Christopher Earle: July 2017

Monday, 31 July 2017

Google Says Sticky Footers Are OK, With One Exception by @MattGSouthern

Google's Gary Illyes says sticky footers on a website are nothing to worry about, as long as they aren't obtrusive

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Google is Testing a Feature No One Seems to Want by @MattGSouthern

Google is testing a new feature in desktop search that, quite frankly, no one is happy about.

The post Google is Testing a Feature No One Seems to Want by @MattGSouthern appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Google Home Service Ads to Launch Soon in Chicago by @https://twitter.com/1SEOcom

Google is finishing its vetting process for Home Service Ads in Greater Chicago, which means the feature will soon launch.

The post Google Home Service Ads to Launch Soon in Chicago by @https://twitter.com/1SEOcom appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Google Attempts to Make Torrent Sites Less Visible in Search Results by @MattGSouthern

Google has removed the carousel of pirate sites that once appeared when "best torrent sites" was searched for.

The post Google Attempts to Make Torrent Sites Less Visible in Search Results by @MattGSouthern appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Your Indexed Pages Are Going Down – 5 Possible Reasons Why by @benjarriola

Have you noticed a decrease in your number of indexed pages? Learn how to diagnose and fix the issue.

The post Your Indexed Pages Are Going Down – 5 Possible Reasons Why by @benjarriola appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

5 Easy Content Optimization Tactics to Boost Your Traction & ROI by @JuliaEMcCoy

These five content optimization tactics can seriously boost your online authority, engagement, and traction.

The post 5 Easy Content Optimization Tactics to Boost Your Traction & ROI by @JuliaEMcCoy appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

10 Apps That Will Help You Achieve Digital Marketing Wellness by @lisabuyer

These 10 apps will help create space, productivity, creativity, and balance in 10 minutes a day.

The post 10 Apps That Will Help You Achieve Digital Marketing Wellness by @lisabuyer appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

6 Surprisingly Easy Ways to Get Great Results With Your Facebook Videos by @PromoBySlidely

This post was sponsored by Slidely. Facebook hit 2 billion users in late June. This unprecedented growth offers more opportunity to reach a larger audience with your videos and a chance to grow your business dramatically. However, with all this growth also comes some serious challenges. More people means more marketing noise, which means more advertisers bidding on the same users. How do you get the results you want? Getting great results with your Facebook videos can definitely be difficult. After analyzing and using thousands of video ads on Facebook and social media, we put together this list of quick wins. You’ll be […]

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[Infographic] The In-Flight Guide to Content Marketing

Marketers who plan appropriately significantly increase their likelihood of success. Seems like a novel concept right?

You’d think so, but unfortunately the day-to-day grind can cause many marketers to lose sight of what’s important and essential for content marketing success. In today’s competitive landscape, everything from your strategy to the actual content experience and the way that you amplify content that is created (or co-created) are key factors in the success of your content program.

To help you take your content to new heights, we have topped into some of the top B2B and B2C marketing minds that will be speaking at this year’s Content Marketing World conference in September. Over the past months we have published a series of eBooks that take a deep dive into the content skills and tactics necessary to meet the needs of the modern customer.

We have also pulled some of the top insights from each of these eBooks into the infographic below for you to keep on hand as a guide for content marketing success. Let this handy in-flight content guide serve as a visual reminder of just what it takes to succeed in content marketing today.

Part 1: Prepping for Your Content Marketing Expedition

Figure out what makes you, your team, and your customers unique. @jayacunzo
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You have a story YOU want to tell, but does your audience care to hear it? @buyerpersona
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Adapt and be fluid with your content scheduling. @amandatodo
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Don’t be so wedded to a content schedule that you miss opportunities in your industry. @markwschaefer
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People are hesitant to contribute content is because they don’t know what to write about. @timwasher
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Part 2: Creating a Memorable Content Experience

Build content based on what they want rather than what you think they want! @IanCleary
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Make the audience the hero of the story you’re telling. @ardath421
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A great content experience starts with a story! @BrennerMichael
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Be Useful. Address the why, the what’s in it for me? for your reader. @JillianHillard
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Develop next-level, pathological empathy for your audience. @MarketingProfs
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Part 3: Making the Most of Your Content Journey

Paid social can help marketers greatly improve their reach and engagement. @justinlevy
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For great distribution, co-creation with influencers is the solution. @leeodden
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Content that is engaging and optimizes the user’s experience is key. Zerlina Jackson
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Work with top experts to co-create content to increase amplification & engagement. @AmishaGandhi
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Better work inherently drives deeper engagement. @Robert_Rose
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Hungry for More Content Marketing Insights?

