Carousels Beat Video: Meta Ads That Convert in 2026 | Ep. 45 w/ Jordan Hawn (Hawn Consulting)
If you’re still optimizing Meta for views, you’re not running ads - you’re renting applause.
In this episode, Jordan Hawn (CEO & Founder, Hawn Consulting) breaks down what’s actually converting on Meta in 2026 for service businesses - and the finding that’s making “video-first” marketers uncomfortable:
Carousels are beating video for conversions in a lot of real campaigns because they do what most ads fail to do: they force clarity, answer objections, and help the right people self-select before they ever click.
But this conversation is bigger than creative formats.
It’s about leadership:
- setting expectations that protect spend and morale
- building follow-up systems that prevent lead waste
- designing marketing that survives algorithm whiplash
- and choosing growth that doesn’t torch your team
What you’ll get from this episode:
- Why video can win attention and still lose the sale...and why carousels often win for intent
- The creative structure that converts: hook → proof → process → CTA (and why skipping “process” kills trust)
- How to stop blaming the platform and fix the real leak: speed-to-lead + sales handoff + follow-up cadence
- The multi-channel mindset that keeps you from being held hostage by one algorithm
- Why email marketing becomes the durable growth engine when paid gets volatile
- The leadership move Jordan uses to protect energy and execution: better boundaries, better inputs, better outcomes
Guest: Jordan Hawn (Hawn Consulting)
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanhawn/
- Website: https://hawnconsulting.com/
- Newsletter: https://www.brandingsmallbusiness.ca/
- Email: jordan@hawnconsulting.com
If you’re spending money on ads but don’t have a system to convert attention into outcomes, let’s fix the foundation.
Book a Transition Leadership Foundation Call (20 min):
Creators and Guests
Host
Adam W. Barney
Adam W. Barney helps transitioning leaders navigate career and leadership inflection points with clarity and momentum. Author of Make Your Own Glass Half Full and creator of EnergyOS. Based in Boston, fueled by family and music.
