Tag: Digital Marketing Agency

  • Search Influence Named to New Orleans CityBusiness’s 2025 Best Places to Work List

    Search Influence Named to New Orleans CityBusiness’s 2025 Best Places to Work List graphic

    At Search Influence, people power our performance, and once again, that commitment is being recognized.

    We’re proud to share that our AI SEO marketing agency has been named to the New Orleans CityBusiness 2025 Best Places to Work list in the Small Company category.

    This is our team’s fourth year in a row receiving this honor and our sixth time overall, a milestone made even more meaningful as we head into our 20th year serving clients across higher education, healthcare, and tourism.

    What the Best Places to Work Recognition Means

    Since 2003, the CityBusiness Best Places to Work program has highlighted organizations that demonstrate excellence in employee satisfaction, workplace culture, benefits, and long-term team support. Companies are evaluated through a two-part process involving an employer questionnaire and an anonymous employee survey measuring satisfaction across leadership, communication, pay and benefits, and overall culture.

    To be selected, companies must meet strict survey participation requirements and achieve high levels of positive employee feedback. Recognition indicates not only strong policies on paper but a workplace where employees genuinely feel valued and supported.

    A Culture Built Over Two Decades

    As Search Influence approaches its 20th anniversary, this honor underscores nearly two decades of intentional culture-building. What began as a two-person operation in a spare bedroom has grown into one of New Orleans’ most enduring digital agencies and a national leader in AI SEO strategy.

    Our long-standing employee tenure is a testament to that culture. Benefits that support our fully remote team include:

    • Generous PTO that grows with tenure
    • Moveable company holidays
    • Comprehensive health insurance options
    • 401(k) with employer match
    • Paid parental leave
    • Flexible schedules
    • Continuing education opportunities
    • The employee-created IDEA Committee for inclusivity and representation

    As a woman-owned digital marketing agency with a predominantly female leadership team, we continue to prioritize equitable advancement and meaningful support at every level.

    Looking Ahead

    As search continues shifting toward AI-powered results, the work we do as an AI SEO marketing agency continues to evolve, driven by the same commitment to people-first strategy that has defined our organization for 20 years.

    We’re honored to be recognized once again and excited for what the next chapter brings.

    Contact Search Influence to learn more about our award-winning work.

  • Why Hire a Digital Marketing Agency? Outsource for Faster Growth

    Why Hire a Digital Marketing Agency? Outsource for Faster Growth

    A graphic of an agency growing due to outsourcing digital marketing

    Key Insights

    • Hiring a digital marketing agency gives in-house marketers access to a team of experts with specialized skills and knowledge. Companies benefit from advanced marketing techniques without ongoing in-house training and investment in expensive tools.
    • Outsourcing digital marketing to an agency frees up time for businesses and internal teams to focus on their core operations.
    • Hiring and managing an in-house marketing team comes with risks, such as turnover and unmet expectations.

    If your online growth is slowing because your advertising strategies fall short…

    Who you gonna call?

    A digital marketing agency!

    Taking on all aspects of marketing in-house is scary, especially when you lack the time, expertise, and resources to create campaigns that connect with potential customers.

    A good digital marketing agency helps you reach your target audience with results-driven campaigns that meet your business goals. It also requires less commitment while adding more overall capacity to your business.

    Hiring an experienced digital marketing company will offer a fresh perspective and help grow your business online.

    Why Hire a Digital Marketing Agency?

    When you hire the right digital marketing agency, their team becomes an expansion of your own. A great digital marketing agency is an invaluable asset, from handling your social media advertising and paid digital advertising to helping you create marketing materials and optimizing your website for search engines.

    There’s no need to spend the time, effort, and money on building an in-house marketing team when the benefits of hiring a digital marketing agency are abundantly clear.

    1. Expand your resources, skills, and capabilities

    Outsourcing your digital marketing services allows you to access more specialized skills, knowledge, and tools without the long-term commitment of hiring an in-house team.

    Digital marketing agencies stay updated on the latest marketing trends and strategies. This allows you to reap the benefits of the most advanced marketing campaigns without committing time and resources to keep up with this constantly evolving industry.

    And with those trends comes a rollout of new (and expensive!) tools and skills you must master to stay in stride with the industry.

    Do you have time to learn about Google’s AI overview rollout and choosing the right attribution model for GA4? Of course not. You have other priorities — like setting strategy and planning budgets.

    2. Gain greater capacity for increased productivity

    We get it; we’re marketers, too. You take pride in your adaptability and knack for learning new skills on the fly.

    But there is hardly enough time in a day to complete all your to-dos, much less become an experienced SEO professional, creative copywriter, and detail-oriented digital ads manager.

    You’re wearing more hats than an MLB dugout!

    Hiring a digital marketing agency allows you to be the manager without having to play first base and shortstop too.

    This helps you focus on your other daily responsibilities, freeing you up so you can be more effective.

    3. Receive a shortcut to solutions

    An agency solves your marketing challenges fast and with proven expertise.

    Like any industry, digital marketing is full of its own quirks. Digital marketers are well aware of these oddities and are prepared to anticipate and navigate them.

