I’ve been managing Websites and digital marketing for large, digital-dependent organizations like Capella University, the Minnesota Twins, and MLB.com for more than 15 years. I’ve also built digital businesses for mid-size companies like Computype, and built Websites for small businesses and organizations.
Through those engagements, I’ve built a broad experience suite of skills in the digital space, including high-level digital strategy leadership, Website rebuild projects, SEO & SEM, Web analytics, social media integration and strategy, and content management, both internal and consumer-generated.
I’m uniquely equipped to lead or contribute to a variety of digital marketing projects and I have three specific areas of focus for my Web consulting practice:
- Medium-size, digitally advanced businesses that need help with their digital ecosystem leadership or a specific Web project
- Startup companies that don’t have staff to build the digital marketing part of their business
- Small businesses that need help using their Website, social media, and email marketing to drive business
My business is based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, but most of my work can be done remotely, so I also serve clients in Northern Minnesota and Southern Minnesota as well. If you know someone who is looking for contract digital marketing help, contact me at kris@north40digital.com.
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Principal
North 40 Digital, Andover, MN, June 2014 – Present
Digital Marketing Leadership and Analysis
Digital strategy and analysis or project work for digitally advanced businesses without the long-term staffing commitment, including:
Digital strategy and analysis or project work for digitally advanced businesses without the long-term staffing commitment, including:
- Audit of your current digital operations
- Digital ecosystem strategy and management
- Search engine optimization strategy and tactics
- Lead generation strategy and execution
- Social media integration strategy, tactics, and analysis
- Maximize effectiveness of your online reviews
- Any aspect of your Web site redesign
- Usability studies and user research
- Web site testing and optimization
- Web site analytics, tagging, and analysis
- Change management process creation and execution for digital content
- Day-to-day content management
Digital Partnership for Startup Organizations
Contract services for startup companies that don’t have staff to build the digital marketing part of their business, including:
Contract services for startup companies that don’t have staff to build the digital marketing part of their business, including:
- Digital business strategy development and execution
- Search engine optimization strategy and tactics
- Lead generation strategy and execution
- Social media integration strategy, tactics, and management
- Leadership of Website build project
- Usability studies and user research
- Day-to-day content management
- Change management process creation and execution for digital content
- Brand protection/Legal/Trademark issues
- Domain strategy and management
- Interactive media strategy
- Video production and analysis
- Digital brand expression strategy and management
Online Marketing for Small Businesses
Consulting services to help small businesses use their Website, social media, and email marketing to drive business, including:
Consulting services to help small businesses use their Website, social media, and email marketing to drive business, including:
- Enhancing and updating the content on your Website
- Website Hosting and backup
- Improving your listings in Google, Bing, Yahoo, online directories, etc.
- Building/updating social media pages: (Yelp!, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google Business Listing, etc.)
- Maximize effectiveness of your online reviews
- Tagging online content to be able to track visitors
- Monthly reporting for Website traffic and search rankings
- Domain strategy, management, and renewal
- Video production and analysis
- E-mail Marketing
- Copywriting
- Basic eCommerce setup and management
Manager of Digital Strategy
Computype, St. Paul, MN, June 2012 – May 2014
- Strategic and operational leadership for all digital business assets at Computype.
- Led extensive site redesign project, using an external agency. Responsible for all aspects of redesign project including strategy, usability testing, research, architecture, design, content management, analytics, and performance.
- Plan, build and execute Website tailored for European (UK) market (http://www.computype.co.uk).
- Strategy, architecture planning, and content translation resourcing for sites for German, Spanish, and French languages.
- Day-to-day content management of public-facing Websites, using Sitecore.
- Built and executed search engine optimization (SEO) and paid search (SEM) plans that led to a 25% traffic increase.
- Managed and maintained social sites used for business, marketing and lead generation.
- LinkedIn, YouTube Channel, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Yelp!
- High-level strategic leadership for user experience and user paths on all digital properties.
- Management, training, and execution of email marketing platform and analytics.
- Develop and manage annual Web Site marketing plan and manage $200,000-$500,000 budget.
- Manage relationships with internal content owners, brand, Marketing, Customer Service, Sales, and IT.
- Selection, resourcing, and management of external agencies and contractors.
- Built full analysis system to track traffic and conversion on digital properties using Google Analytics.
- Product management ownership for all public digital content, including architecture, photography, copy, video, and forms.
Marketing Manager – Online
Capella University, Minneapolis, MN, September 2006 – May 2012
Product Management and Team Leadership
- Strategic and operational leadership for all public Web properties for Capella University.
- Product management ownership for all public digital content, including architecture, photography, copy, video, and forms.
- High-level strategic leadership for user experience and user paths on all non-advertising digital properties.
- Develop and manage annual Web Site marketing plan and manage $400,000-$1.2 million budget.
- Manage relationships with internal content owners, brand, Web development, interactive design, and IT. Direct management responsibility for online project managers and search marketing manager.
- Led extensive site redesign project, using an external agency. Responsible for all aspects of redesign project including strategy, usability testing, new branding, research, architecture, design, content management, analytics, and performance.
- Led project to rebrand all Web properties in 2011.
- Domain strategy and management for more than 400 domains.
- Teamed with legal department to lead removal of more than 50 negative brand Web sites and 100+ negative search listings.
- Led project to build mobile site for public Web content (www.capella.edu/mobile)
- Strategic leadership and integration planning for emerging digital technologies like online video, podcasts, webinars, and Social Media.
- Selection and management of online marketing agencies, search marketing agencies, and contractors.
