Lorraine Ndzondo

The Block Group is a marketing agency specializing in digital marketing.

• Main clients included OneCart, a South African national online shopping service; SovTech (now known as Scrums), a global software development company; Italtile, a leading manufacturer, franchisor, and retailer of tiles, bathroomware, and other related home-finishing products; and The Houghton Hotel and its range of spas and restaurants.
• Paid media management of clients across various industries, namely technology, e-commerce, construction/home improvement, hospitality, and non-profit.
• Managing budgets from $1,500 to $40,000.
• Developed and implemented comprehensive digital marketing strategies to increase brand awareness, grow quality traffic, and generate leads.
• Coordinated with clients and their cross-functional teams to ensure brand consistency across platforms, and the efficient setup of analytics tools for tracking customer behaviors.
• Generated and composed reports on website performance, ad campaigns, and other key metrics by analyzing performance and consumer behavior data.
• Managed and optimized PPC campaigns across Google AdWords, Bing (Microsoft Advertising), Meta, and LinkedIn to maximize ROI.

• Day-to-day management of the Yoco brands' Google Ads advertising portfolio in South Africa, and e-commerce platforms, as well as LinkedIn. Managing budgets of approximately. $50,000 per month.
• Performed an audit of the accounts to identify areas needing improvement. Restructured the entire Google Ads search strategy, and implemented a more efficient and comprehensive search strategy to maximize ROI. The improved search strategy went live as an experiment, yielding a 32% increase in conversions within two months. By the end of the six-month probation period, this increased by 70%.
• Combined Data Studio reports with keyword research to more accurately profile and satisfy user intent. Conducted market research analysis to identify search query trends and real-time search.
• Provided support with ad copywriting, including writing headlines and descriptions that are compliant with search engine guidelines. Performed A/B testing of ad copy and landing page elements to improve campaign performance, increasing the CTR by 22% in the first two months.
• Researched competitor activities, pricing strategies, and industry changes to inform strategic decisions.
• Evaluated new emerging media (e.g., PMAX), and made the necessary additions to the paid advertising strategy, with a focus on preserving the base search campaigns.
• Analyzed website traffic data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement of Google Shopping and Takealot (equivalent of Amazon in South Africa).
• Managed remarketing campaigns with tailored messaging based on user behavior patterns.
• Managed relationships with external agencies or partners when needed and collaborated closely with other departments to ensure successful implementation of campaigns.
• Generated weekly reports detailing campaign performance metrics such as CTRs, CPCs, CPMs, and reporting of search-related activities to provide analyses to marketing executives.
• Prepared and presented reports to update stakeholders about success of each strategy.

• Initially headhunted by Social.Lab to collaborate on the Philips TV and Audio account. This included the day-to-day management of search, Search 360, and display campaigns across the client's European markets (26 markets), managing budgets of over $70,000, client liaison and reporting.
• After a year and a half, I decided to join the Social Intelligence Department, conducting market intelligence research and social listening to uncover consumer trends, competitor activity, and actionable insights for strategic decision-making.
• There was an opening for a media planner, and I decided to take the opportunity. I took on additional responsibilities to develop a comprehensive skill set that covers every aspect of my work, from start to finish.
• Participated in a graduate recruitment program, conducting interviews to select candidates for internship roles. Then provided hands-on training in digital marketing, equipping the graduates with essential skills and knowledge. Many of the interns I mentored successfully transitioned into full-time roles within the company.

• Created engaging content for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Discord, and Telegram, while also utilizing the platforms to promote products, services, and content.
• Developed and implemented a comprehensive social media strategy to increase brand awareness and engagement.
• Coordinated with external vendors or agencies to produce high quality visuals or videos.
• Collaborated with influencers and brand partners to expand reach and enhance content diversity.
• Provided training and guidance to team members on best practices for utilizing social media tools.
• Organized events, webinars, and live Q&A sessions related to the company's products or services.
• Conducted market research and identified potential customer segments and regions.
• Drafted RFPs.
• Assisting with general business administration tasks.

• Day-to-day management of all PPC campaigns and SEO for over fifteen small to medium businesses, all the way through to large blue-chip companies.
• I got outsourced to South Africa's largest retailer, Shoprite for campaign management support, after which I was headhunted by Ogilvy.
• Created content for social media platforms including blogs, videos, podcasts. to engage supporters.
• Monitored budget allocations and adjusted bids accordingly to ensure optimal results within budget constraints.
• Assisted in the development of creative assets such as banners, display ads.
• Improved search-related activities through ongoing analysis, experimentation or optimization tests.
• Performed regular audits of accounts to identify areas needing improvement or optimization.
• Developed presentations and other materials to illustrate campaign performance for use in management meetings.
• Managed relationships with external agencies or partners when needed.
• Conducted comprehensive research and data analysis to support strategic planning and informed decision-making.
• Collaborated closely with team members, and supported management in order to achieve project objectives and meet deadlines.
• Worked effectively in team environments to make the workplace more productive.

• Started the communications and marketing department, which consisted of event planning and social media content creation.
• Conducted market research to support proposals and marketing strategies.
• Compiled and presented reports on customer feedback to inform marketing strategies to board members, and other partners.
• Attended meetings and worked collaboratively with cross-functional teams on new ideas and new projects.
• I wrote monthly newsletters regarding the work being done in the industry and upcoming opportunities.
• Developed and implemented content strategies to maximize website performance.