Beyond Aesthetics: The Overlooked Elements of SEO in Website Development
When it comes to building a website, the focus is often placed on design, user experience, and functionality—and while these are essential components, search engine optimization (SEO) is what ensures a site’s visibility and long-term success.
SEO isn’t just about keywords and backlinks; it extends into site structure, technical elements, metadata, and accessibility. Many seemingly small details, often overlooked in the web development process, play a critical role in search rankings, user engagement, and website performance.
In this guide, we will take an in-depth look at essential yet frequently neglected SEO factors that impact a site’s ability to rank, perform efficiently, and offer a seamless user experience.
1. Heading Hierarchy: Structuring Content for Readability and SEO
One of the most overlooked yet fundamental aspects of SEO is proper heading hierarchy. Headings are not just about making content look visually appealing; they provide search engines with a structured outline of the page’s content.
Understanding Heading Hierarchy (H1-H6)
Headings range from H1 to H6, with H1 being the most important and H6 the least significant.
• H1 (Main Title): Each page should have only one H1, which clearly defines the page’s purpose and content. The ideal length for an H1 is between 30-60 characters.
• H2 (Subheadings): These serve as main section dividers. Every H2 should introduce a core topic or key point related to the H1.
• H3-H6 (Supporting Headings): Used for subsections within an H2. They further break down information for clarity and readability.
Common Mistakes in Heading Hierarchy
• Using multiple H1 tags on the same page, which confuses search engines and reduces SEO effectiveness.
• Skipping heading levels, such as going from H1 to H3 without using H2.
• Using headings for visual design only rather than structuring content logically.
Why This Matters for SEO
Google can still index a page with improper heading structures, but a well-organized hierarchy improves accessibility, readability, and rankings. Proper headings help search engines better understand content while making it easier for users to scan the page.
2. The Importance of Meta Titles and Meta Descriptions
Meta titles and descriptions are often treated as afterthoughts, but they play a major role in click-through rates (CTR) and search rankings.
Meta Titles: The First Impression in Search Results
A meta title (or title tag) appears as the clickable headline in search engine results.
Best Practices for Meta Titles:
• Keep it between 50-60 characters to avoid truncation.
• Include primary keywords naturally without keyword stuffing.
• Make it compelling—a strong title encourages higher CTR.
Meta Descriptions: Summarizing Your Page’s Purpose
A meta description appears below the title in search results, providing a short summary of the page.
Best Practices for Meta Descriptions:
• Keep it between 150-160 characters.
• Incorporate relevant keywords but focus on readability.
• Write it like an ad copy—entice users to click.
Why Metadata Matters for SEO
Google does not directly rank pages based on meta descriptions, but a strong meta title and description can increase CTR, which indirectly impacts rankings.
3. Image Optimization: Speed, Performance, and Accessibility
Images are often the biggest contributors to slow-loading websites. Proper optimization ensures a balance between visual appeal and fast performance.
Best Practices for Image Optimization:
• Keep file sizes below 100 KB whenever possible.
• Use WebP format instead of PNGs or JPEGs for better compression.
• Include alt text for accessibility and SEO benefits.
• Enable lazy loading to delay off-screen images until they’re needed.
Common Mistakes:
• Uploading high-resolution images without compression.
• Forgetting to add alt text, which helps search engines understand image content.
• Using generic file names like “IMG_12345.jpg” instead of descriptive names like “corporate-video-production.jpg.”
Why Image Optimization Matters for SEO
Google prioritizes page speed as a ranking factor. Slow-loading pages experience higher bounce rates, leading to lower rankings. Optimized images improve user experience and search visibility.
4. URL Structure: Creating Clean, Readable Links
URLs should be short, descriptive, and easy to understand for both users and search engines.
Best Practices for SEO-Friendly URLs:
• Keep URLs short and relevant (e.g., /video-production-services instead of /page?id=58239).
• Use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_).
• Avoid unnecessary numbers, dates, or repetitive slugs.
Common Mistakes:
• Using long, confusing URLs with excessive parameters.
• Creating duplicate URLs across different pages.
• Forgetting to redirect old URLs, causing broken links and 404 errors.
Why This Matters:
A well-structured URL helps search engines index content efficiently and improves user experience.
