Thursday, 31 March 2016

Longer Videos Coming to Instagram, What it Means for Marketers

Instagram has announced it will be extending the standard 15-second length for videos to a full 60 seconds.

The post Longer Videos Coming to Instagram, What it Means for Marketers appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Number of SEO Jobs to Decline in 2016

A study released this week reveals the amount of inbound marketing jobs are expected to drop for the first time in 4 years.

The post Number of SEO Jobs to Decline in 2016 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

7 Reference Guides for Successful Blogging in 2016 by @zacjohnson

It's easy to start a blog, but it's not easy to find success or make money with one. Discover seven of the most common problems that bloggers deal with on a daily basis, while also finding solutions for each.

The post 7 Reference Guides for Successful Blogging in 2016 by @zacjohnson appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

The Essential Guide to Creating Infographics That Drive Traffic by @legendt

To create infographics that stand out from the pack and drive serious traffic today, you have to make it something special. Here's how you can do it.

The post The Essential Guide to Creating Infographics That Drive Traffic by @legendt appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

4 Things Steve Jobs can Teach Us About Conversion Rate Optimization by @neilpatel

Steve Jobs wasn’t a CRO expert. Nonetheless, we can learn from his genius and apply those lessons to our own craft of conversion optimization.

The post 4 Things Steve Jobs can Teach Us About Conversion Rate Optimization by @neilpatel appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

[eBook] Influencer Engagement: 15 Ways to Fail & 25 Ways to WIN

Influencer Engagement - 15 fails and 25 wins

Schadenfreude (n.): Pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune.

Who doesn’t like watching a good fail? As long as the subject isn’t seriously injured, we can all enjoy a hearty laugh at the guy who slips on the banana peel, the woman who gets her shoe caught in a grate, or the kid getting bopped by the family cat. Even if you’re the one who fails, you know eventually it will be a funny story you can tell at parties.

While these minor pratfalls are all in good fun, failing at influencer engagement isn’t as entertaining. Instead of a few bruises and an amusing anecdote, an influencer outreach fail can end your campaign before it starts. And there are far more ways to fail than you might imagine.

But you don’t have to be a cautionary tale. There are more ways to win at influencer engagement than there are banana peels in your way. At TopRank Marketing, we create and manage influencer marketing programs for  some of today’s top B2B and B2C brands. We made the mistakes so you don’t have to. Over time, we have built a solid strategy for building lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with influencers.

To help you avoid being the object of other marketers’ schadenfreude, we created a new eBook, 15 Ways to Fail & 25 Ways to Win with Influencer Engagement. We asked some of our favorite marketing influencers how people have failed to build relationships with them in the past, then added advice based on our years of experience.

The result is a first-hand account of how to succeed in influencer marketing, with insight from both influencers and the marketers who excel at creating relationships with them.

influencer-fail-win-experts

Here are a few ways marketers failed to engage our influencers:

Reaching out cold: “I get requests from people I know really well every week. What makes you think I’ll make time to work with you if I’ve never interacted with you before? Take some time to comment on my posts, rate my podcast, review my book. I’ll return the favor in a heartbeat.” Andrew Davis, Founder, Monumental Shift Click to Tweet

Inappropriate asks: “As in asks for promoting your product (books, webinars, conferences, etc.) in exchange for affiliate revenue: Please DON’T.” Carlos Gil, Head of Global Social Media, BMC Software Click to Tweet

Asking too soon: “My pet peeve is when someone follows me on Twitter or Instagram and/or fans me on Facebook and immediately reaches out to me with a request to check out their business.” Kim Garst, Bestselling Author and Keynote Speaker Click to Tweet

Using the wrong communication channels: “Sending me a message about LinkedIn using Facebook.” Jason Miller, Group manager, Content Marketing & Social Media, LinkedIn Click to Tweet

Impersonal pitches: “When companies send out generic en masse pitches, like a robo-call, but via email. The personal touch can make or break an influencer’s decision to engage.” Chad Pollitt, Co-Founder & VP of Audience, Relevance Click to Tweet

Lack of credibility: “Competition for effective influencers’ time is high, so reaching out using a Gmail address and pointing to a little known brand hosted on a hyphenated domain with poor design isn’t going to motivate anyone to engage.” Lee Odden, CEO, TopRank Marketing Click to Tweet

