Introduction to John Huntinghouse
Today we have John Huntinghouse, award winning published marketing executive who drives record results for high growth startups and established brands. John is the Vice President of Marketing at TAB Bank where he leads a team of marketers to disrupt the banking industry with innovative and customer focused marketing solutions.
16 years of marketing experience in B2B and B2C John has driven results and won numerous awards for his work. He has an MBA from the University of Utah and has taught over 500 students at various colleges including his current role at Weber State University.
Outside of work John likes to spend time with his wife Kara and their three kids Maya, Mason and Aubrey. He loves pasta, the 49ers and Ed Catmull.
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Who is John Huntinghouse?
An Unusual Journey into Marketing
John’s path into marketing was not the usual one. Growing up with a Korean mother who expected her kids to become doctors or lawyers, John was planning to be a doctor. But a conversation with a friend changed everything.
“He just said something offhand, but I ended up changing my career,” John says. His friend asked him what he would study if he didn’t have to study anything. John realized he was studying medicine out of obligation not passion.
From Medical Research to Marketing
After that John entered his “wilderness phase” and explored politics and entrepreneurship. He continued to work in genetic cardiovascular research at the Intermountain Heart Institute.
It was during his MBA program at the University of Utah that John took a life changing entrepreneurship class taught by Rob Weber. That class changed his perspective on dealing with uncertainty when creating something new.
Marketing Career Born
John’s entry into marketing was through a side project during his MBA program. “We created a blog back when bloggers were kind of a thing where everyone and their dog was trying to become a blogger,” he says. That blog eventually turned into an influencer marketing agency before agencies like that existed.
This experience allowed John to use his background in genetic research to apply the rigor of academic data analysis to digital marketing. “That really became one of my differentiators,” John says, “being able to look at data, break down the insights, understand like, ‘Hey, these are areas we need to lean into.’”
Current Projects that Excite John
Revolutionizing Bank Marketing
In his current role as Vice President of Marketing at TAB Bank, John is excited about the opportunity to transform marketing in what he describes as a “stale industry.” He explains, “I feel like there’s so much opportunity for us to rethink how banks do marketing.”
John’s approach is to look beyond traditional banking marketing strategies. “Every time we talk to an agency or work with a partner and they’re like, ‘Hey, what are some competitors or comps that we can kind of look at?’ I almost always say, ‘Don’t look at them, don’t look at other banks because I don’t want to do that. I want to do something different,'” he shares.
Upcoming Innovative Campaigns
While John couldn’t share specific details, he hinted at exciting projects and campaigns in the pipeline for the next year or two. “A lot of the projects and campaigns that we have on the docket are going to be pretty exciting,” he says. “I’m excited to kind of shake up the traditional bank marketing genre.”
Tactical and Strategic SEO Advice from John
Understanding SEO Basics
John explains that SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is fundamentally about helping search engines find your business online. “It’s obviously crazy crucial,” he emphasizes, noting that while in the early days of SEO, the challenge was getting people to understand the value of a website, today it’s considered table stakes.
Key Components of SEO
John breaks down the key components that search engines like Google use to determine website rankings:
- Relevance: How well the content on the page matches the intent or search query that people are typing into Google.
- Quality: The grammar, quality, and credibility of the content.
- User Experience: Site speed, mobile-friendliness, and ease of navigation.
- Backlinks: Links from reputable sources that validate the credibility of your page.
- Engagement Metrics: Click-through rates from search results and time spent on the site.
On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO
John explains the difference between on-page and off-page SEO:
- On-Page SEO: Involves optimizing elements on the website itself, including content, HTML coding, headers, and internal linking.
- Off-Page SEO: Refers to factors outside of the website that affect rankings, such as backlinks, social media mentions, and influencer outreach.
Keyword Research
John emphasizes the importance of keyword research as a foundational part of SEO. He outlines the process:
- Identify basic terms relevant to your business.
- Use tools to expand your keyword list.
- Analyze competition to understand what keywords they’re ranking for.
- Prioritize keywords based on business impact or low-hanging fruit opportunities.
Local SEO
For businesses with physical locations, John recommends focusing on local SEO:
- Create and optimize Google My Business listings.
- Obtain local citations and reviews.
- Ensure content includes relevant local keywords.
Tools for SEO
John recommends several tools for those getting started with SEO:
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Yoast SEO (for WordPress sites)
- SEMrush or similar keyword research tools
He advises, “These are like kind of basic tools that you start to understand SEO well or a lot better because you just start messing around with them.”