5. Indexing and Canonicalization: Controlling How Search Engines Read Your Site
Not every page on your website should be indexed by search engines. Proper indexing prevents duplicate content issues and ensures search engines only rank important pages.
Best Practices for Indexing:
• Use robots.txt files and meta tags to block irrelevant pages (e.g., admin pages, thank-you pages).
• Set canonical tags for pages with duplicate or similar content.
• Check Google Search Console to monitor indexation and resolve errors.
Common Mistakes:
• Forgetting to set canonical tags, leading to duplicate content penalties.
• Accidentally allowing private pages to be indexed.
• Not auditing Google’s index coverage report to fix crawl issues.
Why This Matters:
A properly indexed site ensures only valuable pages appear in search results, preventing SEO dilution and duplicate content penalties.
6. SEO Audits: Identifying and Fixing Hidden Issues
Most web developers focus on design and functionality but do not conduct in-depth SEO audits. Many technical issues can go unnoticed, preventing a website from reaching its full potential.
Best Practices for SEO Auditing:
• Run an SEO audit with tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog.
• Identify duplicate content, broken links, and indexing issues.
• Monitor website speed and performance with Google PageSpeed Insights.
Why This Matters:
Regular audits prevent SEO problems before they become major issues, ensuring long-term site health.
Final Thoughts: SEO is More Than Just Keywords
A website isn’t truly optimized unless every detail—big or small—is accounted for. SEO extends beyond basic content and metadata into technical structure, site performance, and user experience.
By focusing on:
✔ Proper heading hierarchy
✔ Optimized meta titles and descriptions
✔ Fast-loading, high-quality images
✔ SEO-friendly URL structures
✔ Indexing control and canonicalization
✔ Regular SEO audits
…businesses can build a website that ranks well, engages users, and performs efficiently.
SEO isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. The better optimized your website is from the start, the greater the results over time.
The Power of Consistency and Predictability in Social Media and Ad Campaigns
In the world of social media marketing and content creation, many video production companies and freelancers fall into the trap of selling virality rather than focusing on what truly drives business success—consistency, predictability, and quality.
While viral content can be exciting, it is also unpredictable and unreliable. For businesses, stability and brand alignment are far more valuable than fleeting moments of internet fame. Instead of chasing the one-in-a-million viral hit, production companies should position themselves as trusted partners that deliver consistent, high-quality content that speaks directly to the brand’s identity and ideal customers.
Why Selling Virality is a Losing Strategy
Many small businesses and production companies offer social media packages with the promise of viral content—but this is a fundamentally flawed approach. Virality is:
• Unpredictable: No one can guarantee a post will go viral, regardless of strategy.
• Unsustainable: Even if a post gains massive traction, it’s difficult to replicate long-term.
• Unfocused: Viral content often attracts broad, temporary attention, but does it bring in real customers?
Major brands like Hyatt Hotels, Starbucks, Sprouts, or Winn-Dixie don’t structure their marketing efforts around going viral. Instead, they invest in consistent, high-quality content that aligns with their brand values, company guidelines, and customer expectations.
What Clients Actually Need: Predictability and Quality
Brands and businesses—large and small—need content they can rely on. Whether it’s for social media, ad campaigns, or traditional marketing, the goal should be to:
• Strengthen the brand’s visual identity with high-quality, on-brand content.
• Speak directly to an ideal client profile, ensuring the right people see and engage with the content.
• Remain consistent across multiple platforms, from organic social media to paid advertisements on Google, LinkedIn, or TV.
By focusing on predictable and scalable content, businesses can build a recognizable, authoritative presence instead of relying on the luck of virality.
The Role of High-Quality Content in Brand Growth
Rather than chasing quick wins, content creators and marketers should focus on enhancing the quality of content to create:
• Polished, professional visuals that elevate the brand’s perceived value.
• Consistent messaging and themes that reinforce brand identity.
• Engaging storytelling that speaks to the ideal customer profile over time.
This approach creates long-term growth, loyal customer engagement, and a reliable marketing strategy that isn’t dependent on the unpredictable nature of viral content.
Integrating Consistent Content Into Ad Campaigns
Content should not only live on social media but also be leveraged in paid ad campaigns for maximum reach and effectiveness. A strong content strategy should include:
• Google Ads – Using branded videos and images that align with company messaging.
