Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Steve Burk

Steve co-founded AB Marketing Group in 2017 with a conviction that marketing should produce revenue, not reports. He leads strategy, operations, and the firm's digital infrastructure — building the systems that turn marketing spend into measurable growth. With nine years of experience across more than 300 businesses, Steve specializes in performance marketing architecture: connecting paid ads, SEO, email, and analytics into integrated systems that compound. He built ABMG's proprietary Growth Score assessment tool and oversees the firm's technology stack including CRM integration, marketing automation, and AI-enhanced campaign management.

Areas of Expertise

  • Performance Marketing Strategy

  • Marketing Technology & CRM Architecture

  • Revenue Attribution & Analytics

  • AI Search Optimization

  • Marketing Automation & Systems

Credentials

  • Co-Founded ABMG (2017)

  • Managed $1.5M+ in ad spend across Google, Meta, and programmatic

  • Built marketing systems for more than 300 businesses

  • Developed proprietary Growth Score assessment methodology

Articles by Steve

  • How Much Do Google Ads Cost for a NJ Business?

    What Google Ads cost a New Jersey service business in 2026: click prices by category, management fees, starting budgets and why cost per lead matters most.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • How Much Does SEO Cost in New Jersey?

    SEO in New Jersey typically costs $1,500 to $10,000 a month. See what local SEO costs, what each month buys and when a program should pay for itself.
    Performance Marketing · 6 min read

  • What Is a Fractional CMO?

    What a fractional CMO is, what the role does each month, how it differs from a full-time or outsourced CMO, and who should and should not hire one.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • How Much Does a Website Cost in 2026?

    What a business website costs in 2026 by tier, what drives the price, the monthly costs people forget, and why the cheapest site often costs the most.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • HubSpot vs Salesforce: Which CRM Fits Your Business?

    HubSpot vs Salesforce compared on cost, setup, and attribution, plus where GoHighLevel fits and the one question that decides which CRM your team will use.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Speed to Lead: Why Response Time Wins Deals

    Learn why speed to lead decides who wins the deal, what a good lead response time is for a service business, and how to measure and improve it.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • In-House Marketing vs Agency: Pros and Cons

    In-house marketing vs an agency: honest pros and cons of each, the freelancer middle ground, the hybrid model, and how to choose based on what you can manage.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • B2B SEO: How to Rank for Buyer Searches

    B2B SEO explained: how to rank for the low-volume, high-intent searches your buyers run, which pages win, and how to measure results in pipeline, not traffic.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • CTV Advertising: How Streaming TV Ads Work

    How CTV advertising works for local businesses: how streaming TV ads are bought, targeted by zip code and household, what they cost, and how to track leads.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • How Much Do Facebook Ads Cost in 2026?

    What Facebook and Instagram ads cost a local business in 2026: CPM, cost per click, cost per lead, starting budgets, management fees and what to judge by.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • How Long Does SEO Take to Work?

    SEO usually takes 3 to 6 months to show movement and 6 to 12 months to bring steady leads. See what to expect each month and how to judge progress at month 3.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • Fractional CMO for Startups: What to Expect

    What startups should expect from a fractional CMO: the first 90 days, what the role does and does not do, when it is too early, the cost and how to judge it.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Landing Page Best Practices That Convert

    Landing page best practices for paid traffic: match the ad, give each page 1 action, qualify with the form, put proof where doubt is and count only real leads.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Is Marketing Attribution?

    Learn what marketing attribution is, how first touch, last touch and multi-touch models differ, and why Google, Meta and your CRM never agree.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • What Is Marketing Automation?

    What marketing automation is for a service business, with real examples, what to automate first, what to keep human and how it connects to your CRM.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Integrated Marketing Strategy Explained

    What an integrated marketing strategy is, why disconnected channels cost more, and how to build one plan where ads, content and follow-up work together.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • B2B Content Marketing Guide

    A B2B content marketing guide for long sales cycles: answer buyer questions, use formats that sell, share through sales and LinkedIn, and measure pipeline.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Types of Advertising: A Guide for Business Owners

    The 8 main types of advertising explained for business owners: what each costs, how to choose by buyer intent and tracking, and how to split a small budget.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • Local Services Ads vs Google Search Ads for Home Services

    Local Services Ads vs Google Search Ads for home services: how each is bought, where each shows, and how to split budget by cost per booked job.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Is Local SEO and Why It Matters for NJ Businesses

    Local SEO gets your business into Google's Map Pack and local results. Learn how it works in New Jersey and why it shows up in booked jobs, not just rankings.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • SEO vs PPC: Where Should a Local Business Invest First?

    SEO vs PPC for a local business: PPC brings leads in days, SEO builds leads that last. See 12-month cost curves and when each channel should go first.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Is Conversion Rate Optimization?

    Conversion rate optimization turns more of your website visitors into real leads. Learn how to calculate it, where sites leak and what to fix first.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • Lead Tracking: How to Know Which Dollar Made the Deal

    Learn how lead tracking ties every marketing dollar to a booked job, from UTM tags and call tracking numbers to one CRM record per lead and a monthly report.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • How to Use AI in Marketing

    A practical guide to using AI in marketing at a service business: where it helps, where it hurts, what to keep human and how to measure the results.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • What Is Omnichannel Marketing?

    Omnichannel marketing connects every channel to one customer record and one message. Here is what it means for a service business and how to start.
    Strategy · 6 min read

  • Account-Based Marketing Explained

    Account-based marketing explained for B2B companies: pick target accounts, map the buying committee, run coordinated plays and measure pipeline, not leads.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Billboard Advertising Cost in New Jersey

    What billboard advertising costs in New Jersey, what moves the price, how to judge a board and how to pair it with search so the attention turns into leads.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Is PPC Advertising and How Does It Work?

    PPC advertising explained for business owners: how the ad auction works, where PPC ads appear, how budgets work and how to judge results by cost per booked job.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • Google Business Profile Optimization Checklist

    A Google Business Profile optimization checklist you can finish in an afternoon, plus how Google Maps ranking works and the monthly habits that keep you there.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • Technical SEO Explained for Business Owners

    Technical SEO makes your site easy for Google to crawl, index and load. Learn what it covers, the SEO checklist to use and the signs it is costing you leads.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Makes a Good Website?

    What makes a good website for a service business: a clear first screen, speed on a phone, proof next to claims, real inquiry tracking and full ownership.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Is Lead Scoring?

    Lead scoring ranks every inquiry by fit and behavior so a busy service business calls its best leads first. Learn to build, route and retune a simple model.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • AI for Small Business: Practical Use Cases

    Practical ways a small business can use AI beyond marketing, from after-hours replies to invoice follow-up, with the setup time and failure mode for each.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses

    A small business marketing strategy should fit on one page: the number to move, 2 channels to fund first, a budget, a monthly review and what to skip.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • B2B Marketing Strategy Guide

    A B2B marketing strategy guide for long sales cycles: define ideal accounts, build proof, pick channels, align with sales and measure pipeline, not leads.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Advertising for Small Businesses on a Budget

    How to advertise a small business on a budget: free layers first, search ads next, social for new offers, a worked budget and the mistakes to avoid.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • How to Set Up Google Ads Conversion Tracking

    Set up Google Ads conversion tracking that counts real leads: what to track, Tag Manager or GA4, call tracking, primary actions and how to test it.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?

    Generative engine optimization gets your business named in AI answers. Learn what it is, how it differs from SEO, what to fix first and how to measure it.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • How to Get More Google Reviews

    How to get more Google reviews without buying or faking them: when to ask, how to make it 1 tap, what the rules ban and a weekly routine for a small office.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • Website Maintenance Cost: What to Budget

    What website maintenance costs, from hosting to care plans and retainers, the line items to budget, a monthly checklist to ask for, and when to rebuild.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • How to Choose a CRM

    How to choose a CRM for a service business with 5 to 50 people: map your workflow, score 10 criteria, run a 2-week trial with real leads and migrate cleanly.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • n8n vs Zapier: Which Automation Tool Is Right for You?

    n8n vs Zapier for a service business: what each tool does, how costs change as volume grows, the risks of each and a simple rule for choosing.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • How Much Does a Marketing Agency Cost?

    A marketing agency typically costs $1,500 to $10,000 a month plus ad spend. See how pricing works, what a retainer should include and how to judge payback.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • B2B Lead Generation Strategies That Work

    B2B lead generation strategies for small sales teams and long sales cycles, with who each one suits, what it costs and how to measure it by pipeline.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • How Much Does Advertising Cost?

    What advertising costs by channel, from Google and Meta to direct mail and billboards, plus management fees, starting budgets and what to fund first.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Which Is Right for You?

    Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Google reaches people searching now, Meta reaches people who were not. Compare costs, needs and which goes first for your business.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Are Local SEO Citations?

    Local SEO citations are mentions of your business name, address and phone on other sites. Learn why consistency beats volume and how to audit and fix yours.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • How Long Does It Take to Build a Website?

    How long it takes to build a website for a service business, by site type and phase, what sets the timeline, and how to keep a 6-week build on schedule.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • CRM Implementation Plan: Step by Step

    A CRM implementation plan for service businesses: map your lead flow, set stages and sources, connect, automate, train and cut over in roughly 4 to 8 weeks.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Marketing Automation Examples for Service Businesses

    9 marketing automation examples for service businesses, each with its trigger, action, payoff and the lead data it needs, from speed to lead to reviews.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Marketing Budget for Small Businesses

    A small service business should typically spend 5 to 10 percent of revenue on marketing, split across 5 budget lines and judged by cost per booked job.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • What Is B2B Marketing?

    What B2B marketing is, how it differs from selling to consumers, the pieces that make it work, and how to measure it by pipeline and won revenue, not leads.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • What Is Demand Generation?

    Demand generation explained: how B2B companies create and capture demand, why gated ebooks fail, a 90-day plan for small sales teams and how to measure it.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • What Does an Advertising Agency Do?

    What an advertising agency does day to day, how it differs from a marketing agency, what to ask for, the red flags and how to judge results in 90 days.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • Are Too Many Keywords Hurting Your Google Ads?

    Too many Google Ads keywords spread your budget thin, starve bidding of data and weaken your ads. How to spot keyword bloat, prune it and what to expect.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • Can You Bid on Competitor Brand Names in Google Ads?

    You can bid on competitor brand names in Google Ads but generally cannot use their trademark in ad text, and here is when it pays and how to measure it.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • How to Rank in ChatGPT and AI Search

    How to rank in ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews: what AI answers draw on, the steps that work for service businesses, and how to check if you show up.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • WordPress vs Shopify for Small Businesses

    WordPress vs Shopify for a small business: which one fits a lead-generation site, which fits product sales, what each costs to run, and what to ask first.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • CRM Data Migration Checklist

    A CRM data migration checklist for service businesses: what to do before, during and after you switch systems, what goes wrong and how long it takes.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Business Process Automation Examples

    19 business process automation examples for service businesses, by department, with the trigger, action, data needed, build order and how to measure results.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Lead Routing Explained

    Lead routing explained for service businesses: the rules that decide who gets each new lead, how fast they respond and what happens when nobody does.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • The B2B Marketing Funnel

    How the B2B marketing funnel follows the buyer journey, what marketing owns at each stage, where funnels leak, and how to measure it with a small sales team.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Can Cannabis Businesses in New Jersey Advertise on Billboards?

    What New Jersey's cannabis advertising rules generally say about billboards, which channels stay open, and how to judge any placement by tracked inquiries.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Does PPC Management Include?

    What PPC management includes, week by week: keywords, ads, tracking, bids and search-term cleanup, plus what the fee covers and what to ask a provider.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • LinkedIn Ads Cost: What B2B Brands Should Budget

    LinkedIn Ads cost more per click than any major platform. See typical market ranges, how each format is priced and what a $3,000 monthly budget buys.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • What Does a Fractional CMO Do?

    What a fractional CMO does: the first 30 days, the weekly and monthly work, what the role leaves to others, and how to judge one after 90 days.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • When to Hire a Fractional CMO: 7 Signs

    7 signs it is time to hire a fractional CMO, what the role does about each one, when you are not ready yet, how engagements start and what they cost.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • How to Choose a Fractional CMO for Your Business

    How to choose a fractional CMO: decide if you need strategy, execution or both, what to look for, what to ask, red flags and how to run a 90-day trial.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Website Redesign Checklist

    A website redesign checklist for service businesses: signs you need a new site, what to do before, during and after launch, and 2 mistakes that cost rankings.
    Performance Marketing · 7 min read

  • HubSpot vs GoHighLevel

    HubSpot vs GoHighLevel for service businesses: what each platform is, who it suits, how costs grow, what switching involves and a simple rule to choose.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Closed-Loop Reporting Explained

    Closed loop reporting follows every lead from its source to a won or lost deal and revenue. See how the loop works and the minimum setup for a small team.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Benefits of Marketing Automation

    The benefits of marketing automation for a service business: faster replies, fewer lost leads, more reviews, cleaner data, less admin and clearer reports.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • The Marketing Audit Every Growing Brand Should Run First

    Before you hire another agency or rebuild your funnel, find the one thing actually holding your growth back — then fix it, prove it, and own the result.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • What a NJ Google Ads Agency Should Actually Do For You

    Most Google Ads agencies in NJ optimize for clicks you can see and ignore the leaks you cannot. Here is what good account management actually looks like.
    Performance Marketing · 6 min read

  • How to Vet an SEO Agency in NJ

    SEO is the easiest marketing service to fake and the hardest to verify. These questions separate a real NJ SEO agency from a monthly report generator.
    Performance Marketing · 6 min read

  • How to Set a Marketing Budget That Actually Produces Revenue

    Most marketing budgets are set by guessing a percentage and hoping. Here is how to size yours around what a customer is worth, and prove the return.
    Strategy · 6 min read

  • What a NJ Email Marketing Agency Should Do

    A practical checklist for choosing an email marketing provider: scope, account ownership, audience quality, approvals, and meaningful reporting. ABMG does not offer this service.
    Performance Marketing · 3 min read

  • Marketing CRM & Tech in NJ: What a Real Setup Looks Like

    A real NJ marketing CRM setup wires capture, attribution, and follow-up into one view you own, so you can finally see which channel made each customer.
    Performance Marketing · 5 min read

  • What a NJ Marketing Automation Agency Should Build For You

    A real NJ marketing automation agency builds the follow-up that catches leads when your team is busy, proves the revenue you recover, and hands you the keys.
    Performance Marketing · 6 min read

  • Do You Actually Own Your Marketing? (Most Operators Don't)

    A five-point ownership audit that shows whether your ad accounts, site, data, and leads are really yours, and how good partners hand you the keys.
    Strategy · 6 min read

  • Your First 90 Days With a Marketing Agency: What Good Looks Like

    What the first 90 days with a marketing agency should produce: a named constraint fixed, results in real numbers, and accounts you own.
    Strategy · 6 min read

  • Marketing Automation for Mid-Market: What's Actually Worth the Investment

    Everyone's selling you automation tools. Few of them will generate ROI. Here's which marketing automations deliver 10X returns — and which ones are expensive distractions.
    Performance Marketing · 8 min read

  • Real Estate Marketing That Generates Listings, Not Just Clicks

    You're spending money on Zillow leads that were already yours. Here's how top agents build a local authority brand that generates listings — without paying a portal for the privilege.
    Industry Insights · 7 min read

  • The Outsourced CMO Playbook for $5M-$20M Companies

    Too big for DIY, too small for a $250K hire. The 5 plays that turn marketing from a cost center into a growth system for $5M-$20M NJ companies.
    Strategy · 8 min read

  • Outsourced CMO vs. Full-Time: The Real Math

    Speed, cost, and ROI compared head-to-head: outsourced CMO vs $200K+ full-time hire. Which path is right for a growing mid-market company? NJ agency view.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Outsourced CMO vs. Fractional CMO vs. Agency

    The three models compared on team, scope, cost, and accountability. Which fits a growing mid-market business? Plain-English breakdown from a NJ marketing agency.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Outsourced CMO Cost — $2K-$20K Tier Breakdown

    Real outsourced CMO pricing: $2K-$4K entry, $5K-$10K mid-market, $10K-$20K+ full partnership. What you get at each tier — transparent pricing from a NJ agency.
    Strategy · 6 min read

  • Outsourced CMO for Contractors

    Marketing leadership for NJ construction firms: paid ads, SEO, content. A proven 90-day playbook for growing contractors. From referrals to system.
    Industry Insights · 6 min read

  • Restaurant Marketing Playbook — Fill Your Tables

    How restaurants and food brands build marketing systems beyond happy hour. Content, social, and the channel mix that drives bookings. NJ marketing agency playbook.
    Industry Insights · 7 min read

  • Industrial B2B Marketing — Building a Real Pipeline

    How growing industrial manufacturers build marketing beyond trade shows. Channel mix, attribution, and a system that produces leads. NJ playbook from ABMG.
    Industry Insights · 6 min read

  • Marketing for Professional Services Firms in the DC Metro

    DC is packed with agencies. Most of them specialize in government contracts or charge K Street overhead. Here's what professional services firms actually need.
    Industry Insights · 5 min read

  • How Maryland Businesses Compete with DC Agencies — Without DC Prices

    You're paying DC rates for a junior account manager who juggles 20 clients. There's a better way to get enterprise marketing at mid-market prices.
    Strategy · 5 min read

  • Why Your Logo Isn't Your Brand (And What Actually Costs You Clients)

    You spent $2K on a logo redesign and nothing changed. Because your logo was never the problem. Your brand system was.
    Brand & Creative · 5 min read

  • Marketing Automation in 2026: What's Worth It for a $5M Company

    Everyone's selling 'AI-powered automation.' Most of it is overpriced nonsense. Here's what actually moves the needle for mid-market businesses.
    Strategy · 6 min read

  • Marketing Agency in DC vs NJ: Why Geography Matters Less Than You Think

    Your agency doesn't need a DC zip code to deliver DC-level results. Here's why the best marketing partnerships are built on systems, not proximity.
    Strategy · 5 min read

  • Small Business Marketing in New Jersey: The 2026 Playbook

    AI search is changing the game. Ad costs are up 40%. Cookie deprecation is real. Here's what NJ small businesses need to know — and do — right now.
    Industry Insights · 6 min read

  • Outsourced CMO for $5M Companies

    What an outsourced CMO actually looks like at $5M revenue. The day-to-day, the team behind the strategist, and when the model breaks. NJ agency view.
    Strategy · 5 min read

  • From Zero to Domination Package: How a Golf App Found Its Marketing System

    A tech startup with 200 subscribers, $100K wasted on a bad agency, and zero content. Here's how discovery, diagnosis, and the right package changed everything.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • 5 Websites We Built in 2 Days Each (And Why Speed Matters)

    We built 5 client websites in a single week — complete with SEO, calculators, and lead capture. Here's why the 3-month website timeline is dead.
    Industry Insights · 6 min read

  • Digital Marketing for Law Firms: Why 227 Reviews and a #9 Ranking Don't Add Up

    You have more Google reviews than anyone in your market. You're still on page 2. Here's why reviews alone don't win the ranking game — and what does.
    Industry Insights · 6 min read

  • What Your Website Is Costing You Every Month (And You Don't Even Know It)

    Your website loads in 5 seconds on mobile. Your forms don't track conversions. Every ad click lands on your homepage. Here's how much that's actually costing you.
    Performance Marketing · 6 min read

  • How to Choose a Marketing Agency in New Jersey (Without Getting Burned Again)

    You've been through agencies that overpromised and underdelivered. Here's the evaluation framework that separates the ones who actually perform from the ones who just pitch well.
    Strategy · 8 min read

  • Your Marketing Budget Is Earning Less Than a Savings Account

    You're spending $5K, $10K, maybe $20K a month on marketing. Can you point to the revenue it produced? If not, a savings account would literally perform better.
    Performance Marketing · 6 min read

  • The Channel That Built Your Business Will Eventually Betray It

    Cold email worked until spam filtering killed it. PPC worked until the costs doubled. Referrals work until they don't. Here's why single-channel dependency is the most dangerous risk in your business.
    Strategy · 6 min read

  • Six Agencies Later: What They All Got Wrong

    You've been through the cycle. The pitch is impressive, the execution is junior, the reports say nothing about revenue. Here's the structural reason it keeps happening.
    Strategy · 7 min read

  • Why Premium Contractors Lose to Cheaper Competitors Online

    You do better work. You have better reviews. But when someone Googles your trade in your city, you're invisible. Here's why — and how to fix it.
    Industry Insights · 6 min read

  • 5 Signs You've Outgrown DIY Marketing

    DIY marketing works — until it doesn't. Here are five signals that your business has outgrown doing it yourself, and what to do about it.
    Industry Insights · 4 min read

  • The Hidden Revenue in Your Contact List

    Your contact list isn't a list — it's hidden revenue sitting in plain sight. Here's how businesses are turning dormant databases into their highest-ROI marketing channel.
    Performance Marketing · 5 min read

  • Why Your Marketing Agency Isn't Working

    You've hired agencies before. They promised results, delivered reports, and eventually you moved on. Here's why the model keeps failing — and what actually works.
    Strategy · 6 min read

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