By Brett Thomas, Owner – Jambalaya Marketing, New Orleans, LA Let’s be honest. Watching a national chain roll into town and scoop up local customers is like watching your ex show up to your favorite bar with someone who looks just like you—but taller, richer, and with a much shinier logo. And yes, they’ve got...

By Brett Thomas, Owner – Jambalaya Marketing, New Orleans, LA Let’s get something straight: if an ad doesn’t grab attention, it’s just noise. Worse, it’s background noise. The kind that people tune out while scrolling, driving, or pretending to listen during a Zoom call. That’s why I created something I call The Jambalaya Formula — a way...

Back in the 1930s, America was going through a financial swamp deeper than anything in the Atchafalaya Basin. Businesses were folding faster than a tourist’s poker hand at Harrah’s, banks were closing, and folks were stuffing cash into mattresses like it was the only investment left. It was bleak. And then there was Coca-Cola. While...

Let’s be honest—most press releases are about as exciting as a wet sandwich. You know the kind: stiff corporate tone, vague declarations, a quote from someone with three job titles, and a few links thrown in like parsley. But if that same press release hits Google’s News tab before your competition even knows what hit...

Small towns have big personalities. Everyone knows who sells the best boudin, who fixes your truck right the first time, and which place to avoid unless you’re in the mood to argue with a cousin you forgot you had. But when it comes to the internet? That’s where things get fuzzy. A lot of small-town...

So there you are, typing your own business name into Google like a proud parent searching for their kid’s school photo… and nothing. Maybe page two. Maybe page six. Meanwhile, your competitor—who, let’s be honest, isn’t half as charming as you—pops up right there in the Maps box with 47 five-star reviews and a profile...

Let’s cut to the chase—if a business doesn’t have a Google Business Profile, it’s basically hiding from the very people trying to find it. In 2025, showing up in a local search is more important than showing up on time to a crawfish boil. And in both cases, being late (or invisible) means going hungry....

Let’s clear something up right now: SEO and SEM are not twin brothers. They don’t share a toothbrush. They’re not even close cousins. They’re more like the tortoise and the hare—both headed toward the same finish line, but with wildly different approaches, personalities, and caffeine habits. As the owner of Jambalaya Marketing, I’ve spent more...

Hey there, community curators and storytelling aficionados! Brett Thomas here, your friendly neighborhood marketer at Jambalaya Marketing, right where the Mississippi meets the muse of creativity. Today, let’s talk about a kind of alchemy that turns your customers’ experiences into pure marketing gold: User-Generated Content (UGC). The Heart of UGC: Authenticity In the bustling digital...

Howdy, tech enthusiasts and retail revolutionaries! Brett Thomas here from Jambalaya Marketing, nestled in the heart of New Orleans – a city as rich in innovation as it is in history. Today, I’m jazzed to talk about a topic that’s reshaping the retail landscape: Augmented Reality (AR) in online shopping. The Magic of Augmented Reality...

Hey there, live streamers and marketing maestros! It’s Brett Thomas here from Jambalaya Marketing, your go-to guru for all things dynamic in the digital marketing world. If you’re looking to add some pizzazz to your marketing mix, pull up a chair and let’s chat about the electric world of live streaming. The Live Streaming Buzz...

Hello, local virtuosos and marketing enthusiasts! Brett Thomas here, your navigator through the bustling streets of New Orleans’ marketing landscape. Pour yourself a cup of chicory coffee, and let’s delve into the world of location-based marketing – a strategy as potent as a splash of hot sauce in your morning eggs. The Heartbeat of Location-Based...