Joanna Yung

The reason most UGC sucks is because your creators don’t care about your product. You can hear it in the first few seconds of all these UGC ads: They’re not excited. They’re not convincing. They’re not even trying that hard. Because they don’t have a reason to. They got a script, a check, and a deadline. That’s the full extent of the relationship. Brands treat UGC like a box to check. “Authentic content” becomes a format, not an actual strategy. The assumption is that if it "looks native" and sounds casual, it’ll perform. That’s not what makes UGC work. What makes it work is belief. Real conviction behind the pitch. Someone who knows what they’re talking about, has experienced the product, and who can sell it with the kind of energy you only get from someone who wants it to win. That can’t be faked. You can write the tightest brief in the world, but if the person on camera doesn’t care whether the product sells or not, the ad's going to fall flat. This is why the most effective UGC either comes from founders who are good on camera...or actual enthusiastic superfans. I’ve tested UGC across dozens of accounts. The best-performing videos are the ones with rough lighting, one take, no script, with a person who genuinely believes the viewer should buy the product. Most UGC creators aren't looking for products they actually care about. They're looking for more paychecks. And you can't blame them. So instead of insight or intent, they optimize for speed and output. And brands make it worse by handing over rigid scripts and treating the creator like a rented face instead of a partner. If you want better UGC, stop chasing volume and start creating conditions where someone actually gives a shit. Pay more. Involve fewer people. Scrap the script. Let them use the product for real. Let them talk about why it matters. When someone cares about the product, the viewer can feel it. And when they don’t, the scroll restarts.

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Your ad budget's tight? Good. Constraints force you into better marketing. Brands try to do everything at once because they think more channels equals more results. They'll take their $1,000 daily budget and split it six ways - Facebook, Google, TikTok, email, influencers, whatever else they read about in some case study. Then they wonder why nothing works. Constraints aren't your enemy. They force you to make smart decisions. When you can only pick one channel, you have to think about which one makes the most sense for your business. When you can only test one landing page, you put real effort into making it good. I've worked with brands that had unlimited budgets. They were some of the messiest operations I've ever seen. No focus, no clear attribution, just throwing money at every new platform and hoping something sticks. Meanwhile, the scrappy brands with $500/day budgets have the cleanest data and most profitable campaigns. Because they can't afford to waste money on vanity metrics. Every dollar has to count, so they measure what matters. They pick one channel, master it, then expand. They test one product funnel until it works before building ten more. Having limited resources means being strategic instead of scattered. You can't buy your way out of bad creative or poor product-market fit. You have to solve the fundamentals first. Some of the best marketing I've seen came from brands that couldn't afford fancy attribution tools, so they built simple tracking that worked. They couldn't hire ten freelancers, so they learned the platforms themselves and understood how they really functioned. Constraints breed creativity and focus. Unlimited budgets usually breed waste and confusion. If your budget feels tight, don't whine about it. Use it. Your well-funded competitors are probably blowing money across twelve different channels with no clue what's actually driving results. THAT'S your advantage.

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Google just changed how people discover brands forever.  Instagram profiles now show up in search results like regular websites, that means… Someone searches "fitness coach Toronto" on Google? They might find Instagram creators before they find actual websites. Here's what this means for influencer marketing. The value of working with creators just multiplied. Every collaboration, every branded post, every product mention is now searchable content that lives beyond Instagram's algorithm. At Plug Media, this changes how we think about creator partnerships for our brand clients. It's not just about reaching an influencer's existing followers anymore.  It's about reaching everyone who Googles relevant keywords in your industry. That creator with 50K followers who consistently shows up when people search for your product category?  They just became more valuable than the 1M follower account that doesn't rank anywhere. Smart brands will adapt their influencer strategy accordingly. While others chase follower counts, the winning brands will partner with creators who own Google in their niche. When your target customer searches for solutions, you want your brand partner to be the first face they see. That's not just influence. That's market positioning. The brands that understand this shift first will dominate the search results while their competitors are still stuck in the Instagram feed. And Plug Media is already helping brands make that shift.