Below are some additional snackable statistics pulled from Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs’ 2017 B2B and B2C Content Marketing reports:

Snackable B2B Stats

28% of B2B companies are in the sophisticated/mature phase of content marketing
55% B2B of companies have small content marketing teams serving the entire organization
42% B2B of companies have experienced management changes that have had a positive impact on the organization’s content marketing
89% of B2B Marketers use content marketing
55% of B2B companies have a small (or one-person) marketing/content marketing team that serves the entire organization
63% of B2B companies are extremely or very committed to content marketing
62% of B2B companies are much more or somewhat more successful with content marketing than they were one year ago
30% of B2B Marketers say it is not clear what an effective or successful content marketing program looks like

Snackable B2B Stats

30% of B2C companies are in the sophisticated/mature phase of content marketing maturity
49% of B2C companies have a small content marketing team serving the entire organization
86% of B2C Marketers are using content marketing
49% of B2C companies have a small (or one-person) marketing/content marketing team that serves the entire organization
60% of B2C companies are extremely or very committed to content marketing
25% of B2C companies are extremely or very successful with their overall approach to content marketing
33% of B2C companies are not clear on what effective or successful content marketing programs look like

To gain access to insights from all 41 Content Marketing World speakers, be sure to download the full series!

Gain a competitive advantage by subscribing to the
TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.

The post [Infographic] The In-Flight Guide to Content Marketing appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Sunday, 30 July 2017

How to Become a Thought Leader in Your Niche & Build Your Brand by @krisjonescom

Being a thought leader positions you for greater visibility. Learn how to achieve thought leadership in any industry.

The post How to Become a Thought Leader in Your Niche & Build Your Brand by @krisjonescom appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Saturday, 29 July 2017

How to Use Content & Social Selling to Make More Sales by @TheBillWidmer

Learn how to combine content marketing and social selling as an unstoppable force to skyrocket your company's growth.

The post How to Use Content & Social Selling to Make More Sales by @TheBillWidmer appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Friday, 28 July 2017

The Pain-Free Way to Move from PPC to Facebook Ads by @@SusanEDub

Paid search is nothing like Facebook Ads. Here are some tips to make the transition as painless as possible.

The post The Pain-Free Way to Move from PPC to Facebook Ads by @@SusanEDub appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

How to Rank for Featured Snippets: 9 Things You Need to Know by @AdamHeitzman

Capturing a featured snippet isn't as daunting as you think. These nine things can help you rank in position 0.

The post How to Rank for Featured Snippets: 9 Things You Need to Know by @AdamHeitzman appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

9 Surefire Ways to Generate Massive Referral Traffic by @overthetopseo

Learn how to generate massive referral traffic with these nine tips shared by Guy Sheetrit.

The post 9 Surefire Ways to Generate Massive Referral Traffic by @overthetopseo appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Digital Marketing News: Data by the Minute, Email in 2017 & New Instagram Features

How Much Data is Generated Every Minute? [Infographic] This infographic reveals what happens online every minute. The world internet population now represents 3.7 billion people. The findings on data usage includes social media platforms, video usage and the other most popular data generation websites and apps happening right now. Social Media Today How Email Is Accessed in 2017: Top Devices, Platforms, and Clients The report that was based on 27 billion emails opened between May 2016 and April 2017 highlights the devices on which email is accessed most frequently, the most popular email clients and the most popular email platforms that consumers are using. MarketingProfs Introducing New Features to the Instagram Platform API Brands are now able to access valuable insights in the Instagram API. You can keep track of organic content performance and have access to comment moderation by being able to hide or toggle on and off. To access these new features, you must have a business profile for Facebook. It is available for Facebook and Instagram Marketing Partners. Instagram Blog Facebook’s Video Helps Drive $9B in Ad Sales, Up 47% AdAge reports: “Facebook ad sales topped $9 billion last quarter, proof that its heavy investment in video is paying off, according to industry watchers… Its nearly $9.2 billion in ad revenue represented a 47% gain over the period a year earlier.” AdAge Easier Way to Block Comments With Links From Your Videos Video publishers can now block comments that contain links and hashtags with a new setting found in Creator Studio. Once enabled, this setting will hold comments containing links for review before being published. YouTube Help Forum

