The smart way to get ahead online? Simply work backwards

Digital giants such as Google and Facebook have thousands of points of information about each and every one of us, says entrepreneur Karl O’Brien of digital marketing firm Effector.ie Karl advises firms on how to put this information to best use. And he says those that can develop their online business can do very well even during lockdown, when his company doubled its turnover.

Do Irish companies lack digital media marketing savvy?

Many businesses don’t know what the digital media landscape well enough. They might share social media content, create blog posts or have some sort of email newsletter, but they don’t understand how these activities actually lead back to sales.

Is this a total game-changer? How does it work?

Starting with some smart business goals is always the best way to begin. From here, we can work backwards to understand the exact amount of social media views, website visits or products added to cart are needed to achieve that goal. This is always a massive eye-opener. Once we know what these numbers are and there is a quality product or service behind it, we have the strategies to achieve those goals.

What are the most common digital marketing mistakes?

One of the biggest is bombarding customers with too many messages. Brands who are thriving are providing value before asking for something in return. Another common error is not investing in quality design, photos, or videos. Creating eye-catching content will give a reason for that potential customer to stop scrolling.

How many points of information would, say, Google and Facebook have on us?

It’s actually in the thousands. Most Facebook ads would work based on the information we’d set manually in our social media accounts, location, age, gender and interests.

What is being done lately to improve privacy?

Apple have introduced some new privacy features in the latest version of iOS, which forces users to opt in manually. I think this is a great move as those who don’t benefit from this targeting can opt out and those who do want to see ads more tailored to their interests and past purchases can do so in an informed way.

Google and Facebook have been slammed for the level of fraud they allow in ads. Google, for example, says it took down nearly 6 billion bad ads in 2019 and 2020. But should they be allowed to put them up in the first place?

It’s a big issue. Luckily most of these manipulative ads are taken down during the initial approval process but there’s a lot more that they could do. More identity verification for advertisers would be a big help, to make sure it’s very clear who is running ads and the incentives they might have, not just for political ads.

As consumer watchdog Which? pointed out, scammers can use Google and Facebook analytics to target people who are mentally unwell or elderly couldn’t they?

Regulation may need to be introduced at some point. In our eyes, the more that Facebook and Google can do to tackle harmful and manipulative content, the more opportunity there is for Irish business with quality products and services to promote.

What did your parents teach you about money?

Developing good habits around money. I’ve never been materialistic or wasteful for that reason.

Do you invest or have a pension?

Yes, an investment account and a pension as of this year. I’m 25 now, but when I was 19, a manager in a big bank didn’t take me seriously when I tried to get one started, so I missed out on some compound interest there.

What was the first paid work you ever did?

It was some graphic design work for an Australian architectural firm through a freelancing website called Elance. I was probably 13, so luckily didn’t have to pick up the phone, otherwise it would’ve been an unusual conversation!

What is your biggest money mistake?

Managing cashflow in the business in the first few years. It’s a common one for a lot of start-ups, especially those like ourselves that haven’t raised investment.

The best money decision you have made?

Automating my finances – saving anything I can at the start of the month and living on less is a quick win that takes the decision-making out of saving.