Tag Archives: HubSpot

A couple of months ago, I got an email from HubSpot Academy about the different courses available. I remember this part of the email specifically because I loved the use of a background image. I’m a huge fan of how companies find great ways to maximize their email content — and one way to do that is with a background image. Rather than an image being used as the star of the email, background images are kind of like supporting characters. They tend to have the capability to be layered so you can add multimedia on top of them. Applying HTML to background images is crucial because they make your […]

Starting a blog is tough. Thinking about what to post and how to promote it requires strategic planning. And will your content resonate with and delight your customers? We haven’t even covered how often companies should post — a factor that can make or break even the greatest of content. You might be surprised to know that even though there’s a surplus of hard data about why blog posts are integral to marketing, there’s not much on the frequency of posting. This is because, well, it depends. If ambiguity gets your heart racing, fear not. Here, we’ll offer suggestions and stats to help inform your decision. If you’re a marketing […]

Marketing has evolved over time from,“You can have any color you want as long as it’s black” to just-in-time marketing messages that might lead to your brand posting on Reddit. We’re embracing digital channels and understanding the need to create marketing people love more and more … but do we actually grasp what’s running behind the scenes of all these digital campaigns?Code is what lies behind so many of our great marketing campaigns. Our websites, our emails, our apps and tools that are made to give your customers a better experience — these all run because there are smart coders making them work. So my question today is this: Since […]

In 2019, Google Ads is one of the most effective advertising tools to get more traffic to your website, and generate more leads. In fact, most businesses see an average of 200% ROI on their Google Ad spend. To create better, more powerful ads on Google, it can be helpful to receive a Google Ads certificate. Additionally, it’s a great resume booster. If you’re looking to get a Google Ads certificate, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’ve created a guide that will explain why a Google Ads certification is helpful, and how you can prepare and get certified. Why get a Google Ads certification? Years ago when I […]

When I first heard the term robots.txt, I’ll admit, I didn’t know what it meant. Instinctively, I imagined R2D2 from “Star Wars” and thought, “What do robots have to do with SEO?” If you’re anything like me, technical SEO isn’t always easy to understand. However, in a study with seoClarity and BuzzStream, out of 240 SEO specialists, 59% of all respondents reported that the most effective SEO strategy used was technical onsite optimization. So, whether we understand it or not, technical SEO will continue to play a large role in our marketing strategies. Below, we’ll review what a robots.txt file is and how to use it in your strategy. Plus, […]

While every business owner likely realizes the integral role marketing plays in a business’s overall success, marketing for marketing’s sake isn’t going to get you anywhere — there has to be a clear strategy and focus behind it. In my 17+ years of online marketing, I’ve seen far too many businesses lose focus on the bottom line when it comes to their content strategies. Fortunately, a healthy blend of marketing, sales, and customer success helps you maintain a “growth mindset”, or a laser-sharp focus on your goals. Essentially, a growth mindset is an experimental and data-driven approach to growing your business and leveraging all the marketing channels at your disposal. […]

“Lisa has recommended you!” Awww, she has?! When I get a LinkedIn recommendation from someone I respect and admire professionally, I feel both honored and encouraged to return the favor. But for some reason, I always get writer’s block. I never know how to start or what to say — only that I like this person’s work and I want others to know it. Unfortunately, simply writing “Lisa is the best!!!!” isn’t reflective of Lisa’s skills — plus it makes you look like a total goon. Luckily, in the past few weeks I’ve written a couple of LinkedIn recommendations that I think turned out pretty well, and they reflected a […]

Let’s say you’re hiring a freelancer or two to help improve the marketing effort of a campaign. You’ve identified the project they’ll be working on, about how many hours it should take, and the context they’ll need to be successful — but you still haven’t decided on the hourly rate. Instead of spending hours figuring out how much you should pay your marketing freelancer, take a look at the data we’ll pull for you. We’ve rounded up the national freelance hourly rates of marketing consultants, PR professionals, and SEO specialists. But, before getting into the details, here’s a basic formula to calculate the hourly rate of freelancers. Freelance Hourly Rate […]

All around us, we’re seeing implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on our daily routines. When was the last time you used Google Maps to get someplace? Or asked Siri a simple math question, or picked something to watch from your Netflix recommendations? While it’s easy to think about a distant future where robots take your restaurant order and sell you a house, similar advancements may be closer than we think, and some of that may be due to this new revolution. This change in technology means a change in how products are marketed to consumers, meaning marketers should take note. So what is the “4IR,” as some have abbreviated […]

Just like Sharpay Evans from “High School Musical” says, “It’s out with the old, and in with the new.” Although Sharpay is talking about fabulous summer plans, that adage also applies to podcasting. With 32% of the population listening to podcasts regularly, podcast shows should continue to evolve as the industry does. Of course, in order to build a successful podcast, you need the right tools and services at your disposal. Let’s review the top podcast tools and services to level up your podcasting game. These tools can help make your show more efficient and professional. Below, we’ll break down the tools and services into four categories: podcast recording equipment, […]