In my role at The Squad, I have many discovery conversations. Most of the initial dialog involves how folks plan to grow and use digital marketing to generate more sales opportunities. After learning what they are currently doing and what they have tried in the past it comes back to the condition or state of their most valuable marketing asset – their website.
It usually comes back to their hub because without a good foundation there's only so much you can do in terms of digital marketing and a strategic content plan. Similar to a car with new tires and a great sound system, it is not worth much without a good engine. A sub-par website, regardless of your story, will not take you where you want to go.
Here are four fundamentals that a lead generation and performance-driven website should have.
It can be basic or in-depth, but it needs to include these big rocks:
Just like a blueprint for a house, a thoughtful wireframe will direct the design in a manner that aligns with your "solid strategy" and the points listed therein.
Ask any homeowner that has built a custom home and they will tell you that, "the details make a difference." Not every business needs a custom built website, but for those businesses that it makes sense for, in terms of investing for a marketing ROI, this is a crucial piece. So, it will be well worth it to not skimp here.
There are many website platforms to choose from, such as HubSpot, WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla, to name a few. Make sure that the platform you chose aligns with your website’s needs in terms of short and long-term strategy.
WARNING: Site builder systems such as Wix, Weebly, and SquareSpace can be a good solution for some very small businesses; however, they can pigeon hole and thwart your longer term marketing initiatives pending on your objectives and functionality required to achieve them.
At the "end of the day," your website is a reflection of your organization and that reflection (bad or good) will be perceived by every visitor. Since perception is reality your website is one of your most valuable brand assets and the foundation of your marketing.
Let us know if we can help in this regard.
I just passed my one-year mark with The Squad and I couldn't be happier! I even got a water bottle and mini-hooray at The Squad to commemorate the occasion.
So, in celebration of this time, I've decided to write a blog about what it's like working for The Squad.
You always hear about how companies are like a family - or not. Well, The Squad certainly is one big family. When someone goes through tough times, everyone is always thoughtful, supportive, and caring. Our culture is about creating a positive and welcoming environment, meaning you have an open place to share ideas and grow.
We love helping people (and businesses grow) - it's what inspires all of us! I have also never felt more loved or encouraged to succeed. They want to assist with my education and growth, professionally and personally.
We often joke around together and have retreats that only deepen our bonds. You often see us eating lunch together at sushi or Mexican restaurants. I feel like I have a family away from home and I'm truly thankful for my work family.
When I was in school, I thought that I'd never work for a marketing agency. Oh, how wrong I was. I love how I can switch from a blog about HR to a social media post about inspiring original artwork to creating a whole new website. I love the variety and ever-changing topics and needs. I've learned a bit of code and thousands of marketing tips, tricks, and strategies since I've started here. I have grown from a Community Manager to a Content Manager to an Account Manager, and now an Account Coordinator. They took into account my desires and skill sets, with this new role, which is truly inspiring.
And let me tell you, all of this growth has been due to the teachings and support of my fellow Squad members. I share my knowledge with the team and they are quick to help me learn as well. From our weekly training along with the other certifications and one-on-one teachings, I have developed skills and knowledge that I wouldn't have dreamt of years ago.
Once you've become a Partner with The Squad, then you will work with the Account Coordinator, Content Director, Digital Strategist, and Marketing Consultant, as well as the rest of the team. I'm one of the people you talk with on a weekly and monthly basis. I make sure that the right people are working on the right things at the right time. So, say, you have an email, blog, or even new graphic that needs to be done, then you contact me. I then coordinate our various resources to fulfill the need in an efficient and timely manner.
If you hired someone new to your team and want them on the website, I'm the person you call. If you have a fantastic new blog topic, you just send me an email or tell me in our next meeting. I'm one of the people who sends you the content package and meeting notes each week or month. I get to know the ins and outs of your business, which is my favorite part - I adore learning and organization.
I'm proud to be part of The Squad and I'm looking forward to seeing what 2017 will bring. Click here to contact us or to learn more about how to become a Squad partner.
2016 was a packed year at The Squad!
Here are a few highlights, from my perspective, looking back at a great year.
1. The Marketing Squad Open House
To commemorate our name change from The Content Squad to The Marketing Squad, we hosted a fun open house in our Middletown office. The tacos and donuts were a huge hit, both internally, and with our clients. As Kristina would say, "Hole Mole!"
2. Scavenger Hunt
As a team-building exercise, we split into teams to capture a list of photos around the city of Louisville. We had a ton of fun. Midway through the day, we stopped by my 'hood' and ate lunch at The Table restaurant in Portland.
3. CHIPTOPIA
Anyone who knows me, knows my love for Chipotle. When I heard they were implementing a summer rewards program, I hopped on the bandwagon immediately. Josh and I both completed the 3-month saga of endless burritos. In addition to the many free meals along the way, the grand prize was $250 worth of catering. Remember kids, if you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything.
4. Baseball Match!
The Squad had a fun summer outing to see the Louisville minor league team. Many laughs were had by all as we rooted for home-team, and I displayed my complete lack of sports knowledge!
5. Introduction to BulletProof Coffee
Bryce sold me on the, now legendary, BulletProof Coffee experience. Butter, oil, and coffee blended into a powerful energy boost has become a staple around the office - and my kitchen.
6. Mad Men Day
Taylor, our resident formal-wear expert, provided the inspiration for a Mad Men themed day at the office. We harnessed our inner Don Draper and felt extra creative that day.
