New year, same podcast hosts with a new special guest and returner. In the first episode of 2017, our co-hosts Craig Israel and Eric Crilow interview thunder::tech’s Social Media Team members Madison Letizia and newcomer Hana Steinker. While everyone else appears to be setting personal resolutions, our Social Media Team wanted to focus on the goals that brands can set for their social media pages. Whether it’s making a plan for content or carving out some extra cash for Facebook ads, this podcast has you covered if you’re interested in learning how to do better in the social media sphere. Grab a notepad, your pages login credentials and enjoy a smattering of insight from our experts.

Join us for a wide-ranging conversation with renowned chef and one of Cleveland’s favorites, Jonathon Sawyer. We talk about how modern restaurateurs have to do far more than simply cook great food and offer outstanding hospitality. Instead, today’s diners are looking to connect with brands in deeper ways that support their lifestyle. Chef Sawyer talks about building the Team Sawyer brand, which now encompasses six restaurants, a line of artisanal vinegars, a new cookbook for kids, TV programing and other super-secret projects still in the works. We also discuss the “Summer of Invincibility” in Cleveland, where our city has thrive in the spotlight of a national championship, the Republican National Convention and much more.

One of the seven-part series of podcasts connected to our 2017 TRENDS publication. We all want instant gratification on the go. Be it directions, sports updates or restaurant recommendations, today’s consumers rely on their smartphones for the solution and are becoming more comfortable than ever talking to their phone. In this episode, our Optimization Specialists, Maggie Babuder and Michael Laskowski, stop by the thunder::cast studio to discuss how advancements in artificial intelligence are impacting how consumers seek out information, how search results are displayed and how they make purchases.

One of the seven-part series of podcasts connected to our 2017 TRENDS publication. There’s more to video than meets the eye. It is common knowledge that multimedia content receives higher engagement than other content formats, but are you using video to its full potential? Our Manager of Multimedia Services, Matt Stevens, shares insight into why it is imperative to include multimedia in your content marketing strategy. He further explains how to maximize production efficiency, as well as discusses how emerging technology, like drones, can give you an edge over your competitors.

One of the seven-part series of podcasts connected to our 2017 TRENDS publication. Today’s consumers have growing expectations to not only be informed, but to also be entertained. This shift in content consumption is setting the bar even higher for marketers who seek new, innovative ways to connect with and engage their audiences. thunder::cast co-host Eric Crilow discusses the growing popularity of interactive content, which requires participants’ active engagement with the content they consume, rather than simply passively reading or watching. This trend provides an opportunity for brands to capitalize on consumers’ desire to be entertained, by serving up real-time, hyper-relevant content in exchange for their information, which can be used to inform marketing efforts.

One of the seven-part series of podcasts connected to our 2017 TRENDS publication. Historically e-commerce has been dominated B2C companies, but a major shift is happening. More than half of all B2B buyers expect to be able to conduct purchases online in three years, and B2B companies are taking notice and getting on board. Our Senior Director of Development Bruce Williams explains the importance of reevaluating your B2B business model, taking advantage of available technology and implementing e-commerce strategies to create effective online experiences. Your willingness to adopt e-commerce could mean the difference between increasing your company’s growth and limiting your ability to compete in the marketplace.

One of the seven-part series of podcasts connected to our 2017 TRENDS publication. The digital advertising world is becoming increasingly more competitive due to a variety of factors from ad blocking to shorter consumer attention spans to FCC regulations to a shift in TV viewing habits. In this episode, Media Buying Specialist J.P. Krainz and Social Media Team Manager Madison Letizia offer suggestions for reevaluating marketing goals, aligning goals with brand messaging and creating more compelling ad content to help your brand overcome the evolving advertising landscape.

One of the seven-part series of podcasts connected to our 2017 TRENDS publication. We all want instant gratification on the go. Be it directions, sports updates or restaurant recommendations, today’s consumers rely on their smartphones for the solution and are becoming more comfortable than ever talking to their phone. In this episode, our Optimization Specialists, Maggie Babuder and Michael Laskowski, stop by the thunder::cast studio to discuss how advancements in artificial intelligence are impacting how consumers seek out information, how search results are displayed and how they make purchases. 

One of the seven-part series of podcasts connected to our 2017 TRENDS publication. It is not enough to act on instinct or gut feelings. The most successful marketers rely on the facts to work smarter and more efficiently, and your company may unknowingly be sitting on a gold mine of data. This episode delves into “Business Intelligence,” the process of using collected data to inform decision-making across an organization. By breaking down the silos between marketing and sales and sharing information, businesses can connect key data points to identify new engagement touch points, uncover new revenue stream opportunities and improve the customer experience. Discover how to close the loop by leveraging your company’s data.

We’re celebrating Halloween with a spooktacular episode of thunder::cast! In this episode, we talk with Ryan Pluta, owner of the Carnival of Horrors in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Ryan tells us about his 26-year journey as a haunted house proprietor, how he keeps people scared every year and how he packs a punch into his limited marketing window. We’ll give you a hint, it takes lots of guts! Find out how he uses the customer’s own mindset to scare them, how he gets feedback and his strategy of getting people through the door. We won’t lie; you might need to listen to this one with a friend.