Finally!

Me (holding the flower) with many of my family members during our daughter's dedication at church (that's Ray, our pastor, in the background).

Welcome to my blog! There may not be much yet, but I have many posts in mind to help you navigate the world of digital marketing and communications. But, let’s get some housekeeping out of the way first…

Who are “you”?

Well, anyone who might be reading this blog. But, many of my posts and resources will be specifically for small- to medium-sized businesses, including family-owned, looking for help on how they can use the Internet to market their business. And, since many non-profits operate like small businesses, this might help you, too.  Or, maybe you’re in a larger organization that has yet to venture into the world of digital marketing or at least email and/or social media marketing. This could help you, as well.

What is “digital marketing and communications”?

Digital = New Media = Online = Interactive and so on…

I’ll try to remain consistent and always refer to the subject area as “digital” but you’ll probably hear these other terms used interchangeably. As for what this all means, it refers to the use of digital media, particularly the Internet, in the fields of marketing and communications. In fact, it is the Internet that has blurred the line between marketing and communications (check out David Meerman Scott‘s The New Rules of Marketing and PR), where marketing is no longer just about advertising, but actually communicating with your public and engaging in real, honest conversations.

As for the particular strategies embraced in the field, they usual fall into the following categories: website design/development; search engine marketing, including both search engine optimization (organic search) and paid per click advertising (PPC); email marketing; social media marketing; and mobile marketing. Most of my posts will focus on email and social media marketing, as well as integrating digital marketing/communications into an overall marketing program. I will probably touch on the others from time to time. (If you’re looking for good information on mobile marketing, check out our local mobile superstar, Eric McCormick, at http://mccormickmobilemedia.wordpress.com/.)

Who is Allyson Robison?

If you arrived here through a search engine or another external source and we’ve never met, cool! Let me know how you got here. In the meantime, you can read a brief bio on my “about” page or visit my consulting site, robison-consulting.com, to learn more about my background in digital marketing and communications (and in general), as well as some of the consulting services I offer. But, here’s a sneak preview:

Allyson Robison is a digital marketing and communications consultant. In her “spare” time, she is also a mom/wife/Christian/wine-enthusiast/gardener/traveler and anything else that comes along.

Again, welcome to allysonrobison.com and I hope you enjoy our many journeys together.