Sidetrekked

Learn the key differences between AEO and SEO, how to adapt your SEO strategy for AEO, why a marketing strategy sent straight from Claude Cowork isn’t effective, and how to network at large in-person events on this episode of Sidetrekked. Sidetrekked is a B2B marketing podcast by Trekk, a tech-driven full-service creative agency based in Rockford, Illinois, where CEO Emilee Christianson and COO Sh...

Nick Grobe, Senior Motion Designer and Sidetrekked Producer, joins the conversation on this common piece of writing advice to explain how it can be applied to marketing as well. Capture your audience’s attention and convince them to tumble down the rabbit hole of your brand story with engaging video (3:45). Learn about the benefits of motion graphics (because you can’t exactly put a camera inside...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne vibe check your vibe coding and other AI tools and processes with Trekk Technical Director Sam Basile (1:25). They dig into the vital role people play in web development as AI becomes increasingly more intelligent (9:20) and the red flags to be on the lookout for when working with AI code (18:35). In Problem Solved, Sam reveals the in-house AEO too...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, we delve into the channels that are currently breaking through in the marketing landscape. Join me as I explore the unexpected resurgence of print media, showcasing real-life case studies where high-quality print pieces have outperformed digital channels. We'll discuss how the tactile nature of print can create meaningful connections, standing out amidst digital noi...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne dive into their favorite trade show experiences and talk about what makes them work during — and importantly after — the show (1:32). Get all the details you need for pre-event planning (10:48), mid-event execution (22:33), and post-event follow-up (31:26). In Problem Solved, Emilee and Shayne welcome Chief Creative Officer Mike Wilson to talk abou...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne answer this big question: What’s up with answer engine optimization (AEO)? They discuss what AEO is and what marketers need to know about it in order to ensure customers are getting accurate, relevant, and valuable information (1:45). Emilee and Shayne also discuss what marketers can do to help increase the AEO value of their content — spoiler: som...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne unpack a big question: How do I use buyer intent tools in my marketing? They share their thoughts on what buyer intent tools do (2:00) before discussing how marketers can use intent data to reach their target audience (8:22). They also explore how intent tools and customer data enable more personalized buying experiences based on intent signals (12...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne are approached by a leader of a small marketing team with a critical question: “How can I maximize my resources?” They discuss how marketing teams typically intersect with the work we do here at Trekk (1:40), what a nimble in-house team looks like (4:47), some things scrappy marketing teams DON’T need to do (12:59), and two things teams commonly mi...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne address a question submitted by a listener: How should I go to market in times of great uncertainty? They look at examples of how some companies have recently navigated uncertainty (1:51), how marketing messages need to change or pivot to address uncertainty (11:16), and how some clients have turned uncertainty into opportunities for growth (18:11)...

We’re back! In the season 3 premiere episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne discuss what we learned during our first year of podcasting (1:48). They discuss the work involved in getting a podcast off the ground, and they welcome Sidetrekked producer Nick Grobe to discuss the process of prepping and recording each episode (9:10). They also touch on the decision to incorporate video, some best pr...

In the season 2 finale of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne are joined by Trekk CEO Laura Bennett to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Trekk — and to discuss some very exciting changes to Trekk ownership beginning in 2026. They discuss how and when Trekk was founded (2:00), how the company evolved over the years (8:30), the changes in the marketing landscape and how those changes have impacted Trekk...

