Brafton: What to expect when you’re content marketing – Conversion rates will vary

Brafton News Content Marketing

What to expect when you're content marketing – Conversion rates will vary Nov 8th 2013, 20:41, by Lauren Kaye Marketers continue to invest in content and spend time developing SEO strategies because they work. As difficult as it is to quantify the intangibles of the web, such as anonymous internet traffic or the value of social shares, marketers have rolled up their sleeves and learned to read content analytics reports. Data from the 2013 MarketingSherpa SEO Marketing Benchmark Report serves as a reminder that it's easy to get wrapped up in metrics like bounce or conversion rates without seeing how these figures fit into a bigger story. MarketingSherpa surveyed marketers across consumer- and business-facing brands, revealing the average conversion rate from organic search traffic is around 16 percent. However, there's a noticeable discrepancy between B2B companies and B2Cs. Media, publishing and marketing companies (both offline and online) reported 20 percent conversion rates for organic search traffic. Ecommerce vendors, brick-and-mortar retailers and wholesale vendors saw around half as many goal conversions (11 percent) from visitors who found sites through organic queries. The conversion gap between B2Bs and B2Cs doesn't mean some industries are innately running better web marketing campaigns than others, or that certain verticals are doomed to see mediocre results. Instead, it highlights that marketers have different web marketing goals and set different targets based on expected audience behaviors. For instance, an online retailer site might only count a purchase as a conversion, where a VoIP phone service provider may deem a demo request a completed goal. Other companies' conversions might include form fills or even the simple act of watching video content from start to finish. The average conversion rate from organic search traffic is around 16 percent. It might be difficult for businesses to optimize for appropriate, scalable objectives if they don't have dedicated strategists who are skilled in content analytics. Brafton reported that this is unfortunately still the case for over one-quarter of all brands. However, marketers who have technically skilled strategists can accurately assess how their conversion rates - and other important metrics - stack up with competitors, and then craft competitive campaigns that move full speed ahead. Media files: content-analytics-for-conversions.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.7 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: There’s no SEO drawback to responsive design

Brafton News Content Marketing

There's no SEO drawback to responsive design Nov 8th 2013, 17:02, by Lauren Kaye It's becoming clear consumers' love of smartphones is going to have an impact on marketers' SEO strategies. The Pew Internet and American Life Project recently reported that 63 percent of cell phone owners use their mobile devices to access web content and chances are that figure will grow as more people adopt smartphones. To keep up with on-the-go internet users, marketers must make their brand content mobile-ready with responsive design sites or dedicated mobile domains. According to the latest Google Webmaster Help Channel video, both m.sites (mobile-only) and responsive design domains are fine as long as use best practices and provide great visitor experiences. A primary difference between the two is that m.sites redirect users to separate pages optimized for smaller screens, while responsive design uses the same URL with separate display code. This ensures the content fits properly within varying screen sizes. Google's Search Engineer Matt Cutts offered this guidance in response to a user-submitted question about whether there's any disadvantage to using responsive design when building mobile presences. "I wouldn't worry about a site that uses responsive design losing SEO benefit because, by definition, you get the same URL." "In general, I wouldn't worry about a site that uses responsive design losing SEO benefit because, by definition, you get the same URL. So in theory, if you do a mobile version of your site if you don't handle that well and you don't do the rel=cannonical and all those sorts of things, you might in theory divide the PageRank between those two pages," Cutts stated. In fact, there might even be SEO advantages for marketers who take the responsive road. Because the web content is all hosted on a single URL, it could theoretically pass PageRank across each version. So links going to the desktop domain will carry over to the smartphone-optimized version. Ultimately, this could help brands rank higher in mobile searches - something that will become essential as users begin to do the bulk of their web browsing on the go. Media files: SEO-responsive-design.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.3 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: YouTube – not Facebook – is Milllennials’ favorite social network

