Kelsey Applebaum Creative

My goal with each client is not just to be their social media manager, but to become an extended part of their team. To understand their brand inside and out, to always work to enhance it, and to be there to support for anything they might need. My goal is to fill up my clients cups, because they fill up mine!

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As promised, here are five investments I made in my social media business that I regret. Not every content creation product is going to work out, and that’s okay! My advice is to purchase gear from your local camera or media dealer (S/O in ATX!) over Amazon. It’s better to touch and try out the gear in person, and it’s usually much better quality.

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If you’ve been wondering how to break beyond friends & family and reach new audiences on social media, look no further. Here are 3 organic tools that we use to help our clients reach thousands of non-followers and show up in the feeds of their target audiences daily.

1. Source audio (trending or non-trending) that relates to the content you’re posting // Captivating an audience can take more than great images and videos, a lot of times people will be engaged when there is a great song or sound that helps set the tone and add to the story you’re trying to tell. P.S. If you use a popular song or a trending audio, you’ll end up on an audio page where you’ll have more opportunity for your content to be discovered.

2. For a video, carousel, or single image, always make sure there is a hook // For a video, make sure the audience is hooked (whether through visual imagery, text, information, or humor) in the first two seconds of your video. For a carousel or single image, the first slide should always be the most captivating image, or if informational, should leave your audience wanting more in order to slide through the entire carousel, read the caption, visit your profile, save, or share.

3. Don’t overlook hashtags // Hashtags are a great way to umbrella the topics and industries you are trying to reach. Get creative and use a rotating cloud of 25 hashtags to reach new audiences and give your current audience a way to easily refer back to your page. You’ll see the most benefit from hashtags that are very specific to you, your industry, and your city. For example: , , , , . Pro tip: post hashtags as a first comment right after you post for the most engagement.

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Searchability on Instagram is all about tailoring your content so that people can easily find it — from viewing your profile to suggested content feeds.

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Friday reminder ✨

Hot Take: It’s okay to focus on one social media platform.

Tik Tok. Instagram. Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. Snapchat. BeReal. There will always be a new social media platform popping up. If you are feeling burnt out or overwhelmed, instead of trying to grow on 3+ platforms, put your focus on creating quality content for one.

Where are you seeing the most traction, leads, discovery, and growth? Save yourself time and energy and consider which platforms are best to maximize for your business. Put the rest aside.

Little Miss: Social Media Manager Edition 👑

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Can you tell I’m passionate about this topic? Hiring a freelance social media manager just makes sense.

“Just send the DM.” ☀️ This week I reached out to wedding photographers who I want to shadow and learn from, I reached out to people who inspire me and I let them know the impact they’ve made, and I reached out to potential clients letting them know what I am up to. Some people will never respond, some people will say no, but someone out there will advocate for you if you start advocating for yourself. So hoping to inspire someone by saying… just send the DM!

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HOT TAKE: you do NOT need to hire a full-time, in-house social media manager.

If you’re a large company? Then 100%, hiring an in-house social media manager or even a whole TEAM of if social media managers is completely beneficial.

However, if you’re a small business, you do NOT need to hire someone full time. You’ll only have trouble filling there time and they will likely be the first from your team to be let go.

Hire an agency or a freelance social media manager who truly cares. It will be more cost effective and beneficial for your business in the long run 😊

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Recent inspiration via on ’s podcast: “We think we have to be confident before we do big things, but it’s actually doing the big things that gives us the confidence.” Podcast linked on my stories!

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⭐️FIVE INSTAGRAM REELS HACKS YOU NEED TO KNOW⭐️

CREATE ORIGINAL CONTENT: today's platforms are filled with trends,
which makes creating original content a tall order.
simply, think of creating new content that is educational or entertaining — with your own unique twist.

INCLUDE ON SCREEN TEXT AND CLOSED CAPTIONS: most people watch videos without sound so this is crucial for capturing their attention

PLAN YOUR COVER PHOTOS IN ADVANCE: make sure your reel's cover photos are searchable with titled text and fit in with your overall brand and aesthetic

SHARE TO FEED & STORY: one of the easiest ways to increase views & reach.

