Shows
Small Biz Flash5-12-25 - How To Get Your Customers To Search for YOUFEATUREMarketing is changing. Your company is being discovered in ways that were not the case just a few years ago. Research oftentimes no longer starts on a search engine, but they often end there. So, figure out where your prospects are and go be with them on those spaces.Resources mentioned:SparkTorohttps://sparktoro.com/Today’s guest is Mickey Mellen, of GreenMellen:Mickey’s email: mickey@greenmellenmedia.comMickey’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickmel/GreenMellen web page: https://www.greenmellenmedia.com/ ...2025-05-1214 min
Social Pulse Podcast: Agency EditionOops, I'm an Agency Owner! Turning Unintentional Beginnings into Unstoppable SuccessHave you found yourself running a business you never expected—or even intended—to start? Maybe you were providing freelance services and things simply grew beyond what you planned, or perhaps an opportunity unexpectedly fell into your lap, and you ran with it. Suddenly, you're not merely an entrepreneur; you're an agency owner facing a set of challenges and expectations you hadn't anticipated.Stepping into the role of an accidental agency owner comes with its unique difficulties. There's no strategic runway, no meticulously drawn blueprint, often just a realization of “Oops, I own an agency...2025-04-0126 min
Social Pulse Podcast: B2B EditionCreate Compelling B2B Stories That Actually ConvertHave you ever stared at your company's social media feed and thought, 'How can I possibly make commercial construction interesting?' Maybe you're wrestling with making logistics, financial planning, or another complex B2B industry engaging on social media. You're not alone. Every day, marketers face the challenge of turning technical specifications and industry jargon into content that not only catches attention but actually drives business results. The struggle is real - trying to balance compliance requirements, NDAs, and industry regulations while still creating content that doesn't put your audience to sleep. But what if there was a way...2025-03-2445 min
A Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingData Privacy with Sanjay ParekhIn this episode, our guest Sanjay Parekh discusses the importance of privacy and security in our digital lives. We discuss the balance between convenience and security, the necessity of using strong passwords and unique email addresses, and the tools available to enhance online safety, including password managers and two-factor authentication.
Sanjay emphasizes the need for individuals and small business owners to take proactive steps to protect their information and offers practical advice for implementing better security practices.
Takeaways
Privacy and security are essential for everyone, not just celebrities.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound o...2025-02-0629 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingRanking the Top 30 Web Technology Innovations of All TimeWhat are the most impactful web technologies of all time? We were inspired by another podcast to create our very own unscientific list. What tech made the cut?
Show Notes
Original Hard Fork podcast episode
Our Top 30 Technologies List
HTML (1993)
Google (1998)
AOL (& AIM) (early 90’s)
iPhone (2007)
WordPress (2003)
Wikipedia (2001)
Cable modems (late 90’s)
Facebook (2004) / MySpace (2003)
RSS (1999)
Gmail (2004)
Netscape (1994)
Chrome (2008)
ChatGPT (2022)
SSL (1995)
Dropbox (2008)
YouTube (2005)
Twitter (2006)
Dreamweaver (1997)/Photoshop (1990)
Reddit (2005)
Github (2008)
Constant Contact (1995) → Mailchimp (2001)
Google Analytics (2005)
eBay (1995) → Craigslist (1995)
CSS (1996)
Salesforce (1999) → Hubspot (2006)
Blackberry (late 90’s)
Geocities (1994)
BBS (late 70’s)
MapQuest (1996) → Google Maps (2005)
Archie (1990) → Yahoo (1994) / WebCrawler (1994) → Lycos, Altavista, Hotbot (mid-90’s)
Linux (1991)
Honorable Mentions
Go...2025-01-2348 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingPredicting 10 Big Technology Trends For 2025It’s 2025! At the end of 2024, we recorded our reactions to an article predicting some of the biggest trends and ideas for the new year. Which of these will come true and which will flop? Only time will tell.
