Photos and illustrations can make your blog post much more appealing. Make sure to pick or create the right image for your blog post so you'll stand out!
The post Why the Right Images Are so Important For Your Blog appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Google Translate is now 10 years old. When it first launched it supported only two languages and has now gone on to support over 100 languages. In addition, the user base grew from just hundreds, to hundreds of millions. In celebration of this achievement, the company took to the official Google blog to highlight 10 milestones Translate has reached since its launch 10 years ago. Here is a recap of each. 10 Google Translate Milestones in 10 Years Translate breaks down barriers. An example given is how a community in Canada is using Translate to communicate with a refugee. Over 500 […]
The post Google Celebrates 10 Milestones During 10 Years of Google Translate by @SouthernSEJ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Google is currently beta testing a new travel app, called Google Trips, which is designed to be a smart assistant for planning your vacations.
The post Take a Trip With Google Using Its New Travel App by @SouthernSEJ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Link building is still as important as ever. Here are a few ways in which you can start optimizing your link building for better conversion rates.
The post 4 Ways to Boost the Conversion Rates of Your Link Building by @neilpatel appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
When pages aren't optimized for mobile devices, publishers not only lose a reader but the opportunity to market and advertise. This is where AMP comes in.
The post Should You Convert Your Blog Posts for AMP? by @highervis appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Consumers say they hate pop-ups, yet sites continue to use them. That's because, used well, they work. The key to success: Use them wisely.
The post How to Get People to Click on Your Pop-ups by @ab80 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
The Shortening Human Attention Span (And What it Means for Marketers) [Infographic] Down from 12 seconds in 2000, the average human attention span is now 8.25 seconds. That leaves marketers with very little time to make a meaningful impression. But, don't sweat it too much. This infographic has some solid tips on how to capture and hold the attention of your audience, like using clear and brief messaging and telling your audience a story. Social Media Today Google adds Merchant Center Feed Rules to make formatting shopping feeds easier For a long time, Google shopping feeds have been a bump in the road for digital advertisers. So much so that there's a whole industry dedicated to helping advertisers manage their shopping feeds. On Tuesday, Google announced a new feature in the Merchant Center -- Merchant Center Feed Rules, that will help advertisers fix errors themselves in a simple way. Search Engine Land Starbucks launched its own keyboard app so you can text emojis of unicorns drinking coffee Starbucks is now allowing users to send unicorn and coffee emojis to their contacts. That's it folks, the world is complete. The app was released under a partnership with Snaps Media, and is Starbucks' first consumer app that is focused on entertaining their audience. What could this mean for other brands? I'm willing to bet we'll see more custom emoji keyboards in the near future. TechCrunch Facebook’s mobile ad revenue grew by 76% to $4.26 billion in Q1 2016 Facebook reportedly grew revenue in Q1 of 2016, which is a contrast to reports issued by Twitter and Apple with revenue reportedly being less than expected. Not only is mobile ad revenue up, but Facebook's daily audience grew by 16%, with money made from each audience member increasing by 33%. This post is full of useful information from that report, and some highly entertaining gifs to boot. Marketing Land 
Twitter Q1 2016 Revenue Falls Short of Analysts’ Projections Twitter reported that while revenue was up 36% YOY for Q1, the $595 million fell short of analysts predictions. According to SocialTimes, "Twitter reported a GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) net loss of $80 million, or 12 cents per share, less than one-half the company’s net loss in the first quarter of 2015." SocialTimes Marketers Choose Responsive Email Templates Over Fluid Hybrid Design New research shows that marketing professionals worldwide are overwhelmingly choosing to use responsive email templates (56.9%) over fluid hybrid design (7.9%). Interestingly, 19.9% are using both types of templates, and 15.2% aren't using either. Designing for mobile first may sound like a trendy marketing idea, but smart marketers know that if your emails don't look great on mobile, they aren't nearly as effective. eMarketer What were your top online marketing news stories this week? I'll be back next week with more online marketing news! In the meantime, send your thoughts and ideas to me @Tiffani_Allen or @toprank!
The post Online Marketing News: Short Attention Spans, Google Feed Rules, Starbucks Emojis appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.
In this Marketing Nerds episode, WEBRIS founder Ryan Stewart talks about identifying outreach opportunities and how to write the perfect pitch.