    For example, say you’re struggling with rising online advertising costs in 2024. The right agency would pinpoint that online advertising costs are rising because it’s an election year and then pivot your marketing strategy to a more cost-effective solution.

    A list of reasons why to hire a digital marketing agency

    4. Mitigate common risks associated with internal hiring

    Hiring a digital marketing agency to expand your team requires less commitment and time than building one in-house team while delivering greater lead generation in return.

    Building a full-service in-house team is no small task.

    You have to spend time and money on recruiting and training new employees, all while risking turnover or not meeting expectations.

    Why gamble on an in-house marketing team when you can pay for what you need when you need it with a digital marketing agency?

    The answer is clear.

    5. Decrease burden and burnout

    Being a marketing manager is hard enough. Don’t add to your burden by hiring and overseeing a full-on team to manage your marketing process. Your time should focus on the broader marketing picture, not nearing burnout because you’re trying to master new digital advertising techniques.

    6. Adapt quickly to change

    You must be a campaign chameleon to ensure longevity in your marketing efforts, always ready to adapt to new environments and circumstances.

    But if you’re not much for reptiles, a knowledgeable digital marketing agency brings a similar knack for adaptability.

    A marketing agency can pivot your strategy at a moment’s notice. Whether your key performance indicators are down or you need to update your social media platforms, your agency is there.

    Why Businesses Choose Digital Marketing Agencies Over In-House Teams

    At this point, you might be thinking, “Of course, a blog written by a digital marketing agency recommends hiring a digital marketing agency.”

    While your skepticism is understandable, we aren’t the only ones who recommend hiring a digital marketing agency. Our clients do, too.

    • An hour’s worth of your research goes beyond what we can come up with in a week” – B2B SaaS Company
    • “With not even a full year together, we are already seeing the impact of SI’s expertise on our program awareness and engagement.” – Private Research University
    • “Search Influence offers the expertise of a large and long-established organization with the culture and adaptability of a small boutique shop.” – State University
    • “Knowledgeable, professional staff who are leaders in their field.” – Regional Cultural Venue
    • “The overall turnaround time from the first meeting to the deliverables was quick, and they were always communicative.” – State University

    'With not even a full year together, we are already seeing the impact of SI’s expertise on our program awareness and engagement.' - Private Research University

    The payoffs in action

    Below is a perfect example of how partnering with an agency can elevate your marketing efforts.

    The marketing team at a continuing education school at a large university had the skills to build their website and write content, but they needed guidance on how to build the site with SEO in mind from the start.

    Search Influence completed an SEO audit and UX audit for them. This client brought us in at the start of the website redesign so we could offer extra guidance on what was good and not so good about their current website.

    Since completing the audit, the school partnered with us on six months of consulting to ensure our recommendations were carried out during the redesign.

    This is a perfect example of how partnering with an agency can elevate your marketing efforts. With our recommendations, the client’s website is expertly built to dominate the SERPs from day one.

    Take Our Higher Ed SEO Quiz to Find Your Best Approach

    Making decisions about managing your SEO strategy in-house or outsourcing it to an agency can feel overwhelming.

    Fortunately, tools and frameworks exist to streamline this process — like Search Influence’s Quiz: Higher Ed SEO – In-House or Outsource?

    Our Higher Ed SEO Quiz simplifies the decision-making process for university marketers by helping you determine the best approach for managing your SEO — whether that’s keeping it in-house, outsourcing, or adopting a hybrid model. In just a few minutes, you’ll gain customized recommendations that align with your institution’s goals and resources.

    These actionable insights empower you to make smarter staffing decisions, maximize your team’s potential, and enhance the effectiveness of your SEO strategy.

    The Higher Ed SEO Quiz is designed with busy higher education professionals in mind, offering quick and actionable results.

    By integrating this decision-making framework into your broader marketing strategy, you can make informed decisions about your staffing choices, ultimately boosting your SEO efforts and your institution’s ability to connect with prospective students in a highly competitive marketplace.

    Take our Higher Ed SEO Quiz for custom recommendations.

    Experience the Benefits of Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency

    Search Influence has helped businesses create ROI-focused marketing strategies since 2006.

    With our expertise and commitment to staying ahead of industry trends and research, we’re here to help you optimize your digital marketing efforts.

    Ready to find the best approach for your higher ed SEO strategy?

    Take our Quiz: Higher Ed SEO – In-House or Outsource? to get personalized insights, or contact Search Influence today to see how we can help you navigate the complexities of digital marketing with confidence.

  • How a New Orleans Digital Marketing Agency Uses the DISC Methodology to Improve Client Relations

    Key Insights:

    • Tailoring a message to compliment the intended person’s personality helps build rapport and trust within a professional and personal relationship.
    • Personality types affect how people communicate with each other effectively—it is the main reason people respond and act in their own unique ways.
    • The experienced Search Influence team tailors our communication, reporting, and working style based on our stakeholder’s perceived DISC type.

    Introduction

    Personality types affect how effectively people communicate with each other—it is the main reason people respond and act in their own unique ways. This is especially true when it comes to business relationships. The entire account management team at our New Orleans digital marketing agency uses the DISC methodology to learn more about each client’s personality styles, allowing our team to strengthen and build relationships by adapting to each client’s unique behaviors.