Original article from LinkedIn: 25 Big Ideas that will change our world in 2025
Here are the items from the list that we discussed in depth:
#1: AI will lead to a more productive and shorter (four-day) workweek
#3: Big brands will start inhouse corporate influencers
#12: Streaming services (like Hulu and Netflix) will start to offer more bundled services
#13: So...2025-01-0924 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingTeam Building with Laura Beth DawsIn this episode of the Brighter Web Podcast, we talk to Laura Beth Daws about the critical role of communication in team building. They explore the challenges of hybrid work environments, the importance of self-awareness, and the need for psychological safety within teams.
Laura emphasizes that effective communication is not just about conveying messages but about fostering connections and understanding individual roles within a team. She also highlights the significance of listening as a leadership skill and the value of external perspectives in improving team dynamics.
Links
LBD Communications
LBD Communications on LinkedIn
Laura Beth Daws o...2024-12-1221 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingDiversity in Marketing with Daniela CintronDiversity is an often discussed but just as frequently misunderstood topic—including in marketing. What does being inclusive in digital marketing mean, and why is it important? We invited a marketer with experience dealing with these questions to join us on the podcast. Let’s learn from Daniela Cintron how we can all be more diverse in our representation to reach wider audiences and connect with them more deeply and authentically.
2024-10-1720 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingYouTube with Kendrick DischYouTube is the second-largest search engine online and the largest video platform. Video is becoming an increasingly powerful way to reach people online; however, producing and sharing meaningful video content is a challenge. In this episode, we talk to video production professional Kendrich Disch about the basics of growing your following on YouTube.
Links
verticalriver.co - video production agency in Atlanta
tubeworks.co - Done for your YouTube channel management
growthlab.tubeworks.co - DIY resources (courses, templates, downloads, community, etc)
Rode mics: https://rode.com/en-us/microphones/wireless/wireless-me
2024-10-0323 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingSocial Media with Liz BachmannEvery small business owner understands that social media is meant to be part of your online presence. But which platforms should you be active on? How often should you post? What’s the goal with social media? Do you need to pay for ads? Liz Bachmann manages organic social media and more for small businesses and joins us on the podcast to answer these questions and more.
Show Notes
Wildflower Social Media website
Wildflower Social on Instagram
Wildflower Social on YouTube
Liz Bachmann on LinkedIn
MetriCool Social Media tool
2024-09-1919 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingWordPress Websites with April WierOver 40% of websites are built using WordPress—the popular open-sourced content management system. But do you need to be a web developer to build an effective website using WordPress. To break this down, we invited our friend and WordPress web creator, April Wier, to the podcast.
Links
WordPress CMS
April Wier’s website
April on Facebook
Sugar Five Design
Woodstock WordPress Meetup
2024-09-0521 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingCopywriting with Jessica FralinCommunicating clearly is a cornerstone of effective marketing. But how do you maintain a consistent message across various digital platforms? It begins with great marketing copywriting. To unpack this underappreciated art, we invited freelance copywriter Jessica Fralin on the podcast.
Links
Jessica’s website
Sparked studio
Jessica on Instagram
Jessica on LinkedIn
2024-08-0819 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingDigital Ads with Mike ScottDespite what you might think, effective digital marketing isn’t free. It takes time and knowledge, and it can often require paid advertising to reach new audiences. The digital ad landscape can be overwhelming, so we invited our friend Mike Scott from Manticore Marketing to walk us through how any small business can get started with ads.
Links
Manticore Marketing’s website
Mike Scott on LinkedIn
Manticore Marketing on Instagram
2024-07-2519 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingPublic Relations with Cindy MillerYour company’s brand is built on how you’re perceived by the general public. Therefore, managing your reputation among consumers using public relations is a valuable practice in branding. Cindy Miller is a PR expert with years of experience and the CEO of Cindy Miller Communications. She spoke with Mickey about the value of public relations and how you can get started with PR at your small business.
Links
Cindy Miller Communications website
Cindy Miller on LinkedIn
Cindy Miller Communications on Instagram
2024-07-1119 min
SowGrow Marketing CouncilWriting project estimates, avoiding the SPAM folder, evaluating media coverage and more.In this episode of the SowGrow Marketing Council, experts discuss writing a project estimate, enhancing email deliverability, assessing media hit values, being an empathetic marketer, personal branding and more.
