The Digital Marketing Mentor

This episode features Purna Virji, principal consultant of Content Solutions at LinkedIn, and explores her holistic view of content marketing. She dives into what has shaped her perspective through her 20-year career in marketing as a content creator, program manager, SEO public, instructional designer, and brand evangelist. Tune in to learn more about mentorship's role in Purna’s journey in content marketing and hear some of the best engagement tips from one of the industry’s social media marketing gurus. 

Episode Highlights 

• Purna says her life purpose is to ‘lift others’ through education and empowerment.  She’s an active mentor to many professionals and feels the responsibility of the job includes shining the light on their strengths and talents while providing constructive criticism. Purna herself has several high-profile mentors she calls her ‘board of directors’. They are a fabulous sounding board when she has questions.
• The foundation of successful marketing content rests in knowing your audience. Purna stresses the importance of  ‘studying your customers’ to learn what they want, their motivations, and their problems. When you understand your audience, the content will write itself. Additionally, a company must identify its core values, brand purpose, and the ‘connective tissue’ that links its audience to its product or service. 
• Purna compares a brand’s message to water; it can take the shape of any container. So often, content that hasn’t been working is tossed. Purna argues that instead of wasting time creating new content, well-researched and ideated material can be reused or repurposed on a different platform; it still has value.

Episode Links

• Purna’s LinkedIn
• Purna’s X 

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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.

Join us for this special episode of The Digital Marketing Mentor as we reflect on our conversations with various guests about their experiences with PPC advertising. We cover everything from why our guests entered this industry to bid management, control metrics, conversion tracking, and GA4. Whether you’re new to PPC or a seasoned pro, this Best of PPC episode will offer advice and anecdotes regarding this rapidly evolving industry. 

Episode Highlights
The many experts we’ve interviewed about PPC advertisingI seem to share a few understandings: 

• A detailed PPC audit is an excellent way to ensure a new or revamped campaign will move in the right direction and best utilize company budgets.
• Manual vs. automatic bidding tends to be a popular topic in the PPC community and our guests believe that the intent and goals behind the campaign should drive the bidding strategy. 
• Digital marketers must pay more attention to the power of good ad copy as even small changes can steer a PPC campaign in the right direction.
• In a lead generation campaign, some key indicators to evaluate and frame the budget include the length of the campaign (how long it has been running), CPL to acquisition, visibility, and conversion rate. 
• PPC experts emphasize the value of attribution since the cost-per-lead data often drives the connection between campaign results and company growth.
• Google's elimination of third-party cookies will most impact companies that don’t conduct online transactions or have an e-commerce presence as it will make accessing customer data more difficult. 

Episode Links 

• Susan Wenograd - Mastering Google Ads: Secrets to Success in Search, Speaking, and Strategy
• Navah Hopkins - English, Ethics, Education, and Encouragement in Paid Search
• Sarah Stemen - Effective Digital Marketing and Entrepreneurial Endeavors
• Duane Brown - Destination: Digital Marketing Data  
• Kirk Williams - Speaking, Sparking Connections, Star Wars, and (Google) Shopping 
• Brianna Deboever -  Office Hours | Making Alphabet Soup for Lead Quality: PPC, UTM, CRM, and More
• Rachel Howle -  Office Hours  | Manually Automated – Optimizing Bidding in Paid Search Campaigns
• Amalia Fowler - How Do You Give Good AF Marketing, Mentoring, and Music Advice? It Depends.
• Caroline Pham - Office Hours | From Award-Winning Dalmatian Drawing to Data in Paid Search Campaigns 

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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.

Join us for an inspiring episode as we explore Brie Anderson's journey from soccer scholarship to digital marketing expertise, discovering the power of saying “YES!” to opportunities and effective mentorship. Gain valuable insights into navigating digital landscapes, leveraging data, and empowering yourself in today's ever-evolving world. Don't miss this enriching discussion filled with actionable analytics advice.

Episode Highlights 

• Brie Anderson's journey from scholarship soccer student athlete to digital marketing showcases the importance of embracing opportunities. Transitioning from communications to digital marketing, she learned and grew by saying "Yes" to new experiences. Mentors like her first boss and industry leaders guided her journey.
• For Brie, mentorship is about open communication and taking initiative. She shares her experiences and insights to support others facing similar challenges. Despite initially not seeing herself as a mentor, her wife helped her see that her openness with her mental health struggles and readiness to share her technical skills and knowledge certainly qualifies her as a mentor to others. 
• As the founder of BEAST Analytics, she helps clients understand and use data effectively, navigating changes like the shift to Google Analytics 4. Brie empowers clients to adapt to evolving digital trends while addressing privacy concerns. Through education and practical advice, she ensures their digital strategies remain effective and responsive.