Brafton News Content Marketing

YouTube – not Facebook – is Milllennials' favorite social network Nov 8th 2013, 14:14, by Lauren Kaye Facebook has been synonymous with social media since online networking gained traction. As the reigning king of social connections and conversations, marketers built brand presences on the site to reach active consumers, but they may need video marketing and new popular sharing channels to cater to changing social tides. Now, The Futures Company released data to Mashable indicating the end of Facebook's domination may be in sight. The usurper? YouTube. Suprised? Savvy marketers shouldn't be. YouTube has quietly been building up a strong membership crowd for the past few years and the video sharing site now boasts more than 1 billion unique viewers every month. This previously positioned the network as the runner-up in terms of raw member counts, but it's also taking over as younger users' favorite platform. According to the Futures Company, half of the 4,014 survey respondents between the ages of 12 and 15 list YouTube as their favorite site. Respondents between the ages of 12 and 15 list YouTube as their favorite site. Facebook took second place as the most popular among 48 percent of respondents. Twitter and Tumblr are considerably behind, cited as the favorite networks for 19.5 percent and 12.3 percent of respondents, respectively. While this data points to a shifting social landscape and possibility of a time when Facebook isn't the go-to network for consumers and marketers, that transition is not quite upon us yet, according to Rob Callender, director of youth insights at the Futures Co. "Our new findings do suggest some weakness … but Facebook remains the favorite website overall among our sample of 12- to 29-year-olds," said Callendar. Marketers who see this trend and act quickly have lead time to get video marketing strategies in motion before this younger group matures into their target audience. For those looking to get started, Brafton created a resource to help marketers get their video campaigns off the ground, from the start of production to way streaming media generates purchases. Media files: squares_youtube.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: Best social contest tool? Facebook Page Promotions vs 3rd-party apps

Brafton News Content Marketing

Best social contest tool? Facebook Page Promotions vs 3rd-party apps Nov 7th 2013, 22:24, by Kristen Fritz Facebook updated its Promotions Page Terms and owners who wish to run a Promotion on the social network are no longer required to use a third-party application. The news elicited a pretty positive response from users, and it's no surprise because third-party apps usually cost extra money. Heavily customized promotional landing pages can cost up to thousands of dollars! As a member of Brafton's Social Media Marketing team, I was against Facebook's move to ease the once fairly stringent promotion policies. I'd come to know - and even sort of love - the third-party apps. They were the reason some of my clients (many that were really niche and belonged to industries that you wouldn't expect to thrive on Facebook) gained loads of new fans and upped their posts' engagement. After delving deeper into the new parameters, I realized that Timeline-hosted contests deserved love, too. Each company has different social media goals, so it makes sense that Facebook offers promotions with flexible rules. The new Facebook contests: Cost-cutting and time-saving? Allowing Page mangers to host contests on Timelines could be good news for Page Managers tackling their first promotions because it cuts the time it takes to get familiar with a new app. Otherwise, social media managers would need to learn a program, add visuals and context to the contest landing page, including: Legal jargon for the official rules Graphic designs Additional information for readers Once that's done managers still need to link up the app to the Facebook page. But third-party apps have customizable charms... All that back-end work may sound tedious and time-consuming, but the truth is that developers and other industry-folk have developed their products since the early days of Facebook Promotions. And I personally think most apps have become more user-friendly! Sharing is encouraged with apps, and depending on the terms, the more often users pass the promotion onto others, the more "bonus" entries they gain. The third-party apps I've worked with also offer customization. You can add Like gates so Facebook users are forced to like your Page before they can even enter your promotion. Sprinklr's platform offers full customization, including buttons so users can follow your other social media networks, or even 'pin' the contest landing page on Pinterest – great for cross-promoting! Here's an example of what a Sprinklr contest looks like. Beauty Bridge is a beauty and skin products company that we've helped to create successful social marketing campaigns. That said, with Facebook's Timeline promotions, all you need to do is post an image and some text to explain the rules. 'Highlight' the post, and it'll span the whole page so no one will be able to miss it. How new Facebook contests (will likely) work As always, Promotions cannot appear on personal Timelines, but they can be administered on Page Timelines and via the old school app method. Here's how Pages can collect entries: By requiring users to publish text or a photo directly on the Page's Timeline. By requiring users to comment or like a post By requiring users to message the Page By utilizing Likes as a voting system Page admins can't: Allow anyone who simply likes their Page to enter Require users to share their Page post or photo to enter Require users to post on their own Timelines or friends' Timelines to enter Require users to tag themselves in a photo to enter The "sharing" restriction could put Page owners at a disadvantage because certain apps allow users to gain extra entries by personally promoting contests on social media sites. Beyond that, I don't think Timeline promotions will be at a huge disadvantage. Does simplicity sacrifice marketers' data? Promotions hosted through regular Facebook posts only offer Facebook's proprietary analytics. This can simplify metrics, as Page admins will just need to check their Insights to determine post popularity. Contest data is crucial because it can help measure success and provide insight when setting goals for future promotions. Still, the beauty of a third-party app is that many have built-in analytics to track metrics like visits, entries and overall performance throughout the promotion. That data is crucial because it can help measure success and provide insight when setting goals for future promotions. Take Wildfire for example. I hosted one client's sweepstakes on Wildfire's custom Facebook app, and we didn't have to spend any advertising dollars aside from Wilfire's hosting fee. We simply cross-promoted the landing page on social media and free sweepstakes directories. After analyzing the data, we determined that the first sweepstakes was a success (we even surpassed the expected number of entries) and measured which directories sent the most entrants. These figures inspired a second promotion.  To use Facebook Pages for contests or not to use Facebook Pages? I've broken down the pros and cons for Facebook's new regulations so you can figure out what's better for your own Page: Pros of new regulations You don't need to pay for a third-party app Easy to launch becuase just need text, an image and simple terms for everyone to follow Seamless Timeline experience - no need to click around to find the app Options to promots the Post for added visibility(will cost extra) Fans don't need to provide their email addresses or other personal information Cons of new regulations Page's inbox will become clogged with fans' entries/messages, making it difficult to search through to find customer-service related messages Manual counting and selecting winners, making it harder to contact the winner Harder to build fan base because users can't simply 'like' the page to win or share for valid entries Can't collect email addresses to grow newsletter database Cheaters can create fake accounts or buy their way to gain entries There are numerous factors to consider when launching a new Promotion, which is why you need to plan! After getting a feel for how Page Promotions work with and without third-party apps, your social media promotion goals are the most important considerations. No matter what you choose, ask yourself these questions when mapping out a contest: What do you want to achieve? What content will you use to promote and explain the promotion? How will you spread the word about your contest? What's the follow-up content after the contest ends? Regardless of which route you choose, your ROI will be stronger when your campaigns are created around specific business goals. In some cases that means exploring new solutions and other times, it's best to stick with tried-and-true approaches. Media files: Social-media-contest-winner.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: Marketer or mind reader? How Google’s new interests tab blurs the line