Experts include Stephanie Richards, SowGrow PR; Kriston Sellier, id8; Mickey Mellen, GreenMellen; and Virginia Nava Hieger, Transformative Power; Daniel Bennett, Video For Entrepreneurs; Sarah Stewart, SowGrow PR; and J. Ryan Williams, websuasion.
Learn more about the SGMC at www.sowgrowpr.com/marketing-council.
2024-07-0949 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingProject Management with Brooke DesmondEven if it’s not in your job title or description, you’re likely somewhat familiar with project management. However, it’s not a responsibility everyone fully understands or embraces. This makes project management one of the most underrated and underappreciated parts of business and marketing. We invited GreenMellen’s project manager, Brooke Desmond, on to discuss how we can all improve our project management.
Brooke Desmond on the GreenMellen website
Brooke Desmond on LinkedIn
2024-05-2318 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingMarketing Agencies with Ali GreenWhat is it like to start and run a marketing agency? Our co-host Mickey Mellen invites his co-founder Ali Green to the show to discuss building GreenMellen together. This is a peek behind the curtain of how a digital marketing agency works and what it takes to operate smoothly.
Ali Green on GreenMellen's Website
Ali Green on LinkedIn
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
2024-05-0922 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingSearch Engine Optimization with Bobby KircherIs SEO still relevant to marketers, especially with recent changes with technology? The short answer is yes, and we invited search expert Bobby Kircher to discuss why. Let’s make search optimization practical and achievable for small businesses like yours.
Links
Bobby’s website: https://bobbykircher.com/
Papaya Search: https://papayasearch.com/
Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbykircher/
2024-04-2519 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingContent Marketing with Adam WalkerIs your small business struggling with content marketing? In this episode, we invited on our friend Adam Walker to talk about repurposing content for different platforms. These simple tips will help you scale your marketing strategy to reach a wider audience and save time.
Links
Adam’s Website: https://adamjwalker.com/
Tech Talk Ya’ll on Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/techtalkyall/
Together Letters: https://www.togetherletters.com/
Edgewise Media: https://edgewise.media/
Adam’s Newsletter on Substack: https://adamjwalker.substack.com/
Adam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjwalker/
2024-04-1122 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingSpecial Announcement: A New Podcast FormatAfter 60 episodes of the Brighter Web podcast, we're changing things up. Starting in 2024, we're bringing guests to the show and talk about digital marketing topics. We'll be back in a few months with some new, slightly different-sounding episodes.
2023-12-2101 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingOptimizing Website Conversions to Grow Your BusinessThere’s no shortage of digital metrics to measure, but conversions are perhaps the most important. These are the actions that actually help your business to grow. But how do you measure and improve your conversions online?
What are website conversions?
Form fill
Download a file
Watch a video
Purchase
Donate
What is conversion optimization?
Making adjustments to your website to get people to take a desired action
It’s an ongoing process that you must test and adjust
Rand Fishkin (Sparktoro) - Precise attribution is hard to measure. Share our Blumer story.
Less attribution, more refinement of opti...2023-12-0713 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketing10 Ways to Monetize Your Digital Marketing ContentThe internet is about far more than just making money—but that’s certainly something you can do. Content creators have found plenty of ways to earn income from the digital stuff they make.
This list is far from comprehensive, but here are 10 big buckets of ways to make money from the content you create online.
Selling a service (like GreenMellen)Website development
Coaching or consulting
Graphic design
Freelance writing
Selling a physical product onlineE-commerce
Swag
Books
Selling a digital productEbooks and resources
WordPress themes
WordPress plugins
Document templates
Selling an online courseTeachable
Skillshare
Kajabi
Create a pr...2023-11-2317 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingCreating an Effective Marketing BudgetEffecitve marketing requires an investment. For a business, this means creating and spending a marketing budget. But how much should you spend on marketing, and what return should you expect? There’s no one answer, so let’s examine the right approach.