Episode Links 

• Brie’s LinkedIn
• BEAST Analytics website 
• Brie’s email 
• Instagram

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, learn how Optidge teamed up with Berlin Heart to customize HubSpot, revolutionizing their data management. Explore the challenges Berlin Heart faced with spreadsheets and discover how Optidge customized HubSpot to streamline workflows and enable remote accessibility. Hear about the benefits of tailored CRM solutions and join us as we uncover the transformative power of this partnership with Berlin Heart. 

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 

• Berlin Heart came to Optidge to help set up Hubspot, a customer relationship management system (CRM), for their unique needs. As a medical device company that develops, produces, and markets innovative devices for mechanically supporting the heart, Berlin Heart needed the CRM to do more, and be more of a database management system. 
• They needed to transition from a system of data management that existed in 12-20 spreadsheets, only accessible in the office, with multiple redundancies - to a cloud-based, interconnected database of data. They needed to track hospitals, staff, patients, devices, training logs, status updates, maintenance records, and more. And they needed to know their information was up-to-date and accurate.
• Optidge utilized Hubspot’s custom objects to build out an expansive, interconnected database system for Berlin Heart. Through the creation and customization of custom objects, they could oversee a variety of data points configured in different ways. They could see all the device pump changes and their next needed timing. They could view all the patient status updates for a given week in one table. They could also look at a specific device and see which hospital, patient, staff, and crate it was currently connected to. 

Episode Links

• Berlin Heart 
• Berlin Heart LinkedIn

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.

Discover Andrea Cruz's journey from Venezuela to Boston, mastering business administration and international marketing. Learn about the power of mentorship and the intricacies of B2B marketing in this insightful episode.

Episode Highlights 

• Andrea Cruz's journey from Venezuela to Boston shaped her into a versatile business professional. Her degrees in Business Administration and International Business equipped her with digital marketing skills ahead of their time. Mentors like Jeremy Krantz, AJ Wilcox, and JD Prater played pivotal roles, guiding her through career transitions and public speaking fears.
• Embracing diversity in Massachusetts, Andrea thrived among various cultures, fostering a deep understanding of global perspectives. Fluent in multiple languages, she embodies a polyglot identity, enhancing her ability to empathize and connect across diverse communities. Andrea's dedication to mentorship reflects her belief in holistic growth, emphasizing emotional openness and strategic planning.
• As a B2B marketing enthusiast, Andrea challenges misconceptions and advocates for personalized strategies. Her managerial role allows her to empathize with team members and champion inclusive, hands-on leadership. With a passion for niche verticals and brand differentiation, she navigates the complexities of B2B marketing with creativity and purpose, emphasizing customer-centric approaches for sustainable growth.

Episode Links

• Tinuiti
• LinkedIn
• X/Twitter

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.

Join Susan Wenograd as she shares her journey in digital marketing, blending creativity with practicality. Explore mentorship insights and the evolving landscape of Google Ads and new strategies to optimize in a post-cookie world!

Episode Highlights 

• Susan Wenograd, characterized by her unique blend of practicality and creativity, recounts her transformative journey from initially considering film studies to ultimately carving out a successful career in the realm of digital marketing. Through her experiences, she embodies the ethos of adaptability and perseverance, demonstrating how embracing both sides of her personality has been instrumental in navigating the complexities of the industry.
• Susan has seen a profound impact from mentors like Mike King and Jeremy Bloom, whose guidance transcends conventional boundaries, offering Susan holistic insights that extend far beyond their apparent roles. Their mentorship serves as a testament to the power of genuine connections and the invaluable lessons that emerge from meaningful relationships within one's professional journey.
• Susan dives into the deep, ever-evolving world of Google Ads. She provides valuable insights into strategic shifts in bidding tactics, optimizations, and the differences in strategies over the past decade (and more). She offers a glimpse into her entrepreneurial venture with Can’tdles, a candle-making business that beautifully intertwines her creative flair with astute business acumen. Through her multifaceted experiences, Susan offers a compelling narrative that underscores the importance of adaptability, mentorship, and embracing one's unique blend of skills and passions in navigating the complexities of the modern business world.

Episode Links

• SusanWenograd.com 
• Susan’s LinkedIn
• Twitter

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.

Join us for a captivating conversation with Britney Muller, where she delves into the realms of mentorship, AI innovations, and her enchanting ASL escapades. Explore the intersection of expertise and experience in this digital marketing adventure!

Episode Highlights

• Britney Muller shares her journey from pre-med to journalism to internet marketing, emphasizing learning beyond the classroom through diverse experiences like waitressing and mentorship from industry giants like Rand Fishkin. She reflects on the pivotal role of informal mentorship, highlighting relationships that blur the line between guidance and friendship.
• In the realm of AI, Muller warns against overreliance on LLMs for deterministic tasks like keyword research. She predicts a surge in industry-specific LLMs and advocates for thoughtful integration to maximize their potential. She discusses the importance of diversity in AI and shares a paper about the affinity group talks she saw poorly attended at NeurIPS. Additionally, she sheds light on biases in AI models and the importance of transparency in mitigating them.
• Beyond AI, Muller discusses her passion for American Sign Language, recounting inventive experiences like introducing ASL interpretation on ski slopes. She emphasizes the value of quality content over quantity in marketing and PR strategies. Through her diverse interests and expertise, Muller offers valuable insights into navigating the ever-evolving landscape of technology and communication.

