seotworank: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Everyone wants marketing 'tricks'.

The best marketing trick? Write an e-book. Write a title that guarantees cool marketing tricks inside. Sell the e-book for $2000. If you sell 2 copies, you make $4000. That's a cool trick.

OK, seriously now...

There are no marketing 'tricks'. The best marketing, internet or otherwise, springs out of some form of cultural memory. It's not based on a new flash of insight that comes from the blue. It comes from studying your subjects—tricky monkeys that they are—and figuring out what has always made us tick.

Look at any facet of marketing and it holds true:

In SEO, you can chase the algorithms and try to trick your way up the rankings. That works for a short time. Or, you can deliver what people and search engines want: Visibility; authority; efficiency.

In print marketing, you can put up scantily clad models to sell your toothpaste. Or, you can figure out what people really look for in a toothpaste (OK, bad example—I look for a cool label).

In all marketing, tell a story and pull your audience into it. Those that come along for the ride are great potential customers. Those that don't shouldn't be there anyway.

Man, I'm preachy this week. Tomorrow I'll go for something all technical. You know - some tricks :)

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/conversationmarketing/MRJI/~3/WaIIroOx1t8/best-marketing-trick-memory.htm

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Google Goes Boom on Low-Quality Sites...So They Say

Chances are good that you or someone you know has seen some ranking changes today as Google rolled out a new algorithmic update. With the recent announcements aimed at "low quality sites" (many interpret this to mean content farms), even less than two weeks ago, Google stated they were exploring different new methods to detect spam.

"This update is designed to reduce rankings for low-quality sites--sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high-quality sites--sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on," Google announced last night.

Click to read the rest of this post...

Source: http://feeds.searchenginewatch.com/~r/sewblog/~3/j_uQ1DhmmQU/110225-125210

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Market research is (often) worthless. Here's why.

This post is by Bruce Lee, marketer and marketing writer.

Here's the short version: Knowing that someone has disposable income doesn?t tell you what they want to spend it on.

I used to work for a (retail) company that had fairly deep pockets. Occasionally, we would reach into those pockets to buy market research.

Our database was scrupulously maintained, and could tell us basic stuff about our customers, such as name, address and complete purchase history. The market research companies we hired promised to expand on that data and provide rich demographic information about the folks in our database.

You can guess the next step. In strict adherence to the "birds of a feather flock together" model of marketing, the research company would then offer to sell us information (names and addresses, mostly) of people who were just like our best customers, with one distinguishing characteristic: they had not yet made a purchase from us.

Makes sense right? And especially tempting since, like nearly all retail businesses, we spent such a seemingly inordinate amount on trying to attract new customers.

Just one little problem: It didn?t work.

For our tests, we came up with a very attractive offer and sent it out to three groups: Past customers; people who had a similar profile to our customers but had never purchased from us; and an equal number of randomly-selected households. All were within the same geographical area. Here?s how it shook out:

The results were the same in three different trials, using three different profiling techniques.
I have mixed feelings about this. All thinking people should.

As a marketer, I was of course disappointed by the results. Everyone in business is always looking for the straightest and truest path to new customers. Intuitively, we are attracted to the concept that past behavior can reliably predict future behavior, and, to a degree, this is true. In our case, for example, we could reliably predict that people who were previous customers had a much higher likelihood of buying from us again, compared to folks who had never before made a purchase from us.

I'll say it again, with feeling: Knowing that someone has disposable income doesn?t tell you what they want to spend it on.

What we couldn?t seem to find, however, was an accurate profile of those individuals who, while not having yet shopped with us, still had a higher predisposition to do so.

The reality is that people are not that predictable regarding at least some activities in which they have never previously participated. In our case, just because someone had a profile that was in many ways very similar to that of our best customers, didn?t mean he had any higher likelihood of buying high-end electronics.

Which, if you think about it, makes perfect sense in light of our everyday experience. Just because someone has disposable income doesn?t tell you what they want to spend it on. Skiing is a relatively expensive activity. Yet we all know wealthy people who wouldn?t dream of going to the slopes and poor students who somehow manipulate their budgets to indulge their hobby. It?s the same with all sorts of non-commodity goods and services: wine, boats, concerts, travel...even relatively inexpensive activities such as movies or attending sporting events.

So, while as a marketer, I?m faced with a remaining challenge, as a member of the human race, I?m delighted that each of us is ultimately unpredictable - similar in many ways - but unique.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/conversationmarketing/MRJI/~3/ATfqmhmUa70/market-research-worthless.htm

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Kenneth Cole's real mistake: Tactics without a strategy

Unless you live under a rock, or have a life outside the internet, you've heard about Kenneth Cole's now-infamous Tweet-fuffle:

Tasteless? Yes. And ill-advised.

