Hometown ADvantage - Local Marketing

Nicole Eldridge

Local social media marketing strategies that drive results, not views. We specialize in Facebook and Instagram ad strategies for local business owners so you can spend less time on social media, and more time running your business.

  1. 2D AGO

    Ep 26: 8 Business Lessons I Learned in 2025

    2025 changed everything for my business. Revenue more than doubled. My audience exploded. My team expanded. And honestly? I grew more this year as a CEO and leader than any year before. In this episode, I’m breaking down the 8 biggest business lessons I learned in 2025 — the real ones. Not the fluffy, recycled advice. The lessons I had to learn the hard way so you don’t have to. We’re talking about: Why investing more (time and money) actually speeds up growthHow systems create freedom — not restrictionWhy you can’t outsource leadership (especially with ads)How I build trust fast with brand-new audiencesWhy simplicity scales better than complexityThe real bottleneck holding most businesses back (hint: it’s not strategy)Why support and skill-building aren’t optional if you want to growAnd how to become the leader your business needs next, not just right nowThis is a behind-the-scenes look at what actually worked in my business this year — ads, team, systems, energy, and decision-making — with specific examples from my launches, client work, and day-to-day CEO life. If you’re a local business owner, a marketer, or someone who knows they’re capable of more growth than they’re seeing right now, this one will hit. Ready to go deeper? 👉 Sign up for the Local Ad Strategy Session: You’ll learn the exact systems and strategies my most successful clients use — and how to apply them to your own business (or your clients’ businesses). 🔗 https://www.nicoleeldridgemedia.com/local-ads Or head to my Instagram and comment the word “STRATEGY” on any post and my bot will get you registered. We’ll also dive deeper into Hometown Advantage, my 4-month local ads coaching program, inside the session. See you in the next episode 💚

    27 min
  2. 12/24/2025

    Ep 24: Local Marketing Predictions for 2026 | Part 2: You can't outsource your ads...yet

    In this episode, I’m sharing part two of my 2026 local marketing predictions, and we’re getting very real about why outsourcing your marketing without owning the strategy almost always leads to wasted time, money, and frustration. I break down what actually happened when I was troubleshooting a Meta ads bug for a client (yes… on Christmas Eve), why no agency, freelancer, or tactic can save your business if you’re not leading the strategy, and how this same mistake shows up for so many local business owners trying to grow. We’ll talk about: Why marketing only works when the business owner takes ownership of the strategyThe difference between outsourcing execution vs. outsourcing responsibilityReal client examples of firing agencies, lowering ad costs, and getting better resultsHow to think about ads as a skill you build — not a gamble or a guessing gameWhy 2026 will reward local business owners who simplify and lead their marketingThis episode is honest, a little tough-love, and exactly what you need if you’re tired of throwing money at ads and hoping something sticks. And if you want to learn the local ad strategy I teach — the same one my clients are using to get consistent leads without massive budgets or complicated systems — you’re invited to my free Local Ads Strategy Session. You can register here:  👉 www.nicoleeldridgemedia.com/localads Inside the workshop, I’ll walk you through what actually works for local Meta ads right now, how to set them up simply, and how to turn ads into a repeatable system for your business. If you’re ready to stop outsourcing your growth and start owning it, this episode is for you.

    23 min
  3. 12/24/2025

    Episode 25: Local Marketing Predictions for 2026 | AI will hurt you more than it will help you

    In this episode of the Hometown Advantage Podcast, I’m sharing part three of my 2026 local marketing predictions — and it’s one a lot of local business owners need to hear. In an AI-saturated world, faceless marketing is no longer converting. Polished graphics, stock photos, generic copy, and AI-written captions might look “professional,” but they’re quietly killing your results. People trust people. And trust is the real currency behind ads that actually convert into clients. I break down: Why visibility alone doesn’t equal salesWhat’s really happening when your ads look good but don’t convertWhy real humans in your ads matter more than perfect brandingHow to choose a spokesperson for your business (even if it’s not you)How to use video to build familiarity and trust — without overthinking itWhy AI should support your marketing, not replace youI also share real client examples, mindset shifts, and practical ways to start showing up more authentically in your ads so you can stand out, build trust faster, and stop getting scrolled past. If you want to learn exactly what to say in your ads, what to record, and how to create local ads that convert in 2026 — I’m covering all of that inside my free Local Ads Strategy Session. 👉 Register here: www.nicoleeldridgemedia.com/localads This is for local business owners and marketers who are ready to stop hiding behind graphics and start running ads that actually bring in clients.

    16 min
  4. 12/23/2025

    Ep 23: Local Marketing Predictions for 2026 | Part 1: The death of consistency

    Join the 2026 Local Ad Strategy Session here: www.nicoleeldridgemedia.com/localads If you’ve ever told yourself “I just need to be more consistent on social media,” this episode is your permission slip to stop believing that. In this episode of the Hometown Advantage Podcast, I’m breaking down why consistency as we’ve known it is officially dead for local businesses in 2026 — and why that’s actually great news for you. I’m sharing real client stories, real ad results, and exactly what I’m seeing work right now inside local ad accounts. We’ll talk about why organic posting alone isn’t designed to bring in consistent local clients anymore, how the algorithm has changed, and what local business owners should be focusing on instead. You’ll learn: Why posting more is no longer the answer (and never really was)How ads can replace the pressure to “show up every day”The simple local ad system that brings in clients without constant contentHow to think about your social media pages as a digital storefrontWhy even $2–$10/day in ads can outperform hours of postingIf you’re a local business owner who’s tired of feeling behind, overwhelmed, or guilty for not being consistent — this episode will completely reframe how you think about marketing going into 2026. I also share details about my free Local Ad Strategy Session, where I walk through the exact ad campaigns my clients are using to get consistent leads and clients without posting every day. 🎧 Press play if you want a simpler, smarter way to grow your local business with ads.

