Posted on 17 May 2012.
Yesterday, Google announced what they are calling the knowledge graph.
In short, it provides answers directly in the search results sourced from third parties such as Wikipedia but driven from their acquisition of Metaweb in 2010 and the FreeBase database…
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Posted on 16 May 2012.
Automaker tells ClickZ it will continue advertising on the social site. While General Motors may halt Facebook advertising, according to a Wall Street Journal story today, Ford has a different attitude toward paid promotions on the social site.
Search Engine Watch – Latest
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Posted on 16 May 2012.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. It doesn’t matter how great your email marketing is if nobody can see it. And getting hundreds of thousands of eyes on your amazing email marketing campaigns begins with email deliverability.
There’s actually quite a lot to take into account to ensure your emails actually get delivered to a recipient’s inbox. Your list has to be healthy (if you’re curious what makes up a healthy email list, take this 5-question test we developed); you need to develop and maintain a high Sender Score; you need to segment your email list like a pro; and the list goes on.
Furthermore, data from ReturnPath’s Global Email Deliverability Benchmark Report has confirmed the problem email marketers are facing. Only 76.5% of commercial emails sent reached recipients’ inboxes in 2011, and email blocked and flagged as SPAM increased 24%. So what are email marketers to do? Brush up on their SPAM and email deliverability 101, that’s what. So we’ve compiled 7 informative infographics that give a rundown of what SPAM is, why it matters, and how you can ensure your email isn’t viewed as SPAM so it gets into inboxes. Be sure to bookmark your favorite ones to help you in your next email marketing campaign!
Have you come across an awesome infographic about email deliverability? Share it with us!
Image credit: Ecstatic Mark
HubSpot’s Inbound Internet Marketing Blog
Establishing context for your analytics data is more important than picking the right KPIs. In this short video, Avinash Kaushik explains how to establish context for your data and empower stakeholders to take action. www.google.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5
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Posted on 16 May 2012.
We recently interviewed Dennis Dayman, Chief Privacy and Security Officer, Eloqua, who has been a hands-on participant in the ongoing online privacy debate in Washington, D.C. Read on for an inside look at the current political process involving proposed privacy regulations here in America as well as find out about some conversations he had with officials from the European Union.
Marketingsherpa Blog
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Posted on 15 May 2012.
As a copywriter, you know that words have power.
You know words can influence, inform, and inspire.
They can persuade your fellow humans to do some amazing things (or to do the wrong things, but we won’t go there today).
What you may not realize is that your words can change the world.
Here’s something else that’s really cool that you might not have realized …
The keys to world-changing writing are also the keys to damn good copywriting.
But as you know, good writing doesn’t happen all by itself. So let’s talk about what it takes to be damned good … and what it takes to change the world.
As Hugh MacLeod said, the market for something to believe in is infinite.
Your writing must give your readers something to believe in.
Some writers are called to create a great masterpiece like Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech. If that’s you, that’s awesome.
But most of us are doing something much more humble. And there’s nothing in the world wrong with that.
It can be as simple as the promise of SEO Made Simple.
You know that nasty, frustrated feeling of being overwhelmed by something like optimizing content for search engines? Maybe for you, it’s another topic. But we all have a thorny problem like this. It feels complicated. It feels kind of scary. It feels like it’s going to be very easy to mess up.
For readers who are feeling that same kind of overwhelm, the promise to make search engines simple gives something to believe in.
That they can do this. That they can keep moving forward and get over this stuck spot.
Whether you’re telling a grand, heroic story or just solving a frustrating problem, the concept is exactly the same.
World-changing writers and copywriters both begin with the meaning.
But meaning isn’t enough.
Meaningful words that aren’t also sticky will slip silently into your readers’ left ears and swoop swiftly out of their right ears. (Or would that be eyes?)
Your words must stick inside your readers’ heads. Your reader will be changed by words that stick, and will share your words with others.
No stickiness = flash in the pan.
Some stickiness = successful marketing campaign.
Mega stickiness = world-changing movement.
This is where all your copywriting tips and tricks carry over to the craft of world-changing writing. Headlines. Subheaders. Bullet points. Specific details.
And most importantly, storytelling.
World-changing writers and copywriters both strive for a sticky story.
There’s a lot of smarmy social media kool-aid out there about authenticity. That’s not what we’re talking about.
What we’re talking about this this: No one will care about your meaningful, sticky message if it smells like bullshit.
If your readers suspect you’re trying to sell them something they don’t want — whether it’s a product or an idea — you’ll lose their attention forever.
That’s why your words must be authentic.
“Authentic” doesn’t have to mean sharing intimate details of your personal life. (In fact, if you could refrain from letting us know what your cat had for breakfast, that would be awesome.)
But it does mean that you have to believe in what you’re writing. You have to let a piece of yourself shine through in your words.