Brafton News Content Marketing

Marketer or mind reader? How Google's new interests tab blurs the line Nov 7th 2013, 17:36, by Lauren Kaye Marketers' jobs would be much easier if they knew what made their customers tick. Every day, creative and strategic teams are challenged to determine what prospects want or need, and then find ways to present their brands as the solution. This is hard enough in the offline world where businesses have face-to-face interactions with customers, but internet marketers must overcome the challenge of anonymity as they learn the who, what, where and why of their website visitors. However, the interests tab, a new Google Analytics feature could make it a lot easier to paint a detailed picture of customers and then market to them. How Google's making content analytics the crystal ball to conversions Google now offers content analytics reports containing information about visitors' interests, age and gender. The idea is that this data will help marketers better understand who is coming to their websites and what digital content interests them. While immensely helpful to SEOs, this function isn't necessarily groundbreaking. The search engine previously offered visitor-specific categories to marketers running paid campaigns on the Google Display Network, now allowing webmasters to funnel all of their analytics data into more insightful segments. In the past, advertisers could create interest categories and opt to display their brand content only to web users in those groups. The search engine gathers information about internet users' demographics and interest from their activity on Google partner sites, taking contextual cues from the domains' subject matter and target audience as well. Now, it's allowing webmasters to segment all of their analytics data into these comprehensive silos. Marketers can benefit immensely by segmenting their traffic into more sophisticated categories because it brings depth and context to online customer personas. With clear insights about what target audiences look like and want, brands can refine their content marketing strategies to align with and exceed prospects' expectations. Webmasters, roll up your sleeves Information is power on the 'net, but often comes with a cost. In the case of interests analytics data, marketers must do a little backend work to gain access to these insights. According to the Google Analytics Policy requirements for Display Advertising, webmasters must update on-site analytics tracking codes. However, this also requires them to update their privacy policies to notify visitors that they're collecting data about traffic through DoubleClick cookies. As always, transparency is of the utmost importance to Google and marketers must follow suit to be within the search engine's quality guidelines. Moreover, marketers might see their SEO strategies take off as they're able to create highly targeted content that compels visitors to convert naturally. Media files: Googles-Content-Analytics-Interests-Tab.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.4 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: Restaurants must bring their table manners to social marketing efforts

