Tag: Digital Marketing

Remote Teamwork

Remote Teamwork

by Laarni Jane ♥ 0 Leave a Comment
COOP 4005 – Blog Post 2

As a social media intern, it’s my job to manage Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages for various clients. I also provide support to account managers with a variety of tasks, such as content creation and social media audits (scorecards). To work effectively with my team and supervisor, I learned to use different online communication platforms (Skype, Zoom, Google Hangout) and made time in my day for additional tasks.

Client and Team Communication

My day starts bright and early, at 8 AM. The Qode Social and Qode Media team has a morning huddle on Skype, which usually consists of good mornings and an ice breaker question. These morning chats help the teams warm-up and get our creative juices flowing. I then proceed to login to the socials of my assigned clients for the day and check for messages and reply to comments. 

Each client has a unique tone – which means I need to switch gears in commenting and interacting with their target audience. One of my clients is a specialty cheese brand, targeting individuals who love cheese and enjoy wine pairings. When interacting with their audience, I usually use formal and posh-sounding language (i.e. “Such a delectable spread!”).

We referred to this chart quite a bit in my content marketing class.

For my cheese snack client, I use informal phrases to appeal to their target audience of millennial hikers (i.e. “Looks like an awesome adventure. Hope you brought some snacks! 🧀”). As I’ve previously learned from my content marketing class, we must communicate with our audience using a consistent and relatable tone. 

Indeed, there have been days where I had to deal with negative comments and messages. In response to these interactions, I would frame my reply with a “You-focused” attitude (which I learned from my business communications class) and escalate messages to my supervisor when necessary. Despite working remotely, my supervisors are quite helpful and open to chat online. 

Taking Initiative

As an intern, it’s imperative to show your interest in the field and ask questions to demonstrate your drive and dedication towards your mentors and peers. With Qode Social, the quality of your intern experience depends on how much you want to learn. Since day one, my supervisor mentioned that if I ever want to learn something or take on additional tasks, I should reach out to any of the account members – and so I did.

In fact, since writing this article, I was able to accomplish the following:

  • Revamped the Instagram Page for a Client
  • Design graphics and images for Instagram Stories
  • Copywriting (Instagram Captions)
  • Conduct a social media audit (scorecards)
  • Draft ideas for a shot list
  • Assist with costume design for a client photoshoot
  • Account Build (Doubled the Instagram following for a client)

Working with Qode Social has been eye-opening. I enjoy being able to use many of the concepts I learned in class in actual scenarios. It’s been quite the ride so far, but I’m looking forward to what comes next!

-LaarniJane♡

My First Week as a Social Media Intern

My First Week as a Social Media Intern

by Laarni Jane ♥ 0 Leave a Comment
COOP 4005 – Blog Post 1
Laptop, Computer, Business, Table, Paper

Just last week (Sept. 24), I started my internship as a Social Media Manager with Qode Social. As the full-service social media branch of Qode Media (parent company), Qode Social specializes in creating content to help develop positive brand experiences. From day one, I was introduced to the fast-paced nature of the digital marketing industry. As an intern, I was responsible for community management and account building for the various clients of the agency. 

Qode Social is the Social Media Marketing branch of Qode Media.

Community Management

Social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, constantly change and update their algorithm – which is why companies need to stay in-the-know to maintain its hard-earned following.

Community management entails prompt replies to comments and direct messages; thereby, fostering a community between followers and brands. Community management also helps to humanize a brand, making it easier for fans (and potential customers) to relate with a brand. 

Account Building

With many brands hopping to social media, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to build an organic following. Account building is the act of increasing awareness of a brand by reaching out to potential customers and engaging with their content.

Liking, sharing, commenting, and following target audience members are just some of the ways I engage to increase the exposure of Qode Social’s clients on Social Media. 

Finding Success Despite the Pandemic

Due to the pandemic, many marketing agencies have been struggling to maintain their workload and retain employees. Fortunately, Qode Social has been doing well despite the situation and has even assisted other agencies with their clients. As a result, my internship experience has become a lot more “colourful” per se, as I get to work with clients from various industries such as consumer packaged goods (food), pharmacy, and education! 

Having only started my internship a week ago, I’ve learned so much about the digital marketing industry – particularly with social media. I look forward to the coming weeks as I’ll be assisting one of the account managers with a brand-new client! 