    15 min
  5. 12/15/2025

    Ep 22: Behind-the-Scenes: Top 5 Local Ad Strategies I’m Seeing Work Right Now

    In this episode of the Hometown Advantage Podcast, I’m taking you behind the scenes on the real Meta ad results my clients are getting right now — and the exact things happening inside their ads (and their businesses) that are making them successful. I’m sharing what’s working in local ads heading into 2026, including: how to choose a clear front-end offer, why Meta lead forms are converting better than they used to (hello $15 leads 👀), why real people on camera is non-negotiable, what “creative diversity” means after the Andromeda update, and how to manually optimize ad spend by turning off low performers. Then we go deeper into the business owner side of results — the mindset + traits I see in my highest-performing clients: playing the long game, knowing their customers inside and out, putting people-first marketing first, being willing to buy back time, and using data (not vibes) to make decisions. Want my full framework for local ads that convert in 2026? Join my free live Local Ad Strategy Session on Wednesday, January 7th at 1:00 PM EST. I’ll walk you through your winning ad plan, what to say, what to run, and how to track + optimize. Come live and you’ll also get my 3 highest converting Reels ad templates. Sign up at: www.nicoleeldridgemedia.com/localads Or DM/comment “STRATEGY” on Instagram and my bot will send you the link. And yes — I’ll also be sharing details about my 4-month mentorship Hometown ADvantage (plus the limited-time bonuses + fast action ad account setup/audit)

    29 min
  6. 10/25/2025

    Ep 21: Hometown Advantage September Launch Debrief

    📊 Launch Debrief: How I Drove 1,500 Leads and 31 Sales for Hometown Advantage Today I’m taking you behind the scenes of my most recent launch for Hometown Advantage—my local-ads program with 4 months of mentorship inside our Slack community. I’m sharing exactly what I spent, what converted, what didn’t, and the moves I made to protect (and lift) conversion rates in a “trust-recession” market. You’ll hear: 🎯 Offer & price: $1,700 for 4 months of support (no payment plan upcharge)📈 Results: 31 sales, ~1,500 leads, $7.42 CPL, $11,947 ad spend💵 Revenue: $55,505 total; $43,557 profit after ad spend → 4.65X ROAS🧪 Tripwire: $17 “Fix It Fast” mini course added $2,800 front-end revenue🔁 Cold vs. warm: ~70% of tracked buyers were cold from launch ads📉 Conversion reality: ~2% lead→sale (why 1% swings matter—and how I’m testing to improve)What I tested to raise conversion: ✉️ Intentional launch warm-up emails that set buying criteria👥 Ad Makeover Month in my free FB group (relationship + value builder)📞 Limited 15-min sales calls (booked out; >50% close rate among show-ups)💵 Price change: from $1,500/3 months → $1,700/4 months (and why I’ll keep it)My next steps: Audit the webinar (with my coach), promote this podcast more consistently, and keep evergreen ads on to grow the list between launches.Want me and my team to do this with you—ads, funnel, daily optimization, and numbers you can actually use to make decisions? 👉 Book a free call: https://hello.dubsado.com/public/appointment-scheduler/6895076496905696e2549c58/schedule 🎙️ About Hometown Advantage A complete, local-specific ads program + 4 months of mentorship so you’re never guessing. Get feedback on your ad copy, setup, targeting, and results inside Slack—weekly. Follow → Instagram: @nicoleeldridge_ads  Email → support@nicoleeldridgemedia.com If this was helpful, a quick rating or review on Apple/Spotify helps more local businesses find this show. Thank you for listening—and go launch those ads. 🚀

    19 min
  7. 10/15/2025

    3 Ways I've Scaled my Business Using Ads: Part 3 | Low Ticket Offers

    🧩 Part 3: The Low-Ticket Funnel That Pays for Your Leads (and Fuels Bigger Sales) We’re wrapping the series with my favorite strategy: low-ticket offer funnels. I’m breaking down what actually makes them work in 2025, how they differ from free lead magnets, the exact five pieces you need dialed in, and my real numbers (ad spend, revenue, profit, and conversions). You’ll learn:  ✅ Why low-ticket is quality over quantity—and not your primary revenue source on the front end 🧠 The 5 must-haves for profitable low-ticket ads: a no-brainer offer solving an immediate, niche problemkiller ads that sell before the clicka conversion-ready sales/checkout page with social prooffollow-up that bridges to your higher-ticket offertracking + testing so you know what to scale 📈 My real data from running this funnel (spend, AOV, CPA, ROAS, profit) 🛠️ How strategic upsells (templates, quick workshops, custom mini-deliverables) can cover ad spend—or even create front-end profitIf you want us to set this up, manage it daily, and keep it profitable—my team and I can audit your funnel, write/create your ads, manage spend, and report your numbers so you always know what’s working. 👉 Book a free call to talk done-for-you ads:  https://hello.dubsado.com/public/appointment-scheduler/6895076496905696e2549c58/schedule 🎙️ About the Podcast: The Hometown Advantage Podcast helps local and online business owners use Facebook & Instagram ads to grow visibility, fill offers, and scale sustainably—without guesswork or wasted spend. Follow me on Instagram → @nicoleeldridge_ads Email → support@nicoleeldridgemedia.com Missed the rest of the series? Go back to: Live Launches (Part 1) and Evergreen Funnels (Part 2).

    20 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Local social media marketing strategies that drive results, not views. We specialize in Facebook and Instagram ad strategies for local business owners so you can spend less time on social media, and more time running your business.

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