You have to give a damn.
World-changing writers and copywriters both let authenticity into their writing.
The world isn’t changed in one fell swoop. (Or even a swell foop.)
The world gets changed one person at a time.
One reader who reads your meaningful, sticky, authentic words. One reader who is a little bit different after reading your words than they were before.
If you’ve done your job well, that one reader will share your words with one more reader. Then two, then ten, then a hundred.
That’s how the world is changed. By spreading ideas that are meaningful, sticky, and authentic.
What idea will you spread? Will it be grand or humble?
Whatever your idea is, Pace would love to give you a hand with making your message a little more meaningful, a little sticker, and a little more authentic. To do that, check out her free video course, The 6 Steps to World-Changing Writing.
And let us know about your world-changing idea in the comments.
About the Author: Pace Smith is the co-leader of the Connection Revolution, where she helps dreamers blossom into world-changers. Click here to get her free video course, The 6 Steps to World-Changing Writing. Sonia does a lot of writing around here, and is pleased as punch to be one of the teachers in Pace’s workshop.
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Posted on 15 May 2012.
I’ve written often about the dangers of ignoring social media in SEO (and vice versa), but I’m here today to write about another danger: ignoring social benefits in the traditional sales funnel. It’s frustrating that people continue to treat social media as an individual entity, a separate…
Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
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Posted on 14 May 2012.
Most people use the search engine which they believe has the best relevancy, whatever their computer came with, or what a friend recommended.
| Vote | All (1190) |
|---|---|
| it has superior relevancy | 30.4% (+3.0 / -2.9) |
| the computer had a default selected | 26.8% (+2.9 / -2.7) |
| a friend told me about it | 23.1% (+2.9 / -2.7) |
| I saw it on a TV ad | 10.3% (+2.3 / -1.9) |
| it came bundled with software | 9.5% (+2.3 / -1.9) |
Men are more inclined to believe in superior relevancy, whereas women are more likely to use the default or what a friend recommends
| Vote | Men (621) | Women (569) |
|---|---|---|
| it has superior relevancy | 35.4% (+4.2 / -3.9) | 25.5% (+4.4 / -4.0) |
| the computer had a default selected | 21.8% (+3.7 / -3.3) | 31.5% (+4.6 / -4.3) |
| a friend told me about it | 21.3% (+3.7 / -3.3) | 24.8% (+4.5 / -4.0) |
| I saw it on a TV ad | 11.9% (+3.1 / -2.5) | 8.8% (+3.5 / -2.6) |
| it came bundled with software | 9.7% (+2.9 / -2.3) | 9.3% (+3.8 / -2.8) |
The youngest age group is easiest to influence with advertising or buying the default placement. 25 to 34 is more concerned about relevancy & older people are more likely to have it bundled with software than younger people are.
| Vote | 18-24 year-olds (289) | 25-34 year-olds (309) | 35-44 year-olds (151) | 45-54 year-olds (186) | 55-64 year-olds (167) | 65+ year-olds (88) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| it has superior relevancy | 30.1% (+5.5 / -5.0) | 36.9% (+5.9 / -5.5) | 32.4% (+7.8 / -6.9) | 28.2% (+7.0 / -6.1) | 27.6% (+7.7 / -6.6) | 28.0% (+10.8 / -8.7) |
| the computer had a default selected | 29.0% (+5.5 / -4.9) | 23.8% (+5.4 / -4.7) | 27.6% (+7.6 / -6.5) | 24.2% (+6.8 / -5.7) | 26.0% (+7.6 / -6.4) | 26.1% (+11.3 / -8.8) |
| a friend told me about it | 20.7% (+5.0 / -4.3) | 21.1% (+5.5 / -4.6) | 23.8% (+7.7 / -6.3) | 24.8% (+7.0 / -5.9) | 25.0% (+7.4 / -6.2) | 24.6% (+11.4 / -8.7) |
| I saw it on a TV ad | 14.2% (+4.5 / -3.6) | 10.8% (+4.2 / -3.1) | 10.5% (+6.0 / -4.0) | 12.8% (+5.7 / -4.1) | 8.3% (+5.5 / -3.4) | 3.1% (+10.7 / -2.5) |
| it came bundled with software | 6.0% (+3.4 / -2.2) | 7.5% (+3.9 / -2.6) | 5.8% (+5.4 / -2.9) | 10.0% (+5.3 / -3.6) | 13.1% (+5.8 / -4.2) | 18.2% (+10.6 / -7.3) |
People out west tend to be more concerned with / driven by perceived relevancy. People in the midwest rely more on word of mouth. People in the south and north east are more likely to use the default.