The post Ryan Stewart on How to Identify & Pitch Outreach Opportunities #MarketingNerds by @AkiLiboon appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Twitter founder Biz Stone first launched launched Jelly in January 2014 as a social Q&A search engine when you could pose questions that could be answered by your network or extended network. Today, Stone is unveiling a more refined version of his original idea which he is proudly touting as a new kind of search engine based. It’s still based on delivering answers to questions on demand; thanks to the help of real people. The key differences are now it’s not limited to just your social network. You can view questions from anyone, and answer questions from anyone. In addition, you […]
The post Biz Stone’s ‘Jelly’ App Relaunches As a New Search Engine by @SouthernSEJ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai delivered his first ever letter to shareholders today, where he predicted the future lies in machine learning. Of course, the most important thing to Google is and always has been search, but the company has some ambitious goals for the future. Google is betting big on artificial intelligence; to the point that you’ll be able to search for things without even having to ask. Some of this is being seen already, such as Google reminding you about flights and meetings saved to your Google Calendar. Essentially Google wants to be able to provide people with the […]
The post Google CEO Sundar Pichai Predicts Company’s Future in Founder’s Letter by @SouthernSEJ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Private messaging helps businesses enhance the overall experience of customer service on social. Do you use Facebook Messenger to contact your customers?
The post How Facebook Messenger Changes Social Customer Service by @mgeorgiou22 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Google is rolling out a new ad format for YouTube which will be short and unskippable. Google is calling me these ad units “Bumper” ads and they will appear just before videos that you watch on your phone or tablet. “Recent research has shown that half of 18-49 year olds turn to their mobile device first to watch video… That’s why today we’re announcing Bumper ads – a new six-second video format, sold through the AdWords auction on a CPM basis.” The new ad unit is expected to roll out in May and will be so short that you Google […]
The post Unskippable Six Second Ads Coming to YouTube by @SouthernSEJ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
If your website is all about news, there’s quite a lot that can be done to optimize your news site for search engines. Here they are:
The post How to Optimize Your News Site by @michielheijmans appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Audi app Anchor launched weeks ago, but has already been gaining in popularity. Be an early adopter and learn the many brand benefits of this platform.
The post Audio App Anchor is the Cool New Kid on the Social Media Block by @mindydweinstein appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Have you ever watched a reality competition? You know, one of those Survivor-style shows that puts strangers in a stressful situation to battle for a last-person-standing prize?
Don’t be ashamed if you have. I’m a pop culture snob, but still found myself transfixed by ten seasons of America’s Next Top Model. On that show, amidst the freak-outs and tantrums, I noticed one recurring line of dialogue:
“I’m not here to make friends.”
You’ll hear it on almost every reality competition. There’s always one person who alienates everyone else with that specific phrase. Usually it’s followed by, “I’m here to win.”
The funny thing is, in all the hours I wisely invested watching would-be models snipe at each other, no one who said that ever won. Not once. In fact, they tended to get kicked off earlier than anyone else.
It’s easy for marketers to feel like we’re not here to make friends. Even in influencer marketing, it’s all about that ROI. Influencer, you get me what I need, we’ll compensate you, and that’s the end of it. We’re here to win.
But just like the models and aspiring pop idols of the world, you’ll find that putting effort into building friendships pays off in the end. If you want influencers who are excited about working with you, creating work they’re excited to promote, it pays to cultivate a friendship. Not just from a, “it’s nicer to work with people when you’re nice” angle, either—it’s better for the business side, too.
Here are three ways you can cultivate friendships with your influencers.
This is a piece of advice I’ve given to marketers thinking about their customers, but it applies to influencers as well. Yes, you’re vetting the influencer for the size of their audience and if their audience aligns with your message. But while you’re doing that, consider what they do when they’re not answering your email.
What are they like? Do they have a good sense of humor? What are their hobbies? Do they talk about their family, their pets, their collection of vintage chainsaws? What kind of music are they into? What movies do they love? It’s worth doing a little digging to find out. And I don’t mean just social media stalking, either. These questions can start a conversation you might not have had otherwise. We all love talking about ourselves—give them a chance to share interests you might have in common.
Last December, I got a greeting card in the mail. It had my name and addresses hand-written on the envelope, but no return address. Intrigued, I opened it to read: “Best holiday wishes to you and yours from your friends at [Insurance Company].” I looked at the envelope again, and this time could tell their hand-written address was just a handwriting font. Just like that, any illusion of personal interest they were trying to create was gone.
With your influencers, it’s worth taking time to express a genuine personal interest. Let your correspondence show that you have taken time to learn something about them. Send a meme that made you laugh, that you know they would love. Send them a vintage chainsaw to add to their collection. That thoughtfulness goes a long way.
