Catalyst Employee Spotlight: Craig DeTora
August 21, 2018You can have the best data and most sophisticated tools, but it doesn’t mean anything without great people. Fortunately, at Catalyst, we have no shortage of great people. From Search Associates to Search Directors, and from Project Managers to Managing Partners, each member of the Catalyst team is committed to maximizing client business results and making Catalyst a world-class agency. Read our Employee Spotlight series to meet some of the team members responsible for making Catalyst an all-star agency partner and a great place to work.
Meet Craig
Meet CraigName: Craig DeTora
Title: Senior Paid Search Manager
How long have you worked in search and what type of clients have you worked on?
I’ve been working in digital marketing for almost six years. Most of my experience is with CPG clients, but I’ve also worked on pharma and technology clients.
How did you get your start in search?
I got my start in paid search at an online sporting goods distributor. The AdWords account was small, and often times overlooked, so I proactively decided to dedicate a few hours each week to learn paid search and take ownership over the campaigns.
What do you like most about working at Catalyst?
What I like most about Catalyst is that the leadership team gives us many opportunities to help grow and shape the business. I’ve been involved in numerous new business pitches and have had many opportunities to present to prospective clients, which is very exciting work and great professional experience to gain. The majority of my time is spent on strategy and execution for our clients, so the pitches have taught me a lot about our agency marketing and business development.
What has been your greatest achievement or success in search?
I was part of the search team for one of the biggest global technology companies at a time when they made a large-scale acquisition. As a result, our team was tasked with integrating two complex search programs, all while maintaining a digital presence on key branded and category search terms. It was crucial for there to be no downtime during the “day 1” launch of the new campaign. I’m extremely proud of our internal/external collaboration and efficient and highly effective work during a transitional time for the business.
In your opinion, what is the most important search trend or change for 2018?
I would say that the most important search trend is the increasing and evolving search marketing opportunities on ecommerce sites, specifically Amazon. Brands really need to stand out on the digital shelf in order to remain in the consumer’s consideration set. Advertisers also recognize this and are funding their new ecommerce advertising programs with incremental budget. As a digital marketers, it’s crucial for us to be able to arm our clients with the insights and data points to make the argument internally for more ecommerce investment.
If you had to give one recommendation to an advertiser who wants to use search to achieve business results, what would it be?
My recommendation is to clearly define a KPI for your search marketing efforts and measure search performance based on that KPI. It’s tough for advertisers to understand the importance of search when they aren’t measuring performance correctly. Search is very different from other media, and therefore, should be measured differently. Choose a KPI that drives business results for your brand, and build your search program around it.
Share a fun fact about yourself
When I was born, my adult teeth were all stacked up on top of each other and I had three rows of teeth. When I was in 5th grade I had 10 (TEN!) of my baby teeth pulled in ONE DAY in order to make room for my adult teeth to come in properly.
Why Craig Makes Us Proud
“Craig is a rock star! He truly acts as an extension of his clients’ marketing team, always looking for new and innovative ways to help them with their search efforts. He is proactive and collaborative, helping both internal team members and clients grow and develop their search knowledge. We’re very proud to have Craig on the Catalyst team and look forward to all of the success he will bring in the future.” – Patty Montano, Group Director, Search & Social, Catalyst
