Marshall Simmonds will be speaking on “Big Data and SEO” at SearchFest 2015 which will take place Friday, February 27, 2015 in Portland Oregon. For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.
1) Please give us your background and tell us what you do for a living.
I’m the Founder of Define Media Group, specializing in enterprise search marketing and strategic audience
development. I’ve been involved in search since 1997, was the Chief Search Strategist for About.com from 1999-2011 of which the last five were spent quarterbacking all search strategy initiatives for the New York Times Company portfolio. Define Media Group started in 2005 and officially spun off from the NYTCo in January of 2011.
Define manages key components of audience development initiatives for the most influential brands and publishing networks in the world.
2) How can in-house SEO’s and SEO consultants best work together in harmony?
We work with established in-house SEOs and Audience Development teams quite often. One way we contribute at a high level is through validation of the team’s strategic (and tactical) recommendations. In many instances we find, for whatever reason, SEO is marginalized. Our job then, as consultants, is to learn, refine where necessary, and help carry the message throughout an organization. Outside consultants have the added benefit of a bigger megaphone and used properly can be huge agent for change – even when it’s simply reiterating the exact same agenda the in-house SEO team has been pushing all along.
On a more day-to-day level we provide additional support on tactical tasks. This involves auditing, setting strategy, training, reporting, and basically collaborating on, and serving as, overflow assistance.
3) When competing for Big Brand Business, how does a small niche company like yours distinguish themselves from your much larger competition?
“Size matters not” and it comes down to hustle and experience. Small companies have a distinct advantage in that the services provided for an organization are more hands-on and direct. We find that most of our clients prefer working with our team of veterans everyday instead of being passed off to junior personnel after the deal has been closed.
Todd Mintz knows PPC…knows Social Media…knows SEO…knows Blogging…knows Domaining…and knows them all real well. He runs growth marketing for )and is also a Director & Founding Member of SEMpdx: Portland, Oregon’s Search Engine Marketing Association, and he can be found here on Twitter and Facebook.