There is no “ranking #1 on Google” anymore … and honestly, it hasn’t been a thing for a couple of years now. Pull out your smartphone right now and search for something on Google. You’ll have to scroll two screens before you see one of the traditional results links. AI Overviews, ads, Maps, Google Business Profile information, Google Shopping Continue Reading...

Worried about digital marketing? You’re not alone. There’s a lot to be concerned about. AI is driving more referrals … less referrals but they’re better … but maybe they’re not … maybe they are. Organic reach on social is dying. Referral traffic is going away. Search engines aren’t sending sites traffic and socials are penalizing Continue Reading...

SEO is dead … or so my LinkedIn feed says. I’ll confess: I've even said it myself. But I realized something while reading an article on AI search optimization the other day: every tip was also helpful for SEO. Marketers are worried about AI search. But we must cut through the fear, uncertainty and doubt surrounding it. We need to Continue Reading...

I paid $20 for a key fob last year. It’s just a black plastic disc with a QR code on the back. But it’s special. It’s the key to a back door that leads to a Spokane basement speakeasy, one of the best places in the city to get a cocktail. I haven’t been to Spokane in a year. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I still shelled out $20 for that key Continue Reading...

Turn knowledge into profit. That key tenet has been a big part of building our clients’ businesses over the years. No matter who you are, you have information that — presented in the right way — is useful enough for people that they’ll give you something in return. Attention. Contact information. Revenue. But that’s harder now than it sounds. Continue Reading...

How organized is your eCommerce site? Most brick and mortar stores have pretty good organization. When you walk into a grocery store, you expect to find flour and sugar on the same aisle; it makes sense. Online stores should be similar. But I can tell you from experience … not all of them are. I have helped clients build and optimize Continue Reading...

Don’t make your social media an afterthought. For too many companies (especially small businesses), social media is at the bottom of the priority list. Sometimes it might not get done at all. Or it gets assigned to the boss’s neighbor’s kid as a favor because “they’re good with computers.” This isn’t a recipe for social media success. If Continue Reading...

“What gets measured gets managed,” says one old marketing proverb (originally attributed to Peter Drucker). Though it’s debatable whether Drucker actually said it, the concept still holds true. Marketing isn’t a “vibe-based” profession. You can’t run a business on gut. At the same time, it’s not practical to monitor and manage everything — the Continue Reading...

On average, roughly 12,000 new small businesses start every day in the USA. Are you one of them? If you’re starting a small business, digital is a priority. You can no longer ignore it. 76% of consumers look at your online presence before visiting your business. When you start out, there are two major areas to prioritize. First, become Continue Reading...

The single most important thing you need to know to successfully market your brand is who your audience is. As legendary marketer Seth Godin is known for saying, “Find your tribe.” Who wants to buy? Who is willing to listen? How many are there? Where do they congregate? The answers to all of these stem back to one principle: know your Continue Reading...