Celebrating 5 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

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Celebrating 5 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

This month marks a huge milestone for Serve Me the Sky Digital: we’ve officially been in business for five whole years! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years. I’m so grateful to be among the 50% that are still standing, especially after social and economic turmoil and personal life changes too. 

In the past five years of growing my business, I’ve met some amazing people, taught engaging workshops, worked on massive global brands and tiny startups, and learned a lot about what it takes to run your own business. I’m thankful for all the opportunities that have come my way, often via my awesome network of supporters and wonderful clients. 

Five years ago, it was hard to picture what the future of Serve Me the Sky Digital would look like. I only had a couple of clients, at rather low rates, and didn’t know what to expect. I took a bet on myself and made the leap. I’m so glad I did. I hope to have many more happy years of self-employment ahead, full of great projects with people and organizations I love working with!

Without further ado, let’s dive into some projects and opportunities I’ve enjoyed this year, lessons learned, and a look to the future. 

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You Have My Permission to Leave Twitter (or rather, X)

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You Have My Permission to Leave Twitter (or rather, X)

I quit Twitter in the summer of 2021. My mom had just died, I was starting a demanding new job on an interim basis, and had experienced some hostile interactions on the platform. I thought a break would be liberating, so I resolved to step away from Twitter for three months. No announcing my departure as some folks are apt to do, I just walked away.

And I never came back.

I’ve been somewhat of an evangelist for quitting Twitter for a few years now. Once Elon Musk bought Twitter in October 2022, I became even more convinced that the platform would no longer be a viable place for meaningful conversations to thrive. Musk has implemented numerous changes in his reign so far, many of which are generally agreed to be poor choices that negatively affect user experience.

So what does this mean for you or your business? If you’ve been hanging on to Twitter (or rather, X, as Musk rebranded it in July 2023), in the hopes that it still has some kind of value, this is your sign that it’s okay to walk away. 

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How to Write a Great TikTok Bio

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How to Write a Great TikTok Bio

Writing a bio for any social media profile can be challenging. How do you express the essence of who you are and what you want to be known for when you have a limited character count and need to match the vibe of the social platform? It’s tricky, and even more so with TikTok! A TikTok bio is a whole different beast than an Instagram bio. I love sharing my knowledge about all things TikTok, so today I’m sharing everything you need to know about writing a great TikTok bio.

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9 Things to Check Before Hitting Post on TikTok

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9 Things to Check Before Hitting Post on TikTok

So you’ve created an awesome TikTok and you’re almost ready to share it with the world. But wait! There are several things you need to check before you hit the big red ‘Post’ button. Reviewing these items is essential for optimizing your content so the algorithm knows who to serve it to. I’ll walk you through all the fields to check before hitting post so that your content can perform its very best.

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The Easiest Way to Add Multiple Links to Your Instagram Bio

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The Easiest Way to Add Multiple Links to Your Instagram Bio

Since its inception, Instagram has not allowed users to include clickable links in captions. The result is the infamous ‘link in bio’ culture, where individuals and businesses alike encourage their audience to visit their bio and click the one link there to follow through on the desired call to action. Because Instagram only permitted one link in a user’s bio, a few different workarounds arose so users could drive their followers to multiple different calls to action. Some people optimized their Instagram bio by using third-party tools like Linktree; others (myself included) advocated for creating a hidden landing page on your own website. Now, neither of those options is necessary, because in spring 2023, Instagram added the ability for users to include up to 5 links in their bio. It’s quick, easy, and effective! Here’s how to set it up:

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The TikTok Experiments, Volume 9: Using Trending Sounds on Every Video for a Week

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The TikTok Experiments, Volume 9: Using Trending Sounds on Every Video for a Week

In an effort to understand TikTok’s mysterious algorithm, I regularly conduct experiments to learn which tactics help videos gain traction. I’ve experimented with 3 minute videos, CapCut templates, an SEO hack, and more. In September, I experimented with a core component of TikTok videos: trending sounds. I don’t use trending sounds often; they’re not usually conducive to the kind of content I make. But trending sounds are supposed to be important in getting your videos seen, so for one week, I used trending sounds on every video I shared. To be frank, the results were surprising. 

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The Rise of Unhinged Marketing on Social Media (& How Your Brand Can Try It)

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The Rise of Unhinged Marketing on Social Media (& How Your Brand Can Try It)

This year, things have gotten unhinged on social media. The internet has always been a strange place, but it’s extra unusual lately. Recently, there’s been a shift to brands creating weirder and weirder content. No, I’m not talking about the snarky Wendy’s Twitter from the mid-2010s; I’m talking about the unhinged chaos of brands on TikTok and beyond. Today on the blog I’ll define ‘unhinged,’ explain the origins of the madness (and the rationale behind it), share examples, and offer guidance for when and how to try it. Let’s dive in!

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 8: Posting Only 3 Minute Videos for a Week

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 8: Posting Only 3 Minute Videos for a Week

All year long, I’ve been conducting a series of TikTok experiments in order to understand what kind of content the powerful TikTok algorithm prioritizes. I’ve tried an SEO trick, CapCut templates, shorter videos, a higher posting frequency, and more. In July, I experimented with longer videos, sharing only 3 minute videos for one week. The result? It worked better than I anticipated! Here’s what I learned from sharing longer videos on TikTok for a week.

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A Conversation with Megan Prather: Why Vulnerability on TikTok is Worthwhile

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A Conversation with Megan Prather: Why Vulnerability on TikTok is Worthwhile

This is the 16th post in the “A Conversation With” series, where I interview smart humans about their experiences in marketing and social media. You can read past features here.

This month, I interviewed Megan Prather, a certified coach who shares vulnerably about difficult parent relationships on her TikTok, where she has a following of 21,000. In this blog post, we dive into her approach to TikTok, why it’s worth getting vulnerable online, and how to balance content creation with caring for your mental health. 

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