Interview with an Expert: Digital Marketing

Digital marketing moves fast. New platforms emerge, algorithms change, and how people consume content keeps evolving. But while the tools may change, the goal remains the same: reaching the right audience with the right message at the right time.

For the latest installment of our Interview with an Expert series, we sat down with Lyndi Kenna, Digital Marketing Manager at Cheyenne International, to talk about building a strong online presence and what businesses should keep in mind as they plan for the future.

Q: Digital marketing covers a lot of ground. What does a strong digital strategy look like today?

Lyndi: A strong digital strategy starts with knowing your audience and understanding what you want them to do. It’s easy to feel like you need to be everywhere, but being on every platform doesn’t necessarily mean you’re reaching the right people. The best strategies are intentional. Your website, email marketing, social media, and digital content should all work together to support the same overall goals. Each channel may serve a different purpose, but the experience should still feel consistent.

Q: What is one of the biggest digital marketing mistakes you see businesses make?

Lyndi: Trying to do too much without a clear purpose behind it. There’s always a new platform, trend, or tactic to try, and it can be tempting to jump on everything. Before investing time or resources into something new, ask: Who are we trying to reach? Why are we using this channel? What do we want the audience to do next? If you can’t answer those questions, it may not be where your focus needs to be.

Q: How important is a company’s website in its overall marketing strategy?

Lyndi: Your website is still one of your most important digital assets because you control it. Social media platforms and algorithms can change, but your website is your home base. It should quickly tell visitors who you are, what you offer, and where they should go next. It also needs to be easy to navigate and up to date. You can have great marketing that drives people to your website, but if they get there and can’t find what they need, you’ve lost an opportunity.

Q: Where does email marketing fit into the mix?

Lyndi: Email remains valuable because it lets you communicate directly with an audience that has already shown interest in your business. The key is relevance. Not every person on your email list needs every message. Segmentation, personalization, and automation can help businesses deliver content based on who the recipient is, what they’re interested in, and where they are in the customer journey.

Q: What role should social media play for a business?

Lyndi: Social media gives businesses a chance to show more of the people and personality behind the company. It shouldn’t just be another place to push out advertisements. Consider LinkedIn… some of the strongest content can be the simplest. Highlighting employees, sharing what’s happening behind the scenes, recognizing customers or partners, offering useful industry information, or showing what your team is doing in the field. People connect with people. Giving your audience a look at the human side of your business can go a long way.

Q: With so much content competing for attention, how can businesses stand out?

Lyndi: Focus on being useful instead of simply creating more content. Think about the questions your customers regularly ask, the challenges they face, or the information they need to make decisions. Those conversations can become blogs, emails, social posts, videos, or other resources. You don’t always need a completely new idea. One strong piece of content can often be repurposed across several channels and presented in different ways.

Q: How should businesses measure whether their digital marketing is working?

Lyndi: It depends on the goal. Likes and impressions can tell you something, but they don’t always tell the whole story. Look at the actions that matter to your business. Are people clicking through to your website? Making a purchase? Filling out a form? Responding to an email? Are they taking the next step you wanted them to take? The most useful metrics are the ones tied back to the objective you set in the first place.

Q: AI has quickly become part of the marketing conversation. How do you see it fitting into digital marketing?

Lyndi: AI can be a great tool for marketers, especially when it comes to brainstorming, organizing ideas, analyzing information, or finding efficiencies in everyday tasks. But it still needs the human element. Your team knows your customers, your industry, and your brand in a way a tool doesn’t. AI can help you work faster, but there should always be someone behind it making sure the final product sounds like your business and serves your audience.

Q: What digital marketing trends are you paying attention to moving forward?

Lyndi: Personalization and automation will continue to become more important, especially as businesses have access to more customer data and better technology. I also think audiences are looking for content that feels more authentic and less polished for the sake of being polished. Businesses that understand their audience, communicate consistently, and create content with a clear purpose will be in a strong position regardless of which platforms or trends come next.

Q: What is your best advice for a business looking to improve its digital marketing?

Lyndi: Start with what you already have. You don’t necessarily need a brand-new website, another social platform, or a huge marketing budget. Look at your existing channels and ask where you can make the experience better. Update outdated website content. Clean up your email lists. Look at what content performs well. Make sure your calls to action are clear. Small improvements made consistently can add up to a much stronger digital presence over time.