• LinkedIn Ads – Targeting professional audiences with consistent, brand-centric content.
• Social Media Ads (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.) – Featuring high-quality, strategically planned content that resonates with specific audiences.
• Traditional Media (TV, Billboards, Print) – Ensuring content remains brand-focused and recognizable across all channels.
What Production Companies Should Sell Instead
Instead of selling the hope of virality, video production companies and freelancers should position themselves as partners in long-term brand success. This means offering:
• A structured, repeatable content strategy instead of random one-off videos.
• On-brand, professional content that aligns with client expectations.
• A marketing plan that integrates content into a larger strategy, not just standalone social media posts.
By focusing on quality, consistency, and predictability, production companies can attract larger, higher-value clients—businesses that are looking for reliability over randomness.
Final Thoughts: Long-Term Success Over Short-Term Hype
Virality is a bonus, not a strategy. Businesses need consistent, high-quality content that speaks directly to their audience and aligns with their brand values.
By focusing on predictability, consistency, and quality, production companies can:
• Deliver results that clients can trust.
• Attract serious, high-value brands.
• Build long-term partnerships instead of chasing one-time projects.
At the end of the day, brands don’t need luck—they need a strategy. And that strategy is built on deliberate, well-executed, and consistent content.
Attention to Detail: The Golf Mindset in Work and Marketing
Success in any field—whether it’s golf, marketing, or business leadership—is the culmination of small, intentional decisions. It requires focus, perseverance, and adaptability. Every action, no matter how minor, plays a role in the final outcome.
In golf, we play 18 holes—18 opportunities to succeed or fail. Each shot requires careful planning, execution, and adjustments. The same principle applies to marketing and business: we set a goal, create a strategy, execute, analyze, and refine—all while playing the ball where it lands.
The First Shot: Preparation and Execution
Golf starts at the tee box, just as every marketing campaign starts with research and planning. Before taking the shot, we:
• Analyze the lay of the land – Understanding the distance, terrain, and obstacles ahead.
• Determine the best strategy – Choosing the right club, stance, and swing based on experience and conditions.
• Eliminate distractions – Narrowing in on one clear goal: getting the ball where it needs to go.
Similarly, in marketing, the process begins with understanding the business, the competitors, and the market landscape. We analyze:
• Who the audience is (demographics, psychographics, behaviors).
• What the goals are (brand awareness, lead generation, conversions).
• How to execute (keywords, targeting, ad copy, visuals).
A golfer takes everything they’ve learned from lessons, practice, and past experience and applies it to their first shot. A marketer does the same—using data, trends, and creative insight to launch a campaign.
Playing the Ball Where It Lands
Once the shot is made, one of two things happens:
1. It goes exactly where planned. The swing was smooth, the alignment was correct, and the ball is perfectly positioned for the next shot.
2. It lands somewhere unintended. The wind carried it off course, the angle was slightly off, or an unexpected factor came into play.
This is the moment that separates professionals from amateurs. In golf and marketing, there are no do-overs. You can’t take the ball back to the tee box. You must play it where it lands.
A marketing campaign is the same way:
• Sometimes, everything aligns—the ad performs, the engagement is high, and ROI is achieved.
• Other times, it doesn’t go as planned. The ad underperforms, the messaging doesn’t resonate, or external factors affect results.
The only thing that matters next is the adjustment.
Adapting the Next Shot: Refining and Course Correcting
In golf, when a shot goes off course, you don’t panic—you problem-solve. You reassess, reframe, and focus on getting back on track. The same applies in business and marketing.
When a campaign underperforms, you don’t scrap everything—you refine it.
• Analyze what went wrong. Was the targeting off? Was the messaging unclear?
• Make data-driven adjustments. Change the ad copy, reposition the offer, or tweak the audience targeting.
• Execute the next shot with precision. Use insights from the first attempt to increase the chances of success.
In both cases, perseverance is key. No golfer quits after one bad hole, and no successful marketer gives up after one failed ad. Every misstep is a lesson.
The Bigger Picture: 18 Holes, Many Decisions
An entire round of golf consists of 18 holes, just like a business career is a series of projects, campaigns, and decisions.
• Some holes will be played perfectly. The shots align, and the strategy is executed flawlessly.
• Others will be a struggle. A bad start, unexpected setbacks, or external conditions make it difficult.
