Ahead of the Game

How do brands know what their audience thinks or expects? By asking them, of course! That's the role of an insights expert like Katrina Noelle, founder of KNow Research . She joins Will Francis on the podcast to explain how that asking is done, and all that happens from that initial point of contact through to the all-important final insights - and even pearls - that come from the process. They chat about how market research has changed over the decades (short answer - customer expectations), tools for social listening, AI as friend or foe, and the importance of clean, reliable, and secure data. She offers advice on tools you can use, and adopting a mindset of listening to your audience at a myriad of sometimes surprising touchpoints. 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. A full transcript of this episode is available on the DMI website, where you'll also find all our other episodes on our extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, blogs, and more! Join for free today  You can learn more about Katrina on her Twitter. If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us! Katrina's top 3 tips - Marketing Insights 1. Don't jump in and start doing research. 2. Write down a list of "I wish I knew" before doing any research 3. Place at any customer touchpoint an opt-in to sign up for participating in research.

Email marketing has been around for a while, but it’s still the ideal channel to span the entire marketing funnel. And it’s free! In this episode, host Will Francis talks to Head of Digital Marketing at Drift, Caitlin Seele, on how we can integrate email marketing with all other strategies and keep it as part of the overall conversation. They chat about subject lines, smart scheduling, and A/B testing, as well as logistics of aligning internal strategies to nurture tactics throughout the funnel and how to exploit the new reality of first-party 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. A full transcript of this episode is available on the DMI website, where you'll also find all our other episodes on our extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, blogs, and more! Join for free today and gain access to our ultimate email marketing guide. You can learn more about Drift on their website, Twitter, LinkedIn, and on their podcast, Conversation Starters. If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

Host Will Francis chats with Mischa McInerney, DMI's CMO, about essential digital marketing skills. They discuss data understanding, CX & UX interest, and the importance of soft skills. Topics include automation, omnichannel, and CRO. They also touch on creativity, hybrid working, and interview questions.

B2B marketing hardly comes to mind when discussing fun and creative practices in digital marketing. Is it because B2B marketing is just boring? Is there room for creativity in B2B marketing?  In this edited episode, Host Will Francis brings you some of the most creative and unusual B2B marketing practices mentioned during his previous chats with B2B marketing experts. Banks being cool, dentists using TikTok, and B2B influencer campaigns are some of the topics Will discusses with our experts Linda Mullen, Dominik Schneider, and Lee Odden. Did you witness any other creative and fun B2B marketing practices? Share your experience with us now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. A full transcript of this episode is available on our website, where you'll also find all our other episodes on our extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, blogs, and more! Join for free today. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute. If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

As we go back to the office or try out a hybrid working setup, staying productive while maintaining one’s mental health is as important as ever. In this edited episode, Host Will Francis brings you some of the best productivity tips and methods unearthed during his chats with some of our previous guests. Whether it’s using the Mind Map method, trying out Deep Work, or simply Eating (and Swallowing) the Frog, the tips from our experts Joe Williams, Alison Battisby, or Kevin Reid are as helpful and insightful as always. For more productivity tips and hacks, check out the full episode with each expert: Productivity Tips for Freelancer Marketers with Joe Williams Staying Productive while Running your own Company with Alison Battisby How does a career coach manage his own time? with Kevin Reid A full transcript of this episode is available on our website, where you'll also find all our other episodes on our extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, blogs, and more! Join for free 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. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

Chris Penn, co-founder and chief data scientist, discusses data insights in digital marketing with Will Francis. They cover regression analysis, using R and Python, GA4, GDPR, and real-world metaphors. Mention Bob Stone's direct marketing principles. Chris offers 5 key takeaways for marketers. The discussion emphasizes the importance of data quality, data science in marketing strategies, Google Analytics 4, creating effective dashboards, and becoming a data-led marketer.

Are you making the shift to using videos on your social platforms? Have you started thinking about using TikTok but don't know where or how to start? In this week's episode, podcast host Will Francis meets social agency Simply Social who work around the clock to stay on top of trends for their clients. General manager Peter Shannon and Olive Maher offer advice on marketers looking to set started with TikTok, and keep going with it. Indeed if you're a brand starting on social media for the first time, TikTok is the way to go. A full transcript of this episode is available on our website, where you'll also find all our other episodes on our extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, blogs, and more! Join for free 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. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

Many marketers are still confused when it comes to regulations around data privacy. While GDPR is the best known data regulation, it has been a catalyst for other data privacy developments around the world, from California to Singapore and Brazil. Your business is only as compliant as the least trained person on your team, so ongoing training of existing staff is essential. In this episode podcast host Will Francis chats with Steven Roberts, a veteran of marketing who has made the shift into data protection - he's so good at demystifying the whole issue, he's even written the book of Data Protection for Marketers. A full transcript of this episode is available on our website, where you'll also find all our other episodes on our extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, blogs, and more! Join for free 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. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

Earlier this year, we looked ahead at some of the emerging trends and changes to monitor in 2022. It is now time to revisit and reflect on these insights as they have proven to be still topical and pressing as ever. So, join host Will Francis and 8 experts and practitioners across the industry to look at where digital marketing is at in 2022 and how it is responding to societal changes post-COVID. Will and the guests looked at issues around recruitment and upskilling and key factors regarding the customer experience. We also touched on the Metaverse, NFTs, AI, Google's ever-evolving cleverness, and how brands can plan strategically. In an ever-immersive world, we looked at how video is becoming so much more accessible, the importance of TikTok and YouTube, and learning to live with automation. And that's just some of what we covered! You can view the full transcript on our website. While you're there, check out the DMI's extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, podcasts, webinars, blogs, and more! Join for free 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. And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us!

With a war raging and an impending recession, many of us are reconsidering our career paths and/or development. So in this re-aired episode, you will get brilliant tips, key insights, and guidance on how to reflect on your career to make sure your career goals stay on track. Focussing on how to improve your personal or “soft” skills, host Will Francis and guests Morgan Cummins (director of TalentHub) and Paul Farrer (founder of Aspire) discuss the importance (or not) of values, getting support from within your current job, inclusion issues, and the dreaded “imposter syndrome”. 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!