MAKE SURE TO SELECT PROPER MUSIC AND AUDIO: select the correct the soundbyte or music through the Instagram app to make sure it appears on the proper audio page. This is only if uploading non-original audio. Don’t upload another creator’s audio as your own ‘original audio.’

Save & follow for more tips!

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“But maybe, if you put your disbelief aside, roll up your sleeves, take some risks, and totally go for it, you’ll wake up one day and realize you’re living the kind of life you used to be jealous of.

by Jen Sincero]

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“But maybe, if you put your disbelief aside, roll up your sleeves, take some risks, and totally go for it, you’ll wake up one day and realize you’re living the kind of life you used to be jealous of.

by Jen Sincero]

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I’m here to tell you: YOU HAVE TO SHOW FACE.

Showing your face on Instagram creates brand recognition. It is so important to offer your followers/potential clients the opportunity to know who you are.  And we can do this, by SHOWING OUR FACES. Show up for your people and let them see who is behind your business! You’ll see what I mean when your inquiries/DM’s/sales/followers start taking off. 😉

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Travel: one of the most vibrant sources of inspiration.⁠
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Five tools that have changed everything for me as a social media manager! (save for later)

1. : This is hands down the tool that all business owners and social media managers should be using. It is graphic design & content creation made easy. Get access to all kinds of fonts, assets, and templates for marketing collateral creation, newsletters, social media post designs, reels and story creation, and so much more.
2. .app: A simple video editing tool that allows you to add fonts, transitions, create your own sounds, and even strip sounds from videos to create original audios.
3. : App that allows you to create visually compelling carousels with more than 10 photos in custom or templated layouts.
4. : Plan out your posts visually and schedule them out via Later. Discover monthly reporting from your account for you or your clients to analyze performance and adjust strategy.
5. : Video and photo editor with tons of cool filters & layouts.

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Cruising into the weekend with this vibe in the driver’s seat. 💐⁠
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Channeling this vibe as I roll into the weekend 🎸

A dream brand 🌸

Mood: being at during 💐✨

Had so much fun at ’s Austin Pop-Up surrounded by so many inspiring women!

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Kelsey Applebaum Photography]: “What are you wearing?”shesfun: *sends pic*
Kelsey Applebaum Photography]: “Oh, I’m the Cosmo to your Wanda.”

💘💚

Happy St. Patty’s Day from me and my lucky green suit! No one will be pinching me today 🍀😉

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The feeling is a deep knowing that I’m pursuing what I am meant to do in this life. // At , we believe social media should be fun.

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The outcome is a unique expression of the talents I’ve been given and the skills I’ve learned. // At , we believe social media should be backed by strategy, creativity and it should always speak true to who you are.

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I’m feeling more on fire for what I do every day. // At , we believe social media should be more than just pushing out content to keep the lights on.

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Together, we can make social media fun. Data, strategy and analytics are a key component, but you can leave that to me. If you’re not sharing from a place of enjoyment, if you’re not creating content for the joy of sharing what you love, you’ll create a wall between you and your audience. So let’s stop taking all of this so seriously, and have a little bit of fun. Come along for the ride and feel the ease and joy of growing your business through social media.

It all starts with a conversation. The way you tell your story online should be authentic to you. The process of making your online presence reflect who you are begins with a conversation. We’ll talk interview-style, so I can get to know everything I need to know about you and your brand: from your preferences, to your passions, to your specific social media goals. The key to creating a unique strategy begins with getting to know you. (And it only takes 30 minutes!)

Hi, my name is Kelsey! 👋🏼 After five years in the social media agency world, I recently decided to take the leap and pursue my dream of taking on my own clients. Seeing firsthand the way social media can transform a business, I’m passionate about harnessing this medium to help my clients understand their voice, engage with their audience, and level up their brand. In my free time, you can find me running, biking or paddle boarding around Town Lake with my dog Muddy, playing my electric guitar, doing yoga, capturing photography, or skiing and hiking in the Colorado mountains. Thank you for following along on my journey! 🙃