This interview is with Joshua Kimmes, CEO at Bear North Digital.

 

Joshua Kimmes, CEO, Bear North Digital

Joshua, could you tell us a bit about your journey to becoming a growth marketing expert? What sparked your interest in this field?

My journey into growth marketing began when I was just 15 years old, starting with selling various items on eBay. This experience ignited a passion for the diverse skills required in the digital marketplace, such as photography, copywriting, and digital marketing strategies. I was particularly fascinated by how effective keyword optimization could directly impact sales and visibility. This early exposure laid the foundation for my career, motivating me to delve deeper and master the nuances of digital and growth marketing. It’s truly my passion to help grow businesses through marketing efforts.

 

What are some of the biggest milestones you’ve encountered in your career as a growth marketer?

One of the biggest milestones in my career as a growth marketer was founding Bear North Digital. Transitioning from freelancing to establishing a full-scale, growth-oriented marketing agency was both a challenging and exhilarating leap. This move allowed me to apply a broad set of skills on a larger scale, impacting a wider array of businesses and really scaling my abilities beyond just my own efforts.

 

Another significant milestone was when we landed our first six-figure project for a website build-out. The trust and responsibility placed in my team and me were both daunting and validating. It marked a pivotal moment where Bear North Digital solidified its reputation in the digital marketing space.

 

Additionally, the implementation of advanced digital marketing tools and courses significantly transformed our operations and expanded our service offerings. This was not just a milestone but a transformation that enabled us to enhance our ability to analyze, optimize, and deliver even more effective campaigns for our clients, while also streamlining our internal processes.

 

Each of these milestones has profoundly shaped my approach to growth marketing, continuously driving me to innovate and improve our strategies and offerings.

 

Many readers are eager to break into the world of growth marketing. What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out in this field based on your own experience?

For those looking to break into growth marketing, my key piece of advice is to focus on mastering one skill or vertical at a time. The field of digital marketing is vast and can be overwhelming with its variety of tools, platforms, and strategies. By narrowing your focus, you can develop deep expertise in specific areas before expanding your skill set.

 

Start with a foundation in one aspect, whether it’s SEO, content marketing, social media, or paid advertising. Understand the fundamentals, experiment, see what works, and learn from what doesn’t. This approach not only makes the learning process more manageable but also allows you to build a strong base of knowledge that you can leverage as you explore other areas of growth marketing.

 

Remember, growth marketing is about iteration and optimization. Each skill you acquire adds another tool to your arsenal, enabling you to approach marketing challenges more effectively. So, take your time, be patient with your progress, and don’t rush the learning process. Success in growth marketing doesn’t come overnight, but with persistence and continuous learning, you can build a rewarding career.

 

You mentioned focusing on conversion rate optimization (CRO) in a previous answer.  Can you share an example of a successful CRO experiment you’ve run and the key takeaways that others could apply to their own websites?

One of the more impactful Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) experiments I conducted was for a large e-commerce tool retailer. The primary focus of this campaign was to enhance user experience by making significant modifications to the website’s navigation and product detail pages (PDPs). The goal was to make it easier for customers to find products and streamline the purchasing process.

 

Here’s a breakdown of what we did:

 

Navigation Redesign: We simplified the website’s navigation by categorizing products more intuitively. This helped reduce the time customers spent searching for products, which in turn decreased bounce rates and increased engagement.

 

Product Detail Page Optimization: On the PDPs, we implemented clearer and more compelling sales and promotional messages. We made sure that any discounts or special offers were prominently displayed, which helped in convincing customers of the value they were getting. We also streamlined the layout to reduce distractions and make the call-to-action (CTA) buttons more prominent.

 

A/B Testing: Throughout the campaign, we ran A/B tests to compare the new designs against the old ones. This not only validated our changes but also provided insights into customer preferences and behavior.

 

Key Takeaways:

User-Friendly Navigation Is Crucial: Simplifying navigation can significantly enhance the user experience. Customers should be able to find what they’re looking for with ease. When redesigning navigation, think from the user’s perspective or use data from user behavior analysis to guide your changes.

 

Clear and Compelling Offers on PDPs: Ensure that any promotional offers or key benefits are clearly visible on your product pages. Customers often make purchasing decisions on the PDP, so it’s crucial to communicate value effectively at this stage.