7. Michigan Trip with Louisville Switching
Don Robinson from Louisville Switching invited Bryce and I along for a trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan to document a tour of the Weller Reman Center. We enjoyed the road trip, which was filled with great meals (my first experience with Scotch Eggs) and a trip to the shore of Lake Michigan. Thanks, Don!
8. Squad Christmas Party
The Christmas party this year did not disappoint. The Iron Bell was decorated expertly by Brooke and Taylor manned the photo booth. Delicious food and coffee were enjoyed while teams competed to build the most creative gingerbread houses. To cap off the night, the team and our spouses participated in a hilarious white elephant gift exchange.
9. GIMME A NISSAN!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbZMQ5DMDKI
Jay Stewart gave the office the greatest gift of the year when he sent us the link to his 1986 starring role in a Nissan commercial. The catch phrase "Gimme a Nissan!" can be heard around the office on a regular basis. Jay's mustache has also inspired more than a few memes on our internal Slack channels.
Cheers to a great year!
I'm looking forward to making more memories at The Squad in 2017.
It's that time of year when everyone is making all kinds of resolutions to increase their happiness, productivity or other areas of their lives. So what have you resolved to accomplish this year? Lose the weight? Exercise daily? While all these are fun and good, it's my motto that life is wayyy too short for cutting pasta, bread or sugar. #lifeinthefastlane
BUT, what I have resolved to accomplish is higher productivity and efficiency. I want to make the most of my time in my day. To be more present and deliberate with my hours, minutes and seconds.
How do I intend to make these small changes to bigger and better results? Read on to learn how I plan to kick the new year off right...
I'm relatively new to podcasts, but I have resolved to listen to a podcast episode at least three times per week. I've found that listening to the news, podcasts or classical music while commuting puts my in the right mind set to get things done.
Speaking of getting things done, that's actually the title of the current podcast I am HOOKED on. Hooked, I tell ya. Getting Things Done is the ticket to tips and discussions to implement higher productivity as David Allen guides us through discussions with other folks and their journeys getting things done.
Whether you are a seasoned efficiency aficionado (say that 3 times fast!) or just getting started, David Allen and GTD will support you through your walk of getting things done.
This is one bandwagon I don't think I'll ever jump off. Recently, I wrote about the impact the 5 Second Rule had on my life and the changes it could create in yours. Essentially, the 5 Second Rule is about encompassing your thoughts and placing them into action before your brain has time to think yourself out of an awesome idea. Not to be mistaken with impulsiveness, the Rule applies to thoughts that would increase your growth in your personal and professional life.
With the 5 second rule, I no longer think it out or consider the long term life of my idea, nor do I send it up the ladder for approval – I’ll deal with that later. I just need to get it on paper. Later, I revisit and take the time to evaluate a sound strategy.
What changes do you plan to make this upcoming year?
I have to brag on my co-workers just a little bit. We have some extremely talented people on our team, I mean you shouldn't expect anything less, really.
We all love working with the wide variety the clients that we serve. Our fantastic clients keep us on our toes and help us grow as a company and help us hone our skills.
In addition to working for our clients, we also love doing the marketing for ourselves.
2016 has resulted in some fantastic content on our own blog. Our goal is to provide information on our blog that is timely and relevant. It is our job to stay up on the newest trends.
We wanted to share the top 10 blogs that got the most traction over the course of 2016.
What is the Christian Business Meet Up
Recap of the Squad's Spring Retreat
5 Tips to Win the Marketing Race
Why We Partnered with WP Engine for Website Hosting
Did you read any of these blogs this year? Which one was your favorite?
The world of content and digital marketing continues to quickly evolve and change. Here are a few trends that are likely to continue and increase this year.
Video has played a role in content marketing and telling stories for years. One of the pioneers in using video to promote and sell a product is BlendTec and they are still going strong with their "Will It Blend" campaigns.
There’s a reason that Google acquired YouTube in an all-stock deal worth about $1.65 billion and the video trend is becoming more and more important regardless of industry. Here are a few key 2016 stats worth noting from an article by Insivia.
Making video a part of your plan is a must.
The volume and quantity of content are on the rise and will continue to do so throughout 2017. Meanwhile, the quality is decreasing and creating a lot of white noise without much value. Therefore, your marketing plan should focus on quality and depth when creating content. In doing so, your content will rise above the noise, add value to your industry, and position you as an authority. Save your shallow posts and ideas for social sharing.
Google’s algorithms are constantly changing primarily because they now have more data to incorporate into the equation. Just like any service provider, Google wants and needs their search results to remain valuable to the user. Therefore, they are indexing pages in a manner that delivers the best chance for a relevant search result. While it is becoming less about the keywords and more about who’s reading and who’s sharing, keywords both on and off the page are still an important part of the equation.
According to SEMrush, 50 percent of websites are faced with duplicate content issues and 45 percent have missing ALT data.
Using SEO best practices will ensure content ranks well in organic search. It also avoids penalties and allows your website to perform as a whole.
To successfully manage an on-going content strategy takes planning, process, and people.
A survey by Gatepoint Research and Seismic revealed that nearly 50 percent of marketing executives feel that their content management methods are either average or below average.
When your content program is not managed effectively, it can negatively affect the time used for to prospecting and sales process. However, when done right, it will align with your sales messaging and initiatives, as well as empower your sales team as opposed to distracting them.
Let us know if we can help you make it a successful 2017.
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