Making the Most of Online Marketing: An Interview with Katja von der Burg

Despite studying Journalism, Katja von der Burg found what she is passionate about - Online Marketing. That's why she set up Projecter, an online marketing agency. Apart from becoming an expert in this field, Katja takes part in some initiatives to empower women. Today, Mailbutler has the pleasure to talk to her and discover the importance of online marketing and what those initiatives are about!

Hi Katja! Thank you for being a part of our #mailbutlerstories. You're the founder of Projecter, what are the services your company offers?

Projecter is a full-service online marketing agency. We assist our customers in all areas of their promotion of products or services online. This ranges from PPC advertising on Google or social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, to social media activities like content creation, influencer marketing, community management and creative campaigns to topics like search engine optimization and affiliate marketing. With 70 specialists in our team, we currently work for more than 100 customers from different sectors and from startup to corporate.

However, you graduated in Journalism. Why did you decide to found a marketing agency?

I was always very fascinated by the Internet and also by business topics. Unfortunately, online journalism played only a very small role when I finished university in 2005, so I took off and entered online marketing in a German startup, Spreadshirt. It was love at first sight and became clear soon that this was my way.

It's great that you found what you’re passionate about! Why is online marketing so important?

Give or take a couple of years, we won’t differentiate between „marketing“ and „online marketing“. Everything will have at least an online component and let’s be honest: it already has! Marketing without looking at „online“ doesn’t make any sense anymore. The areas we work on with our customers have become much more diverse over the years and often go straight to the core of their business. In fact, we often do business consulting before even starting the online marketing implementation because we have to reorder things due to digitalization processes. 

Yes, digitalization is an important part to take into account. But sometimes, online marketing strategies do not achieve their goals. How can companies implement a strategy in a profitable way?

This often happens when online marketing is seen in an isolated way, like just one task of one person in the marketing department. Nowadays, online marketing campaigns have become so complex and powerful, that many different departments and people in the company should work together - like marketing, PR, management, data analysts, etc. Only then will you achieve real success - and - even more important - set the right goals in the first place.

It doesn’t make sense to chase one isolated KPI because it looks good in a board presentation. Instead, online marketing can contribute hugely to the overall and long-term success of the company - if you see the big picture.

You are absolutely right! And, as a professional in social media marketing, what would you say are the benefits of those platforms for companies?

Social media is a powerful tool if you have a story to tell, can create good content, and strive for honest communication with your customers. If you have to answer one of those questions with „no“, it can also hugely backfire or simply not work. Right now, there is a network for every need, like LinkedIn for B2B. With the right strategy, it has become much easier to place your messages with the right target groups.

The same goes for social media advertising, where you can now reach your audiences with an unknown precision. On the downside, it has all become much more complex and confusing and you really have to make sure to spend your budget in the right place.

Is there a specific method to better communicate on social media?

This really depends on your business, your customers, your audience, and your topics, there is no general rule. However, it is always important to establish an open communication culture in your company before taking to social media. Social media won’t work (well) with crafted PR messages but needs authentic messages supported by larger parts of your team. So, a successful social media strategy always starts IN the company.

That is very true! What would you say are the common mistakes?

Spreading the same content on all platforms, just using content that’s already there without adapting it, being scared of showing what’s going on behind the scenes in your company, letting the intern work the social media channels (because she’s on social media anyway because she’s so young), trying to implement a social media strategy without a serious budget, not taking into consideration the long-term but thinking in yearly budget decisions or campaigns.

Should a company adapt its content to each social media platform?

Definitely yes! Ideally, each chosen platform caters to a different target group and different target groups need different messages. Also, style, tonality, formality, etc. can be hugely different if you compare e.g. Instagram stories to LinkedIn posts. It absolutely makes no sense to play as many networks as possible - rather choose only one or two and create specific and high-value content for those. Focus beats variety!

Companies need to consider those facts!

You also take part in some initiatives to empower women. Could you explain these initiatives?

I am part of several women’s networks like „Frauen verbinden“, initiated by Messe München. It allows me to connect to fellow businesswomen and entrepreneurs and together we can help initiatives to empower girls and women in companies but also in other areas of life.

I specifically want to encourage women to enter men-dominated industries, stand on stages as speakers, and be courageous enough to pursue their goals without being held back by fear of failure. Most specifically, I want to show that this is also possible with a family and kids and should not ever have to be an either-or decision.

What is your contribution to them?

I am active as a mentor in different networks and organizations, try to speak often at conferences and panels, and contribute to such topics on social media and different channels. As well very importantly, I try to empower women in my own company and make sure, they find a work environment that is positive, supportive, and designed to master their career and personal development while also having all family options. I think that company culture in many German businesses is the major problem holding women back because usually management is male-dominated and inspired by rather conservative and outlived family ideals. 

It is great to see this kind of initiative!

Katja, last question: Why do you use Mailbutler for your email communication?

Since I get lots of emails, my inbox is a very important place of work organization. Over the years, I have found a stable method of making sure nothing ever gets lost there and transforming emails into todos if necessary. Mailbutler helps me organize this system, e.g. in postponing emails for a while so they don’t appear in my inbox while I can’t do anything about them. It’s also very helpful to track if certain critical emails have been received and opened. I especially like the fact that I don’t have to leave my mail program but can work all this within my inbox. 

I’m glad that you take advantage of Mailbutler’s features! Thank you so much for this interesting interview. I wish you all the best, Katja!

Besides improving your online marketing skills, do you also want to enhance your self-management? If so, we recommend reading our interview "Effective Self-Management For You And Me" with the coach and trainer Thomas Mangold.