to attract new subscribers, or keep people subscribed long-term? Get in touch today to book a free discovery call – we work with all kinds of businesses and nonprofits on their digital marketing strategy and would love to help make your email program work better for you.

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Do Social Media Trends Really Help My Marketing?

March 9, 2026 - 3:24pm - by Luke Thiessen

We love a good social media trend. 

What could be better than noticing a new trend or format in its early stages – especially one that fits perfectly with your brand – and jumping on it quickly, then seeing it take off and boost everything from your follower count to views and engagement?

That’s the high most of us marketers are chasing a lot of the time. We know we can’t hit that with every post, but it sure feels good when it works, and the numbers make us look even better. But is it worth it? 

I won’t leave you hanging here; the short answer is yes – but with some significant caveats.

Let’s look at some data, explore how and when to chase that trend for best results, and maybe even when to let the trend pass you by.

How to capture the moment

There are two main things to consider when deciding whether to jump on a social media trend: timing and fit.

Timing is crucial on several fronts. Most social media trends have a pretty short shelf life, and many users – especially your younger audience – respond negatively to brands posting old or “stale” trends. By the time you’ve noticed the trend, chances are good it’s already past the halfway point to becoming stale. Even if you have caught something fairly early, you’ve really only got a few days at most before your take on it feels too late or irrelevant.

There are some exceptions to this, especially with more niche and industry-specific trends, which tend to move more slowly and have a longer shelf life. And if your audience or follower base leans a little older, this can shift your window and give you a little more time as well.

Another reason timing matters is that you may have other time-sensitive content in the works or in your content schedule, so dropping everything to chase a trend might be a trade-off with more risk than reward. So, consider what it will take to make your trend-chasing post, as well as what you might be sacrificing to make that happen.

If you have caught a trend early enough and the timing feels good, the other thing to consider is fit: does this particular trend feel appropriate for your brand and your audience? 

It’s important to remember that while a given social media trend might be popular with certain groups and online communities – maybe even ones you belong to personally – that doesn’t mean it will be familiar or relevant to your brand’s followers. You should also consider your brand’s online personality and image, and whether a given trend would damage or take away from that in any meaningful way.

The potential benefits

The main argument in favour of chasing social media trends is that the algorithms – especially on platforms like Instagram and TikTok – prioritize content that uses trending audio, hashtags and formats. They also value certain types of engagement more highly than others, especially shares – meaning if a user finds a post funny or relatable and sends it to a friend, they will reward you for it in the algorithm.

If you manage to make something that captures a trend well, at the right time and in the right way, you also have a much better chance of making it onto people’s “for you” and “discover” pages, and ultimately going viral. More than two-thirds of videos on TikTok are viewed from the “for you” feed (versus “following”), so breaking outside of your follower base is a huge benefit of going even slightly viral, and can often grow your follower count noticeably in a very short period.

The challenges and pitfalls

For all the benefits of posting a video or reel that goes viral, there is evidence that it’s getting harder to do, and that the results can sometimes be counterproductive.

After rapid growth in 2024, Instagram Reels saw a decline in overall reach and impressions last year (down by more than a third in 2025). A report last year from Sprout Social also found that one-third of consumers feel that brands jumping on social media trends is “embarassing,” and another quarter feel it’s only effective within 24 to 48 hours of a trend’s beginning.

Perhaps most significantly, research shows the longer-term effects of going viral on social media are neutral or even net-negative for many brands. Engagement tends to drop sharply within days of a viral post, often dipping below what it was beforehand, and despite an increased follower count, a viral post doesn’t seem to improve engagement for a brand at all. The researchers in this particular study suggest that, according to the data, consistent high-quality content over the long term is more likely to lead to stable growth and engagement.

My post went viral, now what?

When you have a post go viral, there are some things you can do to take better advantage of the moment and to mitigate some of the inevitable post-viral slump. 

Posting again shortly after the peak of a viral post is helpful, as well as prioritizing high-engagement types of content for a time. On Instagram, carousels have become one of the best post formats for engagement and algorithmic performance, so consider making your next post a carousel.

Another thing to do is adjust your expectations. Going viral is unpredictable, and despite your past success and best efforts, you may not do it again, or at least not right away. Many brands who gain followers with a viral post will also lose up to one-third of those new followers within a month. Recognize the data around your viral post to be an outlier, and continue working toward sustainable growth. 

We can help

If you haven’t heard by now, social media content and data are kind of our thing, and we’d love to help your brand maximize its online presence. If you need someone to help your brand build a strong and engaged following online, and maybe even make some viral content along the way, get in touch for a free discovery call today!

