Interview with Dani Martindale

Please welcome our next woman professional, Dani Martindale, and her PPC career story. Dani is the Director of Digital Marketing at Mannix Marketing. 🌼

 

 

Share the story of how you first got into PPC?

My first experience with PPC was as an in-house marketer at Saratoga Horseworks, an equine blanket manufacturer. As a one-woman marketing team, I was able to test out multiple strategies, including Google Ads, to improve sales and visibility. First I started with search ads, then eventually moved onto shopping ads, and even dabbled with some YouTube ads. I was very lucky to have had an open-minded employer who encouraged me to stretch and improve my skills.

What was the proudest moment of your PPC career?

My proudest moment thus far was winning the Best Interactive Marketing Award for the Health & Beauty Category for our client Eddy Senior Living. It was a team effort involving both SEO and PPC strategies. The result was a 27% increase in website traffic and an outstanding 1,248% increase in conversions, which translated into a 159% increase in sales/occupancy. It was an honor not only to win the award but more importantly, knowing that my efforts on their PPC campaigns made a huge difference for their business.

Do you struggle with maintaining a healthy work-life balance?

I am very lucky that Mannix Marketing is a company that cares about its employee’s work-life balance. That being said, I don’t think there is anyone in this industry that doesn’t struggle to maintain that balance. I’ve fielded several calls from the back of a horse throughout my career. It’s all about being flexible, finding the right balance, and making it work.

Have you ever experienced any problems or challenges as a PPC because you’re a woman?

I have been very fortunate in that my gender has never presented any barriers as a PPC strategist.

Have you ever had any advantages or benefits as a PPC because you’re a woman?

I would consider this group to be a benefit! I love that this group encourages women to collaborate, share their experiences, and learn from each other.

Are there any differences in how you’re treated as a female by clients?

I think clients judge a woman’s appearance more than they do a man’s, which can make zoom calls a bit more stressful for this particular no-frills woman. At the end of the day though I try not to get too wrapped up in appearance and let my expertise speak for itself.

Has a client ever underestimated you because you’re a woman?

I don’t think my gender has ever come into play, or if it has I was never aware of it. I think my age has been more of a factor. I still consider myself fairly young (and I look even younger thanks to my mom’s youthful genes) so sometimes you have to work a bit harder to prove yourself, and even more so if the client has already been burned by other PPC agencies in the past.

If you could wave a magic wand and change something in the PPC world, what would it be?

Being able to view all search terms! I am still so frustrated by that change.

What about being a PPC do you enjoy the most?

I love that PPC is the perfect mix of working the creative and analytical sides of your brain. I also love that the results are so easily measured. There is no question as to whether or not your campaigns had a positive impact on your client (or at least there shouldn’t be). It’s nice being able to look at the data and see all your hard work pay off.