This summer, we welcome Natalie Johnson, our newest intern rocker, to the team. So we asked her a few questions to get to know her better! She’s a student at The University of Arkansas studying advertising and public relations. Natalie is excited to learn more about marketing, strategic writing, and client relations on the Porch.

What is the biggest misconception about marketing today?

That good marketing has to achieve widespread attention to be effective. It is so much more important that a campaign reaches its target audience, no matter its size, and is able to impact those who can directly benefit from what is being offered.

What advice would Natalie Johnson give to her younger self?

Everything happens for a reason! Even if you are confused in the moment, life always brings you exactly what you need.

What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned so far at school?

College has taught me the importance of scheduling. Finding a healthy balance between schoolwork and social life is key to getting a good education while making memories.

What does good brand strategy look like?

A good brand strategy starts with building a strong brand identity. Once you know what you value as a brand and establish why consumers can trust you, content production can feel much more cohesive and authentic.

If you could be anywhere in the world right now where would it be?

The Amalfi Coast! I visited when I was younger and would love to go back.

If you could go to dinner with one person living or dead who would it be?

My grandpa on my mom’s side of the family. He passed away right around my high school graduation, so I would love to tell him about where I am now and hear some more of his awesome life advice!

If you could describe Natalie Johnson in three words what would they be?

I would describe myself as dedicated, empathetic, and optimistic.

Tell us about a major milestone in your life?

One of my major milestones is transferring schools and going to college out of Texas! It has been my first time living in a new state, and I’m so grateful for the experiences I’ve had in Arkansas so far!

From your perspective, how does Front Porch Marketing differentiate itself from other marketing companies?

Front Porch builds such personable, caring relationships both internally and externally. Everyone in the company truly cares about the well-being of its clients and its team members, celebrating every success and always available to answer questions.

What is a fun fact about you?

I played volleyball for 11 years!

Summertime is replete with outdoor events and reporters are covering stories in person. The summer can also be a slow time for businesses. Plus, organizations also may be in a planning period in the summertime before events intensify during the autumn/winter months.

So How Can You Make the Best Use of This Summertime Season?

This can be an optimal time to strategize pitches and story angles for the upcoming fall and holiday season. If your clients have Fall/Winter events or announcements, media pitching should start now to ensure long lead story inclusions. Here is a selection of ideas for summertime pitches that will position your clients’ events for success in autumn/winter:

• Share the event’s history and purpose.
• Include testimonials or previous pieces to illustrate the event’s community impact.
• Submit B-Roll from past events to educate the media on attendance levels and a visual of community involvement.
• Invite reporters to attend the event for on-site coverage opportunities.
• Offer exclusive interviews with speakers and notable attendees.

Other Summertime Media Opportunities

If you do not have any specific media planning to do for the fall, use the summertime to dig into what is currently trendingin the newsto promote your client’s brand. This can be done by pitching your client as an expert source to speak on a topic and be quoted in a story after news breaks. Or you can focus on your client’s brand ethics, products, or backstory and how it aligns with what is happening in the news cycle.

When pitching the media in summertime, it is also a great practice to limit email subject lines between one and five words. Further, limit the media pitch to 50–79 words. Overall, the entire body of your pitch should not exceed 149 words. Applying these best practices on your PR pitches will help you and your clients grow your media opportunities this summer!

Here on the Porch, we create a lot of specialized content for our clients. Websites, social media, newsletters, videos and the like. As their marketing partner, we operate as an extension of their marketing department. We think through their branding, their voice, their business goals and more to make sure that their content is right — every single day. In other words, we work hard to make it rock! And we love what we do.

Our clients trust us to use our expertise to help them grow their businesses. They know that a smart business owner doesn’t try to do everything themselves — instead they surround themselves with other experts who can help them achieve their goals.

How Can You Best Utilize Your Marketing Partner to Make Your Content Rock?

Say you’re a business owner who doesn’t know how to — and honestly doesn’t have the time to — create your own marketing. So you do the smart thing and hire a marketing partner to help grow your business. First, realize that your marketing partner is an expert at creating smart, on-target content for your business and is also in it for the long haul like you are. They want you to succeed.

