DOWNSTAGE MEDIA BLOG
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY, MESSAGING, AND EMAIL MARKETING TIPS
Why Your Company Should Blog (And Why It Has Nothing To Do With SEO)
You keep putting off blogging because it feels like too much work, and as a result, prospects lose interest and clients drift away. In this post, you’ll learn how to blog in a way that saves time, builds trust, and makes follow-up effortless so you can keep the clients you have and attract the ones you want. If you don’t blog yet, you’ll learn exactly how to start. If you already blog, you’ll see how to make it even more effective and how to contribute to Orbit Media’s annual blogging survey. Read the full post to start.
Where Content Becomes a Business Plan: What to Expect at Content Entrepreneur Expo 2025
The Content Entrepreneur Expo isn’t just another industry event. It’s where creators, consultants, and founders go to sharpen their content strategy, meet real collaborators, and build businesses with staying power. Annie Figenshu—author of Simple Social Media and co-author of The Content Entrepreneur—will be there in Author Alley, ready to connect.
How to Grow an Email List That Actually Converts: A Practical Guide for Business Owners
Growing your email audience shouldn’t feel like a guessing game. If you’re not sure what to offer, where to promote it, or how to keep it fresh, you’re not alone. In this post, you’ll get a simple, doable plan to build a healthy list filled with the right people. The kind of list that keeps your audience engaged, your content working, and your business moving forward.
How to Build Brand Awareness with Engagement Posts
Engagement posts are a smart way to build brand awareness. Used well, they boost visibility, train the algorithm, and keep you top of mind.
What Happens When Local Marketers Sit Down Together (Over Steak Frites and Strategy)
A cozy table. Sharp minds. And one very good reason to keep talking marketing offline. Here’s what happened at the first Marketing Algonquin.
How to Get More Traffic to Your Squarespace Site (Without the Guesswork)
You built a beautiful Squarespace website. The messaging is solid, the visuals are on point—but the traffic? Crickets. If you’re wondering why no one’s finding your site (and what to do about it), this post breaks it down. Learn why long-form content still matters, how blogging can be your website’s best traffic engine, and what a smart strategy really looks like—especially for Squarespace users who’ve done the brand work but still feel invisible.
What Is a StoryBrand Certified Coach? (And Why the Title Changed)
Name changes are so 2025! StoryBrand Certified Guides are now StoryBrand Certified Coaches. If you're wondering why, what changed this post clears it all up.
Why Blogging Is the Most Important Part of Your SEO Strategy
Blogging isn’t just another marketing tactic; it’s the backbone of a successful SEO strategy. Learn why consistent, strategic blogging can make or break your search engine rankings and overall online visibility.
What Happened When History By Mail Hit the Shark Tank Stage
When History By Mail founder Ari Siegel stepped onto the Shark Tank stage, he had just 90 seconds to make his pitch count. Here's how we helped him craft a message that led to a $250,000 deal—and what you can learn from it about clarity, storytelling, and showing up with confidence when it matters most.
The Email Signup Experiment Wrap-Up:
I set a simple goal: get 10 new email subscribers by March 31. No ads. No big campaigns. Just smarter placement, clearer messaging, and a system that could run while I focused on client work. Here’s what worked, what didn’t—and what I’ll try next time.
Downstage Media’s Client History By Mail Tests Its Brand Message on Shark Tank
When Ari Siegel, founder of History By Mail, landed a coveted spot on Shark Tank, he turned to Downstage Media for help crafting a pitch that would resonate with both the Sharks and millions of viewers. Here’s how we shaped the message, rehearsed every word, and got ready for a once-in-a-lifetime moment on national TV.
Follower Count Doesn’t Matter as Much as You Think
You don’t need a massive following to grow your business—you need a smart content strategy and the right systems. In this post, Annie Figenshu breaks down why email marketing still outperforms social media, how to build trust with a smaller audience, and what to focus on if you’re ready to stop chasing followers and start seeing results.
A Week of Zero Conversions: Week 8
This week’s Email Signup Experiment took an unexpected turn—zero conversions despite steady traffic. What went wrong? We break down the data, analyze possible causes, and outline next steps to get signups back on track.
Signs of Progress Email Signup Experiment: Week 7
This week’s Email Signup Experiment revealed a surprising boost in signups, with the pop-up and sticky footer leading the way. But high-traffic blog pages still aren’t converting. See what’s working, what’s not, and the next steps to optimize our strategy.
Expanding What We Track Email Signup Experiment: Week 6
Tracking the right data makes all the difference. This week, we uncovered signups from unexpected sources, proving that expanding what we measure is just as important as optimizing how we capture leads.
The Numbers Don’t Lie The Email Signup Experiment: Week 5
The Email Signup Experiment just hit a turning point—our latest numbers are at zero signups for the week. If you neglect your own marketing, your results will suffer. In this update, we analyze why conversions have stalled and what needs to change immediately to turn things around.
No Changes, No Progress? The Email Signup Experiment: Week 4
This week’s Email Signup Experiment proved that doing nothing leads to… well, not much. With no changes made, our pop-up maintained its underwhelming conversion rate, and high-traffic blog pages still didn’t deliver signups. Next week, we’re adjusting timing, refining our CTA, and rethinking form placement to finally break through.
Lessons Learned and Next Moves: The Email Signup Experiment, Week 3
The Email Signup Experiment continues, and this week’s data reveals some unexpected shifts. While the home page saw its first signup, the pop-up’s conversion rate dropped significantly. Are visitors tuning it out? We’re making key adjustments to timing, messaging, and placement to improve performance. Read on to see what worked, what didn’t, and what we’re testing next.
The Email Signup Experiment: What’s Working, What’s Not, and What’s Next
The Email Signup Experiment is in full swing, and this week’s results revealed both progress and challenges. While adding the form to high-traffic blog posts didn’t generate signups, the pop-up saw a 5.9% conversion rate—better than nothing, but still below the industry average. With a combined conversion rate of 2.3%, it’s clear we need to refine our approach. The focus now? Improving visibility, tweaking messaging, and driving more traffic to high-converting pages. Can these adjustments push us closer to our goal of 10 new subscribers by March 31? We’re about to find out.
Wins, Woes, and What’s Next: The Email Signup Experiment, Week 2
Join Annie Figenshu and her AI assistant, Betty Bot-ley, as they dive into this week's Email Signup Experiment results. Discover insights from Newsletter Form 5 2, including a solid 7.7% conversion rate but low traffic challenges. Learn actionable strategies to boost visibility and engagement while working toward the goal of 10 new subscribers by March 31. Ready to optimize your own signup forms? Let's explore together!