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Ask Distract

Ask Distract

By Distract

Welcome to Ask Distract , a podcast by the team at Distract, one of the fastest-growing advertising agencies in the UK. Take a listen and find out what's going on in the world of digital marketing and PR.

Each week we'll bring the most interesting subjects to the show, commenting on and discussing developments across the marketing spectrum. Expect deep explanations of key topics and how they affect you.
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Currently playing episode

SHOULD WE USE PERSONAL BRANDING IN B2B? | ASK DISTRACT | E:65 |

Ask DistractJan 05, 2021

00:00
02:05
SHOULD WE USE PERSONAL BRANDING IN B2B? | ASK DISTRACT | E:65 |

SHOULD WE USE PERSONAL BRANDING IN B2B? | ASK DISTRACT | E:65 |

In B2B markets, the contracts are often higher value, with a more thought out buying process. Connect and resonate with buyers by putting yourself out there as an expert in your field!

Jan 05, 202102:05
HOW DO FUNNELS WORK IN DIGITAL MARKETING? | ASK DISTRACT | E:64 |

HOW DO FUNNELS WORK IN DIGITAL MARKETING? | ASK DISTRACT | E:64 |

Educating your audience about your brand, and sometimes even your product, can often be key to unlocking a higher conversion rate. We asked the team how funnels can help with this, and how they can be used to deliver more conversions! 

Dec 29, 202003:01
HOW CAN WE DEVISE A DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGY? | ASK DISTRACT | E:63 |

HOW CAN WE DEVISE A DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGY? | ASK DISTRACT | E:63 |

With so many platforms, digital marketing options and varying specialisms within your marketing team, how can you even begin to devise a digital marketing strategy? We asked our team for some insight! 

Dec 22, 202002:27
HOW CAN WE UTILISE NEW PLATFORMS LIKE TIKTOK? | ASK DISTRACT | E:62 |

HOW CAN WE UTILISE NEW PLATFORMS LIKE TIKTOK? | ASK DISTRACT | E:62 |

Marketing Managers often ask us how to utilise new platforms like TikTok - with new platforms being released every other year, it can be hard to keep track! We spoke to our team about this, and here’s what they had to say!

Dec 15, 202001:30
HOW CAN WE KEEP MARKETING DURING A CRISIS? | ASK DISTRACT | E:61 |

HOW CAN WE KEEP MARKETING DURING A CRISIS? | ASK DISTRACT | E:61 |

A question that's been raised a lot recently is how brands can keep marketing during a time of crisis. We asked our team, and here's what they said!

Dec 08, 202003:05
SHOULD WE MAKE A PODCAST? | ASK DISTRACT | E:60 |

SHOULD WE MAKE A PODCAST? | ASK DISTRACT | E:60 |

Should your brand start a Podcast? We put this question to our team of marketers and here's what they said... 📣

Dec 01, 202002:03
HOW CAN WE MAKE CONTENT THAT MATTERS? | ASK DISTRACT | E:59 |

HOW CAN WE MAKE CONTENT THAT MATTERS? | ASK DISTRACT | E:59 |

You need to make sure your content is achieving your marketing aims - make content that matters! 🖋️📹

Nov 24, 202002:14
ARE BLOGS WORTH THE EFFORT? | ASK DISTRACT | E:58 |

ARE BLOGS WORTH THE EFFORT? | ASK DISTRACT | E:58 |

Marketing Managers often ask if maintaining the blog on their website is worth the effort - we asked our team, and here's what they said!

Nov 17, 202002:36
HOW CAN COPY BE USED TO INFLUENCE AUDIENCES? | ASK DISTRACT | E:57 |

HOW CAN COPY BE USED TO INFLUENCE AUDIENCES? | ASK DISTRACT | E:57 |

We asked our team how the copy in adverts can be used to influence audiences, and here's what they said!

Nov 10, 202004:08
HOW CAN WE STAY AHEAD IN MARKETING? | ASK DISTRACT | E:56 |

HOW CAN WE STAY AHEAD IN MARKETING? | ASK DISTRACT | E:56 |

How do you stay ahead in a race that never stops? Marketing Managers ask us how to stay on top of their competitors. We asked the team and this is what they said!

Nov 03, 202001:57
HOW CAN BE PR BE USED TO POSITION BRANDS? | ASK DISTRACT | E:55 |

HOW CAN BE PR BE USED TO POSITION BRANDS? | ASK DISTRACT | E:55 |

Marketing Managers often ask us how to use PR to position their brand in their market. We asked our team, and this is the advice they gave!

Oct 27, 202003:18
WHICH KEY CAMPAIGN METRICS SHOULD BE MONITORED? | ASK DISTRACT | E:54 |

WHICH KEY CAMPAIGN METRICS SHOULD BE MONITORED? | ASK DISTRACT | E:54 |

Getting data paralysis from your marketing campaigns? Marketing Managers ask us which key metrics they need to monitor. We asked the team, and this is what they said!

Oct 22, 202005:34
SHOULD YOU STOP ALL TRADITIONAL MEDIA SPEND? | ASK DISTRACT | E:53 |

SHOULD YOU STOP ALL TRADITIONAL MEDIA SPEND? | ASK DISTRACT | E:53 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. With the boom in digital, Marketing Managers ask us if they should stop their investment into traditional marketing altogether. We asked the team, and this is what they said.

Sep 25, 202005:23
WHAT CHALLENGES DO MARKETING MANAGERS FACE? | ASK DISTRACT | E:52 |

WHAT CHALLENGES DO MARKETING MANAGERS FACE? | ASK DISTRACT | E:52 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. We asked the team what challenges Marketing Managers face. Here’s what they said.

Sep 18, 202004:16
HOW DO I GET THE WIDER TEAM BOUGHT INTO MY STRATEGY? | ASK DISTRACT | E:51 |

HOW DO I GET THE WIDER TEAM BOUGHT INTO MY STRATEGY? | ASK DISTRACT | E:51 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. Struggling to get your wider team to buy into your marketing strategy? We asked our team how to get colleagues on board, and this is what they said.

Sep 11, 202003:05
HOW DO I CHOOSE WHICH CHANNELS ARE BEST FOR MY BUSINESS? | ASK DISTRACT | E:50 |

HOW DO I CHOOSE WHICH CHANNELS ARE BEST FOR MY BUSINESS? | ASK DISTRACT | E:50 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. Marketing Managers ask us which channel they should be advertising their businesses on. We asked our team, and this is what they said.

Sep 04, 202003:50
HOW MUCH BUDGET SHOULD I PUT INTO DIGITAL? | ASK DISTRACT | E:49 |

HOW MUCH BUDGET SHOULD I PUT INTO DIGITAL? | ASK DISTRACT | E:49 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. Businesses ask us how much money they should put into digital marketing. We put the question to the team, and this is what they said.

Aug 28, 202004:18
BEING LEAN IN MARKETING | ASK DISTRACT | E:48 |

BEING LEAN IN MARKETING | ASK DISTRACT | E:48 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. During this time, we know how hard it is for some businesses to continue to spend no their marketing, so here are some tips of the most creative ways of making the most of your marketing spend.

May 12, 202019:10
LEADERSHIP DURING CHAOS | ASK DISTRACT | E:47 |

LEADERSHIP DURING CHAOS | ASK DISTRACT | E:47 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. This week we talk about what life has been like at the agency, and how some of the heads of departments have been dealing with the current situation, and how they are keeping everyone in check.

May 05, 202014:44
TOP OF FUNNEL MARKETING | ASK DISTRACT | E:46 |

TOP OF FUNNEL MARKETING | ASK DISTRACT | E:46 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. This week, we talk about top of funnel marketing; what it is, how to utilise it, and the do's and don'ts.


Apr 28, 202016:49
SEARCH ADS TRAINING RESOURCES | ASK DISTRACT | E:45 |

SEARCH ADS TRAINING RESOURCES | ASK DISTRACT | E:45 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. During the current climate, it's a great opportunity to learn some new tricks. The search ads department discuss what they have been doing to keep their brains active, and what they've managed to learn over the last few weeks.

Apr 21, 202018:06
PR DURING A CRISIS | ASK DISTRACT | E:44 |

PR DURING A CRISIS | ASK DISTRACT | E:44 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. The PR team talk about how best to tackle PR in the current climate.

Apr 17, 202011:08
ADVERTISING DURING A RECESSION | ASK DISTRACT | E:43 |

ADVERTISING DURING A RECESSION | ASK DISTRACT | E:43 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. Is it a good idea? Would it work? Is it risky? Our team answers some of the frequently asked questions surrounding this topic.

Apr 07, 202021:41
MARKETING CHARITIES DIFFERENTLY | ASK DISTRACT | E:42 |

MARKETING CHARITIES DIFFERENTLY | ASK DISTRACT | E:42 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. Marketing different brands requires unique approaches. Charities have a lot of different options when it comes to marketing strategies, which we discuss on this podcast.

Mar 30, 202022:21
DEPARTMENTS WORKING TOGETHER | ASK DISTRACT | E:41 |

DEPARTMENTS WORKING TOGETHER | ASK DISTRACT | E:41 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. In this episode we talk to the team about how they are working as a team to continue to do their work, despite the current crisis. 

Mar 24, 202013:10
REPOSITIONING CAMPAIGNS | ASK DISTRACT | E:40 |

REPOSITIONING CAMPAIGNS | ASK DISTRACT | E:40 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. This week we talk to the team about the current climate, and how campaigns are being affected by the Coronavirus.

Mar 18, 202007:16
MARKETING A PRODUCT THAT DOESN'T RELATE TO YOU | ASK DISTRACT | E:39 |

MARKETING A PRODUCT THAT DOESN'T RELATE TO YOU | ASK DISTRACT | E:39 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. In this episode we talk to the team about what they do to market products that they can't relate to. It's hard to make ideas for campaigns when you aren't the target demographic for a certain product, and this is how the team deals with it.

Mar 10, 202012:32
IS TRADITIONAL DEAD? | ASK DISTRACT | E:38 |

IS TRADITIONAL DEAD? | ASK DISTRACT | E:38 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. This week we talk to the team about their thoughts on traditional media, and whether it has a place in modern society.

Mar 04, 202013:37
'BRANDING' BUZZWORD OR TRUTH? | ASK DISTRACT | E:37 |

'BRANDING' BUZZWORD OR TRUTH? | ASK DISTRACT | E:37 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

We love talking about branding here at Distract, but is it really a great form of marketing, or is it just something that everyone wants in 2020?

Feb 25, 202012:15
RESTRICTING SOCIAL MEDIA | ASK DISTRACT | E:36 |

RESTRICTING SOCIAL MEDIA | ASK DISTRACT | E:36 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. In this episode we talk to the team about how social media is affecting so many peoples mental health.

Feb 18, 202018:03
SUSTAINABILITY AND ETHICS IN MARKETING | ASK DISTRACT | E:35 |

SUSTAINABILITY AND ETHICS IN MARKETING | ASK DISTRACT | E:35 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

This week the team gives their insights into how companies are having to put a lot of consideration into being more sustainable and ethical. Are they doing it just to look good? or do they really care?

Feb 12, 202013:53
SNOWBALLING PR | ASK DISTRACT | E:34 |

SNOWBALLING PR | ASK DISTRACT | E:34 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

In this episode we discuss how you can utilise a piece of PR in more ways than one. You can take one piece of content so much further than the basic level, and the team is here to talk about it.

Feb 10, 202009:14
MACHINE LEARNING 101 | ASK DISTRACT | E:33 |

MACHINE LEARNING 101 | ASK DISTRACT | E:33 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

In this episode, we discuss machine learning; the common misconceptions, and how to better understand utilising machine learning with your google ads.

Jan 28, 202015:17
BEING RISKY VS PLAYING IT SAFE | ASK DISTRACT | E:32 |

BEING RISKY VS PLAYING IT SAFE | ASK DISTRACT | E:32 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

This week the team talk about whether it's better to play it safe or take risks, and in which situations you should cater for different demographics. Do you create content and ads for the client, audience or creative?

Jan 21, 202011:00
THE ALGORITHM | ASK DISTRACT | E:31 |

THE ALGORITHM | ASK DISTRACT | E:31 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. 

In this episode we talk about algorithms. Being such a buzzword in the marketing world, we really need to understand what we are doing to ensure we know exactly what content each platform wants/ needs.

Jan 14, 202012:51
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2020 | ASK DISTRACT | E:30 |

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2020 | ASK DISTRACT | E:30 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

In this episode, we speak to the team about whats happening in the digital sphere in 2020, and what they think will be things to look out for.

Jan 08, 202011:24
Our Thoughts On Podcasting | ASK DISTRACT | E:29 |

Our Thoughts On Podcasting | ASK DISTRACT | E:29 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

This week is all about podcasting as a whole. How useful is it? how to get better at it? How to best utilise each platform with it? 

Our team spills all our thoughts and opinions surrounding the topic.

Dec 17, 201913:02
2019 GENERAL ELECTION | ASK DISTRACT | E:28 |

2019 GENERAL ELECTION | ASK DISTRACT | E:28 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.


We have an election special in this episode, where many members of our team discuss many topics revolving around what is and has been happening leading up to Thursday the 12th of December.

Dec 10, 201922:23
Proactive and Reactive PR | Ask Distract | E:27 |

Proactive and Reactive PR | Ask Distract | E:27 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

In this episode, Tom speaks to Andy about two very important aspects of PR; Proactive and reactive PR. Both have their pros and cons, and both can produce fantastic results if done right.

Dec 03, 201909:42
Creating Engaging Content | Ask Distract | E:26 |

Creating Engaging Content | Ask Distract | E:26 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

In this episode we talk to Sam Spencer about what makes for engaging content online, how seriously you have to take content, and how to help peoples confidence in front of camera.

Nov 26, 201914:59
How To Manage Creative Expectations | Ask Distract | E:25 |

How To Manage Creative Expectations | Ask Distract | E:25 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

In this episode we talk to Steph Henderson about bridging the gaps between creatives and clients. We discuss what creatives can do to make a campaign their own, whilst still following brand guidelines. How brands go about creating fun campaigns, and the fine line between innovative and brand damaging.

Nov 19, 201917:49
Campaign Budget Optimisation, Trends and Expert help? | Ask Distract | E:24 |

Campaign Budget Optimisation, Trends and Expert help? | Ask Distract | E:24 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise. 

This week we talk to Tom Jacobs about Facebook advertising. Tom discusses his new strategies, what he has noticed about Facebook advertising as a whole over the last few months, and the possibility of going a step further from live chats in customer support.

Nov 12, 201923:19
Coming up with creative campaigns | ASK DISTRACT | E:23 |

Coming up with creative campaigns | ASK DISTRACT | E:23 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

In this episode we talk to Kiera Berry about how creative flair can upgrade all of your campaigns. We talk about why brands like Mothercare and other high street brands are struggling, Whether agency work or in-house is more appealing, and much much more.

Nov 05, 201922:12
Should you be making content? Where should you distribute it? And who for? | ASK DISTRACT | E:22 |

Should you be making content? Where should you distribute it? And who for? | ASK DISTRACT | E:22 |

This is Ask Distract, The show where we talk to various members of the team about their areas of expertise.

In this episode we talk to Sam Spencer about the future content across all of our channels, and dive deep into why we have made the decisions we have about our content. We also discuss what content everyone should be making, if any, and who they should be making that content for.

Oct 29, 201920:29
What content works best?

What content works best?

Peter plays host to Video Producer Sam Spencer.

The pair discuss how easy it is to create content and how to get inspiration. Do you need to worry about what is interesting about your business? What's the reason behind filming your day or your business journey? What do people find interesting?

Sam and Peter also talk through how to get started and how to get past creative block when it comes to content. 

Oct 04, 201923:12
When PR just works.

When PR just works.

Peter plays host to Digital PR Exec, Andy Clowes.

The pair discuss how the PR team has used influencers recently and the pitfalls that can sometimes come with that and survey the fallout of yet another revered brand collapsing, this time it's Thomas Cook.

The talk of politics at the moment is Boris Johnson, which the pair also tackle in terms of PR insight. 

Discussion also takes a turn into what can be achieved with timely responses and how a member of the team has become a surprise expert on the Royal Family as well as what can be done with good, hard data. 

Sep 24, 201923:30
Where is best to start with web development?

Where is best to start with web development?

Sam Spencer plays host to web development expert Craig Jones.

Craig and Sam talk about whether higher education is really needed when it comes to web development, or whether teaching yourself is the better option. They also look at how job interviews for web developers are structured and how companies look for the best talent.

The pair also discuss the often technical conversations web developers have to have with clients and how to use plain language to describe often complex concepts.

Sep 17, 201925:40
Digital advertising, what is the best option for me?

Digital advertising, what is the best option for me?

Sam Spencer plays host to PPC expert Craig Smith. 

Craig and Sam talk plainly about what your options are when starting off with digital advertising. What are the first few things you should consider? What are the best methods for putting a new strategy like this into practice if you are a complete beginner? 

The pair also discuss the best search categories and what converts.  They also put emphasis on looking at the bigger picture and taking a holistic approach. Are you too close to your own projects? Could using an agency be the better option?

Sep 10, 201921:32
Campaigns, the reality of agency life and the longevity of branding.

Campaigns, the reality of agency life and the longevity of branding.

Peter decided to take on the podcast himself to talk about the reality of agency life and new campaigns being run by Google and McCain.

Peter also looks at the challenges and ultimate aims of using data within campaigns and the power of stats. 

Sep 03, 201916:35
How to use data within PR and examining protest PR.

How to use data within PR and examining protest PR.

Peter is joined by Head of PR, Mike Shields, who discusses the PR effectiveness of groups like Extinction Rebellion, the use of data within PR and how best to use information already at your fingertips.

The pair also discuss having confidence in your own knowledge and sharing it as well as elements of PR that are available to you when you have little to no budget to work with. 

Aug 28, 201925:01