Ahead of the Game

Host Will Francis chats with B2B marketing strategist Lee Odden about how we find the right influencers, how to decide who to work with, how to become an influencer, how to manage influencer campaigns, and how to gain the most value from those relationships over time. Lee Odden is an author, international speaker, and CEO of TopRank Marketing . Working at the intersection of content, search, and i...

Renowned copywriting expert and trainer, Kate Toon joins Will to talk about all you need to know about good copy. (That's copy, not content). She has a particular passion for SEO and is a top-class educator through her own podcasts and websites at katetoon.com . The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website , Apple Podcasts , Spo...

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...

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 po...

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...

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 ,...

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 a...

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...

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 ,...

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...

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...

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 Marketin...

In this episode, host Will Francis captures some insights and tips on the world of copywriting from three experts from diverse backgrounds. Pamela Foley of AOU Creative talks about the magic of writing effective copy for SEO. Tom Doorley , columnist and writer, offers sage advice on how to improve your writing. Kerry Harrison of Tiny Giant discusses the impact AI is already having on copywriting....

Is the app Clubhouse worth the hype around it? How are podcasts evolving? When will voice search be fully functioning? Host Will Francis chats with digital marketing expert and author Clark Boyd all about the rise of audio in the digital and social media landscape. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our website , Apple Podcasts ,...

Is now a good time to specialize in your career? Should you change jobs or move up in your current job? How can you make your profile stand out? Host Will Francis discusses the realities of job searching in 2021 and evergreen career advice with Morgan Cummins ( TalentHub ) and Paul Farrer ( Aspire ). The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is availabl...

Ever feel stuck for ideas for your brand’s blog or Instagram posts? Host Will Francis chats with digital marketing trainer Andrew Davis about how anyone can be creative. From testing your ideas to reusuing content across different platforms to making your audience get involved, you’ll be inspired after this episode. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute...

Get your career search or development off to a great start in 2021 with brilliant tips, key insights, smart goals, and new ways of looking at yourself and your career path.  Focussing on how to improve your personal or “soft” skills, Will and guests Morgan Cummins (director of TalentHub ) and Paul Farrer (founder of Aspire ) discuss the importance (or not) of values, getting support from with...

What's in store for digital marketers in 2021? We had a chat with seven experts - previous guests and DMI folks -  covering all the key areas of digital marketing. What's in store with Google Analytics 4? How much more popular can short-form video get? And why is 2021 the year you really need to optimize for mobile and think about your social media community? Host Will Francis is joined by Ke...

Ready to start planning your own podcast? In this bonus episode, the DMI podcast team - Will, Emma and Brian - talk you through what you need to know to get in the podcast game. We cover it all, from researching your niche to types of microphone, budgeting to promoting and sharing on your social channels. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is ava...

Want to know what really makes an influencer tick? It's not necessarily the money, but actually the recognition for what they represent. Will Francis chats with digital marketing expert and trainer Andrew Davis about this evolving form of marketing. They look at the different types of influencers - from accidental to big brand - how to measure your ROI, and how a company of any size can utilize it...

You've created a fabulous social media strategy for your business or client - how do you get buy-in for your ideas and business processes to make them actually happen and get social media success?  Host Will Francis chats with Social Media expert Julie Atherton on how collaborating with others is the key to social strategy implementation. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the...

Will chats with training consultant and career coach Kevin Reid about his fascinating job. To be a good coach, you have to be able to really listen to people. And Kevin shares some of the great lives and situations he's listened to and helped over the years: from students and millennials to a 94-year-old nun. Our favorite of his many nuggets of wisdom is: you can divide your ability into three thi...

In this episode, Will gets the full low-down on practical ways to approach your social media strategy. He talks to Julie Atherton, founder and managing director of the UK marketing consultancy Small Wonder . With 30 years of experience, she has seen firsthand the transition from traditional to digital marketing, and explored every channel out there. Her book - Social Media Strategy: A Practical Gu...

In this bonus episode we bring you a recent conversation that the DMI CEO, Ken Fitzpatrick, had with renowned digital marketing expert (and DMI advisory champion) Neal Schaffer, on Neal's own podcast, Maximimize your Social Influence. Ken shares insights from DMI's member survey on how the Coronavirus crisis has affected the work and careers of professionals around the world. They cover the curren...

There is just so much data out there,  how do you use it to its maximum potential to target your customers and prospects? In this episode, host Will Francis chats with email marketing expert Karen Talavera about how to get a handle on all this data to flesh out your personas, and essentially understand the people behind the numbers. The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digit...