-LaarniJane♡

An Introvert’s Networking Journey

An Introvert’s Networking Journey

by Laarni Jane ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

MARK 1024 – Final Networking Blog

Team, Young, Professionals, Startup, People, Business
Image from: https://bit.ly/2XNXFgf

It’s hard to believe that it has been about eight months since I decided to “take the leap”. After graduating with a marketing degree and zero practical experience, I struggled to find a job in my field that, frankly, paid the bills. In the meantime, I continued teaching piano while working retail part-time. Don’t get me wrong, I love music and I’m especially thankful for the opportunity it gave me to develop leadership skills and independence. However, after teaching for about nine years (since high school!) I decided to work on myself and enrol into a Digital Marketing program at George Brown College.

During my time at GBC, I was fortunate enough to learn from weekly guest speakers – each of which were well-versed in marketing and job searching. As an introvert, the idea of networking and job seeking was quite daunting. However, as a future marketing professional, I knew that I needed to overcome my shyness and forge connections with different individuals.

Lessons Learned

One of the first lessons I learned is to expand my professional network! One of the speakers, Julie Vanderkloet, expressed that isn’t enough to add someone as connection on LinkedIn, instead you should strive to create authentic relationships with individuals you meet on your job searching journey. Whether it be a former employer or even a classmate, a genuine connection is with someone that actually remembers who you are.

Urban Dictionary: wait a minute, who are you
Kazoo Kid, gif from: https://bit.ly/30K5GF9

In addition to meeting new people, it’s important to ask questions. For myself, this meant participating more in discussions in class and even at my current workplace. With the pandemic still running rampant, meetings are taking place online – meaning that we must be comfortable chatting both in-person and virtually. By asking questions, you are showing the other person that you’re interested in what they have to say. As marketers we are constantly exposed to different insights, and we must question why people are thinking or feeling a certain way so that we can create solutions to meet their needs. Being curious is a part of being a marketer, as we are always thinking of what clicks and sticks in people’s minds. While it’s great to ask questions, we should be succinct in phrasing inquiries.

“If you can get the message across in 50% less words, then do it!”

-Julie Vanderkloet, Senior Manager of Consumer Insights at Weston Foods
Board, Slate, Blackboard, Font, Courageous, Brave
Image from: https://bit.ly/33IZW08

Be brave! Courage and resilience was a recurring theme throughout the guest speaker series. Kareem Perez, career coach and brand consultant, encouraged my classmates and I to start taking action and “fail forward” in reaching our career goals. By taking the chance and applying for that intimidating job posting, we are taking a step forward towards success. Being afraid to make a mistake won’t help you progress, but will actually hinder your ability to grow as both an individual and professional.

“If you can hit 75% of what the job poster is looking for, you should go for it. If you are a good fit they are likely to let you learn on the job.”

–Asta Schouten, Social Media and Brand Strategist

Building My Network

Image from: https://bit.ly/3fK1Pfw

Thanks to the seminar series, I was able to connect with the guest speakers on LinkedIn. SEO specialist and GBC alumni, Natasha Burtenshaw-deVries has been extremely helpful on the platform by sharing stimulating search marketing content and advice.

Graham Sterling from Acadium introduced my classmates and me to online digital marketing apprenticeships. During my upcoming work term, I plan on completing an apprenticeship with Acadium to obtain more experience and grow my professional portfolio. 

Kareem Perez from The Tech Effect was gracious enough to connect on LinkedIn and offer a career discovery session for us to chat about “getting myself out there”. All of the speakers were generous enough to offer their time and expertise to help us gain a better foundation going into job searching.

Behance :: Adobe 99U Conference 2020
Image from: https://www.behance.net/99u

After continuously hearing about networking and conferences, I finally attended my first event – the 2020 Adobe99U Conference. At the virtual convention, I heard from different individuals from the creative industry. One of the speakers, Nishat Ahktar, a design professor at Portland State University, shared the importance of fully listening and not just passively looking. Ahktar referred to the act of attentive listening and appreciation as the gift of exchange. When actively listening, we gather deeper insights and stimulate creativity.

