If you can “hear” this image, congratulations.  You’re old.  Sigh.

As we were doing our “end of year” reporting for our clients, we noticed an alarming stat.

Our clients’ organic reach on LinkedIn had tanked since November. 

And it’s due to LinkedIn’s newest model: 360Brew.

WTF is Going On?

At first we thought, OK, it’s the end of the year and people are in “holiday mode” and have checked out.  

Then, we thought, we’re totally missing the mark on their content.  Uh oh.

So then, we started to research and talk to other marketing colleagues.

Turns out, it wasn’t just OUR clients.  It was just about EVERYONE on LinkedIn.  

All because of their new LLM model – weirdly named “360Brew”.

(Side note, we still want jobs naming software….NanoBanana, Screaming Frog….)   

What is LinkedIn’s 360Brew?

First, this is NOT a new algorithm that you can “hack”.  It’s a complete AI overhaul of how the platform “decides” which content to show you.

360Brew is a “150-billion-parameter decoder-only foundation model”.  

A what?

360Brew now looks at your profile, your posts, the comments you make, and the content you interact with to create a “360 degree” view of who you are on LinkedIn.  It looks at the past 90-days of your activity and then tries to predict what content will be relevant and valuable to you.

LinkedIn is now curating your feed for you by understanding the intent of the content it finds, and it’s using “150 billion parameters” to do this.

Did you post something that others will find valuable?  OK!  LinkedIn will share this content with people who are reacting to this kind of content. 

Not valuable?  Then your content will be pushed towards the ethereal realm of lost socks and Tupperware lids.

It’s not about keyword stuffing anymore – thank you! – or about the number of likes you can get.  (Also thank you!)  LinkedIn is “reading” your post and sending it to an audience most likely to interact with it in a meaningful way.

If you understand the model, you can align with it and get great results.  If you’re more of a random LinkedIn-er or a platform lurker,  you’re in for a shock. 

Key Changes Under 360Brew

360Brew has changed the old “signals” about good content and is prioritizing some new things:

• • Saves are the new currency. Saves tell LinkedIn that your content is valuable – or even evergreen. 
  • “Deep engagement” is key. Gone are the days of “Great post!” Instead, paragraph-long comments with actual insights or contributions to the conversation train the model on what viewers find valuable.
  • Clarity and originality. Hooks and “going viral” are no longer what you’re aiming for.  Instead, it’s sharing a NEW idea or thought. YOUR new idea or thought.
  • Hashtags are becoming decorative. Yes, you can still search by hashtag, but who knows for how much longer.  We’re still using them, but max out at 3 now.
  • Consistency – not in terms of posting frequency, but about the topics you post about. It’s recommended that you pick 2 – 3 niches/topics/buckets/pillars (whatever jargon your team uses) and post about them.  
  • It hates AI.  (Which is weird, considering….) Obvious AI-generated posts and comments will be downranked.
  • “Frequency Throttling”.  We heard about this team on a podcast and love it.  Basically, LinkedIn will limit the number of times you show up in a feed.  That means posting continually, multiple times a day, will do nothing for you.  (Content managers everywhere are cheering!)

360Brew is not just an adjustment.  It’s a mind shift.

How 360Brew Evaluates Content

Value is relative. We know that.  But how does a machine figure it out?

It starts with your profile as context. LinkedIn checks your profile to see if what you are posting aligns with your headline, About, and Skills sections.  Do you have any authority to post about this topic?  Does it match with your expertise?

Then, it looks at your posts to try to understand what one clear idea you’re trying to communicate. It will also look at dwell time and how many saves your content gets. 

But not just any saves. The kinds of people reading, saving, and commenting matter, too. Reactions from people whose profile matches yours are more valuable. 

This raised our eyebrows….if we’re trying to show expertise in our field to have potential new clients/businesses learn about us, showing our content to people with similar profiles to us, is not helpful.  Something to keep our eye on, going forward…..

Actionable Strategies to Optimize

While 360Brew is still new, there are a few things you can do to start to optimize your LinkedIn content experience.

