Very few things are more frustrating than brainstorming blog ideas when you’re suffering from writer’s block. You just sit at your desk and stare at your desktop screen. Your mind is a total blank—it’s like you’ve forgotten how to link words together to form a coherent sentence.
Keywords have traditionally been the focus of Google and other search engines since the mid-nineties. So after twenty-plus years of focusing search engine optimization efforts around a short list of keywords to work on and rank for, times have changed. With updated Google algorithms, the focus is no longer just on keywords, although those are still relevant. The greater focus is on topics that answer the questions that users are searching for via desktop computers, mobile devices, and voice command devices. Let's delve into what this change means for you.
Pillar content is taking the web marketing world by storm. When we discovered that it not only created helpful information for potential clients but that it also had immense benefits for SEO purposes, we had to start implementing it. The results we’ve seen for clients have been astonishing (you can see one example of pillar content strategy here).
When I began blogging, I took the approach of purely factual and informative writing. Can I be honest? It was boring to write, and even more boring to read. Nobody cares to read blogs that are full of information and lack the human touch. Information is important, sure. However, it's how you present that information that determines its success. If you're looking to engage your audience more than you currently are, you've come to the right place.
You and Google have something in common: you both love fresh, quality content that is full of substance, easily digestible, and relevant. Google wants content that speaks to the reader, not at the reader; and believe me when I say they know the difference. Google's algorithms are so much more advanced than they were even a couple of years ago.
Truth be told, I’ve never fancied myself a writer. I would classify myself as a reader--someone who enjoys reading fiction and non-fiction book, blogs, and stories. I’m not bad at writing, and I don’t dislike the thought of having to write a blog or any kind of content to be put on the internet, I just never thought of myself as a writer in the way I had perceived that title.
You know how great your business is. You probably think you cannot say enough good things about what you do. But you can.
If you've ever tried talking with someone who doesn't seem to listen to you, you know how annoying it can be. You try to make a point, but they just run over it like a steamroller and talk about something that interests them.
Why is this so frustrating? Because, even if they don't mean to, these people send the message, "I only care about me. I don't care about you. You don't matter."
No one likes hearing this. Especially not potential clients--after all, why give money to someone who doesn't respect you? That's why it's so important to understand buyer personas and the buyer's journey--it helps you create content that tells customers, "We understand you, we value you and we have what you need."
Thanks to our guest contributor Jessica Fender of Online Writers Rating.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) patterns have changed over the years. Regardless of whether you are a content creator or a planner, these things affect your everyday work. The latest trend to hit global search engines is the inclusion of “topic clustering” as a means to fight mechanical keyword optimization.
It’s no longer enough to simply abide by the logical rules of search engines – your content needs to have relevance and meaning. But how do we define topic clustering and how can we effortlessly implement it into already defined content planning strategies? Let’s take a look at some useful tips that can help you increase your ranking and traffic in no time at all.
You've pored over buyer personas and invested in understanding your audience. You've concocted a compelling offer, a valuable piece of content, a meaningful event. You've got what they want. You've got what they need. You're a marketing genius.
The goal of any inbound marketing campaign is to convert your audience, your contacts, your leads, your prospects, into paying customers and raving fans of your business. And when you create an offer or an event, you are engaging that audience and showing them you've got what it takes to earn their business. You are building a relationship and earning trust and proving that your company can best serve their needs or that your product will solve their problems.
The best part is that people will just know you've done all that work and will just find your offer.
Oh, wait. That's not right.
This is where your campaign collateral comes in. These assets are the big flashing arrows pointing people to your offer. They are placed where your audience already spends time online and create a path to your offer.
Below, we've listed a few of the major assets associated with pretty much every inbound marketing campaign and provided best practices to increase conversions. Keep these in mind when creating collateral for your next campaign.
