Podcast Summary: "These Instagram Post Ideas Will Make You Money"

Build Your Tribe | Episode 859 | Hosted by Brock Johnson
Release Date: November 17, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

In this actionable solo episode, Brock Johnson dives into Instagram strategies and creative post ideas designed specifically to help entrepreneurs and small business owners drive more sales—especially during high-traffic sales seasons like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Brock moves beyond generic advice, offering five expert strategies and 15 detailed, creative post concepts that listeners can immediately implement, regardless of season or niche. The episode’s tone is energetic, encouraging, and loaded with practical tips.

Episode Structure

• [00:00–09:40] Five Sales-Boosting Instagram Strategies
• [09:40–27:55] Fifteen Engaging Instagram Post Ideas With Explanations & Use Cases

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Five Tips/Strategies to Maximize Sales on Instagram

1. Use DM Automation Over “Link in Bio”

   • Replace directing followers to “click the link in my bio” with keyword-based DM automation. This increases post engagement, triggering the algorithm to share your post more widely.
   • Quote: “If you just swap out the phrase ‘click the link in my bio’ with a DM automation CTA, you will make more sales.” [05:00]
   • This also applies to Instagram Stories for higher reach (part of Brock’s “STD strategy”: Story, Text, DM Automation).
   • For more details, Brock refers listeners to earlier episodes on DM automation.

2. Focus on Benefits, Not Features

   • Benefits drive sales; features just inform.
   • Example: Instead of saying, “16GB storage,” Apple’s iPod ad famously said, “1,000 songs in your pocket.”
   • Quote: “Benefits sell and features tell.” [06:30]
   • Brock advises listing the top three benefits or outcomes in every promotional post or script.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Post Often About Your Offers

   • The algorithm shows people only what it thinks they'll like; so even with frequent posts, most followers will never see all your promotions.
   • Example: Brock posted 25 times in 10 days during a big launch—some posts flopped, some succeeded.
   • Celebrity Example: Justin Bieber posted 97 times about an album in five days; most followers only saw 1-2 posts.
   • Quote: “I would actually argue there’s no such thing as over posting as long as your posts are high quality and engaging.” [08:50]

4. Clarity Over Complexity

   • Simple, easy-to-understand posts convert better.
   • Analogy: “Your promotional posts should make sense to a drunk grandma. If a drunk grandma couldn’t understand your post, it’s too complex.”
   • Quote: “When you confuse, you lose.” [09:25]

5. Feature Only One Link Per Sale

   • When running a single promotion, your bio link should point directly to the relevant product or offer—avoid confusing “Link trees” or menus.
   • Quote: “Simplify, simplify, simplify.” [10:10]

Fifteen Engaging Instagram Post Ideas

[10:45] 1. Dude With A Sign

• Mimic the viral account by holding up a cardboard sign with a public service announcement, sale alert, or hot take.
• Can be done as a photo, video, or carousel.

[12:15] 2. Emoji Spelling

• Use emojis to spell out a word; overlay text instructing followers to “read the first letter of each emoji.”
• Promotes curiosity and engagement.

[13:00] 3. Fake News / Fake Arrest

• Create humorous fake news graphics (e.g., fake screenshot of CNN reporting your sale).
• “Fake arrest” post: joke about posting so much you’re being “arrested”—great toward end of a launch.

[15:15] 4. Kick the Quote

• Video of you physically “kicking” or “hitting” a small text on-screen; text expands with the beat drop.
• Good for drawing attention to your offer in a dynamic way.

[16:10] 5. Looking for a Sign (Hiking Trend)

• Video: Go for a “hike,” looking for a “sign” to solve your niche problem. Payoff: the sign is (literally) your CTA or offer, spelled in twigs, rocks, chalk, etc.

[17:30] 6. Timeless Memes

• Repurpose trending memes to relay your message; e.g., meme of a world on fire paired with “me talking about my Black Friday sale.”

[18:36] 7. Hidden Object Carousel

• Series of images where a word/object slowly appears. Ask followers to comment the hidden word for a reward (set up DM automation for coupon delivery).
• Encourages scrolling, engagement, and gamifies the sale.