Google Has Dropped Google Instant Search Google Instant showed search results as you type them, and Google has removed the feature from Search. Due to the recent changes in how searchers use mobile, Google decided to get rid of the feature. You will only see search suggestions that you can click on, but will no longer load any result pages without clicking on the suggesting, or hitting enter. Search Engine Land Amazon Launches Spark, A Shoppable Feed of Stories and Photos Aimed at Prime Members Inspired by Instagram’s use of shoppable photos, Amazon launched a new feature called Spark. The feature is available on the Amazon mobile app only for right now. Start by selecting at least 5 interests you want to follow, and with this information, Amazon Spark will create a customized feed of products and ideas of things to learn more about or shop for. TechCrunch Facebook is Now Letting Brands and Media Companies Create Their Own Groups Within Pages Brands and media companies are now able to create their own groups without having to rely on admins to set up the groups from personal accounts. This gives Pages administrators the ability to boost engagement with niche groups, and social media managers more privacy and separation from work. AdWeek What were your top digital marketing news stories this week? We'll be back next week with more top marketing news! Have something to share? Dying for more news? Follow @toprank on Twitter or sound off in the comments.

The post Digital Marketing News: Data by the Minute, Email in 2017 & New Instagram Features appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Thursday, 27 July 2017

‘OK Google’ Voice Search to be Removed from Chromebooks by @MattGSouthern

Google is reportedly removing its 'OK Google' voice search command from Chromebooks to make way for Google Assistant.

The post ‘OK Google’ Voice Search to be Removed from Chromebooks by @MattGSouthern appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

8 Local SEO Hacks You’ll Actually Want to Use by @ab80

Make these easy improvements to boost your short- and long-term local SEO efforts – and your search rankings.

The post 8 Local SEO Hacks You’ll Actually Want to Use by @ab80 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Long-Tail Keyword Research: How to Train Copywriters for SEO Success by @danny_taywitter

Here are some tips and tools to teach copywriters why long-tail keyword research matters – and how to do it.

The post Long-Tail Keyword Research: How to Train Copywriters for SEO Success by @danny_taywitter appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

5 TopRank Marketing Team Insights for Finding B2B Content Marketing Inspiration

These days, there’s little doubt among B2B marketers that content is the foundation of digital marketing success. After all, studies show that nearly all B2B buyers do some form of online research before making a purchasing decision. As a result, we content creators are tasked with turning out informative, engaging and inspiring content that helps our brand be the best answer wherever and whenever our audience is searching.

But let’s face it, content folks. Despite being proven wordsmiths and marketers, our creative engine stalls from time to time. I’ll certainly admit that my computer screen and I have had some intimate moments—mostly me staring longingly at a blank document and praying the words will come.

So, what’s a B2B content marketer to do when our creative engine breaks down—or rather before it loses steam? Where can we find inspiration?

For me, my salvation lies in my fellow TopRank Marketing team members. As the old adage goes, two heads are better than one, so I often tap outside perspectives to kick-start my creative juices. So it’s only natural that this piece includes tips and insights from some of those team members.

Whether you’re planning content or looking to weave a creative metaphor into a piece, below my team members share how they overcome creative challenges and find content inspiration in the B2B space.

1. Mining for gold in SERPs.

“Lately I’ve been performing more incognito searches for priority keywords. Whether you need contextual clues surrounding search intent, or need to brainstorm ways to one-up your top competition with an even better answer, there’s gold in them thar SERPs.”

Jesse Pickrain, Senior Content Marketing Manager

There’s gold in them thar SERPs. - @jpickrain on finding #B2Bcontentmarketing inspiration
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2. Finding the pulse.