• But the game isn’t won or lost in one hole. It’s about how well you adapt over time.
At the end of the round, your final score is determined by how well you played the full game, not just a single moment. Similarly, in business, your success is built on how you manage wins, failures, and adjustments along the way.
Final Thoughts: Mastering the Art of Adjustment
The key to success—whether in golf, marketing, or leadership—is a commitment to attention to detail, quick adaptation, and continuous improvement.
• Focus on one shot at a time. Narrow in on what needs to be done right now.
• Learn from every shot. Whether it lands perfectly or goes off course, take insight from the result.
• Adjust in real time. There’s no going back, but there’s always an opportunity to refine the next move.
• Play the full 18 holes. Don’t judge success based on one moment—commit to the long game.
At the end of the day, success isn’t about perfection—it’s about adaptation. The more you refine your swing, your strategy, and your mindset, the more consistently you’ll achieve your goals—on the course and in business.
Understanding Competitive Positioning in the Commercial Video Production Industry
The Reality of Competition in Video Production
In every industry, competition defines the marketplace. It determines pricing, influences branding, and establishes the expectations for quality and service. In the world of commercial video production, this competitive landscape is becoming more polarized, particularly when analyzing the upper, middle, and lower tiers of production companies.
While the upper-class firms solidify their standing and lower-class freelancers fight their way in, the middle-class production companies are facing the greatest challenges—a reality that threatens their existence. Understanding who your competition is, why they are your competition, and where you stand in the industry is critical for long-term success.
The Three Tiers of Commercial Video Production
Upper-Class Production Companies: The Established Giants
At the top of the commercial video industry sit the production companies handling Fortune 500 brands, global corporations, and major advertising agencies. These companies have:
• A defined style that is recognizable and trusted.
• Premium pricing that reflects their high-level quality and production value.
• Long-term industry relationships that ensure repeat business.
• Scalable business models with teams, infrastructure, and polished workflows.
The upper-class production companies aren’t competing with the middle or lower class because they operate in an entirely different sphere. Their clients seek elite-level results and high-touch service, often at six- or seven-figure budgets.
Lower-Class Production Companies: The Disruptors
On the other end of the spectrum, entry-level filmmakers and small production teams are aggressively pushing into the industry. This segment thrives because:
• They are hungry and willing to work for less to build their portfolio.
• They over-deliver on value in an effort to attract more clients.
• They leverage technology and online communities to quickly gain knowledge and skills.
• They are pricing aggressively low, often undercutting middle-class competitors.
These smaller teams are not yet refined, but they are highly adaptable. Many of them will either fail, pivot, or grow into the middle-class tier. But in the process, they create pricing pressure and force established companies to justify their higher rates.
The Struggles of the Middle-Class Production Companies
The middle class—the companies working with SMBs (small-to-medium businesses)—face the biggest existential challenge. These companies are typically five to seven years old and are dealing with major struggles in:
• Pricing – They can’t price too low, or they’ll be outbid by lower-class freelancers, but they can’t price too high, or they’ll be compared to upper-class companies.
• Style – They may not have a signature style yet, making them less recognizable in the marketplace.
• Market Positioning – They lack the resources of upper-class firms but need to offer more professionalism and quality than the lower class to justify their pricing.
Many middle-class production companies fail at this stage because they either:
1. Drop prices to compete with lower-class freelancers, which reduces profitability.
2. Try to elevate pricing to compete with the upper class, but lack the infrastructure or experience to deliver at that level.
3. Fail to develop a strong brand identity, making them forgettable in a crowded market.
The Merit of How You Do Things Matters More Than What You Do
Blaise Pascal once wrote, “It is not the thing you do. It is the merit in which the thing you do is done.”
This statement is a key insight for middle-class production companies struggling to differentiate themselves. At the end of the day, every class—upper, middle, and lower—can provide the same technical services. A lower-tier filmmaker can shoot a corporate video, just as an upper-class production company can. The distinction isn’t what you do but rather how you do it.
For middle-class companies that are still defining their style and struggling with pricing, the best competitive advantage they can cultivate is excellence in execution. This means focusing on:
• Customer Satisfaction – Delivering a client experience that exceeds expectations.
• Customer Retention – Turning one-time clients into long-term partners.