Just make sure you do your homework under point #1, so you’re not faking the funk. You wouldn’t want to send chocolates to a diabetic, or a vintage chainsaw to someone who collects old Happy Meal toys. That’s just a waste of a good chainsaw.
At TopRank, we try to involve influencers in the creation process as actively as possible. We make sure influencers know exactly what project we’re working on, why we would love their input, and which other influencers are already on board. We keep the enthusiasm up throughout the process with progress reports. We show them the finished project before we publish it so they can make final edits. And we always make sure to message them right before the project posts, to make it easy for them to promote it.
Compare that approach to simply saying, “Hey, can we get a quote about Happy Meal toys for a blog,” followed by…well, no follow-up at all. There’s no comparison.
Let’s face it: We are here to make friends. In marketing, as in life, friends make good things even better. So to help you cultivate lasting friendships with the influencers in your life, we created this cute-but-serious storybook with some key points to keep in mind. Read it to your kids before bed tonight…or to your significant other while you’re binge-watching America’s Next Top Model.
TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.
© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2016. | How a GREAT Marketer Befriends an Influencer | http://www.toprankblog.com
The post How a GREAT Marketer Befriends an Influencer appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.
Most of the advice about running paid social ads deals with the technical process behind it. Here's how you can create amazing Facebook and Twitter ads.
The post How to Create Amazing Ads for Facebook and Twitter by @mchale05 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
It has been a turmultuous week for Google when it comes to dealing with legal issues. First, the European Commission files antitrust complaints against Google. Then, Microsoft withdrew previous antitrust complaints dating back to 2011. Now, Getty Images is joining the European Commission with similar antitrust complaints. Getty Images has stated it will file a competition lawsuit with the EU against Google, suggesting that Google has made changes to image search which promote piracy. In addition, Getty Images claims Google is giving itself an unfair advantage when it comes to traffic and advertising. The fact that Google displays pictures in […]
The post Getty Images Joins EU in Antitrust Complaint Against Google by @SouthernSEJ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Google inexplicably removed the in-depth articles section from search results over two weeks ago. Now it appears the section has returned just as quietly as it was removed. The in-depth articles section surfaces long-form content and has been around since 2013, before being removed 17 days ago. Google never officially spoke on why it was removed, but now it’s back leading to some speculation that it may have been a bug or glitch that cause it to go down. As far as we can tell, the section functions as it always did, ruling out the possibility of it going down […]
The post Google’s In-Depth Articles Return After 2 Week Absence by @SouthernSEJ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Maybe you are tired of towing the corporate line. Maybe you are just ready to be your own boss. Whatever your reasons are for wanting to become a freelancer or entrepreneur, the journey is an exciting one. And sometimes scary.
The post 13 Secrets for Becoming a Successful Freelancer by @dantosz appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Seriously, has anyone mastered local SEO yet? With Google's announcing 'prominence' as a new ranking signal, find out how to rank for local SEO here.
The post How Does “Prominence” Affect Local SEO? by @annaleacrowe appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Email marketing is a great, cost-effective way to engage prospective customers and nurture relationships with current customers. And email is actually welcomed by consumers. In fact, recent research has found that a whopping 91% of Americans say they want to receive promo emails.
But let’s face it. With email being one of the most common forms of communication these days, your customers inboxes are most likely a little full. And it’s time for you to step up your game if you want to continue connecting with subscribers and encouraging them to do business with you.
While we’re almost halfway through 2016, there’s still time to make the most of the latest email marketing tricks and trends. Below are seven considerations for creating an emails that will resonate with your audience and help you up your game.
#1 – Remember: It’s All About Mobile
This one may seem like a bit of a no-brainer, but nonetheless it needs to be mentioned. Mobile has become an increasingly important consideration for website designers and digital marketers. People rely on their mobile devices for a lot of things–and email is certainly one of them. In fact, studies show that 55% of email is now opened on a mobile device.
Typically, the content should be focused and not too text heavy. But the most important thing to remember is that people want fast loading times. So, if you’re using large video or image files, make sure they’ll open quickly and easily.
#2 – Personalize Your Message
A one-size-fits-all approach to email marketing is simply not reasonable these days. Your email recipients are interested in messages that are focused on their personal tastes and preferences–addressing them by their first name in the opening is not good enough. Use data insights to create different messaging for individual target groups.
For example, Pinterest does an excellent job at personalization. Every week, I can count on receiving an email with suggested pins or boards to follow that are based on my interests and behaviors on the platform.
Can you tell I’m attempting a diet?
