“Personally, I think there’s potential in all of us to strive for so much more and ultimately to make a difference in society.”

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intence media is digital marketing agency formed just outside Washington, DC and has expanded out to Los Angeles, CA. Once a company that tried to do all things digital marketing, Intence media has evolved strictly towards search engine optimization and pay per click marketing with a focus on the local market.

intence media was founded by Alan Dang, a generation Y entrepreneur with a background in technology and business. While intence media is Alan’s main venture, he is also involved in various web-based startups with several more set to launch in 2013.

MO: How did you come up with the name intence Media?

Alan: To be honest, ‘intence’ was just a word I used to commonly use when I was younger and it kind of just stuck around. I chose the name ‘intence media’ because it doesn’t limit the scope of the company and its services. I ran with it and it has worked favorably till this day. What I like about the company name is that it doesn’t limit what I can do or offer. The company has definitely evolved since inception and it continues to evolve to adapt to the changing environment.

MO: Why have you evolved from doing all things digital marketing to now strictly focusing on search engine optimization and pay per click marketing with a focus on the local market?

Alan: You know many people try to do everything and put on many hats as they say. I’m guilty of that as well but fortunately I realized that I was better off focusing my core skillsets on what I knew best. I think it’s much better to be exceptional at 1-2 things than be average at many others. Quite frankly, services like SEO, PPC, social media, etc, are all full time jobs if done correctly. I was just better off at doing what I knew best and stuck to that philosophy.

MO: What influenced your expansion to Los Angeles?

Alan: What’s not to like? It is a rapid departure from Washington, DC but in a good way. While both my home town and Los Angeles has its pro’s and con’s, I believe the pro’s outweigh the con’s tenfold here in LA. From a business standpoint, it made sense to penetrate this market area. Everywhere you look there is a business on every corner of the street. It is more competitive obviously but I believe there’s enough business to go around. I believe a market can never be too saturated.

MO: What’s the best advice that you’ve ever been given?

Alan: The best advice I ever got was probably to believe in myself and see the big picture. Unfortunately we live in a world where people settle in many regards to life and there is nothing wrong with that. Personally, I think there’s potential in all of us to strive for so much more and ultimately to make a difference in society. A lot of people are naturally negative because of their circumstances and it rubs off onto other people. That’s why I think it’s really important to surround yourself with good people, people that are likeminded and push you to be better each day.

MO: What are some advantages of a business focusing on the local market?

Alan: Speaking from my personal experience, it definitely exposes you to a lot of different industries very quickly, especially since my line of work is B2B. It is very interesting to see how other businesses operate and which areas they can improve on. Being local also helps build a relationship that I would have otherwise never had. With these relationships comes trust and trust gives you referrals. Plus I like to see other businesses succeed and if I do my part in helping them market correctly then I know I was a contributing factor.

MO: What are two trends in your industry that you’re excited about?

Alan: Honestly the online world is a very fast paced industry. It is constantly changing and trends seldom last more than 1-2 years. While these changes do present challenges, it’s also a reminder to adapt, look at the big picture, and plan ahead. There’s nothing specific worth mentioning but I really do look forward to the innovation in the years to come, especially those from big corporations like Google to the next start-up success story like Socialcam.