Lazy duplicated messages: “When you get that really interesting Tweet inviting you to take a look at something and then when you click through to it you also see that they have composed basically the same message to 579 other people on Twitter.” Jon Jantsch, Founder, Duct Tape Marketing Click to Tweet

Delegated, impersonal outreach: “Reach out to me directly yourself. Do NOT delegate this critical step to your marketing agency, PR professional, team member, assistant or intern. Do it yourself and make your note personal. If you want me to respond, I expect you to do the asking yourself.” Heidi Cohen, Chief Content Officer, Actionable Marketing Guide Click to Tweet

Asking without giving first: “Not greasing the skids. Influencers are most likely to add commentary if there is some kind of existing relationship. This means at least some kind of history where the person reaching out has already been sharing the influencer content.” Joe Pulizzi, Founder, Content Marketing Institute Click to Tweet

Being too salesy: “Asking for 30 minutes of my time to discuss a “partnership” – which actually means you want me to sell your stuff to my clients.” Ardath Albee, CEO & B2B Marketing Strategist, Marketing Interactions Click to Tweet

Asking them to sell for you: “Your influencer is there to help you increase the awareness, association and consideration of your brand in a certain space – not to shill for you.” Gerry Moran, Global Head of Social Media, Cognizant  Click to Tweet

Too much focus on the brand: “Don’t tell me your story, let me tell my story. ‘LESS fabrication, MORE facilitation’ = a boost to your Return on Relationship, #RonR” Ted Rubin, Social Marketing Strategist, Evangelist & Acting CMO, The Rubin Organization Click to Tweet

Placing too many demands on the influencer: “Set the tone and rules upfront. Influencers can’t be expected to take part in everything you do, so say that. Set the ground rules and expectations.” Bryan Kramer, President & CEO, PureMatter Brand Marketing & Interactive Click to Tweet

Spamming with automated messages: “Signing up for an app that spams your “top influencer” with automated messages is a sure path to a rocky relationship.” Glen Gilmore, Principal, Gilmore Business Network Click to Tweet

Failure to follow up: “Not following up with that blog post, eBook, or copy of the interview the influencer contributed to. Influencers are indeed interested in seeing the fruits of their labors.” Rebecca Lieb, Principal, Conglomotron LLC Click to Tweet

If you have a few scrapes and bruises from your past influencer marketing attempts, it’s time to be an example instead of a cautionary tale. Check out the SlideShare below for the tips you need to start winning:

Take these tips with you wherever you go: Download your copy of 15 Ways to fail & 25 Ways to Win with Influencer Engagement.

Disclosure: LinkedIn Marketing is a TopRank Marketing client. 


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© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2016. | [eBook] Influencer Engagement: 15 Ways to Fail & 25 Ways to WIN | http://www.toprankblog.com

The post [eBook] Influencer Engagement: 15 Ways to Fail & 25 Ways to WIN appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Wednesday, 30 March 2016

Search for Friends of Friends on Instagram

Instagram is opening up its search functionality to allow people to search through other peoples’ followers.

The post Search for Friends of Friends on Instagram appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Who Has AMP Carousel and Who Doesn’t? Google Reveals Countries With AMP in Search Results

Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) project has now been rolled out to 12 countries in total, with possibly more to come.

The post Who Has AMP Carousel and Who Doesn’t? Google Reveals Countries With AMP in Search Results appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Google Image Search Now Allows People to “Save” Images to Desktop

Google is expanding on a mobile search feature rolled out in late 2015, whereby searchers could star images they find in image search directly to their mobile devices. The expansion of this feature will see Google allow desktop searchers to star images they find in image search results in a similar way. Google is taking some liberties in its announcement with the with the use of the word “save”. For instance, the headline reads: “Easily save the images you love…now on desktop”. A more accurate choice of wording would be anything along the lines of “favorite”, “bookmark”, or “star”; because […]

The post Google Image Search Now Allows People to “Save” Images to Desktop appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

3 Simple Steps to Create a Content Calendar for Your Blog by @syedbalkhi

Struggling to post regularly on your blog? One of the best ways to solve that is by creating a content calendar for your blog. Here's how you can rock one.

