Ahead of the Game

Ever wonder how Google really works and why understanding search is so key to digital marketing?  In this episode host Will Francis chats with SEO expert Joe Williams about the history of Google's algorithms, the importance of relevancy, and how it's evolving to current trends in AI. Check out Joe's explaining How does SEO Really Work, one of our most popular episodes. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

In this episode, host Will Francis meets James Williamson of London digital marketing agency 8th Dial who works hands-on with clients to optimize their online stores after they're up and running. They talk about conversion optimization using heat mapping, the importance of testing and considering the funnel, optimizing your content, and even "the dreaded email popup form". The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

The rise over the last few years of Facebook and Instagram shops - Social Commerce - is proof that Social Media is not just a brand channel, it's an effective commercial channel. Host Will Francis chats with eCommerce expert Cathal Melinn about what's unique to this method of selling and marketing, how to integrate with your other channels, where influencers fit in, new directions like WeChat, and of course, how you can get started with Social Commerce.  The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

CX simply means putting the customer first and relentlessly improving their experience of your business. Host Will Francis chats with veteran marketer and trainer Joe Wilde of MacDigital about putting the customer at the center of your strategy, in both offline and online marketing. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

In March 2020, top UK insurance brand Direct Line went ahead with a planned reboot of its successful brand. With a continued focus on the messsaging of the brand as "fixers", the character of Winston Wolf was replaced with a group of superheroes. Host Will Francis quizzes Mark Evans on their decision to change something that already worked, and how it panned out during a pandemic. They also look at why brand is so central to everything you do online and how it is perceived by your public, stakeholders, and your employees.  Mark Evans is Director of Marketing and Digital at Direct Line Group and runs his own podcast, The Places We'll Go Show.  The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

How different is B2B Marketing to B2C? Should you use the main channels differently? How can you be creative in a business landscape? Host Will Francis chats with Linda Mullen, a veteran of B2B Marketing and Global Director of Digital and Partner Marketing at Fenergo, about marketing in regulatory industries, and how, at the end of the day, talking to other businesses means talking to other people. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

How can we best use LinkedIn as a marketing and sales tool to grow the reach and reputation of business and the people who run them? Host Will Francis gets a full low-down on this from Dawn McGruer, founder of Digital Consort and author of Dynamic Digital Marketing. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!.

Conversational Commerce (C-Com) is about using smart automation and conversational tactics in your marketing. Host Will Francis chats with expert Paul Ace of Amplify C-Com about how the conversation should work as a deft balance of human vs automated experience, how it applies through the funnel both for B2B and B2C, micro-commitments, and, as always, the importance of data. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

Does one misspelled tweet cause a crisis? How do you keep control when a crisis hits on social media? In this episode, host Will Francis hears from social media trainer and founder of Small Wonder, Julie Atherton how to spot, evade, manage, and survive a social media crisis. And, how to emerge from it wiser and stronger. Julie's eBook on the same topic goes into even greater detail on preparation, with checklists, examples, and sage advice on how to prepare and manage a social media crisis. Download it today.   The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

Have we now reached the point where the average internet user accepts that good content is worth paying for? Host Will Francis and digital marketing expert and author Clark Boyd dissect the emergence of email newsletters and subscription services, and the rise of the "passion "economy", such as the popularity of Patreon.  The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, guides, templates, advice, and more! Join for free today. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!