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Why IWD 2026 Matters More Than Ever

February 22, 2026 - 12:32pm - by Luke Thiessen

It’s almost time for International Women’s Day, a global moment to celebrate the achievements of women while recognizing the work that still lies ahead in the pursuit of true equity. On Sunday, March 8, communities around the world will highlight the progress made and shine a light on the challenges women continue to face.

As a women-founded business, Women’s Day holds a special place in the hearts of the Starling Social team. Each year, we use this moment to reflect, to educate, and to share tangible ways you can show up to make a difference.

Why IWD 2026 matters more now than ever 

The numbers show we’re not there yet

Despite decades of progress, gender inequality remains deeply entrenched in everyday life and in systems of power. According to figures from the UN, women hold just 30 per cent of managerial roles and continue to shoulder more than twice the amount of unpaid domestic and care work as men. At the current pace of change (as of 2023), it could take roughly:

• 300 years to eliminate child marriage
• 286 years to close gaps in legal protections and repeal discriminatory laws
• 140 years to achieve equal representation in workplace leadership
• 47 years to reach parity in national parliaments

Progress is happening, but far too slowly.

Women are still fighting for autonomy over their bodies

Across the globe, 43.7% of women lack autonomy over their sexual and reproductive health and rights. In the United States, reproductive rights have faced significant setbacks under the Trump administration after the elimination of nationwide protections for abortion, further restrictions to access (even in states where it is legal), and the sowing of distrust in proven science.

Furthermore, over 35% of women between 15 and 49 years old have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence. These realities make it clear that bodily autonomy and safety are not guaranteed.

Global backlash against women’s rights is increasing

Around the world, women and girls are facing growing and coordinated pushback against the rights they have fought hard to secure. Governments are introducing regressive laws, withdrawing from international agreements, and weakening the very institutions meant to protect equality. At the same time, opposition to gender justice is intensifying, fueling attacks on 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, promoting harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation, and spreading misinformation that distorts feminism and weaponizes “family values.” This moment calls for urgent action, with governments stepping up to defend human rights, strengthen protections, and actively counter the backlash against gender equality.

New threats to women continue to emerge 

This last year has brought about new, chilling advancements in AI and generative technologies that now put women at risk of tech-enabled sexual abuse. xAI’s Grok is being used to produce non-consensual sexually explicit images of people, primarily women and children. The creation of these images is sexual violence, and highlights the need for gender-aware AI safety standards and stronger platform accountability. Alongside new technologies, digital surveillance, non-consensual image sharing, and harassment still permeate online spaces.

These are just some of the issues impacting women and girls today. Paired with an increase in global crises, economic exclusion and poverty, and emerging threats like funding cuts to women’s organizations, it is clear that we are at a tipping point where women’s rights must be prioritized.

IWD 2026: Give to Gain

This year, the theme of International Women’s Day is “Give to Gain,” which encourages a mindset of generosity and collaboration. This theme asks: What can we give to help advance women and girls? It’s a worldwide call to contribute in some way, whether that be donating to women’s organizations, giving time to mentorship programs, volunteering with a like-minded group, or supporting through daily actions that challenge discrimination or question bias.

Ways to Support Women and Girls in 2026

If you’re here, reading this article, it probably means you have a vested interest in supporting women and girls in 2026. We’ve got some tips on turning that interest into meaningful action.

1. Donate to an organization that supports women

We get it—these are economically trying times. But, if you have the means, donating money to organizations working for women is a great way to show up for IWD 2026. 

Here are some of the Starling Social team’s favourite organizations to support:

For Local Impact

• Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre: A not-for-profit, feminist organization supporting women and gender diverse people to engage in healthy life choices for themselves and their families through innovative and responsive programming and excellence in service.
• Manitoba Association of Women's Shelters (MAWS): A collective of 11 shelters providing 24/7 crisis lines and support for those experiencing violence in Manitoba.
• Ka Ni Kanichihk: Provides culturally rooted healing, education, and mentorship programs for Indigenous women and families.

For International Support

• Plan International’s ‘Because I am a Girl’: Join a growing movement of girls’ rights champions who are committed to helping girls step into their power and shape their communities.
• United Nations Foundation WithHer Fund: Provides flexible funds to local, high-impact, frontline, grassroots women’s rights organizations that have been tackling gender-based violence (GBV)—particularly violence against women and girls (VAWG)—in their communities.

Or, check out the Canadian organizations from the IWD 2026 giving directory.

2. Give Time 

Finding worthwhile organizations to mentor for or volunteer with is an excellent way to support IWD 2026. Find a charity, group, or cause that aligns with your values and consider offering your time or skills. There are so many ways to volunteer, and so many organizations that rely on volunteer support to create meaningful change.