“For me, it’s all about tapping into topics that are occupying our societal consciousness at the moment. What are people talking about? Where are they focusing their attention? Why are these matters so magnetic? I’ll peruse Google News, Buzzsumo and various blogs in efforts to press my finger on the proverbial pulse. It doesn’t even need to be business-related; sometimes entertainment and politics can provide valuable fodder enabling us to look at B2B marketing in new and enlightening ways.”

Nick Nelson, Content Strategist

Entertainment & politics can enable us to look at #B2Bmarketing in enlightening ways. @NickNelsonMN
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3. Adding some visual stimulation.

“I go to free image sites like Pixabay and Pexels, and just browse the most recently added pictures. It’s a soothing stream-of-consciousness tour through visual content that will frequently spark a creative idea.”

Josh Nite, Content Marketing Manager

I go to free image sites & browse new pictures to inspire #content creativity. @NiteWrites
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4. Giving the people what they want

I spend a lot of time researching and reading to stay on top of what is happening in the world of marketing. A lot of my inspiration comes from the stories I read from other smart marketers. I like to find a ways to help our team create content that aligns with the needs of our audience.

Like Nick, Buzzsumo is a fantastic tool for uncovering top stories (across multiple verticals) that people are sharing. You can also use the tool to identify who the top sharers are to see if they are either part of your target audience, or influence your target audience.

I also spend a significant amount of time reviewing the performance of our own content to see what is resonating most with our audience. This can help determine where we should invest more time and effort. (Give the people what they want!).

Ashley Zeckman, Director of Agency Marketing

Inspire your #B2B #contentmarketing by staying on top of the latest industry happenings. @azeckman
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5. Being in the “brief”.

I routinely use Anders Pink to stay up on the latest news and find inspiration. This web app allows me to create a “briefing” where I can see everything trending in B2B content marketing. If I want to see what resonated the most with audiences, I can filter the briefing down further by limiting results to the past 24 hours, three days, or even three months.

Annie Leuman, Copywriter

I routinely use @AndersPink to stay up on the latest news & find #content inspiration. @aleuman4
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Looking for More B2B Content Marketing Inspiration?

Then allow me to suggest a few other posts to give you a creative boost:

If you’re looking to tap the talented TopRank Marketing team to inspire your efforts, learn more about our approach to B2B content marketing.

Where do you find creative inspiration for your B2B content marketing efforts? Tell us in the comments section below.

Gain a competitive advantage by subscribing to the
TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.

The post 5 TopRank Marketing Team Insights for Finding B2B Content Marketing Inspiration appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Wednesday, 26 July 2017

25 Revealing Questions You Must Ask New SEO Clients by @tomdemers

Here are 25 critical things SEO providers need to ask their new clients before starting a campaign.

The post 25 Revealing Questions You Must Ask New SEO Clients by @tomdemers appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

How to Avoid Burnout & Survive Long Term in Digital Marketing by @malleeblue

Here are some tips on how SEOs and digital marketers can avoid burnout and survive long term in the industry.

The post How to Avoid Burnout & Survive Long Term in Digital Marketing by @malleeblue appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

5 Traffic Monetization Mistakes That Can Ruin Your SEO by @grybniak

Traffic monetization can be tough. Learn how to avoid Google penalty with these five actionable SEO don'ts. Enjoy!

The post 5 Traffic Monetization Mistakes That Can Ruin Your SEO by @grybniak appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Does Snark = Sales? What Consumers REALLY Want from Brands on Social Media

Social media marketers, do you feel a brief pang of envy when a brand gets sassy on Twitter or Facebook? Do you wish you had the brand identity and/or corporate backing to smack down a troll, a la Wendy’s?

Me too. It’s only natural. Even in a profession as inherently creative as marketing, some of us can fly our freak flags higher than others. If you’re working in financial services, or healthcare, or any number of staid verticals, odds are you have to keep your sarcasm in check.

We may never get the sweet satisfaction of seeing a tweet full of biting wit go viral. But we have to keep perspective. Are we here to get featured on Buzzfeed, or to generate revenue? Does the snark really translate to sales?

The good folks at Sprout Social just released their Q2 2017 Sprout Social Index, and they’re taking aim at precisely that question. People like brands with “personality,” sure. But what do consumers really want from brands on social media? And how should those preferences inform your social media marketing strategy? Let’s run the numbers.