• Pre-Production Process – Making the planning and creative development phase seamless.
• On-Site Professionalism – Ensuring that every shoot is organized, efficient, and stress-free.
• Post-Production Communication – Keeping clients informed and engaged during edits and revisions.
While style and pricing can be competitive battlegrounds, merit is not. A production company that develops a reputation for professionalism, reliability, and strong relationships will always have an advantage.
How to Survive and Thrive in the Middle Market
1. Define and Own Your Style
One of the primary reasons middle-class companies struggle is because they lack a clear, recognizable style. Clients trust brands they can identify instantly—whether that’s a high-gloss commercial look, a documentary-style approach, or cinematic storytelling.
If a middle-class company can develop a signature aesthetic that differentiates them, they stand a greater chance of attracting and retaining a loyal client base.
2. Strategic Pricing: Finding the Sweet Spot
The key to survival is understanding value-based pricing rather than simply matching competitors’ prices. Instead of competing on cost, middle-class production companies should focus on:
• Specialized expertise – Develop niche industry knowledge (e.g., healthcare, real estate, tech startups).
• Process efficiency – Offer fast turnaround times to compete with lower-tier competitors.
• Scalability – Develop tiered pricing models to accommodate different budget levels while maintaining profitability.
3. Market with Authority and Confidence
Middle-class companies must project expertise, trust, and reliability to differentiate themselves from new, inexperienced competitors. This can be done by:
• Showcasing case studies to highlight results, not just the final video.
• Building relationships with repeat clients, ensuring steady work.
• Educating clients on the value of professional production, emphasizing ROI.
A middle-class production company that positions itself as an authority will stand out in a field filled with generalists.
Final Thoughts: Knowing Your Competition, Knowing Yourself
To succeed in any competitive landscape, you must understand who your competition is, why they are competing with you, and how you can position yourself effectively.
• If you’re in the upper class, your competition isn’t the lower market—it’s about maintaining exclusivity and quality.
• If you’re in the lower class, your goal is to prove your value, build your portfolio, and climb into the middle class.
• If you’re in the middle class, you face the biggest risk—but also the greatest opportunity to differentiate, refine, and scale.
The best strategy for middle-class production companies is to improve upon how they do things, not just what they do. By delivering superior client service, reliability, and execution, they can develop a competitive edge that neither price nor style alone can provide.
Ultimately, businesses are not just judged on their final product, but on how well they handle every interaction leading up to and following that final product. Those who prioritize merit, efficiency, and client experience will be the ones that survive—and thrive.
The Power of Swift Decision-Making in Business and Marketing
In business, the ability to make quick, high-accuracy decisions is one of the most valuable skills a leader can develop. Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or executive, people look to you for direction—expecting you to have the answers, even in uncertain moments.
The reality is, waiting too long to decide is often worse than making the wrong decision. When faced with uncertainty, the best approach is to act swiftly, course correct if needed, and refine in real-time. This is how businesses stay competitive, how leaders inspire confidence, and how marketing campaigns remain effective in fast-moving environments.
Decisiveness and Adaptability: The Amazon Model
A company that embodies speed and adaptability better than almost any other is Amazon. From same-day shipping to instant customer service resolutions, everything Amazon does is built around immediacy and action. But their commitment to speed isn’t just external—it’s deeply embedded in their decision-making culture.
Jeff Bezos has famously advocated for a “disagree and commit” philosophy—where decisions are made quickly, even when not everyone is fully aligned, because delaying action costs more than the occasional wrong choice. Bezos believes that most decisions should be made with 70% of the information you wish you had. If you wait for 100%, you’re already too late.
This approach mirrors what Amazon does for customers:
• Need something fast? Amazon ships it overnight.
• Ordered the wrong item? Keep it—we’ll send you a new one.
• Want to cancel? Done instantly.
Amazon doesn’t waste time deliberating over whether the customer experience should be fast—it simply acts fast and fixes issues later.
In the same way, business leaders should make decisions swiftly and refine in real-time. Marketing strategies, sales outreach, and internal business moves should prioritize execution first and optimization second.
Speed in Marketing: Keeping Prospects Warm
Decisiveness isn’t just a broad business strategy—it’s also a powerful marketing principle. Consider the common scenario of a prospect asking for more information about your service during a meeting.
