Quack the Algorithm

  By: The Chief Honker at Quack the Algorithm — marketing so smooth, we could sell sunscreen in January Ahhh, summer in Canada. The patios are open, the tourists are confused, and every small business owner is thinking the same thing: “How do I make more sales without being glued to my laptop while everyone else is out having a Caesar on a dock?” Friend, let me introduce you to your new best friend: automated marketing — the loyal, data-driven wingman you didn’t know you needed. While you’re off enjoying sunshine and dodging mosquitos the size of Volkswagens, automated marketing is back at the office in its little robot bowtie, charming leads, sending emails, and following up like the overachiever it is. What the Heck is Automated Marketing, Anyway? Think of automated marketing as the ultimate multitasker. It’s like that one friend who somehow organizes camping trips, makes killer potato salad, AND answers every group text — but instead of being annoying, it drives yo...

  By: The Chief Honker at Quack the Algorithm — proudly squawking the truth from both billboards and bandwidth Let’s be honest, folks. In the great marketing wilderness of the 21st century, we’ve all been taught to worship at the altar of digital. SEO! PPC! CPMs! Hashtags! Pixels that follow you around the internet like a clingy ex! But today, I come to you with a bold, perhaps heretical message: Sometimes, traditional advertising still kicks digital’s algorithmic butt. Yes. I said it. And no, I’m not writing this on a typewriter while sipping a Tab. I’m still a proud digital marketer — but I’m also Canadian, which means I tell the truth even when it’s inconvenient... and I say "sorry" while doing it. The Secret Sauce of Traditional Advertising? You Can’t Scroll Past It. Let’s paint a picture. You’re driving down the Bedford Highway. The sun is shining. A breeze rolls in off the harbour. And BAM — there it is: a massive billboard advertising a local dentist w...

  By: The Chief Honker at Quack the Algorithm, where we believe in strategic marketing, sincere results, and semi-regular caffeine-fuelled existential crises Let’s get this out of the way: content for content’s sake is about as useful as a snowblower in July. Sure, it technically does something — but it’s not doing the thing you actually need. Here at Quack the Algorithm , we’ve seen it all. Blogs that go on longer than a Maritime goodbye. Instagram captions that sound like a motivational poster taped to a breakroom fridge. And let’s not even talk about that time someone thought posting 47 LinkedIn articles in one week was a “strategy.” Newsflash: It’s not just about making content. It’s about making content that converts — and choosing channels that actually connect with your audience. Otherwise, you’re just screaming into the digital void, and even the void is like, “Yikes.” So What the Heck is “Content That Converts”? Glad you asked, curious Canadian (or honorar...

  By: The Chief Honker at Quack the Algorithm, where we market harder than a seagull fights for a french fry on the Halifax waterfront Ah, Halifax in the summer. The patios are full, the tourists are wandering in slow, unpredictable zigzags, and every business within a five-block radius is selling something with lobster in it. It’s glorious. But do you know what’s not glorious? Your local SEO. Yeah, I said it. If your business is still rocking the same crusty meta descriptions and outdated Google Business profile from last fall, friend… it’s time for a summer refresh. And not just the kind with lemon and vodka. But I’m Already On Google. Isn’t That Enough? That’s adorable. Listen, being “on” Google is like saying, “I have a boat” when it’s actually a pool noodle with ambition. It’s not enough to just exist . You have to show up — and not just when someone searches your exact business name while standing outside your storefront. Local SEO is how you get found when s...

  By: Chief Honker at Quack the Algorithm, Canada’s #1 Goose-Themed Marketing Brain Trust Let’s get one thing straight: if I had a toonie for every time someone told me their campaign was “super successful” because it got 100 likes on Instagram, I’d have enough money to buy a lifetime supply of Timbits and retire to a lake with good Wi-Fi. Look, likes are nice. They're like polite nods at a Canadian potluck — encouraging, but not exactly commitment. What we want is ROI — Return on Investment — or, as I like to call it, “Results Over Impressions.” (Catchy, right? Trademark pending.) So let’s dive into the frosty waters of marketing metrics and finally answer the age-old question: Are we actually getting results, or are we just popular among bots and our moms? First Off, What Is ROI in Marketing? Glad you asked, fellow maple-syrup-powered entrepreneur. ROI is the money you make back from the money you spent, but in marketing, it’s also the impact of your time, energy, a...

  By: The Chief Honker at Quack the Algorithm, your friendly neighbourhood Canadian marketing firm Let’s cut the crap, eh? As the proud owner of a marketing firm nestled somewhere between a Tim Hortons and a moose sanctuary (okay, maybe not that close), I’ve seen every marketing trend come, go, and occasionally return with a slightly different haircut and a new LinkedIn bio. From “synergy” to “disruption” to whatever the heck “growth hacking” was supposed to be (still unclear if we were hacking growth or just hacking at it with a rusty spoon), I’ve heard it all. And I’m here to tell you that buzzwords don’t build brands . Strategies do. And maple syrup. But mostly strategies. Step 1: Know Your Audience (and No, “Everyone” is Not an Audience) If I had a loonie for every time a client told me their target market was “everyone,” I’d have enough to buy a new canoe and paddle straight into Lake Disappointment. Your product is not for everyone. My Uncle Gary still uses a flip ph...