Volunteer Manitoba is a great resource to start your volunteer journey.

If you’re curious about mentorship, IWD is hosting a free virtual webinar that explores what #GivetoGain looks like in practice through the lens of mentorship and leadership communication.

3. Support Women-Owned Businesses and Organizations

Supporting women-owned businesses intentionally and consistently is a tangible way to invest in economic equity. Consider purchasing from a local, women-owned business this month, or, find some new businesses to follow, engage with, positively review and share online. 

Check out the WeMB directory which highlights women+ owned businesses.

And the black-owned Manitoba business directory.

Or search for similar resources in your city.

4. Educate Yourself & Others

Part of showing up for women is staying informed about the injustices that affect women locally and globally, and recognizing that these issues deserve our attention.

It can also mean investing in your own learning through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training or other educational opportunities that deepen your understanding of systemic inequality.

And don’t keep it to yourself!  When you learn something new, share it with others through conversations, resources, or thoughtful discussions to create meaningful ripple effects.

We recommend Equality Now and UN Women for some great online resources.

5. Moving Beyond Performative Support

It’s so easy to pay lip service to supporting women, but the real magic lies in action. Sometimes, that means taking an honest look at ourselves, our communities, and the standards we are willing to uphold. At a time when women’s rights are under attack from every angle, personal and collective accountability to action is essential.

Accountability to action could look like:

• Voting for leaders who prioritize women’s rights, and then holding them accountable to the policies and programs that they promised.
• Expecting transparency from businesses that claim to value equality, including equitable pay and representation.
• Not laughing at jokes made at the expense of women.
• Refusing to unfairly criticize women.
• Organizing or attending protests, rallies, or other grassroots efforts.
• Calling Out and Calling In. This means recognizing misogynistic or harmful behaviour in others, naming it, and then demanding better (and explaining what better looks like).
• Understanding that silence in the face of oppression is complacency.

At the end of the day, everyone’s capacity looks a little different, and everyone has something different to give. Not every action needs to be large or public to matter. But meaningful change happens when each of us chooses to participate in building a safer, more equitable world for women and girls.

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Best Practices for Using AI in Digital Marketing

February 9, 2026 - 2:53pm - by Luke Thiessen

AI: What is it good for? Absolutely some things.

In 2026, digital marketers are bombarded with news and speculation about what AI can do, what it will be doing soon, how we should be using it, and how it will take our jobs. And with little to no regulation in place, we see marketing that runs the gamut of AI use in terms of ethics and efficacy. 

Here at Starling Social, we believe in giving good advice which will be true and useful for the long term, so we have been hesitant to dive into AI due to the rapidly changing nature of the technology. But we have come to see a few truths about AI in digital marketing that we believe can help guide our work in 2026.

When you work with Starling Social, you’re still getting content created by humans, for humans. Research shows that savvy social media users recognize – and really dislike – AI-generated content. Not to mention that AI won’t know your business, your brand standards, or be able to generate images of your staff, facilities or customers.

However, there are some ways AI can help in our work without compromising quality. Here are some ways we are finding AI useful in 2026, along with best practices for using AI in digital marketing.

AEO/GEO vs SEO

In a study conducted in November 2025, more than a third of internet users started web searches with AI tools (as opposed to traditional search engines). This number is growing, which means it is increasingly important to be optimizing for AI search (also known as AEO, Answer Engine Optimization, or GEO, Generative Engine Optimization) as well as SEO. 

Thankfully, GEO is not at odds with SEO, and shares a lot of the same principles – just a little more specific. There are many pieces to this, but for web copy, writing clearly and concisely, and getting to your key points and keywords within 150 words of the beginning of a page or article are a big help. 

AI for generating content ideas

Something we see a lot of in our industry is AI being used to generate ideas for social media and blog content. 

In a broad sense, AI can be pretty good at this. You can use your favourite chatbot to (almost) instantly generate a list of concepts and ideas which you may not have thought of otherwise, or certainly as quickly. Those concepts might give you what you’re looking for, or help spark a better and more focused idea.

However, it’s worth remembering the limits of AI before you become too reliant on it for idea generation. First, AI will generally be behind on any trends or timely data, as it can only be trained on content which already exists. Second, and similarly, AI generally won’t give you any truly novel ideas, because again, it is drawing only on content that already exists.

AI for research

As we mentioned earlier, people are increasingly turning to AI as an alternative to traditional search engines – and often for good reason. Traditional search seems to be getting worse in quality, and AI often allows for more specific, targeted search and results.

