Introduction to Shea Drake

Shea has been working across multiple marketing channels for over 10 years, specializing in strategy, SEO, digital PR, content, process-building and most recently AI. She continues to be a jack-of-all-trades marketer as Marketing Director at JourneyTEAM, a Microsoft Partner.

Table of Contents

• Who is Shea Drake?
• Current Projects that Excite Shea
• Tactical and Strategic Digital Marketing Advice from Shea
• What’s Next in Digital Marketing?
• Contact Shea
• Detailed Exploration of Shea’s Career Path
• In-Depth Look at Shea’s Marketing Strategies
• The Role of AI in Shea’s Marketing Approach
• The Changing Landscape of Digital Marketing
• Advice to Her Younger Self
• Books, Podcasts, and Leaders That Inspire Shea
• Conclusion

Who is Shea Drake?

Childhood and Photography

Shea grew up in Sandy, Utah and was a curious kid with a love for photography. She started photography at a young age when she wanted a Polaroid camera but started with a wind-up camera. Her interest in photography grew and she eventually got a Canon Rebel film camera for her birthday, which was her transition from point-and-shoot cameras to more advanced equipment.

Film to Digital: A Transitional Era

Shea’s experience with photography spans the film to digital era. She remembers the magic of developing film in a darkroom and the heartache of losing an entire roll if not done correctly. This era of change in photography technology was during her early twenties and would later impact her career path.

E-Commerce and Digital Marketing

Shea’s entry into the digital world was through her job at Fanzz, a sports merchandise retailer owned by the Miller Group. She took product pictures of jerseys, hats and other sports related items. Her role required streamlining the process of getting multiple products online quickly, balancing warehouse management and e-commerce efficiency.

Current Projects that Excite Shea

Marketing Director at JourneyTEAM

In her current role as Marketing Director at JourneyTEAM, Shea focuses on marketing Microsoft technologies and solutions. She finds the rapidly evolving Microsoft ecosystem particularly exciting, especially with recent developments in AI and cloud technologies.

Exploring AI in Marketing

Shea is deeply involved in integrating AI tools into marketing processes. She’s particularly excited about Microsoft’s Copilot, an AI tool integrated into various Microsoft 365 applications. Shea sees immense potential in using AI to streamline content creation, data analysis, and other marketing tasks.

Tactical and Strategic Digital Marketing Advice from Shea

Word of Mouth and Relationship Building

Shea says word of mouth is key in B2B. She advises:

1. Network and build real relationships.
2. Attend industry events and conferences to meet potential clients in a low pressure environment.
3. Have conversations without immediate sales goals to build trust naturally.

Paid Advertising Strategies

When it comes to paid ads Shea says:

1. Look beyond conversions and consider customer lifetime value.
2. Solve customer problems not just list product features.
3. Provide valuable content or tools (white papers, case studies, calculators) to build trust and engagement.
4. Remember the buying cycle has changed – customers often research independently before contacting sales.

Content Marketing and SEO

Shea’s approach to content marketing and SEO:

1. Put user experience first in all content creation.
2. Answer user questions completely so they don’t have to search further.
3. Use storytelling to create an emotional connection with your audience.
4. Understand the intent behind keywords not just high volume terms.

AI in Marketing

Shea loves AI in marketing:

1. Use Microsoft’s Copilot to automate content creation and data analysis.
2. Try AI powered tools for various marketing tasks – video creation, copywriting, etc.
3. Stay up to date with AI and find ways to plug it into your marketing stack.

What’s Next in Digital Marketing?

Niche Forums and Community Based Platforms

Shea sees a move towards more specialized, community driven platforms:

1. A return to forum-like spaces where people with similar interests or problems can connect.
2. Using platform specific search terms (e.g. adding “Reddit” to Google search for more real results).
3. Social media platforms fragmenting based on user preferences and demographics.