Analytics
- Built full analysis system to track traffic, engagement and conversion on public digital properties.
- Incorporated analysis into process for all Web projects to evaluate projects and build knowledge base.
- Led Omniture implementation projects for Site Catalyst, Test & Target, Discover, Genesis, and Site Search.
- Nominated to Adobe Digital Marketing Customer Advisory Board and have served that role since 2009.
Business Management and Analysis
- Develop and execute strategic plans for site performance growth, including usability, brand expression, lead generation, and conversion improvement.
- Created Inside Capella video series and site (www.insidecapella.com) to humanize a fully online institution.
- Created and launched proprietary comment functionality tool that is the first of its kind in the education space, leading to a 7% improvement in lead rates and a 9% decline in bounce rates.
- Led implementation of Live Person Chat installation resulting in a 37% increase in chats and a 114% increase in leads from chat as a source.
- Incorporate plan, test, measure, expand culture to Web site properties. Define and execute measurement plan for site performance metrics, lead strategic decisions based on results.
- Led project to create market-focused community Web sites to establish leadership in priority markets.
- Led two advanced optimization studies with external agency to evaluate site performance of our new site.
- Led ongoing qualitative and quantitative usability analysis to continuously improve site performance.
Associate Marketing Manager – Online
Capella University, Minneapolis, MN, April 2004 – September 2006
- Created comprehensive Web site change management process, resulting in aligned ownership of site content and a streamlined ability to keep Web site fresh, current, and reflective of the organization’s objectives.
- Manage search engine marketing efforts for public Web properties, increasing first-page listings by 500%, traffic by 150%, and conversions from search by 300%.
- Led internally managed site redesign project. Responsible for all aspects of redesign project including strategy, usability testing, new branding, research, architecture, design, content management, analytics, and performance.
- Manage all content for site, including architecture, photography, copy, video, forms, and more than 150 domains.
- Manage relationships with internal content owners, Web development team, interactive design, and IT.
- Led two advanced optimization studies with external agency to evaluate site performance. Also led ongoing qualitative and quantitative usability analysis to continuously improve site performance.
Web Producer
Capella University, Minneapolis, MN, September 2003 – April 2004
- Create and maintain comprehensive mini-sites for specific communities of practice.
- Develop and create a new mini-site for Capella’s residential colloquia.
- Develop and maintain relationships with several business owners to deliver up-to-date, compelling content.
Web Content Developer
Analysts International, Edina, MN, April 2002 – September 2003
- Create Intranet portal sites for Analysts International’s business practices and office locations.
- Write, edit and produce marketing-oriented literature for Analysts International’s public Web site.
- Generate content for Analysts International’s public Web site and Intranet sites, including overall design and usability, text, graphics, forms, and images.
Site Manager
Major League Baseball Advanced Media, New York, NY, November 2000 – February 2002
- Participated in five-person committee responsible for migrating all 30 Major League team Web sites to MLB.com’s platform; served as the pilot site for the entire project.
- Responsible for all day-to-day operations of the Official Minnesota Twins Web site.
- Created all content for site, including graphics, photos, editorial text, schedules, order forms, etc.
- Wrote feature articles and game stories for both Twinsbaseball.com and MLB.com.
- Maintained relationships with front office and baseball personnel, as well as MLB staff in New York in order to obtain information necessary to keep the site updated with timely, fan-oriented information.
- Hired personnel for Twinsbaseball.com and trained staff on feature writing, image creating and usage, coding procedures, and the organization’s content management system.
Internet Communications Coordinator
Minnesota Twins Baseball Club, Minneapolis, MN, June 1999 – October 2000
- Responsible for all day-to-day operations of the Official Minnesota Twins Web site.
- Created all content for site, including: graphics, photos, editorial text, schedules, order forms, etc.
- Wrote feature stories and articles; edited and published stories written by guest columnists.
- Maintained relationships with both front office and baseball personnel in order to obtain information necessary to keep the site updated with timely, fan-oriented information.
- Researched, negotiated, and implemented external features into the site (YahooBroadcast.com, Baseball Live!, Live Metrodome Cam, etc.)
- Prepared reports detailing monthly traffic and Online Pro Shop sales.
Copywriter
Ludlow Advertising, Bloomington, MN, April 1999 – June 1999
- Wrote recruiting-focused advertising copy for a variety of clients.
- Concepted and executed advertising strategies and campaigns.
Web Designer/Copywriter
Innuity.com, Minneapolis, MN, June 1997 – April 1999
- Wrote copy for and helped plan Innuity.com’s corporate communications materials, including: corporate Web site, advertisements, welcome packets, and Intranet site.
- Created strategy, copy, and layout of Web sites for small businesses.
Bachelor of Science in Advertising: May 1997. Graduated Magna Cum Laude with a 3.58 GPA
St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN, 1994–1997
Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism & Mass Communications
- American Advertising Federation – Coordinated the National Student Advertising Competition. Directed, organized, and presented an integrated marketing campaign for Pizza Hut.
- Advertising Internship – Hatling & Thomas Ltd., St. Cloud, MN.
Bachelor of Science in Marketing: May 1997. Graduated Magna Cum Laude with a 3.58 GPA
St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN, 1994–1997
College of Business, American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business
- American Marketing Association – Responsible for copy, editing, layout, design, advertisements, corporate sponsors, printing, distribution, fund raising, and promotion of the Marketer, the organization’s quarterly newsletter.
- Marketing Internship – Bankers Systems Inc., St. Cloud, MN.
Request a Quote
I engage with clients on both a project and retainer basis. Please contact me today to discuss the details of your project and get a quote.