The Digital Marketing Mentor

What do soccer sidelines, mommy blogs, and multi-million-dollar influencer campaigns have in common? Paula Bruno. In this mini episode, Danny Gavin sits down with the founder of Intuition Media Group to explore how influencer marketing has evolved from the early blogosphere into today’s creator-first economy.

With nearly 25 years in branding, Paula brings a strategic, practical, and deeply human perspective to working with creators. From why listening is more powerful than posting, to how brands should actually approach metrics, Paula breaks down the future of social-first marketing—and why you don’t DM creators unless you know their dog’s name.

Episode Highlights: 

• Paula shares how influencer marketing evolved from mom blogs to multi-platform campaigns across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. 
• She shares why most brands focus on the wrong KPIs and what metrics actually signal influencer success.
• Learn how she personalizes creator outreach and builds long-term relationships, not one-time transactions.
• Hear why superfans outweigh scale, and how smaller creators can outperform massive influencers.
• Paula’s key advice is to get real about AI, authenticity, and building co-branded products that actually sell.

Episode Links: 

• Paula Bruno on LinkedIn
• Intuition Marketing Group

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.

In this episode, Danny chats with Santi Schamberger, passionate and dedicated web developer at Optidge. 

They dive into the foundational elements of successful websites, the evolution of WordPress, and why UX matters more than flashy design. 

Santi opens up about his self-taught journey, agency life, and how real impact comes from aligning websites with actual business goals. This episode provides a roadmap for creating digital experiences that not only look professional but actually drive business results. 

An Optidge "Office Hours" Episode

Our Office Hours episodes are your go-to for details, how-to’s, and advice on specific marketing topics. Join our fellow Optidge team members, and sometimes even 1:1 teachings from Danny himself, in these shorter, marketing-focused episodes every few weeks. Get ready to get marketing!

Episode Highlights:

• Santi breaks down why good, optimized websites convert — and pretty ones often don’t.
• He shares how learning SEO, design, and development together creates a complete skill set for developers and his tips along his self-taught journey in web development. 
• Discover through Santi’s experience why collaboration between designers and developers is key in preventing digital disasters.
• Learn how WordPress, Elementor, and Hello Theme make life easier for devs and clients.
• A 30% lift in conversions? Santi proves data-led redesigns actually work.

Episode Links:

🔗 Santi’s LinkedIn
🔗 Optidge Web Development Services

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.

In this episode, Danny welcomes Dan Briscoe, CMO at BuildWitt, for a candid and inspiring discussion on leadership, team dynamics, and marketing in the construction industry. 

Dan shares stories from the Marine Corps to managing agencies, discusses his marketing philosophy, and breaks down how mentorship from icons like Jocko Willink and Marcus Sheridan shaped his approach. 

His practical wisdom shines through the entire episode through inspiring stories of his experiences breaking down silos, fostering collaboration, encouraging contribution to marketing, and creating a culture of free-flowing ideas.

Episode Highlights: 

• Dan shares how one of his most influential mentors, Jocko Willink, and his concept of “Extreme Ownership” changed his leadership approach.
• Discover through the episode how BuildWitt uses transparency as a superpower to align teams and motivate employees.
• Learn the difference between coaching and mentoring, and how Dan approaches both.
• Dan makes the case that small, specialized teams can outperform bloated or siloed departments—if you drop the ego.
• Dan reflects on his shift from President back to CMO and why it reignited his marketing passion.

Episode Links: 

🔗 Dan’s LinkedIn
🔗 BuildWitt

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.

In this episode, Danny and Joe Wolf, Head of Paid Social at Optidge, explore how to troubleshoot struggling paid campaigns, why communication is more important than ever, and what it takes to be the kind of agency clients trust again—after they've been burned. 

With deep experience across paid platforms and a keen sense for client relationships, Joe and the team don’t just run ads—they build partnerships that last. From tactical frameworks like Optidge’s 5-Point Check to real-life stories of client rescue missions, this episode is packed with practical insight and refreshingly honest advice.

An Optidge "Office Hours" Episode

Our Office Hours episodes are your go-to for details, how-to’s, and advice on specific marketing topics. Join our fellow Optidge team members, and sometimes even 1:1 teachings from Danny himself, in these shorter, marketing-focused episodes every few weeks. Get ready to get marketing!

