I love Downtown Bellingham. As a website designer who serves small businesses in the
Bellingham community–and as someone who has lived here for twenty years–I’m
downtown a lot. And I know a good program when I see one.
Recently, I’ve been exploring opportunities with the City Center. The Downtown
Bellingham Partnership offers so many events and free programs that make these
collaborations happen organically. I’m in the middle of a three-part seminar series
offered by both the Downtown Bellingham Partnership and Intellitonic.
Highlights from the spring series on SEO and Google Business Profiles
Earlier in March, I attended the first of three seminars offered by both Downtown
Bellingham Partnership and Intellitonic. This series is all about building your business’
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google Business Profiles.
When I found out about the series via Instagram, I signed up immediately. I’ve been
prioritizing in-person workshops lately because I love the perks of “real life” connection
and exploring new, local venues.
SEO updates change as search engines change how they rank information, so I seek
professional training like this each year. The most valuable part of the March 12
session–which focused on SEO best practices–was that it reinforced knowledge points I
already had, making me feel confident that I was up to speed. I also learned some new
tips that I can’t wait to incorporate for my clients who want their websites to rank higher.
An unexpected perk of this session was the value of being at a new location (for me) in
Downtown Bellingham: The Blue Room, mainly known for live music events and more,
makes for a great space to do a “day workshop” too.
The last session on digital marketing best practices just wrapped up last week.
Fall 2023 workshop on social media was a worthwhile investment
Last September, I also partook in a paid workshop series offered by Brilliant Marketing
and Joyco Digital. The venue was hosted at Veritas Media & Studio V, which offers
studio space for workshops and your product/service filming needs.
Emily Trickey of Brilliant Marketing and Daniel Joyner of Joyco Digital did a fabulous job
explaining how to create compelling content. They broke down social media strategies
in a helpful way. As someone who helps people refresh their online business presence,
I appreciate the tips that Trickey and Joyner offered people, many of whom attended
this workshop to help boost their business based in Downtown Bellingham.
Business collaborations are vital for economic growth and social connection
In addition to the informative content of the actual workshops, it was also neat to
discover venues I did not know about. I’m a patron of multiple downtown spots, and now
have new ones to add to my list.
A few events and businesses I love in Bellingham:
MakeWorth Coffeeshop (the location I chose to take my branding pictures at!)
Salsa dancing lessons at The Majestic with Bellingham Salsa Collective
Ice cream at Mallard Ice Cream Shop
Crepes at AB Crepes
Birthday celebrations at Pure Bliss Desserts
Speaking of Pure Bliss Desserts, we always have a piece of cake there for birthdays. I
love a good Bellingham tradition.
I’m also involved with Western Washington University, as a mentor to marketing
students. I recently offered a Web Design and Social Media presentation to the Student
Marketing Association (SMA) and I’ve occasionally been a judge at the Marketing Case
Competition. It feels good to share my expertise and learn from students, too.
Lastly, I’m a proud member of Whatcom Young Professionals, which I recommend to
anyone looking for a community of supportive people interested in growing their
careers.
Can you tell how much I love Bellingham? It’s great to watch new and old businesses
thrive here. If you are a small business owner in Bellingham and you want to refresh
your online presence, let’s connect. As you can tell, my heart is in it.