-
The prospect asks for details about your service.
You send the information immediately during the meeting or within minutes after.
The prospect feels valued, prioritized, and confident in your ability to execute.
They remain engaged and move quickly toward becoming a client.
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The prospect asks for details about your service.
You wait a few days (or worse, weeks) to respond.
In that time, they lose interest, forget the urgency, or find another provider.
The prospect goes cold, making conversion much harder.
A hot prospect today can turn into a lost opportunity tomorrow—simply because the response was too slow. Your ability to execute in real-time is a direct reflection of your commitment to serving your customers. Speed builds trust, momentum, and conversions.
The Balance Between Speed and Precision
Making quick decisions does not mean reckless decision-making. Instead, it means:
Gathering enough information (not all information) before acting.
Trusting your experience and intuition while being open to adjustments.
Empowering your team to make decisions quickly and take ownership of execution.
Actionable Takeaways for Leaders
Make decisions with 70% of the information you’d like to have. Perfect information is a luxury—act before you have it all.
Prioritize action over perfection. Small mistakes can be corrected; lost time cannot.
Respond to prospects and customers instantly whenever possible. Speed builds trust.
Course correct in real-time. Be ready to adapt based on feedback and new data.
In the world of business and marketing, speed is a competitive advantage. If you can make decisions quickly, act on them confidently, and adjust as needed, you will always stay ahead of those who hesitate.
At the end of the day, a good decision made today is better than a perfect decision made too late.
Denying Yourself in Marketing: A Biblical Perspective
Putting the Audience First
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells His disciples:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23, ESV)
A similar command appears in the Gospel of Mark:
“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” (Mark 8:34, ESV)
For Christians, these verses speak to the necessity of surrendering personal desires, ambitions, and inclinations in pursuit of something greater—the will of God. This act of self-denial calls believers to remove their own preferences and submit fully to Christ’s mission. But what if this principle also applied to our work in marketing?
The Self-Denial of Marketing
Marketing, at its best, is not about what we as marketers personally like, prefer, or feel. It is about creating campaigns that speak to the intended audience, not ourselves. Just as followers of Christ are called to put aside their own wants to serve a higher purpose, marketers must put aside their own preferences to serve the audience's needs.
When crafting advertisements, writing copy, or producing content, it can be tempting to infuse personal bias—using styles, tones, or messaging that resonate with us individually rather than what appeals to the target audience. However, effective marketing requires the denial of self in favor of understanding the audience’s preferences, emotions, and intuitive responses. Just as Christ calls His followers to think beyond themselves, marketers must think beyond their personal intuition.
Removing Personal Bias: The Role of Data
In faith, we deny ourselves by placing trust in God’s plan rather than our own impulses. Similarly, in marketing, we deny ourselves by relying on data-driven decision-making rather than personal assumptions.
Rather than assuming we know what an audience wants, we turn to:
Demographic Data – Understanding age, location, and purchasing behavior.
Psychographics – Knowing their interests, values, and pain points.
A/B Testing – Removing assumptions and testing variations of marketing messages.
User Behavior Analytics – Tracking how audiences interact with content.
This approach ensures that we are marketing for the audience, not for ourselves. Just as believers are called to surrender their fleshly inclinations for a divine mission, marketers are called to surrender their personal preferences in favor of a campaign that will truly resonate with those they aim to reach.
Creating for Others, Not Ourselves
Denying ourselves in marketing means bearing the responsibility of creating strategies that truly serve the intended audience—even when it contradicts our personal creative inclinations.
A copywriter may prefer a poetic, elaborate tone, but the audience might respond better to concise, direct messaging.
A designer might love modern, edgy aesthetics, but the target market may prefer simplicity and familiarity.
A video producer may favor long, artistic narratives, but data may show that short, punchy ads convert better.
Denying ourselves in marketing means surrendering our personal preferences for what actually works—not for us, but for those we serve.
Marketing with a Higher Purpose
In faith, self-denial leads to a life aligned with Christ’s purpose. In marketing, self-denial leads to campaigns that align with the needs, emotions, and desires of the audience. When we strip away our own biases and lean into what the data and audience tell us, we create more powerful, effective, and impactful marketing.