• • • Start with your profile.  Rewrite your headline and About section to clearly identify your two or three topics of interest/expertise. Make sure your Skills section can back those up.
    • Get active on the platform. Stop lurking and start engaging. You can start with likes – or better yet, saves.  Then start to make comments.  You don’t have to share a deep insight. Just say what their post made you think, realize, or want to do. 
    • Prime the pump. Before you post, comment on key posts from 3 – 5 people or brands in the niche where you want to appear. Spend some time providing value.  Then post. 
    • Post regularly, at optimal times. 3x per week is enough and you want to be sure you’re posting when your audience is online.

Create Good Posts.

If the LLM wants quality content, let’s look at how to craft it.  We’re looking at structure vs content here – you’re on your own for that.  

• • • Lead with value.  Your first two lines are the most important as that’s what everyone sees in their feed.  Tell the reader what they’re going to get.  Don’t bury the lede.  (Yes “lede”….fascinating story about that!  Look it up!) This isn’t a hook or clickbait – it’s the key thing you want your reader to take away.
    • Watch out for “broetry”.  Like nails on a chalkboard, broetry causes us to shudder uncontrollably.  

You know.  

The short sentence.

Followed by another one.

That could actually be one complete sentence.

Ooops, that line was too long.

Yes, you want short paragraphs and spacing in your post to make it easy to read. But honestly.  Broetry just screams “AI wrote this”.

• • • Consider the 1-3-1 rule – a single sentence paragraph, a three sentence paragraph, a one sentence paragraph. You want to avoid a wall of text, so keep paragraphs limited to 4 lines.
    • Break up your text.  Use bullet points or numbers. We’ll be thrilled when LinkedIn allows for formatting inside posts, but for now, use the emojis if necessary.
    • Respond fully to every comment on your posts with actual sentences written by you. (Or your social media team.)
    • Experiment with “resurfacing”.  Did an older post drive a lot of engagement, even before 360Brew?  Consider “resurfacing” it by commenting on it again or updating a reply to a comment. If it generates new comments/saves, LinkedIn gets a flag that this content has value and should be considered in the mix to show to others.

Test. Then Test Again.

As with all new models and new initiatives, test it.  A lot.

• • • • Audit your content weekly.  Find out your saves-to-likes ratio. Some sources suggest you should aim for 1:5, to start.  Look at how many profile views your posts are driving.
      • Test your niches.  Explore which topics drive more saves and comments and then double down on those ones. 

It’s Time To Brew!

Another reference back to Bob and Doug.  Nevermind.

Now that you understand the basic framework of what’s happening on LinkedIn, it’s time to look at your content and explore the new model.

It’s going to take some time for everyone to adapt, so in the meantime, play with it.  Try fewer, but more involved comments.  (Keep liking though, that still has value!)  Dig into your profile and think about the key topics you want to be known for.

Get nerdy.  Do deep dives into content that matters to you and your business. 

And remember, at some point, this too will pass and a new model will loom on the horizon. 

That’s the nature of social media. 

It may seem like people’s attention span is getting shorter, but in reality, people have access to an immense amount of content, and unfortunately, a lot of it is uninteresting. So how do you stand out and ensure your audience gets your content?

One of the best examples is the global singing girl group Katseye. Formed on the reality television show The Debut: Dream Academy, each member brings something to the table from vocals, dance and stage presence. As they continue their rise to fame, audience members quickly recognized them for their catchy songs, difficult dance routines, and personalities. Yet most recently, it’s their Gap ad that is now catapulting them into the mainstream.

It might feel like a stretch to learn from these young ladies; however, being a business is one aspect you both share. In this blog, we’ll take you through the three main steps Katseye took to capture their audience, and how you can incorporate those ideas into your social media and capture your own audience.

Go Against the Grain and Take Opportunities

You’ve probably heard about how American Eagle landed in some hot water after partnering with Sydney Sweeney to promote their jeans, using the phrase “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” Now, this wouldn’t have been an issue if the ad campaign didn’t feature a white, blond-haired, blue-eyed woman as the embodiment of “good genes”—which the general public was quick to criticize as underlying support for eugenics and white supremacy.  

In response, brands like Gap recognized that this was the perfect opportunity to strike and potentially gain a new audience. And that’s exactly what they did with Katseye. 

