Success Stories: How These Local Businesses Grew with Social Media Ads
Marketing Your Local Business Online
Release Date: 11/19/2025
3 Facebook Ad Mistakes Draining Your Budget
Marketing Your Local Business Online
In this episode, Sydney Chakalos discusses three common mistakes local businesses make when running Facebook ads that can drain their budgets. She emphasizes the importance of trusting your instincts over Meta's recommendations, the necessity of running ads for a sufficient duration, and the need for effective ad copy and images that resonate with the local audience. The episode provides actionable insights to help businesses improve their ad performance and avoid costly pitfalls. that summarizes the 3 common mistakes with Facebook ads and how to fix them. Register for the 1-hour !
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Marketing Your Local Business Online
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Marketing Your Local Business Online
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How to Create Your Marketing Calendar for 2026
Marketing Your Local Business Online
In this episode, Sydney Chakalos discusses the importance of creating a content calendar for 2026, emphasizing the need for organization in marketing efforts. She outlines the essential components of a content calendar, including social media schedules, email marketing, and loyalty programs. Sydney also shares her favorite tools for planning, such as Airtable and Google Drive, and provides a step-by-step approach to setting up a marketing calendar. The episode concludes with tips on drafting content and the importance of consistency in marketing efforts. Key takeaways: Don't wing it this...
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6 Marketing Predictions for 2026
Marketing Your Local Business Online
Get prepared for what’s to come in the world of marketing in 2026. In this episode, Sydney shares her 6 key marketing predictions for the year ahead. These are the shifts that will help you strengthen your brand and its visibility, connect more deeply with your audience, and stay competitive in a constantly evolving digital landscape. From how quickly you’ll need to grab attention, to what’s replacing hashtags, to why personalization is about to matter more than ever, Sydney breaks down the shifts every small business needs to prepare for. Tune in to hear Sydney break down what’s...
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Why a Mixed Social Strategy is Your Secret Weapon in 2026
Marketing Your Local Business Online
Ready to rethink your social media playbook in 2026? In this episode, Sydney explains why a mixed social media strategy isn’t just smart, it’s the competitive edge every local business should be using in 2026. If you’re tired of chasing the latest trends or burning out trying to “be everywhere,” this episode will give you a clear, practical roadmap for building a resilient social media strategy that actually brings customers over the finish line. The truth is, ads and organic content each have superpowers—but they shine brightest when used together. Sydney explains what ads do that...
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Success Stories: How These Local Businesses Grew with Social Media Ads
Marketing Your Local Business Online
Ready to feel inspired? In this episode, Sydney pulls back the curtain on real success stories from local businesses that transformed their results using Facebook and Instagram ads. Bonus: you won't believe how little they spent to see massive returns. From a jewelry store that had one of their busiest holiday seasons ever, to a nonprofit that finally solved their recruitment crisis, to a restaurant that had to make dough three times in one day because of overwhelming customer turnout. These stories prove that social media ads work for local businesses across every industry. What You'll...
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Designing Local Ads (And Posts) That Work
Marketing Your Local Business Online
If your ads or social posts aren’t getting the clicks, comments, or customers you hoped for then this episode is for you. Sydney dives deep into what actually makes local ad creative work from the images that stop the scroll to the copy that makes people take action. She breaks down the biggest mistakes local businesses make with their ad visuals and messaging (and how to fix them), shares what’s been consistent across a decade of data for her local business clients, and explains how to design content that attracts real customers, not just likes. You’ll learn: Why “pretty” ads...
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The Reasons Your Social Media Isn't Driving Foot Traffic
Marketing Your Local Business Online
Welcome back! After some time away, Sydney is back behind the mic with a game-changing episode that every local business owner needs to hear especially if they want to increase foot traffic. If you've been feeling frustrated with your social media reach lately, you're not imagining things. Sydney breaks down exactly what's happening with the algorithm and why your amazing content is only reaching a tiny fraction of your followers (hint: it's worse than you think). In This Episode: The shocking truth about how many of your followers actually see your posts Why "going viral" isn't a...
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What's Working on Instagram Reels Right Now
Marketing Your Local Business Online
Instagram Reels first launched in late 2020 and has since evolved tremendously. What used to work isn't necessarily what's working now. This episode breaks down what's working on Instagram Reels right now so you can use this powerful tool to grow your small business on Instagram.
info_outlineReady to feel inspired? In this episode, Sydney pulls back the curtain on real success stories from local businesses that transformed their results using Facebook and Instagram ads. Bonus: you won't believe how little they spent to see massive returns.
From a jewelry store that had one of their busiest holiday seasons ever, to a nonprofit that finally solved their recruitment crisis, to a restaurant that had to make dough three times in one day because of overwhelming customer turnout. These stories prove that social media ads work for local businesses across every industry.
What You'll Discover:
Sydney shares detailed case studies from five different local businesses, including:
- A retail store that maximized holiday foot traffic
- A volunteer fire department that brought back a recruitment class they hadn't offered in years (with just $100/month in ad spend every month!)
- A restaurant that brought in over $2,000 in catering orders for Thanksgiving
- The customer appreciation event that had a line out the door
- A garden center that had to order more Christmas trees for the first time ever
But here's what makes this episode truly valuable: Sydney doesn't just share the wins. She breaks down the strategy behind each success. What images they chose, how they crafted their messaging, and why these campaigns worked so well. You'll learn the common threads that made each of these campaigns successful, regardless of industry.
The best part? Most of these businesses spent between $50-$150 per campaign. You don't need a massive marketing budget to see real results. You just need the right approach.
Key Takeaways You'll Learn:
- How to identify which photos and imagery will perform best in your ads
- Why understanding your customer personas is crucial
- One of the biggest mistakes business owners make that causes their ads to "fail"
- How to give your ads enough time to actually work
- Why planning ahead makes all the difference in your results
Whether you own a retail store, restaurant, service business, or nonprofit organization, this episode will show you what's possible when you leverage social media ads strategically. If you've been on the fence about trying ads or felt like they "don't work," these real-world examples might just change your mind.
Connect with Sydney:
- Instagram: @MarathonMarketingBranding (DM Sydney with your questions!)
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