AI in Marketing

Shea sees big things in AI for marketing:

1. AI tools integrated into systems that can handle complex, multi-step marketing tasks.
2. AI systems that can live within a company’s own data ecosystem, addressing privacy and security concerns.
3. Human creativity and strategy will still be required to stand out in an AI world.

Search and Content Discovery

Shea predicts changes in how we find information online:

1. Changes in search behavior, people looking beyond search engines.
2. More people using social media and community platforms for product recommendations and information.
3. Marketers will need to adapt to these changing search and discovery patterns.

Contact Shea

You can’t find Shea’s contact info in the transcript but you can try:

1. LinkedIn: Shea Drake

Detailed Exploration of Shea’s Career Path

Early Career at Fanzz

Shea’s time at Fanzz from 2011-2014 was the foundation of her digital marketing career:

1. Responsibilities:
• Taking product photos
• Getting products online fast
• Managing 25,000-35,000 SKUs
• From receiving invoices to getting items live on the website
2. Skills developed:
• E-commerce management
• Product photography
• Content creation for product descriptions
• SEO for product listings
• Process improvement and leadership
3. Challenges:
• Time sensitive sports merchandise
• Competing with bigger e-commerce players in the sports apparel space
• Warehouse management vs online sales

Transition to Jorgensen Companies

After Fanzz, Shea moved to Jorgensen Companies and her career took a big turn:

1. New industry focus:
• Material handling equipment
• Warehouse racking
• Lockers
2. E-commerce responsibilities:
• Multiple websites for different product categories
• Etsy store for used lockers
3. SEO challenges and wins:
• Fixed Google penalties (Panda and Penguin) from duplicate content
• Unique product descriptions
• Category pages with rich content
• Video content for SEO
4. Big win:
• #1 for “sports lockers” a term they didn’t even index for before

Move to Clearlink

Shea’s next move was to Clearlink where she continued to develop her digital marketing skills:

1. Role: Outreach Specialist (Digital PR)
2. Responsibilities:
• Getting backlinks for clients like Frontier Business and Verizon Business
• Digital PR pieces for news coverage and backlinks
• Content like “Your State’s Favorite Candy Bar” or “Top 10 Safest Cities”
3. Skills developed:
• Email pitching
• Story crafting for media attention
• Balancing client needs with journalist interests
4. Wins:
• Published in various publications, print magazines
• Featured in Entrepreneur and Fast Company

In-Depth Look at Shea’s Marketing Strategies

Content Marketing Philosophy

Shea’s approach to content marketing is rooted in several key principles:

1. User-centric content creation:
• Focusing on solving real user problems
• Creating content that answers questions comprehensively
• Prioritizing user experience over search engine manipulation
2. Storytelling in B2B marketing:
• Using transformation narratives to illustrate product benefits
• Balancing emotional appeal with logical justification
• Recognizing that all decisions, even in B2B, have an emotional component
3. Long-term relationship building:
• Creating content for different stages of the buyer’s journey
• Understanding that potential clients may not have an immediate need
• Staying top-of-mind for when the need does arise

SEO and Content Strategy

Shea’s SEO strategy goes beyond traditional keyword optimization:

1. Intent-focused keyword targeting:
• Understanding the various intents behind search terms
• Creating content that matches user intent, not just high-volume keywords
2. Content diversification:
• Using various content types (blogs, videos, whitepapers) to cater to different preferences
• Leveraging multimedia content to improve engagement and SEO performance
3. Technical SEO considerations:
• Addressing technical issues like duplicate content
• Optimizing site structure and internal linking

B2B Marketing Tactics

In the B2B space, Shea emphasizes several key tactics:

1. Multi-channel approach:
• Utilizing email marketing, webinars, and events for customer engagement
• Creating multiple touchpoints throughout the buyer’s journey
2. Educational content:
• Producing webinars and other educational materials to build authority
• Addressing industry-specific challenges and solutions
3. Relationship-based marketing:
• Leveraging word-of-mouth and referrals
• Building trust through consistent, valuable interactions
4. Long sales cycle considerations:
• Creating content that nurtures leads over extended periods
• Understanding that B2B decisions often involve multiple stakeholders and longer deliberation