Tactically it looks brilliant: Surf on a trending hashtag (#Cairo). By tweeting and including that hashtag in his post, Kenneth Cole ensured his tweet would be seen by the millions of people following the crisis in Egypt.

But, that which is tactically clever can also be strategically dumb. Sort of like starting a land war in Russia: You get the jump on everyone, forge your way in, and then get crushed by the combination of winter and people who don't like being invaded.

But I digress.

Cole's error here was not considering the longer-term impact. He grabbed for a bit of quick traffic with what seemed at the time like a light-hearted reference to current events. He forgot that events have participants (in this case, anyone on Twitter), and participants have memories, and unfavorable memories mean unfavorable press.

My advice? Always make sure your marketing tactics fit with your strategy. If they don't, then no matter how good the short-term potential, re-think your Twitter/article/publicity stunt/PR.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/conversationmarketing/MRJI/~3/8d-l_qNSEx0/kenneth_coles_real_mistake_tac.htm

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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Lessons in Twitter community building, by Kevin Hillstrom

Kevin Hillstrom is my analytical idol. So, when I bought a copy of his e-book, Twitter Hashtag Analysis a few weeks back, I was mostly looking for hashtag analysis techniques. But I got a huge bonus: This great e-book is a blueprint for Twitter community building.

Hillstrom based his e-book on analysis of activity in the #blogchat community. He slices and dices the data 99 ways, as I've come to expect, so you to read it for yourself.

I have no business or other connection here, by the way. It's just a great book that you need to read. And I think I might earn $.10 from Amazon if you buy one.

I'm still working my way through the data, but here are the biggest lessons I've picked up so far:

Give 'em some sugar

Everyone wants a little love. Reply to those who retweet you. In Hillstrom's analysis, folks who retweet you and then get a reply from you will become engaged members of your little community 60% of the time. If you don't reply? They return 6% of the time.

As Hillstrom succinctly put it: OMG.

Just a little 'thanks' could have huge implications for your community-building efforts.

Don't wait for retweets

Even answering someone's tweet makes them more likely to participate. Folks who get their tweets answered will engage—participate again—41% of the time.

That compares to about 6% of the time if someone tweets once or twice, retweets and then is gone.

So, even if they don't retweet you, respond to folks if you want them to stick around.

It doesn't have to be you

The more engaged participants you get, the easier it becomes to maintain a healthy community. Why? Because engaged participants will answer tweets and retweets. So, they actually generate more engaged participants, who then respond to new members, and so on.

It doesn't have to be you. Respond to folks and they'll help out.

The moral: Take care of your community

There is a TON of great insight in Hillstrom's e-book. This little post is just a slice.

But the moral is clear: If you want to build a real, responsive audience on Twitter, nurture it. Respond to people. It pays off, big.

Caveat: This is based on his analysis of the #blogchat hastag. Your results may vary. Kevin has some other great examples of this kind of analysis, though, on his blog.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/conversationmarketing/MRJI/~3/aEPr8OG_iV8/lessons-twitter-community-building.htm

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Small Businesses Thrive With New Technologies

Today’s Q&A is by Phil Simon.� He is the author of several publications including his most recent one, The New Small. You may also recognize him as one of the generous contributors of the The Synergy of Business & Blogging collaboration. Rife with profiles from a wide variety of industries, The New Small offers pragmatic [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Newbizblogger-OnlineBusinessTips/~3/c48aDn0meG4/small-businesses-thrive-new-technologies

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Focus On Adding Value

Times are tough.

In times like these, clients tend to focus on the value proposition. "Throw it at the wall, see if it sticks" is not a phrase you hear a lot in recessions.

Instead, your customers will tend to have their eyes transfixed on your value proposition. "How does this spend make me better off?"

Whilst we may think search marketing services are essential, the spend on search services typically comes out of marketing budgets, and marketing budgets tend to be the first thing companies cut when things get tight.

So, they might need more convincing that usual.

If you weren't doing so already, it can be a good time to go over your proposals and pitch, and look to emphasize, and add to the value proposition you offer.

A few points to consider....

1. Address Genuine Needs

Address the need a client has, which may be different than the need they articulate.

This may seem obvious, but often people aren't quite sure exactly why they need search marketing, or they may have wrong ideas about it. Their genuine business need may be buried. You need to tease this out.

