As long as it’s good news, there isn’t a business owner in the world who wouldn’t want their company or product to be featured in the press. But with journalists receiving scores of cold pitches per day and responding to a tiny fraction of them, it’s often an aspiration that remains unfulfilled.

Which is why I’m so pleased to be joined by Natalie Sutton, a Freelance  PR and fractional communications leader, to discuss how businesses can achieve cut-through with the press.

In this episode, we discuss:

• In this episode, we delve into the art of gaining press coverage for your business. Our guest, Natalie Sutton, a seasoned freelance PR and fractional communications leader, shares her insights on how businesses can effectively engage with the media. Natalie brings over 30 years of experience in communications, having worked with global technology firms and started, scaled and sold her own PR agency.  
• The scale of the challenge to get noticed by journalists and a benchmark for how many pitches a journalist is likely to respond to 
• What to start with
• How to measure success
• How to tailor your pitch
• The seven fundamental story arcs that can make your pitch 22 times more memorable
• How you can combine PR with other channels for greater impact 
• How you can get even more value out of a successful pitch with shareable content
• The basics of good media relations

CONNECT

• Natalie Sutton on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliesutton/ or https://www.fractionalnatalie.com/
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1000659902

There has never been so much data floating around and accessible to the public, and with AI, the ability for anyone to analyse this data and make sense of it has never been easier.

Along with the opportunity for organisations to use data as part of their own promotional activity, there’s also the challenge of the data uncovering other stories which, perhaps organisations would prefer if the public didn’t know about. 

To help us navigate all of this I’m joined by Alex Waddington, founder of Whetstone Communications, a consultancy that helps communicators do more with their data. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• What data journalism is
• Where you can find useful sources of data
• Tools you can use to analyse the data and uncover stories
• How to pre-empt and defend against negative stories burried in your data

CONNECT

• Alex Waddington on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwaddingtoncommspr/ 
• Alex’s website: https://www.whetstonecomms.com/ 
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

BOOK

• Alex recommended a couple of books about information and data analysis, both authored by David McCandless. You can find out more about them here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/David-McCandless/author/B002HYXAUY?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1718966448&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true 

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vbWFya2V0aW5nZnJlZWQv?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiYgMzw6ryEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1000659902

There are a wealth of tools available to anyone who wants to improve the visibility of their website on Google. But one tool that’s often overlooked by business owners is Google Search Console. Not only does it provide a tonne of useful data, straight from the horse’s mouth, it’s also free.  

Which is why I’m so pleased to be joined by Dan White, an independent SEO Consultant, to explain how you can use Google Search Console to improve your SEO strategy, enhance your website’s performance, and ultimately drive more organic traffic to your site.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What Google Search Console is
• Using performance data to track and analyze website trends.
• The filters available for your data 
• Understanding the significance of impressions and clicks.
• Search appearance and its impact on SEO strategy.
• Page index report: identifying and resolving errors.
• Manual penalties and disavowing links: when and how to use these features.
• Complementing GSC data with tools like Screaming Frog, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and MozPro.
• The benefits of using multiple data sources for a holistic SEO analysis.
• How to uncover hidden opportunities using GSC data.
• Dan’s thoughts on the evolving landscape of SEO and digital marketing.

CONNECT

• Dan White on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/danwhitemarketing/ 
• Dan’s website: https://www.danieljameswhite.com/ 
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

BOOK

• Dan recommended the book; The Chimp Paradox. You can find out more about the book here: https://chimpmanagement.com/books-by-professor-steve-peters/the-chimp-paradox/ 

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-freed/id1731359462 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1000659902

As industries go, retail is pretty cutthroat. Yes, there’s lots of potential customers, but there’s also a tonne of competition, often with very little differentiation, all of which leads to very tight margins. So, for marketing to work in retail it’s got to be effective and efficient, and with some research suggesting that email marketing delivers an ROI of 36 to 1, what better place to start?

Which is why I’m so pleased to be joined by Nicola Paul, an e-commerce, digital marketing specialist, to discuss how businesses can make their email marketing a success

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why it’s important to integrate strategies across paid search, email marketing, and organic content.
• Where to start with your email marketing strategy
• Moving beyond standard discount offers to engage subscribers with exclusive content, competitions, and early access to products.
• The power of automated emails and their role in customer engagement.
• Examples of transactional emails that add value beyond simple order confirmations.
• Importance of list segmentation and personalization to enhance email relevance.
• Ensuring email deliverability and avoiding spam filters.
• Keeping a clean email list through regular list hygiene practices.
• How to personalise marketing emails beyond just using the recipient's name.