This is especially true for doing research, as most AI tools will pull up and summarize published data with links to where it found the information, allowing you to fact-check its own results. This is crucial, because AI is also prone to occasional hallucinations – but as long as you’re double checking any facts and data you want to use, it can certainly streamline aspects of the research process.

AI for data analysis

For those actually conducting their own research, surveys, or reviewing data, AI does some of its best work in analysis. Feeding your own high-quality data to an AI tool and asking it for statistics and insights allows you to skip the Excel exercises and streamline your analysis.

Many CRM and database tools are also now integrating AI for this exact reason, allowing you to draw insights from your own customer, donor or survey data. This is one of our favourite uses of AI, as it’s more about leveraging real data and computer power to improve your marketing than it is about taking a shortcut.

AI for advertising optimization

Most digital advertising platforms now have AI-powered tools for optimizing your ads, whether through automated A/B testing, honing or broadening your audience, testing different placements, or even automated content variations.

While we wouldn’t suggest these for every brand and every ad, the data suggests these are often useful. Our advice is to try these out for yourself, but pay close attention to what aspects of your ads might be altered by the AI, and consider whether that is appropriate for your ads and brand. 

For instance, if your ads rely on some very specific wording – perhaps because you’re in a regulated industry or have a certain type of promotion in your ad – you will want to avoid any AI altering your actual content.

Subscribe for more

Looking for more guidance on how to optimize your digital marketing? Want to keep your finger on the pulse of AI and what role it plays in our industry? Subscribe to the Starling Social newsletter!

Every second Tuesday, we put together the latest digital marketing news and some helpful articles, both from our blog and around the web. And the best part is, it’s free! Subscribe today and start leveling up your digital marketing.

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All The Small Things

January 25, 2026 - 10:35pm - by Luke Thiessen

A book of writings by Alyson Shane, supporting the award in her name

We have some exciting news to share, especially for those who knew or worked with Alyson, our founder.

A few of Alyson’s family and friends have put together a book of her writing, taken from her personal blog during the last three years of her life. This book, called All The Small Things, is now available through Amazon – and all proceeds (about $10 per copy) are being donated to the Alyson Shane Memorial Award.

Why now?

We felt now was a good time to release this book into the world for a few reasons.

January is always a big month for conversations around mental health. Between the short, gloomy winter days and the frigid weather keeping many of us cooped up inside, it’s a tough time for a lot of people. We’ve just passed Blue Monday and Bell Let’s Talk Day, and still have some winter left to come.

Mental health was a frequent topic for Alyson; she was a passionate advocate for others getting the help they need, and she spoke openly about her own struggles. The writings selected for this book reflect that, with many entries delving into mental health and related challenges.

The other reason for the timing is that the team behind the Alyson Shane Memorial Award is hoping to reach their fundraising this year if possible, in order to begin awarding money to students.

About the book

All The Small Things is a collection of writings from Alyson’s personal blog between 2022 and her passing in late 2024. As Alyson’s husband John says in the preface, it would be impossible to be exhaustive without producing a Count Of Monte Cristo, so the collection is limited to what he viewed as the most poignant and representative blog posts from the final years of her life. 

Reading through the book in order, it paints a picture of Alyson’s inner world, as she saw and wanted to express it. From tender and difficult moments presented with raw honesty, to reflections on the best of times, to a list of frog and toad puns dreamt up with friends late one summer’s evening, it is a very beautiful, very human journey. 

It also includes many of the photos (and, of course, memes) which she included in her original posts.

About the award

As mentioned, all proceeds from sales of the book are going to fund the Alyson Shane Memorial Award in Rhetoric, administered by the University of Winnipeg Foundation.

Once fully funded, the award will help underrepresented students studying rhetoric, communications and writing at the U of W. The fundraising goal in order to begin awarding is $35,000, and as of now, is nearly half funded.

Anyone interested in supporting the award directly can find out more information or make a contribution through the University of Winnipeg Foundation here.

Where to buy

All The Small Things is published and sold through Amazon, and you can buy it here.

The books are printed in (and shipped from) Canada, and eligible for fast free delivery on Prime.

For any questions about the book or the award, please get in touch - we’re always happy to chat!

Our 2026 Digital Marketing Checklist

January 12, 2026 - 5:47pm - by Luke Thiessen

What we’re planning for, bracing for, and watching for this year in the world of digital marketing

By Luke Thiessen, Director

I used to call it “Mythical January.”

In a previous job where I led a nonprofit communications team, we would talk all year – especially as we neared and weathered the busy holiday season – about Mythical January. It was the time when we all expected to be able to sit back, catch up on all of the projects that fell by the wayside throughout the year, and plan for the year ahead.