As of today, the ad has over 30 million views. And while yes, the ad itself is nothing innovative, having a diverse girl group with diverse dancers dancing in your jeans is definitely the exact opposite of a lot of the messaging of today’s social climate. To pack in an extra punch, the ad uses Kelis’ hit “Milkshake”, highlighting the lyrics “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard / And they’re like, it’s better than yours”, insinuating that their jeans are better. 

Now, we know what you’re thinking, “How does this relate to my business and social media?” Going against the grain and taking opportunities like Katseye starts with answering the following:

Keep Moving

Take a moment to celebrate achievements, but don’t stop there. The success of the ad led to thousands of videos of audiences replicating the dance and members of Katseye interacting with fans during livestreams or even in person. It was clear that the audience loved to see them dance and be fun, down-to-earth young ladies. 

But they didn’t stop there.

To maintain the momentum, Katseye continued to schedule performances at the MTV Awards, the Grammy Museum and Coachella 2026, as well as collaborate with brands like Jollibee and Pandora Malaysia. 

Now, to keep up your own momentum, what you need to be doing is asking yourself:

Prepare to Get Lucky

Someone once said that luck is when preparation meets timing. All the girls in Katseye have undergone intense training for years to be the best they can be, and that mentality can go a long way for your social media. You need to continue putting your best foot forward and finding ways to improve your connection with your audience.

If you’re looking for inspiration, don’t worry, we’ve got 100 social media post ideas that you can use.

It’s Time to Get Started!

While you’ll most likely not be the next viral internet sensation, the focus should always be on the people who are or may be interested in your business. Start by looking for gaps in the market, then build momentum and finally, continuously push yourself to improve your social posts.

Remember, you’re not fighting people’s attention span; you’re just focusing on connecting with them.

Are you looking for a new way to share information about your brand and engage with your customers on social media? User-generated content (UGC) can help!

What is UGC?

UGC is a broad category that encompasses content about the specific products and services you offer—or about your business in general—created by social media users or customers. In other words, it’s content that has been created about your brand, but not by your brand.

UGC is extremely common, and includes things like social media posts, video content, podcasts, blogs, testimonials, and customer ratings and reviews. Chances are, you engage with it online on a regular basis. 

In fact, you’ve probably even created UGC yourself at some point without really realizing it! If you’ve ever Instagrammed a meal at your favourite restaurant, left a Google review, or posted about the museum/national park/spa/coffee shop you recently visited, you’ve created UGC!

Why is UGC Valuable?

You might be thinking, “Why should I care about UGC? I’ve got brand guidelines! I’ve got social media templates! I’ve got a whole marketing team!”

And those things are all great! We LOVE brand guidelines, templates, and marketing teams. We love seeing cohesive and consistent social media posts that truly represent what your brand is all about. But by treating UGC as complementary to your regular, branded content, you can unlock unique benefits, reach potential customers, and grow your brand.

Here’s what you stand to gain from incorporating UGC into your overall social media strategy:

Social Proof

Have you ever been influenced by someone else’s enjoyment of a product to go and try that product for yourself? That’s social proof.

Basically, social proof is the idea that if other people are enjoying something, it must be good/fun/cool! This happens with UGC all the time. When people see others using—and loving—your products, they’re more likely to try them, too. (And maybe even create some UGC of their own!)

Trust and Authenticity

Whether you’re in the business of selling scarves or repairing bicycles, people want to know what to expect from your products or services before they commit. And they want to know if other people’s experiences with your brand have been positive or negative. That’s why we read reviews before ordering products online or making restaurant reservations.

Customers expect you to paint your business in a positive light. But let’s face it, as the business owner, you’re biased. By contrast, UGC created by regular people (who aren’t connected to your business) is often considered more authentic and trustworthy.

Brand Loyalty

Sharing content from your customers is a simple and effective way to build relationships and strengthen the community built around your brand. Showcasing your customers can make them feel more connected to your brand, and more likely to continue showcasing your brand in their content. This also makes customers feel like they’re a part of a larger community, which in turn strengthens their loyalty to your brand.

Incorporating UGC into Your Social Content Plan

Now that you know why UGC can benefit your brand, let’s take a look at some of the most common types of UGC, and how you can make use of them. 