To do so, listen. Hard.

One common mistake people who are "fixers" - seos tend to be fixers - can make is that they'll go through the motions of listening, but really they're just waiting for an opportunity to launch into their solution.

A client will tell you a lot, and perhaps cover a lot of angles you hadn't thought of, if you let them talk long enough. They will like the fact you are interested in them and their problems, and it will make your eventual solution sound more considered and tailor-made.

Because it will be.

If you don't solve a genuine problem, your relationship is more likely to be a short one. Services that don't solve genuine business problems are more likely to get cut.

2.Go Beyond

Look for ways you can enhance your offering.

Look to solve genuine problems in closely related fields. For example, a client may lack a content strategy. They may want to publish content regularly, but haven't got around to doing so. You could enhance your offering by incorporating this work in your offer, reasoning that it dovetails nicely with your SEO strategy, thus killing two birds with one stone.

This can also get you on-going work, if pitched right, and may involve little more than hiring the services of a copywriter.

3. Establish Feedback Mechanisms

Feedback is important.

Not only does it give you added insight into what the client is thinking, it also offers you the opportunity to demonstrate your value proposition in action.

You said you would do X, you do X, then show them you've done X. This helps build trust.

Clients will often elaborate, if given the opportunity, which can give you more ideas on how to "Go Beyond", and how to "Address Their Real Needs".

4. Look At Jobs As Partnerships

If you've ever bought services, you know that selecting a service provider can be a pain. It is time consuming, and there is risk involved. A wrong choice can lead to opportunity cost, and having to repeat the process all over again.

No one wants that. People want partnerships with their suppliers. They want someone on their side.

Once you've landed a client, try to see them as a business partner. This is certainly how they will view you if they like you. They are unlikely to go back out to the market unless they are disastisfied, so try to make their business, your business.

Take the approach that you will boost your own business by building theirs.

5. Every Job Is An Opportunity To Build Hybrid Skills & Knowledge

Let's say you have a travel client.

Learn everything you can about the travel industry. Press the client for information. Research and understand the wider industry, not just the search marketing opportunity within that industry.

One of the golden things about being a consultant is that you get to look inside people's businesses. This information is valuable and difficult to obtain by other means, yet you're getting paid to learn it. You're learning about real business issues, who's-who, and the language of the industry.

You then become more valuable to any other travel-related client as you're now "a travel guy". You can pitch convincing to them, because you speak their language, understand their problems, and you've got industry history.

Categories:

marketing

Source: http://www.seobook.com/adding-value

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Conversion Rate, A Most Powerful Lever Indeed

Some best practices and a guide on how to execute an A/B split serve landing page test. ...

Source: http://feeds.searchenginewatch.com/~r/sew/~3/GSG3-l4zhUo/3641941

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External, Hybrid, and Internal Communities: Why You Should Care

Exploring three social communities and some typical business problems that effective engagement can solve. ...

Source: http://feeds.searchenginewatch.com/~r/sew/~3/7JPnbw8Qc4g/3641937

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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Focus On Adding Value

Times are tough.

In times like these, clients tend to focus on the value proposition. "Throw it at the wall, see if it sticks" is not a phrase you hear a lot in recessions.

Instead, your customers will tend to have their eyes transfixed on your value proposition. "How does this spend make me better off?"

So, they might need more convincing that usual.

If you weren't doing so already, it can be a good time to go over your proposals and pitch, and look to emphasize, and add to the value proposition you offer.

A few points to consider....

1. Address Genuine Needs

Address the need a client has, which may be different than the need they articulate.

To do so, listen. Hard.

Because it will be.

If you don't solve a genuine problem, your relationship is more likely to be a short one. Services that don't solve genuine business problems are more likely to get cut.

2.Go Beyond

Look for ways you can enhance your offering.

This can also get you on-going work, if pitched right, and may involve little more than hiring the services of a copywriter.

3. Establish Feedback Mechanisms

Feedback is important.

Not only does it give you added insight into what the client is thinking, it also offers you the opportunity to demonstrate your value proposition in action.

You said you would do X, you do X, then show them you've done X. This helps build trust.

Clients will often elaborate, if given the opportunity, which can give you more ideas on how to "Go Beyond", and how to "Address Their Real Needs".

4. Look At Jobs As Partnerships

No one wants that. People want partnerships with their suppliers. They want someone on their side.

Take the approach that you will boost your own business by building theirs.

5. Every Job Is An Opportunity To Build Hybrid Skills & Knowledge

Let's say you have a travel client.