To exercise the gift of exchange, Ahktar shared a simple exercise – listen to an album from beginning to end. By taking the time to listen to each track, you open yourself up to a level of critical thinking (i.e. Thinking about the lyrics, instrumentation, emotion, key, tempo). It’s important to remember that someone took the time to create something, and as listeners, we must fully listen and appreciate the content. This conference, while primarily about design and art, reinvigorated my creative drive and inspired me to create content and share it on my blog site, SimplyLJ.

SimplyLJ logo designed by yours truly 🙂

SimplyLJ was initially created as an online space for me to share my creative work. However, the site has grown to become a place where I can share a variety of content on topics that I’m passionate about, like music and marketing. As an introvert, sharing can sometimes seem difficult but as the speakers have mentioned, we need to be brave and take chances! So, I took the leap and started a music podcast series called The Melody Project in which I discuss music and pop culture, all while brushing up on my public speaking skills.

Check out my podcast series, The Melody Project!

While I currently haven’t obtained a co-op, I have a list of contacts that I am planning on reconnecting with to secure a position with a marketing agency. There are many facets of marketing that I still want to explore and I believe that a work term in an agency environment will provide a diverse experience.

-LaarniJane♡

10 Content Marketing Jobs

10 Content Marketing Jobs

by Laarni Jane ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Are you interested in the dynamic field of content marketing? From podcasting to SEO, there is sure to be a role that piques your curiosity!

I hope this infographic inspired you to think about what role truly interests you in content marketing. Remember to persevere when job searching and make the leap! You’ll never unlock your full potential if you keep your talents to yourself. 😊

➳ Liked this infographic? Download the high-quality version here.

-LaarniJane♡

Sources:

https://learn.g2.com/content-marketing-jobs

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-job-titles-and-skillsets

Mobile Mood.

Mobile Mood.

by Laarni Jane ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

MARK 4024 – My Mobile Day Assignment

Image from: https://bit.ly/2OFeqp2

“Take my hands now, you are the cause of my euphoria.”

– Lyrics from Euphoria by Jungkook of BTS

It’s 9 AM and my phone blasts BTS’ Euphoria, signalling the start of another day. On a good day, I would usually lie in bed and let the song finish. On a not-so-good day, I would jump out of bed, pick up my phone, shut it off. Regardless, I always find myself spending a good 10-15 minutes scrolling through my Twitter and Instagram feeds in bed. Why is this? When did I start developing this habit? 

Jungkook waking up Run!BTS gif
Image from: https://j.gifs.com/D90xyx.gif

To answer my previous question, I thought about the time when I got my first mobile phone. I was in eighth grade when my parents gifted me with a Nokia 3500c. With my cell phone, I was finally able to send text messages and take pictures with my friends. However, once ninth grade came along, everyone around me started getting BlackBerry phones and iPods.

Not wanting to feel disconnected from my friends, I used the money I saved from my paper route (yes, I was once a paper girl) and bought an iPod Touch (4th generation). To me, this was the beginning of my mobile and social media habits. While I still used my Nokia phone to call and text my friends, I would find myself using my iPod more as I could watch videos, use social media, and of course, listen to music all with the touch of an app. Notably, I first created my Twitter and Instagram accounts using my iPod Touch.

Ipod, Headphones, Music, Melody, Musical Note, Clef
Image from: https://bit.ly/30uk4Qp

Today, I’m happily using my iPhone 8 for many of my everyday activities such as checking my email, listening to music, taking pictures, shopping, and ordering food. It’s amazing to see how much mobile technology has evolved over the past decade. Truly, no matter what it is you want to do, there is an app out there that’ll help make things easier. On my iPhone, I currently have 48 apps downloaded that range from productivity (i.e. emailing, web browsing) to entertainment (i.e. YouTube, Disney Plus).

Image from: https://bit.ly/2OKpi5a

My Top 5 Apps

As a digital marketing student, I am constantly reading and sharing content on social media. Hence, it’s no surprise that a good chunk of my screen time is on social media apps. When I’m on-the-go and need information, the first thing I do is pull out my phone and Google the answer to my questions using the Safari web browser app. For entertainment, I’m usually on YouTube. My top 5 most-used apps (listed in no particular order) are the following:

Top 5 apps: YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Safari

Micro-moments and Pet-peeves

I want to Know

Artists I enjoy listening to these days include Crush, H.E.R., Daniel Caesar, and BTS to name a few. I remember a time when a friend texted me asking if I listened to BTS’ latest single. I was in the middle of working on a paper, but I had to take a break and check out Twitter to see if she was serious (that the song came out). Sure enough, upon opening the Twitter app on my phone, BTS was trending.