Social Media Posts

There are a lot of ways to share existing social media posts on your own social channels beyond hitting the share button and reposting to your feed or stories.

One popular trend with UGC is to screenshot posts from one platform to share on another. For example, say one of your customers wrote a glowing review of your business on their public LinkedIn page, and you’d like to share this more widely. A screenshot of this review can easily become a photo post on Instagram, potentially reaching a more diverse audience than by resharing on LinkedIn alone. 

But if you’re going to do this, we recommend asking permission from the original poster first. While there’s an understanding that posts may be shared within the platform where they were posted—especially if a business page has been tagged—social media users may not expect that their posts will be used on other platforms. (If they’re fans of your brand, they probably won’t mind, but it never hurts to check first!)

💡 Pro Tip: Make sure to ALWAYS credit the original creator. Bonus points for giving the creator a shout out in your caption and encouraging your followers to check out their other content!

Testimonials and Customer Reviews

You likely already make use of testimonials and reviews on your business website, so why not share them on social media as well? 

With this type of UGC, it’s important to strike the right balance in terms of posting frequency. You certainly don’t want your feed to be nothing but testimonials, and give the impression that you’re bragging about all your amazing 5-star reviews. 

Depending on your posting schedule—and the number of testimonials/reviews available to you—start by sharing one or two per month. 

💡 Pro Tip: Created a branded template for this type of post. This way you’ll get the benefits of using UGC while keeping your posts visually cohesive.

Videos

Product hauls, unboxing videos, and product tutorials all make for engaging social media content, and give your followers an opportunity to find out how your products work, and see what they look like in the wild. 

There are a couple of options you might want to try with this type of UGC:

1. Share existing video content created by customers (with permission and credit, of course).

2. Make a short video of your own calling on your followers to post a new video highlighting your products.

💡 Pro Tip: When putting out the ask for fresh UGC, be sure to state that those videos will be shared on the company page.

Podcasts and Blog Posts

Whether it’s a formal product review or just a quick mention of a brand, podcasts and blogs can also be a great source of UGC. Consider pulling a quote to share as a text or image post. (If you don’t already have a template for quote posts, we suggest creating one.)

You can also share a direct link to the podcast or blog that mentioned you, and encourage your followers to check it out.

💡 Pro Tip: Don’t forget to tag and thank the podcaster/blogger for the mention. It’s a small gesture, but one that will reinforce a positive connection with your brand.

Adding UGC to your content plan can be a fun and creative way to showcase your brand and your customers. But remember, any content you share should ultimately align with your brand values and support your overall social media goals, so choose your UGC wisely!

Let’s be honest: it’s been a weird year for the Canadian economy, and there’s no reason to think that’s going to change anytime soon. We know every business, non-profit, and entrepreneur is looking for a silver bullet to protect them from uncertainty. And while we don’t have that (darn!), we DO have some tips to help you make the most of your social media marketing spend.

Read on for some low- and no-cost recommendations that can help you and your social media team deliver the best possible results, no matter your budget.

Simple actions you can take to rev up engagement

Help us help you make your content pop

Work collaboratively with your social media team, and make sure everyone is on the same page

Small investments that can make a big difference

With how quickly trend cycles move, trying to keep up may make you feel overwhelmed or motivate you to find ways to connect with your audience. Whichever side of the spectrum you fall on, it’s not hard to get caught up in the moment and find yourself in a tough situation.

But don’t worry, in today’s blog post we’ll be describing two types of trends to be careful with, how to navigate them, as well as how to safely hop on trends and how to navigate backlash. 

Before we get started, let’s define a trend. In this case it’s content or ideas that the general public agrees to or enjoys. For example, “underconsumption core” is the idea of encouraging people to reconsider how much they consume. Another example is the Pepe the King Prawn template. Many users on social media use his photo to tell a story.

Now with that out of the way, let’s dive in.

