Christopher Earle

Tuesday, 2 May 2017

Are Internal Image Links SEO Friendly? #AskanSEO by @jennyhalasz

Do internal image links have less SEO value than text links? Does Google ignore these types of links?

The post Are Internal Image Links SEO Friendly? #AskanSEO by @jennyhalasz appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Meet Eversign, the Contract Tool of the Future by @annaleacrowe

Eversign delivers a powerful punch of integrations: Send, manage, and sign documents from anywhere, on any device.

The post Meet Eversign, the Contract Tool of the Future by @annaleacrowe appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

8 Simple AdWords Tips That Will Make You More Money by @CJGiarratana

Here are eight of the most important elements when optimizing your PPC campaigns that will drive more sales.

The post 8 Simple AdWords Tips That Will Make You More Money by @CJGiarratana appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Feeling Stuck? 5 Tips to Restart your Content-Creating Brain

Blank space: Great when it’s a song by Taylor Swift, not so great in content marketing.

No, wait. I already used that analogy. Now I need a clever new intro to this post about overcoming writer’s block and resetting your content brain. I’m staring at a white screen, trying to put words together, intimidated by all that blank space.

Hey, that’s like the Taylor Swift song… no, wait.

If you’re a content creator, the previous two paragraphs likely sound familiar. There are few things more intimidating to a writer than an empty page. Sometimes, despite your best efforts—the caffeine, the snacks, the just-right Spotify playlist—your content-creating brain just won’t turn over.

It’s almost like humans weren’t meant to sit at a desk in front of 1-3 huge monitors all day long, isn’t it?

But that doesn’t mean you have to quit your awesome content marketing job to hunt and gather in the woods. Instead, try these tips to get your brain back up to speed.

#1: Stimulate Your Senses

Most modern work environments are pretty antiseptic – neutral walls, no odors (except when Frank from Accounting microwaves popcorn), minimal sound. That kind of work space can dull your senses, making you feel groggy even after the morning cuppa.

A simple change in your mid-day snack can help wake up your brain. There’s a current fad of eating an orange in the shower that’s relevant here. Dig into an orange at your desk—use your fingernails to get under the peel, pry apart the segments, let each bit explode in your mouth. The aroma, the tactile sensation, the texture and flavor combine to shake off even the heaviest doldrum.

If oranges don’t do it for you, try essential oils…or Play-Doh…or a combination of the two. Whatever invigorates as many senses as possible. (Pro-Tip: Play-Doh does not taste as good as it looks.)

#2: Lock Out Social Media

Everyone gives into the siren call of social media every now and then. As marketers, we’re more susceptible than most. We can always semi-justify checking our feeds as part of the job. When you’re feeling stuck on content creation, it’s easy to slide over to Facebook and scroll for a while.

But when you’re feeling creatively burnt out, social media is worse than a time waster—it’s only going to sink you deeper into a stupor. You’ll sit and passively consume an endless parade of content, fewer and fewer neurons firing. It’s a surefire way to be even more behind by the end of the day.

So try to steer clear of procrastination sites like Facebook and Twitter. If, like me, you find social media irresistible, try a program like StayFocusd or Focus to keep you honest.

#3: Move a Little

Ideally, when you start to feel sluggish and uncreative, you could get up and take a walk. Get out in nature, or into your local coffee shop, and enjoy a fresh perspective and a little physical activity. But weather doesn’t always permit that option—and some bosses aren’t keen on it, either.

If you can’t get out, at least get moving a bit. I have an under-desk elliptical machine that I use throughout the day. Using it makes me feel more alert and helps fight the post-lunch crash (and as a side effect, I’ve lost 15 pounds). If your budget doesn’t allow for something that elaborate, even a simple fidget cube can help.

#4: Drink Cold Water

I’ve said this before—as one of my 10 daily habits for powerful content—but it bears repeating. We’re all a little dehydrated, all the time. That lack of water can make your head ache, and make you feel hungry, anxious, irritable, sluggish, and worse. Keep a reusable water bottle on your desk and keep it full.

For maximum wake-up potential, don’t skimp on the ice. Really cold water helps wake up your senses (a la point 1) and keep you energized.

#5: Reconnect with Your Audience

One major cause of content ennui is losing sight of the bigger picture. It’s easy to think of work, even creative work, as “I get empty bucket, I fill bucket with words, I send it off.” It can feel like you’re dealing in a bulk commodity, rather than creating something useful and valuable for your audience.

Take a few minutes and listen to the voices of the people you’re trying to help. Ask your customer service team what frequently asked questions they’re receiving. Ask Sales what problems their prospects experience. Visit online communities, read reviews, check out blogs from your target audience.