Where do I start with my marketing budget?
Figure out what you’ve spent to this point.
Create a document to track everything and work with your accounting team.
Develop an ideal budget for what you’d like to spend.
Think big and work backward to what is realistic.
How much should I be spending on marketin...2023-11-0912 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingCapitalizing on Networking Events for Marketing GrowthDigital marketing is useless without personal connections and word-of-mouth referrals. But is networking played out or ripe for you to take advantage of? It all depends on your approach.
How does networking help my marketing?
Get to know people in a more casual setting.
Face and name recognition can be as important as brand recognition.
Build a relationship with people before you begin selling.
You might also meet people who can help your business.
What kind of events can I network at?
Conferences
Tradeshows
Panel discussions
Volunteer opportunities
Business happy hours
Lunch & learns
What are some networking best p...2023-10-2613 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingOur 6 Least Favorite Marketing ChannelsThere are plenty of great and effective digital marketing channels, but there are just as many bad ones. Or at least good channels that tend to be used poorly by lazy marketers. These are our six least favorite marketing channels.
Robert’s 3 least favorite
Direct mail: because it’s usually useless and hard to track.
Billboards: because no one looks at them while they’re driving.
Twitter: because it’s been officially run into the ground.
Mickey’s 3 least favorite
Spam email: Email marketing can be great, but it too often isn’t.
Bogus LinkedIn connections: Don’t connect with m...2023-10-1213 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingBuilding Your Business Marketing StackTechnology can make marketing easier for your business. The various software tools your company uses for marketing combine to make a marketing stack. But what tools should you use and how do you build the right marketing stack?
What is a marketing stack?
The set of tools and technologies that you use to plan, execute, and measure your marketing efforts.
What are the different categories to consider?
Website content management system (CMS)
Domain name registrar, DNS, and Website host
Customer relationship manager (CRM) database
Email marketing platform
Social media management
Survey & feedback tool
Graphic design software
...2023-09-2814 minSmall Biz Flash9-26-23 - How To Get Your Small Business Found on GoogleFEATURERanking high in search engines results, especially on Google, is a concern of most small businesses. There are a few basic things you can do to help your site be found, like consistently creating good content (but you don’t have to write a blog post every day or even every week) and fully utilizing Google Business Profile.ChatGPT can help you create content, but don’t depend on it to get you 100% of the way there.We also discuss:* How to account for the numerous updates to Google’s algorithm each ye...2023-09-2612 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingThe 7 Top Skills Every Marketer Must HaveWe’ve talked about several skills marketers need in previous podcast episodes. Now, let’s bring it all together and give an overview of the seven most important skills we all need to hone. Which ones do you need to work on?
Planning: Just going out and “doing it” will likely end poorly. Get a strategy.
Writing: It’s the key to great communication and creating great content.
Consistency: Pushing hard on social media for a week won’t do much. Keep it up.
Learning: Marketing is always changing, so you must stay infinitely curious.
Testing: Some things work well, a...2023-09-1413 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingHow Guest Contributions Can Extend Your Marketing ReachCreating your own marketing channels is a valuable practice. However, you can reach new audiences and gain extra credibility by sharing your content on other people’s platforms. These guest contributions have their own pros and cons, which we’ll discuss here.
What do we mean by guest contributions?
Sharing content on a platform that you don’t own.
It’s like public relations (earned media), but it’s with other content creators.
What kind of content or platforms can you contribute to?
Blogs
Podcasts
YouTube channels
Social accounts
What are the benefits to contributing as a guest?
You don’t...2023-08-3112 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingB2B vs B2C: Why They’re More Similar Than You ThinkMarketing has no shortage of acronyms, and B2B and B2C are two of the most important. These represent two large business categories, however, they’re not as different as you might think. Listen in as we compare and contrast these two types of companies (plus a few more).
What are the biggest differences between B2B & B2C marketing?
In case of acronym confusion, “business to business” and “business to consumer”.