The post 3 Simple Steps to Create a Content Calendar for Your Blog by @syedbalkhi appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

The Highest (and Lowest) Average CTRs in Google AdWords by Industry by @LarryKim

How do you know if your CTR is doing well or poorly? In this post, Larry Kim breaks down the average CTRs in Google AdWords by industry.

The post The Highest (and Lowest) Average CTRs in Google AdWords by Industry by @LarryKim appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

How to Get Your Website Listed in Google News in 2016 by @LWilson1980

In this article we'll explore what prevents businesses from appearing in Google News; and discuss practical tips to get your content included in the future.

The post How to Get Your Website Listed in Google News in 2016 by @LWilson1980 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Learn How to Create a Better Customer Experience with Omni-Channel Marketing

omni-channel-marketing

In today’s world, the customer experience extends beyond the walls of a brick and mortar store. Customers engage with your brand through content that’s spread across multiple channels and accessed by multiple devices. And with so many possible touch points, it’s becoming increasingly important for brands to ensure consistency throughout–especially for their millennial audience.

A survey by SLD, a customer experience software and services provider, revealed that 44% of millennials surveyed expect their experience to be consistent across all devices. In addition, 60% said that they expect the same experience across all customer touch points–from phone service to in-store and digital interactions.

So how do you create that consistent customer experience? Through omni-channel marketing.

Defining Omni-Channel Marketing

Omni-channel marketing is a holistic, strategic marketing approach that aims to provide a seamless user experience across all channels and devices.

Every brand has a story to tell. A message that tells their audiences who they are, what they stand for and how they can be of service in a time of need. And an important part of successfully conveying that message is through creating a positive, consistent customer experience with your brand. How can you build a relationship with a customer if your message is inconsistent? How can you build that trust?

In addition, providing a consistent customer experience contributes to building brand recognition and awareness among your target audience. Remember, your marketing efforts aim to build and nurture your customer relationships.

Best Practices for Omni-Channel Marketing

At TopRank Marketing, we often talk about the importance of an integrated content marketing strategy. One that uses multiple tactics–across multiple mediums–to be the best answer, when and where people are searching for information. The key to all this? A focus on the customer and their journey–which is a natural connection to omni-channel marketing.

Content plays a major role in the customer experience. It’s product descriptions. It’s blog posts. It’s advertisements. It’s emails. It’s social media status updates. It’s a promotional sign hanging in a store’s window. Use omni-channel marketing as another layer to bolster your content marketing strategy–and really your overall marketing strategy.

Other best practices include:

  • Use consistent imagery. Humans are very visual beings. We process so much with our eyes. Using consistent imagery contributes to that brand recognition and awareness brands so desperately want.
  • Establish a consistent voice. This is your brand voice and it should be recognizable to your customers. Are you serious? More light-hearted? Silly? Educational?
  • Personalize. Remember that each channel likely has a distinct audience. Strike a balance between your brand standards and optimizing your message for each medium.
  • Put yourself in customers’ shoes. Take the time to regularly review the experience that your customers go through to research, buy and connect with your products and brand. When it comes to your digital interactions, use your analytical tools to identify barriers. Where are people dropping off the site? Which forms convert the best? Where is the most site traffic coming from? Which mediums get the most engagement? Now that you have this information, how can you improve the experience? Is it through new content or better calls-to-action?

Examples of Omni-Channel Marketing in Action

Disney

Disney Omni-Channel

Disney is an omni-channel rock star. From booking your trip on their mobile responsive website to securing fast passes through the My Disney Experience app to accessing your on-property hotel room with a Magic Band, the magic of Disney is consistent throughout.

Target

Target Omni-Channel 1

Target Omni-Channel 2

Another omni-channel heavy weight is one of my most beloved brands: Target. Whether you’re shopping from your PC, your mobile device or in-store, each medium works together to create a seamless, efficient shopping experience (even if you fall down the perusing rabbit hole). Your digital shopping cart can be saved and accessed from either a PC or mobile device, or you can opt to pick items up at your closest store.