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Over the last 90 days, my LinkedIn content has been seen by 416,979 unique people. LinkedIn is the most powerful B2B growth engine on the planet, but you don't need to go viral to make a ton of money. Instead, do this: 👇 Build your audience while you prospect. You've probably heard these stories: ➝ Creator A: Goes viral and sells next to nothing ➝ Creator B: Crushing sales with 50 likes/post If you want to become Creator B, understand this: LinkedIn is the ONLY channel where cold outreach builds a permanent audience. Cold email? You stop sending, leads stop coming. LinkedIn? Every connection request builds an audience that sees your content forever. One activity. Two outcomes. Here's the simple 3 step system: (1) Send 200 blank connection requests/week to people who posted in the last 30 days (2) Message accepted connections with problem-oriented messaging (3) Post 5x/week to nurture everyone in your network This is the LinkedIn Revenue Flywheel. Short-term: Booked meetings from outreach Long-term: Inbound leads from content & immense trust gets built Thoughts?

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Most Shopify founders think scaling paid growth is about better ads. It needs better systems. Because when the system works everything compounds: ✅ Attribution tracks every penny. ✅ Creatives refresh before fatigue hits. ✅ Budgets scale without chaos. ✅ Product winners get fuel, not waste. ✅ Retargeting, retention, and revenue play together. That’s when growth stops feeling random and starts feeling inevitable. If your ads aren’t scaling the way they should, it’s rarely a “creative problem.” It’s a systems problem. Build the system. Then let it scale for you. P.s What’s the biggest bottleneck in your paid system right now? ♻️ Save this post for your next ad audit. 📈 Follow Phil Byrne for insights on paid growth that actually scale.

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“Everyone wants the spotlight in #DigitalMarketing… but very few know the backstage grind.” It’s one of the hottest careers for youngsters today — yet beyond the reels, likes, and viral moments, lies a tougher reality. In this podcast, I share what it truly takes to build a career in this space: the massive opportunities, the hidden threats, and the mindset that separates success from burnout. As a #LinkedInTopVoice, I’ve had the chance to work with startups and Fortune 500s — and I’ve seen both sides of the story. 🎙️ The full episode drops tomorrow at 6 PM. I’d love to hear your thoughts once you watch it. 🚀 Jitendra Lakhwani Swati Panjwani Mantras2Success.com

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I don't like punching at a man who has given marketing so much. So this post took me 3 weeks to write. Out of sheer hesitation. You see, Philip Kotler introduced a 5th P: Purpose (!) in mid March. And it gets the most fundamental things wrong. First: the 4P mix framework is about controllable variables you should consider in order to *implement* a strategy. "Purpose" is not that, it is strategy in itself. Look, if your purpose is "to make everyone able to afford good eyesight", it is a strategy which *in turn* affects your products (need to make simpler, no frills glasses) and pricing (affordable, with financing options, leasing). And so on. Second, "Purpose" is ill defined. As I wrote above, purpose is simply strategy. As usual a debate and endless confusion because people decided to introduce a new and useless redefinition. You want to make a brand that makes people buy it because you invest back into saving the environment? Nice strategy. You want to make sleek sports car for the rich and bored? That's can be your purpose. They are in reality interchangeable. No one can ignore financial realities, and no one can run a company if people outside do not get value they want to exchange for money. Oh but purpose can never change, some say. Of course it can. As it is strategy, it is intertwined with culture. You can't make Fiat into Ferrari overnight, you can't make Exxon into Patagonia through three powerpoint statements. Real strategy is about what you really are, not what you say. Next time someone starts talking purpose, just say "you mean our strategy". The get working on actually making a difference.

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Most brands still think they’re in the business of advertising. But if you’re marketing to Gen Z or Gen Alpha, you’re in the business of storytelling. This generation doesn’t just want to know what your product does. They want to know why it exists. Who made it. What it stands for. Where it fits into their world. That means your ad isn’t just an offer. It’s an entry point into a narrative. Use character. Show the struggle. Create moments that feel like real life, not polished scripts. Because young audiences don’t connect with perfect. They connect with real. So if your marketing feels flat, here’s a hard truth: You don’t need a better CTA. You need a better story.

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Most people use AI to save time. I use it to compound visibility. Here’s how I do that: > Prompt AI to draft 20 comment starters on trending topics > Edit them for tone + context > Deploy them across ICP + industry creator posts daily > Track impressions → DMs → calls One client went from 500 to 20,000 impressions a week. Just by blending AI scale with human strategy. But the mistake that most people do is: Treating AI as a replacement for your voice. But that's not how it works. AI is not here to write for you. It’s here to make sure more people hear you.

