Hello World: Taking It Beyond the Build

I’ve been kicking around the idea of a blog for years. Most of my work is on other companies’ websites, so carving out my own little corner of the internet felt right. Only time will tell if this is a good idea, but here we go.

A little about me

I have been working in technology and digital marketing for 20+ years.  I’ve worked at churches, corporate, marketing agencies, and as a freelancer/consultant.  The last 2+ years I’ve been with PriceWeber in Louisville Kentucky leading the digital, strategy and analytics team.

I started in graphic design. Then I got curious about code and taught myself to build websites. After that I moved into larger-scale web apps and managing dev teams. Now I split my time between launching new experiences and making sure they actually meet client goals. It’s been a unique journey, and I’ve picked up plenty of stories that hopefully are valuable for others.

We are more than our jobs

When I’m not knee deep in dashboards or debugging JavaScript, I’m a dad to four kids and husband to Heather, my wife of 18 years. I’ve been a type-1 diabetic for 30 years, and in 2022 I survived a heart attack and a triple bypass. These days I pay attention to what I’m eating way more than I ever thought I would and squeeze in workouts whenever I can.

Beyond the build

Why call this Beyond the Build? Too often we focus on a specific tactic in marketing and other fields and forget the bigger picture. I have lost count of times I built a “perfect” website that failed to advance the client’s goals. In B2B and manufacturing, buyers often contact a dealer or sales rep before they ever visit a site, so a lead capture form on an otherwise empty homepage is essentially decorative. I will share what I have learned about combining strategy, analytics and practical business thinking to steer projects toward real results.

What to expect

No rigid content pillars, just the stuff I’m working with right now:

• Using data to drive better outcomes (tools, tips and pipelines)
• AI in marketing: hype versus what’s useful
• Ecosystem trends and martech worth watching
• Occasional updates on juggling health, family and late-night code sessions

I’ll share each post on LinkedIn and Twitter (@jonesjoshua). If something resonates, a like or repost goes a long way. Thanks for stopping by my corner of the internet.