Advanced Blogging: Analytics, Optimization, and Outreach

transcript

#ufx2016

ANDY CRESTODINA

@crestodina #ufx2016

Action

1. Topics

WeakContributor

AmazingContributor

Perceived Content Performance

source: Moz, BuzzSumo

Most content getsno links and few shares

...if you want to create content that achieves a high level of both shares and links then you should concentrate on

opinion forming, authoritative content... or well researched and evidenced content.

...if you want to create content that achieves a high level of both shares and links then you should concentrate on

strong opinionsoriginal research

The Power of Research

1. Numbers are credible2. Owned by you, making you the primary source3. The outreach can grow your network4. Support the sales pitch5. Research gets more links and shares than other content

Why publish research?

1. Numbers are credible2. Owned by you, making you the primary source3. The outreach can grow your network4. Support the sales pitch5. Research gets more links than other content

Three ways to produce research

1. Observation: Pick a data set. Gather data.

2. Aggregation: Combine data from existing sources

3. Survey: Mass outreach and analysis

observation

aggregation

survey

source: 2016 Blogger Survey, Orbit Media

The typical blog post takes 2.5 hours to write

“What do people in our industry often say but rarely support?”

Find the missing stat

Sonia SimoneCCO, Copyblogger Media

Don’t take shortcuts; they take too long.

The Power of Strong Opinion

The power of strong opinion

What do you believe that most people would disagree with?

What do you believe will happen in the future that most people think is unlikely?

What questions are people in your industryafraid to answer?

1. Do original research. Publish a statistic that no one else has published.

2. Take a stand. Publish your strongest opinions.

Focus on power topics

2. Relationships

Creators

Contributors and “lurkers”

There are two kinds of people on the internet

• Journalists• Authors• Podcasters• Academic Researchers• Event Producers• Bloggers and Blog Editors

Who makes content?

Your blog is your best networking tool

1. Ask for a contributor quote2. Include them in an expert roundup3. Deep dive interview

source: Online Networking Guide, Orbit Media

3 Ways to Collaborate

An ally in creation is an ally in promotion

1. Monthly one-‐hour call, Skype or Hangout2. Bring a guest each month3. Miss it twice and you’re kicked out!

Start a Mastermind Group

1. What are you doing that we can promote?2. What are you writing that we can collaborate on?3. What are you doing to be more productive?4. Do I know anyone that you want to meet?

Content Marketing Mastermind Agenda

You get what you give.

Share andmention

Shared!

How many people are waitingfor your article to go live?Make sure it’s not zero.

Content should be designed to attract visitors

Optimized for search...

Optimized for social...

1. Actively network with content creators

2. Include them in your content

ACTION: Collaborate with others

If you’re not making friends, you’re doing it wrong

3. Link

3. Authority

@crestodina #ufx2016@crestodina #ufx2016

1. Know your Domain Authority

2. Target phrases only if your authority is in the same range as the other high ranking pages

Understand authority and competition

4. Relevance

1. <title>Use the phrase once in the title tag

2. <h1>Use the phrase once in the header

3. Body textUse the phrase 2-‐4 times for each 500 words

Indicate the relevance

We’ve been working on an intelligent model... that understands real-world entities and their relationships to one

another: things, not strings.

Amit SinghalGoogle

website copyright copyright textwebsite footer examplesheader and footerwebsite footer definitionat the bottom of the pagedesigning a website footerfat footerguidelinesstandardsbest practices

usabilitycontentideas inspirationlinks SEOsitemapsocial medianavigationpurpose of responsivetemplate

Semantically linked to “footer design”

website copyright copyright textwebsite footer examplesheader and footerwebsite footer definitionat the bottom of the pagedesigning a website footerfat footerguidelinesstandardsbest practices

usabilitycontentideas inspirationlinks SEOsitemapsocial medianavigationpurpose of responsivetemplate

Semantically linked to “footer design”

The Results?Let’s take a look...

Rankings climb for “website footer design”

What was the search volume in the Keyword Planner?

And finally, the traffic

...and the links

1. Find the phrases that are semantically connected to your target phrase

2. Use those phrases within your content

Adapt to semantic search

Make the best page on the internet for your topic. Be the best answer.

5. Rank

Online searches by type

Informational

Transactional

Navigational

source: “Determining the informational, navigational and transactional intent of Web queries” Bernard Jansen, et al

Online searches by type

Informational

Transactional

Navigational

Two types of visitors.Two types of phrases.Two types of pages.Two types of conversions.

6. Traffic

• What phrases are we almost ranking for?

SEO SHORTCUT

Acquisition > Search Console > Queries

1. Find the page. Confirm the ranking.

2. Improve the page! Add detail, keywords, video, images, examples, internal links, etc.

Optimize for the conversions

7. Conversion Rate

Your website is the mousetrap.Your content is the cheese.

Barry FeldmanFeldman Creative

Clear contentAnswers to Q’sEvidence & Trust

ConfusionAnxietyDistraction

They ask. You answer.

Marcus SheridanThe Sales Lion

20x longer+30% conversion rate

source: Crazy Egg

Answer top questions

A great sales page emulates a sales conversation.

1. Answer top questions.

2. Never make a marketing claim without supporting it with evidence.

Optimize for the conversions

Hello, lead!

Create high quality, original content...

in collaboration with relevant influencers...

that organically attracts enough links and authority...

that our search optimized product and service pages...

rank for the transactional phrases...

attracting targeted visitors...

to our compelling, trustworthy websites...

so we get new leads everyday.

Create high-quality original content in collaboration with relevant influencers that organically attracts enough links

and authority that our search optimized product and service pages rank for the transactional phrases

attracting targeted visitors to our compelling, trustworthy websites so we get new leads everyday.

Leads ...everyday!

Social Media

Research

Writing

Outreach

Analytics

Be a T-Shaped Digital Marketer

source: MOZ

Social Media

Research

Writing

Outreach

Analytics

Creative

Friendly

Creative

Friendly

Analytical

Friendly

Great marketers arecreative, analytical and friendly.

Andy CrestodinaStrategic DirectorOrbit Media

Advanced Blogging: Analytics, Optimization, and Outreach

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