B2B would be the company trying to sell cups to Starbucks.
B2C is Starbucks marketing to consumers.
Why is it helpful to distinguish between th...2023-08-1712 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingMaximize Customer Testimonials and Case Studies For Your BusinessCustomer testimonials and case studies are everywhere within marketing. But what’s the difference between these two things, and how can your business use them? Let’s unpack how to maximize your customer stories.
What’s the difference between testimonials and case studies?
Testimonials are direct quotes from your customers, clients, or vendors.
Case studies are more in-depth examinations of a specific project with a client.
Testimonials are better to be short; case studies can be longer.
Why are both important in marketing?
People trust others more than what businesses say about themselves.
Keep in mind, that even testim...2023-08-0311 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingA Special 50th Podcast Episode!We did it—we made 50 episodes of the podcast! Since most podcasts never make it past episode 3, we figured this was a time to reflect back on what we’ve learned so far and how we made it this far. Thank you for being a listener of the Brighter Web Podcast!
Most listened-to episodes
Getting Found Online with Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Keeping Up With Key Business Metrics
Keeping Your Email Marketing Legit
5 Parts of a Clear Business Messaging Strategy
10 Things You Need to Do Before Launching a Website
Some of our favorite episodes
Why we never send cold...2023-07-2015 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingA Deep Discussion about Dealing with Digital DistractionsBuzz, buzz, buzz. No, it’s not a bee, but it’s equally as distracting—it’s another digital notification that’s pulling you away from your other priorities. Dealing with digital distractions is a daily dedication, but one we all must definitely deal with.
What are digital distractions?
Pings
Rings
Beeps
Buzzes
The constant stream of notifications that break our concentration
What are some examples?
Email notifications
Slack pings
Text messages
Phone calls
Status updates
Social media notifications
App badges
News alerts
Amber alerts
Why are these problematic?
They break our focus and keep us in shallow work
Peopl...2023-07-0614 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingMake Your Marketing More Sustainable with Evergreen ContentConstantly cranking out new marketing content gets exhausting quickly. Using evergreen content that can be recycled makes the content marketing rat race a little more sustainable. Here’s some approaches for how to create and use evergreen content in your business.
What is evergreen content?
Topics that you can talk about at any point during the year
Different from timely content that’s only relevant for a short period
Evergreen content might change over time, but has a long shelf life
Why is this beneficial?
It saves you from having to constantly generate new content
It reinforces the most...2023-06-2208 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingTaking Control of Your Online Business ReviewsOnline reviews are often trusted more than other forms of marketing because they come from neutral third-party sources. You can’t fully control your brand’s reputation, but you can respond to negative reviews and encourage positive feedback.
Why are online reviews helpful?
People trust objective parties more than your brand
People use online reviews before they make a purchase
These online sites make you more discoverable online
How can you get started taking control of your reviews?
Search for your brand name online
Claim all of the online review sites you can find
Audit the information to ensu...2023-06-0815 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingConnecting Digital and Traditional Marketing ChannelsBelieve it or not, there’s more to marketing than digital media. Websites can coexist with billboards, and email doesn’t replace direct mail. The best marketers learn how to leverage both of these types of marketing to work together.
Why should people care about non-digital channels?
Because some can be effective.
Not everything can (or should) be digital. You should have a balance of offline, too.
While we’re a digital marketing firm, our main goal is to do whatever is best for our clients.
If that means using offline methods, so be it.
What are examples of offline...2023-05-2509 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingCreating Effective Video Content For Your BusinessIf you’ve ever been on the internet, you’ve probably seen some video content—it’s everywhere. Some platforms—like YouTube and TikTok—are completely video based. There’s a reason why video content is so effective, but it’s not that easy or cheap for every business to create quality videos. This episode is your guide to understanding video and where to get started.
Why is video so popular with digital content?
Video is dynamic. It’s easy to consume (but difficult to create).
Video creation is exploding which means there’s a plethora to consume.
