Have you ever wondered about the ads that pop up at the top of a Google search? McKenzie Partners’ Senior SEM Specialist Melvin Mendoza is the one to ask about them.

He’s an expert in search engine marketing and has worked in the digital field for over 10 years. We quizzed Melvin about becoming a SEM specialist and how the job has evolved over time.

 

In a nutshell, what does a senior SEM specialist actually do?

My job involves implementing, executing and optimising paid search marketing accounts. The core objective is to generate brand and product awareness for the clients, which in turn drives sales and enquiries for their business.

 

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The core objective is to generate brand awareness and product awareness for our clients.

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What does a typical workday look like for you?

On any given day, I’ll make sure accounts are performing and on budget. I’ll also analyse paid search and look for growth opportunities. The other part of my job is reporting and translation of data for sales and optimisation.

 

How has SEM evolved over the time you’ve been in the industry?

The main evolution here is that SEM used to sit within the IT sector. Now SEM is very much a part of the sales and marketing world.

 

How did you become a SEM specialist in the first place?

I worked for major companies within digital sales. So, digital marketing was a natural and future progression for me.

 

What’s it like to work in a job that didn’t exist 20 years ago?

I’ve personally worked in marketing my entire career. So, many of the companies during that time evolved and integrated digital as a catalyst for business growth. It doesn’t seem that strange because it’s been a gradual evolution and I’ve continued to upskill. It feels more like a natural progression rather than a dramatic career change.

I do all the time, I am so used to seeing paid ads that I click on unpaid/organic ads instead!

 

What’s the best and worst bit about your job?

The best part is definitely analysis, taking logical risks and watching accounts perform for clients. There aren’t significant cons, but reporting and automation certainly needs to evolve further.

Michelle Rowling, Group Account Director at McKenzie Partners makes a compelling case for the value of competitions.

When strategically designed and methodically implemented, competitions can deliver key results, metrics and traction that outperform other marketing channels.  Competitions are so often dismissed by organisations and marketing managers as being mass giveaways, where the only beneficiaries are those members of the public actively engaged in the prize scene seeking free gifts. Sure, if the objectives of the competition are not clear and the mechanic is misdirected, this can absolutely be the case. However, when clever and accountable, there is a strong place for competitions in a customer-centric marketing plan.

 

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When strategically designed and methodically implemented, competitions can deliver key results, metrics and traction that outperform other marketing channels.

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Competitions get you customised data

A competition is a great method of data acquisition. With both ethics and compliance considered consistently, the data derived from competitions can prove valuable for your organisation. Whether the information obtained represents new prospective customers or highlights hyper-engaged members of your existing customer base, there’s no other way this quality of data can be obtained.

By ensuring there’s a strategic opportunity for your competition entrants to share their details, consent to marketing communications and offer you new avenues to connect with them – a database collected from a competition today could serve your organisation well into the future when used correctly.

 

Boost your social media engagement

Want social media engagement? Page growth, following and advocacy are all social media benefits that you can get from a good competition. Sure, you can sponsor posts, boost ads and cast your social media content wide. However, a competition will capture your true brand advocates and allow them to work for you. Competitions allow advocates to endorse your brand, promote your offering to their network and amplify its reach with a qualified audience.

Social engagements and metrics can be used to your advantage to administer a competition, but you can also use social platforms to simply extend the broadcast of your competition and maintain the entry mechanic elsewhere.

 

You’ll gain insights

Consumers love it when they feel included and involved in a brand or business they admire. Competitions can be a crafty way of gaining their input and acquiring their insights. Want to create a new flavour? Want to know your most appealing asset? Want to know how your experience is truly received or shared? A clever competition can allow for the collection of anecdotal data, feedback, insights and ideas. It’s also a great way of sharing positive experiences and ideas about your brand with others. Entrants will feel like they’ve contributed to something great, as well as feeling rewarded should they be the winning contender!

 

 

What prize should you choose?

To be successful, competitions need to offer a compelling and sought-after prize. The prize should drive entries, momentum and sustain interest even long after the competition has run. Cash, cars and holidays are king here. However, you can also incentivise more entries and enrich the potential use of your data by integrating samples and offering discounts. This can be an incredible way of rewarding each and every entrant, while encouraging purchase, maximising spend and enhancing the potential long-term loyalty between the customer and the brand.