Episode Links 

• Website - Data Sci 101
• Website - Britney Muller
• Article/Paper re: Indigenous NAI researchers
• Black in AI
• Muslim in AI
• Indigenous in AI
• LatinX in AI

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.

Join us on this episode as Andrew Foxwell shares his journey from St. Olaf University through Capitol Hill to California, revealing how mentorship played a pivotal role in his career. Discover the inception of Foxwell Founders, a thriving community connecting marketers and mentors. Andrew reflects on the power of mentorship, the challenges of parenting during a pandemic, and the evolution of digital advertising and paid social on platforms like TikTok.

Episode Highlights

• At St. Olaf University, Andrew Foxwell delved into political science and business, finding solace in the college's renowned music program. As a choir member, he embraced singing as a unique form of worship, considering choir practice a meditative escape from the complexities of daily life. Andrew's journey into the political arena began in rural Minnesota, fueled by a fascination with government and a desire to be 'in the room where it happens.' His active involvement in political campaigns, including volunteering in the 2008 presidential campaign, eventually led him to a life-changing role in Washington, D.C. Working for a congressional representative.
• The pivotal moment for Andrew in the realm of digital advertising occurred when Congress allowed social media ads. This opened the door for Andrew to run ads on platforms like Facebook and Google, eventually leading him to specialize in Facebook Ads. His journey into the advertising world involved working with a diverse range of politicians and agencies, fostering a bipartisan approach to his work. This experience laid the foundation for his later endeavors in mentoring and community building within the digital marketing space.
• Foxwell Founders (FF) is a community founded by Andrew Foxwell, focusing on digital marketing mentorship and collaboration. Initially created to facilitate discussions on social media advertising challenges, FF has grown into a substantial online community of marketers. The community aims to provide a platform for members to seek guidance, learn, and connect with mentors. They've expanded their topics of discussion and launched specific communities, like the PPC community. Foxwell Founders is dedicated to building self-sustaining programs, fostering mentorship, and helping members learn and grow in the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing.

Episode Links

• FoxwellDigital.com
• Email – [email protected]
• Andrew’s LinkedIn

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, Raphael Gavin, the media-production master, spills the beans on navigating the advertising industry, humorous entry to his career, and the transformative power of mentorship. From his accidental title upgrade to the importance of tailored guidance, dive into the world of advertising with wit and wisdom.

Episode Highlights

• Raphael Gavin, son of advertising legend Louis Gavin, found his own path in advertising after a chance meeting during his time at his father's agency. He believes no degree can match the power of learning from experience.
• Raphael emphasizes three key elements of mentorship: clear communication, mutual trust, and tailored guidance. His mentors include his wife and agency co-founder Sean Dawson, who shaped his business acumen and taught him how to always show up better the next time. 
• As a mentor, Raphael prioritizes support, sharing experiences, and acknowledging that mentees may surpass their mentors. Flexibility, highlighted by COVID-19, is crucial in adapting to unpredictable situations in the advertising industry.
• Raphael's advertising journey, starting as an account executive, led him to appreciate production. Despite challenges, working with family accelerated his career growth, providing constant strategic discussions at work and home.

Episode Links

• Levergy
  • Instagram
  • X
  • LinkedIn
• Raphael’s LinkedIn
• Jay Steinfeld Episode

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.

Join us in this episode as we hear about Sarah Stemen’s journey from programming through in-house marketing to starting her own business. From unexpected mentorship lessons to the art of being an accessible mentor, Sarah spills the beans on agency struggles, the power of conversation in consulting, and her unique approach to Google Ads.

Episode Highlights

• Sarah Stemen began her digital marketing journey before the field fully existed, transitioning from a tech-focused background with an MBA pivot into marketing. Sarah's genuine care for doing good is reflected in her mentoring style. Accessible at any hour, she emphasizes nonjudgmental advice and building trust with mentees.
• Like many agencies, Sarah faces challenges marketing her own business. Limited budgets and the common struggle with being objective about one’s own business guide her choices, emphasizing outsourcing for content and SEO.
• With the guidance of other agency professionals, Sarah challenges the notion that agency success correlates with size, limiting her clients to four. Her focused, strategic approach echoes the value of staying small and niche. Like a video game player who is a “button-masher,” Sarah goes into a new client’s Google Ad account and pushes every button. She will find the settings and patterns to optimize an account through her own discovery. 

Episode Links: 

• Kirk Williams Episode
• Kirk Williams Book - Stop the Scale
• Akvile’s recommendation: Jasper AI
• Sarah Stemen LLC 
• Sarah’s Socials
  • LinkedIn
  • X/Twitter
  • Instagram
  • TikTok

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.