Episode Highlights:

• Learn the Optidge 5-Point Paid Social Check and how it helps spot (and solve) campaign failure fast.
• Joe shares why upfront honesty with clients wins more trust than fluffy promises ever will.
• Hear real examples of recovering strained client relationships through transparency and strategy.
• Discover how UGC, offer testing, and full-funnel tracking power Optidge’s high-performing Meta ads.
• Find out how Optidge’s pod model blends expertise, mentorship, and client care into every campaign.

Episode Links: 

🔗 Joe’s LinkedIn
🔗 Optidge Paid Social Services

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.

In this second part of the "Best of SEO" series, industry leaders share their insights on creating compelling content that boosts organic traffic and supports strong SEO strategies. 

The episode explores the evolving relationship between AI and content integrity, the benefits of WordPress as an enterprise platform, and the critical role of brand building in search visibility. 

Additionally, our lineup of guests discuss how social proof, thought leadership, and offline branding can drive digital success, while offering practical tips for staying ahead in a rapidly changing SEO landscape. 

Tune in to discover how to maximize your visibility through curated content and how to adapt to the future of digital marketing.

Episode Highlights:

• Industry leaders share personal stories about how mentorship and authentic self-expression have shaped their SEO careers and industry influence.  
• The episode explores the evolving importance of brand in SEO, emphasizing its role in building trust, authority, and long-term visibility, especially through social media and content marketing.  
• Experts discuss how AI is transforming content creation and SEO, making processes more efficient and future-proof, despite ongoing industry turbulence.  
• Practical insights are shared on how small businesses can leverage branding and offline momentum to compete with larger companies in search rankings.  
• The conversation highlights the necessity of continuous learning, networking, and adapting strategies—such as embracing AI tools and focusing on quality content—to succeed in SEO landscape. 

Episode Links:

🔗Julia McCoy 

🔗Shelly Fagin 

🔗Mandi Politi 

🔗Mike King

🔗Britney Muller

🔗Ross Hudgens 

🔗Batli Joselevitz

🔗Sarah Presch

🔗Mordy Oberstein

🔗Fay Friedman

🔗Wil Reynolds 

🔗Nick LeRoy 

🔗Chris Long

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.

Mentorship and representation transforms careers - this truth echoes throughout our conversations with leading SEO professionals in the first installment of our two-part "Best of SEO" episode series. 

From personal journeys to strategies for tackling the various technical aspects of SEO, our expert guests reveal how adaptable and human-centered SEO truly is. 

As they explore how AI is revolutionizing search, these conversations emphasize the importance of trust and reliability in the field, especially at pivotal career moments. 

Episode Highlights: 

• Nine SEO industry leaders share personal stories about how mentorship and representation have significantly shaped their SEO careers.
• Guests discuss the importance of authentic self-expression, visibility, curiosity, and the willingness to learn from mistakes can inspire others in the SEO community.
• These SEO experts emphasize that effective SEO strategies are highly tailored to client needs, from technical SEO for large e-commerce sites to content-driven approaches for news outlets.
• The conversation explores how AI is transforming search, emphasizing the ongoing importance of trust, reliability, and innovative algorithms in the evolving landscape.

Episode Links:

🔗 Martha Van Berkel 

🔗 Batli Joselevitz

🔗Mike King

🔗Sarah Presch

🔗Fay Friedman

🔗Mordy Oberstein

🔗Chris Long

🔗Wil Reynolds 

🔗Britney Muller

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.

In this episode, Danny sits down with LinkedIn Ads expert AJ Wilcox to dive into his marketing journey, his views on mentorship, and his laser-sharp insights into B2B advertising on LinkedIn.

AJ shares how a passion for teaching and authentic connection laid the foundation for B2Linked, an industry-leading agency for LinkedIn Ads. 

He discusses the power of mentorship, from hiking with his boss’s boss to mentoring rising marketers in Utah, and shares the advertising strategies that generate real ROI.

Episode Highlights: 

• AJ explains why he left SEO and Google Ads behind to become a LinkedIn Ads specialist focused on high-quality B2B leads.
• He shares how weekly mentorship hikes evolved into a career-boosting tradition for local digital marketers.
• Learn the essential elements of effective LinkedIn targeting and why deeper funnel strategies outperform surface metrics.
• Discover the benefits of combining mentorship with marketing expertise—AJ shares his advice for building both.
• AJ compares native LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms vs. landing pages, and how to pick the right tool for your campaign goals.

