To kickoff a new interview series, Brafton caught up with Kathleen Ong of tech startup Wantering to find out how this marketing expert gets brand content right.
Q: What’s your idea of a perfect piece of web content?
The perfect piece of web content for me would be something visual (image, video or GIF) mixed with text that humanizes the brand.
Q: What is your current content focus?
One of the most important elements for creating original content is to listen to what your audience wants, and go from there. So what we learned from our audience is that they love and want style tips and advice, which is what our current content focus is.
Q: What is your biggest marketing fear?
My biggest marketing fear is not trying something new. You really don’t know what will work and what won’t until you try it. If you have the luxury to experiment at your company, I’d suggest taking advantage of it!
Q: What do you dislike most about your website’s appearance?
Oh, I love our website’s appearance!
Q: What buzzwords are you guilty of using most?
The word ‘strategy’.
Q: What brands do you have a marketing crush on?
In fashion, digitally forward brands like Nasty Gal and Kate Spade keep everyone on their toes.
Q: Which results make you happiest?
When someone reaches out to us about how we’ve helped them find the perfect item or that we’ve changed the way they shop online for the better.
Q: What marketing skill would you most like to have?
The ability to look at analytics in a creative way.
Q: What do you consider your greatest content marketing achievement (to date)?
We feature bloggers and fashion industry on our Wantering Blog as Trendsetters on a weekly basis. By incorporating influencers into content marketing, we’re able to spread the word much farther.
Q: If you were a type of web content, what do you think it would be?
I would probably be a very long blog post, mostly because I talk a lot and always in great detail (unfortunately for the people around me)!
Q: If you could do it all over again, what vertical would you work in and why?
If I could do it all over again, I would end up exactly where I am today.
Q: What personal trait are you always trying to improve?
Part of working in digital and technology is finding a way leave the computer screen and get out and meet people. This is something I’d personally like to do more of.
Q: Do you think your office environment reflects your brand?
Yes, absolutely. We all sit together in the same room which makes it both fun and easy to get things done together as a team. We’re big on communicating and have very high standards for what we produce, which I think are reflected in how we interact with our audience.
Q: What is your brand’s most valuable asset?
As a fashion tech startup the ability to move fast in response to something happening in the outside world is our most valuable asset.
Q: What is your favorite part of the workday?
My most favorite part of the workday lasts all day long – I love being on Twitter and talking directly to people who interact with Wantering.
Q: What is the quality you like best in other brands?
„I realize some brands may not have the resources to take on social media, but if you don’t have a social media plan, that worries me.“
Some of my favorite brands are very engaging and genuine. Look at DKNYPRGIRL; she somehow has time to respond to everyone!
Q: What’s the quality you like least in other brands?
I realize some brands may not have the resources to take on social media, but if you don’t have a social media plan, that worries me.
Q: How can other brands/marketers get on your good side?
We love to hear from everyone – send us a tweet!
Q: Who are your favorite writers/brand leaders (online or off)?
I really enjoy reading HubSpot for marketing ideas and stories on Medium to learn from others.
Q: What is your marketing pet peeve?
When people who don’t fully understand the value of brand awareness on social media dismiss it as a fad.
Q: What’s one social media trend that you wish would die out?
I suppose brands who jump on the bandwagon for a new social network without figuring out whether it’s right for them is something that should be reevaluated.
Q: What’s your current inspiration?
When I first started at Wantering, Matt our CEO, sent me Gary Vaynerchuk’s Ted Talks video called “Do What You Love.” That’s been my inspiration for a while now.
Q: What is your marketing motto?
I don’t really have a motto, but what I’ve learned in the last year is to always have a goal and a way to measure success.
Kathleen Ong for Wantering
Kathleen has been busy chasing her dreams in New York, London, Toronto and Vancouver. She’s a frequent flyer, all-day tweeter and incessant shopper. Find her working in marketing and social media at Wantering (www.wantering.com), a fashion search engine that allows you to search and shop for fashion across 110 stores all in one place. Follow her on Twitter @itsmekathleeno and @wantering