Brafton News Content Marketing

Restaurants must bring their table manners to social marketing efforts Nov 6th 2013, 15:18, by Lauren Kaye The food service industry has made it to the social media party and is ready to make its presence known, according to recent data from Ipsos MediaCT. The "New Channel Effectiveness in Restaurant Marketing Mix - A Study of Daily Deal Marketing Success" report revealed 80 percent of restaurants in the United States are involved in social media marketing. In fact, this medium was the clear leader compared with traditional approaches like email marketing and offline advertising. The findings from the study affirm that Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other sites are more than a flash in the pan. But figures prove the mass majority of restaurants already use these channels and marketers must see fresh potential in their presences if they intend to stand out and surpass competitors. 80 percent of restaurants in the United States use social media marketing. Strategies that primarily focus on promoting offers and reporting about upcoming events must pick up the pace and develop personality. It's crucial to remember why people go on social sites: To interact with others and be entertained. Provide prompt service Brafton recently covered a Lithium Technologies report that found over half of customers expect brands to respond to social comments within an hour. If restaurants don't have people at the helm of their social handles, they could miss chances to answer questions or settle complaints quietly. Even though restaurants make most of their money offline, they risk losing sales online if they neglect social forums. Around 38 percent of surveyed consumers say their negative feelings about brands grow when their social feedback is ignored. Entertain your guests 38 percent of surveyed consumers say their negative feelings about brands grow when social feedback is ignored. A principle that every successful restaurant understands, companies must find ways to entertain guests. This extends to providing positive experiences on social networks as well. Consider TacoBell's use of SnapChat. The company sends followers stories using hot sauce packet memos to create a narrative, and its social marketing team has gained recognition for responding to customers' drive-thru selfies. Chipotle is another example of restaurants going beyond basic social engagement. The burrito chain invited patrons to participate in a cross-channel treasure hunt, offering winners the offline prize of weekly burritos for 20 years by answering daily quiz questions correctly online. Although these are both examples of quick-service restaurants, full-service and fine-dining can find appropriate value-adds for followers. Exclusive reservation services, sneak-peeks of new restaurant items or interviews with staff members can help patrons feel personally connected to the brand and give them reasons to return to its social pages for updates. To succeed in an increasingly saturated marketing landscape, companies can't afford to rest on their laurels. They must refine strategies and offer unique value to keep target audiences engaged and inspire loyalty that drives offline conversions. Media files: Social-media-marketing-for-restaurants.jpg (image/jpeg, 1.1 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: Content marketing is participation, not persuasion: #SESCHI keynote insights

Brafton News Content Marketing

Launch your idea today. Type FRIENDS in our "How did you hear about us" box for a free LaunchBit Startup Guide and turn your dream into reality! From our sponsors