Video feels more per...2023-05-1112 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingThe WordPress Magic CheckboxThere aren’t many magic bullets or quick fixes in digital marketing—but there are a few. One of them is this surprisingly powerful and sneaky checkbox in the backend of every WordPress site. Here’s how that Magic Checkbox works and why you should probably avoid it.
Today on the Brighter Web Podcast, we’re talking about the WordPress magic checkbox. We did an episode on the Magic Email, and this is another magical episode. We call it that because it’s a surprisingly simple fix that can generate nearly instant results.
What is the magic chec...2023-04-2706 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingWhy We Never Send Cold EmailsDoes anyone like being interrupted by unsolicited promotional emails in their inbox? Because that’s what cold emails are—and they’re not the only form of cold marketing. Let’s talk about why we don’t like cold emails and discuss some better alternatives.
Why we don’t like cold emails
They’re an interruption in a place you don’t want to be interrupted.
They feel like an invasion of privacy.
They don’t stop even after being ignored.
It’s frowned upon by email service providers.
Why do people send cold emails?
Because it sometimes works (at a large sc...2023-04-1310 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingWriting Perfect Marketing HeadlinesWe won’t bury the headline for this episode—because that’s how important headlines are. Unfortunately, they’re often overlooked and underrated in digital marketing. We’ll help you craft more effective headlines with a few ideas and suggestions.
We don’t want to bury the headline, so that’s exactly what we’re talking about. Whether its a website or an email, we spend ages on design and body copy—only to mail in the headline at the last minute. But often, that should be the first thing we think about and refine.
Headlines are underrated.
Pe...2023-03-3010 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingThe Future of AI and Digital MarketingAre the robots coming for our jobs? Artificial intelligence is nothing new, but new innovations are pushing AI to the forefront of digital marketing. Businesses will need to adapt to how new machine-learning tools are changing how we do online promotions. Welcome to the future of marketing.
Why are people so excited about AI?
It makes hard tasks quick and easy.
There are some amazing use cases, for example: “write 500 words about the Civil War at a second grade reading level in the style of The Rock.”
It’s fun!
How does AI impact marketing?
It can generate conten...2023-03-1611 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingHow to Write a Book For MarketersMost people say that they’d like to write a book one day, but few ever do. Book publishing is a challenging but rewarding process that too few get to experience. Luckily, one of our co-hosts has firsthand experience to share with any marketer or business leader looking to write a book.
Our co-host Robert Carnes has written three books, including his latest book The Story Cycle, all about storytelling for businesses. He shares his insights on the process of writing a book and how it’s more achievable than you might imagine.
Writing the book
Choo...2023-03-0211 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingGetting the Most out of Marketing ConferencesSpeakers. Sponsors. And swag. Who doesn’t love getting to go to a good conference? But with so many events to choose from, how do you pick the right ones and make the most of the experience? Let’s do a deep dive into the wide world of marketing conferences.
This is related to a recent episode we did about continuing education for marketers. We wanted to take a deeper look at learning from conferences & events.
Choosing Which Conferences to Go to
Cost: charging people actually helps more people show up
Location: can you afford to trav...2023-02-1612 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingMarketing Basics for Nonprofit OrganizationsNonprofits are unique organizations for many reasons, including how they approach marketing. This can be both a benefit and a challenge for the professionals marketing for nonprofits. Let’s take a look at what makes charities different and how they can make the most of their digital marketing.
What makes nonprofit marketing different?
Your organization has a mission
Closely tied with fundraising.
Sometimes slower to adapt to technology
Organizations more willing to share with each other. Less competitive.
What challenges do nonprofit marketers face?
Limited budget & resources. Marketing is viewed as overhead.
Limited staff. Even large nonprofits tend to...2023-02-0212 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketing10 WordPress Plugins Every Website NeedsWhen it comes to WordPress plugins, less is more. You don’t want to bog down your site with too many plugins, but you also need a few to help with your site’s functionality. Here are 10 of our favorite plugins to help your WordPress site operate smoothly.
Security and Spam
Content wins, and just producing solid content and keeping your site safe is the key.