Listening to your audience will help you properly value your own work—and it will help make your content more relevant, too.

Don’t Give In to the Sadness, Artax

Creative work like writing awesome content can be challenging. Sometimes everything from the work environment to our own bodies seems to be working against us. It takes a conscious effort to snap out of the doldrums, re-engage your senses, and go back to work with a renewed sense of purpose.

Still feeling stuck? Take a minute to laugh with these 20 Jokes Only a Marketer Could Love. Or try these tools for writing better blog posts.

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

The post Feeling Stuck? 5 Tips to Restart your Content-Creating Brain appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

11 Social Media Updates You Might Have Missed by @thebigdebowski

Here are all the latest exciting social media updates you need to know from April 2017.

The post 11 Social Media Updates You Might Have Missed by @thebigdebowski appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Monday, 1 May 2017

The 7 Things You Must Know about the Psychology of Calls to Action by @devesh

Want to create a click-worthy call to action? Use some basic psychology to create more compelling calls to action.

The post The 7 Things You Must Know about the Psychology of Calls to Action by @devesh appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

15 Inspiring & Actionable Social Media Marketing Tips for the Modern Marketer

After years of using “fuzzy math” to calculate the value of social media marketing, marketers are being tasked with generating and showing true ROI. But the truth is, ROI isn’t always just about revenue.

Depending on brand objectives, social media ROI could mean everything from awareness and social engagement to visitors to the company website from social media platforms.

If you really want to make social media marketing a major part of an integrated and omnichannel digital marketing strategy, use the tips below to lead your way.

Know What You Want to Accomplish

Without a clear strategy in place, tools won’t make any difference to you. @IanCleary
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Set goals. As with any digital marketing tactic, knowing what you want to accomplish before you start will help guide your way.

Document your strategy. Taking the effort to document your approach will help you weed out useless activities that will not impact your goals.

Understand when to adapt. Social media platforms quickly evolve. And as the algorithms and user behaviors change, so should your approach.

Focus on Building Real Connections

Social media is not just a business experience, it’s an emotional experience. @MariSmith
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Take an interest. In order to connect with your audience, you have to understand who they are. Take an interest in who they are, what they care about and who influences them.

Encourage interactions. Strive to entice your social media audience to interact with your brand and with each other. The more conversation that happens back and forth, the more connected they’ll feel. Also, many platforms allow for polls, voting and other opportunities for interactivity. Test on your audience and see which ones they respond to.

Speak human. All too often, brands take on a much too formal tone for social media. And while you want to maintain your brand identity, social media followers expect you to lighten the tone.

Be responsive. Social media has created an always-on opportunity, and expectation. If you don’t have a large team that can monitor interactions 24/7, be as responsive as is reasonable for your team.

Arm Yourself with the Right Tools

Content is fire, social media is gasoline. @JayBaer
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Monitoring tools. Many tools exist on the market today that can measure brand mentions, sentiment and more which can help you identify areas of success and opportunity.

Scheduling tools. While what you post is most important, knowing when to post can also have a great impact. Find tools that have an auto-publish feature that is based on the most optimal times to publish social content.

Curation tools. Proper content creation is an essential part of any social media marketing program. Curated content allows you to offer valuable content to your audience without only serving up your own information.

All-in-one tools. Many paid tools on the market can help you accomplish all of the items above (and so much more) for a reasonable monthly fee. If you’re looking for a new tool, see if there are free trials available so you can try before you buy.

General Tips & Best Practices

Social media replaces nothing, but compliments everything. @NealSchaffer
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Consider giving live video a shot. It can be intimidating, but consider opening up and testing live video. Interviews are a great place to start because they don’t require scripting or as much practice to create interesting videos.

Embed videos natively. When you shoot videos to use in your marketing and are ready to promote, upload videos natively to social media marketing platforms. That will encourage more engagement (due to autoplay) in a format that doesn’t require your audience to click or leave the platform to interact.

Use visuals. Social media marketing messages that include visuals are much more likely to catch and keep the attention of your audience.

Understand where paid social fits in. As it becomes increasingly competitive to gain the attention of your online audience, social media platforms are requiring more and more that brands invest in paid social. Don’t fight it but be mindful of where you invest.

What Next?

While some of these tips may not be new, it’s good to remind yourself why you’re incorporating social media into your digital marketing strategy and some simple tips to keep you on track.

If you’re a social media marketer, what have you found to be the most successful and least successful ways to reach your goals?

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

The post 15 Inspiring & Actionable Social Media Marketing Tips for the Modern Marketer appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.