Two Types of Trends to Tread Carefully With & How to Navigate Them

1. Trends that Hurt Your Audience

We all know that we need to treat our customers with respect -that’s obvious, but sometimes underlying messages in trends are hurtful. Take the popular trend in 2023, “Girl Math”, for example. Women would share unconventional ways they rationalize money. Common sayings like “if I use my credit card, it’s free” or “if I don’t spend $50 on something new then I earned $50” were shared across social media platforms. While it is fun, this trend not only promotes bad financial advice, but it also reinforces the idea that women are making these decisions. 

This would be great for a financial business to jump on, so how do you navigate it? Start by addressing why it’s problematic and then break down why the rationalization is bad and provide countering good advice in an engaging format. 

2. Trends that Support Communities

With the political shift you may feel like it’s not the right time to be speaking out about what’s important to you. In reality it’s the perfect time. 

Up until recently, sharing your stance on social justice causes was easy because everyone was doing it. Now, people are paying more attention to who is being genuine and who is not. So continue to show your support even during tough times. To take it one step further, share available resources and show your support throughout the year.

How to Safely Hop on a Trend

Start by seeing where the trend originated from and ask yourself:

How to Navigate Backlash

Unfortunately, mistakes happen and just like in real life, doing nothing doesn’t always make the problem go away. Always start by apologizing to your audience, explain why your actions were wrong and how you will move forward as a company.  

You’re Almost Ready

Before you get started, remember that trends are not meant to be the only source of content but they are meant to help you be a part of a larger conversation, so don’t be afraid to make it unique to your audience or even make your own content. If you need help getting started, we’ve got an incredible blog post: Entering the Matrix: 100 Social Media Post Ideas

What do you do when you need new social media post ideas?

What do you if you’ve run out of ways to reuse the content you have?

Go back to the basics. Maybe an “OG” idea can spark a new one. Maybe you’re overcomplicating your posts and you could cut them back to an easier format.

We’ve got a 10×10 matrix that we refer to when we’re stuck and we thought it might help you, too.

TL/DR: Use any intersection on the chart to generate a style or type of post.

Enter the Matrix

When it comes to creativity, a matrix is about the unsexiest thing you can come up with. (A chart? Really?) But we think it’s a great way to generate options and ideas.

We didn’t come up with this idea – let’s be clear. For the full story behind it, check out Melanie Deziel’s book, The Content Fuel Framework: How to Generate Unlimited Story Ideas.

What we’re talking about here is OUR VERSION of her matrix specific to social posts; how you can take any piece of content and generate new ideas about how to repurpose it.

In the words of Morpheus, “Let’s begin.”

(Bonus points if you know the characters we’re quoting…)

“Focus , Neo”

Down the left side of the matrix are ideas for the FOCUS of your posts

“You Got The Gift, But It Looks Like You’re Waiting For Something.”

Right. The other axis of the matrix.

The top row shows different content formats. They’re pretty self-explanatory, but let’s chat about a couple of them.

“Unfortunately, No One Can Be Told What The Matrix Is. You Have To See It For Yourself.”

Now that you understand the axes (pronounced “ax-ees”, the plural of “axis”…), here’s the matrix in all its glory.

Choose any item from the left and any item from the top…. where they meet is the type of content you’re going to create!

To see this in practice, let’s use a podcast interview.

Don’t have a podcast episode? Get a friend or colleague to “interview” you on Zoom, and use excerpts from the audio track.

For most posts, you can refer viewers back to the episode for more downloads.

History – Audio Clip: Use a clip where you provide your backstory. It could be an audiogram or, if you combine History – Audio Clip – Video/Images (getting fancy!) run the audio over a montage of pictures.

Opinion – Poll/Quiz: Take a statement you made and ask your audience if they agree.

Process – Download: What process did you discuss? Could you make a checklist? Or a matrix?

People – Video: Share the podcast itself, or a clip. Is there a trailer? Share that!

Basics – Image: Make a graphic with an important quote from the podcast.

You get the idea!

“I Show You How Deep The Rabbit-Hole Goes.”

Now you get to have fun.

Technically, there are 100 options here for you. Will every piece of content fit all 100? No. But it will fit many of them.

You can keep going deeper and deeper if you replace, or add to, the left column with topics of your own. You can remove a focus or a format that you audience doesn’t respond to.

Give it a try and let us know how it worked for you!