Akismet: filter for spam comments
BlogVault: site backups
ManageWP: a single dashboard for handling multiple sites
Search Engine Optimization
You can’t depend on these exclusively for SEO, but they c...2023-01-1915 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingFinding the Best Note-Taking TechniquesWe encounter so much information daily—it’s easy to get lost or confused. One of the best ways to combat this is to have a good note-taking approach. But how do you take effective notes and keep them organized enough to be useful?
Why is it valuable to take notes?
Our brains are quite fallible.
We work hard to keep it strong, and you can still forget things.
Notes are a great way to know what was said, and what that meant to you at the time.
What can you take notes for?
The two big ones are...2023-01-0513 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingProfessional Development Made Simple For Digital MarketersThe best marketers are constant learners. We must keep up with plenty of trends to remain relevant. To help with that, let’s take a look at the six most popular ways to stay on top of digital marketing professional development.
Why is learning important for marketers?
It’s always changing.
There are no experts.
It keeps you sharp and curious.
You can be more well-rounded.
1. Books
Books are undervalued.
Expand your definition of reading: audiobooks count, too.
A few reading suggestions:This is Marketing by Seth Godin
How to Write Copy that Sells by Ray Edwards
Marketing Made...2022-12-2217 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingBuilding a Robust Business Website StrategyDid you create a strategy before building your business website? Perhaps you skipped this step to save time or because you weren’t sure why it was needed. However, creating a website without a strategy can leave it aimless and ineffective. Let’s talk about why you need a website strategy and what it should look like.
Why is it important to have a strategy before building a website?
So you build the website for the right reasons.
A common way to spot strategy-less sites were clearly built for the business, not their customers.
Think about what information your...2022-12-0811 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingSetting Achievable Marketing Goals in the New YearWhat are your business goals in the new year? You don’t have to wait until January to set new goals—but you should take the time to make sure these goals are effective. Join us as we examine the best way to set goals for your marketing this year.
Why is proving ROI in marketing so difficult?
It can be hard to follow multiple visits all the way down to your bottom line.
Increasing likes and followers is nice, but how does that help you?
There are any number of marketing touches that can lead to new busi...2022-11-2411 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingWhy Email is the Most Underrated Marketing ChannelWhy is email underrated?
People take email for granted. It’s kind of boring and reliable.
It’s been around forever and most people have it.
There are plenty of people who do email poorly.
We talked about spammy email in a previous episode.
Why is email so valuable?
You own your list. Not the platform it’s on.
Deliverability is high. Assuming you do email the right way.
Open rates are much higher than social reach rates.
It’s media rich—meaning you can include links and visuals.
Automation is much easier to accomplish—also talked about this in another epis...2022-11-1012 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingThe Magic EmailWhat is the magic email?
It’s a way to get people’s attention in their inbox, but it’s kind of a last resort.
I (Mickey) heard about it from Blair Enns (2Bobs podcast).
The email is simply this: “Since I have not heard from you on this, I have to assume your priorities have changed.”
When do you use it?
When all else has failed. This is your Hail Mary.
After you’ve tried connecting with the person multiple times.
For example, Mickey reached out to a person five times with no response before sending the...2022-10-2708 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingHow Do I Identify My Business’ Audience?Why is it important to know your audience?
Why waste time communicating with someone else?
Talk to people who you’re relevant to
Every business exists to serve people; even if you’re B2B
What are mistakes businesses make with their audience?
Thinking everyone is their audience; the more focused, the better
Not fully understanding their audience; don’t make dumb assumptions
Not staying focused on the audience; it’s not about you, it’s about them
How can we figure out who our audience is?
Think about the people you serve? Who are your best customers?
Figure out what they...2022-10-1311 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingIs Twitter Worth My Business’ Time?Quick—describe Twitter in less than 140 characters. It’s not easy to be succinct, but that brevity is one of the major advantages of Tweeting. Twitter might be great for influencers or debating politics, but does it have a place in business marketing? #GoodQuestion
How is Twitter different from other social platforms?