 

Test and Learn: Always use A/B testing when implementing major changes. This helps in understanding what works and what doesn’t, allowing you to make data-driven decisions that can significantly impact your conversion rates.

 

Holistic View: While the 13% increase in revenue was a significant success, it’s important to consider external factors that might have influenced these results. Always take a holistic view of the outcomes to understand the full impact of your optimizations.

 

This experiment not only improved the user experience but also provided valuable insights that could be applied across other segments of the site, reinforcing the importance of continuous testing and optimization in CRO.

 

SEO is a constantly evolving landscape. What’s one growth marketing strategy you’ve implemented to adapt to recent algorithm updates or search engine trends?

One of the core strategies I’ve implemented in response to the ever-changing landscape of SEO is focusing on the fundamental principle of prioritizing the user experience. This approach has proven effective time and again, especially with Google’s recent algorithm updates that increasingly reward content that truly satisfies user intent and engagement metrics.

 

Here’s how I approach this:

 

High-Quality Content Creation: I ensure that all content created is not only informative but also engaging, useful, and directly answers the questions users are asking. This aligns with Google’s emphasis on serving the most relevant and valuable content to its users.

 

Site Usability Enhancements: Enhancing website usability is a major focus. This includes improving site speed, mobile responsiveness, and intuitive navigation. These factors contribute significantly to a positive user experience, which Google recognizes and rewards in its rankings.

 

Regular Content Updates: Keeping content up-to-date is crucial. This involves regularly revisiting old content to update it with the latest information, statistics, and trends. This practice not only keeps your website current but also signals to search engines that your site remains a relevant and authoritative source.

 

Ethical SEO Practices: I strictly adhere to white-hat SEO techniques, avoiding any shortcuts or tactics that try to game the system. Search engines are becoming increasingly sophisticated at identifying and penalizing manipulative SEO practices, so maintaining ethical strategies ensures long-term benefits.

 

User Engagement Metrics: I pay close attention to user engagement metrics such as bounce rates, time on site, and pages per session. These indicators help identify what users find valuable and where improvements can be made. Enhancing these metrics often correlates with better search rankings.

 

Key Takeaway:

Adapting to SEO changes isn’t just about reacting to each new algorithm update. Instead, it’s about consistently applying best practices that focus on creating a high-quality user experience. This approach not only helps mitigate the impacts of algorithm changes but also builds a strong foundation that enhances visibility and drives organic growth. By focusing on what’s best for the user, you naturally align with search engines’ goals, making your website a favored candidate in search results.

 

Content marketing plays a crucial role in growth. How do you approach content creation to ensure it not only engages your target audience but also drives conversions and supports your overall growth goals?

My approach to content creation is holistic, focusing on aligning the content with both the interests of the target audience and the strategic goals of the business. Here’s how I break it down:

 

1. Audience Understanding:

The first step is deeply understanding the audience. This involves segmenting the audience and developing detailed personas that outline their challenges, needs, preferences, and behaviors. This ensures that the content we create resonates on a personal level, addressing specific pain points or interests that lead to higher engagement.

 

2. Strategic Alignment:

Every piece of content needs a purpose that aligns with broader business objectives. Whether it’s driving brand awareness, generating leads, or nurturing prospects through the sales funnel, each content piece should have a clear role within the marketing strategy. This strategic alignment ensures that our content efforts contribute directly to achieving business goals.

 

3. SEO Integration:

Content must be discoverable to be effective. Integrating SEO from the outset involves keyword research to identify what the target audience is searching for and then crafting content that optimizes for these terms. However, it’s not just about keywords; it’s about answering questions better than anyone else on the web, thereby improving the chances of ranking higher in search results.

 

4. Quality and Value:

The content must be high-quality and provide real value to the audience. This could mean educational blog posts, insightful videos, helpful guides, or engaging infographics that not only attract attention but also compel the audience to share and interact with the content. High-value content establishes credibility and authority, fostering trust with the audience.

 

5. Diverse Content Formats:

Different members of the audience may prefer different types of content. By diversifying content formats—ranging from articles and blogs to podcasts, webinars, and videos—we cater to various preferences, which helps in reaching a broader audience and enhancing engagement across different platforms.