Just as Jesus calls His followers to set aside their personal desires to follow Him, we as marketers must set aside our personal preferences to follow what truly works for the audience. In doing so, we craft messages that don’t just sell a product, but connect, inspire, and serve.
The Balance of Reason and Intuition in Marketing
Marketing and the Doctrine of Chance
“Two extremes: to exclude reason, to admit reason only.”
Marketing is, at its core, a balance of reason and intuition. Blaise Pascal, in his Pensées, reflects on the dangers of absolutes: "Two extremes: to exclude reason, to admit reason only." This paradox speaks directly to the world of marketing, where the interplay between data-driven strategy and creative intuition defines success. Marketers who rely solely on data may lose the human element of storytelling, while those who trust only intuition risk making decisions detached from measurable insights. The best marketing minds operate at the intersection of both.
The Fallacy of Extremes in Marketing
Too often, marketers fall into one of two extremes—excluding data in favor of intuition or excluding intuition in favor of data. Both approaches are flawed. Consider a brand launching a new campaign. A data-only marketer might analyze customer behavior, click-through rates, and conversion metrics to determine the best approach, but without intuition, the message may lack emotional resonance. Conversely, a purely intuition-based marketer may craft a compelling story but fail to measure its effectiveness, leading to wasted resources.
Pascal warns against absolute certainty, writing: "It is not certain that it is, but who will venture to say that it is certainly possible that it is not?" This uncertainty is central to marketing. We do not know, with absolute certainty, how an audience will react, but we act on probability and patterns. Data gives us visibility into past behaviors, while intuition allows us to interpret, adapt, and create based on that information.
The Role of Data in Marketing Decisions
Data is the backbone of marketing. It tells us what works, who our audience is, and how past strategies have performed. In a sense, data is our reason—it provides logic and structure to decision-making. Through analytics, A/B testing, and predictive modeling, we extract insights that help guide strategic direction.
However, data has limitations. It tells us what happened but not always why it happened. This is where intuition becomes indispensable. Numbers can reveal patterns, but intuition is required to uncover the deeper human motivations behind those patterns. A spike in website traffic, for instance, may be the result of a viral trend rather than a refined marketing campaign. Without intuition, marketers may misinterpret the data and optimize in the wrong direction.
The Role of Intuition in Marketing
Pascal suggests that we must act in the face of uncertainty: "We ought to work for an uncertainty according to the doctrine of chance." This is the foundation of intuition in marketing. Great marketers have an instinctive understanding of their audience that goes beyond numbers. They recognize cultural shifts, emotional triggers, and unquantifiable factors that influence decision-making.
Some of the most successful marketing campaigns in history were driven by intuition. Think of Apple’s minimalistic advertising or Nike’s emotional storytelling. The data may not have predicted their success in advance, but intuition—fueled by experience and creativity—played a pivotal role in their impact.
The Marketer’s Mind: Seeing and Understanding
Pascal writes about perception: “ all these persons have seen the effects, but they have not seen the causes. They are, in comparison with those who have discovered the causes, as those who have only eyes are in comparison with those who have intellect.” This speaks to the dual nature of marketing. As marketers, we must not only recognize the effects of our campaigns through data but also perceive the hidden causes behind them. A great marketer has the ability to sense a shift in audience behavior before the data confirms it. They see beyond the numbers and understand the human psychology at play.
By integrating reason and intuition, we create a holistic marketing strategy that is both structured and adaptable. We trust the data, but we also trust our instincts. We analyze trends, but we also anticipate changes. We measure success, but we also feel its impact.
Conclusion: Marketing as an Art and a Science
Pascal’s reflections remind us that absolutes do not serve us well. Marketing is not a field of certainty—it is a field of probability, perception, and adaptability. Success comes from a balanced approach where data informs our intuition and intuition refines how we interpret data.
Marketers are both scientists and artists. We study, we measure, we experiment—but we also create, we feel, and we trust in the unseen forces that drive human behavior. When we learn to merge these two forces, we move beyond mere tactics and into true marketing mastery.
The Straight Line
Knowing What’s Good Before Calling Something Crooked
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how did I get this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he first has some idea of straight.” This reflection on morality, justice, and understanding serves as a profound lens through which we can examine advertising and marketing.