It’s more short form, micro posts with limited characters
It’s more focused on trending news content
Visual content still performs well, but it’s not entirely focused on that
Twitter is simpler because it has less of the added features of Facebook
How can Twitter wo...2022-09-2913 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingUsing Sitemaps and Wireframes For Better WebsitesIf you’ve ever built a website before, you’ve probably heard about sitemaps and wireframes. But perhaps you’re not familiar with either, or why they’re important for custom website development. Let’s unpack the role sitemaps and wireframes play in creating websites and why to consider using both.
What is a sitemap?
A sitemap is a flowchart depicting the pages that need to be created for your site. Essentially like mapping out the chapters of your book before you start outlining the content.
Can you start building pages with a sitemap?
Like a book or...2022-09-1508 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingHow to Tell Stories in Your BusinessStorytelling is a term plenty of business leaders use—but are they actually prepared to tell stories? Finding the right stories in your company is one of the biggest challenges. In this episode, we’ll discuss what business storytelling looks like and where you can begin.
Why is storytelling worth it for businesses?
Stories are far more captivating than data or information
They create an emotionally-charged experience that people remember
Effective businesses invite their audience to imagine themselves as part of the story
What are the 4 things that every story has?
Context: setting and platform
Character: the perspective of t...2022-09-0112 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingUsing Personality Assessments at Your BusinessPersonality tests are more than just Buzzfeed time-wasters. They can be tools for understanding coworkers, building better teams, and becoming more self-aware. So which personality assessments are the most helpful and how do they apply to marketing?
Show Notes
What are some of the personality assessments out there?
Myers Briggs: 16 personalities with 4 different categories
Enneagram: 9 personalities
DISC profile: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness
Right Path: 16 blended profiles
Strengths Finder: several different strengths ranked
How does GreenMellen get into using personality assessments?
We have always been a team of do-ers. We get things done, we are task-oriented. This was great...2022-08-1812 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingBalancing Remote Work with In-Office WorkRemote work has been around for decades, but a global pandemic and booming technology have allowed for working from home to become more commonplace. But is this practice a fad or the future of work? How do businesses handle this changing landscape of work?
Is this the desirable benefit some people think it is? Is it the future or a fad?
Depends largely on the industry.
Some businesses are able to get away with it more than others.
It can also be individual. Some people are more productive at home than the office.
How have we made this...2022-08-0413 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingWhat’s the Difference Between Inbound vs Outbound Marketing?There are two basic approaches to business marketing: inbound and outbound. Outbound means going to your audience, while inbound refers to attracting your audience to your brand. There are pros and cons to each approach, but the best marketers use a blend of both.
What’s the Difference Between Inbound vs Outbound Marketing?
Outbound is essentially pushing marketing messages out to an audience. This means going to the channels where they are and broadcasting to a broad group.
Inbound flips that by trying to attract people back to your marketing channels. It’s usually about crea...2022-07-2110 minA Brighter Web | Grow your business with digital marketingPreparing to Migrate to Google Analytics 4Google Analytics is among the most useful free tools in digital marketing. But as of 2022, businesses must transition to the newest update—Google Analytics 4. Here’s how you can handle this change and make the most of it for your marketing.
What is Google Analytics 4 and why do we need to move to it?
1995 - Urchin created
2005 - Purchased by Google, becoming Google Analytics.
2011 - New version
2012 - UA unveiled
2020 - GA4
How is it different from Universal Analytics—aka GA 3?
It's hard to explain over audio, but there are two main things:
Ins...2022-07-0712 min
Modern Church LeaderWhy Storytelling Works in Church with Robert CarnesClick here to view the full show notes and transcript for this episode.Church leaders have long known the power of storytelling to communicate biblical truths, engage people’s hearts, and invite them into a relationship with God. But what is it about storytelling that makes it so effective? The answer: stories don’t just communicate facts; they communicate truths.A fact can be disputed, but truth cannot. And since we all want to live in alignment with truth, we find ourselves drawn in by stories that reveal truths about our own lives and G...2022-06-2841 min