Baton Rouge Business Owners: Advertising Doesn’t Work

Rikki Broussard • January 25, 2016

A successful home project needs to have an organized plan and a capable person to carry out the details correctly. When my husband and I were still in the “honeymoon stage” of our marriage, we decided to build a fence for our newly purchased home. A hammer, some nails, and a shovel were all we really needed to carry out the project, right? With the excitement of a seventh-grader at his first dance, my husband launched his efforts of creating the best fence on the block. The project took up the entire weekend and consisted of many unplanned trips to the hardware store.


When he was finally done, he confidently asked me to review the finished product. The instant I laid eyes on the fence; I knew something was not right. It took me no time to pinpoint the issue, and I knew that this was not going to be the words my husband wanted to hear. Unfortunately, the boards gradually increased in height as the fence line moved towards the back of the yard which caused the boards on one side of the fence to be distinctively higher than the boards on the back of the fence. 48 hours after the start of the project, we realized that there was more to constructing a fence than just a few nails and a hammer. While we had the best intentions, we had no business trying to build a fence. We’ve personally learned to leave some projects and jobs to the experts.


This story can apply to local advertising for business owners. I can’t tell you how many times in my career, I’ve heard this statement, “Advertising doesn’t work for my business." To break it down further, business owners have provided me with many different comments related to advertising – advertising on TV is hard to track, print ads do not work, or direct mail is too expensive. While my background is in print advertising, I prided myself on knowing about other advertising options. I wanted to be viewed as an expert in the field of media; not just print.


All forms of advertising work, and they can be effective. However, if you attack your advertising plan like my husband approached our fence project, you’re setting your business up for failure. In order to be successful in advertising, you need to get two things right: the message and the medium. If you get either of these two wrong, your advertising will not be as effective. In order to get these two items right, you must have extensive experience and a rich aptitude for local advertising. You also need a plan.


As I’ve begun my journey at BlinkJar Media as the traditional media buyer, in just three short weeks, I’ve probably had over 100 media packages and opportunities cross my desk. Even with my 17 years of advertising experience, this is overwhelming to me. I can’t imagine being a business owner and receiving this many packages. Because of this scenario, business owners typically rely on their media representatives to guide them in the right direction. The good media reps are phenomenal at balancing out the interest of their medium with what is valid for the client. Unfortunately, this type of media rep is the exception and not the rule in today’s world. Most of the time, business owners are placing media with reps who have one thing in mind, their sales goal. With this predicament, the plan of getting the right message and the right medium is already set up to fail. This is ultimately why advertising does not work for local businesses. Just like building a fence, if you have the wrong person representing your company or the incorrect plan in place, the results will be frustrating, expensive, and time-consuming.


I often pass by our first home and look at the fence that was correctly re-installed by a professional. Years later, it is solid and in-tact. The same should be true with your advertising. It should be the gift that keeps on giving for your business.


Business owners, I encourage you not to approach your advertising in the same way that my husband tackled the fence project. When you are considering an investment in advertising, place this project with someone who knows what they are doing. If you are looking for someone to build a fence for your business, we are certainly not the right company. However, if you are looking for advice or help with your advertising, please click on the free advertising consultation for Baton Rouge business owners button below or call us. We’d love to put together a plan for you, so you can concentrate on what you do best – running your business. 


The fragmentation of search. Why Being Found Is No Longer Just About Google

The Fragmentation of Search: Why Being Found Is No Longer Just About Google

By Rikki Broussard • July 23, 2026
Your customers are still searching. They are just no longer searching in one place. They may start with Google, ask ChatGPT to compare their options, watch a YouTube video, look for examples on Instagram, read reviews, or open a map to find a nearby business. This does not mean your company needs to chase every new platform. It also does not mean SEO is dead. The best response to fragmented search is to strengthen the foundation you already have. Build a clear, credible website, answer the questions your customers ask, share real expertise, and ensure your business appears consistently on the platforms that matter to your audience. AEO, or Answer Engine Optimization, is part of that approach. It helps search engines and AI tools find and understand your answers, but it works best when it is built on strong SEO . Why Are Customers Searching in So Many Different Places? Customers are searching in more places because they now have more ways to find the type of information they want. Every Monday during our BlinkJar staff meeting, each person brings an industry update to discuss. One recent conversation about artificial intelligence and its impact on search reminded me of what happened to television. Jared, my husband and BlinkJar’s founder , spent years working in television. At one time, a few broadcast networks held most of the audience. Then cable created more choices. Streaming services, YouTube, social video, and on-demand programming divided attention even further. Television did not disappear. People gained more ways to watch. Search is moving in the same direction. A prospective customer may search Google for a service, ask an AI assistant to explain the differences between providers, watch a video to see how something works, and read reviews before visiting a company’s website. The challenge is not that Google has stopped working. It is that businesses can no longer assume every customer will begin there. Does My Business Still Need SEO? Yes, your business absolutely needs SEO as it remains the foundation of being discovered online. Google continues to drive valuable, high-intent traffic for businesses. A strong website also gives AI tools, maps, social platforms, and prospective customers a reliable place to learn who you are and what you offer. Your website needs clear service pages, useful location information, simple navigation, relevant internal links, and a sound technical structure. Search engines must be able to crawl, index, and understand your pages. Traditional SEO is not being replaced. It is supporting a larger discovery ecosystem. Think of your website as your company’s home base. Social media, maps, reviews, search engines, and AI tools may help customers find you, but your website is where you control the complete story. 
Kingsley Working

What I Learned as a Marketing Intern at BlinkJar Media

By Kingsley Lavender • July 20, 2026
Kingsley Lavender shares what he learned as a marketing intern at BlinkJar Media, including SEO, website updates, content marketing, and real-world agency experience.

Why Personal Connections Matter More Than Ever in an AI-Driven Marketing World?

By Caroline Thaxton • July 10, 2026
Artificial intelligence is changing the way businesses approach content marketing , social media marketing , and digital communications. AI can generate ideas, streamline workflows, and help marketers create content faster than ever before. At Blinkjar, we embrace AI as a powerful tool, but we also know the most impactful marketing still begins with something technology can't replicate: a genuine human connection. As a Creative Content Specialist at Blinkjar , some of my most valuable work happens away from my desk. Meeting with clients, visiting their businesses, and building real relationships gives me a deeper understanding of who they are and what makes their brands unique. Those face-to-face interactions help me create authentic content that reflects each client's personality , values, and story. Can AI Really Tell Your Brand's Story? Every business has a story worth telling . While AI can help organize information, brainstorm ideas, and improve efficiency, it can't experience a company's culture, observe customer interactions, or hear the passion behind why a business was started. That’s why every interaction matters. Whether we’re on a call, exchanging emails, meeting in person, capturing photos and videos, or simply talking through new ideas, each touchpoint helps us better understand the businesses we support. These conversations allow us to see how a brand operates, hear the stories behind the work, and uncover the details that make it unique. Those real insights often become the foundation for stronger content because they reveal perspectives that AI simply can’t generate. How Do Client Conversations Lead to Better Content Marketing? The more time I spend with the businesses we support, the better I can represent their brand. Photoshoots are one way those connections happen, but many of my strongest content ideas come from everyday conversations, planning calls, emails, meetings, and moments when a client shares something we would not have known otherwise. Those small details often become the difference between content that feels generic and content that feels true to the brand. Whether we're discussing a new project, talking through their day-to-day operations, or simply catching up, those conversations give me the context I need to write content that's accurate, authentic, and true to their voice. Instead of relying on assumptions, I can pull directly from their experiences, expertise, and personality . That's what transforms content from informative to meaningful.