 

Can you ever just do a personal Google search without examining the ads?

I do all the time, I am so used to seeing paid ads that I click on unpaid/organic ads instead!

 

How do you set up a competition?

Competition ideation, implementation, management and communication can all be incredibly complex. Permits, terms and entry mechanics are always required. Competitions need to be ethical, and legally compliant in all participating states. There are also platform requirements when implementing social promotions and website functionality to contend with when hosting a competition online.

That’s where engaging an agency can be helpful. At McKenzie Partners, we have competition experts in our team. In store, on pack, triggered by consumer spend, games of chance, event-based promotions, online competitions and social media giveaways – we’ve done it all. We also have experience across a range of industries, having worked on competitions in travel, retail, hospitality, entertainment and auto. If you’re keen to amplify your reach and maximise your data potential, let’s connect and discuss a competition for your brand.

Michelle Rowling, McKenzie Partners Group Account Director, shares her insights on virtual marketing teams.

Now, more than ever, businesses are looking at their requirements through a new lens and marketing should be under the microscope.

As marketing is often one of the larger expenses for a business, it may be the first thing to be trimmed when times get tough. Yet, marketing is essential for success. That’s why a virtual marketing team can be a good compromise – giving you maximum return for your spend.

 

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As marketing is often one of the larger expenses for a business, it may be the first thing to be trimmed when times get tough. Yet, marketing is essential for success. That’s why a virtual marketing team can be a good compromise – giving you maximum return for your spend.

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Outsourcing your marketing gives you access to a team of experts

When you rely on one marketing lead with, perhaps, a small team of support staff – that’s exactly what you will receive. You’d better love the skills and expertise of your lead, as they will shape your marketing strategy. Plus, your lead will train any junior support staff to follow the same approach.

By outsourcing your marketing, you gain access to a diverse range of marketing experts. No one person or small team can be considered experts in product, digital, SEO, SEM, traditional media and customer experience. Nor can they truly be expert communicators, photographers, designers and analysts. To hold every required skillset in your team to the level you need is near impossible and incredibly expensive. With a virtual marketing team, your overheads are reduced and your potential is amplified.

 

You get honest feedback from a virtual marketing team

There’s no denying your staff are your greatest asset. However, sometimes external insights and a fresh approach are what you need. By using external marketing resources, you are guaranteed to receive honest and unbiased ideas and feedback. They will also genuinely be able to view your business from a customer’s perspective – not what your staff simply believe a customer is experiencing.

Likewise, it’s easier to give constructive criticism to someone who is one step removed from your business. You’re guaranteed to be able to deliver your honest thoughts without the awkwardness of having to face the marketing manager in the lunchroom who has just poured their all into an idea that won’t get off the ground.

 

 

You get better insights from an outsourced marketing team

It’s understandable that you may want an industry expert who knows the operation from the ground up. But imagine if the next best marketing solution came from somewhere else? It is possible that great marketing ideas conceived for one industry could be the next best thing for a completely different industry. By working with a virtual marketing hub that services many areas, ideas can be adapted, downscaled or amplified to suit the needs of your business.

You’ll also have case studies and implementation-based learnings to back up any new approaches. If you need to gain a bit more momentum or get an idea across to management or your board, your virtual marketing support will likely be able to provide a wealth of past insights for you.

 

Should you get rid of your marketing department completely?

No, we aren’t suggesting that entire marketing departments should be removed and all services outsourced. Many businesses need an expert in their ranks and you will definitely benefit from an in-house marketer who is across every small detail about your business.

Rather, your marketing lead will be supported by a team of experts, simultaneously bringing their ideas to life and elevating their true potential. Backed by analysts, detailed reporting, creative leads and customer experience experts, your marketing workforce can be upscaled at a fraction of the expense – compared with the required training and support to host it all in house.

Whether you are planning your next marketing hire, re-evaluating your team or if you just need access to a little more intel and support, a virtual marketing team can take your business to the next level. There are so many smart businesses out there that are seeing the benefits – will yours be the next one?