Why We Avoid the Term “Digital Marketing Expert”

We’ve spent over $162 Million on Google Ads for our clients since 2002, generating anywhere from a 3x – 20x ROAS. On Facebook and other ads platforms in the last 20 years, we’ve spent well over $1 Billion.

Before founding BlitzMetrics, I used to run Analytics at Yahoo!, where my job was to protect the search engines from malicious actors. In other words, if anyone is an “expert” in digital marketing and SEO, it should be me.

Here’s the problem: The term “expert” is often thrown around loosely. Particularly from marketers who’re trying to sell you some program. 

We deliberately avoid this term because what truly matters is a deep understanding of the topic rather than simply being technically skilled in any specific tool. The distinction is crucial: knowledge and comprehension of underlying principles take precedence over the ability to manipulate a particular platform or software.

Understanding vs. Technical Skill

Everyone who works on your business should understand the goals, content, and targeting (GCT) of your business. This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often misunderstandings in objectives destroy otherwise easy projects.

For example, imagine a graphic designer who is exceptionally talented at creating visually stunning logos. They have a strong portfolio showcasing their ability to design intricate, modern logos with vibrant colors and creative typography.

A small business owner hires this designer to create a logo for their new line of organic baby products.

The designer, confident in their skills and who’s used to creating logos for energy drinks, produces a logo that is bold, colorful, and visually striking—something that would stand out on any shelf.

However, when the business owner sees the design, they’re disappointed. The logo doesn’t align with the brand’s image of being gentle, natural, and trustworthy. The business owner wanted a softer, more minimalist design that would resonate with parents looking for safe, natural products for their babies.

In this case, the designer’s failure wasn’t due to a lack of talent or skill but rather a misunderstanding of the business owner’s goals and the target audience. The designer focused on creating something that looked amazing by industry standards but missed the mark because they didn’t fully grasp the brand’s values or the emotional connection the business wanted to establish with its customers. 

We call this the #1 VA Mistake, which is to work on a project without understanding its goals.

Nowhere is the #1 VA Mistake More Common Than With Digital Marketing

Someone a few days ago wanted to do “keyword research” on a local service business in a standard category for our client WireFox Electric. In this example it was for electricians, but it easily could have been plumbers, landscaping, dentist, etc…

I told them that “keyword research” is NOT necessary on a single location business. 

They’re all the same – thousands of electricians with the same keywords, intent, goals, content, etc– differing only by location and reputation. If you don’t make the #1 VA mistake (to not understand the business’ GCT), you’ll never need to do traditional keyword research ever again.

Consider a situation where a team member is tasked with managing a social media ad campaign. They might know how to set up ads, target demographics, and monitor analytics.

However, without understanding the broader strategy—such as how this campaign fits into the overall marketing funnel—they might optimize for the wrong metrics, like clicks instead of conversions, leading to wasted resources.

Another example involves content marketing. A writer might be technically skilled in SEO (Search Engine Optimization), crafting content that ranks well in search engines. But if they don’t understand the brand’s voice, audience needs, or how content supports the customer journey, their efforts might fall flat, failing to engage or convert readers.

Fortunately, local service businesses all have the same goals with their marketing: generate more high quality calls which translate into appointments.

How To Avoid The #1 VA Mistake: Active Listening

Active listening, another cornerstone of our approach, serves as a failsafe to ensure that this principle is understood. It’s not just about hearing what’s being said but fully comprehending and internalizing the message. This is particularly important when training virtual assistants (VAs), where miscommunication can lead to costly mistakes.

Imagine a client is meeting with a project lead about launching PPC campaigns for their business.

The client explains that failing to set up this campaign right could lead to wasted ad spend and that they want to prioritize quality call volume over vanity metrics like impressions or poor quality leads.

The client lead, preoccupied with working quickly and meeting deadlines, nods while the client is speaking but doesn’t fully engage with his concerns. Instead, the client lead responds with a generic acknowledgement like, “Thanks, good idea.” and quickly moves on to the next agenda item.

As a result, the client feels unheard and frustrated because his concerns were not genuinely considered or addressed. The project proceeds as planned, but, as the client feared, the rushed campaign wasn’t optimized for calls – causing hundreds of dollars in wasted ad spend.

The client lead’s failure to actively listen not only demoralized a client but also resulted in avoidable problems that could have been mitigated with proper attention and discussion.

How Do You Determine Competency?

When it comes to assessing someone’s competency in digital marketing, Learning by Doing (LDT) is a critical factor. For example, if you haven’t learned PPC (Pay-Per-Click) and successfully executed it yourself via Metrics, Analysis, Action (MAA), then there’s no way you can accurately gauge someone else’s competency in this area. Even with solid training and documentation, personal experience is irreplaceable.

Let’s say you’re tasked with evaluating a candidate’s ability to run a successful PPC campaign. Without having done it yourself, you might miss critical nuances that differentiate a mediocre campaign from a successful one.

It’s only through hands-on experience that you can develop the insight needed to assess others effectively.

This is true for every business, not just digital marketing. For example, there’s a reason why so many local service business owners like Nilson Silva of Master Touch Outdoor Living, used to work for another pool company before starting their own.

Your past experience of doing something repeatedly and successfully, gives you a lens to judge the performance of others.

In summary, the term “digital marketing expert” can be misleading because it often implies technical skill over strategic understanding. True competency in digital marketing requires a deep comprehension of the subject matter, active listening, and, most importantly, personal experience through Learning by Doing.

Without these elements, even the most technically proficient individual might struggle to achieve meaningful results.

Don’t look for “digital marketing experts”. Look for agencies and people who deeply understand your goals and have past success doing what they claim to do.