Through the tweets from other fans I was able to get the URL link to the official audio of BTS’ Your Eyes Tell. Indeed, I was a very happy fangirl when I found the news to be true and finally listened to the new song! Twitter’s platform, especially on mobile, helps users in the I want to know micro-moment find the latest news in pop culture. This ease of use is probably why the platform is usually the first to share trending topics (compared to traditional news outlets). 

I Want to Buy

With the current pandemic situation, I prefer to order food in advance to shorten my time inside a restaurant. This past Sunday, while driving home from church, my family and I had a craving for Chipotle. We were pretty set on what we wanted (we were all the in the I want to buy micro-moment), and so I took out my phone and googled Chipotle. The restaurant was the first result on the SERP, so I clicked on the link and was brought to the Chipotle’s homepage. From there, I tried to place a mobile order but soon gave up as the website was loading very slowly (keep in mind the fam was pretty hungry). Slow-loading sites are one of my pet peeves!

Screenshot from Chipotle’s Website; The app was definitely faster than the website.

Just as I was about to give up, I noticed that the fast-food chain had an app. Voila! I was able to place my order quickly through the app as it offered a much smoother user interface. Overall, my experience with the Chipotle mobile app was superior compared to its website. Like most customers, when making a purchase, I want my transactions to be quick and seamless. After placing my order, I was able to quickly pick up my food when I arrived at the restaurant.

Chipotle’s mobile app interface. Image from: https://chip.tl/2CwiRQB

Hey, Marketers…

Based on my experiences with social media and food ordering apps, user experience is vital to keeping customers! If a website is loading too slowly, it may irritate users and cause them to take their business elsewhere. A dynamic website adapts to the device screen size, making it more accessible to different devices. However, a mobile app is beneficial since they usually have a smoother interface and load faster. Undeniably, marketers need to take into account the fact that consumers are changing, and mobile dependence isn’t going away any time soon. 

-LaarniJane♡

Songs mentioned in this post…

Food for Thought: Consumer Insights

Food for Thought: Consumer Insights

by Laarni Jane ♥ 1 Comment

Journal 2 – MARK 1024

On June 9, 2020 I attended presentation given by the Senior Manager of Consumer Insights at Weston Foods, Julie VanderKloet.

Home | Weston Foods

Image from: https://www.westonfoods.ca

So what are insights anyway?

Insights are essentially a deeper understanding of something (i.e. people, objects, situations, etc.). Julie described insights to be knowledge that helps:

  • Understand a problem in a new way
  • Uncovers fundamental human truth
  • Discover underlying motivations that drive action

This deeper understanding of something, let’s say consumers, help businesses innovate ways to inspire and guide action. A great example that Julie shared was Glossier. The beauty company specializes in cruelty-free skincare and minimalist makeup products. However, it isn’t just the products that made the brand stand out, but it was the connection and community they built with their customers. Glossier didn’t start out as a beauty company; rather, it started with a blog, Into The Gloss.

The team behind the Into The Gloss blog, created Glossier after gathering insights from their readers and editors.

The Into The Gloss team consists of beauty editors that have tried and written about a variety of products. Together with their experiences, and the feedback from their readers, they were able to identify a consumer need in the beauty industry for no-fuss, simple, cruelty-free skincare and makeup. Thus, Glossier was incepted and has boasted a loyal following online (its official Instagram account has 2.8 million followers!).

How do insights work with marketing?

As mentioned previously, insights give businesses a better understanding of their customers; which in turn guides them on their next steps. A marketer’s job is to address these consumers’ needs in a meaningful way. If used effectively, insights can aid in the following marketing tasks:

  • BIM Development
  • Brand Awareness and Equity
  • Building and supporting new brands
  • Brand refresh
  • Packaging design
  • Advertising and messaging
  • Targeting

Julie’s experience at Weston Foods truly showed her the value of genuinely understanding and engaging with customers. Her position as the Senior Manager of Consumer Insights exposed her to both positive and not so great outcomes.