 

6. Call to Action:

Every content piece should have a clear, compelling call to action (CTA) that guides the audience on what to do next. Whether it’s subscribing to a newsletter, downloading a whitepaper, or contacting sales, CTAs convert audience engagement into actionable outcomes that drive business growth.

 

7. Measurement and Optimization:

Using analytics to measure the effectiveness of content is crucial. This involves tracking metrics like page views, bounce rates, engagement rates, and conversion rates. Analyzing these metrics provides insights into what’s working and what’s not, allowing for continuous optimization of content strategies based on data-driven decisions.

 

By focusing on these areas, content marketing becomes a powerful tool not just for engaging the audience but also for driving meaningful business results. It’s about creating a seamless integration between great content and strategic business objectives, ensuring every piece of content contributes to the growth and success of the business.

 

With so many marketing channels available, how do you prioritize and allocate resources effectively? What factors do you consider when deciding where to focus your growth marketing efforts?

Prioritizing and allocating resources across marketing channels begins with aligning strategies to business goals and understanding where the target audience is most active. Budget considerations also play a critical role, as some channels may offer more cost-effective solutions than others. I heavily rely on performance data to guide decisions, focusing on channels that have historically provided the best ROI. Adopting a test-and-learn approach allows for experimentation and quick adaptation to new trends and platforms, ensuring agility in our strategy. Competitive analysis also informs our choices, helping to identify both saturated and underserved channels. Ultimately, the integration of efforts across channels enhances overall effectiveness, making our marketing both comprehensive and adaptable to rapid changes in the digital landscape.

 

Data analysis is essential for measuring success. What are your go-to metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of your growth marketing campaigns, and how do you use these insights to iterate and improve?

In growth marketing, my approach to evaluating campaign effectiveness is highly tailored to each client’s specific needs and objectives. The metrics I focus on can vary greatly, but generally include key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, cost per acquisition (CPA), return on ad spend (ROAS), and engagement rates for more brand-focused campaigns.

 

I place a strong emphasis on developing comprehensive dashboards that provide real-time insights. This allows not only for continuous monitoring but also enables quick adjustments to strategies based on data-driven evidence. These dashboards integrate data from various sources, offering a holistic view of how different channels and campaigns contribute to the overall goals.

 

Using these insights, I iterate and optimize campaigns continuously. By analyzing trends, anomalies, and patterns in the data, I can make informed decisions about where to allocate resources more effectively, which strategies to scale, and which areas need a revised approach. This ongoing process of testing, learning, and refining helps ensure that our marketing efforts are not just reactive but proactively aligned with changing market dynamics and client objectives.

 

Looking ahead, what emerging trends or technologies in growth marketing are you most excited about, and how do you see them shaping the future of the industry?

I’m particularly excited about the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) within the field of growth marketing. AI is becoming increasingly integrated into various marketing tools, significantly enhancing their capabilities. This integration is not just about automation or efficiency; it’s about enabling deeper insights, more personalized customer interactions, and more strategic decision-making processes.

 

AI’s role in predictive analytics, for example, allows us to anticipate customer behaviors and preferences with a level of accuracy that was previously unattainable. This can transform how we approach everything from content personalization to customer journey optimization. Moreover, AI-driven tools are revolutionizing areas like SEO and customer segmentation, making these practices more dynamic and responsive to real-time changes in market conditions.

 

The future of growth marketing, shaped by AI, will likely see marketers spending less time on manual tasks and more time on strategic activities that leverage AI insights to drive growth. As AI continues to evolve, its potential to enhance creative processes and foster innovative marketing strategies will undoubtedly make it a central element in the growth marketing landscape. This shift not only promises to elevate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns but also allows marketing teams to focus on what they do best—creating compelling, engaging, and value-driven interactions with their audiences.

 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you for the opportunity to share my insights! Should you have any more questions or require a deeper understanding of certain strategies or tools, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. My passion is fueled by helping businesses flourish, and we’re here to assist you at every step of your journey.

 

Additionally, I believe a fundamental aspect of my success has been adopting a give-back mentality. In every interaction and relationship, I focus first on how I can provide value to others. This approach not only fosters meaningful connections but also, quite often, leads to reciprocal benefits down the line.