Helpful Tips for Businesses Utilizing a Marketing Partner

1. Remember: You are not your audience. What is spoken and written internally in your company, doesn’t necessarily make sense to your client or customer. Trust your marketing partner’s recommendations on brand voice, relevancy of message and content
2. Your time is a valuable asset so use it wisely. Provide big-picture counsel. Spending your valuable time giving big picture direction up front on content initiatives vs. spending your time editing every post, is time well-spent. Let your marketing partner help you focus on other important parts of running your business by taking the daily detail of marketing content off your plate.
3. Digital content lasts nanoseconds. Today’s post is forgotten by tomorrow and replaced with another one. This process builds your brand’s personality over time. Each social media post is not precious, it is simply the next stepping stone on your brand’s path.
4. Trust your content creators. The copywriters and designers on your marketing partner’s team do this day-in and day-out for multiple clients. They are experts. They know your channels better than you do and are creating content using best practices for their industry. Just like you use best practices in your industry.
5. Work ON your business, not IN your business. You can’t be everywhere at once. Surrounding yourself with experts who know how to do things that you don’t know how to do is the smart move. Marketing, copywriting, and design professionals on your marketing partner team all have expertise and knowledge that can help you grow your business in ways you couldn’t have imagined. Let them do their job, so that you can do yours better.

Our Overall Advice? Trust Your Partners.

Digital content creation is a marathon with no finish line. It is a day-in and day-out process that builds your brand, and your audience, over time. Digital content like social media, blog posts, newsletters, and websites are crafted with your audience in mind. And they’re crafted to build your brand long-term. So don’t over-think every single post. Don’t over-edit every single piece of content. Whether it’s social media, blogging, email marketing, video scripting or any piece of your digital content universe, it all works together to build your brand and make your business a success in the eyes of your audience and potential customers. 

As we move into 2024, video marketing continues to grow and evolve, becoming an indispensable tool for brands to engage and connect with their audiences. Video marketing is affected by technological advancements, changing consumer behaviors, and emerging platforms. Video has evolved significantly in the past decade.

Short-Form Videos Dominate 

Short-form videos are set to continue to reign in 2024. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have popularized bite-sized content that captures attention quickly. These videos, typically under 60 seconds, are perfect for today’s fast-paced consumers. Brands should focus on creating engaging, succinct content that delivers a clear message quickly and effectively. 

Live Streaming Video Marketing Continues to Grow 

Live streaming offers real-time interaction and engagement and has become powerful tool for marketers. In 2024, we’ll see even more brands utilizing live video for product launches, behind-the-scenes looks, Q&A sessions, and live shopping events. The real time element and authenticity of live streaming helps build trust and create a sense of community. 

Interactive Videos Gain Traction 

Interactive video marketing that allow viewers to engage directly with the content are projected to become more popular. To begin with, these videos could include clickable elements, quizzes, polls, and even branching paths that let viewers choose their journey. Interactive videos not only increase engagement but can also provide valuable data on viewer preferences and behaviors. 

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Integration 

AR and VR technologies are transforming video marketing by offering immersive and interactive experiences. Brands can use AR for try-before-you-buy experiences, virtual tours, and interactive ads, while VR can be used for immersive storytelling and experiential marketing. In 2024, we can expect more brands to integrate AR and VR into their video strategies to create memorable and engaging experiences. 

Personalized Video Marketing Content 

Personalization is crucial in modern marketing, including video marketing. Therefore, personalized video content, tailored to individual viewer preferences and behaviors, can significantly boost engagement and conversion rates. By leveraging data and AI, brands can create personalized video messages, recommendations, and experiences that resonate with each viewer on a deeper level. 

Enhanced Video Marketing SEO 

As video content becomes more prevalent, optimizing for search engines (SEO) is crucial. Enhanced video SEO involves optimizing video titles, descriptions, tags, and thumbnails, as well as using video transcripts and schema markup. This helps improve video discoverability and drives more organic traffic. 

Sustainability and Social Responsibility in Video Marketing

Consumers are increasingly looking for brands that align with their values, especially around sustainability and social responsibility. Overall, video marketing in 2024 will see more brands creating content that highlights their eco-friendly practices and commitment to positive change. 

As we move through 2024, video marketing will continue to be an essential component of any marketing strategy. So by staying on top of these trends and incorporating them into your campaigns, your brand can engage more effectively with your audience and foster deeper connections.