Learn everything you can about the travel industry. Press the client for information. Research and understand the wider industry, not just the search marketing opportunity within that industry.

Categories:

marketing

Source: http://www.seobook.com/adding-value

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LinkedIn Marketing How-To

One of my team, Doug Anktowiak, wrote a fantastic tutorial on using LinkedIn's new features for company pages. Here's a taste:

As the Facebook of the business world, LinkedIn has become the go-to social media scene for career movers and shakers, and now it's more influential than ever. Once known as just a social network for tech-savvy professionals to find a new gig, the leading business-oriented social network recently gave companies the ability to strut their stuff with a new Products and Services tab.

One Giant Leap into B2B Marketing

LinkedIn's latest addition isn't just important because it looks hi tech and it's easy to use - it transcends the ability of this social media to service both people and businesses.

You can read the rest on the Portent blog.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/conversationmarketing/MRJI/~3/lMHF4Q1iKK0/linkedin_marketing_how-to.htm

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Discounts: The Vicodin of internet marketing

Discounts are the Vicodin of internet marketing

I’m not a fan of discounts as a core marketing strategy. Use them once in a while? Sure, that’s fine.

Use them too often, though, and they’ll kill your business.

See, they’re an addictive substance.

An aside: Vicodin, addictive stuff, and why this matters

Four years ago I ruptured two discs in my back. They sent my whole nervous system into a state of higgledy-piggledy. The doctor gave me a bottle of Vicodin to help me stop whining “ooooh it hurts waaaaah”.

I was pretty desperate at that point, so I took a half dose.

Weeeeeeee.

My back still hurt, but I no longer cared. The entire world was one big happy double rainbow of happy cheerfulness. Even my happiness was happy. I could’ve chewed glass and gone on with my day like a normal person.

It scared me to death. Anything that makes me that happy was clearly dangerous.

And it is, of course. Vicodin contains an opiate. It’s physically and psychologically addictive.

In theory, I could have just taken them every day, had zero pain and been really happy for a month. But at some point, my body would’ve rewired itself to depend on the chemicals in the medication. Breaking the habit would’ve become more painful than the injury I was treating.

I was terrified of those pills. I probably made the whole bottle last 3 years. They were a weapon of last resort. I only took them when the pain got so bad I wanted to dig my vertebra out with a sterilized butter knife.

I feel the same way about discounts.

Discounts = Vicodin for marketing

Discounts are marketing’s Vicodin. If you need to sell, and need to sell now, they’re not a bad way to get things moving. Used sparingly, they can be of great service.

But discounts rewire the brain of your business, and the brains of your customers.

First, discounts make your business feel happy, by sending you sales. But they don’t necessarily build your brand, attract loyal, lasting customers, or take care of little details like fulfillment and customer service. Your business stops caring. So discounts may get you cash flow while hiding bigger problems: A weak brand, competition, problems at the warehouse, etc..

Second, discounts train customers. If you’re careless, you can quickly turn customers into bargain-hunters. They no longer care about your story or how cool your product/service is. They only care about the discount. You release a new product and they ask, “When will it be on sale?”

So, you run a 10% off sale, and wow, you sell a ton of stuff. You decide to do it again a week later. You sell more stuff. Then you do it again the next week. And so on. Then one day you realize you’re reducing your margins, so you stop offering discounts.

And sales stop.

Your customers are waiting for the next discount. Your business lacks the basic stuff it needs to attract customers, because you’ve spent all your time and energy on those promotions, instead of your selling proposition, your story, or trivial stuff like internet marketing.

Your business is addicted. And withdrawal is going to be ugly. Or fatal.

How to avoid addiction

You can use discounts and not get hooked. Follow three basic rules:

Use discounts to introduce or reward. Don’t use discounts just to build sales. With new customers, make sure you get something in return, like their contact information. Then you’re building a list. Or, use the opportunity to tell them about you and your product. With existing customers, make sure they know this is a reward—a treat for their loyalty.
Avoid the loss leader. I find the strongest business plan focuses on making more money than you spend. Don’t discount so much that you can’t make money. That should be obvious. Ahem. If you’re a huge company, or have lots of cash, maybe you break this rule. But you’d better follow the other two if you do.
Don’t launch with a discount. Never, ever launch a new business with a discount! You have no established identity yet. Don’t make the first thing customers hear about you “We’re cheap!”

Other stuff

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/conversationmarketing/MRJI/~3/c2CqiLiKt2M/discounts-are-vicodin-of-marketing.htm

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