| Vote | The US Midwest (236) | The US Northeast (317) | The US South (369) | The US West (268) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| it has superior relevancy | 24.4% (+6.8 / -5.7) | 29.8% (+5.9 / -5.3) | 29.6% (+5.3 / -4.8) | 37.2% (+6.6 / -6.2) |
| the computer had a default selected | 27.3% (+6.7 / -5.8) | 29.3% (+6.0 / -5.3) | 29.8% (+5.5 / -5.0) | 19.8% (+5.6 / -4.7) |
| a friend told me about it | 25.6% (+6.9 / -5.9) | 18.4% (+5.4 / -4.4) | 22.6% (+5.3 / -4.5) | 25.0% (+6.1 / -5.3) |
| I saw it on a TV ad | 11.5% (+5.8 / -4.0) | 12.6% (+4.6 / -3.5) | 9.8% (+4.4 / -3.1) | 8.2% (+4.6 / -3.0) |
| it came bundled with software | 11.2% (+6.1 / -4.1) | 9.9% (+4.5 / -3.2) | 8.1% (+4.3 / -2.9) | 9.7% (+5.1 / -3.5) |
Here is data by population density.
| Vote | Urban areas (612) | Rural areas (107) | Suburban areas (445) |
|---|---|---|---|
| it has superior relevancy | 29.9% (+4.2 / -3.9) | 27.8% (+9.9 / -8.1) | 30.4% (+5.3 / -4.8) |
| the computer had a default selected | 27.2% (+4.4 / -4.0) | 27.7% (+9.5 / -7.9) | 26.5% (+5.1 / -4.5) |
| a friend told me about it | 23.1% (+4.3 / -3.8) | 25.1% (+9.6 / -7.6) | 23.2% (+4.8 / -4.2) |
| I saw it on a TV ad | 10.4% (+3.8 / -2.9) | 8.7% (+8.6 / -4.5) | 10.5% (+4.6 / -3.3) |
| it came bundled with software | 9.4% (+4.0 / -2.9) | 10.6% (+8.8 / -5.1) | 9.3% (+4.5 / -3.1) |
There doesn’t appear to be any obvious correlations with age.
| Vote | People earning $ 0-24K (133) | People earning $ 25-49K (658) | People earning $ 50-74K (315) | People earning $ 75-99K (68) | People earning $ 100-149K (18) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| it has superior relevancy | 32.8% (+9.1 / -7.9) | 29.8% (+4.2 / -3.9) | 30.9% (+6.5 / -5.8) | 27.7% (+11.9 / -9.4) | 32.6% (+21.2 / -15.9) |
| the computer had a default selected | 21.7% (+8.6 / -6.7) | 29.0% (+4.3 / -4.0) | 22.1% (+6.0 / -5.0) | 30.7% (+12.4 / -10.1) | 20.9% (+22.5 / -12.6) |
| a friend told me about it | 23.5% (+9.0 / -7.1) | 24.5% (+4.1 / -3.7) | 20.1% (+6.0 / -4.9) | 17.2% (+12.0 / -7.7) | 13.9% (+23.4 / -9.7) |
| I saw it on a TV ad | 11.8% (+7.3 / -4.7) | 8.4% (+3.5 / -2.5) | 15.6% (+6.0 / -4.5) | 4.2% (+13.7 / -3.3) | 25.6% (+22.1 / -14.1) |
| it came bundled with software | 10.2% (+7.7 / -4.6) | 8.3% (+3.3 / -2.4) | 11.4% (+5.5 / -3.9) | 20.2% (+12.2 / -8.4) | 7.0% (+27.3 / -5.9) |
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Posted on 14 May 2012.
“M” is for the Millions who visit Facebook.
“O” is the 1 in 3 who blog Online
“T” is for 14% on Twitter.
“H” is the Half that buy their toys online.
“E” is the half of all bloggers with kids under Eighteen
“R” is for her massive social Reach
Put them all together they spell MOTHER, a word that means the world to you and me (and social media marketers, everywhere!)
Now here’s a Nielsen infographic that explains the rest:
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Posted on 14 May 2012.
Posted by Tom Critchlow
So here's the truth – I used to suck at project management. But over the years I've determinedly turned myself into a half-decent project manager. Why? What was the driving force?
At the end of the day, I never have and still don't care that much for project management. But what I do care deeply about is effecting change. Driving action and results instead of talk and documentation. You can see my drive for getting things done in this whiteboard friday:
(Note, if you have thoughts about this video you'd do well to read my follow-up comment about the difference between reports and reportings.)
Although there are many ways of affecting change, project management is a crucial part of it. Below I'm going to outline a bunch of tools, tips, and tricks that we've discovered and implemented over the years at Distilled to get better at project management:
Personally I'm not a fan of clutter, either physical or virtual, and so I love technology that gets out of the way while you get on with getting shit done. I've tried lots of different project management solutions, and Trello is the first one I've fallen in love with. For those that saw the whiteboard friday I did with Jamie about a year ago it models the real life post-it note system very well:
I'm going to let Will explain why he likes it so much:
And I'm going to let Paddy break down the details in his blog post Using Trello to Manage SEO Projects.