So, you want to take your communications strategy to the next level, and you’re considering – or have already decided to – bring on a digital and social media marketing agency to make that happen. 

Now what?!

We know that the onboarding process can be a little overwhelming, with meetings and emails nagging you for answers and info that might be outside the scope of your daily work. Ultimately, your new marketing team just wants to learn about your organization, so we can get to work sharing great content with the right audiences. 

While each client is unique, we’ve noticed some common threads. So to help you get the ball rolling, we’ve compiled a list of questions for you to consider at the start of a new marketing partnership or campaign. 

Read on for the info you’ll need to to help kickstart your new strategy, and set your marketing partner – and your business – up for success!

What are your goals for digital and social media marketing? 

What do you want your digital marketing and social media strategy to accomplish? It may sound like a straightforward question, but by identifying your objectives – and communicating them to your marketing partner – you’ll get better results, faster.

Some examples might include: 

Your campaign might include a few of these goals, and/or something totally unique to your organization! As you can imagine, the types of posts we create for you will be very different depending on what you want to accomplish.

Once we understand what you’re looking to achieve, we’ll work with you to find the right balance between posts that promote a product or service, posts that share valuable information, and posts that help you retain and grow your audience.

Is paid social media part of your plan? 

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a shift away from organic content, as platforms prioritize paid socials. Organic is still important, but if your goals include increasing awareness, driving website traffic, or boosting sales, you’ll want to consider including a paid component.

Who is your target audience?

Gather up any information you have about the types of people that typically use your products or services, and any new markets you’d like to explore.

How much time are you able/interested in putting into content creation? 

Maybe you’re coming to us because you’re at capacity, and need someone to take digital and social media marketing off your plate. Or perhaps you love working on content creation, but need some help with optimization. Or it could be that you really HATE posting, and would rather spend your time and energy working on the parts of your job that you actually enjoy. 

Give some thought to how much time and energy you’re prepared to spend on your social media, and how involved you’d like to be in content creation. We’ll always need some input (especially in the beginning) and a bit of your time to review content, but we can factor in your preferences and availability while we’re building your strategy. 

Who will be the point person/people on your team? 

Decide who will be responsible for reviewing content, and for fielding any questions we might have. This will help ensure there’s a clear chain of command and a timely approval process, so your content rolls out smoothly.

Which platforms do you want to use? 

Which accounts are you currently using? Are you interested in expanding to new platforms? Are your target audiences similar or different on each platform? We can have a discussion, and make recommendations based on your industry. (You can also check out this blog post about choosing the best platforms for your business.)

Do you have login info for your social accounts?

This might sound obvious, but you’ll want to make sure you have access to your social media accounts. This is especially important if your accounts have been inactive for a while, or if you had someone else posting for you in the past. You typically don’t need to share passwords with us, but you’ll need to get into the backend in order to give us posting access. 

What are your key dates, important seasons, etc?

If October is your busiest month, or you always have a big event in May, we want to know!

Do you have a look? Logos? Colours? Fonts? Photos?

If not, that’s okay! We can work with you to build your branding. But if you already have logos, etc., you’ll want to gather them up for us, so we can hit the ground running. And if you have a folder of photographs (events, products, team members, etc.), don’t forget to share those, too. 

What do you like or dislike? 

Love Oxford commas? Can’t stand pink? Wild about puns? If there’s something you feel strongly about, please let us know! 

What makes you or your organization stand out? 

Similarly, if there’s a value that is central to your organization, or a belief that drives the work you do, don’t be shy about sharing it with us! It will help us understand what makes you YOU, and likely what makes your organization unique, too! This is especially important for small businesses and solopraneurs, but we think it applies to most of our clients!

Don’t Panic!

If this list seems daunting, don’t worry! You don’t necessarily have to have a fully-formed answer to each of the questions above. Consider this a starting point to help you get the most out of your early meetings. 

It’s okay to ask questions, and ask for our recommendations and guidance. 

But by doing a bit of brainstorming – and gathering some materials – you’ll feel more prepared for these conversations, and we’ll be able to help get your social content off the ground faster. PLUS it can help ensure we’re all on the same page, so you can get the most out of your digital and social media marketing efforts!