Content marketing is participation, not persuasion: #SESCHI keynote insights Nov 5th 2013, 22:02, by Katherine Griwert "Content means everything and nothing." Daina Middleton, global CEO of Performics, started her SES Chicago keynote by addressing a common problem today's marketers face. Content has become an all-encompassing phrase that marketers know they need, but most still struggle to leverage and measure it effectively. (This is a fact Brafton has carefully documented, reporting 2014 surveys show only half of marketers feel they create content that engages audiences. The same report reveals the majority of B2B and B2C brands lack documented strategies.) For Middleton, the underlying problem is that online consumers have new expectations about brand engagement, but marketing models are slow to adapt. She shared five key tenets of successful marketing in the "participation age." Consumers are participants Middleton shared that 51 percent of Americans use web search to refine shopping decisions, and this isn't a brand new development. (The data came from a Google holiday shopping report, circa 2012.) At the same time, she argued that most businesses act is if they control all relevant brand information prospects find. She highlighted the healthcare industry as a clear example: Doctors used to be the primary portal to information about an individual's physical conditions, and now patients Google ailments before they're diagnosed. In the new participation age, consumers have certain content expectations: Content should be at my fingertips Everything should be searchable Fair trade: Ads for content With this participation culture, the game is changing for marketers toward an "engagement" initiative. At the same time, there are certain old-world marketing principles that companies (perhaps rightfully) won't compromise: Goals are about more than reach Success is more than impressions ROI metrics are important Content, content, content – everything, yet nothing. Successful marketing adapts Middleton didn't suggest all marketers are laggards; instead she said most tools that companies rely on need an overhaul. She shared Performics data indicating 1,734 CMOs agee the most successful enterprises focus on relationships, not just transactions. At the same time, it's nothing new that engagement can be linked to conversions (even if it's trickier to track). Case in point: Back in 2011, Brafton reported clear metrics on social engagement boosting conversion rates. With that in mind, she also suggested smart brands are using content for participation, not persuasion. This can be a challenge: It requires a core content marketing principle of agility, demanding sufficient resource, sharp content analytics and buy-in that empowers those in charge of content (whether in house or an agency partner) to act. Participation can be scaled using a formula No one should believe in "silver bullets," but Middleton shared her repeatable formula for content (and overall marketing) that successfully fosters participation. D+E+C =P2 Discover: Humans love to find new resources relevant to their wants and needs. In turn, marketers must to create an environment that helps people become more competent and knowledgeable about their offerings. (Perhaps this theory is supported in data that shows more product and service landing pages mean more money for companies.) This is natural for marketers, as it plays into a longstanding tradition of talking about one's own offerings. But the formula gets more complex. Empower: Good content marketing allows prospects and customers to make choices. How can a business solicit meaninful contributions? Middleton proposed brands make it easy for people to provide feedback (and Brafton also encourages customer or industry peer interviews as a content type that creates dialogue beyond a brand). Connect: Build a community that lets people connect with one and other. In one sense, this is a clear link to social marketing and relinquishing power to give users control. Middleton also suggested businesses more carefully consider keywords: Do targeted phrased focus solely on products or services? How can keywords point them to a community they may be searching for? Participation increases: The ultimate result, she proposes, is "P2" – increased engagement and participation, which ultimately drives action. Good marketing is gardening, not war The first step to successful content is dropping the fight and finding the connections. Middleton highlighted that most marketing metaphors revolve around war. Target your audiences. Guerrilla marketing. Fighting for search real estate. Instead, we should transition to a nurturing mindset. The first step to successful content is dropping the fight and finding the connections. "Embrace nurturers," she said. Nurturists: Nurture leads and customers with new organizational values Middleton highlighted five organizational values that can facilitate customer participation. 1. Embrace, test and learn. Don't get stuck on a single content format, a specific social network or otherwise attached to a single result. 2. Innovate, don't perfect. Perfecting a campaign isn't feasible in the face of a constantly shifting landscape. (This is also a driving force behind the trend in outsourcing innovative content formats – including graphics and videos.) 3. Act quickly and motivate others. First, managers should champion innovation and foster a similar culture on their teams – and "teams" are changing, too. Marketing managers should champion innovation and foster a similar culture on their teams. 4. Mix and blend: Don't recreate. On a related note, people should be collaborating instead of working in silos. Key stakeholders need to access similar metrics so they'll be motivated to act fast, and people should leave their titles at the door. 5. Embrace failures in the pursuit of results, but do it efficiently. Not everything will be a major win, but successful brands aren't afraid of risks. How do marketing teams maintain efficiency? Fail differently each time. If marketing is about participation, "good storytelling" is another item to add to any team of nurturers need to add to their to-do lists. Read more insights in our related post: Quality content is the first step toward engagement (and stay tuned for more SES coverage.) Media files: SESCHI-keynote-day-1.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: Social marketing only works if it’s in real-time [study]