[19:40] 8. Tearing Paper Magic Trick

• Write a message on paper, film yourself tearing it up, then reverse the footage so the message “magically” comes back together—revealing your offer.

[20:45] 9. Store Bought Pesto Stitch

• Use the viral video meme “Don’t call me crazy, but I’ve never liked store-bought pesto.” Stitch your own video after, sharing your “crazy” offer, tip, or take.

[22:45] 10. Perfume Ad Parody

• Film a cliché black-and-white, slow-motion, melodramatic "perfume ad" to humorously promote your product or service.

[23:40] 11. 3D Phone Effect

• Use greenscreen editing to have a product “pass through” your phone’s screen toward the viewer.
• More advanced, but eye-catching.

[24:21] 12. Aggressive Spokesperson

• Have a partner or friend appear on screen, demanding attention for your offer (“My wife wants to tell you about her Black Friday sales, so you better listen!”). You then appear shyly to deliver the pitch.

[25:31] 13. Heart Hands Product Reveal

• Start with “I can’t wait to find love,” hands making heart shape. Second hand “turns” first hand to grip and brings in your product. Text changes: “I can’t wait to find…” (product name).

[26:19] 14. Tape Measure Trend

• Film a tape measure stretching toward the camera with a sticky note at the end—on which your CTA or offer is written. Recoil the tape to bring the message into focus.

[27:15] 15. Juxtaposed Mouth Trend

• Record someone’s mouth delivering your sales pitch. Play this video in front of other people’s faces, lining up the mouth comically with their faces as they emote.
• Engaging and great for multi-person teams.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Benefits sell and features tell.” [06:30]
• “If you just swap out the phrase ‘click the link in my bio’ with a DM automation CTA, you will make more sales.” [05:00]
• “There’s no such thing as over posting as long as your posts are high quality and engaging.” [08:50]
• “Your posts should make sense to a drunk grandma.” [09:24]
• “When you confuse, you lose.” [09:25]
• “The superpower that you have that they [big companies] don’t is, you can create your ad right on your phone or right on Canva… and just press post.” [14:45]
• “If Justin Bieber has to post 97 times… why are you handcuffing yourself to only posting once or twice?” [08:38]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 — Importance of social media for sales; introducing today’s actionable episode
• 01:50 — Pre-Black Friday context and the evergreen nature of content ideas
• 03:22 — Strategy 1: Use DM automation for sales CTAs
• 06:12 — Strategy 2: Benefits vs. features (“Benefits sell…”)
• 07:50 — Strategy 3: Don’t be afraid to post a lot (“No such thing as over posting”)
• 09:07 — Strategy 4: Clarity over complexity (“drunk grandma” rule)
• 10:10 — Strategy 5: Remove all but one link in bio during sales
• 10:45 — Start of 15 specific post ideas
• 13:00 — Using humorous “fake news” posts and the importance of standing out from bland graphics
• 18:36 — Hidden object carousel for DM engagement
• 23:40 — Advanced editing: 3D phone effect for product videos
• 27:55 — Subscribe CTA and closing gratitude

Tone and Speaker Attribution

• Host: Brock Johnson (solo episode)
• Tone: Upbeat, witty, personable, and encouraging; heavy focus on demystifying social media marketing and emboldening listeners to experiment and have fun

Conclusion

Brock Johnson’s episode is a fast-paced, inspiration-packed how-to for anyone looking to break through Instagram’s noise and make real sales. Backed by thoughtful strategy and hands-on examples, listeners leave with clear, evergreen approaches and a checklist of creative, fun post ideas they can adapt regardless of business size or niche.

“If you do test out any of these 15 ideas, tag me in them, send them to me on Instagram via direct message, and I would love to hype you up.” [27:55]

Resource:
For meme ideas and trending audio: Sign up for Brock’s free weekly email (link in show notes).

Action Step:
Experiment with these ideas—especially DM automation and frequent, high-quality posting—and share your success stories with Brock. Happy networking!