But every year, without fail, we would reach Mythical January, and two things would happen. First, we would realize the list of things we left for January was longer than we could possibly tackle. And second, some opportunity or emergency would come up that would shake us from our leisurely catch-up session and set us right back on the hamster wheel of work that wouldn’t stop again until after Christmas.

So this year, I thought I’d kick off the Starling blog with some planning advice and insights to help you make the most of your Mythical January – whatever that looks like for you. 

We’re going to look at some of the challenges, opportunities, and emerging technologies that we expect will warrant our attention this year. I hope this helps you plan your 2026 digital marketing and strategize for the year to come!

A.I. Everything

You know we had to start here. Sometimes we love it, sometimes we hate it, but it’s not going away, so might as well embrace it. 

We still believe human-created content is king, and will continue to be this year, but we as marketers know that AI is making its way into more facets of our work – so it’s important to understand what’s happening. 

One area where we’re watching AI closely is in ad delivery. Many of our main digital ad channels are integrating AI into how they do targeting and placements, including Meta and Google. So for 2026, we are watching the data closely to see if and how these tools actually impact results, what the best use cases are, and if there are any issues we need to be watching for.

Another major area of AI integration we are watching is in search. This impacts a few things, from how we approach SEO on our websites and blogs to PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising in search. So far, this has had a smaller and slower impact than many marketers feared, but AI is still changing the way we approach search engine marketing. So for 2026, we are continuing to invest in the tools and strategies that continue to deliver results, but we are also bracing for a future where much of this could change.

We are also watching the AI regulatory landscape this year, as 2025 already brought some significant international developments which could hint at what’s to come. Regulation in the EU (as well as China and some parts of the U.S.) is forcing disclosures for AI-generated content and AI-assisted technologies. There are also active lawsuits in Canada which are likely to impact things here, as our government has indicated it’s watching for court decisions before enacting any AI regulation. 

Alternative Search

This overlaps somewhat with what we’re watching in AI, but two major shifts are happening in search right now that cannot be ignored: chatbots as search, and social media as search. 

AI chatbots are quickly taking market share from traditional search engines, as more people type their queries directly into ChatGPT or other AI tools. The line here blurs a little, as the chatbots appear to be getting at least some of their results directly from Google (not to mention Gemini, one of the most popular chatbots, is a Google product). However, it is a significant trend that is changing how many users engage with search.

Social media is doing something similar, especially among younger users who are typing queries directly into the (mostly AI-powered) search bars within social media apps. This makes SEO more complicated in a lot of ways, but at minimum reinforces the importance of having good strategic copy across all of your social media content.

Short-Form Video

Video has been the king of content for a while now, but its importance just keeps growing. TikTok shows no signs of slowing down, and virtually every other platform is scrambling to keep users on board by prioritizing similar video feeds. 

For 2026, we are watching the pace of this shift to video-first, looking at more efficient and cost-effective ways of embracing video content, and evaluating how this should fit into overall strategy for our clients.

Authenticity

In the age of AI slop and automated marketing, we (as well as many other experts) believe that authenticity will only become more important in 2026. 

Authenticity has always been one of our core values at Starling Social, but we are seeing increasing evidence that it makes for more effective digital marketing. Real people want to see and hear real people in their social feeds, and that applies to advertising too. 

The challenge here is that video is often the most expensive and/or labour-intensive content to make, whether for organic social or ads. However, making something that feels authentic can also mean making something less polished and more natural – so there is also opportunity here for marketers with smaller budgets and modest tools.

Niche Platform Advertising

Perhaps less of a trend and more of a personal project, something I’m trying to watch and do more of in 2026 is marketing on niche platforms.

You might not think of Reddit or LinkedIn as niche (both boast huge user numbers), but their advertising programs are barely a fraction of the size of Meta and Google. However, both have invested significantly in the quality of their ad business recently, and can deliver great results for a good price if done well. Targeting and placements naturally work differently here than on Meta or Google, and they are both home to strong niche communities of users, creating advertising opportunities you just can’t get elsewhere.

Getting Professional Help

Overall, it seems the world of digital marketing just keeps getting more challenging and complex – and in 2026 the pace of change has become almost dizzying. But that’s why we’re here.

If you could use help navigating any of this – from adapting your advertising strategy for AI, to creating more video content, to trying something new with your digital marketing – get in touch to book a discovery call today.

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Starling’s Year In Review

December 7, 2025 - 10:06pm - by Luke Thiessen

By Luke Thiessen, Director

The past year has been an interesting one at Staring Social, to say the least. 