The Importance of Intent
John stresses the significance of understanding user intent behind searches. He uses the example of “lavender,” where the intent could be about the smell, color, oil, or flower. “You have to understand some of the context and nuances of why people are searching and the intent behind it,” he explains.
Why SEO Takes Time
John addresses a common question about why SEO takes so long to show results. He compares it to building trust:
- Initial improvements typically take 3-6 months.
- Significant results or competing against established competitors can take 6-12 months or longer.
- Time is needed to understand the context and nuances of search intent for your specific industry or product.
“It’s like trust,” John explains. “If you’re viewing it like you’re meeting someone for the first time, with no context, it’s like, okay, we’re here. I kind of like what I initially see, but I just don’t have enough information.”
Where Does John See the Future of SEO Going?
The Impact of AI on SEO
John identifies AI as the most significant factor shaping the future of SEO. “The elephant in the room is AI,” he states. “It’s the first time Google specifically has like, okay, we have a monopoly, like something that threatens our monopoly right around us.”
He points out how quickly Google pivoted in response to the emergence of OpenAI, indicating the importance they place on this development. John predicts we’ll see more AI-enabled search results, leading to:
- More personalized search results based on user history and context.
- Improved ability to understand and match user intent.
- Potential for inherent biases in AI algorithms to influence results.
A Level Playing Field
John sees the rapid changes brought by AI as an exciting opportunity, especially for newcomers to the field. “It’s actually a really exciting time because it kind of somewhat levels the playing field because it’s new for everyone,” he explains.
While foundational SEO principles remain important, John believes the integration of AI and machine learning will lead to more contextual and personalized search experiences.
Emerging Competitors
John also notes the potential for new competitors to emerge in the search space. He mentions the recent announcement of ChatGPT’s beta version of Search GPT, which could potentially compete with Google.
“Google is still like the dominating force in the industry, but it is definitely starting to sway quite a bit,” John observes. He anticipates that SEO professionals will need to adapt to these new search experiences.
How to Get in Contact with John
For those interested in connecting with John or learning more about his work, he recommends reaching out via LinkedIn. “That’s where I’m most active,” he says. You can find him by searching for John Huntinghouse on LinkedIn.
Advice to His Younger Self
When asked what advice he would give to his younger self, John emphasizes the importance of leaning into one’s strengths and interests:
“Really it would be to lean into a) what you’re good at and b) what are your interests,” he says. John reflects on how his career path was initially dictated by his parents’ expectations and advises young people to take time to explore their own interests and talents.
“There are so many opportunities to do things,” John explains. “What I wanted to do is help people, right? Like at the end of the day, I was like, I wanted to become a doctor because I wanted to help people. But what I didn’t realize is like, there’s so many ways to help people.”
Books and Leaders That Inspire John
John shares two key influences on his thinking:
- Ed Catmull’s “Creativity Inc.”: John describes this book as his “marketing Bible,” praising its insights on dealing with ambiguity and creating new things. He finds it particularly valuable for understanding how to approach creative projects and build innovative teams.
- Scott Galloway: John appreciates Galloway’s work for its broader business perspective. “I think it’s really important for marketers to really understand business and business principles,” he explains. John believes this wider view helps marketers avoid getting too siloed in their own metrics and jargon.
The Value of Diverse Perspectives
John emphasizes the importance of understanding business from multiple angles, not just through a marketing lens. He finds this diversity of perspective particularly helpful in his role as a marketing executive in the banking industry.
Conclusion
John Huntinghouse’s journey from aspiring doctor to marketing executive illustrates the unexpected paths a career can take. His unique background in genetic research, combined with his passion for digital marketing, has allowed him to bring a data-driven approach to his work in the financial sector.
As the marketing landscape continues to evolve, particularly with the rise of AI and new search technologies, John’s advice to stay curious, lean into your strengths, and seek diverse perspectives remains valuable. Whether you’re just starting in SEO or looking to adapt to the changing digital marketing environment, John’s insights provide a solid foundation for navigating the future of search engine optimization.
By focusing on the fundamentals of SEO while remaining open to new technologies and approaches, marketers can position themselves to succeed in an increasingly competitive and dynamic digital landscape. As John’s experience shows, the key is to never stop learning, adapting, and seeking new ways to connect with your audience.
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