The Role of AI in Shea’s Marketing Approach

Current AI Applications

Shea is at the forefront of integrating AI into marketing processes:

1. Content creation:
• Using AI tools like Microsoft’s Copilot for initial content drafts
• Leveraging AI for idea generation and content optimization
2. Data analysis:
• Employing AI for deeper insights into marketing data
• Using AI-driven tools for predictive analytics
3. Personalization:
• Exploring AI capabilities for creating more personalized marketing experiences
• Using AI to segment audiences more effectively

Future AI Developments

Shea envisions several key developments in AI for marketing:

1. Integrated AI ecosystems:
• AI systems that can handle complex, multi-step marketing tasks
• Seamless integration of various AI tools for comprehensive marketing solutions
2. Privacy-conscious AI:
• Development of AI systems that can work within a company’s own data ecosystem
• Addressing concerns about data privacy and security in AI applications
3. AI-human collaboration:
• Emphasizing the continued importance of human creativity and strategy
• Using AI as a tool to enhance human capabilities rather than replace them

The Changing Landscape of Digital Marketing

Shifts in Consumer Behavior

Shea identifies several important trends in how consumers interact with digital content:

1. Increased skepticism towards traditional search results:
• Users adding platform names (e.g., “Reddit”) to searches for more authentic results
• Growing distrust of overly optimized, ad-like content in search results
2. Preference for community-based information:
• Rise of niche forums and community platforms for specific interests
• Increased reliance on peer recommendations and experiences
3. Fragmentation of digital platforms:
• Different platforms catering to specific demographics or interests
• The challenge for marketers to identify and engage on the most relevant platforms

Adaptation Strategies for Marketers

To navigate these changes, Shea suggests several strategies:

1. Diversifying content distribution:
• Creating content suitable for various platforms and communities
• Adapting messaging and format to suit different digital environments
2. Emphasizing authenticity:
• Producing content that feels genuine and user-centric
• Leveraging user-generated content and real customer stories
3. Embracing new technologies:
• Staying ahead of AI and other technological advancements
• Experimenting with new platforms and content formats
4. Focusing on community building:
• Creating and nurturing brand communities
• Engaging in authentic conversations with audience members

Advice to Her Younger Self

If Shea could go back and talk to her younger self, she would say:

“Listen to your business professor. He was a smart guy and he told me, ‘Shea, you should go into business. You’ve got the mind for it.’ I was like, ‘I’m a photographer.’ He said, ‘You can still be a photographer. It’s more important to know this.’ I would totally listen to him.”

This is the importance of learning business alongside your creative pursuits. Shea has clearly done just that and it’s served her well in her marketing career.

Books, Podcasts, and Leaders That Inspire Shea

Shea is inspired by Ann Handley, author of “Everybody Writes”. She recommends:

1. “Everybody Writes” by Ann Handley (Second Edition): Shea thinks this is a must read for anyone in B2B marketing or anyone who writes for work. She loves Handley’s actionable advice, humor and human approach to content creation.
2. Ann Handley’s speaking engagements: Shea saw Handley speak at Social Media Week where she shared real life examples of effective content marketing.

Shea loves Handley’s experiments and real world examples, like the story of selling a couch through storytelling versus a basic free listing.

Conclusion

Shea Drake’s journey from photography enthusiast to digital marketing expert is a great example of how marketing is always changing. Her thoughts on AI, authentic content and the changing digital landscape are valuable for marketers today and tomorrow.

Shea’s emphasis on balancing technology with human creativity and strategy is a key point: while the tools and platforms change, the core of marketing stays the same – understanding and serving human needs and behaviors. As the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve, those who can adapt to new tech and focus on authentic, value-driven content will be the winners.