The Women of Mediaura Series: Dawn Geary

Meet our Director of Marketing, Dawn Geary

“When I first began at Mediaura and our company was young, I was one of two females in a leadership role; now I'm one of several. It's fantastic.”

35-year-old Dawn Geary has travelled and worked all over the world, from Kentucky and Japan to London and New York City. Dawn loves to bring her global perspective into her professional and personal life. She’s been with Mediaura for over six years and she knows the ins and outs of digital marketing, which means she will get to know your business like nobody’s business. Also, she is Bill Murray’s number one fan.

Explain your role at Mediaura...

Dawn Geary: I am the Director of Digital Marketing/Marketing. I manage the brand's internal marketing strategies and campaigns, as well as develop and oversee the implementation of digital marketing for clients. This can be pretty extensive by way of incorporating creative direction, content writing, PPC marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), research initiatives and advocating for new technology or methodologies for clients. Since everything we do at Mediaura is customized for each unique client, I have to really dive-in deep to various industries to gain the best understanding - because what may work for one client's audience may not be what is best for another.

Why did you get into digital advertising and what steps did you take to get here?

DG: I've always been involved with computers and technology, prior to the Internet as we know it today. When I first became involved with technology, it was back when you had dial-up modems and utilized terminal programs (Bulletin Board Systems). It's crazy to think that this was really not that long ago and how far and how quickly technology has evolved (and is still evolving). I've worked for various industries (medical, manufacturing, research, marketing, creative direction) and have always been the person called upon to leverage technology's benefits. The digital advertising field was the perfect culmination for all of my experience, and again, when I first began my career, it wasn't even a career path that had existed. So it's been incredible to be at the forefront of a new industry, knowing where and how it emerged and seeing the incredible benefits it can provide.

What challenges have you faced in this industry?

DG: Since the area that I work in is so relatively new, things are constantly changing and evolving. It's a very controlled experiment, and different platforms (Google, Facebook, Yahoo, etc.) are all trying their own methods. So I constantly have to learn and adapt to their directions and changes, while simultaneously learning about all of the new and emerging tools and platforms that come along. What may have worked well for a client one month might suddenly no longer exist as an option the next because the platform they were advertising on entirely abandoned that direction. So there is a lot of challenging work that is done in order to constantly improve and remain at the forefront on technology. It's impossible to make truly definitive statements about what works and what doesn't, because the field itself is so fluid and advancing. You just have to keep up.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

DG: I really love that I work with such a passionate team. Advertising can be a stressful profession for anyone, but digital advertising is another beast entirely. We are always constantly pushing each other and building one another up to try new things, communicate, and educate our clients. The idea that I can come into work one day and have everything turned-upside-down by some new innovation is exhilarating. No two days are ever the same and this job is anything but boring.

What advice would you give other women who want to pursue this field?

DG: Go for it and don't allow anyone to tell you that it can't be done. Technology used to be a male-dominated field, and it wasn't always easy being female. I've seen that change more and more every day. Some of our most promising and brightest talents are female engineers, programmers, and digital marketing specialists. When I first began at Mediaura and our company was young, I was one of two females in a leadership role; now I'm one of several. It's fantastic.

What are your goals for your future in this field?

DG: I want to continue the trajectory of growth we've began at Mediaura and keep pushing that envelope. Every success story and positive ROI is another "W" in the win column for digital marketing. The more I'm able to educate and help clients understand the inherent benefits of the analytics and technology that comes from digital, the better their businesses perform. We all grow together and I've been very fortunate to have more and more stories like that to share. It feels wonderful when you optimized a client's budget with digital and they come back to tell you their numbers were up or their budget improved. I always want to continue to strive for that feeling, because it never gets old. Developing new strategies and ideas is in my blood. I am fortunate enough to have a career where I wake up every morning looking forward to coming in to work.

How do you feel being a woman has affected you in the advertising industry?

DG: I feel like it's provided a unique insight into many things. It's interesting to be in meetings with men and hear them talk about their experiences and what they think works or will work for a client, and then to provide thoughts on the female side of things from a variant perspective. Women are for the most part natural communicators, and to be in an industry where communication is key - it really is an asset. We know how to talk to men and we understand how women think.

Who are your role models?

DG: My mother, who is a very strong leader herself. Angela Ahrendts, the only woman on Apple's executive team, is someone I greatly admire. She's constantly pushing boundaries and helping to usher in even more growth for a company that already seems unstoppable. Sheryl Sandberg is brilliant for telling women to step up, or lean in rather, and have their voices heard.