Marketing and Margaritas

In this episode, we're talking about Black Friday NOW and for good reason. The brands that win the biggest sales weekend of the year don't start planning in October; they start months in advance.
We break down exactly what ecommerce brands should be doing now to maximise revenue, reduce ad costs, and avoid the last-minute scramble. From choosing the right offer to warming up your audiences and planning your email marketing, this episode is your Black Friday planning checklist.
When to launch your Black Friday campaign (and why waiting is risky)
How to choose an offer that actually converts
Whether to run a sitewide discount, tiered offer or gift with purchase
How to use your stock levels to influence your promotion
Why you should analyse your competitors before planning your sale
How to build warm audiences with organic content and paid ads
Why top-of-funnel Meta ads are critical before November
How to prepare for higher advertising costs during Black Friday
Why improving your email sender reputation now matters
How to stand out when everyone's inbox is full
If you want this year's Black Friday to outperform last year's, this episode will help you build the strategy before the busiest shopping season begins.

Let us know what questions you have around Black Friday: https://www.instagram.com/marketingandmargaritas_/

Instagram is changing faster than ever, and the strategies that worked last year won't necessarily grow your brand today.
In this episode of Marketing & Margaritas, we're here to unpack six Instagram strategies that are driving real results in 2026. From the rise of Yap videos and Trial Reels to why caption SEO has replaced hashtags, we explore how brands can increase their reach, build genuine engagement, and stay ahead of the algorithm.
In this episode, we cover:
• Why Yap videos are outperforming overly polished content
• How to create authentic content that builds trust and converts
• Why replies matter more than likes on Instagram Stories
• The shift from hashtags to Instagram SEO
• How Trial Reels can help you reach brand-new audiences
• Why relying on Instagram alone is risky—and where you should be showing up instead
Whether you're trying to increase engagement, improve your Instagram strategy, or build a stronger social media presence, this episode will help you understand what's working now and where Instagram is heading next.

It’s time for Rapid Response, where we answer your marketing questions completely unfiltered and off the cuff.
We put up a question box on Instagram, you asked your questions, and now we’re giving you our raw, unprepared thoughts.
From strategies that work to industry hot takes, this is the no-fluff, real-talk episode you didn’t know you needed.
Follow us on Instagram to ensure you don’t miss our next Rapid Fire question box.

You all love these episodes! Ruby and Maddi breakdown their core focuses for Q3 and the new financial year including;
Improving reach
Paid ad funnels
Webinar funnels
Black Friday and more!

We're backkkk and Ruby has some exciting news to share!
With rising CPAs, unpredictable performance, EOFY pressure, and global uncertainty impacting consumer behaviour — a lot of brands are asking the same question right now: “What do we do when Meta stops working?”
In this episode of Marketing & Margaritas, Maddi breaks down why the worst thing you can do during a performance dip is panic, switch everything off and disappear.
Instead, we’re talking about the moves smart ecommerce brands make when paid ads get tough, from shifting towards efficiency campaigns, refining creative strategy, leaning into your best sellers, strengthening email marketing and exploring channels beyond Meta.
We cover:
🍸 When to pull back budget vs when to hold steady
🍸 How to adjust campaigns using cost caps and ROAS goals
🍸 Why creative cadence still matters (and what creative to prioritise)
🍸 Using organic content as your testing ground
🍸 Building revenue channels outside of Meta — TikTok, Pinterest, Google & beyond
🍸 Creating offers that drive sales without damaging your brand
🍸 Why offline activations, community and sampling still matter
Because the reality is: if one bad month on Meta can collapse your business, Meta isn’t the problem; your marketing ecosystem is.