A lot of you will already be familiar with Google Docs. Of course. But only recently have I come to realize the extreme power behind the collaboration elements. I've always hated track changes in Word and finally Google Docs has something better to offer. This video, although cutsey, actually demonstrates the power of real time collaboration:
In particular, two features that are really making me excited are in-line comments (with easy replies and notifications) and revision history (which allows you to see when, how, and who edited a document).
We use Google Docs extensively within Distilled to craft and send around documents even if ultimately we deliver the final report as a .PDF or some other format. After all, some large corporations still like the smell of .PDFs in the morning….
I can't explain how much of a life changing experience the inbox zero methodology is. For the modern day information worker, inbox zero is fundamental to happiness and productivity. If you're not using the inbox zero system then please trust me when I say it'll change your life. Here's Merlin Mann talking about the original system at Google:
When new employees start at Distilled, we coach them in the ancient ways of Inbox Zero. Although it's a personal revelation for many (myself included), the real power comes when you have an entire organization that is GOOD WITH EMAIL. Having seen a peek inside companies that are not so efficient with email the difference is night and day.
Life is organized chaos. Sometimes not so organized either. Project management is similar in that it's often more chaos than management. There's only so much you can really and truly work to get things done without being in the thick of it.
So, where possible, our consultants aim to spend some time on-site with our clients. The increase in results is striking. Not only are we better able to communicate our ideas, but we are also better placed to understand how the client's business works – not just the business model and mechanics, but communication, project management, hopes, and fears.
The best substitute for this if you're not able to get face-to-face with the client is to at least communicate often with many different points of contact within the client's organization. This improves the chances that you'll understand the real needs of the client as well as ensure that as many people as possible like you which is important for getting things done!
We have various memes within Distilled; you can read more about them in a post I wrote for Dharmesh a little while back called Startup Culture Memes – Do You Have A Duck Of Awesomeness. One of the ones I'm most proud of is the mantra "communication solves all problems". I'm constantly amazed at the ability to solve problems by communicating effectively. Either talking to other members of the team or talking directly with the client – just having some real interaction (face to face or on the phone ideally) and explaining the situation clearly solves 99.9% of all problems.
This mantra has infiltrated all parts of Distilled, but I see two key ways that this affects project management on every project.
At the start of any project, we have a kick-off meeting which has two clear outcomes; the first is a top to bottom understanding of the client's business, and the second is a detailed understanding of what the project is going to look like. Mark wrote up our project kick-off process in a little bit more detail here: How To Kick Start SEO Projects.
Secondly, I drill into people here that it's okay to miss deadlines. Really. It is. Do people really care if you deliver something on Monday morning instead of Friday afternoon? The answer is that yes, they care very much if you don't let them know. If you let them know that you will deliver it Monday instead of Friday, then in 99% of cases, they could care less. Why is this so powerful? Because a single missed deadline without communication tarnishes your perception in the client's eyes. So long as the communication is strong, the actual dates rarely matter.
PPT? As a project management tool? Well yes. Let me explain – there are broadly speaking three types of work that you do when you're consulting and there are three different tools you use for these tasks as follows:
| Activity | Tool |
|---|---|
| Research and analysis | Excel |
| Deliverables and specifications | Word |
| Pitching ideas and strategy | PowerPoint |
Although this seems like a no-brainer, it's actually a very powerful mental model. Want to take a guess where setting the project vision and goals comes in? Yep – PPT. Although you won't keep track of a project in PowerPoint, you should be crafting and creating the vision and goals for the project in PPT. Without strong vision and goals, projects will fail.
So persuading a consultant to put together PPTs at the start of projects is a powerful tool to ensure we have a clear idea of where we're going, and importantly, the client is on board.
As part of our monthly reporting communication, we provide a letter from Will to our clients. This is a value add that allows our clients to keep abreast of industry news and changes. I've included a sample of the letter (and supporting links) for April here:
Why is this important? Well not all of our clients are SEO junkies like us. And they like to be kept abreast of the latest happenings in the industry.
How is this a project management tool? You might think it's tenuous, but actually it's crucially important. Running SEO projects on the shifting sands of Google's algorithms means we have to keep on our toes and be prepared to potentially shift our strategy at a moment's notice. So communicating these changes to our clients allows us to be on the same page when we start talking about pandas and penguins….
It's important to note that what works for us may not work for you. Hopefully this has been helpful for you to take a peek at how we manage projects and communication. I'd love to hear what you guys have to offer in the comments!
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