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The Localist with Carrie RollwagenAuthor: Carrie Rollwagen
The Localist is a conversation with local makers and independent entrepreneurs. Local business advocate Carrie Rollwagen invites mom-and-pops, freelancers, side hustlers and start up founders to talk staffing, funding, hiring, inspiring and everything in between. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Marketing Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The Algorithm Hack That Actually Works: Serve Before You Sell
Episode 84
Monday, 28 September, 2026
Is there a secret trick to beating the algorithm? Laine White says the only hacks that last are the ones that serve your audience first. In this Localist Lab session, recorded live in front of a room full of small business owners, Carrie welcomes Laine White, a marketing consultant representing Uptick Marketing. Laine explains why Google, Meta, and AI assistants all reward the same thing: a good experience for real people. She starts with a story about gaming Instagram as a high schooler in 2012, and watching those 5,000 followers disappear. Then she gets practical. Laine walks through why saves and shares now matter more than likes, how to rewrite your FAQs so ChatGPT and other LLMs can actually cite them, and the three factors Google uses to rank a Google Business Profile. She shares a three-question test for any hack someone tries to sell you, plus five things you can do before next week. In the Q&A, she covers Google Business Profiles for businesses with dozens of locations, where FAQs belong on your website, and who to follow to keep up with algorithm changes. If social media and search feel like a game you don't know the rules to, this session gives you the rules and the reasons behind them. Watch the Full Episode on YouTube _______________________________________ Mentioned in This Episode "How to Use AI Without the Internet Turning on You" with Laine White Ladybird Taco Breakout Games Birmingham Laine on Instagram StoryBrand Uptick Marketing Learning Center Luke Richey on LinkedIn Adam Mosseri on Instagram Annie-Mai Hodge on LinkedIn Girl Power Marketing on Instagram Greater Birmingham Humane Society Connect with Laine White Laine White is a marketing consultant in Birmingham. She works with small businesses on social media, websites, and search, and shares deep dives on marketing on Instagram. Laine on Instagram Uptick Marketing on Instagram Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. Contact Infomedia Join Us at Localist Lab Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Free tacos and coffee too. See upcoming events and register Subscribe to Carrie's Newsletter Want more small business tips from Carrie? Sign up for her newsletter. Sign up here