After the sudden passing of our founder, Alyson, the team wanted nothing more than to continue doing the work we’ve always done, continue partnering with our amazing clients, and continue the legacy that Alyson built here at Starling.

I joined the team at the turn of the new year, and it’s been a journey getting to know our team and our clients – in many cases for the first time – and seeing where I could bring fresh eyes and energy to our work. 

Without getting into a laundry list of shout-outs, I want to say thank you to each of our clients and team members, as truly each of them have taught me something this year. It has felt surreal to step into the shoes of my best friend and take the wheel of this business I have long admired from a short distance – but at so many turns I have encountered kindness and generosity, and I appreciate it deeply.

New Work

In a year of economic challenges and uncertainty, especially for Canadian businesses, we were fortunate to bring some wonderful new clients on board and deliver some digital marketing wins.

One of my favourite new projects from this past year was Transcona Golf Club, who partnered with us to produce content for their social media, promoting both their golf course and clubhouse restaurant. The team there allowed us to come in with some creative ideas for video content especially, and the results speak for themselves – check them out on Instagram and Facebook for some fun golf content (and a great place to eat in the off-season!).

We were also fortunate to partner with Manitoba Chamber Orchestra this year to help with advertising their new season. The MCO was very dear to Alyson, as she was a volunteer board member with the organization and a huge fan of their work. Check out their award-winning performances with some exciting new shows starting in February!

Continuing Alyson’s Legacy

When I came on board, it was important to me – and to the whole Starling team – that Alyson remain a guiding force in everything we do. After all, it was her vision and principles that made Starling Social what it is, and I believe every team member here has learned something from Alyson that shaped their craft as well. 

So, while a lot has changed at Starling this past year, there’s also a lot which has stayed the same. 

In June we sponsored the Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre’s annual fundraising event, continuing our support for a cause dear to Alyson’s heart.

In September, we gave everyone on our team $100 to spend at an Indigenous-owned local business, in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – another tradition Alyson started and we have committed to continuing.

And throughout the past year, we have worked hard to honour everything Alyson built at Starling by delivering the very best for our clients and holding true to our values. 

In addition to continuing Alyson’s legacy here at Starling Social, and along with many of her family and friends, we are also supporting the Alyson Shane Memorial Award, a new scholarship through the University of Winnipeg Foundation. The award will be given each year to a student pursuing a degree in Rhetoric & Communication, with preference given to those who identify as female, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, or coming from other marginalized communities.

To learn more about this award or to make a donation of your own, visit the Foundation website here.

Looking Forward

Beyond the changes we’ve already gone through this past year at Starling, we know the industry itself is changing around us. Many business sectors are facing economic challenges, and may be pivoting to different customer bases and audiences. AI is becoming a juggernaut that has much of the digital marketing sector holding its breath.

But we know there will always be a market for original ideas, good writing, and strategy borne of experience and creativity. As we have for more than a decade, we continue to learn and adapt, follow the data, implement best practices, and bring our unique perspective to every client and project.

If you are unsure of what your marketing should look like in 2026, we would be happy to help. From navigating new and changing social platforms to adapting to agentic AI search engines, and everything in between – we’ve been working on this every day, and would love to put our experience to work for you. Drop us a line.

From the whole Starling Social team, we wish you a safe and joyous holiday season and a happy new year to come.

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How to Leverage LinkedIn for Personal Branding and Business Growth

November 4, 2025 - 12:38am - by Luke Thiessen

LinkedIn remains the most consistently popular social network for professionals, and for anyone looking for networking or B2B opportunities, it’s a no-brainer.

A whopping 97% of B2B marketers use the platform for content marketing, while 89% use it for lead generation. On a platform where 4 out of 5 members are making some kind of business decisions for their companies, it pays to invest your time on LinkedIn.

Beyond B2B, the platform also remains hugely popular for networking, hiring and job seeking, with 11,000 members applying for jobs every minute.

So, whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, building your network, or trying to find new clients for your business, let’s look at some tried-and-true strategies for personal branding and business growth on LinkedIn.

Your personal profile

Think of your profile page on LinkedIn as a digital version of your elevator pitch and business card – you get just one short line of text to pitch yourself, along with space for your name, title, and photo.

Chances are, if someone is seeing your profile for the first time, they came from one of three places: a post of yours that showed up in their feed, a recommendation from the algorithm of who to follow, or from a search. In all of these cases, someone was curious enough to click on your profile, but may know little to nothing about you. So it’s time for an introduction.

Arguably the most important part of your profile is your “headline,” the one open-ended line of text you get to add which isn’t tied directly to some specific piece of information or formatting. The headline has a character limit of 220, allowing for about two short sentences, but best practice is to keep it significantly shorter than that, since in some places it may be cut short.