    DISC Methodology

    The DISC methodology is a personal development framework that helps us understand ourselves and how we interact with others. From Fortune 500 companies to nonprofit organizations and small-owned family businesses, companies worldwide use the DISC methodology.

    The DISC methodology comprises four personality types: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. Understanding all four of the unique personality types in the DISC methodology promotes productivity in the workplace by developing better communication that leads to healthy relationships.

    Search Influence’s account management team uses the DISC methodology to aid in client communication. We customize our emails, reports, and presentations to both our primary point-of-contact and and their stakeholders, providing information in varying formats to suit their different personality types and roles.

    Dominance

    The D in the acronym DISC stands for dominance. Approximately 9% of the worldwide population have the personality traits classified as dominance. According to extendeddisc.org, people with this personality type tend to be motivated by competition, winning, and success. They have a deep appreciation for exploring new opportunities and achieving independence. They value action conversions and fear looking vulnerable or weak.

    Typically a team leader, executive, public speaker, or account executive, dominant personality types excel in authoritative roles. At our New Orleans digital marketing agency, we use brief and direct, to-the-point communication with D personality types. We also make sure we speak in terms of “What” not “how,” because D types are interested in what we are doing to make improvements, not how we are doing it. By talking about results, not processes, our account managers keep communication productive with D types.

    People working in a boardroom

    Influence

    The next personality type in the DISC acronym stands for Influence. According to extendeddisc.org, these people make up about 29% of the world’s population. Those with this personality type are often warm, trusting, and energetic.

    I types prioritize shaping their environment by influencing others. They can persuade others with their charm, optimism, and energy. With their ability to generate excitement, I personalities value their friendships and pursue them with happiness. Their overall goal is to attract attention with their outgoing personality.

    Often designers, copywriters, or creative directors, Influence personality types respond well when allowed to verbalize their ideas. Allowing I types to communicate freely and creatively enables them to explore new ideas and discover new approaches to problems at hand.

    At Search Influence, we strive to build friendly lines of communication with I type personalities. This more casual and laid-back style allows I types to feel comfortable and let their ideas flow. Once a relationship and open lines of communication have been established, our team is able to craft a collaborative environment where I types can use their excellent verbal and creative skills to communicate their vision and pursue new opportunities.

    Steadiness

    The third personality trait in the DISC methodology acronym is Steadiness. According to extendeddisc.org, the S style comprises 31% of the population. These people are steady, calm, and easy-going. This candidate prefers continuity and familiarity—they tend to sway away from new ideas, as this makes them feel uncomfortable.

    Often asking “How” questions, S styles want to gather all the details to think about the best plan for execution. These personalities are very poised and stable, do not get overly excited, and are rather patient and careful when making decisions. S personalities thrive when they are in a routine and can interact with other people regularly. Because of this, S personality types are often counselors, HR directors, doctors, and executive assistants.

    When discussing our digital marketing services with S personalities, our team ensures to craft a predictable and stable work environment where S types can plan for the future and stick to the agreed-upon routine. For example, our team might make a special note not to reschedule meetings with S types because this could throw them out of their workflow.

    DISC Pie Chart

    Conscientiousness

    The last personality trait in the DISC method is the C, which stands for Conscientiousness. According to extendeddisc.org, this style of people makes up about 31% of the worldwide population.

    C-style people tend to be very detail-oriented. Often asking “Why” questions, this style will often be deliberate and methodical when solving problems and is comfortable spending hours analyzing large amounts of data to solve the aforementioned problems.

    Analytical and precise by nature, C types are at their best when they can work independently and focus on problem-solving. Common positions for C personality types are data scientists, software engineers, financial analysts, and software developers.

    As an SEO agency, Search influence frequently works with C types. Our experience has taught us that to provide detailed reports and facts in advance so they can process the information. We have also found that during a meeting with C types, it’s best to follow a specific agenda (which is always sent ahead of time) and to reference and maintain project trackers. This allows them to gather details and process the tasks at hand.

    Tailoring Your Metrics Based on DISC Type

    The experienced Search Influence team tailors our metrics based on our stakeholder’s DISC type. We find this helps us select the right metric to focus on when communicating our marketing plan to our clients.

    For example, C style personalities may care about those micro metrics and higher funnel metrics, whereas D types are more likely to care about lower-funnel metrics. As such, when we are communicating with a D type, we focus on conversion-based data.

    Improve Communication with Stakeholders and Teammates through the DISC Method

    On our team, we find it can be impactful for interpersonal relationships to understand one another’s DISC profiles. Search Influence is an SEO company and digital marketing agency with years of experience using the DISC methodology to improve client communication and relationships—and we use it internally to work more efficiently and effectively for our clients.

    We believe the DISC Workplace Profile Assessment can help companies to differentiate personality types and understand the preferences of others when connecting in the workplace. Learn how Search Influence can help you craft a results-driven digital marketing campaign with assistance from the DISC methodology.

    Images:

    People working in a boardroom