October 2026 Newsletter

Hi Friends,

When you run a small business or work with a small team, digital marketing can feel like another full-time job. There is always something to update, something to post, and another new feature to figure out.

Making digital strategy accessible means helping you decide what deserves your attention and what fits your time and resources. This month, we're sharing three recent updates, ideas for your next blog post, and guidance on where to focus when time is limited.

First, we’re excited to invite you to a new space to answer your questions!

You're Invited!

Digital Strategy Coffee Hour

Join us for our first Digital Strategy Coffee Hour, a free, informal conversation for small business owners, solo founders, and small teams.

Bring your questions about websites, social media, newsletters, content planning, or where to focus your efforts. You are also welcome to just listen and learn.

Tuesday, November 10, 2026
10:00–11:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Online via Google Meet | Free to attend

Our goal is to help you leave with useful ideas, greater clarity, and more confidence in your next steps.

What Changed in October & How Small Businesses Can Apply It

Facebook is giving users more say in what they see.

Facebook announced “Your Algorithm,” a new feature that lets users describe the topics they want to see more or less of in their feeds and Reels.

For businesses, this is a useful reminder to keep your audience’s interests at the center of your content. What questions are they asking? What would they find useful enough to stop scrolling? Use these answers to guide your content strategy.

LinkedIn is adding tools to help you stay connected.

LinkedIn is testing a dedicated Network feed with posts from your connections and people you follow.

It also announced personalized digital business cards, rolling out globally over the coming months.

These tools could make it easier to turn an introduction into an ongoing relationship. In the meantime, a thoughtful follow-up is still a great place to start.

Google is introducing Gemini tools for small businesses.

Google’s new business hub brings together tools to help small business owners create marketing materials, understand customer insights, and analyze finances. Announced October 20, the update includes:

• More consistent visuals: Upload your brand guidelines, fonts, or colors so Gemini can retain your visual style when generating graphics for campaigns and product launches.
• Connections to existing tools: Connect services such as Google Business Profile, Google Ads, Google Workspace, Canva, Shopify, and Wix to work with information from the platforms you already use.
• Help understanding financial information: Turn spreadsheets, receipts, and purchase records into visual summaries and interactive models to explore your business performance.

Google says these features are rolling out globally to Gemini app users. For small teams, they could help simplify recurring tasks. Start with one specific need, review the results carefully, and see whether the tool saves you time.

Top Questions Answered: Where Should I Focus If I Only Have a Few Hours A Week for Marketing?

Start with what you need your marketing to accomplish right now.

If people are struggling to find you, focus on the places they search for your services. That might mean improving your Google Business Profile or clarifying the services and locations on your website.

If people are finding you but rarely reach out, review your calls to action. Is it easy to understand what you offer, who you help, and how to contact you?

If staying connected is the challenge, a useful newsletter or a manageable social media schedule may deserve your attention.

Choose one priority, set aside time for it, and give yourself room to follow through. A few focused hours can be valuable when they support a clear goal.

This Month's Featured Blog:

What Should a Small Business Blog About?

Staring at a blank content calendar? You may have more topics to use than you realize.

Customer questions, common mistakes, behind-the-scenes explanations, and practical tips can all become useful blog posts. The challenge is turning those ideas into a realistic schedule you can maintain.

Our latest blog offers starting points to help you brainstorm content that serves your audience and supports your online visibility.

November's Something to Celebrate Every Day Calendar

November offers plenty of opportunities to share your story, celebrate your community, and have a little fun with your content. Lauren put together this month’s calendar to help you find moments that connect naturally with your business and audience.

A few themes to get your ideas flowing:

Food, comfort, and seasonal traditions

From Sandwich Day on November 3 to Espresso Day on November 23 and Thanksgiving on November 26, there are plenty of openings to share a favorite tradition, highlight a seasonal product, or invite your audience to share their preferences.

Community, gratitude, and giving back

Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, Veterans Day on November 11, and Thanksgiving offer opportunities to recognize the people and organizations that matter to you. Share a meaningful connection, thank your community, or highlight a cause you support.

Creativity, curiosity, and growth

Authors Day on November 1, STEM Day on November 8, and Career Development Month can inspire book recommendations, stories about what you are learning, or a look at the skills behind your work.

Supporting small businesses

Small Business Saturday on November 28 and Cyber Monday on November 30 are opportunities to share your business story, highlight an offer, or recommend other small businesses you love.

You do not need to build a post around every observance.

Choose the moments that fit your voice and give your audience something worth connecting with.

Looking Ahead

Planning for the Holiday Season

Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday will be here before we know it. If you are planning a promotion, event, or holiday closure, now is a good time to prepare your content and update your website and business hours.

Reach out to us if you’d like help with your campaign. We’d gladly help develop your strategy, flyers, website pages, and social media content.

Coming for Cyber Monday: $100 Website Audits

Wondering whether your website is helping your business or making things harder for potential customers? For Cyber Monday, we’ll be offering comprehensive website audits for just $100, regularly $150.

Get a clearer picture of what is working, where visitors may run into obstacles, and which improvements deserve your attention as you plan for the new year.

Watch for details closer to November 30!