The headline is a place to summarize or “pitch” what you offer – both professionally and as someone to follow on LinkedIn, if possible. Remember that your actual job title and work experience will follow underneath, this is just an introductory hook. If you are a freelancer or small business owner, this may double as a pitch for your business and work, but should still clearly be about you as an individual; there are other places to get deeper into your business.

Beyond your headline, my advice on LinkedIn profiles is to keep things professional, with just a bit of personality. It’s a professional networking platform after all, so this isn’t the place for overly whimsical profile and cover photos (unless that really is your personal brand). That said, showing some personality – without compromising professionalism – will help make your profile more memorable. 

Your content

Like any other social media platform or blog, it helps to have a content strategy and plan. Two things LinkedIn rewards in terms of content are quality and consistency – so plan for a posting schedule that feels realistic and attainable, and also allows you to deliver quality content every time.

As for what to post, that’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself – but we can help you narrow it down.

Many of the most successful thought leaders and power users on LinkedIn, regardless of their industry or role, have leaned into a niche and a fairly narrow set of topics. Find the thing you’re best at within your industry, or the aspect of your perspective that is most rare and unique to you, and have that be the focal point of most of your content. 

This might feel limiting at first, but with a well-developed content strategy and plan, you can find many different ways to talk about the same subject and share the same expertise. For example, LinkedIn marketer Gus Bhandal created a “content album” strategy which takes inspiration from musical albums, where all the songs sound different, despite being played with the same instruments and by the same artist in the same genre. He created numerous types of post styles to help inspire and frame different types of content, knowing they will all remain cohesive due to his specific perspective and personal brand.

Building and engaging with your network

Quality content and a strong profile is a great place to start on LinkedIn, but building a network and growing your following requires you to engage with other users.

Start by connecting with people you actually know, people you’ve worked with, and other people in your industry or related industries whose content genuinely interests you. LinkedIn is not the place to be picky about privacy and who sees your posts – you can follow strangers, and let strangers follow you. 

Next, start engaging everywhere that it feels natural. Leave comments on posts you like, and reply to comments on your own posts. Be authentic, but also don’t be afraid to push yourself outside your comfort zone and engage with strangers. It can help to pretend that you’re at a large party or event where everyone’s been invited but most don’t know each other – you won’t offend anyone by leaving comments, especially if they’re supportive or asking relevant questions. And make sure to reward others for doing the same on your posts by replying promptly and warmly.

LinkedIn for business

So far, we’ve largely talked about personal profiles and personal branding – which certainly crosses over into business if you’re a freelancer or small business owner whose name is synonymous with their business. However, if you run a business with its own LinkedIn page, there are additional things to consider, and additional opportunities for growth.

One of the first things to do is ensure your page is fully complete. Many business pages lack some key pieces and are therefore less likely to be found in search. Make sure your page is filled out and includes plenty of keywords that interested users might be searching when looking for a service, a job, or businesses in their industry to follow. 

Next, just like your personal page, make a content strategy and plan. Similar rules apply here, although most businesses can get away with a slightly broader range of content. We also recommend implementing video and photo content as much as possible for businesses, as these types of posts tend to get far more reach and engagement.

If your business has employees, utilize them to expand your reach. Tag them whenever it’s relevant, and ask them to share your posts where appropriate. Showing the human faces behind your business always helps too.

Finally, use LinkedIn to post jobs. Job postings are one of the most popular features of the platform, tend to get more shares, help build credibility, and give more people a reason to follow you. Even if you use some other platform for hiring, just posting about your job openings on the platform can get you most of these benefits.

Getting outside help

Did you know that Starling Social manages corporate LinkedIn pages? Our team has a lot of experience with LinkedIn for a variety of businesses and nonprofits, and a proven track record of building audiences and engagement on the platform.  Get in touch today to book a discovery call!

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8 Ways to cut through the noise on Black Friday and Cyber Monday

October 20, 2025 - 1:36pm - by Luke Thiessen

The week surrounding American Thanksgiving is arguably the most competitive of the year for advertising and digital marketing. And while retail is often the worst, the competition now spans most industries, including nonprofits with the advent of Giving Tuesday to close out the weekend.

For those willing to put in the effort, there can be plenty of reward – last year, consumers spent $41.1 billion during “Cyber Week” (the five days between American Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday) online in the U.S. alone, up 8.2% year-over-year from 2023, more than doubling the rate of inflation. Many consumers are intentionally budgeting and planning for Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases, and any business not investing in a campaign during this time is likely leaving money on the table.