Brafton News Content Marketing

The Next Generation in Online Meetings GoTo Webinar is a new, affordable, do-it-yourself Web event service that doesn't require a consultant. Get $10 off after your complimentary trial. From our sponsors

Social marketing only works if it's in real-time [study] Nov 5th 2013, 19:46, by Lauren Kaye Customer complaints are unfortunately an occasional reality for most brands. In an era when customers have direct, and public, access to brand's social media pages, it's a mistake for companies to ignore negative comments in an effort to silence complainers. In fact, a study by Lithium Technologies found B2Cs in particular benefit by responding with social media content in (near) real-time. Over half (53 percent) of all social users expect companies to respond to their posts within an hour. Failure to do so will only fan the fire of poor brand sentiment, according to the survey of more than 500 socially active respondents. Around 38 percent of customers feel more negative about companies that do not reply to Tweets and other online commentary in an hour or less. Another 60 percent say they will take further action to ensure their voices are heard. On the other hand, companies stand to gain a lot if they can respond quickly to customers' complaints, questions or feedback promptly. More than one-third of respondents are more likely to buy from a business that replies within 60 minutes and 42 percent will promote that company to their personal followers on the web. 53 percent of all surveyed social users expect companies to respond to their posts within an hour. The results from this study further demonstrate that real-time engagement is the new marketing baseline and companies must be prepared to hold live conversations to be effective on social networks. But discussions go both ways, and companies must also provide readers with outlets for continuing the conversation immediately. Brafton previously covered a Livefyre study, which found social-sharing icons and other tech features that prompt immediate reader response improve user engagement and foster connections. The point is that marketers are more effective when they connect with online audiences in the present moment, whether that means answering complaints or giving website visitors ways to share web content. Media files: Real-time-social-marketing.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.4 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: Matt Cutts: schema markup helps content SEO (a hint at AuthorRank?)

Brafton News Content Marketing

Host Unlimited Domains Unlimited Domains, Unlimited Disk Space and Unlimited Transfer For One Low Price. From our sponsors

Matt Cutts: schema markup helps content SEO (a hint at AuthorRank?) Nov 5th 2013, 17:00, by Lauren Kaye Most of the recent search marketing updates Brafton has covered have been about SEO tactics that don't provide real-world results. However, the latest Google Webmaster Help Channel video offers a suggestion about a tactic that has search impact: Adding schema markup to web content for rich snippets. Add markup for more content context "In general, the more markup there is - schema, video or whatever - the easier it is for search engines to be able to interpret what really matters on a page," explained esteemed Search Engineer Matt Cutts. "The more markup there is - schema, video or whatever - the easier it is for search engines to ... interpret what really matters on a page."  He added that webmasters should also make their Java script and CSS crawlable so the search engine's spiders understand more about what's on the page and use that information when displaying digital content in SERPs. It's even advisable to make the video file itself easy to crawl because this helps Google understand the information on the page and, in a bigger picture, how it fits into the context of the site. The value of structured data & benefits of rich snippets This isn't the first time SEOs have heard about the merits of adding structured data to their brand content. Brafton covered a session from this year's SMX East in which panelists listed benefits of adding the semantic data to their pages. Some of the benefits include added visibility in SERPs that comes with rich snippets - not to mention the potential for additional clicks. But the advantages go even deeper than that. The additional code can help marketers better segment their website traffic for content analytics reports and gather more granular information to advise their SEO strategies. Authorship rich snippets even more valuable? Perhaps more importantly, this update from Cutts dredges up the old theory that Google might one day use structured data (such as the information used to attribute Authorship) in search rankings. Although the search engine has vehemently denied that writers' social authority and online credibility will have a direct impact on organic search results, Google has been keeping the rich snippet discussion on the front burner for some time. Smart marketers will spot opportunities to add semantic data to their web content, if not to improve their search rankings, than to give internet users clearer insights on the information behind their SERP links. Check out Brafton's related resource on Authorship, which explains how brands can benefit by setting it up for their content writers and corporate leaders. Media files: schema-markup.png (image/png, 0.1 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: Content marketing recap: October 2013 (Video)