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You need better inputs more than you need other creatives. Every great ad starts with a deep understanding of what the customer actually wants, not what the brand thinks they want. Go read reviews and talk to customers. That’s where the angles live.

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Why I turn down $20K/month retainers. Sounds insane, right? But I've learned something after taking on too many big-ticket clients who weren't ready to change. Money doesn't fix misalignment. I used to chase every high-value deal. Someone waves $20K/month in front of you, you take it. That's just math. Except it's not. Because what they're really buying is someone to blame when nothing changes. They want you to own their problems without giving you the power to fix them. They need board deck fodder. A line item that shows they're "doing something" about their broken GTM. Meanwhile you're writing strategies nobody reads. Running workshops nobody implements. Sending Slack messages into the void. I spent six months doing this once. Made great money. Delivered zero impact. Know what that does to you? Makes you feel like a fraud. Because you are one. You're not doing marketing. You're just billing hours. These days I'm brutal about qualification. Not "do they have budget?" But "will they actually do the work?" Big difference. The clients I work with now pay less. But every single week something ships. Something changes. Something moves forward. Real campaigns launch. Real pipeline gets built. Real revenue happens. I can point to actual stuff that happened because I showed up and did the work. Not strategy decks. Not frameworks. Not advisory hours. Just marketing that works. That's worth more than any retainer. I'm a marketer. I do marketing. If you're not ready for someone to actually get in your HubSpot and build things, I'm not your guy. Even if you're waving $20K/month at me. Your best business development strategy isn't saying yes to everything. It's saying no to the wrong things. Especially when they pay well.

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I made $4 million without spending on ads. Here’s how: 1. Top-of-Funnel (TOFU): Start with TikTok. Create content that grabs attention and provides value. Think tips, hacks, or relatable moments your audience cares about. Don’t sell — spark curiosity. 2. Middle-of-Funnel (MOFU): Move them from TikTok → Instagram. Instagram is where relationships grow. Use stories, polls, and behind-the-scenes content. Build trust and keep them coming back for more. 3. Bottom-of-Funnel (BOFU): Convert. Now, guide them toward action. Multiple touchpoints (usually seven or more) are key. Use Instagram posts and direct messages for personalized offers. It’s not about going viral. It’s about creating meaningful connections that drive sales. No fancy ads. No crazy budgets. Just organic strategies that WORK. What’s stopping you from building your funnel?

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How Bob scaled a Lead Gen client's conversions +250%, while reducing CPA -60%: (The coolest thing about this is that he did nothing fancy but went back to the basics). About the client: in the Automotive industry, selling low-ticket info products. The account was in such a bad condition that he had to pause everything and start fresh. Here's what he did: 1. Start from scratch: back to the fundamentals. 2. Fix the tracking (from GACT to OCT). 3. Consolidate campaigns and ad groups with the Modern-Day Search* approach. 4. Build out new, relevant keyword themes. 5. Switch to Target CPA. 6. Wait for more budget. * A combination of account consolidation, Smart Bidding, Broad Match, RSAs, and conversion-optimized landing pages. I broke down the entire case study for you here with deep-dive examples for every step: https://lnkd.in/exk3qYEx

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Most founders think scaling means spending more. More payroll. More tools. More pressure. But what if scaling just meant spending smarter? That’s what one of our clients figured out. He runs a small digital agency in Canada. Instead of hiring locally at $6K+ per head, he built a full team in Pakistan with us, developers, media buyers, and designers, all at a fifth of the cost. Same results. Same ownership. No chaos. Scaling doesn’t need to be complicated. You just need the right people, and the right setup. That’s where The Talent Surge comes in. #TheTalentSurge #FounderMindset #SmartHiring #RemoteTeams #PakistaniTalent #OutsourceRight #DigitalAgencies #ScaleWithoutBurnout