So, while the competition is stiff and the investment can be major, there are ways to cut through the noise on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and ensure your sales are reaching people with money to spend on the biggest shopping weekend of the year. Keep reading to find our best tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns in 2025.

1. Plan your sales

Famously, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are all about sales. Before you plan anything else, you need to know what you’re offering. 

Determine what kind of discounts or deals you can afford to offer, and consider the best way to package them. Depending on your products and price points, a BOGO deal may generate more profit than a 50% off sale by driving higher volume, while feeling like similar value to a customer.

2. Start marketing early

While most sales will only start the week of Black Friday (and for good reason), it does help to get ahead of things, especially with your existing customers and followers.

Email marketing is a good place to start by giving your subscribers a heads-up on what sales and promotions you will be offering, before they get inundated with advertising from every angle across the internet (and in the real world). A simple email  – and optionally social post – with the dates and discounts, no more than two weeks before Black Friday, will help prime your existing fans to keep you in mind as they plan their shopping.

3. Create a gift guide

A gift guide can be an effective way of capturing customers who are still in the idea-shopping phase or are open to suggestions. This is best done a little further in advance, and partnered with a slightly longer sale period, but can work with most any timeline if you have the resources.

Select some of your on-sale products that are most commonly bought as gifts (or services, if you’re a salon or similar business with gift-able services), and divide them into a few categories. These can be things like “For Him,” “For Her,” “For Kids,” “Under $100,” etc. Create collections or albums of these on your online store, and promote them with separate posts or ads on social media. 

The best part about a gift guide is that you can market it as a little less sales-y. Think of your gift guides as helpful resources for your customers, with a sale attached. For example: “Stylish gift ideas from XYZ Inc – all now 40% off!”

4. Offer gifts with purchase

An easy way to add value for your customers separately from reducing the price is to offer a gift with purchase. Ideally this should be something that either costs you very little to give away, encourages the customer to buy again, or both.

Most commonly this is a modest-value gift card (e.g. a $10 gift card for every $100 spent), but it can also be any kind of small item – something that won’t add much to shipping costs – or even a sample of another product. 

5. Offer email-exclusive deals

Your email list is one of your most valuable business assets, and people love exclusive deals and rewards for their loyalty.

Consider saving your best deal, or at least a unique one, for your email subscribers – and make it clear in your email marketing that they are the only ones getting the deal. Include a unique link to an unlisted page on your online store, or a unique coupon code. This is also a good time to get referrals – you could offer an additional discount or small gift card to anyone who gets a friend to subscribe or make a purchase.

6. Offer free (or discounted) shipping

For many online shoppers, the idea of having to pay extra for shipping – and often not knowing what that amount will be until they reach the checkout – is a major disincentive. Especially since the rise of Amazon Prime, shipping is a major area of competition for online retailers.

Offering free shipping can be worth more in the mind of a consumer than the actual cost to the business. If you are able to offer free shipping, discounted or flat-rate shipping, you’ll likely keep shoppers on your online store for longer and get a higher conversion rate, since there’s no surprises when they get to the checkout. Just make sure to promote it as part of your advertising, social media marketing, and on the front page (and every page!) of your website or online store.

7. Partner with an influencer

Influencers are a straightforward way to get your Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal in front of a specific audience, although generally at a cost. 

If you have the budget, and an influencer you like to work with (or a really good idea of one you’d like to engage), this can be a great addition to your marketing. But it should be just that – an addition. Influencer marketing works best as a compliment to other digital marketing, so that any new potential customers learning about you from an influencer will see consistent messaging when they find your own social media accounts.

8. Do exactly the opposite of what everyone else is doing

Depending on your brand and customer base, you may find that an “anti-Black Friday / Cyber Monday” campaign message is what resonates best. Brands based around sustainability, ethical manufacturing, and/or high-value-for-high-quality goods can often get away with more modest discounts, or none at all – provided there’s still a timely hook for why customers should buy now.

A message of anti-consumerism can look really great against the backdrop of myriad ads screaming “BUY NOW,” especially if that’s what your audience is already looking for. If that sounds like your brand, consider a modest discount with an explanation of why this is the best purchase they’ll make all year. Or, instead of a discount, pledge a portion of all proceeds during the Black Friday / Cyber Monday period to a relevant charity, leading with the impact their purchase will make.

Let us help you

Could your Black Friday or Cyber Monday campaign use a little help? Not sure where to start?

We live and breathe digital marketing every day, and love helping clients make the most of their marketing. It’s not too late to start a campaign or get planning for the holiday season.  Get in touch today to book a discovery call!

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