In this special bonus episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne are joined by Trekk HubSpot Administrator Jillian Hazy to talk about the product updates and announcements that came out of INBOUND, HubSpot’s annual conference. They discuss the new Customer Agent (5:05), the transition of Operations Hub to Data Hub and the new Data Studio (15:00), and the introduction of the new Marketing Studio (19...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne welcome Trekk Senior Account Manager Madison Brudi to discuss the importance of a marketing partner that thinks in a strategic way. They discuss what ‘strategic’ really means in today’s marketing landscape (2:56), some tell-tale signs that your marketing agency is working in a strategic fashion (7:00), and the benefits of working with an agency tha...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Shayne and Emilee are joined by Graphic Designer Aurelia Tauscher to visit the wide world of direct mail. After starting off by discussing their personal experience with mail (0:50), they move onto the use cases of direct mail (15:20) and how to optimize mailers for maximum ROI (23:00). Later, the three talk about how to make your mail pieces stand out from the crow...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne are joined by Trekk Social Media Strategist Sean Burke to discuss what happens after a marketing video is produced. The three of them discuss their favorite examples of marketing videos (1:39), how Trekk approaches producing original video content (13:18), and how to use a single video for multiple marketing purposes (22:00). They also discuss best...

In this edition of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne are joined by Trekk Account Manager Jake Sellers to discuss all things SEO. They first talk about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on search (1:20), followed by Trekk's approach to helping clients with SEO (7:00). Later, after discussing the infancy of AI search optimization (22:47), they elaborate on how the agency measures the success o...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne welcome Trekk Content Strategist Nick Ostdick to discuss how you can turn your email newsletter into a revenue generator. First, they discuss some of their favorite newsletters (2:22) and the difference between a newsletter and other types of marketing emails (8:10). Then, they hit on what to look for when evaluating newsletter performance (14:00)...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Shayne and Emilee are joined by Trekk’s HubSpot Administrator Jillian Hazy to discuss CRMs and the importance of having a CRM administrator who deeply understands your data. They review the fundamentals on CRMs (1:20) and compare the pros and cons of going in-house for CRM administration (9:05) versus partnering with an agency or taking a hybrid approach (18:10). In...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Shayne and Emilee are joined by Trekk Senior Graphic Designer Alyssa Watkins to discuss all things branding. The three of them dive into the importance of brand consistency (11:27), best practices for ensuring brand consistency across your organization (17:30), the tools and processes we use to ensure brand consistency for our clients (24:00), and more. Then, in Pro...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne are joined by Trekk’s Senior Motion Designer Nick Grobe to talk about how B2B companies can use web-based augmented reality (WebAR) to create more engaging online experiences. They discuss their own experiences with AR (2:30), how AR has evolved during the last 10 years (10:20), how brands can blend purpose and fun in AR to create value (22:00), an...

We’re back! In the season 2 opener of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne welcome back Trekk’s Technical Director Sam Basile to discuss why you should work with an agency to build an e-commerce experience. They start by talking about their personal best and worst e-commerce experiences of late (1:08), why B2B companies are looking to incorporate an e-commerce experience (10:45), what goes into a qualit...

In the season one finale of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne pull back the curtain with a fun AMA that covers quite a bit of ground. First, they introduce Trekk Senior Motion Designer Nick Grobe, who produces all Sidetrekked episodes. Then, they answer listener questions, including our hosts’ official titles and average day-to-day (2:03), what is a realistic timeline to evaluate a marketing strategy...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Shayne and Emilee are joined by Trekk’s Social Media Strategist Sean Burke for a lively discussion about when and why to use paid social advertising. They discuss the various platforms for paid social (2:04), the difference between boosted posts and paid ads on platforms like LinkedIn (15:55), the importance of understanding and defining your audience with paid soci...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne are joined by Trekk Senior Account Manager Madison Brudi to discuss brand workshops and why they’re so important. They dive into what actually goes into creating a brand (2:11), the challenges and growing pains of going through a rebrand (10:51), how Trekk’s approach to brand workshops makes the process interactive and fun (15:00), and the importan...

In this episode of Sidetrekked, Emilee and Shayne are joined by Trekk Account Manager Jake Sellers to discuss what makes a good partnership with a marketing agency. The three of them discuss expectations for a productive partnership from the brand and agency perspective (2:00), the challenges brands can face by keeping all marketing operations in-house (15:00), scenarios where brands might benefit...