Ahead of the Game

How can marketers use data effectively without getting completely lost in the numbers? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis sits down with Eli Goodman , CEO and founder of Datos , a company specializing in clickstream data. They discuss how anonymous, large-scale data can help marketers better understand consumer behavior, how marketing attribution is evolving, and why nonlinear c...

The word "fractional" gets bandied around a lot these days. But what does it really mean, and how can a CMO be fractional? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis sits down with Peter Murphy Lewis of StrategicPete.com and a successful fractional CMO. Peter shares his journey from launching a travel business in South America to becoming a data-driven marketing strategist for...

In this second episode of our trends insights for 2025, host ⁠⁠Will Francis⁠⁠⁠⁠ introduces the ideas and tips brought to bear in the DMI's trends webinar held on December 2024. We talked to lots of other experts about their predictions for this year, and you can listen to them in Part 1 here . In this episode: Alison Battisby of Avocado Social discusses key social media trends, from Bluesky to...

New year = new predictions for the world of digital marketing! The DMI's podcast host ⁠Will Francis⁠⁠ talked to eight experts across digital marketing about what marketers can expect to see and what they should focus on during 2025. We have so many amazing insights to share, so we've broken this podcast into two episodes! Catch episode 2 here. ------------------------ Join Will in his 4-pa...

Want to look inside the strategies of a successful DTC agency working in the beauty and lifestyle area? This week, host Will Francis⁠⁠⁠ chats with Nikki Lindgren, founder of digital agency Pennock , about where she's seeing the best ROI for DTC beauty and lifestyle brands. Nikki shares unexpected insights about advertising channels, the evolution of social commerce including TikTok Shop, and what'...

Want to know how to get your own podcast up and running as part of your branding strategy? This week, host ⁠Will Francis⁠ is joined by Harry Morton , founder of top podcasting agency Lower Street , who talks us through how to develop a show strategy, production best practices, and effective promotion tactics to grow your audience. This episode is adapted from Harry's webinar with the DMI which you...

On this week's episode of Ahead of the Game , Will Francis is joined by Catherine Flynn, Director for Agency Development and Marketing Education at LinkedIn APAC. From her early days at Eircell and Facebook (Meta) to her current role, Catherine discusses her 20+ year career in marketing, touching on the evolution of B2B marketing and why creativity is more crucial than ever to connect with today's...

Are you making sure your brand appears the way you want to when people search for it in Google? That's what Jason Barnard has set out to tackle for his clients, and in thie episode he downloads plenty of tips to host ⁠Will Francis⁠ on how to own your profile on Google and AI-driven search. Check out Jason's free downloadable guides at his site Kalicube . The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to...

In this week's episode, host Will Francis speaks with Niamh Delaney, co-founder of TeamVirtual , who shares her journey from providing virtual assistant services to coaching others in building their own businesses. They chat about the role of different social media platforms and strategies, as well as email, in generating leads and maintaining strong relationships. Niamh is a great believer in the...

In front of the microphone this week is DMI's own head of marketing, Mischa McInerney . Her particular passion is the psychology of marketing and she chats with Will Francis about all aspects on the "Why", covering  examples of some key brands who have benefitted from smart application of the science. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is availab...

In this episode, host  Will Francis⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ chats with  ⁠ Archana Haarnack, Pinterest specialist. They explore what makes Pinterest such a unique social platform, and how organizations can build their brands there. (It’s not just for arts and crafts!) They also tease out some best practices and creative strategies for posting on Pinterest, as exemplified by brands such as HOOG and MADE . And they hig...

In this episode - our 100th! - host Will Francis⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ chats with ⁠ Brian Finnerty, the CMO of educational software company D2L . They look at Brian's long career in educational technology where he sees the learner as always taking the central role, especially in the age of AI. He explains how he manages their global marketing strategies, and offers insights into the ideal relationship between...

