As we roll into the third quarter of 2016, it’s time to recognize our current Volunteer of the Quarter. The SEMpdx board has selected Sarah Hinds, a digital 
marketing consultant in recognition of her longstanding contributions to the SEMpdx Marketing Committee, including blog coverage of every monthly event and more.
Please meet Sarah Hinds in her own words below!
What is your day job?
I’m a digital marketing consultant helping clients drive their overall online marketing efforts. I also offer training to small businesses who want to manage their digital marketing efforts in-house, but need guidance getting started.
What is your area of expertise?
My specialties are in paid search and email campaigns. I also focus on ensuring clients are running holistic marketing efforts.
Why did you choose digital marketing as a career path?
My college background includes mathematics and Spanish, but in a round-about way, I found myself taking a job in a creative marketing role. While employed with that company, they were expanding to include an ecommerce department and I was exposed to SEM for the first time. I was immediately drawn to the analytical and data-driven side of marketing, and decided I wanted to transition to digital marketing where I could incorporate more of my math background.
What advice do you have for other professionals looking to break into the digital marketing industry?
I’ve found that it takes a lot of self-discipline to succeed in digital marketing. This is an industry that is constantly evolving, so you need to be willing to put in the extra time required to learn incoming best practices and other changes. I also recommend getting involved with your local professionals group (SEMpdx if you’re a Portlander) as the networking will prove invaluable in many ways.
What is your SEMpdx volunteer claim to fame?
Shortly after I made the switch to digital marketing, I was introduced to Blu Drobushevich, who told me about SEMpdx. I started attending the monthly events and was asked if I’d be interested in writing a blog post after each event to help raise awareness and interest. Since then, I’ve continued the event recap blogging and have also gotten involved in other areas such as SearchFest and the Marketing Committee.
What is your favorite benefit of being an SEMpdx member and volunteer?
The networking that takes place at SEMpdx events is, in my opinion, unmatched. Everyone I’ve met genuinely wants to help each other and doesn’t think twice about going out of their way to help a new acquaintance land their next job, client, etc. I’m also impressed with the effort the board places on finding caliber speakers to help fuel our ongoing training, which is essential in this ever-changing industry.
In your opinion, what is the most memorable marketing or advertising campaign, brand or story from the past year?
That’s tough. One campaign that stands out is Geico’s “Unskippable” campaign. The series of online video ads was pretty innovative in the way they embraced the issue of pre-roll. They made the advertising clichés work in their favor and, ultimately, demonstrated that a simple idea often works best.
What is the most impactful digital marketing industry trend that you’ve seen or heard about at a conference this year?
Voice search is going to have a big impact on search behavior. Since users alter their search behavior when searching by voice versus the keyboard, marketers will need to adapt their optimizations accordingly. I’m eager to see if the natural language that comes with voice search will be key in revealing intent more clearly.
If you could have any other job in the world, what would it be?
If I were to completely switch gears, I’d be a pilot for a charter service.
What is your favorite Portland happy hour location?
It depends on the season… One of my summertime favorites is Bluehour. I love their front patio.
Where can we find you (social media platforms)?
I’m mostly on Facebook.
Thank you, Sarah for being such a fantastic volunteer and supporter of SEMpdx!
Please make sure to congratulate Sarah when you see her next at an event or via social media.
Anna Hutson has spent the last 10 years building companies and driving agency growth. Hutson has helped companies ranging from Fortune 500 brands to start-ups and local businesses develop strategic marketing plans, launch advertising campaigns, tell their stories through digital and social communications, solve marketing challenges and approach business growth in a unique and measurable way. In 2016, Hutson founded and launched Avenue, a marketing agency that specializes in connecting brands to their customers through creative, measurable and data-driven digital experiences.
Also active in the community, Hutson serves on the Governing Board for SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) and has served on the Board of Directors as Secretary for the Cascade Academy Foundation.