CONNECT

• Nicola Paul  on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolapaul/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yellowbirddigital/ 
• Nicola’s website: https://yellowbirddigital.com/ 
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-freed/id1731359462 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1000659902 

Every brand uses words in some shape or form to communicate with their audience. But most are so bland and full of corporate jargon that hardly anyone takes notice. 

Which is why I’m so pleased to be joined by brand message and voice specialist Olly Davy to explore how you can transform words into powerful tools that tap into the deepest motivations of your customers. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why you need to know the what before you can define how
• How you can de-risk the process
• The ways in which you can embed brand voice throughout your organisation
• Creative ways Olly is using AI in his work
• What is Nerdsmithing

CONNECT

• Oly Davy on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ollydavy/ 
• Olly’s website: https://ollydavy.com/ 
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-freed/id1731359462 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1000659902 

In this episode, SEO consultant Natalie Slater dives deep into the persistent myths and misconceptions surrounding SEO, discusses the impact of recent Google updates AI content, and shares essential tips for managing successful website migrations.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Some myths and misconceptions about SEO
• How AI content has been impacted by recent Google algorithm updates
• Common pitfalls to be aware of when planning a website migration

CONNECT

• Natalie Slater on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-mott/ 
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-freed/id1731359462 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1000659902 

Despite rumours of its demise, email marketing continues to be one of the most cost-effective ways for businesses to reach, and sell to their customers. But, like many things in marketing, there’s a huge difference between the results you can achieve with a great email strategy vs one that’s merely OK.  

In this episode, I’m joined by Katja Mokotar, an email marketer for CPG brands to discuss how to get people to take action from your emails. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• Strategies for effective email campaigns
• The differences between great email strategies and average ones
• Techniques for increasing average order value
• The most important part of an email to capture attention
• Appropriate post-click content

CONNECT

• Katja on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-mokotar-865a8669/ 
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-freed/id1731359462 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 

When it comes to getting your website to the top of Google, creating content that’s relevant and helpful for the searcher’s query is critical. 

But with infinite options for content you could create, how can marketers prioritise content that’s going to drive leads and revenue and not just traffic?

In this episode, I’m joined by freelance SEO consultant Fracesco Baldini to find out.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Francesco took one website from generating £800 per month to over £30k per month in revenue, while the traffic stayed the same 
• The process Francesco uses to identify topics that are commercially relevant
• How you can use your weakest search competitors to find easy to rank for content ideas 

CONNECT

• Francesco Baldini on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/francescobaldini/ 
• Francesco’s website: https://withdirection.com/ 
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-freed/id1731359462 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1000659902 

In this episode, David is joined by Angela Richmond, founder of Red Fox Research, who explores the crucial role of market research in developing new products, expanding into new markets, and refining messaging to better align with the target audience. Angela shares her extensive experience in B2B and technology sectors, discussing the nuances of both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The importance of understanding your audience
• When you should use quantitative or qualitative research
• At what point you should involve the client in focus groups
• How to structure survey questions to reduce bias

CONNECT

• Angela Richmond on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-richmond-503919/ 
• Angela’s website: https://redfoxres.com/ 
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-freed/id1731359462 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1000659902 

When it comes to SEO - Google’s advice is that you just need to produce great content for your users. But, at the same time, we know there are techniques for producing content that ranks well but doesn’t necessarily match what the user wants or the business’s objectives.

In this episode, I’m joined by Freelance SEO consultant, Charlie Williams to discuss how we can produce content that ranks on Google but is also helpful for users and your business

In this episode, we discuss:

• The concept that every page should have a specific job or goal
• Strategies for organising website content to meet these goals
• How recent changes in Google’s algorithm are affecting SEO practices
• The shift towards rewarding high-quality content over formulaic approaches
• The ongoing challenges and opportunities in the SEO landscape
• A tonne of resources to keep up to date on the latest SEO trends and techniques

CONNECT

• Charlie Williams on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-williams/ 
• Charlie’s website: https://chopped.io/ 
• Charlie’s X profile: https://x.com/pagesauce 
• David Richter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-richter-clickpop/ or www.clickpop.co.uk  

LISTEN

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rZo9Z5laMfQ9OsY9OVyPq?si=652f6e969f9e42ec 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-freed/id1731359462 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingFreedPodcast 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/08eb4a0a-cdfd-4cf7-8801-20f983579715/marketing-freed 
• PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/series-3552796 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/marketing-freed-5619008 
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1000659902