How does the current job market look for digital marketing professionals? How is AI impacting the jobs scene? In this episode, Will Francis⁠ ⁠ interviews Terry Payne , Global Managing Director at Aspire Recruitment and learns about: the demand for digital marketing skills in high-growth markets, cultural differences in hiring practices, the shift towards hybrid work models, and the importance of d...

Paid search, or pay-per-click ( PPP ) advertising, has always been a core part of any digital marketing strategy, and a perfect complement to SEO tactics. However, with the changes in users' search behavior and the rise of AI-powered search, such as Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) , is PPC really worth it anymore? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠ Will Francis ⁠ talks...

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis talks to serial entrepreneur and digital marketing advisor Maeve Kneafsey about crafting a strategic marketing plan for new businesses. They dive deep on going to market strategies, conducting audience research through personas, mapping the customer journey, and testing tactics before scaling. Maeve also shares tips for getting buy-in from stak...

LinkedIn is 20 years old, and it's never been so popular! In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis chats with Luan Wise , a long-time LinkedIn user and trainer and all-round social media consultant. They look at how you can use LinkedIn to fit your needs, the best ways to interact, comment and post, how to leverage the company page for employee advocacy, all while taking good care...

Travel the world in this week's episode! Host Will Francis⁠ peeks into the digital nomad life, chatting with Chris Cerra and Michelle Coulson. Chris founded the platform RemoteBase⁠ for finding remote accommodation and Michelle built HR platform Remote Rebellion out of frustration with companies calling people back to the office. They have tips for newbies, choosing the right destinations, ess...

There's a lot going on with search and the effects of AI , and no-one's sure where it's all headed! One voice of reason is this week's guest, Luke O'Leary, who emphasizes the fundamentals of search marketing that won't change: good UX and optimization, understanding your audience, solid content, and testing. Luke and host Will Francis look at how the role of an SEO is chang...

How do you market an organization made up of diverse individuals - in this case a global firm of over 700 legal professionals? We were delighted to have an insightful conversation with Roy Sexton , head of marketing at Clark Hill, on how marketing can be a force for good, the overlap between B2B and B2C marketing, working on a company's personal brand, considerations about putting your marketi...

In this episode, we get to mine the mind of marketing great, Rand Fishkin , creator of Moz and SparkToro, among other ventures. Rand and our host Will Francis have a wide-ranging discussion covering the state of marketing in 2024, how he created SparkToro to allow marketers a better way to understand their audiences, who’s using the tool to best effect, issues around personal branding, and quite c...

AI is now an integral part of copywriting. But how do we consider the line between craft and automation, between efficiency and creativity? How do we balance the human touch? In this episode, DMI podcast producer and today's host, Emma Prunty , is joined by marketing strategist Julie Atherton , and veteran copywriter and AI educator Kerry Harrison . Some of the key points in an insightful, wid...

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has been up and running for several months now, and people have plenty of opinions about it. What’s great about it? What’s not so great about it? And how can you make it work for you? We invited experts Cathal Melinn , and Chris Coomer, VP of Data Analytics and Insights at NPAccel, to discuss the present and future of GA4 with podcast host, Will Francis . ----------------...

How do you measure success in social media? Is it worth it? And how do you explain it to your non-marketing colleagues and stakeholders. Well, this week we get to talk with a real expert, the founder and CEO of renowned social management management platform Agora Pulse , Emeric Ernoult . Host Will Francis quizzes him about how the platform stands out from close competitors like Hootsuite and Buffe...

Are you looking to change your job role or your career? Do you have a clear vision and a postive mindset to get you there? We invited the Mindful Recruiter Morgan Cummins on the podcast to share more of his wisdom and tips on tackling the job of developing your career. He talks with host ⁠⁠Will Francis about smart networking, working on your LinkedIn profile (and your CV/resume), interview tips, l...

How do you care for the data you collect from leads and customers? Can you be sure it's secure, especially with the more widespread use of AI-powered LLM systems? In this episode, host ⁠Will Francis⁠⁠ has a fascinating discussion with Sean Falconer about how companies of any size can securely store customer data, how fines from data regulations like GDPR and CCPA are putting increased pressure...