Coca-Cola

Coca-cola omni-channel

Coca-Cola is one of the world’s most recognizable brands. It’s sold in hundreds of countries and it’s branded itself as a deliciously refreshing beverage that delivers happiness in a bottle. From allowing soda lovers to share the love by personalizing a bottle for a special someone to their rewards program to utilizing traditional media to remind customers just how tasty their drink is, their brand is all about customer experience.

What are some of your best practices for ensuring a seamless customer experience? Share with us in the comments section below.

Header image via Shutterstock


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© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2016. | Learn How to Create a Better Customer Experience with Omni-Channel Marketing | http://www.toprankblog.com

The post Learn How to Create a Better Customer Experience with Omni-Channel Marketing appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Tuesday, 29 March 2016

How to Effectively Monitor Your Niche on Autopilot Using Ahrefs by @sejournal

Know your competitors. Be one step ahead in the cut-throat competition in the online marketing community with Ahrefs's help.

The post How to Effectively Monitor Your Niche on Autopilot Using Ahrefs by @sejournal appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

9 Tips for Making Your Data Visualization More Effective

Using data visualization to convey facts is key for a successful marketing strategy. Use these tips to create valuable data visualizations.

The post 9 Tips for Making Your Data Visualization More Effective appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

The Differences Between Google Blogger and WordPress by @highervis

Trying to find the right CMS system can be overwhelming. You can go with either Google Blogger or WordPress.com. Here's why.

The post The Differences Between Google Blogger and WordPress by @highervis appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

15 Can’t Miss Marketing Conferences of 2016 by @AkiLiboon

Marketing conferences are a great way to connect with industry experts and stay ahead of the latest trends. Here are must-attend marketing events of 2016.

The post 15 Can’t Miss Marketing Conferences of 2016 by @AkiLiboon appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

What is a Content Marketing Strategy (And Why Do I Need One?)

what-is-a-content-marketing-strategy

With traditional marketing tactics becoming less effective as the Internet breeds more self-guided buyers, content marketing has risen up to provide marketers with another way to engage with their target audience.

Rather than pushing out a one-size-fits-all message, content marketing allows you to give your audience tailored, relevant and meaningful information. It helps you build a trusting relationship with your audience–often times before they even become a customer.

But just because you do content marketing, doesn’t mean you’re doing it effectively. According to the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs annual research report, 55% of marketers said they didn’t know what content marketing success or effectiveness looked like. This is where a content marketing strategy can help you define a path to successful content creation.

But what is a content marketing strategy?

What is a Content Marketing Strategy?

A content marketing strategy provides you with answers to the why, who and how a content marketing program can achieve your business objectives. It’s your infrastructure. Your game plan. Your roadmap. It’s how you plan to help your customers solve their pain points through content marketing.

For example, your content marketing strategy will likely include some very important details about your customers, what you hope to accomplish with content marketing and how you plan on getting there. A successful content marketing strategy will be thoroughly integrated with your other digital marketing initiatives to create a cohesive experience for your customers across platforms. 

Why Do I Need a Content Marketing Strategy?

Without a content marketing strategy, you’re throwing content into the world and hoping it sticks somewhere. With a strategy in place, you’re able to plan, produce, promote and measure the effectiveness of your content, and use that information to propel your efforts forward.

In order for you to measure the effectiveness of your program, your content marketing strategy needs to be documented. In the same annual report mentioned above, marketers with a documented content marketing strategy said they got better results from the content marketing tactics, social platforms and paid methods of content distribution that they used.

7 Elements to Include in Your Content Marketing Strategy

#1 – Goals & Objectives 

The idea behind creating and implementing a content marketing strategy–and really any business strategy–is to achieve specific goals and objectives. Some of the most common goals include increasing website traffic, growing social audiences, and increasing contact form submissions or newsletter signups. We suggest making these goals smart goals–something that can be tracked and measured. For example, rather than your goal being to increase website traffic, your smart goal could be increasing organic website traffic by 15% year-over-year.

#2 – Audience Segmentation & Characteristics

This is where you need to get into the minds of your target audience. Understanding their motivations, their pain points and what they’re searching for will be key to building out your strategy. Keyword research and your own site’s analytics are good places to start. In addition, your sales teams can provide you with incredible customer insights.

