What One Year at The Digital Stride Taught Me

It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year since I joined The Digital Stride. In that time, I’ve gone from dipping my toes into the world of PPC to confidently crafting campaigns, optimising performance and contributing to client success across multiple accounts. It’s been a year full of learning, challenges, big wins, small wins, and some solid beer pong form thrown in for good measure.

Becoming a Team Player

The most valuable thing I’ve learned this year isn’t tied to a specific platform or process. It’s understanding how to be a dependable, collaborative member of a fast-paced agency team. From bouncing ideas around during campaign planning to offering support when things get busy, knowing how to contribute effectively as part of a group has shaped my day-to-day approach more than anything else.

That said, the technical growth has been big too. I’ve gained a much stronger grasp of PPC, particularly in the Google Ads space, and now feel confident analysing performance data, refining campaigns, and reporting results clearly to clients. I’ve also sharpened up my approach to client communication, learning how to turn numbers into stories and strategies that make sense for real business goals.

Facing the Steep Bits

When I first joined, I had limited hands-on experience with Google Ads. Jumping into live campaigns, picking up industry terms, and getting used to a fast learning cycle was, at times, overwhelming. But the team around me made it manageable. From day one, people were happy to help, offer advice, and explain things without ever making it feel like a burden. That culture of support has been one of the key reasons I’ve been able to develop so quickly.

Moments That Stood Out

I’ve worked on a lot of projects this year, and each one has helped build my confidence and skill set. One of the standout moments for me was being asked to present during an all-agency client meeting. A few months earlier, the thought of speaking up in that kind of setting would’ve been daunting. But by the time it came around, I felt ready, and it was a great opportunity to share insights and show how far I’d come.

Another proud moment was developing a custom Google Ads script to aid our weekly reporting. It sends performance summaries straight to our inboxes, covering weekly, monthly, and yearly trends. Seeing it run smoothly and save the team time was a small but satisfying win.

And of course, the Christmas party deserves a mention. Everyone was in high spirits, the drinks were flowing, and I’m still riding the high of our beer pong team taking the win.

Looking Ahead

Heading into year two, I’m excited to keep building on the momentum. I want to continue expanding my knowledge, step up my responsibilities across accounts, and start taking a more active role in client relationships. Most importantly, I want to do all of that in a way that helps The Digital Stride grow and thrive.

This past year has been all about learning, adapting, and showing that I can deliver value. The next one is about pushing that even further and becoming someone who drives impact not just for our clients, but for the agency as a whole.

Thanks to the entire team for making this such a great year. I’m looking forward to what comes next.

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