Episode Links:

🔗 LinkedIn: AJ Wilcox
🔗 B2Linked Agency
🎙️ The LinkedIn Ads Show Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Mentor, Danny speaks with Chaya Glatt, a brand strategist and the founder of Brand Authority, about her journey from special education to branding and marketing. 

Chaya shares her thoughts on branding as a solution rather than just a service, offering insights into how businesses can use branding to solve real problems. 

The discussion touches on the importance of having a strong foundation in brand strategy and the dedication to gaining a deeper understanding of what branding can do for business growth. 

She also gives an honest take on parenting and building a successful career in digital marketing as a working mom.    

Episode Highlights: 

• Chaya shares how her unexpected journey from special education to branding led to her successful career in brand strategy.
• The discussion makes an argument for branding as a solution to business problems, defines it as more than just logos and visuals, and highlights the importance of creating messages that resonate with customers’ true needs.
• Chaya shares actionable advice for startups and small businesses, placing emphasis on the importance of clear messaging and focus on client outreach before worrying about complex branding.
• She discusses the role of AI in branding and explains how it can assist with execution but will never replace the human-driven strategy behind strong brand development. 
• Chaya encourages women to embrace their value and lean into the perspective and strengths that come with being a working mom. 

Episode Links: 

🔗 LinkedIn: /in/chayaglatt
🔗 Website: Chaya Glatt

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.

In this episode, Danny welcomes Sara Strickland, a former full-time NICU nurse turned paid search coordinator at Optidge. Sara shares her powerful journey of transitioning from saving lives in hospitals to optimizing Google Ads campaigns.

She discusses the transferable skills from nursing—like pattern recognition and empathy—that have made her a natural in PPC. Along the way, she’s found guidance from mentors (including her sister) and now mentors others through team training and client relationships.

This conversation is packed with advice for anyone considering a leap into digital marketing from a non-traditional background.

An Optidge “Office Hours” Episode

Our Office Hours episodes are your go-to for details, how-to’s, and advice on specific marketing topics. Join our fellow Optidge team members, and sometimes even 1:1 teachings from Danny himself, in these shorter, marketing-focused episodes every few weeks. Get ready to get marketing!

Episode Highlights: 

• Sara shares her inspiring journey from NICU nursing to digital marketing and the transferable skills that helped her thrive.
• She emphasizes the importance of mentorship in building confidence, particularly learning from her sister and colleagues.
• Sara explains how teaching others has helped solidify her own PPC knowledge and build client trust.
• Her advice to others considering a career pivot: test the waters, find a supportive environment, and always ask questions.
• Listeners gain a unique perspective on how empathy and structure from healthcare can enhance marketing strategy.

Episode Links:

🔗 LinkedIn: Sara Strickland
📸 Instagram: @sarahreinhold1
🔗 Meet the Optidge Team

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.

In this episode, Danny sits down with Susan Yen, a digital marketing expert with over seven years of experience in Pay-per-Click (PPC). 

Together, they discuss Susan’s journey from her communications background to a career in paid search, her views on mentorship, and how diversity plays a crucial role in marketing. 

Susan talks about her experiences working in agency and in-house settings, the difficulties small businesses have with PPC, and how artificial intelligence is changing the sector.

Episode Highlights: 

• Susan shares her journey from struggling with traditional schooling to discovering her passion for marketing, detailing pivotal moments that led her to specialize in PPC.
• She highlights the importance of mentorship, crediting Navah Hopkins and Mark Irvine for encouraging her to speak at conferences and step out of her comfort zone.
• Susan discusses the common challenges local businesses face with PPC, stressing the importance of investing in digital marketing and understanding its potential for business growth.
• With a focus on diversity, Susan explains how companies can genuinely support diverse voices, going beyond tokenism to create meaningful change.
• As AI evolves in PPC, Susan emphasizes the need to balance technological tools with human creativity to maintain authenticity in marketing.

Episode Links: 

🔗 Instagram: @theyengirl
🔗 LinkedIn: /in/susanyen
🔗 LinkedIn: SearchLab Digital

Send us Fan Mail

Follow The Digital Marketing Mentor:

• Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com
• Instagram: @thedmmentor
• Linkedin: @thedmmentor
• YouTube: @thedmmentor

Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family:

• Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations.
• ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business’s digital marketing strategy.