#3 – Understand the “Why”
Spend some time actually thinking about why your subscribers actually open an email. An enticing discount or a new product launch may not be the only reason they click. Think about who your customer is, what they’re usually looking for, what’s important to them and what season it is. In addition, think about what device they are looking on. Is it a tablet? Smartphone? Basically, dig into the psychology of your customers. This will directly correlate with your ability to personalize your messaging.
#4 – Explore Automation
Automated email campaigns allow you to use a triggering event such as an asset download, contact form fill out or a webinar signup to kick-off a tailored series of emails. Your monthly newsletters or specialty campaigns are definitely important components of your overall email marketing strategy. But email automation can be a very powerful tool that can help you nurture relationships and drive customers to a desired outcome.
For example, if you’re hosting an in-person event or webinar, email automation can be used as a way to communicate with attendees before, during and after the event. Content delivered before or during the event would include information on accommodations or the event schedule. Content delivered after the event ends would include special access to event assets and presentations, or perhaps direct them or information on another upcoming event they’re interested in.
Determine your triggering events and then create an automation workflow that details what you’ll send to them throughout the automation campaign. Here’s an example:
#5 – Add Dynamic & Interactive Content
Dynamic and interactive content is something that is pretty new to the email marketing world. Dynamic options could include changing the content of an email based on location or weather, and interactive content could be features like animations or carousel elements. Software tools that can help you do this type of content are HubSpot and MovableInk.
#6 – Use a Lightbox to Grow Your Email List
Lightboxes–or pop-ups–can be an effective way to quickly grow your email list. While some may think they’re a bit annoying, lightbox pop-ups bring a connection option to your audience–rather than relying on them to search it out.
If you go this route, make something that’s unique rather than using a generic template. Also, use active language that will compel people to do what you’re asking. Here’s an example from HouseLogic, a home improvement tips and tricks website operated by the National Association of Realtors. They know why their audience is there and uses visuals to entice a sign up.
#7 – Implement Tracking
Having the proper tracking in place so you can gather data and pull insights from your email campaign is crucial. (And really tracking should be an important part of your entire digital marketing campaign.) If you’re using Google Analytics, add campaign parameters to the source URL to get a better idea of how many people are coming to your website from email. Check out Google’s Email Tracking – Measurement Protocol for step-by-step instructions.
What are some of your email marketing best practices? Tell us in the comments section below.
Header image via Shutterstock
TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.
© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2016. | 7 Ways to Step Up Your Email Marketing Game in 2016 | http://www.toprankblog.com
The post 7 Ways to Step Up Your Email Marketing Game in 2016 appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.
If you want to learn more about how to create a 'galaxy' of content around each piece of content you build, you will want to join us for the next SEJ ThinkTank webinar on May the 4th (be with you) for a Star Wars-themed webinar.
The post Next #SEJThinkTank: How To Build A Galaxy of Content Through Repurposing by @dantosz appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Research top ranking sites, and identify Google-associated keywords, to optimize your content and generate more traffic with Ahrefs.
The post How to Optimize Your Content for More Search Traffic Using Ahrefs by @sejournal appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
In our latest #AskTheAdSenseGuy post, John Brown shares how Google fight against invalid traffic, as well as their take on other qualitative issues.
The post #AskTheAdSenseGuy: Google’s Fight Against Invalid Traffic by @admanjaybee appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Webmaster Trends Analyst Gary Illyes joins me to discuss AMP, mobile SEO, and more.
The post Google ‘s Gary Illyes on AMP and Mobile Search #SEJSummit by @wonderwall7 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
A study led by Adobe Media Optimizer finds that paid search ads that end up in the 4th position might actually produce the best results.
The post Google AdWords Positions 1 and 4 Show Most Potential [STUDY] by @SouthernSEJ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Google has gained one new antitrust investigation and had another one withdrawn all in the span of one week. Microsoft officially withdrew its antitrust complaints against Google, while saying the company is “changing legal priorities”. Microsoft’s long-standing antitrust complaints date back to 2011, which was when Microsoft filed a formal complaint with the EU. Microsoft’s complaint was that Google was favoring it’s own properties in organic search results. Also in the complaint was an issue with the fact that third-party search engines are not able to search through and index anything from YouTube. This may come as a relief to […]
The post Google and Microsoft End Fued Over Android by @SouthernSEJ appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
There was a popular article on TechCrunch recently claiming marketers in the inbound and content marketing space have no idea what they are doing and don’t know marketing. For some, that might be true.
TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.
© Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®, 2016. | 38 B2B Content Marketing Case Studies for 2016 | http://www.toprankblog.com
The post 38 B2B Content Marketing Case Studies for 2016 appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.
