Small Business PR
For small business owners and product founders who want to land organic PR, gift guide and podcast features, and show up in AI search—without ads or agencies.
The brands getting organic media coverage now are the ones that will show up in those AI recommendations, and own AI search visibility and AEO (answer engine optimization) before it gets saturated.
Shopify, Etsy, and other shopping sites are continuously being integrated with ChatGPT, and we’re making organic PR and marketing accessible to everyday small business owners, WOC and BIPOC founders, navigating this new era of AI search and SEO.
Start pitching gift guide editors, TV and podcast hosts, and journalists all year round—so your products show up when customers search for what you sell. No PR experience, connections, or big budget required.
Join us weekly as host Gloria Chou, the #1 small business PR coach, shares untraditional PR and AI visibility strategies with interviews from top-tier journalists, diverse founders, and online business experts.
Get her free AI visibility prompts and PR training you won’t find anywhere else.
Small Business PR
What’s Actually Working on Instagram in 2025 w/Shannon Mckinstrie
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Are you tired of following Instagram formulas, tips, and tricks that no longer work? You’re not alone—and you’re not doing anything wrong.
In this episode of Small Business PR Podcast, host Gloria Chou chats with Instagram strategist and content expert Shannon McKinstrie—an Instagram OG with over 270,000 organic followers. Together, they unpack what’s actually working on Instagram in 2025—and what outdated strategies to finally let go of.
From embracing authentic storytelling to getting back to basics with commenting and engagement, Shannon shares the real, human-first Instagram growth strategies that are helping product brands, service providers, and creators stand out without burning out.
What’s Actually Working on Instagram in 2025 (According to a 270K-Follower Pro)
- Why “how I” storytelling now beats “how-to” content
- Shannon’s 4 H’s Content Method: Heard, Helpful, Humor, and Happenings
- A simple Instagram Stories hack that instantly boosts views
- How commenting on popular accounts still drives organic growth in 2025
- Why your first 3 Stories matter more than ever
- The truth about how often you really need to post
- Why unscripted, raw videos perform better than polished ones
- How to combine growth, engagement, and conversion—all in one post
- The outdated Instagram content tactics to stop using now
Whether you're a product-based business, personal brand, or service provider, Shannon shares how to simplify your content strategy, boost engagement organically, and make Instagram fun (and profitable) again—without having to post every day.
You’ll learn why storytelling, casual videos, and simple Reels are outperforming polished content—and how to use Instagram as a genuine connection tool instead of just another sales platform.
Product Businesses! Download my free HOW TO GET INTO A GIFT GUIDE/PRODUCT ROUND UP roadmap for free HERE to get more sales and traffic to your site this season.
If you want to land your first feature for free without any connections, I want to invite you to watch my PR Secrets Masterclass, where I reveal the exact methods thousands of bootstrapping small businesses use to hack their own PR and go from unknown to being a credible and sought-after industry expert. Register now at www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass.
- Watch the #1 PR Secrets Masterclass to get you featured for free in 30 days
- Join the Small Biz PR Facebook Group to get the best PR Tips
- Download the 10 ways to get free PR for your small business
- DM the word “PITCH” to us on Instagram to get a pitching freebie https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr
- Connect with Gloria Chou on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou
- Join Gloria Chou's PR Community- https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941
- Learn more about Shannon McKinstrie:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonmckinstrie
- Website: https://shannonmckinstrie.com/
- LinkedIn:
