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What do you say to businesses that haven’t had a great experience with digital marketing?

We get it. You're not the only one who's been burned by digital marketing. We've seen a lot – wasted ad spend, irrelevant traffic, and feeling like you got nothing for your money. At Vine & Leaf, we place test campaigns and dive deep into the analytics before recommending any product. We’re also certified to handle all the campaign work ourselves, so there's no outsourcing of quality checks or delays. And when you work with us, you'll have direct contact with our team, not a chatbot.

Things are really uncertain for me right now. How do you handle a business that doesn’t have a lot of money to spend?

Our agency is designed to help small/medium businesses with everything from a quick, week-long promotion to a multi-platform long term strategy. There isn’t a minimum level of spend required for white glove, personalized service. With all of the changes in digital marketing in the last year, it’s an important time to boost your online visibility, particularly with the growth of generative AI.       

So why the emphasis on generative AI visibility for your products? in Fresno? Seriously?

Yes, even here in Fresno, those smart AI tools you see online are becoming a big way people find local businesses and decide what to buy. Think about those quick answers at the top of Google, or the recommendations from ChatGPT, Perplexity or Claude – that's AI doing its thing. So, for Fresno businesses to get seen, they need to be on AI's radar. That's where we come in.

How do you measure the success of a campaign? What do all those acronyms mean?

There are hundreds of metrics out there to gauge marketing success. Some of them are more helpful than others. Our approach is to find out your goals and craft a strategy that helps you to reach those goals. All of our campaigns and reporting are customized to suit the needs of each client.

What’s your communication style like and how will I be involved in the process?

Every client is different. Some want to parse every keyword, verb and color choice that goes into what we produce and others simply want it done and don’t want to have any discussions about strategy. Everything we do requires client approval before it is set to live – from keywords to geotargets, to creatives to content reviews, and everything in between –  but we prefer to work with a client’s communication style, not against it.

How do I see what’s in the campaign?

We have a project management system that allows clients to submit items, see results and ask questions. You will also be given a contact phone number and email to an actual person who is responsible for your account.   

Why are you named “Vine & Leaf Media”?

"Vine & Leaf" is a nod to all the wineries, breweries, and distilleries that are doing great things in the Valley. Since we've been part of the local media scene for a while, we know how to tell their stories in a way that gets people's attention and helps them connect with a wider audience. We have clients in many industries but we’re specialists in businesses like wineries and craft breweries where there are marketing compliance requirements.

What makes you different?

We're not just another marketing firm that landed in the Valley. We get the Valley – it's home. But we're also not stuck in the old ways. We've built our whole approach around how people find things now, which means we've baked smart AI tools right into what we do. This helps us connect our local folks with the right audience in a way old-school marketing just can't.

More than that, we believe in telling real stories, not just selling stuff. Our backgrounds – from the fast pace of local news to the nitty-gritty of big national campaigns – taught us the power of genuine connection. We see AI as a cool way to make those real connections happen online, helping the awesome stuff being made right here in Fresno shine. We're about building real relationships in a digital world, not just chasing clicks.

There’s a reason Lifecycle Marketing is gaining significant traction these days: it genuinely works. There's no better audience for your latest offerings than existing customers who already know and trust you.

Lifecycle Marketing is all about understanding your customer's journey after their first purchase. It involves segmenting your customers based on their past buying behavior and then automating personalized communications. These "nudges," often delivered via email or SMS, can introduce new products, share important updates, encourage appointment bookings, or prompt subscription renewals. The beauty of this approach is that it's often more cost-effective than traditional site retargeting and, when executed thoughtfully, far more impactful.

My favorite example of this in action comes from the music industry. When you purchase an amplifier from one highly regarded Indiana-based musical equipment site, it's common to receive a follow-up call from a dedicated sales consultant. They might ask, "Do you need any patch cables to go with that?" or "How are you on strings?" This not only highlights their knowledgeable staff, building loyalty and trust, but also sets the stage for future relevant interactions. Their automated messages, sent selectively – and, importantly, rarely –  are typically tailored recommendations based on your past purchases – for instance, "Hey, I hope you’re enjoying your Blackstone Amplifier! I wanted to let you know about the new pedal boards we have in stock..." This personalized approach keeps customers engaged and feeling valued.

While setting up such a system might sound complex, the return on investment can be swift and substantial. The good news is, you don't have to tackle it all yourself. A specialized partner can handle the intricate analysis and automation, allowing you to focus on your core business and provide invaluable insights on seasonality and customer decision-making timelines (the "runway").

At Vine & Leaf Media, we're here to help streamline these essential tasks. We offer expert audience analysis and segmentation, and we can implement AI-powered automation to ensure the right recommendations reach the right customers at the perfect moment. We understand the unique needs of Valley businesses, and our commitment is to get it right the first time, every time. To discover more about how we can support your Lifecycle Marketing efforts, feel free to send an email to val@vineleafmedia.com.

Val Gibbons is a Founding Partner at Vine & Leaf Media, LLC, with extensive experience in media, advertising operations, and advanced analytics. Val specializes in helping businesses navigate the digital landscape with strategic, data-driven approaches.

We love our wineries and brewpubs – and this is just the beginning of the busy season. With Father’s Day swiftly approaching, it's a perfect opportunity to welcome more guests and celebrate with quick, effective promotions. The good news is, you don't need a long-term contract or worry about hidden fees to make a real impact. There are smart, targeted ways to reach your ideal customers right when they're looking for unique experiences like yours.

Let's explore how a some of our tactics can help you stand out and bring more people through your doors:

Geofencing: Reaching Guests Where They Are (and Where They're Going)

We can set up a virtual "fence" around specific geographic areas that matter to your business. This could be your own winery or brewpub, local shopping centers, popular event venues, or even nearby hotels where potential visitors might be staying. When someone with a mobile device enters these predefined areas, your tailored ad — highlighting your Father's Day brunch, a special flight of beers, or a unique wine tasting experience — can appear on their phone. It's about delivering relevant messages at the right moment, encouraging immediate action.

Event Fencing: Capturing the Spirit of Local Gatherings

By setting up a virtual boundary around these events, you can serve ads to attendees, inviting them to continue their celebrations at your business. Perhaps it's a post-event happy hour deal, a discount for showing their event ticket, or simply a friendly invitation to enjoy your ambiance after a busy day out. This strategy allows you to tap into existing foot traffic and leverage the celebratory mood of a special occasion.

Beyond Location: Smart Programmatic Tactics

While geofencing and event fencing are powerful for proximity, other programmatic tactics ensure you're reaching the right people:

• Contextual Keyword Targeting & Site Retargeting: Think about what your potential customers are looking for online. Are they searching for "Father's Day gifts," "best local breweries," or "wineries with live music"? With contextual keyword targeting, your ads can appear on websites and apps that feature content related to these interests, catching their attention when their interest is already high. Additionally, site retargeting allows you to stay top-of-mind with previous website visitors about your Father's Day specials, keeping your winery or brewpub a leading option.

The beauty of these programmatic tactics is their flexibility and efficiency. They are designed for quick deployment, allowing you to launch targeted campaigns for specific holidays like Father's Day without the burden of long-term commitments. There are no hidden fees, just transparent reporting on how your promotions are performing. It's about empowering you to connect with your community and celebrate special occasions in a way that truly benefits your business.

Val Gibbons is a Founding Partner at Vine & Leaf Media, LLC, with extensive experience in media, advertising operations, and advanced analytics. Val specializes in helping businesses navigate the digital landscape with strategic, data-driven approaches.

One of the frustrations of online display advertising is often the "junk traffic" – those clicks and impressions from people who are nowhere near Fresno and have no interest in your business. This can eat away at your budget without bringing in actual customers.

At Vine & Leaf Media, we hate junk traffic. We hate opaque marketing practices even more. So that's why we started building our own audiences at Valley events. Those audiences are anonymized and curated for their core demographics, interests and location. We lean on our three decades in local media to help us with this process. 

Here's why focusing on these local connections helps cut down on irrelevant ad views:

• Connect with Your Community: Engaging with attendees at local events means reaching individuals who are already part of the Fresno area – the people most likely to become your customers.

• Reduce Irrelevant Traffic: By concentrating on local interactions, the chances of your ads being seen by individuals outside the Fresno region are significantly reduced, making your ad spend more efficient.

• Engage Interested Individuals: People connected with at local events have already shown an interest in the Fresno community and its activities, suggesting a higher potential for them to be interested in local businesses like yours.

• Target Relevant Interests: Attendees at events like Tower Porchfest (focused on local arts and music) or Farmer's Markets (focused on local goods) often have interests that naturally align with local wineries, breweries, and distilleries.

By building audiences through these direct, local touchpoints, we aim to deliver display advertising that's more focused and effective at reaching the right customers for your Fresno business, minimizing wasted clicks and maximizing your impact within the community.

Val Gibbons is a Founding Partner at Vine & Leaf Media, LLC, with extensive experience in media, advertising operations, and advanced analytics. Val specializes in helping businesses navigate the digital landscape with strategic, data-driven approaches.

When you search on Google these days, you might see a concise summary right at the top, generated by AI. This is the AI Overview, and it's Google's attempt to give you a quick answer before you even click on a website.

Think of it as Google's AI reading through tons of web pages and pulling out the most relevant information to directly answer your question. For example, if someone in Fresno searches "best local wineries with live music," the AI Overview might list a few top-rated wineries known for their live music events.

Why should your small Fresno business care about optimizing for this AI Overview?

• Prime Visibility: That top spot is valuable. If the AI Overview mentions your winery, brewery, or shop, you're getting front-and-center attention without the user even needing to scroll or click.

• Direct Answers, Direct Traffic: If the AI Overview includes key details about your business (like your address, hours, or a specific offering), it can lead to more direct visits and inquiries.

• Building Trust: Being featured in the AI Overview can lend your business credibility as a top resource for local information.

How can you subtly optimize for the AI Overview? While Google's AI is complex, focusing on strong SEO fundamentals helps:

• Create High-Quality, Informative Content: Make sure your website clearly and concisely answers common questions your Fresno customers might have about your products, services, and location.

• Use Clear and Consistent Language: Help the AI understand what you offer by using straightforward language and relevant keywords throughout your website.

• Maintain Accurate Local Listings: Ensure your Google and Bing Business Profile and other online directories have up-to-date and correct information about your business.

While we're still learning the nuances of how AI Overviews are generated, focusing on providing valuable, well-structured information about your Fresno business is a smart strategy to increase your overall online visibility, including the potential to be featured in this prominent new search feature. It's about making it as easy as possible for both people and AI to understand what makes your local business great.

Val Gibbons is a Founding Partner at Vine & Leaf Media, LLC, with extensive experience in media, advertising operations, and advanced analytics. Val specializes in helping businesses navigate the digital landscape with strategic, data-driven approaches.

Imagine those billboards you see while driving around town. Display advertising online is kind of like that – you're putting visual ads (banners, images, videos) in front of people as they browse websites and use apps.

Targeted display advertising means we're not just showing your ad to everyone online. Instead, we're trying to show it to the people who are most likely to be interested in what you offer.

Think of it like this: instead of putting a billboard for your winery on a random highway, we're trying to show it to people who read online articles about wine, visit websites about local wineries, or have searched for wine-tasting events in the area.

What makes it work?

We use information about people's online behavior, interests, and demographics to figure out who your ideal customers are. Then, we work with advertising platforms to show your ads specifically to those people as they surf the web.

Geofencing and Event Fencing: Super-Local Targeting

1. Geofencing: Drawing a Digital Circle Around a Location

Imagine you could draw a virtual fence on a map. Geofencing lets you do just that. You can set up a specific geographic area – say, a few blocks around your winery, a local farmer's market, or even around a competitor's location.

Then, when people with smartphones enter that virtual fence, we can show them your ads.

How does this benefit your small business?

• Reach nearby customers: Someone walking near your brewery? You can send them a special offer for a pint.

• Target competitors' customers: People visiting a competing distillery? You could show them an ad highlighting what makes your spirits unique.

• Boost foot traffic from local events: Remember those Tower Porchfest and Farmer's Markets folks? With geofencing, we could have shown ads to people while they were at those events, reminding them to visit your establishment afterward.

2. Event Fencing: Focusing on People at Specific Events

Event fencing is a specific type of geofencing, but it's focused entirely on people attending a particular event. So, if there's a big concert, a food festival, or any gathering relevant to your audience, we can set up a virtual fence around that event location.

Then, we can show your ads to people who are physically present at that event.

How does this benefit your small business?

• Reach a highly relevant audience: People at a craft beer festival are very likely to be interested in your brewery.

• Promote your presence at the event: If you have a booth at a local fair, you can use event fencing to drive more visitors to your spot.

• Follow up after the event: You can continue showing ads to event attendees even after they've left, reminding them of your products or inviting them to visit your location.

• Build audiences for future events: By targeting people who attend relevant events, you're essentially building a list of people who are likely interested in similar future events you might host or participate in.

In a nutshell:

• Targeted display is about showing your online ads to the right people based on their online behavior and interests.

• Geofencing lets you target people based on their real-world location.

• Event fencing is a specific type of geofencing that focuses on reaching people attending specific events.

Both geofencing and event fencing are powerful tools for small businesses like yours because they allow you to connect with potential customers who are nearby and already showing interest in related activities or products. It's about getting your message in front of the right people at the right time and place.

Val Gibbons is a Founding Partner at Vine & Leaf Media, LLC, with extensive experience in media, advertising operations, and advanced analytics. Val specializes in helping businesses navigate the digital landscape with strategic, data-driven approaches.