Brafton News Content Marketing

Learn Adobe Illustrator CS6 Master Techniques from an Adobe Guru! With over 25 years of experience teaching, Robert Farrell has been a trusted instructor for individuals and companies who want to improve their Adobe skills. From our sponsors

Content marketing recap: October 2013 (Video) Nov 4th 2013, 17:51, by Katherine Griwert Hi, I'm Katherine Griwert with your monthly content marketing recap from Brafton. There were a number of developments in October that might impact your content marketing strategy for the rest of 2013. These developments might influence the formats you create to the hottest channels for sharing and the way you measure results. Click play to watch the video, or read the full coverage below.  [sublimevideo poster="http://cdn.brafton.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/October-Recap.png" src2="(hd)http://videocontent.brafton.com/b9cc69a148bd9f4d/video/custom/mp4/820-2.mp4" src3="http://videocontent.brafton.com/b9cc69a148bd9f4d/video/custom/mp4/820-2.mp4" src5="(hd)http://videocontent.brafton.com/b9cc69a148bd9f4d/video/custom/ogg/820-3.ogg" width="" height=""] Cutts debunks SEO myths Throughout the month, Matt Cutts did what he does best: Try to convince webmasters that SEO for the sake of SEO doesn't work, talking about some core content practices that can't be gamed for SEO value. Cutts tackled the misconceptions about content "tricks" to boost SEO. Some have thought they could get better results using "Strong" tags instead of bolding text. But he suggested it's virtually the same when it comes to ranking content. He also said domains don't automatically rank higher for having more pages. This isn't to say there aren't advantages to having info-rich sites; while more pages aren't an SEO edge in and of themselves, each page presents an opportunity to answer a unique user question and attract inbound links. and that's the SEO value in adding content. We also got some clear-cut content guidance from Cutts on guest blogging. This isn't a black har practice, but he emphasized that for search gains, content needs to be relevant and organic. Optimized anchor text should be used sparingly, and articles should offer unique insights from experts. Your favorite analytics reports aren't where you left them There were also updates in October, that can change how you measure content. If it wasn't enough that Google's now ranking online content with the Hummingbird algorithm and withholding keyword data, it's also changing content analytics reports. Data about traffic sources is now under the Acquisitions tab and Content information is filtered into the Behavior section. There is also a new Conversions tab. Google made these changes to help marketers track website visitors as they move through the sales funnel, from the point of discovery through conversions. Our Content Marketing Strategists also noticed that Google Analytics updates provide deeper insights about the people coming to your websites. The interests tab helps you better understand visitors by giving an overview of age, gender and "interest categories" so you can see differences between convering and non-converting traffic. And of course, we always advise that you keep close tabs on the types of content that foster conversions - and you may see the best-performing content leans toward visual. In October, data showed Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat are gaining on Facebook and Twitter for user advocacy. Consumers love sharing curated content and brands are finding ways to engage on these new channels. Pinterest and Instagram both rolled out paid content options in October, which means companies can buy some space in users' newsfeeds. But it's crucial marketers stay true to the medium - sharing only high-quality images that are relevant to target audiences. People get on these sites to be entertained, not to be sold, and brands that violate this rule will alienate prospective customers. Those are some of this month's biggest content marketing highlights – catch ongoing updates on Brafton.com. Media files: October-Recap.png (image/png, 0.4 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: Pinterest launches ‘related Pins,’ but users wary of social spam

Brafton News Content Marketing

Want to speak effortlessly in any situation? Actress Alexa Fisher will teach you tips that will set you on the road to success. From our sponsors