#3 – Brand Messaging

As mentioned above, your content marketing strategy should help you tell your brand’s story. What message do you want to communicate to your audience? What sets you apart from your competition?

#4 – Multi-Channel Touch Points

Today’s customer journey involves multiple touch points on multiple channels (social media, search, digital ads, news posts, customer review sites, etc.). Define which channels you’ll use and how you’ll use them to reach your audience, and what your specific objectives for each channel are.

#5 – Content Types 

From blogs and infographics to podcasts and videos, outline which content types and tactics you plan to use. To do this, consider what types will be most effective with your audience and how they will work together to reach your objectives. Again, leverage your sales teams. Their insights can help you choose your content and map it to specific stages (attract, engage or convert) in the buying cycle.

#6 – Content Topics

Content marketing is all about providing the best answer to your audience, when and where they are searching for them. Use your customer insight and their pain points to guide some of your content topics. In addition, check out the current content landscape by performing some of your own searches for your top keywords and studying the top SERPs that are returned. What do those pages offer the user? What opportunities do you see for your own content?

#7 – Measurement

Your plan should include details on how you plan to measure the effectiveness of your content and the channels you use to promote it. This will allow you to know if you’re hitting your stated objectives so you can tweak your strategy moving forward.

Content Marketing Strategy Resources

If you’re hungry for more information on content marketing strategy, here are a few articles that you may find helpful:

What steps do you take to better understand your audience and inform your content marketing strategy? Tell us in the comments section below.

Header image via Shutterstock


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© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2016. | What is a Content Marketing Strategy (And Why Do I Need One?) | http://www.toprankblog.com

The post What is a Content Marketing Strategy (And Why Do I Need One?) appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Monday, 28 March 2016

Google Announces AdWords Redesign by @dantosz

On Monday morning, via their AdWords blog, Google announced they are beginning a major redesign of the AdWords platform for "marketing in a mobile-first world". This update will occur over the rest of 2016 and into 2017.

The post Google Announces AdWords Redesign by @dantosz appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

SEJ Wrap-Up: 17 Local SEO Hacks You Need To Know & The Essential WordPress Cheatsheet by @megcabrera

Until December 2015, it was possible to check your local SEO rankings manually in Google. Aleh Barysevich compiles the solutions in one convenient list.

The post SEJ Wrap-Up: 17 Local SEO Hacks You Need To Know & The Essential WordPress Cheatsheet by @megcabrera appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Boost Your Content Marketing Using This Simple Content Framework by @cognitiveSEO

Using a content marketing framework to gather new content ideas might help you boost your content marketing.

The post Boost Your Content Marketing Using This Simple Content Framework by @cognitiveSEO appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

SEJ Insiders: Tools & Services for #SocialMedia by @sayscaitlin

Thanks to help from these social media tools and services, the social team here at SEJ gets engaged, tracks results, and stays organized.

The post SEJ Insiders: Tools & Services for #SocialMedia by @sayscaitlin appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Getting Started With Social Audio on Anchor by @Ashread_

Social media has evolved to be inherently visual. But until now, creating and sharing audio content has been very difficult. Anchor is going to change that.

The post Getting Started With Social Audio on Anchor by @Ashread_ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Learn Where Influencer Marketing Fits in the B2B Customer Journey

influencer-marketing-b2b-customer-journey

When you lose a potential customer to a competitor it can leave you reeling with questions and wondering what they did to set themselves apart and how they did it. Companies that work hard to be the best answer wherever their customers are looking and build trust and credibility early in the sales cycle are typically those that win new business when it comes time for customers to make a decision.

One way that brands can begin building trust and credibility early on with prospects is to incorporate influencers into content meant to represent different stages of the buying cycle. In fact, recent research has found that 51% of marketers believe that incorporating influencers into their marketing helps them get better customers.

Before we jump into how to incorporate influencers into different types of content, it’s important to take a step back and recognize that the term “influencer” does not just apply to popular brandividuals that many companies are all chasing after to add to their marketing campaigns. True, there are many powerful brandividuals that can help advance your brand message but you also need to consider incorporating niche industry experts, experts from reputable brands, your own customers and even employees into these content campaigns.

Let’s dig in and discuss how to incorporate influencers to attract, engage and convert more B2B customers as well as a few ways to get started.

Incorporate Influencers to Attract Customers

When potential customers are not aware of your brand, incorporating influencers into early stage content meant to attract can be an incredibly effective way to stand out in a sea of content.

The correlation that prospects make between you and the influencers that you include in your content provide instant credibility and begins building necessary trust to move prospects to the next stage.

What type of influencers add value at the attract stage?

  • Brandividuals
  • Industry Experts From Reputable Brands

Incorporate Influencers to Engage Customers

Once a prospect reaches the engage stage of their buying journey, they are aware of your brand and frequently consume content that you create.

They may not be ready to purchase, but they consider you to be a reputable source for information and may often share your content within their organization and with their social networks.

When a prospect is at this stage in their journey, contributions from influencers on specific topics that provide a lot of value is the best way to incorporate influencers.

What type of influencers add value at the engage stage?

  • Niche Experts
  • Industry Experts for Reputable Brands
  • Internal Experts

Incorporate Influencers to Convert Customers

This is the final stage in the customer journey leading up to purchase. At this point, your prospect may be weighing their options between you and your competitors. An endorsement from an influencer at this stage can be incredibly impactful in determining whether you or another brand wins the business.

An example of the influencer content used in this stage often comes in the form of endorsements in working with your company, or testaments of the quality of your products or services.

What type of influencers add value at the convert stage?

  • Current Customers
  • Niche Experts
  • Industry Experts From Reputable Brands

4 Tips for Incorporating Influencers Into Your Content Marketing Strategy

#1 – Start Small

If it is the first time you’re working with one of these influencers and have just begun building the relationship, keep your asks simple and straightforward. Once you’re able to show influencers value from their initial collaboration, they’ll be more likely to work with you on more complex projects in the future.

#2 – Include The Right Mix of Influencers

As we discussed above, there are different types of influencers that you can work with to meet specific objectives. Depending on the stage of your content asset and overall goals for the program, you’ll want to include a good mix of influencer types that will best help you provide value to your prospects.

#3 – Always Strive for Authenticity

While it may be tempting to provide influencers with a laundry list of specifications for their contribution, you’ll be more successful if you allow influencers to add their own personal flavor to the content. Why? One of the reasons that influencer marketing can be so effective is that if done well, your influencers will be motivated to share the content with their community. They have worked hard to build their own followers that are used to receiving information in a particular way that they know and trust.

#4 – Make it Easy for Influencers to Amplify the Message

One of the biggest mistakes that we see many companies new to influencer making is failing to create a frictionless way for influencers to share their contribution. Let’s face it, putting together an influencer content marketing campaign can be a lot of work. It’d be a shame to go to all of that work only to have it not meet campaign goals because you missed an essential step.

Take the time to create social messages for each individual influencer and provide them with additional creative assets that feature their contribution so that they are proud to promote their involvement.

Incorporate Influencers to Skyrocket B2B Content Marketing Success

Each company will need to determine the exact mix of influencer types that will be the most impactful at the different purchasing stages. There is no one-size fits all solution for incorporating influencer marketing but there is a vast amount of opportunity that is being left on the table because many brands aren’t sure where to start.

To help you get the most out of your B2B influencer marketing program, we’ve created the helpful guide below to help you get started.

B2B-Skyrocket-Ad-Blog

Header image via Shutterstock


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© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2016. | Learn Where Influencer Marketing Fits in the B2B Customer Journey | http://www.toprankblog.com

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Saturday, 26 March 2016

15 Unexpected Ways to Use Content to Drive Results by @IAmAaronAgius

If you're serious about content marketing, you can't just write a blog post and call it a day. Here are 15 unexpected ways to use content to drive results.

The post 15 Unexpected Ways to Use Content to Drive Results by @IAmAaronAgius appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Friday, 25 March 2016

Google Names Two Highest Ranking Factors Besides RankBrain by @dantosz

Last year, Google announced that RankBrain, their artificial intelligence system, was one of the top three ranking signals. Yesterday, during a Q&A session Andrey Lipattsev, a Search Quality Senior Strategist at Google, named the two other top signals.

The post Google Names Two Highest Ranking Factors Besides RankBrain by @dantosz appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Authenticity: The Only Key to Survival

“Rinse and repeat” sources that may weigh against your content marketing efforts. The answer is in authenticity.

The post Authenticity: The Only Key to Survival appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

5 Ways to Get More Involved in Your Community & Grow Your Online Presence by @reviewtrackers

Community involvement offers an organic, inspiring way to grow your business’ online presence. Here are 5 ways to successfully integrate it into your online marketing strategy.

The post 5 Ways to Get More Involved in Your Community & Grow Your Online Presence by @reviewtrackers appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Dave Snyder Tells Why Publishers Need an Editorial Calendar on #MarketingNerds by @AkiLiboon

CopyPress CEO Dave Snyder shares why publishers and organizations need an editorial calendar in this week's episode of Marketing Nerds.

The post Dave Snyder Tells Why Publishers Need an Editorial Calendar on #MarketingNerds by @AkiLiboon appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Online Marketing News: Content Cocktails, Old School Email and 3D Printing in Space

mixology-of-content-marketing
The Mixology of Content Marketing [INFOGRAPHIC]
Content marketing is an art and a science, just like mixing a good cocktail. In this infographic, different types of content ‘cocktails’ are broken down into clear recipes for the marketing mixologist to follow. Each recipe also contains a measuring guide and a stat or helpful tip. My personal favorite is the White Paper Old Fashioned. Unbounce

This Study Shows Why Retailers Should Ramp Up Their Email Game for Millennials
Whether or not you agree that email is ‘old school’ aside, it is still one of the most effective digital marketing tactics in our collective tool kits. A new study from Epsilon shows that email is effective for Millennial shoppers in particular, with 43% saying they’ve been checking out retailers’ emails in the last 6 months. Millennial shoppers aren’t solely using social media to find what they’re looking for, this new research tells us that email needs to be in the mix. AdWeek

Majestic to print the internet in 3-D in outer space
You read that headline right. SEO toolkit Majestic is shooting for the stars in their newest venture: To 3D print the internet in space. What does that mean? The company is taking to the ISS to print a graphical representation of the internet in zero-gravity. Is this a marketing stunt? Most certainly. Is it awesome? Absolutely. Am I going to space next? Unfortunately, no. Search Engine Land

TrackMaven releases 2016 Social Media Inflation Index: Instagram growth is huge
TrackMaven just released a report stating that Instagram’s user base is growing by an incredible amount — 3 times the growth rate of Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. What’s more, across all social networks, brands reportedly saw a 42% year over year increase in follower count. Of course, it’s not on brands to engage those new followers in meaningful ways, or they’ll see their engagement rates start to drop, as reported in last week’s round up. Marketing Land

Technology Marketers Hold Steady With Content Marketing [Exclusive Research]
According to a new study from Content Marketing Institute, technology marketers have seen an increase in effectiveness in nearly all tactics and paid content marketing methods this year. More technology marketers claim to have a documented content marketing strategy vs. last year at 36% compared to 33%. In person events were cited as a top content marketing tactic, and LinkedIn was rated as the top social media platform. Content Marketing Institute

Digital Marketing News marketing automation

Google is making a keyboard for the iPhone
Google is about to release a third-party keyboard for the iPhone that will use swiping, gesture based typing, and predictive text. According to The Verge, “The keyboard, which has been in circulation among employees for months, is designed to boost the number of Google searches on iOS. While the company all but holds a monopoly on the global search market, there’s evidence that mobile search is proving much less lucrative for Google than the desktop.” The Verge

Facebook launches Delivery Insights to help advertisers make better ads
Facebook is planning to roll out Delivery Insights in Ads Manager to help advertisers understand how their ads are performing. According to Facebook, the rollout will be happening globally in a few weeks. In the same announcement blog post, Facebook offered tips for improving ad deliverability and “a refresher on total bid value (which determines which ad wins the auction) as a kickoff of Facebook’s new education initiative to help advertisers better understand how the ad auction works.” Marketing Land

What were your top digital marketing news stories for the week?

I’ll be back next week with more top marketing news (and possibly even a fun teaser video!). Keep an eye on the TopRank Marketing blog for helpful marketing information or follow us on Twitter @toprank. Have something to share? Tweet it to me @Tiffani_Allen!

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