In marketing, we often encounter moments where something feels “off.” It could be a poorly written ad, a jarring billboard, or an uncharacteristic call to action. But how do we know it’s “off”? What are we comparing it to when we call it wrong, ineffective, or even unethical?
Lewis’ insight offers a powerful lesson: We only recognize the crooked because we have an innate sense of the straight.
Recognizing the Crooked in Advertising
Consumers are keenly aware when something in marketing feels out of place or misaligned with their expectations. A tone-deaf campaign, an overused and stale sales pitch, or a misleading call to action—these moments stand out distinctly because they stray from what we intuitively recognize as “right” or “good.” For example, a poorly designed billboard may fail to capture attention effectively because it lacks clarity, direction, or a specific purpose. Clickbait advertisements may temporarily draw immediate traffic but ultimately leave viewers feeling deceived, thereby creating a sense of distrust in the brand. Meanwhile, generic or overly impersonal copy can feel hollow and insincere, alienating audiences who crave genuine authenticity in any communication. In each of these scenarios, the core issue lies in a significant deviation from what is perceived as “good” advertising—advertising that is clear, honest, engaging, and aligned with the values and expectations of the audience.
““The straight line is not measured based on your perception or anyone else’s perception.””
Defining the Straight Line in Marketing
When we set out to create marketing campaigns, our job is to understand what the “straight line” looks like for our audience. This straight line isn’t subjective or arbitrary—it’s rooted in fundamental principles of clarity, trust, and value. As Glenn Scrivener writes, “The straight line is not measured based on your perception or anyone else’s perception.” In marketing, this means speaking truthfully—whether in copy, imagery, or messaging, advertising must be grounded in honesty. Misleading claims might yield short-term results, but they lead to long-term distrust. It also requires creating clarity, as a straight line is unambiguous; good advertising is clear, simple, and easy to understand, while confusion is the hallmark of the crooked. Finally, it’s about prioritizing value—good marketing isn’t about shouting the loudest but about demonstrating how a product or service genuinely improves lives. The straight line always aligns with the audience’s needs and desires, ensuring trust and impact.
The Effort of Knowing What’s Good
C.S. Lewis reminds us that recognizing the straight line requires effort, and in marketing, this means taking the time to deeply understand your audience—what they value, what they need, and what will truly resonate with them. It also involves refining your messaging to ensure that every campaign reflects clarity, trust, and value before it goes out into the world. Beyond that, it’s essential to examine your intentions—are you crafting this ad to help, inform, or inspire, or is it simply to sell? Goodness in marketing isn’t accidental; it’s the result of thoughtful preparation, alignment with values, and a commitment to excellence.
Straight vs. Crooked in Practice
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Crooked Copy: “Hurry! Only 2 left in stock!” (when it’s not true)
Straight Copy: “Order today to ensure delivery before the holidays.”
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Crooked Messaging: “We’re the best—just trust us!”
Straight Messaging: “Here’s how we’ve helped businesses like yours grow.”
Why the Straight Line Matters
When marketing efforts stray from the straight line, they may achieve temporary success but often at a significant cost. Misleading or exaggerated messaging quickly leads to a loss of trust, as audiences are keenly aware of inauthenticity. Crooked campaigns also tend to have reduced impact, failing to create meaningful connections that resonate over time. Ultimately, such practices damage a brand’s reputation, eroding credibility and making future engagement more challenging. In contrast, when we take the time to define and follow the straight line, our marketing efforts build trust through honesty and clarity, fostering long-term loyalty. Straight messaging not only creates value by highlighting tangible benefits but also inspires action, encouraging audiences to engage with brands that align with their values.
““A man does not call a line crooked unless he first has some idea of straight.””
A Final Reflection
When we create marketing campaigns, we’re not just throwing ideas into the world. We’re shaping perceptions, building relationships, and, ultimately, influencing decisions. To do this effectively, we must take the time to understand what good looks like.
Before we critique our advertising—or anyone else’s—we must first define what good marketing truly is. Only then can we create campaigns that align with our values, resonate with our audience, and stand the test of time.
Let’s commit to the straight line in marketing. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s right.
dylan’s Blog:
Each post unpacks ideas from marketing, literature, and human behavior—bridging timeless wisdom with modern insights. Whether analyzing digital trends, refining creative strategy, or exploring deeper questions, this blog is a space for curiosity, critical thinking, and practical application.