As a strategic communication major from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota, the only digital knowledge I had prior to my internship was an industry overview from my Interactive Advertising class. Needless to say, when I started at Nina Hale, Inc., I was most certainly a rookie, and concepts like SEO, SEM, and PPC were a foreign language to me.
Now, over nine months later, I’ve become immersed in all things digital and I notice it everywhere I go. As a content marketing intern, I’ve learned the ins and outs of everything from what makes a successful content strategy to understanding how advertisers actually follow you everywhere you go. I can’t even describe how much I’ve learned from the talented people of Nina Hale, Inc. in a single blog post, but here’s my attempt.
SEO
Over the course of my internship, I’ve learned that SEO is a crucial part to the success of any business. If anyone believes the industry is dead, then they are lying to themselves because let’s be real, Google and other search engines are the essence of how we function for day-to-day information. I am constantly turning to Google for everything from “jimmy johns near me” to random actors I’ve forgotten about like Ali Larter (throwback to the Final Destination franchise). With over a trillion searches in 2014, I know I am definitely not alone in this mindset.
Beyond random searches, I constantly use Google and other search engines to decide on my purchases, researching everything from textbooks to new shoes. And, as a college student, you better believe I’m looking for the least expensive option that won’t take me very long to find. Your page may have exactly what I’m looking for, but if it’s on page 10, there’s no way I’m going to search that far.
Content Marketing
With that being said, there’s a surplus of information on the web. If a business is not optimized to stand out from the existing massive content overload, then they are hindering the business in the long run. I’ve learned that content is king, but your content has to earn that status. It has to be eye-catching and riveting enough to keep the ever-shrinking 8-second attention span of our society.
Content marketing also goes beyond what you are writing for your website. As technology continues to expand, data-driven content is increasingly becoming a necessity to any campaign. With the help of numbers, you can discover how to make your content both searchable and shareable, along with so much more.
Paid Media
Just like every other avenue of digital marketing, the paid media industry has seen more growth in the past year than it has any other year. From programmatic display to mobile ecommerce, paid media offers endless opportunities for advertisers to reach their intended audiences.
Finding a way to propel your business beyond the other competitors is honestly an art. Whether it’s writing compelling ad copy or discovering where exactly to reach your audience, it takes time and strategy that, if done correctly, can lead to exponential results.
Social Media
It is everywhere and definitely not leaving anytime soon. In a matter of few years, social media has become so much more than just staying in touch with relatives and friends. It’s a place where you can access real-time news, watch videos with the click of a mouse, and even buy an adorable coat in less than a second.
Social media has provided a landscape of functionality that continues to expand every year. It is a platform that must be treated like any other channel with clear goals and objectives, as well as a rock-solid measurement strategy. With countless social platforms, it’s essential to stay on top of your reporting game if you want to gain unique insights and keep track of potential achievements and setbacks.
Analytics
The concept that advertisers can follow your every move on the Internet used to freak me out prior to my internship. Now, I am fascinated by it. While most of the wisdom from the analytics gurus at Nina Hale goes right over my head, it has been truly intriguing to learn about its endless capabilities and insights.
Essentially, analytics and measurement should be an advertiser’s best friend. It is the key to any aspect of a digital marketing campaign as technology continues to evolve for consumers. Without a strong measurement strategy, you simply won’t find the results you’re looking for. Measurement helps with both organic and paid search to help you find out what’s working and, more importantly, what’s not. All of these service areas use measurement in one form or another, and data-driven strategies are undoubtedly here to stay, especially with the emergence of the Internet of Things.
the big Picture
From what I’ve learned here at Nina Hale, Inc., digital services, varying from content marketing to analytics, are all pieces of the elusive “digital marketing puzzle” that make a campaign successful. With today’s evolving landscape, you quite frankly can’t have one area without the other. Each channel has the ability to work together and build on each of its strengths and weaknesses for a cohesive and beneficial campaign that can make a world of a difference for your business.