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If I Had to Rebuild a 7-Figure DTC Brand From $0 Using Only Paid Social This would be my exact roadmap. (What I could have charged $1,000 for in a single consultation... but you get it for free) Let’s say you’re desperate to hit 7 figures fast. No big team. No agency. Just paid social and creators. This is exactly what I’d do. Step 1: Pick the right product I’d choose a CAC-focused product. Something expensive, in demand, and profitable per sale. Think of it like drop-shipping: you get immediate cash flow and can reinvest quickly without loans. Why not LTV products? Because if you’re in a rush, subscription-based or LTV-heavy products will slow you down. You need fast, profitable sales to fund the rebuild. Step 2: Launch creative testing immediately I’d hire creators, pay them for multiple posts each month, and let them experiment. Give them minimal direction with just a list of negative things that you don’t want them to say. TikTok is the first testing ground. Even if initial sales are modest, you’ll discover what messaging hooks attention and which angles resonate. Step 3: Repurpose top-performing UGC Once you know what’s working on TikTok, push the best content to Facebook ads. Use those creative insights to guide targeting and messaging. Step 4: Build multiple landing pages by tapping into the white space Build pages that address real problems, tap into white space, and target multiple avatars. Test pages against each other to see which drives the most conversions. Step 5: Scale creators and content Double down on creators with good performance. Offer long-term deals. Feed the flywheel: TikTok → Facebook → more content → more creators → more revenue. Step 6: Keep the numbers in perspective Selling a $100 product? You only need 27 sales/day to hit $100k/month. $200 product? 14 sales/day. Scale isn’t as scary as it seems. Step 7: Repeat and optimize This system of creators, UGC, tested landing pages, and targeted paid social is all you need. Build momentum, optimize, and scale. Want weekly insights and a step-by-step breakdown of the funnels, landing pages, and creatives I’d use to hit 7 figures from $0 as a DTC brand? Grab my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gxrfWz5D

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Most coaches are stuck between 0 - $10K/month not because they aren’t good at what they do, but because they make these painful mistakes You can be an incredible coach, but if your business is missing these key pieces, you’ll stay stuck under $10K/month. 1. Your offer is vague and promises nothing believable. High-paying clients don't buy coaching, they can most likely find what you are teaching online. they buy clear outcomes A good example is "I help consultants land $20K+ contracts in 90 days," not "I help business owners scale their business" Can you see the difference, one is making a good promise, with an outcome and a timeline, it also calls out who you're helping particularly. 2. No funnel of Lead generation Strategy Hoping on inbound DMs isn't a strategy. You need a simple, repeatable system to attract, nurture, and convert leads. This means a proven funnel. This is what a simple funnel looks like Leads magnet (Webinar, guide) → Email (nurture)→ Landing page (convert) It's as simple as this. 3. You do not have a clear enough landing page Your landing page is supposed to do what you do to 1 prospect (persuade them to buy) to 1000 prospects at a time and even if you bring in loads of leads, you will only close little compared to what is ideal - 20 to 30% A great landing page should do three things, Hook attention, build trust, and lead to a clear action. 4. Underpricing & attracting low paying clients I believe you know already, that when you under price you attract low-paying clients low paying clients = More work & More trouble The right pricing + positioning attracts serious clients who see your value. 5. You do not have a repeatable system. The best coaches track their sales, optimize their conversions, and refine their process to ensure they can track where issues come in from. If you don’t have a structured process to book calls and close deals consistently, you’re relying on luck and assumption. You will keep working hard with nothing to show for it. You need to understand the business side of your skill and that sets you apart. Just to summarize, 1. Your offer is vague and promises nothing believable, fix it 2. No funnel of Lead generation Strategy 3. You do not have a clear enough landing page 4. Underpricing & attracting low paying clients 5. You do not have a repeatable system. This is how you scale your coaching program in 2025. Save & Repost for other coaches to learn if you found this valuable PS: I have studied 100s of coaches and this has been the key to their success.

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The biggest media companies of the next decade won’t look like companies. Khaby Lame didn’t just build an audience. He built leverage. A $900M deal doesn’t come from views. It comes from control. This isn’t about content. It’s about who owns the operating layer around attention. For years, creators were treated as: – distribution – talent – line items on a media plan That phase is over. The smartest creators are quietly doing something else: They’re wrapping businesses around their audience. IP. Licensing. Commerce. Now even AI twins. Not to post more. But to own more. This is the uncomfortable truth for media and brands: Reach was never the asset. Ownership was. Creators who stay dependent on platforms will stay famous. Creators who build operating companies will stay powerful. Big difference. (The story is from The Publish Press by Colin & Samir .. a must read for everything around the global creator economy ) So, If your audience disappeared tomorrow, what would you still own?

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