#1: Funny Is Good, But It Isn’t Everything

Infusing a little humor into a brand is a good way to express personality. It lets people know that there are actual human beings behind the brand, seeking to entertain just as much as they inform.

As a once and future comedy writer, I’m an advocate for humor in marketing. But we should make sure the humor is not all that we’re bringing to the table.

Sprout Social found that while 3 in 4 consumers appreciate humor from brands, being funny was 4^th on the list of what consumers really want from brands on social media:

Social Media Marketing Consumer Preferences

The far-and-away winners are honest, friendly, and helpful. If you have these three covered, then you can add in the humor. On the other hand, if you’re not honest, friendly, or helpful, no level of funniness will make up for the lack.

It’s also worth noting how far down the list “trendy” and “snarky” are. There’s no shortage of brands trying to be edgy and au courant. But it looks like less than half of consumers want their brand to be the quip-slinging cool kid from a 90’s sitcom.

The bottom line: Humor is a welcome trait for a brand, but mean-spirited or edgy humor is likely to turn customers off (even if it lands you an AdWeek shoutout). And if you’re not being honest and helping people, no amount of humor can save you.

#2: Consider the Platform

Just as your brand has its own identity, every social network has a unique identity. Facebook is a casual place to post cute pictures and start political arguments. Twitter is an even more casual place to start extremely character-limited political arguments. LinkedIn is more buttoned-down and professional, with only occasional political arguments.

Your audience on each platform has a unique set of expectations, based not just on your brand, but on the platform itself.

How Platform Changes Social Media Marketing Preferences

People like personality on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, but not so much on LinkedIn. So it’s important to adjust your messaging for each.

Most of us are scheduling social media messages with a tool like Hootsuite or Buffer, and it’s easy to blast a single message across platforms. But don’t do that. Take a few minutes to craft unique messages for each channel, keeping audience expectation in mind. That bit of extra effort will help make your posts more engaging, and keep your most dedicated audience from seeing the same message multiple times.

#3: Know Your Audience

Social media is not a homogenous audience that’s the same for every brand. It’s a platform for connecting with your particular most-valued consumers. How your brand approaches social media, then, should be a byproduct of how your audience wants to interact with your brand. These preferences can vary widely across demographics.

For example, 74% of Gen X and Baby Boomers said they found it annoying when a brand uses slang. But only 59% of Millennials shared that sentiment. Millennials are also far more tolerant of brands making fun of competing brands:

What Consumers Find Annoying on Social Media

How your brand should express personality on social media is dependent on your target audience. If your demographic still uses words like “hip” and “groovy,” it’s probably not hip or groovy for your brand to use them. However, if your target audience thinks things are “totes adorbs” and “can’t even,” you stand a better chance of connecting with slang.

It’s vital to find the intersection of your brand personality with your audience preferences, and let that drive how you present the brand on social.

#4: Bring Value to Drive Sales

To quote my personal hero, Captain Obvious, “the purpose of social media marketing is ultimately to drive sales.” If going viral with a funny tweet contributes to the bottom line, that’s a tactic worth pursuing. The research shows, though, that most people aren’t following brands just for laughs:

Brand Actions that Prompt Social Media Sales

When it comes to driving sales, humor is 5^th on the list. Being responsive, offering promotions, and providing educational content are all more likely to inspire a purchase decision.

What do people really want from brands on social? The same thing they want from brands everywhere else. First, people want to be heard, to engage in a productive dialog. Second, they want to be offered something of value, whether it’s a deal on your solution or simply valuable information. When people are looking for help, you have to bring more than jokes to the table.

Check out the full Q2 2017 Sprout Social Index for more insights.

Helping People Is the Top Priority

Giving your brand a winning personality is great. It makes creating and consuming your content more fun. But personality should be the seasoning for your social media marketing, not the main course. Start with being helpful, being honest, and providing something of value in exchange for your audience’s time. Then add a little sprinkle of personality on top, like so:

See? You can be helpful and funny at the same time.

Need help maintaining your social media presence? Let us handle your social media marketing.

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The post Does Snark = Sales? What Consumers REALLY Want from Brands on Social Media appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.