Our digital landscape is constantly changing. Parameters for advertising on social media platforms, Google search and digital programmatic campaigns literally change daily. It’s mind-blowing to keep up with. Some of us thrive on change, others run screaming from it.    

I love working in an environment that embraces change, collaboration, and challenges. The thrill of working with numbers adds an extra layer of excitement to my job. Numbers tell a story, a story that is unbiased, factual, and informative. I enjoy analyzing why things are happening and the impact they have. It's like unraveling a captivating tale and learning valuable lessons from it.

In March of 2020, many universities made an unprecedented decision to transition to online classes for the rest of the Spring semester. Then orientations, graduations, and summer classes were affected by COVID-19 as well. There is no doubt that this pandemic has changed higher education in a big way. In these uncertain times, students need guidance and reassurance from institutions.

Thread Marketing Group's dedication, creativity, and exceptional ability to make a difference through our work has been recognized and awarded on three occasions since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. We take pride in receiving outstanding awards, especially during such challenging times.

How to evaluate your marketing plan during a downturn.

The difference between Price and Value is something all marketers need to know and use during our daily lives. With the current situation, its importance will only increase. As marketing professionals we are going to be doing daily battle with attacks on our budgets during these uncertain times. Now more than ever, we need to prove the value of what we do. Our co-executives may look at marketing tactics and only see price. We must show them the value.

You may have already had the “Cut Back” not “Cut Off” conversation regarding marketing. Assuming it went well and your company has not decided to go completely dark during this unprecedented downturn, you may be considering “What next?” How do I best determine what to cut back on, what to completely stop, and where to pivot budget into? Let Value be your guide.

In the world of digital advertising, one of the most common filters to add to a campaign is geographic targeting. A lot has changed and more options are available when it comes to geotargeting. We thought it might be a good time to stop and share our thoughts on these strategies which can improve your digital marketing campaign.

Most established organizations recognize the importance of marketing and the effect it has on sales, customer growth and retention, brand awareness, legitimacy ... the list goes on and on. The problem is that effective marketing is not something that is "one and done." It takes time.  Time for research, planning, strategy, execution, follow up and time to start all over again in today's ever-changing business environment.

Today the business environment is ever-changing, and the use of digital marketing is leaving traditional marketing in its wake, for good reason.  Business operations today are more complex. Companies are challenged to understand and utilize a myriad of channels while attempting to retain existing customers and also connect with potential new customers every single day. 

I had a conversation with a recent college graduate last week and I asked him if he used LinkedIn to prep for a meeting. His response surprised me. “I already have a job. I don’t need LinkedIn.” Really? In this time of big-data, constant networking and social media driven everything, LinkedIn still is thought of as just a place to find a job?

LinkedIn is so much more. And if you’re not using it as part of your organizations digital marketing strategy you are missing out.

A strategic partnership with a marketing agency can be a great investment, but evaluating and selecting the best marketing agency for your specific organization and its goals is a challenge many marketing and sales leaders face.

With so many marketing agencies out there, in order to find the one that’s best for you, you’ll need to know exactly what you’re looking for and how to find it.

Below are six steps to help you evaluate and select the best marketing agency for you.