We specialise in providing bespoke website design and digital marketing for OMBs and SMEs. Winners of the Somerset Business Award Small Business Of The Year 2021, we are enjoying a period of business growth.
In response to increased client demand, we have recently expanded the marketing team with Marketing Manager, Kim Barnard who oversees the marketing team and Amy Scriven, in the role of Digital Marketing Executive. Combining their skills and enthusiasm will help take Cognique to the next level and ensure that our clients continue to get the best return on their marketing spend.
We asked them why they chose to join Cognique…
Why Cognique?
Kim: I’ve known Cognique for a long time and worked with them as my agency in a previous role. At that time I always saw them as an extension of my marketing team, so now to be on the other side is really exciting. I’m thrilled to join a business that has such a strong reputation and works with brilliant businesses; I’m really looking forward to growing the marketing team and bringing fresh perspective and ideas to a thriving business.
Amy: I’d known of Cognique for years before I joined them, due to being in the industry and I always thought they looked like a great company to work for. When I saw they were looking for a Digital Marketing Executive, I knew I had to apply. They’re an amazing team of people who simply want the best for their clients.
What experience and expertise have you brought with you?
Kim: I have 15 years’ experience working in marketing roles across many different sectors, creating marketing plans, implementing strategies and utilising content marketing to help achieve client goals. Focusing on the importance of brand, people and how story telling can make your business look and sound authentic is something I’m really passionate about. I’m now really looking forward to applying my sector experience to other businesses.
Amy: I have three and a half years of digital marketing experience and three years of graphic and web design experience. When you work in smaller companies you find yourself learning lots of different skills that help the business. So, although I started out in design I found myself swaying more towards digital marketing, because I really enjoyed the analytical aspect.
When it’s not digital marketing, what are your interests / passions?
Kim: I love supporting local businesses and charities, using my marketing skills to help friends and family who run their own enterprises. Wellbeing is also incredibly important to me and keeping a happy balance between work and family, especially with a very active five year old boy who doesn’t let me rest for a moment!
Amy: I love being creative and I have a make up Instagram account and a blog which helps me express this when not at work. You will also find me binge watching the latest true crime series, playing on my Nintendo switch or visiting friends.
Why is content marketing important in a digital marketing strategy?
Kim: Bringing your brand to life with authentic storytelling is the first step to creating an engaging narrative. The people that work within your organisation and those who work with you, or engage with your business, are key to authentic storytelling. Combining this with technical SEO and elevating the core elements of a business brings the entire digital marketing strategy to life. Whether it’s an optimised website which you fuel with blogs and content, social media, email marketing, video, PPC or PR, it all helps achieve this goal.
How do SEO and PPC help a business achieve its goals?
Amy: SEO is a process that allows your website to be found in Search Engines. This is achieved by targeting keyword phrases related to your business. It can grow your online presence organically and help you obtain high ranking results in Search Engines. By targeting these keyword phrases you can dominate the search results with your offering, pushing your competitors further down the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS) and (hopefully) converting new enquiries and more business compared to them.
Pay Per Click (PPC) is paid advertising, which boosts those businesses that haven’t quite got to page one in the SERPs organically. Depending on your bid budget, PPC can push you to the top of page one without having to do lots of background SEO work. Your PPC ads are fully customisable, so you can target specific words and audiences which you feel are best suited to your business or a service offering. PPC is particularly useful for helping businesses achieve their goals in a competitive market.
