314 - Why You Should Attend Events in Your Community with Aya Robinson, Opry Entertainment Group

How do you create trust between your brand and its audience? How do you get people to truly know what you’re all about? Google something right now. What’s the first thing that pops up on the page? In the past, you’d say a website link or shopping suggestions. But now, you get AI summaries, suggestions, and more. We’ve got Marcus Sheridan to break down what’s happening and how SEO is transforming alongside AI capabilities. If your business is built on solely Google Ads and Google Search, it’s time to venture out and seek AI-focused strategies.  And, Marcus talks about the buyer's journey and how it’s evolving. Gone are the days of needing a quote and requesting via form. Instead, companies are realizing that being upfront and transparent about cost are doing much better than those who don’t—and it’s all a part of a customer-featured self service model.  Plus, how should companies measure and track success? The reality is that we can’t actually measure as accurately as we’d like to, BUT there’s so many ways to reframe success.  If you’re a marketer who wants to level up your brand’s AI game and keep up with what’s happening with the latest in UX/CX, this is the episode for you.  Follow Marcus: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcussheridan/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

We have an “in.” And she’s giving us the deets on everyone’s favorite platform, LinkedIn.  Unlike other platforms, LinkedIn is all about businesses, professionals, and industry information. So when all of these things come together, there’s so much to talk about. Alex Rynne, Senior Content Marketing Manager at LinkedIn, has seen it all in her 10+ years at the company. From profile faux pas to scaling B2B brands, she’s seen it ebb and flow. What are the mistakes that brands are making? Why should (or shouldn’t) a brand have a page? And, Alex shares that video is here to stay on LinkedIn. What kind of videos should be posted? What’s the general consensus on short form video? (Hint: LinkedIn will never be TikTok. And that’s perfectly fine.) Plus, what’s up with all the random commenting? Daniel and Alex share how commenting on others’ posts can really make a difference in engagement. If you’re a marketer who wants to grow your brand and create meaningful connections on LinkedIn, this is the episode for you.  Follow Alex: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrarynne/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

LinkedIn made some changes. Have you noticed? Daniel and Jay are tackling Marketers’ favorite platform, LinkedIn. From new features on their newsletter capabilities to going deeper in email, there are little nooks and crannies to keep note of. How are these changes going to impact comment strategy? Are newsletter invitations to every connection actually hurting your newsletter? Plus, how do you take your TikTok brain and apply it to LinkedIn’s short form video feature? This short ‘n sweet Bathroom Break is all about hacking LinkedIn. 🚽 Follow Jay: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/ Podcast: Do This, Not That Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Now that events are back in-person, are you going to them? This episode’s guest, Aya Robinson of Opry Entertainment Group, shares why going to events in your community is more than just about showing up. It’s a way to interact with and learn from the people near you. For example, when Aya moved to Nashville, she was able to attend events with associations like the local American Marketing Association chapter. It’s a great way to meet new people if you’re new to the job or the area in general.  Plus, outreach is a huge part of growing local organizations. If you’re in charge of your organization or club, how do you expand? Who should you contact? The answer is usually the marketing teams at related companies.  And, Aya shares some pretty valuable advice about reaching out to others, even if you feel hesitant.  If you’re a marketer who wants to grow your network and create meaningful connections beyond just LinkedIn, this is the episode for you.  Follow Aya: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aya-robinson/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit www.workweek.com

It feels like influencers have been around forever: from QVC presenters to modern TikTok UGC creators, we’re surrounded by them all the time. But there’s still lots to learn about where influencer marketing could go in the future.  Ryan Roth is the Assistant Manager of Social Media and Influencer Marketing at Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skincare, a brand that’s in the highly competitive skincare market. With the help of Dr. Oz and some creators online, the brand went viral and Ryan had a realization: influencers are salespeople.   The key to growth and buzz? Seeding. It’s the fastest, cheapest way, especially for Peter Thomas Roth’s products.  Also, let’s talk about TikTok shop. It may seem daunting at first because everyone’s using it, but it actually helped their brand sell hundreds of thousands worth of product by being a first mover in that space. How can you cut through the noise and be successful? And, how do you vet influencers for your brand? Why does packaging matter when you send items to your influencers?  If you’re a marketer who wants to scale via influencer marketing, this is the episode for you.  Follow Ryan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-roth-7b4820146/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Do you really have to love what you do, so it won’t feel like working? Are you overthinking everything in your life? Does anyone actually care about the Oscars or are we all just pretending to care? This week, Jay and Daniel discuss ridiculous (and even downright stupid) sayings about life and work—and how living your life by them may actually be unreasonable. Loving your job 100% of the time actually leads to negativity. Overthinking things isn’t necessarily bad or good. Not everything is meant to be scaled.  Plus, what’s the secret sauce to connecting with someone else in your personal life and at work? This short ‘n sweet Bathroom Break is all about reframing how you think. 🚽 Follow Jay: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/ Podcast: Do This, Not That Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Take a look at your tech stack. It needs some cleaning, right?  Spring is weeks away, but Daniel’s already thinking about spring cleaning: decluttering your tech stack should be at the top of your list. It cuts dead weight, makes things more efficient, and saves money in general. What are you using? What are you NOT using? Take some inventory of what’s going on and what you can consolidate.  Plus, many teams are running multiple automation tools when you really only need one. Which one should you ditch?  And, your tech stack shouldn’t just work for TODAY. Think about the future. When you scale, will your stack follow? Or will you need to move to something else? What your team says about the tools also has a ton of weight on these decisions.  If you’re looking to clean some things up, this is the episode for YOU. 🧹 Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Online marketing is changing every day. Are you keeping up with it? Amy Porterfield is an online marketing expert, consultant, and podcast host. Dedicated to helping people scale through email marketing, content creation, and even entrepreneurship, Amy has been in the biz for almost two decades... It’s changed a LOT.  The key to keeping up? Personalization strategies. It may seem simple, but it’s super effective: it drives customer loyalty and creates trust. Creating a personalized experience at any touchpoint makes customers feel like you know exactly what they need.  Also, having a large following doesn’t always equate to large sales. There’s a lot of noise on the internet, and it’s getting even noisier. How can you turn those followers into paying customers?  And, podcasting is the backbone of Amy’s business. When you create a podcast, you have the opportunity to segue your other platforms into it. It’s a huge asset to building your brand.  If you’re a marketer who wants to scale BIG this year, this is the episode for you.  Follow Amy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyporterfield/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Are your landing pages GOOD? Probably. Are they converting? Well… Jay and Daniel are talking pages: landing pages, destination pages, pages people click on after seeing your ad, etc. You may get attention, but are users turning that attention into intention? You may be missing just a simple CTA or personalized element.  Jay also adds that these pages are a great way to show social proof. Have any big name companies as clients? Show them off. Did anyone leave a super positive testimonial? Put it on there.  This short ‘n sweet Bathroom Break is all about how your pages can lead to conversions, attention, and more. 🚽 Follow Jay: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/ Podcast: Do This, Not That Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Merch is still a valuable marketing tool in 2025, BUT it’s gotten way past pens and mugs with your branding on it. How can you level up your merch game and still be authentic? This episode’s guest is Savannah Dmytriw, aka Merch Girly. From new hire kits to awards and recognition items, Savannah believes merch doesn’t just celebrate but adds to everyone’s brand marketing experience. Most importantly, she believes that good merch shouldn’t end up in a trashcan—and you should agree. What does your audience want, and what need could you fill? What’s unique but not crazy and random?  Plus, your company employees are some of your most valuable marketing assets. Are you giving them company merch that you’re proud of, or is it just another lame drink tumbler? Merch is also a great way to get your new hires excited about working with you—how do you make it feel even more special? And, Savannah reveals the latest trends in merch—anyone care for their own personal tree? If you’re a field marketer, brand marketer, or someone who just loves receiving swag bags full of goodies, this is the episode for YOU. 🛍️ Follow Savannah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannah-dmytriw-851956117/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com