Julie shared an instance when they tried to introduce a new product to an existing bakery brand. The brand itself was quite popular, and sold quite well; however, the new bread product was not doing quite well. Before the launch, Julie and her team researched the demand for the product, which there seemed to be. Unfortunately, once the bakery item hit the shelves, it was displayed inappropriately, resulting in customers completely missing the product. Julie showed a picture of the product to my class, and while most of us recognized the brand, none of us knew of the product. While consumer insights are valuable, they need to be incorporated throughout the marketing plan to be effective.

What’s helped her succeed?

Julie wouldn’t have gotten to where she is now, had she been afraid to speak up and take risks. She also mentioned that as a marketer, you need to have a willingness to learn and try different things, especially as a beginner in the field. This reminds me of one of my favourite quotes,

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”

-Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO

Whether you like him or not, Mark Zuckerberg has a point; if you don’t take a chance to try something challenging, you’ll hinder your personal growth. In addition to learning, you need to build your network and create valuable connections with your peers and mentors. Julie advises that these connections should be authentic in order for it to be of any value. This means respectfully getting to know the person and conversing with them (rather than just shooting a LinkedIn request) so that the person actually remembers you.

Lastly, be comfortable talking in front of people. Nothing exudes confidence more than a well-spoken, composed public speaker. As a quiet introvert myself, this is something that I definitely need to work on.

Personal Insights

Like many of us, Julie had her own unique self-discovery journey. She graduated with a degree in chemistry and psychology only to find herself working in the wonderful world of consumer insights. In fact, it might be safe that through this journey, she gained a deeper understanding of herself, and better insight on what career path she wants to take. As a digital marketing postgrad student, who previously completed a marketing degree, I felt challenged by Julie’s experience. If she could get a career in marketing, then there’s no reason for me not to try.

-LaarniJane♡

A Day in the Life of a Digital Marketer

A Day in the Life of a Digital Marketer

by Laarni Jane ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Journal 1 – MARK 1024

Last Thursday, my classmates and I had the opportunity to hear from GBC Alumni Asta Schouten (Social Media and Brand Strategist), Natasha Burtenshaw-deVries (Digital Marketing Specialist), and Jordan Veenstra (Social Media Coordinator) about their experiences at George Brown College and in the digital marketing field.

As an aspiring digital marketer, it was important for me to hear what they had to say about the field, as well as what they liked (or disliked) about their jobs. Asta Schouten shared her journey from being a graphic designer to now working in brand and social media strategy. As well, she also shared some tips on how to craft resumes and prepare for interviews:

  • Design your resume
  • “Pull words” from the job description
  • Referrals go a long way
  • Take advantage of LinkedIn Learning to gain basic graphic design skills

“If you can hit 75% of what the job poster is looking for, you should go for it. If you are a good fit they are likely to let you learn on the job.” -Asta Schouten

Next, we heard from Jordan Veenstra and Natasha Burtenshaw-deVries. Notably, both of them are graduates from the Digital Media Marketing program! As a postgrad student currently taking that program, I really wanted to hear how they managed to land a job and what tips they could give for a future jobseeker like myself.

While they both graduated from the same program, they work in very different settings; Jordan works for a large marketing agency while Natasha works in a smaller agency. In a larger marketing agency, you work in teams, assigned multiple accounts and are given larger budgets. On the other hand, working in smaller agencies means you are working with a tightly-knit team (or in some cases independently) to serve your clients. Natasha mentioned that she was initially hired as an assistant and was promoted 2 months later to handle the SEO all on her own. As a newbie in digital marketing, I’d prefer working for a larger agency first so that I may work in teams (with peers that I can look up to as mentors) and gain experience working on a variety of accounts.

desk-2037545_1280
Image by Coffee Bean from Pixabay

Marketing During the Pandemic

It was interesting to hear how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their jobs. Like many of us, they were all working from home and had to make adjustments like setting up a home office, getting the right equipment, etc. But there were many challenges as well with panellists mentioning reduced workload, layoffs, and even budget cuts as a result of the pandemic.

Tips for the future!

All panellists highlighted the importance of skill-building and networking. As future digital marketers, we should expect ourselves to be constantly learning (whether it be new software, platforms, techniques). Google Adwords and Facebook Blueprint were just some of the certifications the panellists strongly recommended us to complete.

“Its not about what you know, but who you know.”

Given the current pandemic-stricken state of the world, it is going to be tough finding a job quickly without establishing connections in the industry. As an introvert, I will need to “get myself out there” and continue networking with my peers to help with my impending job search.