Pinterest launches 'related Pins,' but users wary of social spam Nov 4th 2013, 17:14, by Lauren Kaye Pinterest has put steps in motion to develop its commercial potential, hence the introduction of sponsored brand content to users' home feeds. Now, the social pinboard site announced it's going to show consumers related Pins that are in line with content they frequently search for and share. Based on responses shared on the official blog post, this feature is not something users are excited about because they assume it means they'll be subject to spam. It's up to marketers to straddle this line, crafting visual brand content that users will be glad they discovered. The decision to introduce a 'related Pins' feature was born out of users' demands for fresh content, according to the blog post penned by Pinterest Software Engineer Dmitry Chechik. "Related Pins are picked specially for you based on the unique things you're into, such as other Pins you've saved or liked," Chechik explained. For example, Pinterest might show a pair of handknit mittens to a consumer who has been searching for winter wear like wool scarves and snow boots. The recommendations are intended to help people find other content that complements their expressed interests. If users like the suggestions, they can click the 'i' (for information) button in the bottom corner to give Pins a 'thumbs up,' and Pinterest will log that information for future content pushes. A 'thumbs down' to suggested Pins removes the image from users' home feeds and tells Pinterest to avoid similar Pins moving forward. While this development is positioned as a user experience improvement, there's a clear marketing angle as well. The related Pins feature can give social media marketing campaigns more reach with qualified prospects if Pinterest delivers relevant content to prospects who have already indicated their interest in similar products. However, brands must be certain their Pins inherently offer value because users are skeptical about whether 'related Pins' will prove useful or spammy. In response to the announcement, a number of Pinners submitted comments asking if they'd be able to opt out of the new feature, worried that it may disrupt their organic content discovery. Assuming Pinterest doesn't revoke the new function (and that users get over the initial shock of the change), brands can overcome consumers' reluctance by distributing eye-catching Pins that are worth sharing. By meeting and exceeding users' expectations, brands can compel target audiences to not only engage with their custom content, but also forward it across their personal networks. According to data recently published by ShareThis, consumers shared 15 percent more Pinterest content than in previous months. To improve social marketing ROI, brands must find ways to propel their content naturally. The best way to achieve this goal is by creating visual and written content that users will want to see and promote independently. Media files: Related-Pins-announcement.png (image/png, 0.1 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Brafton: Don’t put SEO over content

Brafton News Content Marketing

Acquire Clients Globally! Attention Advertisers: What's your CPA? Have Us Acquire Additional Clients for You Utilizing International, Localized PPC on AdWords, Bing, & Facebook Exchange! From our sponsors

Don't put SEO over content Nov 4th 2013, 14:30, by Lauren Kaye Hi! Lauren Kaye, here, with this week's Content & Coffee with Brafton. Today I wanted to talk about what web marketing success looks like, and why some common tactics you think are working might actually be getting in the way of results. Click play to watch the full video, or read the text version below.   [sublimevideo poster="http://cdn.brafton.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/ContentCoffee-11.4.png" src2="(hd)http://videocontent.brafton.com/b9cc69a148bd9f4d/video/html5/mp4/811-1.mp4" src3="http://videocontent.brafton.com/b9cc69a148bd9f4d/video/custom/mp4/811-2.mp4" src5="(hd)http://videocontent.brafton.com/b9cc69a148bd9f4d/video/html5/ogg/811.ogg" width="" height=""] Take the relationship between SEO and online content. Lots of marketers put SEO tactics at the top of their to-do lists when they should really focus on creating content for their websites. I'm not saying SEO isn't important. Webmasters need to stick to best practices like using title tags, including keywords in headlines and using structured data. However, those tactics shouldn't get in the way of creating great content. Google's Search Engineer Matt Cutts has pointed out a few SEO tricks marketers use to try to boost their content that just don't work. One is using certain text codes. Ever heard that using the "strong" tag is better than bolding text? This is a myth, according to Cutts. Crawlers consider them the same. The same goes for italics and the "emphasis" tag. Another falsity? Bulking up a website to improve ranking signals. Cutts addressed this misconception in a recent Google Webmaster Help Channel video. He said sites with more pages don't automatically outrank smaller domains. They certainly have more opportunities to build ranking signals because there are more pages to optimize for popular keywords and more content to attract inbound links. While Google uses things like links, keywords and coding tags to identify what's probably good content, it's less interested in technical SEO and more concerned about giving users the answers they want. Strong web traffic, low bounce rates and lots of social shares are signals you're providing useful information. And the search engine is more likely to give your site visibility if you're producing helpful ideas than if your pages are perfectly optimized but uninteresting. So the next time you have to choose, put content first, and see if that moves the needle for search results. Catch you next week, and happy content marketing! Media files: ContentCoffee-11.4.png (image/png, 0.3 MB)

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions