tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50134668492098279382024-03-17T20:03:24.018-07:00Marketing Network BlogLatest inside info on marketing best practice and technologyJag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-64156410190650889432023-01-18T04:40:00.007-08:002023-01-18T04:40:48.716-08:00Marketing outside the box: How to optimize results with a limited budget<p><b>Marketing on a budget</b> can be a challenging task, but with a little creativity and strategy, it is possible to optimize results and reach your target audience effectively. However, some may argue that the traditional methods of marketing are not always the most effective, and that it is time to think outside of the box. Here are a few controversial tips to help you get started:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFZbm1yxxdRn8hKYyDHHmDl275esdLOvR-ErcNpjEEAIHbcbo-W7hDo6rQCMRRDtNnEybes8uuIdtlZffZrBO7j2X4r-CHZ2M5MgKqjATRUw_Vh0VDr00B9BrpV7SeSf3gfTJJJUsSdAohluW8gmTzB0kOjCb6TFDz5bNorYGWRhnTrugav5ysps7/s7360/ming-labs-HmkNHtKVhXk-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4912" data-original-width="7360" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFZbm1yxxdRn8hKYyDHHmDl275esdLOvR-ErcNpjEEAIHbcbo-W7hDo6rQCMRRDtNnEybes8uuIdtlZffZrBO7j2X4r-CHZ2M5MgKqjATRUw_Vh0VDr00B9BrpV7SeSf3gfTJJJUsSdAohluW8gmTzB0kOjCb6TFDz5bNorYGWRhnTrugav5ysps7/s320/ming-labs-HmkNHtKVhXk-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@minglabs?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">MING Labs</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/HmkNHtKVhXk?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b>1. Ditch the traditional marketing channels: </b>Traditional marketing channels such as television and print ads can be costly and may not reach your target audience as effectively as alternative methods. Instead, consider investing in digital marketing and social media to reach your audience where they are most active.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>2. Embrace the power of viral marketing: </b>Viral marketing is a cost-effective way to reach a large audience quickly. By creating compelling and shareable content, you can tap into the power of social media to reach a wider audience and generate buzz around your brand.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>3. Use negative PR: </b>Negative PR can be a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal. By generating controversy and getting people talking, you can increase brand awareness and drive more traffic to your website.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>4. Leverage the power of influencer marketing: </b>Influencer marketing is a cost-effective way to reach a specific target market, but some argue that it has become over saturated and not as effective as it was once considered. However, some argue that by identifying and partnering with micro-influencers, who have a smaller but highly engaged following, you can reach a highly targeted and engaged audience.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>5. Use controversial or polarizing tactics: </b>Using controversial or polarizing tactics can be a great way to generate buzz and increase engagement. While this approach can be risky, it can also be highly effective in reaching a larger audience and driving more traffic to your website.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>6. Use guerrilla marketing tactics: </b>Guerrilla marketing is a non-traditional form of advertising that uses surprise and unconventional methods to promote a product or service. This approach can be highly effective in reaching a larger audience, but it can also be considered as intrusive and annoying by some.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrAVu3nFuTDaNhukwOyYQe0kE_GOJbhVkEouoctXMe2ZgoYh4GafpRD2vLfpCSPbv1SUind_W0unpm3CSeS5UvbQxUH2huruGQMpMFlNDYKblGeY_mHbicySerlXjVykQ1ABmfE1iPoxDV03lljKd2SYmonxrTpyBjFN8YVkeoOtMhzygiLwo5EVc/s2947/stephen-dawson-qwtCeJ5cLYs-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="2947" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrAVu3nFuTDaNhukwOyYQe0kE_GOJbhVkEouoctXMe2ZgoYh4GafpRD2vLfpCSPbv1SUind_W0unpm3CSeS5UvbQxUH2huruGQMpMFlNDYKblGeY_mHbicySerlXjVykQ1ABmfE1iPoxDV03lljKd2SYmonxrTpyBjFN8YVkeoOtMhzygiLwo5EVc/s320/stephen-dawson-qwtCeJ5cLYs-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@dawson2406?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Stephen Dawson</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/qwtCeJ5cLYs?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b>In conclusion, while these tips may be controversial, they can be highly effective in reaching a larger audience and driving more traffic to your website.</b> It is important to consider the potential risks and rewards of these methods before implementing them in your marketing strategy. With a little creativity and strategy, it is possible to optimize marketing results even with a limited budget.</p>Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-34765902532296510712018-10-22T04:37:00.001-07:002018-10-22T04:52:32.545-07:00Thumb Stopping Guidelines – Creatively winning on mobile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the key challenges we face every day is how do we
connect and engage with consumers in a mobile world, in a world where brands
have to be live 24/7. The potential scale of social media platforms means that
small, seemingly insignificant actions can have far-reaching consequences. That’s
why I’ve created this quick guide to show you ‘thumb stopping’ creative best
practices – ie. How to have the best visual stand out on mobile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Rules of Great
Marketing Remain<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Create ideas that are distinctive, captivating, and
attractive to look at, rewarding entertaining or informative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avoid competitions, asking people to post
photos or asking people to like you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
one likes someone who asks too much of them. Don’t make apps. They cost a lot
of money to make, people spend 80% of their time in 4 apps and 99% of apps have
less than 2000 downloads. Ask yourself seriously, will your app be in that 1%? IF you do decide to build an app, <a href="https://www.avcosystems.com/services/#app" target="_blank">these guys know what they're doing</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Solve for a Business
Objective<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Design campaigns to resolve a specific business challenge
just like you would on any other media. ‘Social’ or ‘engagement’ objectives
(likes, comments, shares) have no correlation to sales. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Measure to learn and improve. Commit to a study like
<a href="http://www.millwardbrown.com/" target="_blank">Millward Brand</a>, DLX to evaluate the business impact of the campaign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Build Branded
Memorability<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make it easy for people to recognise your brand by
developing a consistent look, tone and feel across all your communications. Don’t
change your tone of voice just because you’re on social media. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also stand for something more than just your product features,
and have that highly visible across all your communications. <a href="https://www.edelman.co.uk/magazine/posts/dirt-is-good-the-campaign-for-play/" target="_blank">Persil’s ‘Dirt isGood’</a> is a great example from a big brand, but even small companies can have a
social or community angle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Smart Media Matters<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Optimising for reach improves return on ad spend by 70% or
greater. The greatest creative in the world can’t do its job if your target
doesn’t see it. If you’re a FMCG brand for example, <a href="https://www.cmimedia.com/" target="_blank">CMI guidelines</a> recommend
reaching 50-70% for your target audience (>10% of the population) 1-2 frequency
a week for 6-12 weeks. Campaigns that follow these guidelines can see a 3X
sales uplift versus those don’t. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Evaluate Work in the
Way your Consumer will See It<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FrxgK6JlJ_4/W820NFgk2OI/AAAAAAAAEn8/zLNVPYndY0g5CUSeUaZtVYeg_AwkLV7QQCLcBGAs/s1600/rawpixel-1054575-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FrxgK6JlJ_4/W820NFgk2OI/AAAAAAAAEn8/zLNVPYndY0g5CUSeUaZtVYeg_AwkLV7QQCLcBGAs/s320/rawpixel-1054575-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is bloody obvious, but it’s amazing the number of brand
managers or even agency account handlers review work on the desktop as that’s
the way they’ve received it. Always look at the creative work on a phone rather
than on a giant screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Photo and Video Creative
Considerations<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Grab attention in the first 3 seconds – User data shows that,
on average, you have 3 seconds to grab the consumer’s attention before they
scroll on. Do everything you can to grab attention at the outset, and don’t
leave your reveal to the end like you may do on your TV ads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Video Length<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ensure your film is only as long as it needs to be. If your
message is engaging in the first 3 seconds and relevant to the viewer,
independent data say there is a high chance they will watch on. On mobile, you
aren’t tied to 15, 30, 60 second lengths but this doesn’t mean you should
create long form films for the sake of it. Be honest with yourself. Would you
watch the film in your busy day if you weren’t being paid to do so?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Optimise for Sound
Off<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most video on feed are watches with the sound off. Don’t
relay on sound to tlel your story. Rely on visual or use captions to
communicate your message. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alternative Video
Production<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Consider cinemagraphs which use largely static images that use
a bit of slow pan/scroll to give it movement. There are loads of great online
tools out there to create slick videos, like <a href="https://offeo.com/r/SQJlu" target="_blank">Offeo</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Develop Picture Posts
like you do Posters<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your posts need to be as striking as possible to stand out amongst
the noise of not only competitors and other content, but also their friends’
posts. Use visuals to do the talking and make it as impactful as your poster or
print advert designs (considering the size of screen and amount of text). We
only need to see an image for 13 milliseconds to identify it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mobile Marketing
Strategic Tips<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Target Using Personalisation at Scale</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Harness the unique power of
Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/Snapchat targeting and insights to make the campaign
sharply relevant but still reach large audiences of the right people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><b>2) </b></span><b style="text-indent: -18pt;">Exploit a Mobile’s Portability</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Time, Location, Temperature. Create messages that are relevant
at a certain time in a certain place or at a certain temperature and run them
at the right time in the right place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><b>3) </b></span><b style="text-indent: -18pt;">Consider your Consumer’s Device &
Bandwidth</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Smart phone? Feature phone? 4G? 2G? Avoid videos for feature
phones and markets for low bandwidth. This should be a consideration for
websites anyway, as Google penalises for slow loading assets on websites. Consider
alternative formats like Slideshow or Carousel format to tell the same story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summary<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OspfFTlT67U/W82yd109PKI/AAAAAAAAEnU/ToexDgj_TXIsHa3CBrGKt5KaorPcM1E1wCEwYBhgL/s1600/alexandre-godreau-524782-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OspfFTlT67U/W82yd109PKI/AAAAAAAAEnU/ToexDgj_TXIsHa3CBrGKt5KaorPcM1E1wCEwYBhgL/s320/alexandre-godreau-524782-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">None of the creative guidance will help if nobody sees it. Organic
reach is truly dead and ‘viral’ success is a pipe dream, so make sure you use
paid media on your social media posts. In short, make sure you grab attention
in as little time as possible so that even if your consumer sees it for a split
second, they’ll at least have taken note of the brand, and hopefully your
product will more likely to be front of mind when they come to a buying
decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Written by Jag Singh, Growth Hacker, <a href="http://www.digisparks.co.uk/">www.digisparks.co.uk</a></span></i></div>
<br />Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-41664792570344353822018-10-20T08:35:00.000-07:002018-10-22T05:09:15.596-07:00How to Leverage the VR (& AR) Hype<img alt="person kneeling inside building" height="266" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1503039153293-d4d2ba067754?ixlib=rb-0.3.5&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&s=fd652e9ba83602967b065a021da57b1a&dpr=1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1000&q=80&cs=tinysrgb" width="400" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You would have seen in top digital trends that VR & AR is one of the biggest digital marketing opportunities. Well forget it! For most businesses, VR & AR is just hype. I'll outline below what are the use cases for VR & AR, but all these uses are relatively limited in terms of reach. For any marketing tactic, reach is one of the top success factors. If you're spending around £50K developing a VR/AR experience, but you're only reaching 1,000 people at an event for example. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, it's dependent on the business and the value of the product. That example may be worthwhile if event attendees are qualified high net worth individuals and you're selling high end property. But in most cases and most businesses, your conversion funnel will be quite steep, as in you'll need to be reaching a significantly high number of potential customers in order to convert them. Also, it's the opportunity cost that should be considered - how many potential customers and potential conversions could you have achieved, spending that money elsewhere. Unfortunately, marketeers are seduced by their agencies and a drive to stand out among their peers, and end up spending budgets on frivolous activities such as inappropriate VR/AR campaigns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, VR/AR can be beneficial when it's used in the right way. Further down, there's a run down of the ideal use cases and examples of some companies that have implemented them. To start with, we'll start with what is Virtual Reality and how it differs to Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is Virtual Reality Vs Augmented Reality Vs Mixed Reality</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Virtual reality is the computer generated simulation of a three dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Differentiating Virtual Reality</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Virtual Reality<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Augmented Reality<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mixed Reality<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Description<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Virtual Reality (VR), which can be referred to as immersive
multimedia or computer simulated reality replicated an environment that
simulates a physical presence in places in the real world or an imagined
world, allowing the user to interact in that world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Augment Reality (AR) is a live direct or indirect view of a physical
real world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by
computer generated sensory input such as sound, video graphics or GPS data.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mixed Reality (MR) sometimes referred to as hybrid reality – is the merging
of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualisations where
physical and digital object co-exist and interact in real time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Use Case<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Immersion in a fully virtual world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Visual overly in a physical environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interact with visual overlay in a physical environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Example<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Google Cardboard, Oculus Rift, et<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snapchat Face Swap, Blippar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Microsoft HoloLens, MagicLeap<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Top VR Use Cases</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Experiential Marketing - Deploying VR content that offers a virtual experience of a product or service to prospective customers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brand example - Volvo XC90 Los Angeles Auto Show launch. The Volvo team had to find a way to fuel interest in its not yet released XC90. Although the car wouldn't be available until the following spring, Volvo wanted to demonstrate its design and capabilities. The company teamed up with R/GA and <a href="https://www.framestore.com/" target="_blank">Framestore</a> to design an interactive experience using Google Cardboard. After downloading the Volvo Reality app, users cold slide thier smartphone into the Cardboard headset to look round the inside of the car and take virtual test drive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) Education Marketing - Leveraging 3D virtual classrooms or laboratories to provide remote education and academic learning at scale.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brand example - London Science museum hired <a href="http://alchemyvr.com/" target="_blank">Alchemy VR</a> to produce a 3D trip on the Soyez from the International Space Station. The virtual reality app developers have created experiences that are lectures overlaying an immersive scene giving users not just a view or point of view but an entire trip into the subject matter. Alchemy has produced content for Google Expeditions and also works with other museums like the Australian Museum in Sydney.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3) Training - 3D virtual environments, such as manufacturing facilities, to remotely provide interactive job training at scale.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brand example - Mercedes-Benz in association with <a href="http://www.skills2learn.com/virtual-reality-case-studies.html" target="_blank">Skills2Learn</a> and City & Guilds developed a Vehicle Fault Finding interactive virtual reality scenario designed to test student’s vehicle fault finding skills. They developed a 3D modelled environment including Mercedes Benz car, which allowed the students to inspect, identify and repair components. This form of scenario allows real-life situations to be re-created without the physical limitations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4) Entertainment - Delivering immersive entertainment experiences ranging from gaming to live converts and sports.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brand example - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #231f20; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Startup NextVR is preparing to stream the 2018-2019 NBA season across all platforms. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #231f20; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">NextVR’s focus is on live capture and streaming content in 3D, and the startup’s partnership with the NBA has offered basketball fans in VR courtside seats at games for </span><a href="https://uploadvr.com/nextvr-broadcasting-nba-weekly/" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(237, 33, 36); box-sizing: border-box; color: #231f20; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;">the last couple years.</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #231f20; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> NextVR’s capture and streaming technology is generally some of the best we’ve seen and executives showed a major upgrade in demos at CES in January which premiered during the </span><a href="https://uploadvr.com/nextvrs-nba-finals-streams-showcase-major-resolution-upgrade/" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(237, 33, 36); box-sizing: border-box; color: #231f20; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;">NBA Finals in May</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #231f20; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">. The NextVR app is now also available on every major </span><a href="https://nextvr.com/allplatforms" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(237, 33, 36); box-sizing: border-box; color: #231f20; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;">VR platform</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #231f20; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, so if you’re an NBA fan and — particularly those with an NBA League Pass — NextVR is offering a number of reasons to think about watching games in a headset this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5) Service Supplement - Integrating virtual reality technology to amplify or enable a 3D product or service.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brand example - <a href="http://news.marriott.com/2015/09/marriott-hotels-introduces-the-first-ever-in-room-virtual-reality-travel-experience/" target="_blank">MarriottVirtual Travel program</a>. Marriott partnered with Relevant, a creative experiences agency, to develop a VR installation that travelled to eight US cities allowing users to instantly be transported to a virtual version of a Marriott. Users could ‘warp’ to Wai’anapana Beach in Maui or to the top of Tower 42 in the heart of London. The experiences were amplified for users with ‘4D’ sensory elements (hear, wind, shaking floors, etc) . To date, the Virtual Travel program has garnered over 1 billion media and social media impressions, worth tens of millions of ad dollars – landing the ‘Travel Brilliantly’ message and positioning Marriott as the innovation pioneer of the industry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6) Therapy - Immersive experience to help recover and managed illness and disorders</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brand example <a href="https://www.mddionline.com/vr-becoming-commonplace-healthcare" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #337ab7; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Cedars-Sinai</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e3330;">, an early adopter of VR technology for healthcare, has partnered with a Los Angeles technology provider to develop VR-based therapeutic solutions for the hospital’s patients. The project focus is on helping patients who suffer from anxiety disorders, and those who need assistance with pain management. In one study, patients reported a 24% drop in pain scores after using the therapy.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e3330;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e3330;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">VR Considerations</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e3330;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<img alt="girl using VR goggles" height="132" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1530825894095-9c184b068fcb?ixlib=rb-0.3.5&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&s=fe35023704887fdb2d9426cdebc6ece2&dpr=1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1000&q=80&cs=tinysrgb" width="200" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A few considerations to note in the use of VR in marketing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Awareness</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'Danger factor' regarding real environment: consumers are still developing a sense of when and where VR is appropriate.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">80 degree rotation for every 90 degree head movement: can be distorting and make virtual environments difficult to navigate</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perception of reality: while virtual reality is indeed immersive, it isn't entirely 'real' due to the fact that users generally are not able to see their hands. However, there are providers working on this technology to bridge the gap, like <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/technology-42619808/ces-2018-hands-on-with-htc-s-untethered-vr-headset" target="_blank">HTC</a></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nausea</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Peripheral vision (or lack of) can cause nausea and be disorientating to the viewer. Increasing frame rate speeds and smoothness are helping to alleviate this.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">360 degree visual field Vs 360 degree sound quality can also be disorientating to users due to the disconnect between visual and audio sensory. High quality VR content is addressing this challenge by capturing sound in 360.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lens focus - perceived depth of landscape compared to actual screen distance can cause users experience nausea.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Market Adoption</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Goldman Sachs predicts the VR hardware market to be $110B in 10 years (TV, $99B)</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Platform - content quite often needs to be tailored to a specific technology/platform/headset, which limits the potential reach and type of customer you're reaching. Google Cardboard is a popular format as its relatively cheap, and has even been used in Direct Mail formats.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Safety - Children under 13 are not recommended to use 'sitting down'.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Social Acceptability - Augmented reality glasses/headsets like Snapchat sunglasses, concerns on gaining social acceptability and there are also privacy concerns as well.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Production - there are different considerations and providers of VR consumption devices, VR creation/capture, and VR content distribution.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In summary, VR shouldn't be used to try and claim your company/brand is driving 'innovation', as ultimately it won't reach a significant audience. However, if it's used in the right way to drive deeper engagement (usually for a more premium product), then the cost can be justified and add real value.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Written by Jag Singh, Managing Director of <a href="https://www.digisparks.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.digisparks.co.uk </a> - no nonsense marketing to grow your business.</i></span>Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-12561106986767273632018-10-18T03:04:00.004-07:002018-10-18T03:04:54.559-07:006 Secret Marketing Tools<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FwngK5Xu5QI/W8hafbv7e2I/AAAAAAAAEmU/Wk5UF7ffy1sj9BPfj6SHavGpFzqDeJXrgCLcBGAs/s1600/photo-1502919280275-1bed9aca68ab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1050" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FwngK5Xu5QI/W8hafbv7e2I/AAAAAAAAEmU/Wk5UF7ffy1sj9BPfj6SHavGpFzqDeJXrgCLcBGAs/s320/photo-1502919280275-1bed9aca68ab.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Top goal for anybody with a business is growing traffic to
your website. And at Digi Sparks we stay up to speed with
the coolest marketing tools – so here’s 6 lesser known marketing tools to help
drive more traffic to your site and better convert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Have you ever spied
on your ex on Facebook or Instagram? Well the first tool let’s you do that
for business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1) <a href="https://albacross.com/" target="_blank">Albacross </a>- Uncover
Who’s Visited your Site<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E2HEnpK7GRU/W8haeDRtWII/AAAAAAAAEmA/P-CR2suk9rQCj1QH_RwqpDb-OxR86QAsACEwYBhgL/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="826" height="149" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E2HEnpK7GRU/W8haeDRtWII/AAAAAAAAEmA/P-CR2suk9rQCj1QH_RwqpDb-OxR86QAsACEwYBhgL/s320/Picture1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Really cool
tool called Albacross. And it tells you the actual business that has visited
your site.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not only that,
but also how long they were there, what pages they saw. I use it to see
what pages they’ve visited and for how long – then find them on LinkedIn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It's super easy
to implement (just one line of code to add to your website), and boom instant
leads. Best thing it’s free! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There is
another paid level to uncover the contact details for the companies that have
visited your site. But tool number 2 does that for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2) <a href="https://connect.clearbit.com/claim/92f8c70d8c" target="_blank">Clearbit
Connec</a>t - Uncover Email Addresses<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gw5Gu7eCxEw/W8haeOLgQuI/AAAAAAAAEmE/hQ3yxHhdpNsZSu_i9yKmgoUyvG9RyHq5ACEwYBhgL/s1600/Picture2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="756" height="167" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gw5Gu7eCxEw/W8haeOLgQuI/AAAAAAAAEmE/hQ3yxHhdpNsZSu_i9yKmgoUyvG9RyHq5ACEwYBhgL/s320/Picture2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
So you have uncovered which company visited your site, or you’ve been looking
at local businesses that might be interested working with you. How do you
find contacts within that business? Pretty easy right – LinkedIn. But
you’d have to connect with that person and they may not have their work email
on LinkedIn. So this great tool – Clearbit Connect does that for
you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
It’s a free tool and works as a Gmail or Outlook extension. Once downloaded,
all you have to do is type the company name and see the available contacts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
3) <a href="http://snip.ly/p7twdc">Sniply</a> - </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Place
an Ad on other Peoples’ Websites for Free!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I5cVm7CmT4k/W8haeCIzxnI/AAAAAAAAEl8/amlQfkD2P8Ihi4mCV5JlZmFOF9MqhfGIQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Picture3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="482" height="207" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I5cVm7CmT4k/W8haeCIzxnI/AAAAAAAAEl8/amlQfkD2P8Ihi4mCV5JlZmFOF9MqhfGIQCEwYBhgL/s320/Picture3.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So for
the next tool, have you ever shared a link to help drive more traffic
for your business or LinkedIn profile?! Sure, most people have share links or
'curated' content. How cool would it be to have your business show up on
that link. So your business showing up on a BBC or Entrepreneur.com article?</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Well that’s possible with this awesome tool
called Sniply. You can add any call to action to any link you share. You can
add a button to drive to your website, or a subscribe button or whatever – it’s
super flexible. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">But the real trick with this is remarketing.
More than 90% of 1st time traffic won’t convert straight away. So retargeting
website visitors is super important to push them to convert. And it’s better
use of your spend. With Google Ads you can waste a lot of money reaching random
people, especially if you do a bad job. One client of mine BEFORE they contacted
me spent £20K and had no leads.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">But if people have already interacted with your
content, they already know of you. So with the Sniply platform, you can add a
retargeting pixel and hit them up with Google, Facebook, Twitter or whatever
ads.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 18.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4) <a href="https://subscribers.com/">Subscribers.com</a> - </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Get people to come back to your site</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nco1HCH7rRY/W8haem1KlvI/AAAAAAAAEmI/ABjKAamK0c8MoRKoDf0HT-oNoSacrNIKQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Picture4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="537" height="175" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nco1HCH7rRY/W8haem1KlvI/AAAAAAAAEmI/ABjKAamK0c8MoRKoDf0HT-oNoSacrNIKQCEwYBhgL/s320/Picture4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">So
you’ve probably heard that email marketing is one of the most effective online
marketing methods. But it’s super hard to get people to hand over their emails,
especially since GDPR. So </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">there’s a better way than
email.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Have you ever been browsing the web, like when you're using your
Chrome browser and you see this pop up notification in your browser? It may
tell you to check out a sale, notify about a new blog post, or tell you it’s
your friend’s birthday on FB. Those are all push notifications. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Using
Subscribers.com you can get people to subscribe to your website, and you can get
them to keep coming back. Every time you have a new blog post, or you're
offering a new product, you can send out a bespoke message using Subscribers to
all of your user base. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It'll get them to come back to your website, and drive you more traffic and more sales. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s less
invasive than email and way easier to subscribe, and best of all, it's 100% free.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So these tools
were about converting traffic, how about growing traffic. These next tools are
great if you’re a startup or new product.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">5) <a href="https://www.instaaa.com/?via=jag">Instaaa</a> - </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Instantly
Launch to 1,000s of Media Outlets</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6CBrr28ZcIY/W8haeyE1_xI/AAAAAAAAEmM/dc0N83ATdscfMprkdy21OohN_NyhnoA8ACEwYBhgL/s1600/Picture5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="898" height="95" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6CBrr28ZcIY/W8haeyE1_xI/AAAAAAAAEmM/dc0N83ATdscfMprkdy21OohN_NyhnoA8ACEwYBhgL/s320/Picture5.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So if you’re a
new startup, you’re probably not going to have big company reviews on your
site. How do you get across that sense of trust? The next best thing is to have
‘As featured on’ with a bunch of big media company logos like techcrunch,
forbes, wired, etc. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This tool called
Instantly lets you do that. Fill in simple form, they then create a Press
Release and fire that out to hundreds of big media sites.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The only caveat
is that you’re not guaranteed coverage in those media sites, but that’s the
same as using any PR agency or doing it yourself. As it starts from as little
as £50, it’s way more cost effective and a better use of your time to focus on
your product.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">6) <a href="https://vrlps.co/260dCHk/cp">Viral Loops</a> - </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Get
other people to share your product</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z6tX2PQgBCk/W8haeyNZ8EI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/S3qzjs6gkScMixL5C9dnfK9ZFXbyXZXiQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Picture6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="499" height="182" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z6tX2PQgBCk/W8haeyNZ8EI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/S3qzjs6gkScMixL5C9dnfK9ZFXbyXZXiQCEwYBhgL/s320/Picture6.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The final tool is
all about referral marketing - getting other people to drive traffic to your
site. With this tool you can do just that. Get your customers or user base to
do the heavy lifting. It lets you run a ‘template referral marketing solution’.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It could be for
anything, to run your loyalty scheme, to give your customers 2 months free for
a sign up, or give something away for free in exchange for their email. Once
you have those emails, it enables you to send follow up emails. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As an example,
you might have heard of Harrys, a subscription service for shaving blades. They
used Viral Loops to gain 100K emails in just one week.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This tool is
powerful because you can be creative as you like, and run any kind of
competition, re-use your old xmas presents and acquire new leads. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It can be really
helpful to rejuvenate leads for more traditional businesses like accountants or
solicitors, where people aren’t likely to shout about your services.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Summary<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Most of these tools
are free or cost very little, so it’s definitely worth giving them a go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://connect.clearbit.com/claim/92f8c70d8c">Clearbit Connect</a> –
Find email addresses for leads</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://subscribers.com/">Subscribers</a> – Get people coming back to
your site</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://www.instaaa.com/?via=jag">Instaaa</a> – PR launch your product</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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friends to share (Use code </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">CP_N017R3T for
15% off)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Written by Jag Singh, Managing Director of <a href="https://www.digisparks.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.digisparks.co.uk </a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-64159443546851903662018-10-17T02:51:00.000-07:002018-10-17T02:51:37.502-07:00An Outside Look in at Building a Great Team<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MbE1ctChmDg/W8cC2iY8KPI/AAAAAAAAElU/iRWZXIM-8sMr875pq3G7Yq6WlxtwcwfAACLcBGAs/s1600/bruno-cervera-578520-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MbE1ctChmDg/W8cC2iY8KPI/AAAAAAAAElU/iRWZXIM-8sMr875pq3G7Yq6WlxtwcwfAACLcBGAs/s320/bruno-cervera-578520-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A non-technical look at building a great
(software development) team</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm in marketing and I love technology. In my heart, I've
always dreamed about owning a software development agency and building cool
tech products. The start-up fantasy is all about becoming the next Zuckerburg
or being bought out for a few million by Facebook or Google! Now I'm one step
closer by taking on a new client in this space. A great software development
company based in Slough, UK with around 50 employees – Avco Systems. I normally
expect established software companies to get bogged down in out of date
methods, but Avco Systems surprised me with how quickly and effectively they
develop software solutions, even though they've been going for over 30 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's what I've learned in my short time here about how
they run their software engineering teams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No Project Managers!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0OZsaVsIXN0/W8cDOeGR_2I/AAAAAAAAElc/j5lWdiJ6mkkUFijSpZ5zQQyO8NRHkcO0ACLcBGAs/s1600/rawpixel-574844-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0OZsaVsIXN0/W8cDOeGR_2I/AAAAAAAAElc/j5lWdiJ6mkkUFijSpZ5zQQyO8NRHkcO0ACLcBGAs/s320/rawpixel-574844-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coming from advertising/marketing agencies, I'm used to
either being the project manager or working alongside one to implement creative
and technical solutions. It makes sense that someone is doing all the admin
& co-ordinating, making sure everyone in the team knows what they're doing,
and there's a funnel for client contact. So I initially thought it was a bit
strange that Avco had no project managers, despite working on significant sized
development projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the project team members does naturally surface to
take the lead, but this isn't by seniority. They work as a close knit unit that
leverages the combined experience of everyone. So instead of working in silos
doing their own thing, they collectively develop solutions and help each other
out on their tasks. It makes sense right, 'two heads are better than one'. How
can a Project Manager without the technical understanding know how best to
approach a problem differently? Through experience and training I guess, but
why not have the guy(s) with the expertise solve the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other advantage of no project managers is a reduction of
layers, and therefore miscommunication. Rather than a client who talks to a
Project Manager who then talks to the dev team, the client and dev team
collaborate directly with each other. That way, they can clarify any feedback
and reach a solution that much quicker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You could just say that working in silos is an approach for
waterfall projects, and being truly agile is the way forward. During my time at
different companies and lots of ad agencies, I've yet to see that delivered.
Especially so in the software development space, 'agile' is abused and misused
a lot. Avco is the closest I've seen to getting it right - and I've worked with
quite a few over my 15 years' experience in marketing and consulting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Increasingly I find with advertising agencies is
that each department just does their bit – they don't take ownership to think
about the bigger picture. That's because they're not expected to, there's a
account/project manager, or department head compartmentalising everyone.
There's no cohesion and team spirit on a specific project. Which brings me onto
my next point.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genuine Team Work<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_HN1FIWoBkc/W8cEKBS6h_I/AAAAAAAAElo/v8IHcVVsPhAN2PIUIXVMdaAj6oRTLA3zwCLcBGAs/s1600/rhondak-native-florida-folk-artist-83553-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_HN1FIWoBkc/W8cEKBS6h_I/AAAAAAAAElo/v8IHcVVsPhAN2PIUIXVMdaAj6oRTLA3zwCLcBGAs/s320/rhondak-native-florida-folk-artist-83553-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When project teams work as a cohesive unit they interact and
bounce off each other to a much greater extent. If you increase the number of
opportunities for social connections then friendships naturally develop too.
This makes it even easier for team members to put in the extra effort for each
other and the project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avco Systems recognises that software development is a team
activity. It's embedded in the spirit of the company. Not only do they
structure teams to work more effectively together, but they also have lots on
the social side. It gets pretty noisy and sweaty in the office at lunchtime.
People are loudly co-ordinating their team online gaming sessions, coming back
from football in the park, flying a drone around, or pranking each other. It's
a fun place to be. <a href="https://www.avcosystems.com/blog/team-building-through-exercise/">Read
more about their approach to team work</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These aren't 'company initiatives'. It's individuals with
that passion to bring people together. It pays off as well; they bring in
trainees who tend to stay with the company for years, as well as other employees
who become part of the foundation of the business. It's a great story that
their Technical Lead started working life as a graduate at Avco.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iterative Development<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zY9RrC-QO0A/W8cFCL2lHEI/AAAAAAAAElw/xeHGF3MAxVgbrOwAdz02gAT-s42t7OdkACLcBGAs/s1600/tetrebbien-781182-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zY9RrC-QO0A/W8cFCL2lHEI/AAAAAAAAElw/xeHGF3MAxVgbrOwAdz02gAT-s42t7OdkACLcBGAs/s320/tetrebbien-781182-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've heard of move fast and break things. Avco don't break
their software, but quickly build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). I was pretty
impressed when I heard how they developed a county council election
live-results website within an extraordinarily tight deadline of just weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Building an MVP is a great way to gather user or customer feedback
and evolve the solution with incremental development. I don't see the same
approach with marketing agencies that rely on dressing up the creative idea so
the client buys into it. If the solution works, why 'sell it' so hard?<o:p></o:p></div>
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From what I've seen Avco's clients value the close contact
and collaborative focus of this iterative development approach. And from my
experience, I'm guessing those clients value being able to share progress or a
prototype with their boss and the wider team. It makes them look good too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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These are a few nuggets from an outside (marketer's)
perspective of software development teams. I hope you found it interesting and
can relate some of it to your department.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Find out more about Avco Systems and their services <a href="https://avcosystems.com/services/">here</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Written by Jag Singh, Managing Director of <a href="https://www.digisparks.co.uk/" target="_blank">Digi Sparks</a></div>
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Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-13573539937934928902018-04-03T01:07:00.001-07:002018-05-15T03:32:59.765-07:00How to Create an SEO Strategy for 2018 [Template Included]How to Create an SEO Strategy for 2018 [Template Included]<br />
<br />
<a href="http://rplg.co/0ac96b60">http://rplg.co/0ac96b60</a><br />
<br />
<img alt="seo strategy" src="https://blog.hubspot.com/hubfs/seo%20strategy.jpg?t=1526379529945" /><br />
<br />
<div>
Here's a cliche among digital marketers: Search engine optimization (SEO) isn't what it used to be.<br />
Here's a true statement you don't hear as often: Your SEO strategy for 2018 shouldn't focus on keywords.<br />
These days, most businesses understand the basic concepts of SEO and why it's important. However, when it comes to developing and executing a sound SEO strategy for your business, just creating content for the keywords your customers are searching for is both arduous and, well, wrong.<br />
<div>
<h2>
What Is SEO Strategy?</h2>
Modern SEO strategy is the process of organizing a website's content by topic, which helps search engines like Google understand a user's intent when searching. By optimizing a web page around topics first, you can rank well for long-tail keywords related to that topic.</div>
Here are eight steps you can take to make sure all of your SEO bases are covered in 2018. Then, grab your free planning template to master on-page SEO.<br />
<a href="https://cta-image-cms2.hubspot.com/ctas/v2/public/cs/ci/?pg=e9f96baf-f677-4db0-8426-56738d4adb76&pid=53&ecid=&hseid=&hsic="><img alt="Click here to download our free SEO planning template." src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/e9f96baf-f677-4db0-8426-56738d4adb76.png" /></a><br />
<h2>
Step 1: Make a List of Topics</h2>
Keywords are at the heart of SEO, but they're actually not your first step to an organic growth play anymore. Your first step is to make a list of <em>topics</em> you'd like to cover from one month to the next.<br />
To start, compile a list of about 10 short words and terms associated with your product or service. Use <a href="https://adwords.google.com/o/Targeting/Explorer?__u=1000000000&__c=1000000000&ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_IDEAS#search.none" title="Google's Keyword Tool">Google's Keyword Tool</a> to identify their search volume and come up with variations that make sense for your business.<br />
You are associating these topics with popular short-tail keywords, as you can tell, but you're not dedicating individual blog posts to these keywords. These short-tail keywords are simply too competitive to rank highly for on Google if you're just starting to optimize your website for search. We'll go over how to use these topics in just a minute.<br />
<img alt="google adwords keyword tool screenshot resized 600" src="https://blog.hubspot.com/hs-fs/hub/53/file-23122515-png/blog/images/google-adwords-keyword-tool-screenshot-resized-600.png?t=1522716964742" />
<br />
Using search volume and competition as your measure, narrow down your list to 10-15 short-tail keywords that are important to you. Then rank this list in order of priority or relevance to your business.<br />
Each of these keywords is called a "pillar," and it serves as the primary support for a larger "cluster" of long-tail keywords, which is what brings us to our next Step ...<br />
<h2>
Step 2: Make a List of Long-Tail Keywords Based on These Topics</h2>
Here's where you'll start optimizing your pages for specific keywords. For each pillar you've identified, use your keyword tool to identify five to 10 long-tail keywords that dig deeper into the original topic keyword.<br />
For example, we regularly create content on the topic of "SEO," but it's still very difficult to rank well on Google for such a popular topic on this acronym alone. You also risk competing with your own content by creating multiple pages that are all targeting the exact same keyword -- and potentially the same search engine results page (SERP). Therefore, we also create content on conducting keyword research, optimizing images for search engines, creating an SEO strategy (which you're reading right now), and other subtopics within SEO.<br />
Use subtopics to come up with blog post or webpage ideas that explain a specific concept within each larger topic you identified in Step 1. Plug these subtopics into your <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/22842/4-Helpful-Tools-for-Identifying-the-Right-Keywords.aspx?_ga=2.174815009.223914894.1522677038-1598829860.1516388068">keyword research tool</a> to identify long-tail keywords on which to base each blog post.<br />
Together, these subtopics create a cluster. So, if you have 10 pillar topics, they should each be prepared to support one cluster of five to 10 subtopics. This SEO model is called a "topic cluster," and modern search engine algorithms depend on them to connect users with the information they're looking for.<br />
Here's a short video on this concept:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="380" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xOGxyw9DSa8?ecver=1" width="640"></iframe>
Think of it this way: The more specific your content, the more specific the needs of your audience are -- and the more likely you'll convert this traffic into leads. This is how Google finds value in the websites it crawls; the pages that dig into the interworkings of a general topic are seen as the best answer to a person's query, and will rank higher.<br />
<h2>
Step 3: Build Pages for Each Topic</h2>
When it comes to websites and ranking in search engines, trying to get one page to rank for a handful of keywords can be next to impossible. But here's where the rubber meets the road:<br />
Take the 10 pillar topics you came up with in Step 1 and create a web page for each one that outlines the topic at a high level -- using the long-tail keywords you came up with for each cluster in Step 2. A pillar page on SEO, for example, can describe SEO in brief sections that introduce keyword research, image optimization, SEO strategy, and other subtopics as they are identified. Think of each pillar page as a table of contents, where you're briefing your readers on subtopics you'll elaborate on in blog posts.<br />
Use your keyword list to determine how many different pillar pages you should create. Ultimately, the number of topics for which you create pillar pages should coincide with how many different products, offerings, and locations your business has. This will make it much easier for your prospects and customers to find you in search engines no matter what keywords they use.<br />
Each web page needs to include <a href="https://www.hubspot.com/how-to-rapidly-grow-your-business-with-content-marketing/" title="relevant content for your prospects and customers">relevant content for your prospects and customers</a> and should include pictures and links to pages on your site to enhance the user experience. We'll talk about those links in Step 4.<br />
<h2>
Step 4: Set Up a Blog</h2>
<a href="https://www.hubspot.com/13-business-blogging-mistakes-and-their-easy-fixes" title="Blogging">Blogging</a> can be an incredible way to rank for keywords and engage your website's users. After all, every blog post is a new web page that gives you another chance to rank in search engines. If your business does not already have a blog, set one up. This is where you'll elaborate on each subtopic and actually start showing up on Google.<br />
As you write each blog post and fill up your clusters, you should do three things:<br />
<ol>
<li>First, don't include your long-tail keyword more than three or four times throughout the page. Google doesn't consider exact keyword matches as often as it used to. In fact, too many instances of your keyword can be a red flag to search engines that you're "keyword stuffing." This can penalize your website and drop your rank.</li>
<li>Second, link out <em>to the pillar page</em> you created on this topic. You can do this in the form of tags in your content management system (CMS), or as basic anchor text in the body of the article.</li>
<li>Once you publish each blog post, link into it <em>from the pillar page</em> that supports this subtopic. Find the point in your pillar page that introduces this blog's subtopic, and link it here.</li>
</ol>
By connecting both the pillar and the cluster in this way, you're telling Google there's a relationship between the long-tail keyword and the overarching topic you're trying to rank for.<br />
<h2>
Step 5: Blog Every Week to Develop Page Authority</h2>
Not every blog post or web page you write needs to belong to a topic cluster. There's also value in writing about tangential topics you're customers care about in order to give your website authority in the eyes of Google. This will cue Google to pay extra attention your domain as you add content to your primary topics.<br />
With that in mind, make a point to blog at least once a week. Remember, you are blogging primarily for your audience, not the search engines. Write about things your audience and/or prospects are interested in, make sure you're including relevant keywords where appropriate, and your audience will slowly start to notice and click.<br />
Keep in mind that each topic won't be equal in importance, and as your clusters get off the ground, you'll need to prioritize based on your company's needs. So, create a list of all the different web pages you would like to create and rank them. Then, develop a schedule and devise a plan of attack to get those pages built.<br />
Keep your list updated and prioritized by what web pages will help you to best achieve your business goals.<br />
<h2>
Step 6: Create a Link-Building Plan</h2>
The topic cluster model is your way forward in SEO this year, but it's not the only way to get your website content to rank higher once it's been created.<br />
Our first five steps were dedicated to <a href="https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-ebook/intro-to-seo/" title="on-page SEO tactics">on-page SEO tactics</a>. Link-building is the primary objective of off-page SEO, and is also a huge factor in how search engines rank your web pages. What is link-building? Glad you asked.<br />
Link-building is the process of attracting inbound links (also called "backlinks") to your website from elsewhere on the web. As a general rule, the more page authority the origin website has, the bigger affect it will have on the rank of the web page to which it is linking.<br />
Dedicate some time to brainstorm all the different ways you can attract inbound links to your website. Start small –- maybe share your links with other local businesses in exchange for links to their sites. Write a few blog posts and share them on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn. Consider approaching other bloggers for guest blogging opportunities through which you can link back to your website.<br />
Another great way to attract inbound links is to use your blog to post articles related to current events or news. That way, you have shot of getting linked to from an industry influencer or other bloggers in your industry.<br />
<h2>
Step 7: Stay Current on SEO News & Practices</h2>
Like the overall marketing landscape, the search engine space is ever-evolving. Staying on top of current trends and best practices is a difficult task, but there are multiple online resources that can make it easy for you to stay on top of SEO news and changes that may impact your website and your SEO strategy.<br />
Here are a few resources to check out:<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.moz.com/" title="www.SEOMoz.com">SEOmoz</a></li>
<li><a href="http://seobook.com/" title="www.SEOBook.com">SEOBook</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.seroundtable.com/" title="www.SERoundTable.com">Search Engine Roundtable</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.searchengineland.com/" title="www.SearchEngineLand.com">Search Engine Land</a></li>
<li><a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/" title="blog.hubspot.com">This Blog!</a></li>
</ol>
<h2>
Step 8: Measure and Track Your SEO Success</h2>
SEO can take a lot of time and effort. What good is spending all this time and effort if you can't see the fruits of your labor? There are many metrics you can track on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis to keep your SEO plan on track and measure your success.<br />
Because the metric you care about is organic traffic (traffic that comes from a given search engine), seek out a tool that allows you to track both your overall organic traffic number and how your pages are ranking for each long-tail keyword you're trying to rank for. <a href="http://www.semrush.com/">SEMrush</a> is a great reporting tool for just this purpose.<br />
Create a monthly dashboard using Excel, Google Sheets, or a web analytics package so you can monitor how much traffic comes to your website from organic search.<br />
Also, tracking indexed pages, leads, ROI, inbound links, keywords, and your actual ranking on SERPs (search engine results pages) can help you recognize your success as well as identify areas of opportunity.<br />
<a href="https://cta-image-cms2.hubspot.com/ctas/v2/public/cs/ci/?pg=f0341aeb-3bab-452c-949c-947b0baf366d&pid=53&ecid=&hseid=&hsic="><img alt="Free SEO Template" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/f0341aeb-3bab-452c-949c-947b0baf366d.png" /></a><br />
<a href="http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/53/8835eaa3-be7b-4697-81d2-488e03708d34"></a></div>
<div>
<h4>
<strong>People Often Ask:</strong></h4>
<div>
<h2>
What is domain authority in SEO?</h2>
Domain Authority in SEO is a rank that measures how popular and trustworthy search engines see your website. It is calculated based on how websites link to each other on the world wide web.</div>
<div>
<h2>
What are SEO's?</h2>
Search Engine Optimizers (SEO's) are people who optimize websites to make them show up higher on search engines and gain more website visitors.</div>
<div>
<h2>
What Does a SEO Specialist Do?</h2>
An SEO Specialist is someone who is an expert on the topic of search engine optimization. They specialize in the optimization of websites to increase the number of visits they gain from search engines.</div>
<div>
<h2>
What Does a SEO Executive Do?</h2>
An SEO Executive optimizes websites to make them show up higher on search engines and gain more website visitors. They work on off-page and on-page SEO.</div>
<div>
<h2>
What Is a SEO Content Writer?</h2>
An SEO Content Writer is someone who writes content for the purpose of having it show up on search engines and gain website visitors. They are generally knowledgeable in the are of both SEO and content marketing.</div>
<div>
<h2>
What Is the Job of a SEO?</h2>
The job of an SEO is to manage the optimization of websites to ensure they gain website traffic from search engines such as Google & Bing.</div>
<div>
<h2>
How Do I Become an SEO Specialist?</h2>
To become an SEO specialist you can study marketing in university or online and/or gain practical experience in optimizing websites.</div>
</div>
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April 3, 2018 at 02:36AM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com204tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-37622312108576814982018-04-01T08:30:00.001-07:002018-05-15T03:36:43.446-07:00Top 15 Tools That Will Help You Create Better Content by @infobrandzTop 15 Tools That Will Help You Create Better Content by @infobrandz<br />
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<img alt="Top 15 Tools That Will Help You Create Better Content" src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/1-760x400.jpg" /><br />
On top of the exhaustive amount of <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/using-competitor-research/196895/">content research</a> you need to conduct, you also have to spend hours –<i> </i>if not <i>days – </i>into developing and polishing the content itself.<br />
Having the right skill set and tenacity is a good start. But if you really want to produce content that stands out from the competition, you also need to be <i>well-equipped.</i><br />
Remember, content development is an <i>art</i> that requires mastery of the tools of the trade.<br />
But with a slew of tools out there, finding the ones that fit your needs can be tricky.<br />
<br />
In this post, we’ll discuss the best and proven tools that will up your content game.<br />
These tools will span different areas of content development, such as research, editing, and analytics.<br />
Let’s hop right in.<br />
<h2>
Content Research</h2>
In content writing, the challenge actually starts way before you type in the first word.<br />
If you’ve been in this field for a while, you’re probably familiar with the feeling of having <i>no idea</i> on what to write.<br />
This is especially true if you’re expected to produce several pieces per week.<br />
Fortunately, there are dozens of content research tools that can help you get in tune with your niche.<br />
<h3>
1. BuzzSumo</h3>
<a href="http://buzzsumo.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BuzzSumo</a> simplifies the entire content research process by pulling in popular posts based on keywords.<br />
Results can be sorted according to their reach in social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.<br />
This will allow you to scrape ideas that capture your target audience’s interest.<br />
<br />
You can also play with the filters found on the left to further refine your search.<br />
For example, you can look specifically for “how-to” posts, narrow your search down to a specific country, exclude a certain domain, and more.<br />
<h3>
2. Cyfe</h3>
Sometimes, the best way to look for content ideas is to <i>spy</i> on your top competitors. That’s why you need something that packs a bigger punch than a content research tool.<br />
Unlike standalone research tools, <a href="https://www.cyfe.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Cyfe</a> is a <i>dashboard </i>platform that consolidates data from different sources.<br />
It allows you to perform a market reconnaissance by tracking the posts published by your top competitors.<br />
Simply use the RSS widget and enter the feed URL of your competitor:<br />
<br />
Since Cyfe allows multiple widgets per dashboard, you can track multiple RSS feeds on a single page:<br />
<br />
Cyfe also allows you to aggregate data from external data sources.<br />
For example, by integrating the “Twitter Search” widget, you’re always in the know with relevant trends and news.<br />
You can also use the “Google Webmasters” widget to identify the top keywords that get the most clicks.<br />
<h3>
3. Ubersuggest</h3>
While intended as a tool for keyword research, <a href="https://neilpatel.com/ubersuggest/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ubersuggest</a> can also help you find content ideas that will get your audience’s attention.<br />
It works by expanding a seed keyword using suggestions from Google Suggest and AdWords Keyword Planner.<br />
<br />
In some cases, Ubersuggest results include keyword ideas that can be used as content titles right off the bat.<br />
These are usually “long-tail” keywords that include three or more terms.<br />
To prioritize them in your search, click the small down arrow next to the “Keyword” column:<br />
<br />
<h3>
4. Google Alerts</h3>
Just like in traditional journalism, getting the first scoop is a great way to maximize the impact of your content. <a href="https://www.google.com/alerts" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Google Alerts</a> can help you stay ahead of the curve by sending notifications whenever something interesting comes up.<br />
If you already have a Google account, all you need to do is type in a keyword that’s relevant in your niche and click “Create Alert”.<br />
<br />
To get real-time alerts, click the “Show options” dropdown menu and set “How often” to “As-it-happens”:<br />
<br />
<h3>
5. SentiOne</h3>
Curious about what your target readers are thinking? Perhaps you need to start paying attention to what they’re saying.<br />
<a href="https://sentione.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">SentiOne</a> is a social media listening tool that can help you tune into their conversations.<br />
It allows you to track mentions of your brand, social media profiles, or just about any keyword you have in mind.<br />
<br />
What’s special about SentiOne is that you can also exclude keywords in your social listening projects.<br />
You can also filter the results according to audience sentiment, which means you can track specifically for positive or negative opinions about your brand.<br />
<br />
This will help you spot crucial content opportunities, such as a post that addresses false information or a guide that augments your audience’s experience with the product features that they already love.<br />
<h3>
6. Portent’s Content Idea Generator</h3>
<a href="https://www.portent.com/tools/title-maker" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Portent’s Content Idea Generator</a> is another lightweight tool that can give you ideas within seconds.<br />
Some may find it too gimmicky and less functional than the previous ones, but since it’s completely free, it’s definitely worth checking out.<br />
Besides, it’s more than able to produce interesting and unique content ideas that can pique your audience’s interest:<br />
<br />
<h3>
7. Quora</h3>
Sometimes, the best source of attention-grabbing content ideas is the online community itself.<br />
Q&A websites like <a href="https://www.quora.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Quora</a>, for example, is a great way to be in touch with what your target audience is asking.<br />
You simply need to use the built-in search feature and a handful of useful suggestions should pop up:<br />
<br />
Take note that you can also leverage Quora to promote your content by offering it as an answer. This can help your content reach the right people and turn more of them into prospective leads.<br />
<h3>
8. Reddit</h3>
Apart from Quora, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Reddit</a> is also filled to the brim with content ideas supplied by its massive user base.<br />
It’s basically a discussion site that has specific subcommunities or “subreddits” for everything, be it content marketing or plumbing.<br />
<br />
You can also use Reddit as intended by asking for feedback and insights that can help you improve.<br />
In some cases, this will also help you find partnership opportunities with other content marketers.<br />
<h2>
Collaboration</h2>
Content marketers function better as a group. Keep in mind that the biggest and most authoritative websites are made by multiple people, not just by one person.<br />
There’s usually someone who does content research, writers who do the heavy lifting, editors who maintain quality, marketers who handle distribution, and so forth.<br />
To make such a setup work, you need a platform that streamlines collaboration, file sharing, and project tracking.<br />
Here are some of your top options:<br />
<h3>
9. Google Docs</h3>
Many content marketing teams today use <a href="https://www.google.com/docs/about/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Google Docs</a>. This cloud-based document editing platform that allows multiple users to seamlessly work on a single place.<br />
<br />
The first thing you’ll notice is the simple interface that also seemed to be toned-down in terms of features.<br />
However, Google Docs has all the relevant features you’ll ever need from a word processor.<br />
You can customize your fonts, create bulleted lists, insert tables, add images, and so on.<br />
Google Docs also allows you to quickly share a file with other users through the conveniently placed “Share” button on the upper-right corner of the screen.<br />
From which, you can also specify the access privileges of those who get the link to your document:<br />
<br />
If users are given the ability to at least leave comments, they would be able to do so by highlighting certain parts of the content:<br />
<br />
<h3>
10. Trello</h3>
When working with a team, you need a more visible way to manage projects, assign tasks, and set deadlines to maximize productivity.<br />
Trello is about as simple as you can get when accomplishing these goals. It allows you to organize projects into “Boards”, organize tasks into “Lists”, and manage them using “Cards”.<br />
<br />
Creating task cards with Trello is incredibly easy and intuitive.<br />
Under a specific list, click “Add a card”, enter a name, and fill in all the necessary details regarding your task.<br />
You can also assign members, set a due date, add attachments, and leave comments – all in one place.<br />
<br />
<h3>
11. ProofHub</h3>
<a href="https://www.proofhub.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ProofHub</a> is another platform that improves collaboration for teams.<br />
More importantly, its features are all tailored to content development.<br />
It allows teams to hold discussions, create checklists, share files, set deadlines, and more.<br />
<br />
The “Calendar” is also another extremely useful feature of ProofHub for content development teams.<br />
It can function as your editorial calendar that can track the progress of tasks assigned to different team members.<br />
<br />
<h3>
12. Dropbox Paper</h3>
If you already use a different communication app and simply need something that helps with file collaboration, then you should check out <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/paper" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Dropbox Paper</a>.<br />
It’s a minimalistic, cloud-based app that allows you to write, add files, images, t0-do lists, and pretty much everything else you’d expect from a word processor.<br />
<br />
You could also invite other users to edit, comment, and share your document.<br />
In other words, it’s the leaner and more straightforward version of Google Docs.<br />
If you have to choose between Dropbox Paper and Google Docs, it all boils down to your team’s preferences.<br />
<h2>
SEO</h2>
Effective content marketers not only know how to produce engaging content, they also know how to <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101/content-important-seo/">optimize content for search</a>.<br />
The quality of writing is an important factor, but there are also other details – the proper use of subheadings, keyword optimization, and so on.<br />
Here are some of the tools that can help you zero in on content optimization in a jiffy:<br />
<h3>
13. Yoast SEO</h3>
As a content marketer, there’s just no way you’ve never heard of WordPress — the most-used content management system for website creation purposes. If you currently use it in your projects, then the <a href="https://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Yoast</a> plugin is definitely a must-have.<br />
Once installed, Yoast works by rating the readability and SEO-friendliness of your content in real time. It also highlights the specific issues you need to be mindful of as you work:<br />
<br />
You can also use Yoast to set a focus keyword for each individual post. This will provide you with a checklist of objectives that can ensure the optimization of your content.<br />
<h2>
Analytics</h2>
Let’s face it — even the most skilled content marketers in the world have room for improvement. They only need a clearer view of certain performance metrics to figure out what works, what doesn’t, and how to turn these insights into data-driven decisions.<br />
Here are the some of the best tools that can help you accomplish all three goals:<br />
<h3>
14. Oribi</h3>
As a content marketer, you will come across dozens of analytics tools that are packed with numbers, charts, and other data visualizations. In fact, even most cloud-based platforms have an analytics feature built in.<br />
The real challenge is getting ahold of the <i>right</i> piece of data that can help for a specific objective. And that’s why <a href="https://oribi.io/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Oribi</a> makes it easier to focus on key performance indicators.<br />
It’s a comprehensive analytics platform that automatically detects which piece of data matters to you, be it conversions, traffic, bounce rate, or session time.<br />
One advantage of Oribi is the clean and fast user interface. To cut through the visual clutter, you can specify the “top events” that you’d like to prioritize:<br />
<br />
<h3>
15. Google Analytics</h3>
It’s impossible to leave out <a href="https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Google Analytics</a> if we’re talking about the top analytics tools.<br />
Google Analytics is a free platform that can help you improve your content.<br />
With Google Analytics, you can easily measure important engagement metrics such as page views, average session duration, and bounce rate.<br />
<br />
This will allow you to identify the specific types of content that appeal to your existing audience.<br />
For example, if you notice that your content on email marketing performs significantly better than other posts, you can double down on that topic to maximize your results.<br />
To learn how to integrate Google Analytics into your website, you can follow their step-by-step guide <a href="https://developers.google.com/analytics/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<h2>
Conclusion</h2>
In the modern marketing landscape, content marketers are often required to wear many hats to do their jobs effectively. After all, content is the lifeblood of any digital marketing strategy — the secret sauce that will help you establish your brand in the online world.<br />
You can argue that content marketing isn’t all about who has the bigger guns. But in a competitive world, tools can definitely make a huge difference.<br />
Hopefully, you can find all the tools you need to get ahead of the competition in the list above.<br />
<strong>More Content Marketing Tools:</strong><br />
<hr />
<b><i>Image Credits:</i></b><br />
<i>Featured Image:</i> <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/create-creation-creativity-laptop-3026190/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><i>Slon.Pics/Pixabay.com</i></a><i>In-post Photo:</i> <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/tool-tools-equipment-work-handmade-1957451/"><i>Coyot/Pixabay.com</i></a><i>Screenshots taken by Vikas Agrawal, February 2018</i><br />
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March 23, 2018 at 03:25PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-33177885387701185422018-03-15T08:52:00.001-07:002018-05-15T03:39:38.939-07:0078 Link Building Resources (2018 Update)78 Link Building Resources (2018 Update)<br />
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Link building is the cornerstone of SEO. Any good online marketer or SEO needs to know how to build links to their site if they want to rank well in Google.<br />
Many have said they’re less important than they were 10 years ago, and that may be true, but there is no doubt that <a href="https://searchengineland.com/now-know-googles-top-three-search-ranking-factors-245882" target="_blank">they are still very valuable</a>. And there’s no sign that it’s likely to change in the future.<br />
So a good link building strategy is an “ongoing practice” that ramps up overtime. You’re continuously working on it, and the more you work on it, and the more links you build, the better your chances of ranking higher in the almighty Google.<br />
My goal in this post is to create something that all marketers with all skill-sets can use. Whether you’re new to link building, or have been building your backlink profile for 10+ years, I think you’ll find some useful nuggets in this post.<br />
Those blogs, to this day, are still great resources to visit when looking for posts on link building. Let’s start with a list of the best link building guides available to you, for free.<br />
<h2>
Link Building Guides</h2>
Want to skip the 500-word articles and go straight into a deep dive on link building? These massive free guides will help.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://backlinko.com/link-building" target="_blank">Link Building for SEO: The Definitive Guide</a> – One of my favorite guides. Read this if you want a full background on link building. Learn the fundamentals, how to get high quality links, and what to avoid doing.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/the-advanced-guide-to-link-building/" target="_blank">The Advanced Guide to Link Building</a> – Broken up into twelve chapters, the QuickSprout guide will be helpful if you’re looking for tactics to build links.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.pageonepower.com/link-building-guide" target="_blank">What is Link Building? A Beginner’s Guide</a> – If you don’t like the other guides, this one is more targeted towards beginners. Has some useful tips and provides more background on why link building is so important.</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/link-building/" target="_blank">Noob Guide to Link Building</a> – This guide was written in late 2016, but still contains valuable information, even two years later.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Link Building Strategies</h2>
Let’s look at some posts with a wide variety of link building strategies.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/white-hat-link-building-expert-roundup/" target="_blank">90 SEO Experts Talk White Hat Link Building, Outsourcing And Scaling</a> – Ahrefs rounds up SEO experts to discuss their favorite link building strategies. (I’m included!)</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/low-hanging-linkbuilding-opportunities/" target="_blank">Low-Hanging Link building Opportunities That Almost Touch The Ground</a> – Looking to get the easy stuff out of the way? This blog post will cover everything you need to know.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/eight-link-building-tips-whiteboard-friday" target="_blank">8 Link Building Tips</a> – Paddy Moogan covers eight tips to help you build more links in eight minutes. Read all 35 link building tips from Paddy at Mozcon <a href="http://www.seo.com/blog/35-link-building-tips-paddy-moogan-mozcon/" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://pointblankseo.com/link-building-strategies" target="_blank">Link Building Tactics (Point Blank SEO)</a> – A very thorough list of link building strategies. I’d recommend using their filters in order to find ones that will be the best fit for you.</li>
<li><a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/8-unusual-link-building-strategies-thatll-catapult-your-rankings/" target="_blank">8 Unusual Link Building Strategies That’ll Catapult Your Rankings</a> – Looking for some unusual link building tactics? I’ve got 8 for you in this post.</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/white-hat-link-building-techniques/" target="_blank">3 White Hat Link Building Techniques That Go Far Beyond Links</a> – Ryan Stewart is a former black hat SEO, turned white hat. Here’s what he learned about the most effective white hat link building techniques.</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/simple-guide-turning-unlinked-brand-mentions-links/" target="_blank">A Simple Guide to Turning (Unlinked) Brand Mentions into Links</a> – Your brand is probably mentioned in hundreds or thousands of places around the web. But not all sites link to you. Here’s how to turn that around.</li>
<li><a href="https://backlinko.com/link-building#chapter6" target="_blank">Link Building Strategies From Backlinko</a> – Chapter 6 of this link building guide covers 3 <em>quality</em> ways to build links. Do this right and you’ll start getting more sites pointing to you.</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/20-seo-experts-best-link-building-strategies-dont-require-content/" target="_blank">20 SEO Experts on Best Link Building Strategies that Don’t Require Content</a> – Looking to build backlinks without creating content? Here’s 20 experts telling you how to do just that.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/the-6-month-link-building-plan-for-an-established-website" target="_blank">The 6 Month Link Building Plan for an Established Website</a> – This is not a six-month SEO plan, so it doesn’t cover site audits or keyword research, for example (although you should read this post if you are planning to conduct an SEO audit). James Agate focuses on the acquisition and optimization of links and content for links.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/definitive-guide-to-qualifying-a-link-prospect-video" target="_blank">The Definitive Guide to Qualifying a Link Prospect [with Video]</a> – Link builders should look for cues that make a website a good potential partner. They should look at metrics like a SEO, but also at less tangible cues like engagement and trustworthiness.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/the-noob-guide-to-link-building" target="_blank">The Noob Guide to Link Building</a> – Everything about link building including a six month link building plan.</li>
<li><a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/link-building-cheat-sheet/" target="_blank">Link building cheat sheet</a> – Here’s 10 things you can do right now to help build your backlink profile.</li>
<li><a href="http://pointblankseo.com/type-of-links" target="_blank">What Types of Links Should We Be Getting</a> – What SHOULD we be doing? We know what links we SHOULDN’T be pursuing, so it’s finally time to break down the links that you can get.</li>
<li><a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/evergreen-link-building/" target="_blank">9 Evergreen Link Building Tactics that Will Never Go Out of Style</a> – When link building, you’ll want to focus on the things that will matter years down the road. Here are 9 tactics that will still be important in the years to come.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.toprankblog.com/2012/04/timeless-link-building-tips/" target="_blank">12 Timeless Link Building Tips for Business Blogs</a> – Here are a few timeless tips for building natural links that will attract (and engage) customers to your business blog.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/link-building-for-the-little-guys" target="_blank">Link Building For the Little Guys</a> – Just because you don’t have a big brand doesn’t mean link building won’t be effective for you. If you’re a small business that’s looking to grow your backlink profile, this post from Moz will help.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Thought Pieces on Link Building</h2>
These links are a little less how-to and have more insightful content on link building. If you’re looking for link building tactics, skip this section. If you want to know about the essence of link building and why so many online marketers and SEOs focus on it, these articles will help provide that background.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-link-building" target="_blank">What is Link Building and Why is it Important?</a> – If you’re new to the SEO world, you may wonder why so many are focusing on link building. This article will answer why it gets so much attention.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.webpronews.com/links-are-the-webs-building-blocks-and-fear-of-google-has-them-crumbling-2012-08" target="_blank">Links Are The Web’s Building Blocks, And Fear Of Google Has Them Crumbling</a> – Google has been sending out a whole lot of messages to webmasters about problematic links. People are in a frenzy trying to get rid of links that may or may not be hurting their search engine rankings, and this is a frenzy created by Google. It may not be exactly what Google intended, but it’s happening.</li>
<li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/fake-news-recognize-bad-advice-link-building-seo-281949" target="_blank">Fake news! How to recognize bad advice in link building and SEO</a> – Lots of companies make lots of promises with SEO. Equally, a lot of bloggers who are seemingly experts in SEO and link building make promises. With all this information, it can be tough to tell what’s good information and what’s bad. Use this as your guide.</li>
<li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/13-outdated-seo-tactics-terrified-285353" target="_blank">13 outdated SEO tactics that should terrify you</a> – Much of SEO stays the same, but some things change. What was important 5 years ago doesn’t matter at all today. Here are some of those outdated techniques you shouldn’t be doing anymore.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2010/08/17/link-building-myths" target="_blank">Five myths about link building</a> – The fast-growing Wordstream blog gives you some myths around link building.</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/buy-backlinks/" target="_blank">What’s the Cost of Buying Links in 2018?</a> – Buying backlinks are a big no-no and <a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66356?hl=en" target="_blank">violate Google’s guidelines</a>. But it’s still done in 2018. Here’s what it costs.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Link Building Practices to Avoid</h2>
Just as important as the links you should be building, here are some posts on links you shouldn’t be building. Always remember that spammy links pointing to your site is your problem that you need to take care of.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/bad-links/" target="_blank">An In-Depth Guide to Link Quality, Link Penalties and “Bad Links”</a> – Not all links are created equal. This guide covers the differences, and how to recover from any link penalty.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/ugc/what-is-an-unnatural-link-an-in-depth-look-at-the-google-quality-guidelines" target="_blank">What is an Unnatural Link? An in-depth Look at the Google Quality Guidelines</a> – Unnatural links can put you in a bad link neighborhood and violate Google’s guidelines. Here’s some background on unnatural links and what you can do if you find yourself having a lot of unnatural links.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/17-types-of-link-spam-to-avoid" target="_blank">17 Types of Link Spam to Avoid</a> – The wise SEO would want to take note of the types of link spam to make sure that what they’re doing doesn’t look like a type of link spam. Google’s response to, and attitude toward, each type of link spam varies, but every link building method becomes more and more risky as you begin moving toward the danger zone.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.searchenginejournal.com/10-types-of-unnatural-link-building-tactics-10-quality-alternatives/44287/" target="_blank">10 Types Of Unnatural Link Building Tactics and 10 Quality Alternatives</a> – How can you compete when the competitors are building links that are low quality, paid, or otherwise spammy? Here’s a look at 10 types of link building strategies that are spammy, low quality, or unnatural, plus 10 quality alternatives.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.quora.com/What-are-link-building-mistakes" target="_blank">What are common link building mistakes?</a> – A Quora thread about the link building mistakes you’ll want to avoid.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.quicksprout.com/2012/04/09/7-link-building-mistakes-you-ought-to-avoid/" target="_blank">7 Link Building Mistakes You Ought to Avoid</a> – Some significant changes have been made through Google updates that can affect your link-building strategy, so let’s explore those changes and others to help you maintain, if not increase, your rankings.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/guide-to-googles-disavow-tool" target="_blank">How to Use Google’s Disavow Tool</a> – If you do have a lot of spammy links pointing to your site, you can use Google’s disavow tool to ask Google not to count those links pointing to your site. This post from Moz shows you how to do that.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Link Building with Content</h2>
Since content is becoming increasingly more important, here are some posts on link building with content:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/link-bait/" target="_blank">How to Create Content That Attracts Backlinks</a> – Consistently creating invaluable content is one of the best ways to attract backlinks. This guide from Ahrefs will show you how to do just that.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/the-advanced-guide-to-seo-chapter-7/" target="_blank">Link Building with Content (Quick Sprout guide)</a> – Chapter 7 of this SEO guide outlines how marketers can build links through lists, PDFs, images, and microsites.</li>
<li><a href="https://blog.monitorbacklinks.com/seo/how-to-build-quality-backlinks-with-infographics/" target="_blank">How to Build Quality Backlinks With Infographics</a> – Infographics are many marketers favorite tactics for link building. Here’s how to do it right.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.contentmarketinginstitute.com/2012/06/create-content-partnerships-that-promote-authority/" target="_blank">How to Create Content Partnerships that Build Ethical Links and Authority</a> – This article will give content marketers tips on how to effectively (and safely) link build in today’s post-Penguin SEO landscape by using quality content and forming long-term content relationships.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/why-link-building-strategies-fail" target="_blank">Why Link Building Strategies Fail</a> – Learn how to create a content strategy that includes link bait (isn’t all link bait) and figure out where you can leverage the content for link building.</li>
<li><a href="http://kaiserthesage.com/images-link-building/" target="_blank">10 Ways to Use Images for Link Building</a> – The great thing about using images for marketing is that it’s one of the most efficient ways to build brand recognition and acquire natural mentions/links to a website, seeing that the images can easily stimulate interest in an audience (particularly if they are really compelling and/or visually appealing), and the images are very easy to disseminate.</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/build-links-with-images/" target="_blank">Building Links With Images: Where To Start And How To Automate It?</a> – Still looking for guidance on how to use images to build backlinks? This post will help you out.</li>
<li><a href="http://outspokenmedia.com/online-marketing/ethics-of-link-building-through-content/" target="_blank">The Ethics of Link Building Through Content</a> – A look at the ethical / moral side of link building through content.</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/linkable-assets/" target="_blank">How To Create Linkable Assets Without the Content Commitment</a> – Not into writing? This guide shows you how you can still create linkable content without the writing.</li>
<li><a href="http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2179778/7-Reasons-Content-Marketing-is-Better-Than-Link-Building" target="_blank">7 Reasons Content Marketing is Better Than Link Building</a> – Content marketing and link building both have their merits in the realm of search marketing. However, the tale of the tape reveals that content marketing has a distinct advantage over link building for marketers. Here are seven reasons why.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/building-links-with-video-content" target="_blank">Building Links with Video Content</a> – Learn about the SEO benefits of video, where to place video, video sitemaps, and places to pitch your new video for potential links.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/ugc/10-ideas-for-link-bait-and-5-ways-of-getting-the-word-out" target="_blank">10 Ideas for Link Bait and 5 Ways of Getting the Word Out</a> – Link bait ideas and ways to make sure your link bait content gets links.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Link Building Locally</h2>
If you have a local business, these link building strategies are made just for you.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/11-ways-local-businesses-can-get-links" target="_blank">11 Ways For Local Businesses to Get Links</a> – Take a look at these 11 ways (including some unconventional methods) local businesses can get links.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/the-complete-guide-to-link-building-with-local-events" target="_blank">The Complete Guide to Link Building with Local Events</a> – Whether you’re a small local business or an international company, hosting local events is a great way to build your brand, both offline and online.</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/local-seo/" target="_blank">Local SEO: White Hat(ish) Link Building For Businesses On A Budget</a> – Looking for local link building on a budget of $500 or less? This blog post will help.</li>
<li><a href="https://whitespark.ca/blog/how-to-find-opportunities-for-local-link-building/" target="_blank">How to Find Opportunities for Local Link Building</a> – Don’t know where to start with local link building? This post will get you pointed in the right direction.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.seerinteractive.com/blog/ethical-wikipedia-link-building-a-tutorial" target="_blank">Ethical Wikipedia Link Building</a> – Inbound Marketers, SEO’s (whatever you want to call us) are looking to drive relevant traffic, and Wikipedia can be a great source (no-follow or not) of that but also link value.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Link Building with PR & Social Media</h2>
Think PR and social media have nothing to do with link building? Think again.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://kaiserthesage.com/persona-link-building/" target="_blank">How to Construct and Use Personas for Link Building and Social Media</a> – How to use created personas in doing actual link acquisition and social media marketing practices, by using them as ambassadors that will help scale the process of marketing a brand over the web.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/use-social-media-link-building-tool/80331/" target="_blank">How to Use Social Media as a Link-Building Tool</a> – In this post, Christian Arno will discuss using social media to impact your SEO efforts and how the two can work together to grow your business.</li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/haro-link-building/" target="_blank">How to Build Backlinks and Get Press Using HARO [Case Study]</a> – Here’s how you can use <a href="http://www.helpareporter.com/" target="_blank">HARO</a> to build your backlink profile.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/better-than-link-building-authority-building-haro/5963/" target="_blank">Better Than Link Building: Authority Building with HARO</a> – Rather than link building, Matt McGee has been doing authority building with HARO and sees great results from it, including increased search traffic.</li>
<li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/5-pr-strategies-you-can-use-to-build-links-right-now-158641" target="_blank">5 PR Strategies You Can Use To Build Links Right Now</a> – Looking for your to-do list? You have it here with this article from Search Engine Land.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
The Top Link Building Tools</h2>
Nothing makes link building more productive and effective than the right tools. Here are posts reviewing some favorite link building tools of 2018:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://tools.seobook.com/link-tools/" target="_blank">Free Link Building Tools (SEObook.com)</a> – Aaron Wall has put together a great list of free tools you can try out. The list is sorted to help you find what you need.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.clambr.com/link-building-tools/" target="_blank">55 SEO Experts Reveal 3 Favorite Link Building Tools</a> – Matt Beswick tested six of the most popular link-building tools over the last few months to figure out the pros and cons of each. Here’s what you need to know.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.robbierichards.com/seo/link-building-tools/" target="_blank">3 Types of Link Building Tools and How to Use Them</a> – The guys over at Ahrefs put together a list of the types of link building tools and how you can use each one.</li>
<li><a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/10-tools-that-will-get-you-more-backlinks/" target="_blank">10 Tools That Will Get You More Backlinks</a> – This list from Neil Patel Digital is also useful if you’re looking for more tools to monitor and grow your link juice.</li>
<li><a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/9-backlink-analysis-tools-thatll-help-you-understand-your-link-profile/" target="_blank">9 Backlink Analysis Tools That’ll Help You Understand Your Link Profile</a> – It’s not about link building blindly. You need to know who is linking to you and which ones you’ll need to disavow. These 9 tools will help you with that.</li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/link-building-tools" target="_blank">Link Building Tools We Use at Distilled</a> – Distilled gathered up a list of all the link building tools and resources they turn to daily across the company for data, analysis, research, customer relationship management, content promotion, and inspiration.</li>
<li><a href="http://pointblankseo.com/outreach-platforms" target="_blank">Comparison of Link Building Outreach Platforms</a> – Outreach is core to link building. Here’s a comparison of some of the top outreach platforms.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
The Best Blogs Discussing Link Building</h2>
Want to keep up with link building news? Here are the top SEO blog’s link building categories.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/blog/category/link-building" target="_blank">Link Building on Moz</a></li>
<li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/library/link-building" target="_blank">Link Building on Search Engine Land</a></li>
<li><a href="https://searchenginewatch.com/tag/link-building/" target="_blank">Link Building on Search Engine Watch</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seroundtable.com/category/link-building" target="_blank">Link Building on Search Engine Roundtable</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.searchenginejournal.com/category/link-building/" target="_blank">Link Building on Search Engine Journal</a></li>
<li><a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/category/link-building/" target="_blank">Link Building on Ahrefs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://kaiserthesage.com/tag/link-building/" target="_blank">Link Building on KaisertheSage</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wordtracker.com/academy/seo/link-building" target="_blank">Link Building on WordTracker</a></li>
<li><a href="http://pointblankseo.com/blog" target="_blank">Link Building on Point Blank SEO</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.verticalmeasures.com/category/link-building/" target="_blank">Link Building on Vertical Measures</a></li>
</ul>
Want to follow link building on Twitter? Don’t miss the <a href="http://pointblankseo.com/link-building-experts" target="_blank">30 Link Building Experts You Need to Follow list</a>.<br />
<h2>
Q&A on Link Building</h2>
Have questions about link building, or want to demonstrate your link building expertise? Here are some places where you will find lots of people asking about link building.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://inbound.org/topics/link-building" target="_blank">Link Building on Inbound.org</a></li>
<li><a href="https://moz.com/community/q/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&view=all&from=all&sort=newest&category=5" target="_blank">Link Building Q&A on Moz</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.quora.com/Link-Building" target="_blank">Link Building on Quora</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/linkbuilding/" target="_blank">Link Building Subreddit</a></li>
</ul>
There you have it! 78 great link building resources to chew on. Did I miss any of your favorite posts or link building blogs?<br />
<br />
Seo<br />
<br />
via The Kissmetrics Marketing Blog http://rplg.co/2fdc4020<br />
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March 15, 2018 at 12:04AM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-10485079941029857792018-03-06T10:56:00.001-08:002018-05-15T03:40:08.455-07:005 Ways to Bootstrap SEO When You're on a Tight Budget5 Ways to Bootstrap SEO When You're on a Tight Budget<br />
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http://ift.tt/2I7CegS<br />
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<img alt="5 Ways to Bootstrap SEO When You're on a Tight Budget" src="https://assets.entrepreneur.com/content/3x2/1300/20180226214252-GettyImages-532148371.jpeg?width=700&crop=2:1" /><br />
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Every business should be implementing SEO strategies in order to improve their website’s search engine rankings. But unfortunately, there are a lot of marketers and small-business owners who are not. Why? Many of them use the “it’s out of my budget” excuse to justify their decision to ignore SEO. However, SEO is more cost-effective than many other forms of marketing, including pay-per-click ads and social media marketing. And while not every business will have the budget to spend thousands every month on an SEO campaign, there are some simple things that you can do to get the most search traffic possible on a tight budget. <br />
<h2>
1. Google My Business.</h2>
Small businesses and brick-and-mortar businesses should focus on gaining local exposure instead of trying to target potential customers located throughout the country. One way to improve your business’s local SEO is by optimizing its <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/optimize-google-my-business/218797/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google My Business page</a>, formerly known as Google Places and sometimes called a Google Map listing.<br />
Start by making sure you own the page and have access to make edits to your business' listing. Then move on to filling in any information that is missing on your page. Be as accurate and descriptive as possible, and don’t forget to incorporate a few keywords as well. When choosing categories to describe your business, it’s best to be specific. For example, if you are a personal injury law firm, choose “personal injury attorney” instead of simply “lawyer” or “law firm.” <br />
<b>Related: <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/309120?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication" rel="follow" target="_blank">55 Must-Know SEO Tricks for Business Websites (Infographic)</a></b><br />
Take advantage of all the fields, making sure to add your business hours, photos and as much other information as you possibly can. It only takes a few minutes to make these changes, but they can pay off in a huge way. After the page is complete, your business will have a listing on Google that will appear in local searches.<br />
<h2>
2. Target long-tail keywords.</h2>
There are two main types of keywords -- general competitive keywords and <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/3-simple-ways-build-winning-seo-strategy-shoestring-budget/187255/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">long-tail keywords</a>. If you have a limited marketing budget, it’s best to focus all of your SEO efforts on long-tail keywords.<br />
A long-tail keyword is a phrase that is very specific to your customers’ needs. For instance, let’s say you own a small salsa dance studio in Chicago and want to attract new clients who are interested in lessons. A general keyword for your business would be “dance instructor” whereas a long-tail keyword would be “salsa dance instructor in Chicago.”<br />
Both keywords are relevant to your business, but the long-tail keyword is the phrase you should be targeting. Why? There are probably hundreds of other businesses that are targeting the keywords “dance instructor,” which means the SEO competition is fierce. However, there are probably not very many salsa dance instructors in Chicago who are targeting the long-tail keyword. Therefore, you have a better chance of ranking with this keyword since it is less competitive.<br />
Since long-tail keywords are also more specific, small businesses will be able to reach a much narrower audience of people. Someone searching for “dance instructor” may not necessarily be interested in hiring a dance instructor in Chicago or a salsa dance instructor, but someone who is searching for “salsa dance instructor in Chicago” is far more likely to be interested in your services.<br />
<b>Related: <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/304650?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication" rel="follow" target="_blank">The 6 Best Bidding Strategies for Google Keywords</a></b><br />
<h2>
3. Incorporate keywords in key spots.</h2>
Once you’ve identified the best long-tail keywords to target, start incorporating them on your website. Small businesses should focus on placing keywords within page titles, URLs and content on their website. However, it’s important not to overdo it when incorporating keywords into content. Try to use the keywords in one of the page’s headers and within the first paragraph of the content. This should be enough to get Google’s attention without going overboard.<br />
You can also create new content around your long-tail keywords. Whether a static page or an article/blog post, having a specific page for your long-tail keywords will increase the likelyhood they will rank well organically.<br />
<h2>
4. Write fresh content.</h2>
Publishing fresh content on a regular basis is a great way to improve your website’s ranking within Google’s search results. Why? Every time new content is added to your website, Google’s web crawler will visit your site and index it. This basically means that the web crawler will analyze the website and recalculate how it should be ranked within the search results. The more often you add fresh content, the more often the web crawler will stop by to reanalyze your website. And the more quality pages you have on your site, the more chances for people to find you on search engines.<br />
It’s important to note that the web crawler will not boost your website’s ranking simply because the content is new. The content must still be high quality, unique, relevant to your audience and formatted correctly in order to make an impact. If you continue to post high quality and relevant content, the web crawler may eventually realize your website is valuable to people searching for your targeted keywords.<br />
<b>Related: <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/307203?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication" rel="follow" target="_blank">6 Top Tools to Transform Your Content Marketing in 2018</a></b><br />
It may seem like a hassle to write fresh content on a regular basis, but it doesn’t have to be. You are the expert on your business, so you should be able to think of a handful of topics that you can easily write about. If you’re not a strong writer, focus on writing “how to” or “list” articles. The content in these types of articles can be broken down into smaller paragraphs that contain basic information, so it is fairly simple to write an article in one of these formats.<br />
<h2>
5. Get some links.</h2>
One of the oldest yet still most important factors in SEO is link building. Search engines basically view a link to your site from a 3rd party website as a "vote" that you should be shown higher in search results. The more high quality links you have, in general the higher you will rank.<br />
Link building can be one of the most time consuming aspects of SEO, however for businesses looking to take on their own link building, start with some of the low hanging fruit such as business directories, yellow page listings, local newspapers or publications, chambers of commerce and business associations. Most businesses can build a dozen links through these methods in just a few hours time.<br />
These SEO strategies can be implemented by any business with a limited marketing budget. By following these tips, you can improve your business’s search engine ranking and drive more traffic to your website.<br />
<strong>Related:</strong><br />
<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/309046?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">5 Ways to Bootstrap SEO When You're on a Tight Budget</a><br />
<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/309927?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">Consejos para captar el mayor tráfico de datos posible</a><br />
<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/309579?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">How To Improve Your Business' Website in 2018</a><br />
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March 6, 2018 at 02:33PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-78034087939244334792018-03-04T12:27:00.001-08:002018-03-15T01:46:52.653-07:00How to Design a Homepage That ConvertsHow to Design a Homepage That Converts<br />
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<a href="http://rplg.co/354a74a0" target="_blank">http://rplg.co/354a74a0</a><br />
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First impressions matter.<br />
When someone visits your website, the first thing they’ll see is your homepage. The way your homepage is set up can <u><a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/2018/01/08/how-to-boost-conversions-by-personalizing-your-website/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">make or break your conversion rates</a></u>.<br />
I know how much time and effort it takes to <u><a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/2018/02/05/the-top-14-ways-to-improve-your-seo-ranking/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">improve your SEO ranking</a></u> and drive more traffic to your website.<br />
If you’re seeing a boost in your website traffic but not in conversions, it’s time for you to analyze your homepage. It doesn’t matter what type of business you have or what industry you’re in, focusing on the design of your homepage pays off.<br />
Where do you start?<br />
Your website has so much to offer. It can be overwhelming to decide what you want visitors to see first. It’s tempting to include as much information as possible.<br />
I’ve helped tons of businesses revamp their websites. I’m going to share some of the top elements of a homepage you need to focus on.<br />
If you follow these tips, your homepage will turn into a conversion machine. Here’s how you do it.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Keep it simple</strong></h3>
<u><a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/2017/11/27/why-websites-with-simple-designs-have-higher-conversion-rates/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Websites with simple designs</a></u> have higher conversion rates.<br />
As I briefly stated earlier, some websites try to cram as much information as possible into a small space on their homepages. They want to show off all their products, services, awards, affiliations, contact information, and anything else you can imagine.<br />
If this sounds like your homepage, simplifying your design should be the first thing on your agenda.<br />
It’s fine to include lots of information on your website, but it doesn’t need to be on your homepage. Take a look at this design from the <u><a href="https://www.mint.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Mint</a></u> homepage.<br />
<img alt="image8 4" class="wp-image-40282" sizes="(max-width: 1092px) 100vw, 1092px" src="https://www.quicksprout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image8-4.png" srcset="https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image8-4.png 1092w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image8-4-300x194.png 300w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image8-4-768x496.png 768w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image8-4-1024x661.png 1024w" /><br />
Do you see how effective this is?<br />
The menu bar at the top of the screen has only four options. The amount of text is minimal, so it’s very easy for users to scan the page and focus on headlines.<br />
There is a clear point of emphasis on the middle of the screen. It’s their call-to-action (CTA) button, encouraging visitors to sign up for free.<br />
Even if you’ve never heard of this company, this design makes it obvious what help they can offer their customers:<br />
<ul>
<li>finances</li>
<li>budgets</li>
<li>credit score</li>
<li>bills</li>
<li>savings</li>
</ul>
These buzzwords are easy to read because the layout is so simple.<br />
Now the visitor can navigate on the website to find more information about what they’re interested in. But if Mint tried to explain every detail of their services in this small space, people would get distracted and overwhelmed.<br />
While this homepage has some color, it’s used sparingly and tastefully. The colors aren’t contrasting and don’t make it difficult to read anything on the page.<br />
To keep your website simple, you need to <u><a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/2017/08/25/how-to-choose-the-right-color-schemes-for-your-ecommerce-shop/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">choose the right color scheme</a></u>. This will help improve your conversion rates.<br />
Compare your existing homepage to the example above. Try to replicate it in terms of the amount of text, navigation options, and CTA.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Focus on speed</strong></h3>
Speed has a huge impact on your conversion rates. If your <u><a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/experience-design/mobile-page-speed-load-time/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">website loads too slowly</a></u>, it’ll kill your conversions.<br />
<img alt="image1 8" class="wp-image-40289" sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px" src="https://www.quicksprout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image1-8.png" srcset="https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image1-8.png 625w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image1-8-300x159.png 300w" /><br />
People are impatient. In today’s digital age, we’re used to getting content at lightning speeds. If a website doesn’t load right away, its bounce rate is likely to increase.<br />
Your page loading time has a direct correlation with the previous point I talked about. Simple websites load faster.<br />
If you’ve got tons of images, long blocks of text, complicated menus, lots of colors, flashing lights, and other unnecessary elements, your website won’t load very quickly.<br />
But what if you’ve got a simple design and it still takes a while for your website to load?<br />
I’d evaluate your web hosting services. While it may sound appealing to choose the cheapest option for hosting your website, you get what you pay for.<br />
It’s worth it to spend the extra money to ensure your website doesn’t crash or have problems loading pages, especially the homepage.<br />
The increase in website traffic and the boost in conversions will easily pay for the extra costs, plus extra in the long run.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Use quality images</strong></h3>
Images can definitely help boost your conversion rates.<br />
Websites without images seem plain, boring, and somewhat unprofessional. But that doesn’t mean you need to go crazy and put as many images as possible on your homepage.<br />
As you now know, too many images can hurt your page loading time. Furthermore, <u><a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/experience-design/mobile-page-speed-load-time/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">research from Google</a></u> found pages with fewer images have higher conversion rates.<br />
<img alt="image2 7" class="wp-image-40286" sizes="(max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" src="https://www.quicksprout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image2-7.png" srcset="https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image2-7.png 576w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image2-7-300x197.png 300w" /><br />
Use images sparingly. Make sure all your images look professional. If they look as if you took them on a flip phone in 2006, it won’t help your cause.<br />
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you shouldn’t use all the pictures you feel you need to on your website. I’m just saying you don’t need to have them all on your homepage.<br />
For example, let’s say you have an ecommerce website.<br />
You should have multiple-angle, high-quality images of every item you’re selling. You could have six, eight, or ten photos for just one item.<br />
However, save those pictures for when a customer clicks on that product.<br />
If you were highlighting your top five best-selling items on your homepage, you’d have 50 images if you used every single one. Instead, use one image per item. When a visitor clicks on one of them, they’ll see the remaining photos of that product on the corresponding page.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Run A/B tests</strong></h3>
Let’s say you’ve made some changes to your homepage, and you’ve noticed your conversions have increased. That’s great news. Does that mean you’re done?<br />
Absolutely not. While your conversions may have increased, you don’t know whether you’ve reached your peak yet. Keep striving to improve your website.<br />
One of the best ways to figure out whether you’ve got the most optimal design for your homepage is through A/B testing.<br />
Also known as split testing, A/B testing involves running alternative versions of the same page to see which one has a higher conversion rate: 50% of your traffic sees one design, while the other 50% sees another.<br />
It’s important you don’t change too many elements between the two versions when you run these tests. Otherwise, you won’t know which factor impacted the results.<br />
You’re better off changing one element only, such as the CTA button text, color, or placement.<br />
Here’s <u><a href="https://blog.optimizely.com/2015/06/04/ecommerce-conversion-optimization-case-studies/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">an example</a></u> of an A/B test from the <u><a href="https://www.ea.com/games/simcity/simcity" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Sim City</a></u> homepage:<br />
<img alt="image7 7" class="wp-image-40290" sizes="(max-width: 1037px) 100vw, 1037px" src="https://www.quicksprout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image7-7.png" srcset="https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image7-7.png 1037w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image7-7-300x153.png 300w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image7-7-768x391.png 768w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image7-7-1024x521.png 1024w" /><br />
Look at the difference between the two variations. The homepage on the right eliminated some text and an image. As a result, the simplified version had a 43% increase in checkouts.<br />
That’s because the control version had too many distractions. The variation was much simpler, so it was easier for the users to focus on checking out.<br />
I see cases like this all the time in my consulting work. Businesses are typically convinced that an offer, such as the one above offering $20 off a purchase, will help drive sales and increase conversions.<br />
But it isn’t until they run an A/B test that they discover what really works.<br />
The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to your A/B tests. After you test one element, change something else and run another test.<br />
If you initially tested the phrasing of your CTA button, test the color next. After that, test its size or placement. You can even test various images to see which one converts better.<br />
A/B testing is an ongoing process. The tests should go on for as long as they need to until you feel your results are accurate.<br />
Don’t let these tests get in the way of making other improvements to your homepage, such as simplifying the design or increasing the page loading time.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Make sure your call to action is clear</strong></h3>
I know I’ve mentioned your CTA a few times throughout this guide, but it’s so important that it’s worth discussing in greater detail.<br />
You can’t expect to have high conversion rates if your CTA isn’t glaringly obvious on your homepage. Although it’s critically important, many websites <u><a href="https://www.truconversion.com/blog/conversion-rate-optimization/7-conversion-rate-optimization-tips-to-boost-conversions/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">neglect their CTAs:</a></u><br />
<img alt="image5 8" class="wp-image-40295" sizes="(max-width: 573px) 100vw, 573px" src="https://www.quicksprout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image5-8.png" srcset="https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image5-8.png 573w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image5-8-300x196.png 300w" /><br />
These numbers blow me away. Less than half of all the websites have a CTA that can be found in under three seconds.<br />
People visiting your website won’t spend much time looking for the button that puts money in your pocket. If it’s not obvious, they’ll move on.<br />
That’s why simplicity, which I talked about earlier, is so important. If you have few distractions on your website, the visitor’s eye will go straight toward your CTA.<br />
Look again at the Mint website, or the Sim City’s A/B test. It’s very easy to find call-to-action buttons in both cases in just a couple of seconds.<br />
Here’s a look at the homepage for one of my other companies, <u><a href="https://www.crazyegg.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Crazy Egg:</a></u><br />
<img alt="image6 8" class="wp-image-40281" sizes="(max-width: 999px) 100vw, 999px" src="https://www.quicksprout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image6-8.png" srcset="https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image6-8.png 999w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image6-8-300x184.png 300w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image6-8-768x470.png 768w" /><br />
As you can see, I practice what I preach.<br />
The design of this homepage is extremely simple, and the CTA can be spotted instantly.<br />
Here’s something else you should keep in mind. Your homepage should have only one CTA. Yes, you’ll have links to other pages on your site.<br />
But when it comes to getting conversions, the call-to-action button needs to be obvious:<br />
<ul>
<li>sign up today</li>
<li>subscribe now</li>
<li>join for free</li>
<li>click to learn more</li>
<li>shop now to get 20% off your purchase.</li>
</ul>
All of these are great CTAs for a homepage. However, these won’t be effective if they’re all used simultaneously.<br />
The site visitors won’t know which one to click on, and it will hurt your conversions. Focus on the most profitable action.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Optimize your website for mobile devices</strong></h3>
It’s awesome that your site works well on a desktop, but that’s not enough if you want the highest conversion rates possible. Your homepage needs to be optimized for smartphones and tablets.<br />
Earlier I discussed the importance of speed. If your site <u><a href="https://cloudfour.com/thinks/progressive-web-apps-simply-make-sense/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">takes too long to load</a></u>, users will abandon the page.<br />
<img alt="image4 7" class="wp-image-40284" sizes="(max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" src="https://www.quicksprout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image4-7.png" srcset="https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image4-7.png 865w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image4-7-300x63.png 300w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image4-7-768x162.png 768w" /><br />
Obviously, this will crush your conversion rates. Half of Internet users expect your mobile website to load in less than two seconds.<br />
Mobile optimization is important for all websites in every industry. However, it’s even more important for ecommerce stores.<br />
That’s because the majority of online shoppers <u><a href="https://webadviser.io/services/web-innovation/mobile-website-optimization" rel="noopener" target="_blank">use their smartphones</a></u> to shop.<br />
<img alt="image3 7" class="wp-image-40292" sizes="(max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px" src="https://www.quicksprout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image3-7.png" srcset="https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image3-7.png 425w, https://quicksprout-qvjnwj7eutn3.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/image3-7-300x181.png 300w" /><br />
If you have an ecommerce store that’s not mobile optimized, you’re missing out on a huge portion of the market.<br />
Optimizing your homepage for mobile users needs to be a priority.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Conclusion</strong></h3>
If you’re unhappy with your conversion rates, analyze your homepage.<br />
Start by simplifying the design. This will make it easier for visitors to find your CTA.<br />
Simplicity also translates to a faster page loading time. Make sure you have suitable web hosting service.<br />
Your homepage should have high quality images. Just be sure to use them sparingly. Too many images can have a negative impact on your conversions.<br />
Run A/B tests to see which elements of your homepage can be modified to improve conversions.<br />
Making sure your homepage and the rest of your website is optimized for mobile devices is an absolute necessity.<br />
If you follow these tips, you’ll start to see your conversions rise almost instantaneously.<br />
<em>What elements of your website are designed to optimize conversion rates?</em><br />
<div>
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Quicksprout?a=IgPnrRUAjTQ:GeFptzjIO3s:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img border="0" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Quicksprout?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Quicksprout?a=IgPnrRUAjTQ:GeFptzjIO3s:qj6IDK7rITs"><img border="0" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Quicksprout?d=qj6IDK7rITs" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Quicksprout?a=IgPnrRUAjTQ:GeFptzjIO3s:I9og5sOYxJI"><img border="0" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Quicksprout?d=I9og5sOYxJI" /></a></div>
<img alt="" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Quicksprout/~4/IgPnrRUAjTQ" height="1" width="1" /><br />
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March 2, 2018 at 04:08PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-18504592269494156122018-02-26T12:02:00.001-08:002018-02-26T12:02:10.447-08:0015 Link Building Tactics to Supercharge Your SEO Efforts by @jeremyknauff15 Link Building Tactics to Supercharge Your SEO Efforts by @jeremyknauff<br />
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http://ift.tt/2CkYbJN<br />
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<p>Link building is still a vital component of modern SEO.</p>
<p>I think it’s fair to say that many SEO practitioners would agree that it’s one of the most difficult components because the days of easily building hundreds or thousands of effective links are long behind us.</p>
<p>Earning <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/link-building-good-bad-ugly/201196/">high-quality links</a> from trustworthy and authoritative websites — the kind of links that are necessary to improve organic ranking — requires a disciplined and creative approach.</p>
<p>You need to step outside of what everyone else is doing so that you can earn links that they don’t have, giving you a unique advantage in your organic search campaign.</p>
<p>To help you earn plenty of valuable links that most of your competitors are too lazy to go after, I’ve outlined 15 tactics you can use to supercharge your link building efforts.</p>
<h2>1. Get Readers Engaged with Your Content</h2>
<p>In the late 1990s, while still serving in the Marine Corps, we had to jump into below-freezing water during Arctic warfare training.</p>
<p>You knew it would be intense, but until you plunged in, completely enveloped by the frigid water, you couldn’t possibly imagine the full intensity.</p>
<p>Your feet broke the surface, and in an instant, you were completely submerged in a brutal cold unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.</p>
<p>You stopped breathing, all of your muscles locked up, and your mind went completely blank.</p>
<p>So what does that have to do with link building?</p>
<p>Absolutely nothing, but it was a compelling story that got you engaged.</p>
<p>If you want to earn quality inbound links, you need your visitors to be engaged and stick around long enough so they can see the value of your content.</p>
<p>If they check out after a few sentences, you have almost no chance of earning a link.</p>
<p>As Alan Bleiweiss explained in a recent article, <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/world-class-link-building/215791/">World-Class Link Building Is More Than Links</a>, your content is the foundation for your link building efforts.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“If you create content that is the kind that people would consider powerful, for a host of reasons, that content is the kind of content most likely to be shared socially, and to have the potential for earning high-quality links.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>If you’re struggling to come up with great ideas for content, check out one of my recent articles: <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/content-marketing-boring-industry/208934/">How to Create Sexy, Interesting Content for a Boring Industry</a> to spark your creativity.</p>
<h2>2. Accept Cryptocurrency</h2>
<p>Despite the recent volatility in the market, cryptocurrency is here to stay because of the immense value that blockchain technology offers.</p>
<p>That being said, cryptocurrency is still new enough that it’s a novelty, which makes businesses that accept it as a form of payment a novelty as well. Novel enough to be linked to for this reason alone!</p>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="businesses that accept Bitcoin" width="600" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/bitcoin-list.jpg" class="wp-image-235817" height="720" /></p>
<p>I recommend clearly mentioning on your website that you accept cryptocurrency, and once you’ve done that, reach out to everyone who has published a list of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=businesses+that+accept+cryptocurrency&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS745US745&oq=businesses+that+accept+crypto&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57.18591j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">crypto-friendly business</a> and ask to be included.</p>
<p>It’s a dead simple way to benefit from cryptocurrency, but instead of capital gains, your profits will come in the form of high-quality links.</p>
<h2>3. Build Interactive Data</h2>
<p>Interactive data is becoming the new infographic because it’s eye-catching, engaging, and informative.</p>
<p>It’s incredibly powerful for link building because it can be an effective tool in helping other bloggers support their position on a topic.</p>
<p>When executed effectively, along with proper outreach, it has the potential to earn a tremendous number of high-quality links.</p>
<p>The key is to come up with a great idea and execute it creatively.</p>
<p>Fortunately, this type of content is cost-effective, and from a technical perspective, relatively easy to produce.</p>
<p>Here are a few examples of interactive data in use:</p>
<h2>4. Publish a ‘Best of’ or ‘Top’ Type of Post</h2>
<p>Listicles tend to perform very well, to begin with, but when you feature the best of a particular topic, the results, in terms of inbound links, can be staggering.</p>
<p>Compiling a list of the top 10, 20, 100, etc., of a particular person, place, or thing is a great way to create valuable content that other people are likely to link to – especially when you consider that in many cases, the people responsible for marketing the people, places, or things in your list are likely already blogging regularly and will be more than eager to link to your post.</p>
<p>Some examples might include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Best SEO podcasts of 2017 (SEJ did one like this <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/15-search-marketing-podcasts-need-listen/162243/">here</a>)</li>
<li>Best SEO blog posts of 2017</li>
<li>Top social media experts to follow on Twitter</li>
<li>9 Best SEO tools for digital marketing agencies</li>
<li>7 Best WordPress plug-ins to improve page speed</li>
</ul>
<p>You get the idea.</p>
<p>Once you’ve published your post, be sure to reach out to the people/companies mentioned and let them know, because they can’t link to it if they don’t know about it.</p>
<p>Better yet, do so beforehand while you’re still planning and writing the post.</p>
<h2>5. Publish the Ultimate Resource List for Your Industry</h2>
<p>I want to be clear that when I say “the ultimate resource list,” I don’t just mean another bland post covering the same 10-20 resources that everyone has already blogged to death.</p>
<p>I’m talking about an all-encompassing list <em>of everything anyone in your industry might ever need</em>, complete with comprehensive descriptions for each item, and where applicable, images.</p>
<p>By the time you click publish on this mammoth list, it should be beautifully formatted, broken down categorically, and contain a table of contents with jump links.</p>
<p>Some of the resources specific to your industry that you might want to include are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Licencing, governing, and regulatory bodies</li>
<li>Top publications</li>
<li>Software</li>
<li>Data sources</li>
<li>Laws pertaining to your industry</li>
<li>Schools / educational resources</li>
<li>Top podcasts</li>
<li>Politicians/legislators involved in your industry</li>
<li>Top YouTube channels</li>
<li>Industry leaders</li>
<li>Employment/staffing firms specializing in your industry</li>
<li>Industry associations and trade groups</li>
<li>Tools</li>
<li>Industry events</li>
<li>Facebook/LinkedIn groups</li>
<li>Top Books</li>
</ul>
<p>For most industries, this type of list could easily be a 5,000+ word post, and since it’s more than just a list of links because you’ve invested the time and effort to write comprehensive descriptions for each item, most people will simply link to it rather than trying to create their own.</p>
<p>The beauty of this tactic is that since the majority of websites today run on WordPress, you won’t even have to do much outreach because most websites included on your list will be notified that you’ve linked to them.</p>
<p>It still wouldn’t hurt to reach out and ask them to throw a link to your resource list though.</p>
<h2>6. Become an Influencer</h2>
<p>An <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/influence-authority-marketing/205480/">influencer</a> is someone whose opinion, which might be shared through top-tier publications, social media, and even their own website, is valued by a large number of other people in that person’s industry and/or target market.</p>
<p>I have mixed feelings about the term itself because it’s been so maligned, but the principle behind the term is solid because when you’re considered influential, other people want to get on your radar, which often results in earning more links.</p>
<p>In many cases, influencers will effortlessly earn exponentially more links almost immediately upon publishing a post, simply because of their status.</p>
<p>Beyond that, being an influencer also makes it a lot easier to reach out to others to earn even more links.</p>
<p>You can’t bestow the title upon yourself though.</p>
<p>The “fake it till you make it” approach doesn’t work here, because no matter how much you try to hype yourself up, if you aren’t sharing valuable insights and information, no one will pay attention to what you have to say.</p>
<p>And this isn’t an overnight process — it can take months or even years of hard work and dedication, but the results from a link building perspective can be astonishing.</p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/joshsteimle" target="_blank">Josh Steimle</a>, founder of Influencer Inc, explains the thinking behind becoming an influencer in your industry:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“When I ask “Who are you?” I mean what is your genius zone? Your genius zone isn’t merely what you’re an expert at–we’re all experts at lots of things. Your genius zone is usually made up of multiple, overlapping areas of expertise and knowledge that combine to make something truly unique. It will also be something you’re passionate about, an area of focus that feels like your mission in life, the thing you can talk about better than anyone else.</p>
<p>Once you know who you are and what you will share with the world, then the next question is “Who cares?” Who will value your content so much that they’d be willing to pay for it? Perhaps you won’t be charging directly for that content, but if people are willing to pay for it with dollars, but if content can attract dollars it will also attract links.</p>
<p>There are other questions to be answered, like “Where does your audience hang out?” and “How do they prefer to consume content?” but it’s those first two questions that are fundamental. Many of the influential people you know spent years figuring it out, often because they didn’t even know the questions existed. Once you have solid answers for both, you’ll have a foundation you can build on.”</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>7. Host an Event</h2>
<p>Who doesn’t love a party?</p>
<p>An event hosted by your business is a great way to get the local media and industry organizations talking – and linking to your website.</p>
<p>It could either be at your office, or elsewhere, provided that the location is suitable. In fact, I’m in the midst of planning an event for later this year in which I will rent a yacht and invite 75-100 executives from the industry that I’m targeting.</p>
<p>The key here is to make sure the event you host has a newsworthy purpose and is beneficial not only to you but also to the attendees and any organizations that are associated with the event.</p>
<p>In fact, associating the event with other high profile organizations is an important step because they’re likely to link to you since the event also helps promote them.</p>
<p>Aligning with a local charity or promoting a good cause is also a good way to get local media involved.</p>
<p>No matter what angle you take though, you’ll still need to conduct outreach to earn those links, and part of that outreach, due to the unique nature of this tactic, should include a press release.</p>
<h2>8. Do Something <em>Truly</em> Newsworthy</h2>
<p>The days of submitting press releases to build links are over.</p>
<p>However, press releases are still a powerful way to earn links.</p>
<p>You might be thinking “That makes no sense, Jeremy! You’ve just contradicted yourself!”</p>
<p>If it seems like a contradiction, it’s because I’m talking about two completely different approaches to link building. That difference is subtle, but critical because one works and the other is a complete waste of time.</p>
<p>The outdated approach to using press releases for link building relies on links embedded in the press release itself. Today, this is <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/press-releases-seo/210048/">largely ineffective</a> both because press releases generally use nofollow links, which make them less effective for SEO, and because Google has devalued this tactic algorithmically.</p>
<p>According to PR expert <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/CherylSnapp" target="_blank">Cheryl Conner</a>, Founder and CEO of SnappConner PR:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Think of a press release as the equivalent of a journalistic article. It needs to be interesting and it needs to be evergreen. By evergreen, we mean that it will need to be as relevant six months or a year from now as it is right now. By this thinking, “How to Lead Like Steve Jobs” is an excellent topic for a press release that talks about your webinar or report on the topic, including a link for download or participation both before and after the live event, if there is one, is through. But “We’re having a sale on our educational program” is a terrible topic in that 1) the sale will be over on, say, Wednesday, and 2) after Wednesday it will serve no purpose other than to tick people off who didn’t register in time for the sale.</p>
<p>Let the first portion of the release spell out the 6 W’s of the topic – The Who, What, Where, When, Why and most importantly, Who Cares?”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The proper approach to using press releases for link building relies on doing something that’s actually newsworthy and then publicizing it so that other publications will write about and link to it.</p>
<p>When you do this, the number of links you can potentially earn is exponentially larger.</p>
<h2>9. Nurture Relationships with Editors, Journalists & Contributors</h2>
<p>My accidental success with this tactic has proven more successful than many of the tactics that I approached more deliberately.</p>
<p>What I mean is that I’ve stumbled into friendships with several contributors and journalists simply by helping them solve their problems, and it paid off in massive exposure and links.</p>
<p>I didn’t have any expectations of them doing anything for me, but they did because unlike most people, I didn’t start off by asking for something.</p>
<p>While my initial success with this tactic was accidental, I then went on to execute it more deliberately and achieved even more success.</p>
<p>The key is to identify the journalists and contributors who are not only in your niche but also who seem to align with your personality.</p>
<p>Then, start by becoming valuable to them:</p>
<ul>
<li>Linking to their content.</li>
<li>Engaging on social media by commenting on and sharing their posts.</li>
<li>Helping solve their problems when applicable.</li>
</ul>
<p>Before long, you will have formed an army of people both able and willing to assist in your link building efforts.</p>
<p>It’s important to not become entitled or take advantage of these people though, both because that makes you a horrible person, and because it will destroy a valuable link building channel.</p>
<h2>10. Become a Contributor at the Publications <em>Your Customers</em> Read</h2>
<p>It’s great to write for the top publications in your industry because it demonstrates your credibility, but often, your clients don’t read those publications.</p>
<p>For example, while I regularly write for Search Engine Journal and several other digital marketing publications, most of my clients have never heard of them, so it doesn’t mean much to them.</p>
<p>Since my agency is focused on digital marketing for the construction industry, I also write on digital marketing in trade publications covering the construction industry.</p>
<p>My target market already reads and trusts those publications, so that provides a lot more credibility to them while giving me an opportunity to earn links.</p>
<p>You need to figure out what publications your clients are reading and become a contributor there.</p>
<p>The beauty of this link building tactic is that in addition to earning links, it also helps to establish you as the expert within their industry. That makes you infinitely more valuable than any other generalist you’re competing against.</p>
<h2>11. Write About Complementary Products/Services</h2>
<p>It can be difficult to earn high-quality links because many of the most relevant linking opportunities seem to be your competitors, and they probably aren’t eager to link to your website.</p>
<p>Many link builders miss out on a tremendous untapped opportunity because they’re so busy seeking links from websites that offer exactly what they do, that never bother seeking links from websites that offer products/services that are complementary to theirs.</p>
<p>That’s a huge mistake because it’s usually a lot easier to earn links from these websites.</p>
<p>The key is to focus on products/services that play an integral role in the use of your products/services. =</p>
<p>For example, an electrical contractor might write content about:</p>
<ul>
<li>Alternative energy products</li>
<li>OLED lighting</li>
<li>EV charging stations</li>
<li>Home automation products</li>
<li>PV roofing shingles</li>
</ul>
<p>Creating this content is only half of the equation, however, because, in order to earn links from it, you’ll need the people behind the product/services it’s about to know it exists.</p>
<p>Outreach plays a critical role in this tactic, but ideally, this should take place before you create the content because you’ll want to make sure it’s something these people will be interested in linking to. (Since it’s promoting them, they usually will, but it helps to ask first.)</p>
<h2>12. Be a Guest on Relevant Podcasts</h2>
<p>If you’re anything like most people, you typically listen to podcasts on iTunes, but many podcasts also have a website where each episode is posted, along with show notes, which often includes links to their guests’ websites.</p>
<p>Since most podcasters are constantly looking for engaging experts to interview, this is a relatively easy way earn relevant, high-quality links.</p>
<p>You’ll simply need to compile a list of relevant podcasts, make sure they include show notes with a link back to the guest’s website, <em>and that you would want a link from their website</em>, then reach out to the hosts about becoming a guest.</p>
<h2>13. Start Your Own Podcast</h2>
<p>Starting your own podcast is a great way to reach a larger audience, but it’s also an opportunity to earn links by being included in articles featuring podcasts and/or individual episodes.</p>
<p>In order for the this to be effective, you’ll need to produce amazing content and differentiate your podcast in some, or ideally, several ways, to give people a reason to link to you.</p>
<p>This might include a tight focus on a specific niche, a unique skill, or a particular background, such as being a military veteran, religious leader, or a former professional sports athlete.</p>
<h2>14. Make Other Link Builders Need You</h2>
<p>Do you accept guest posts on your website?</p>
<p>You should, because in addition to potentially getting great content for free, it also means that other link builders will need something from you, which gives you the perfect opportunity to ask them to link to some of the great content on your website.</p>
<p>When you receive the next email from someone asking to guest post on your website, take a few minutes to find a post on their website that’s relevant to a piece of content on your website, and ask them to include a link to it.</p>
<p>Since they’ve just asked you to do something for them, they are infinitely more likely to include your link in their content than they would be under almost any other circumstances.</p>
<h2>15. Publish Unique, Difficult to Find Data</h2>
<p>Are you in an industry where data changes frequently and is relatively difficult to find?</p>
<p>If so, then it may be a good opportunity to create link worthy content based on that data. The key here is to go beyond the raw data and offer your own insight, making it entirely unique.</p>
<p>This is a critical step because data, on its own, can be easily copied, and rarely provides any context. This is where the opinion of a seasoned expert comes into play.</p>
<p><strong>More Link Building Resources:</strong></p>
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February 26, 2018 at 04:09PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-34826816105956579512018-02-24T07:42:00.001-08:002018-02-24T07:42:14.749-08:0016 Entertaining Google Home Commands You May Not Know About16 Entertaining Google Home Commands You May Not Know About<br />
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<p>The most challenging part about using a voice-based speaker is no knowing what it can do. Smart speakers such as the <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-home-review/">Google Home</a>, Amazon Echo, and Apple HomePod can perform useful tasks just by responding to your voice. These functions can include turning other smart home products on/off, helping you to learn a second language, and much more.</p>
<p>Voice-activated speakers can perform a lot of other tasks too, including those less common and, in many cases, <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/funny-questions-ask-google-home/">purely for fun</a>. But with so many controls and commands to choose from, some awesome features slip through the cracks!</p>
<p>Here are a few Google Home commands you’ve likely never heard of before, but that are worth trying out!</p>
<h2>Google Home Commands: Games</h2>
<p>Google Assistant-powered devices such as the <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-newest-smart-home-devices/">Google Mini, Google Home, and Google Max</a><span><span><span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-newest-smart-home-devices/">New Google Home Devices: Everything You Should Know</a></span></span><span><span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-newest-smart-home-devices/">New Google Home Devices: Everything You Should Know</a></span><span>Google has big plans for its smart home products. Here's what we know so far about the Google Home Mini, Google Home Max, and Google Clips.</span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-newest-smart-home-devices/">Read More</a></span></span> love playing games. My favorites include:</p>
<h3>1. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/000000190c40e160?hl=en">Mystery Sounds</a></h3>
<p>The best part of Mystery Sounds is just how quickly the game becomes difficult. Here, you’re asked to match the sounds with a creature or object. The quicker you give the correct answer, the more points you get. If you find yourself stumped, you can ask for assistance, although your point total will go down for getting help.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Hey Google, let’s play Mystery Sounds”<br />
<strong>Hint:</strong> It’s not a puppy or a kitten, it’s a cat.</p>
<h3>2. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/000000c3a484704e?hl=en-US">Ding Dong Coconut</a></h3>
<p><img alt="entertaining google home commands" width="670" src="https://cdn.makeuseof.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/coconut-2675546_1920.jpg" height="518" /></p>
<p>Ding Dong Coconut is somewhat similar to Mystery Sounds except you can play against a friend. In the game, you’ll need to associate words with sounds that you hear. However, this isn’t as simple as listening to the sound of a dog barking and matching it with the word “dog.” In the real world, the sounds that you hear have absolutely nothing to do with its word match.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “OK Google, let’s play Ding Dong Coconut”<br />
<strong>Hint:</strong> Be prepared to say the words, “diddly squat.”</p>
<h3>3. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/id/1e438dfa9c63c8b1">The Pilgrim and The Guardian</a></h3>
<p>With The Pilgrim and The Guardian, your journey to a temple at the end of the forest. Your job is to either attempt to enter the temple as the pilgrim or ask Google clues to open the door as the guardian. The goal is to match a clue with its password.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Hey Google, start The Pilgrim and The Guardian”<br />
<strong>Hint:</strong> Playing as the pilgrim is so much more fun!</p>
<h3>4. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/000000f1ad0c186c?hl=en">Mad Libs</a></h3>
<p><img alt="entertaining google home commands" width="670" src="https://cdn.makeuseof.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/mad-lips.png" height="638" /></p>
<p>Mad Libs also has a presence on <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-assistant-siri-smart-ai/">Google Assistant</a>-based devices. The iconic game asks you to fill in the blanks with random words to make funny mad libs.</p>
<p>To get started, you’ll be asked to give random words such as adjectives, nouns, and parts of the body. After you do, Google will let you hear your hilarious Mad Libs using those words.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “OK Google, Play Mad Libs”<br />
<strong>Hint:</strong> Don’t remember what an adjective is? You better find out before playing this game. “Hey, Google, what’s an adjective?”</p>
<h3>5. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/000000d630f56867?hl=en">SongPop</a></h3>
<p>Next, there’s SongPop, the 21st-century version of Name That Tune where you match a sound clip with the name of the song or artist based on the genre of music you select. This game is a ton of fun to play by yourself, or with an entire room of people!</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Hey Google, Start Song Pop”<br />
<strong>Hint:</strong> Only music aficionados should apply here.</p>
<h3>6. What Game Is That?</h3>
<p>Don’t know what game to play? Just say “Okay Google, let’s play a game.” Google will walk you through an ever-changing list of games from which to choose.</p>
<h2>Google Home Commands: Music and Sound</h2>
<p>Voice-activated speakers are great at playing music, no matter the streaming service. <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-home-total-beginners/">Google Home</a><span><span><span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-home-total-beginners/">The Total Beginner's Guide to Using Google Home Like a Pro</a></span></span><span><span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-home-total-beginners/">The Total Beginner's Guide to Using Google Home Like a Pro</a></span><span>The Google Home is a powerful device. If you're considering buying one or just brought one home, let us explain the basics of what it can do right out of the box.</span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-home-total-beginners/">Read More</a></span></span> speakers, for example, can interact with Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio, and more. But moving beyond streaming services, Google Assistant can do even more that’s music and sound related, including the following.</p>
<h3>7. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/00000054af4df604?hl=en">Play White Noise or Ambient Sounds</a></h3>
<p><img alt="entertaining google home commands" width="670" src="https://cdn.makeuseof.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/relaxing.jpg" height="447" /></p>
<p>White noise and ambient sounds are great at helping you fall asleep. There are <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/mix-sleep-sounds-soothing-iphone-apps/">lots of apps</a><span><span><span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/mix-sleep-sounds-soothing-iphone-apps/">Mix Your Own Sleep Sounds With These Soothing iPhone Apps</a></span></span><span><span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/mix-sleep-sounds-soothing-iphone-apps/">Mix Your Own Sleep Sounds With These Soothing iPhone Apps</a></span><span>Which sounds help you to fall asleep? Create your own soothing ambience by mixing together sound effects with these iPhone apps.</span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/mix-sleep-sounds-soothing-iphone-apps/">Read More</a></span></span> out there that provide these types of sounds for a small fee. However, Google Assistant can also do the trick by playing the sound of a waterfall, thunder and lighting, rainstorms, and more.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Hey Google, help me relax” or “Okay Google, what ambient sounds do you know?” or “Hey Google, talk to Sleep Sounds”</p>
<h3>8. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/00000053bb8a2208?hl=en-US">Play Some Old School Radio</a></h3>
<p>Yes, there are still terrestrial and <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/find-best-internet-radio-stations/">internet/satellite radio stations</a><span><span><span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/find-best-internet-radio-stations/">How to Find the Best Internet Radio Stations</a></span></span><span><span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/find-best-internet-radio-stations/">How to Find the Best Internet Radio Stations</a></span><span>In this article, we explain why you might want to start (or go back to) listening to internet radio, as well as showing you how to find the best internet radio stations for you.</span><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/find-best-internet-radio-stations/">Read More</a></span></span> available across the United States and elsewhere. For those times you’d like to ditch Spotify or Pandora, ask Google to play your favorite station instead. It will respond to the station’s call sign or number on the dial.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Hey Google, play 99.1 FM”</p>
<h3>9. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/000000d32d491d0f?hl=en-US">Train That Ear</a></h3>
<p>Identifying intervals and triads is a useful skill for musicians. The Music Ear Trainer uses a voice user interface (VUI) to coach you in identifying both musical intervals and triads.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Talk to Music Ear Trainer” or “Talk to Music Ear Trainer about triads”</p>
<h3>10. Need Some Musical Help?</h3>
<p>Can’t decide on the music? You can get help by saying, “Hey Google, drop a beat” or “Okay Google, sing a song.” Both of these commands offer hilarious responses.</p>
<h2>Google Home Commands: Miscellaneous</h2>
<p>There’s more to Google Assistant than playing games and listening to sounds. You’ll want to try these commands too.</p>
<h3>11. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/0000004a14589ae2?hl=en">Talk to the Book Fairy</a></h3>
<p>With the book fairy, you can have random stories read to you. It’s perfect for those quiet nights when you have nothing to do.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Hey Google, talk to the Book Fair”</p>
<h3>12. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/000000d65867331f?hl=en-US">Is This the Matrix?</a></h3>
<p>Fans of the Matrix will love the interaction that begins with Google Assistant by merely asking, “Are we in the matrix?” Also ask the assistant about the red pill and blue bill too; you’ll be glad that you did.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Hey Google, talk to Matrix quiz”</p>
<h3>13. Who’s Right?</h3>
<p><img alt="entertaining google home commands" width="670" src="https://cdn.makeuseof.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/roll-the-dice.jpg" height="447" /></p>
<p>Thanks to a Google Home speaker, you don’t have to settle an argument using your fists. Instead, say “Okay Google, flip a coin” or “Hey Google, roll a dice.”</p>
<p>Want something even dicier? Say “Hey Google, roll a 36-sided die” or “Okay, roll three dice.”</p>
<h3>14. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/000000a5425f1a6d?hl=en">What’s Wrong With You?</a></h3>
<p><img alt="entertaining google home commands" width="670" src="https://cdn.makeuseof.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/heart-ekg.jpg" height="608" /></p>
<p>Google Assistant isn’t quite ready to take the place of your doctor. However, when you have a medical-related question, it can prove useful nonetheless.</p>
<p>The Virtual Nurse offers information on illnesses, medications, and first aid procedures. For example, you can ask the nurse questions like, “Hey, Google, how do you perform CPR” or “What are the side effects of using Metformin?”</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Okay Google, talk to the virtual nurse”</p>
<h3>15. <a href="https://assistant.google.com/services/a/uid/000000fdb81c91a6?hl=en">Won’t You Be My Friend?</a></h3>
<p>Are you ever feeling lonely? Wish there was someone who could listen to your problems and offer soothing words? Sentimental Friend is always there for you, no matter the time of day. Whether you’re happy or sad, Sentimental Friend can provide you with insight and words of encouragement.</p>
<p><strong>Just Say:</strong> “Hey Google, talk to Sentimental Friend”</p>
<h3>16. Finally, Try Some Follow-Up Questions</h3>
<p>Google Assistant is noted for being able to answer follow up questions unless many of the other voice assistants on the market.</p>
<p>You can ask Google for the location of the nearest gas station followed by when the store closes or say “Okay Google, what’s playing at the nearest theater” followed by “How far away is that?”</p>
<p>As you can see, Google Home speakers can do much more than play music. Use the built-in Google Assistant to play a game, help you relax, and much more. You’ll be glad that you did.</p>
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February 23, 2018 at 09:53PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-24072690218509516722018-02-17T21:14:00.001-08:002018-02-17T21:14:56.750-08:00Infographic: 14 Ways to Get Backlinks Without BeggingInfographic: 14 Ways to Get Backlinks Without Begging<br />
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<p>Are you producing lots of great content on a regular basis but still not seeing organic traffic?</p>
<p>The issue may be a lack of external sites linking to you, also known as backlinks. While SEO has evolved over the years, <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/4-important-ranking-factors-according-seo-industry-studies/184619/" target="_blank">backlinks still remain</a> as one of the most important SEO ranking factors.</p>
<p>What you <em>shouldn’t</em> do is get involved in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spamdexing#Link_spam" target="_blank">shady link schemes</a>. This is known as black hat SEO, and it is unethical and ineffective over the long run.</p>
<p>The key to getting backlinks in a <em>sustainable</em> way, without begging for them, is to continually produce <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/ingredients-of-great-content/" target="_blank">high-quality content</a> that people want to link to and share.</p>
<p>So, when you’re thinking of your link building strategies, keep these 14 in mind and try any or all of them. Give each a lot of effort and measure the results appropriately.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/generate-backlinks-without-begging/#theinfographic">Click here</a> if you’d prefer to skip this list and just go straight to the infographic.</strong></p>
<h2>1. Original Research</h2>
<p>Conducting research and surveys isn’t cheap in time or cost, but outlets like <a href="https://research.hubspot.com/" target="_blank">Hubspot</a> and <a href="https://conversionxl.com/research-studies/" target="_blank">ConversionXL</a> routinely conduct and publish research findings because they generate backlinks.</p>
<center><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/hubspot-research-blog-post.jpg 420w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/hubspot-research-blog-post-300x208.jpg 300w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/hubspot-research-blog-post.jpg" class="wp-image-35144" /></center>
<center><em>Hubspot frequently publishes blog posts like this</em>
<p>My friend Brian Dean has also published <a href="https://backlinko.com/search-engine-ranking" target="_blank">research-based blog posts</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/brian-dean-research-based-blog-post.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 916px) 100vw, 916px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/brian-dean-research-based-blog-post.png 916w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/brian-dean-research-based-blog-post-300x101.png 300w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/brian-dean-research-based-blog-post-768x259.png 768w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/brian-dean-research-based-blog-post.png" class="wp-image-35131" /></a></p>
<p>And has seen a lot of <a href="https://backlinko.com/link-building#chapter3" target="_blank">backlinks from the blog post</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinks-from-blog-post.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinks-from-blog-post.png 1440w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinks-from-blog-post-300x104.png 300w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinks-from-blog-post-768x266.png 768w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinks-from-blog-post-1024x354.png 1024w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinks-from-blog-post.png" class="wp-image-35134" /></a></p>
<p>If you prefer to not do research yourself or hire a researcher, you can reach out to other companies that conduct research and publish it in PDFs. Ask them for the PDF and if you can write a short blog post that summarizes the findings, or summarizes parts of it, in exchange for a link to their landing page to download the full report. You’ll still get a lot of links and social traffic, even if the data isn’t yours. You’re simply reporting on it.</p>
<p>After all, that’s what all science publications (i.e. ScienceDaily) do everyday. They write reports and summarizations of the latest scientific research, and cite the study in their article.</p>
<p>When your article is ready to go, it may help to put something like this in the headline:</p>
<ul>
<li>New Research</li>
<li>New Findings</li>
<li>New Data</li>
</ul>
<p>This way, people browsing on Google or social will see that it’s research-based, and they’ll want to check out your article.</p>
<p>Finally, when you release original data, reach out to some companies you have relationships with that may be interested in sharing your research. You can write to them with a simple request – here’s the research we did, here’s the article of the research, maybe it would come in handy for you at some point in the future.</p>
<p>Bonus points if you create an infographic based on your original research.</p>
<h2>2. Create Long-Form Guides</h2>
<p>More and more publishers are cutting their word counts short and producing content with few words. You can stand out and get backlinks by creating 10x content and giving it away for free.</p>
<p>This involves finding something useful that people will want to read, examining the competition, and creating something 10x better. You (or a writer you hire) will write about 15,000 words, and split the organization up into different chapters.</p>
<p>I’ve created many of these guides and published them Quick Sprout.</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/quicksprout-advanced-guide-to-link-building.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/quicksprout-advanced-guide-to-link-building.png 822w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/quicksprout-advanced-guide-to-link-building-300x288.png 300w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/quicksprout-advanced-guide-to-link-building-768x738.png 768w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/quicksprout-advanced-guide-to-link-building.png" class="wp-image-35135" /></a></p>
<p>Ramit Sethi produced a <a href="https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/guides/ultimate-guide-to-personal-finance/part-0/" target="_blank">guide to personal finance</a> and now he ranks #1 on Google for the query <em><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=personal+finance+guide" target="_blank">personal finance guide</a></em>.</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ramit-sethi-personal-finance-mega-guide.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ramit-sethi-personal-finance-mega-guide.png 1333w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ramit-sethi-personal-finance-mega-guide-300x177.png 300w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ramit-sethi-personal-finance-mega-guide-768x454.png 768w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ramit-sethi-personal-finance-mega-guide-1024x605.png 1024w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ramit-sethi-personal-finance-mega-guide.png" class="wp-image-35136" /></a></p>
<p>Brian Dean wrote a <a href="https://backlinko.com/keyword-research" target="_blank">keyword research guide</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinko-keyword-research-guide.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 1171px) 100vw, 1171px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinko-keyword-research-guide.png 1171w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinko-keyword-research-guide-300x199.png 300w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinko-keyword-research-guide-768x508.png 768w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinko-keyword-research-guide-1024x678.png 1024w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backlinko-keyword-research-guide.png" class="wp-image-35137" /></a></p>
<center><em>Guess where this ranks on <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=keyword+research+guide" target="_blank">Google</a></em>
<p>I’d recommend you take a look at some of these guides so you can get an idea of the breadth of undertaking for producing a 10x guide.</p>
<p>These 10x guides are expensive (writing and design time) and time-consuming, but they can pay off in the form of backlinks to your site.</p>
<h2>3. Interview an Influencer</h2>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/guide-to-influencer-targeting/" target="_blank">Influencer marketing</a> is all the rage right now. Most brands want to figure out how to get a big celebrity or athlete to endorse their product. Or better yet, be business partners with them.</p>
<div><iframe allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DhOrRQmQ-Z8?wmode=transparent&modestbranding=1&autohide=1&showinfo=0&rel=0" width="100%" height="100%"></iframe></div>
<p>But there’s another strategy you can take if you’re interested in getting backlinks. This involves interviewing an influencer to get their knowledge that would help your audience. If you don’t have connections, you’ll have to be good at email outreach and be a skilled people-person.</p>
<p>If you are granted an interview, it’s important to come prepared with thoughtful questions, and have respect for their time. Most influencers probably won’t want to chat for more than 15 minutes, but if you’re a skilled interviewer who asks good questions that should be more than enough time to get valuable information from them.</p>
<p>You can publish your interview either in a video format or via a transcript. If you can, I’d opt for a video if you can make sure it’s high quality. If not, stick with a transcript of the interview.</p>
<h2>4. Create an Infographic</h2>
<p>Kissmetrics has produced <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/infographics/" target="_blank">lots of infographics</a> that have brought us a ton of backlinks. We had our own in-house designer create the infographic, but if you don’t have your own designer you can hire one through <a href="https://www.upwork.com/" target="_blank">Upwork</a>.</p>
<p>The most difficult part of the infographic process is brainstorming a topic that’s a good fit for the infographic, then creating the copy and graphs to go in the infographic. A great designer will take a lot of the weight off your shoulders. Just come up with a topic, produce the content, and let the designer work their magic.</p>
<p>Don’t forget to add an embed code at the bottom to make it easy for people to put it on their website. A lot of other sites may just download your infographic and put it on their site. This is why it’s useful to have your logo on the infographic – so even if you don’t get the backlink, you still get your brand some exposure around the web.</p>
<p>If you’re looking to rank well for a particular term, you can add that keyword to the embed code. See what Copyblogger did <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/tips-for-creating-content/" target="_blank">with this infographic</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/copyblogger-clever-embed-code.jpg"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/copyblogger-clever-embed-code.jpg 625w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/copyblogger-clever-embed-code-300x131.jpg 300w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/copyblogger-clever-embed-code.jpg" class="wp-image-35200" /></a></p>
<h2>5. Create a Quiz</h2>
<p>Much like infographics, quizzes are popular and get a lot of shares. If you create on your site, you can add an embed code and get backlinks just like you would do with an infographic.</p>
<p>Your quizzes should be enjoyable for people to take. They don’t have to be a knowledge test. It’s best if you create something that encourages people to look inward and think about themselves. The end result then makes something that’s shareable with others.</p>
<p>This is what Buzzfeed does so well. They create quizzes like, <em>“What Kind of [fill in the blank] Are You?”</em>. People love taking the quizzes and sharing them because it’s about each person.</p>
<p>Try adding <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/quizzes-for-your-marketing-strategy/" target="_blank">quizzes to your marketing strategy</a> and see what results you get!</p>
<h2>6. Contact Sites that Link to Defunct Sites</h2>
<p>This is known as the <a href="https://backlinko.com/high-quality-backlinks" target="_blank">Moving Man Method</a>, courtesy of Brian Dean. I’d recommend you check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVMaSvTVmGI" target="_blank">his full video</a> for a breakdown of this. It’s pretty brilliant and I have to give him the proper credit.</p>
<p>The important thing to keep in mind is to only reach out to high quality sites. Remember that crappy sites that link to you are your problem. You are responsible for who links to you. Remove the crappy sites that are linking to you and you’ll improve your overall backlink profile.</p>
<h2>7. Testimonials</h2>
<p>Offering a free testimonial is a win-win relationship. The business gets a testimonial and you get your name and company name on their website, along with a link back to your site.</p>
<p>Obviously, when you reach out to these companies, you need to be a customer of their product or service. Don’t contact companies you don’t use and offer a testimonial.</p>
<p>I’ve done this on a lot of different sites and it’s helped to increase my exposure.</p>
<p>Here I am on the homepage of <a href="https://backlinko.com/" target="_blank">Backlinko</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-backlinko.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 1037px) 100vw, 1037px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-backlinko.png 1037w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-backlinko-300x99.png 300w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-backlinko-768x254.png 768w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-backlinko-1024x339.png 1024w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-backlinko.png" class="wp-image-35138" /></a></p>
<p>And here I am with Brian Dean on the <a href="https://ahrefs.com/" target="_blank">Ahrefs</a> homepage:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-ahrefs-homepage.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 1281px) 100vw, 1281px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-ahrefs-homepage.png 1281w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-ahrefs-homepage-300x144.png 300w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-ahrefs-homepage-768x368.png 768w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-ahrefs-homepage-1024x490.png 1024w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-ahrefs-homepage.png" class="wp-image-35139" /></a></p>
<p>And on <a href="https://viewership.com/" target="_blank">Viewership.com</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-viewership-homepage.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-viewership-homepage.png 768w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-viewership-homepage-300x94.png 300w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-on-viewership-homepage.png" class="wp-image-35140" /></a></p>
<p>I have many more around the web, but how many visits do you think these three sites receive? That’s how much free exposure I’m getting, because I endorse their product and wrote a testimonial.</p>
<h2>8. Guest Blogging</h2>
<p>This is one of my favorite methods for gaining links and exposure. <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/guide-to-guest-blogging/" target="_blank">Guest blogging</a> can be free (if you’re a good writer) or paid if you prefer to hire a ghostwriter. If you haven’t written for other blogs before, I’d recommend hiring a ghostwriter. It will cost between $250-$500 for a quality article with at least 2,000 words.</p>
<p>In the article, you can link to your own content. I’ve done this <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/author/neil-patel" target="_blank">with my articles in Entrepreneur</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-article-link-in-entrepreneur.jpg"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 718px) 100vw, 718px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-article-link-in-entrepreneur.jpg 718w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-article-link-in-entrepreneur-300x186.jpg 300w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-article-link-in-entrepreneur.jpg" class="wp-image-35141" /></a></p>
<p>Don’t go overboard and put a dozen links back to your site. Keep it reasonable (maybe 1-3 for every 2000 words) and make sure the owner of the blog is okay with it. If they’re not, you may want to take your content somewhere else. I think it’s a fair tradeoff considering that you’re giving them great free content in exchange for some links and exposure.</p>
<p>Be sure to also use your byline wisely. Keep it sharp and to the point. Tell readers who you are, what you do, and what value you bring. Link to your site. Bonus points if you can link to other parts of your site, like Bnonn does on the Kissmetrics blog:</p>
<center><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 548px) 100vw, 548px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/bnonn-link-juice-in-byline.jpg 548w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/bnonn-link-juice-in-byline-300x141.jpg 300w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/bnonn-link-juice-in-byline.jpg" class="wp-image-35142" /></center>
<p>In his byline, he’s advertising his free course (which brings him leads) and has a link back to his website.</p>
<h2>9. Find Unlinked Mentions</h2>
<p>If you’re well known, you’ll have hundreds or even thousands of sites that mention your company or name but don’t link to you. Using this method, you find those high-quality sites that aren’t linking.</p>
<p>For example, if I write about Copyblogger or mention one of their blog posts but don’t link to it, they can reach out to me in a helpful way and suggest I add in a link to their site or blog post. I’m already mentioning them; so adding the link is only helpful to readers.</p>
<p>Credit to Brian Dean for this tactic – he calls it <a href="https://backlinko.com/link-building#chapter8" target="_blank">link reclamation</a>.</p>
<h2>10. Public Relations For Page Rank</h2>
<p>Having good relationships with journalists and news outlets is great for public relations and backlinks. But you shouldn’t cold email a journalist and ask them to promote your company. That won’t work and will only make you look bad.</p>
<div><iframe allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BVkcDEMv_xA?wmode=transparent&modestbranding=1&autohide=1&showinfo=0&rel=0" width="100%" height="100%"></iframe></div>
<p><a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/university/how-to-get-exposure-and-links-using-haro/" target="_blank">Use Help a Reporter Out</a>, but don’t rely on it. You need to make an active effort to make relationships with journalists and help them out when they need it. All good relationships rely on reciprocity.</p>
<p>Some of you may have a unique story or angle that a news outlet would like to cover. That’s how <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2012/05/24/business/millionaire-lives-hotel/index.html" target="_blank">I got coverage on CNN</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-cnn.jpg"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 617px) 100vw, 617px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-cnn.jpg 617w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-cnn-300x195.jpg 300w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/neil-patel-cnn.jpg" class="wp-image-35143" /></a></p>
<p>I knew they wouldn’t want to hear about my business, but rather that I live in hotels. I did get links to my businesses from this article, and it brought a lot of referral traffic.</p>
<p>So as you build those relationships, you’ll eventually start getting mentions in outlets and publications. This can do wonders for your exposure and your “link juice”.</p>
<h2>11. Use Outreach Efforts When You Write a Post</h2>
<p>When you write a blog post, you’ll probably be linking to other companies and articles. When you do that, you should make an effort to contact the people that run those companies or write those articles and tell that them that you mentioned them on your blog post. They may share it social media or mention you in a future article. Remember – trust the laws of reciprocity.</p>
<div><iframe allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-oHmRLcLwtM?wmode=transparent&modestbranding=1&autohide=1&showinfo=0&rel=0" width="100%" height="100%"></iframe></div>
<p>When you reach out, it’s important to not ask for a backlink. That will make you look desperate, and no one wants to look desperate. Just simply reach out and tell them that you liked their article/post or company so much that you wanted to share it on your blog post. Then share the link to your blog post. That’s all you have to do.</p>
<p>Finally, don’t write a blog post that has hundreds of links. If you do that and reach out to each one you linked to, it will make you look bad because you’re giving out a bunch of links in order to ask for a link back. Keep the number of links on your blog posts reasonable, and tell bloggers and companies when you write about them. Then, trust the laws of reciprocity.</p>
<h2>12. Quality on Quality Blogs</h2>
<p>This can be one of the best ways to gain exposure. You’ll also get backlinks <em>if</em> the comments are not a <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nofollow" target="_blank">nofollow</a></em>.</p>
<p>The priority when writing a comment is to make sure it’s thoughtful, relevant, and adds to the discussion. Writing, “great post, keep it up” isn’t thoughtful or relevant and it doesn’t add to the discussion. When someone reads your comment, it should be clear that you actually read the blog post or article and have something unique to add to it. Your comments should be like the blog posts you write – high quality, thoughtful, and useful.</p>
<p>The WordPress commenting plugin <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/commentluv/" target="_blank">Commentluv</a> uses <em>dofollow</em> comment URLs by default. I’d recommend searching for these blogs, subscribing to them, reading them as they come out, and making comments shortly after they’re published.</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/quality-comment-both-sides-of-the-table.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 797px) 100vw, 797px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/quality-comment-both-sides-of-the-table.png 797w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/quality-comment-both-sides-of-the-table-300x254.png 300w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/quality-comment-both-sides-of-the-table.png" class="wp-image-29413" /></a></p>
<p>You can also link to your blog in the comment:</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/link-to-blog-in-blog-comment.png"><img alt="" sizes="(max-width: 807px) 100vw, 807px" srcset="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/link-to-blog-in-blog-comment.png 807w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/link-to-blog-in-blog-comment-300x210.png 300w, https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/link-to-blog-in-blog-comment-768x539.png 768w" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/link-to-blog-in-blog-comment.png" class="wp-image-35146" /></a></p>
<h2>13. Request Your Company or Article Be Added to a Resource Page or Listicle</h2>
<p>It’s important to only do this if you really think that what you want to link to would improve the article. I get a lot of requests from bloggers asking for links. I ignore all of them because none of them make sense for my blog. I can see that they don’t want to make any of my articles better, they just a backlink.</p>
<p>Check out the <a href="https://backlinko.com/link-building#chapter6" target="_blank">script Brian Dean has</a> for you in his mega-guide.</p>
<h2>14. Create a List of Your Own</h2>
<p>Love ‘em or hate ‘em, <a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/university/how-to-create-list-posts/" target="_blank">list-based posts</a> get a lot of traffic.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I think that a lot of marketers and content creators view them as a shortcut. They’ve been brainwashed by viewing the listicles that are in slideshow form, thinking that if they just brainstorm a few things to put on their list, and add a sentence or two to each one, that their job is done. You shouldn’t make it that easy on yourself.</p>
<p>Other marketers will go overboard and make their list so long (i.e. 150+ items) that no one will read it all. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with this if you can make manage to make each item useful. Don’t add things to your list that don’t make sense just so you can have a bigger number.</p>
<p>Keep in mind, as with everything, quality over quantity. (Ideally you have both quality and quantity). You’re better off keeping your list at the right amount and making more quality list-based posts instead of putting all your energy into one post.</p>
<h2>The Infographic</h2>
<p><a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/generate-backlinks-without-begging/?wide=1"><img alt="" src="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/14-ways-to-get-backlinks-without-begging-infographic.jpg" class="wp-image-35197" /></a></p>
<h2>Want to display this infographic on your site?</h2>
<p>Simply copy and paste the code below into the html of your website to display the infographic presented above:</p>
<center><br />
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<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Getting backlinks doesn’t involve begging. It involves hard work. It takes creativity, hustle, and good people skills.</p>
<p>Your best competition, the ones consistently at the top of Google, aren’t cold emailing companies and bloggers asking for backlinks. They’re hard at work producing great content that people want to share and link to.</p>
<p>All the work is worth it. I’ve been in content marketing for years and I still find that backlinks are crucial to ranking higher in Google.</p>
<p>I hope you’ll examine these 14 tactics, find some that work for you, put in meaningful effort in each, and measure the results. Then let me know how they work for you.</p>
<p><em>What methods have you found useful and effective to get backlinks without begging for them?</em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong> Neil Patel is the cofounder of Neil Patel Digital.</p>
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February 17, 2018 at 08:46PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-28134688321003974182018-02-17T05:49:00.001-08:002018-02-17T05:49:31.123-08:0055 Must-Know SEO Tricks for Business Websites (Infographic)55 Must-Know SEO Tricks for Business Websites (Infographic)<br />
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<p>For any business, it’s more important than ever to have an <a rel="follow" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242285?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">online presence</a> -- and that goes beyond just having a website. In order to get your company out there and <a rel="follow" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308025?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">traffic</a> to your website, you’ve got to have some stellar <a rel="follow" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231235?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">SEO</a> practices in place.</p>
<p><b>Related: <a rel="follow" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/274809?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">These 9 SEO Tips Are All You'll Ever Need to Rank in Google</a></b></p>
<p>While the idea might sound daunting, it’s easier than you think. But first, do some research and know exactly what’s in store when it comes to search engine optimization. According to recent research from graphic design firm <a rel="follow" href="http://milkwhale.com/" target="_blank">Milkwhale</a>, Google is likely your best bet when choosing which search engine to focus on. Google accounts for 81 percent of desktop search traffic worldwide, getting an average 57,000 clicks per second, 100 billion searches a month and 2 trillion searches per year. That’s a lot of opportunity.</p>
<p><b>Related: <a rel="follow" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/298395?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">SEO Tutorial: 12 Immutable Laws For Dominating Google's Search</a></b></p>
<p>Great SEO practices are incredibly important to your business because according to recent research, 89 percent of customers start their buying processes through a search engine, with as little as 20 percent actually scrolling down the search results page. That means you want your website to populate as high on the search results as possible.</p>
<p>SEO is not only good for getting traffic to your website, but you’ll likely get more customers into your doors and more followers on your social media accounts. Nearly three-quarters of consumers who do a local search online end up actually visiting the store if it’s within five miles of them. And when it comes to social media, sites such as Facebook help lead customers to your pages. Facebook produced 61 percent of all website visits from social sites in 2016, so it’s no wonder a majority of businesses incorporate social media in their SEO strategies.</p>
<p><b>Related: <a rel="follow" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/303761?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">How to Pick Your First SEO Keywords</a></b></p>
<p>For more, check out the infographic below.</p>
<p><a rel="follow" href="https://assets.entrepreneur.com/images/misc/1518804887_55-seo-tricks-small-business-websites-infographic.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://assets.entrepreneur.com/images/misc/1518804887_55-seo-tricks-small-business-websites-infographic.jpg" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Related:</strong><br />
<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/309120?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">55 Must-Know SEO Tricks for Business Websites (Infographic)</a><br />
<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308815?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">Conversation Topics That Should and Shouldn't Be Discussed in the Office (Infographic)</a><br />
<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308751?utm_source=Feedly&utm_medium=related&utm_campaign=syndication">10 Free Hacks to Improve Your Cellular Signal (Infographic)</a><br /></p>
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February 17, 2018 at 12:15PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-89259421918933895092018-01-31T13:58:00.001-08:002018-01-31T13:58:41.395-08:00“Apester” Looks Like A Very Versatile Tool For Creating Interactive SlideshowsJag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-25488641694295002972018-01-31T13:46:00.001-08:002018-01-31T13:46:01.752-08:00Channel your inner explorer to find link-building prospectsChannel your inner explorer to find link-building prospects<br />
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<p>Every time I conduct an in-house survey and ask my linking team, “What do you think is the hardest part of your job,” they answer, “The discovery process!”</p>
<p>Just to clarify, when they say “discovery,” they are referring to the process of finding new sites to contact for a link. They are right; it is one of the hardest aspects of link building. I feel their pain.</p>
<p>When I am building links, I can go through 10 search engine results pages (SERPs) and not find a single website I think is worth reaching out to. Sometimes I get lucky and find five in the top 20 results, but overall, it is getting harder and harder to find good prospects.</p>
<p>Coming up with ways to find new sites is tough, my link builders complain all the time. They brainstorm as a team, but I wonder what solo practitioners do? If you work on your own, how do you keep the creative juices going and dream up new angles for finding prospects? Here are a handful of ways to channel your inner explorer and find quality link-building prospects.</p>
<p><a href="https://searchengineland.com/channel-inner-explorer-find-link-building-prospects-290299?utm_src=ml&utm_medium=textlink&utm_campaign=mlxpost">[Read the full article on Search Engine Land.]</a></p>
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<p><em>Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Marketing Land. Staff authors are listed <a href="https://marketingland.com/staff">here</a>.</em></p>
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<h3>About The Author</h3>
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<p>Julie Joyce owns the link development firm</p>
<a href="http://www.linkfishmedia.com/">Link Fish Media</a>
<p>and is one of the founding members of the</p>
<a href="http://www.seo-chicks.com/">SEO Chicks</a>
<p>blog. Julie began working in search marketing in 2002 and soon became head of search for a small IT firm. Eventually, she started Link Fish Media, where she now serves as Director Of Operations, focusing on working with clients in ultra-competitive niches all over the world.</p>
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January 31, 2018 at 08:18PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-74979803243012982052018-01-23T13:37:00.001-08:002018-01-23T13:37:20.764-08:00The Essential List of Free PPC Tools by @bigalittleaThe Essential List of Free PPC Tools by @bigalittlea<br />
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<p>It’s imperative for SEM managers to have a broad toolset at their disposal at all times.</p>
<p>When it comes to free PPC tools, there are <em>so many</em> great free resources available.</p>
<p>After crowdsourcing a few dozen suggestions from my LinkedIn and Twitter networks, as well as my team, I came to an undeniable conclusion: everyone is trying to do the same thing in different ways.</p>
<p>The old Abraham Maslow adage of “If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail,” comes to mind.</p>
<p>What follows is a comprehensive resource guide to free and freemium PPC tools, organized by task or goal, with tips and tricks to make the most of each tool.</p>
<h2>Keyword Research Tools</h2>
<h3>Free</h3>
<h4><strong>Google + Bing Keyword Planners</strong></h4>
<p>A lot of people don’t like the keyword tool because the data can be anywhere from inaccurate to outright wrong.</p>
<p>However, I love the keyword planners to death, even if the data can be a bit suspect.</p>
<p>You have to take them for what they are. They’re designed for expanded ideation.</p>
<p>When you put keywords in for ideas, the tools fire off matches the same way pure broad match might work.</p>
<p>Google and Bing’s keyword planners aren’t perfect, but can plant amazing seed ideas for campaigns and ad groups. The decent (but not perfect) volume estimates are a bonus.</p>
<p>A few tips:</p>
<ul>
<li>Use the volume estimates as directional data, not as absolutes. Set your base bids based on what you can afford, not what the tools say the average is.</li>
<li>I’ve always used a 1,000 monthly searches estimate as a secondary threshold to segment ad groups. This still holds true as a good proxy when search intent + messaging are too close to call.</li>
<li>In general, things with no volume estimates will get tagged with low search volume and likely won’t show. Its fine to include them in the account, but be careful of ad group sculpting (negating exact from broad or phrase). This may prevent the LSV queries from ever showing.</li>
<li>Don’t get too precise with regions. Estimates lose their utility when you go beyond State or Province level.</li>
</ul>
<h4><strong>Google Search Console + Google Analytics</strong></h4>
<p>You can get a decent amount of organic query data out of <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-search-console-guide/209318/">Google Search Console</a>, which can help flesh out your campaigns and fill in gaps.</p>
<p>Google Analytics can give limited organic search data, but the real value comes from analyzing your on-site searches.</p>
<p>Be careful however, that your PPC doesn’t wind up stealing market share from organic.</p>
<h4><strong>Search Suggestion Tools</strong></h4>
<p><strong>Keywordtool.io</strong>, <strong>UberSuggest.io</strong> and <strong>Soovle</strong> all do loosely the same thing – they scrape search suggestions from various engines, each with varying degrees of completeness.</p>
<p>Each has their own distinct advantages/disadvantages. It’s worth toying with each to ensure you have complete coverage.</p>
<ul>
<li>UberSuggest has the most comprehensive pull from Google, but nowhere else. Plus you can export the data.</li>
<li>Keyword Tool has a few more options (including Bing/Amazon/eBay), but it doesn’t seem to generate quite as robust a list as Uber. Data is also exportable.</li>
<li>Soovle allows you to pick from every engine under the sun, but limits the results it shows. Great for finding super <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-long-tail-keywords/204482/">long-tail terms</a> to target search partner-heavy terms.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Answer The Public</strong> is a humanized version search suggest and the closest thing I’ve seen to replicating the Google Wonder Wheel (RIP). Enter your base word or phrase, and it’ll spring off into natural language queries.</p>
<p>It’s more valuable as a content/landing page/ad copy development too than a purebred keyword tool. Plus it’s got a handsome old man with a nice sweater on it.</p>
<h3>Freemium</h3>
<p>If anyone finds a paid/freemium keyword research tool that’s worth it, let me know.</p>
<h3><strong>Honorable Mentions</strong></h3>
<p><strong>Keywords Everywhere</strong> is a Chrome extension that shows volume + competition in the search bar.</p>
<p><strong>KW Finder</strong> is another suggest-based tool including a competitiveness metric.</p>
<p><strong>Keyword Wrapper</strong> formats your builds to include BMM/phrase/exact match. I’m an Excel-first guy, but if you want a match type wrapper it’s here.</p>
<p><strong>BigQuery to Sheets</strong> de-samples analytics data. I haven’t personally used it but it was recommended by a few.</p>
<h2>PPC Competitive Analysis Tools</h2>
<p>If you’re using a competitive analysis tool to find competitive spend, you’re doing it wrong.</p>
<p>The estimator tools all operate (roughly) by scraping the SERP and reporting back on what they can see.</p>
<p>They triangulate via estimates in Keyword Planners to get spend estimates.</p>
<p>If you must guess what others are spending, run yourself through the tools and use competitive estimates as a proportion.</p>
<p>You’ll be wrong, though.</p>
<h3>Free</h3>
<h4>Auction Insights</h4>
<p>Auction Insights from Bing + Google are the best competitive analysis tools you’ll find.</p>
<p>They’re free in the sense that there’s no monthly fee, but expensive as they’ll only show competitive data relative to your own.</p>
<p>Bear in mind auction insights pull data at the auction level.</p>
<p>If you pull data on broad match terms or shopping campaigns, you’ll have a far less accurate picture.</p>
<p>Sticking to exact match terms will give the clearest insights.</p>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="AdWords Auction Insights Over Time" width="1280" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Auction-Insights.jpg" class="wp-image-232977" height="455" /></p>
<p>Remember to segment by time to see how their strategy evolves!</p>
<h3>Freemium</h3>
<h4><strong>SpyFu</strong>/<strong>iSpionage</strong>/<strong>KeywordSpy</strong>/<strong>SEMrush</strong></h4>
<p>Each of these SERP scraping tools give you a bit of insight for free, but with investment comes far better data.</p>
<p>I’m oversimplifying here, but the baseline use of each is similar.</p>
<p>You can see what ads appeared over time and for what keywords. The differentiation comes from the added “bells and whistles.”</p>
<p>SEMRush + SpyFu are the most robust (and thus, most expensive after free trial) but they feature the most complete dataset.</p>
<h4><strong>AdBeat</strong></h4>
<p>This tool accomplishes much of the same for display.</p>
<p>You can get some competitive data for free, but robust reporting will cost you.</p>
<h2>Bidding + Campaign Management Tools</h2>
<h3>Free</h3>
<h4><strong>AdWords Scripts</strong></h4>
<p>Don’t get scared of scripts because you don’t have a coding background.</p>
<p>There’s a myriad of free resources out there to help educate you.</p>
<p>Checking landing pages, adjusting for anomalies or pausing a campaign that goes haywire should be simply automated.</p>
<p>A few of my favorite script libraries include:</p>
<p>There’s also the good old-fashioned <strong><a rel="noopener" href="https://developers.google.com/adwords/scripts/" target="_blank">Google Developer’s Guide</a>.</strong></p>
<p>Buyer beware – AdWords scripts will time out after 30 minutes, and can only touch 250,000 entities per go.</p>
<p>Make sure you have controls in place lest your script only touch part of the account.</p>
<h4>Automated Rules from Google + Bing</h4>
<p>Automated Rules from Google + Bing are both fantastic for executing simple tasks like pausing ads at the end of a sale or boosting bids to first page recommendations.</p>
<p>If your account is more complex, you can use labels to help guide the rules.</p>
<h4>Bidding Tools from Google + Bing</h4>
<p>By the same token, Bidding Tools from both of the engines are effective.</p>
<p>I’ve heard a myriad of complaints and conspiracy theories around these – trusting the fox to guard the henhouse, if you will.</p>
<p>Remember, it’s in the engines best interests for your advertising to perform well!</p>
<p>Each of the engine bidding tools has their own strengths and weaknesses.</p>
<p>As a general rule, you can trust the engines to make smart decisions with correct data.</p>
<p>A significant lot of offline information or a complicated sales process can diminish UI-based bidding tools.</p>
<p>However, if all of the data you’d need is within the interfaces, give their bidding tools a try.</p>
<p>Make sure to set CPC caps where applicable, however, so the tools don’t get <em>too</em> excited.</p>
<h3>Freemium/Affordable (But Worth It)</h3>
<p>There are a million and one bidding platforms available.</p>
<p>I’m not going to get into a debate for which is best, and they are most definitely not free.</p>
<p>On a smaller scale, tools like <strong>Adalysis</strong> can make your PPC lives significantly easier by automating account checks and ad tests. <strong>Optymzer</strong> is another great option in the same vein.</p>
<p>Both feature a 14-day free trial to see if they’re a fit.</p>
<h2><strong>Reporting + Data Visualization</strong></h2>
<h3>Free</h3>
<h4>Google Data Studio</h4>
<p><a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/beginners-guide-google-data-studio/187465/">Google Data Studio</a> is glorious, plain and simple.</p>
<p>As long as all of the data you need lives in engines or DoubleClick, it’s easy to get things set up in a nice tidy live dashboard.</p>
<p>If you have any issues or any <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-to-integrate-and-visualize-any-source-in-google-data-studio/214594/">data sources</a> you can’t embed, there’s a robust developer community or a number of connectors available from <strong>SuperMetrics</strong></p>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="Google Data Studio AdWords Reports" width="1195" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Data_Studio.png" class="wp-image-232979" height="762" /></p>
<h4>Chandoo and ExcelCharts</h4>
<p>If you are an Excel person (as most of us are), you’ll need a deft hand to create more than stacked bars and bubble charts.</p>
<p>Chandoo.org + ExcelCharts.com are two of my favorites to better understand data visualization and to make your results sing.</p>
<h3>Freemium/Affordable</h3>
<p><strong>SuperMetrics</strong> is a comprehensive tool to get your marketing data in a single place. It was initially developed for Google Sheets + Excel, but now can port data directly into Data Studio.</p>
<p>If you can’t get things done in Data Studio, there are many options available to help. <strong>Swydo</strong>, <strong>ReportGarden</strong>, and <strong>Reporting Ninja</strong> each have a variety of bonus features beyond dashboarding and basic budget management.</p>
<p><strong>AdStage</strong> and <strong>NinjaCat</strong> are a bit more robust solutions if you need complex data integration. All have free trials, and monthly fees beyond that</p>
<h2><strong>Audiences Insights</strong></h2>
<h3>Free</h3>
<h4>Google Display Planner</h4>
<p>The Google Display Planner is good at a lot of things beyond setting up a display campaign.</p>
<p>Drop your website in to get a view of affinity topics + interests, as well as related demographic and device browsing behavior.</p>
<p>These can help prioritize search campaigns and set better bid modifiers</p>
<h4><strong>AdWords Audience Insights</strong></h4>
<p>AdWords Audience Insights can paint a clear picture of exactly who’s visiting your site, on your CRM list, or (better yet) converting.</p>
<h4><strong>Facebook Audience Insights</strong></h4>
<p>Facebook Audience Insights will do the same, but with far greater accuracy.</p>
<p>Both can give a ton of information into the composition of your actual audience.</p>
<h3>Freemium</h3>
<p>There are a few options available for robust audience insights and behavioral analysis.</p>
<p><strong>SimilarWeb</strong> (no registration required) or <strong>Alexa</strong> (7-day trial) grant tons of user information and paint a picture of your site audience or that of your competitors. Both products are on the pricey side, but you can get a good deal of information for free.</p>
<h2>Conversion Rate Optimization</h2>
<h3>Free</h3>
<p>Post-click optimization is a crucial tool to have in your PPC toolbelt, and the tools don’t have to cost a ton!</p>
<h4><strong>Google Optimize</strong></h4>
<p>Google Optimize is a good place to start, allowing simple site tests without heavy coding.</p>
<p>You can launch A/B tests, basic multivariate tests, or re-directs to control what a user sees without having to clone your ads a million times.</p>
<p>The tool is on the basic side.</p>
<h4>VWO and Optimizely</h4>
<p>If your testing program expands you may want to invest a premium tool like VWO or Optimizely<strong>.</strong></p>
<h3>Freemium</h3>
<p>Much of conversion rate optimization comes down to a basic understanding of how the human mind and eyes work, and what draws attention.</p>
<p>Heat mapping and mouse recording are both powerful methods to understand where users go first and to help assess before and after of your CRO tests.</p>
<h4><strong>HotJar</strong></h4>
<p>HotJar is a great heat mapping tool product that has a limited free-forever version, though more robust options start at $29/month.</p>
<h4>Unbounce</h4>
<p>If you don’t have a strong landing page, heat mapping isn’t the best place to start. Instead, start by developing a solid landing page for your campaign.</p>
<p>Unbounce is arguably the best known (and longest tenured) landing page tool and has a 30-day trial to get started, then it starts at $79/month after that.</p>
<h4>Lander</h4>
<p>Lander is more affordable (starting at $16/month after trial), but isn’t quite as robust.</p>
<h4>Ontrapages</h4>
<p>You can get free-forever landing pages from Ontrapages<strong>,</strong> albeit with a little branding until you upgrade.</p>
<h2><strong>Bonus Things I Love</strong></h2>
<h3><strong>Focus and Productivity</strong></h3>
<p>A lot of us work in open offices now which are proven to be counterproductive for pretty much anything besides meetings.</p>
<p>I recommend the <strong>Music For Office Workers </strong>playlist series from Drowned in Sound (note: need to sign up/sign in to Spotify to use). It helps drown out distractions, replacing them with beautiful ambient + classical music. Pair it with an <strong>Audioengine D1</strong> and your favorite headphones for extra high-quality focus tunes.</p>
<p>For those who are more of the ambient noise camp, check out <strong>Noisli</strong>.</p>
<p>It’s important to remember the human brain isn’t exactly a finely-tuned focus machine – we only have a certain capacity before we lose effectiveness, <em>especially</em> the millennial brain.</p>
<p>I’m a huge proponent of the Pomodoro method (3-5 minute breaks every 25-30 minutes). <strong>Marinara</strong> is a simple extension tells you when it’s time to take a break and look at something else for a few minutes to clear your head. It’s good for your eyes, too!</p>
<h3><strong>Project Management</strong></h3>
<p>Project management is one thing I see people struggle with as they grow in their careers. Nothing is more challenging than putting together reports and forgetting what you did.</p>
<p>I love <strong>Trello</strong> to keep track of long-term projects across teams.</p>
<p>For a more robust solution, <strong>FreedCamp</strong> acts as a freemium version of Basecamp. It’s not as complete but will suffice in many scenarios.</p>
<p>That said, a well-developed <strong>Google Sheet</strong> can go a long way.</p>
<p>Do you have any other free or freemium tools for PPC? We’d love to hear about them! Tweet <a href="http://twitter.com/sejournal">@sejournal</a> and let us know.</p>
<p><em>Special thanks to Brad Putney, Nathan Eagan, Jeremy Krantz, Nicole Mintiens, Wesley Parker, Matthew Marley, Julie Friedman Bacchini and Grant Charge for your contributions.</em></p>
<p><strong>More PPC Resources:</strong></p>
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<p><em><strong>Image Credits</strong></em></p>
<p><em>Screenshots taken by Aaron Levy, January 2018</em></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://blockads.fivefilters.org">Let's block ads!</a></strong> <a href="https://blockads.fivefilters.org/acceptable.html">(Why?)</a></p>
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January 23, 2018 at 06:19PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-88040234640620668382018-01-21T10:12:00.001-08:002018-01-21T10:12:55.129-08:0028 Free Tools to Help You Find What People Search For by @annaleacrowe28 Free Tools to Help You Find What People Search For by @annaleacrowe<br />
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<p><em>Editor’s note: This is a chapter from Search Engine Journal’s new e-book, <strong>SEO 101: Learn the Basics of Search Engine Optimization</strong>. Want to read the full guide? <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101/?utm_source=sej&utm_medium=in-post-seo-conference-chapter&utm_campaign=sej-in-post-seo-conference-chapter">Download your copy of SEO 101</a> now!</em></p>
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<p>As thought-provoking and enjoyable as <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-guide/complete-guide-keyword-research/">keyword research</a> can be, it’s also equally complicated and mind-boggling if you’re a beginner just on the tipping point of actually <em>getting it</em>.</p>
<p>Sure, you’ve perused through Google’s Keyword Planner and tinkered with Autocomplete. But, honestly, keyword research is intimidating when you’re just starting out.</p>
<p>Today, I know that keyword research is not that difficult. But, thanks to RankBrain, AI, digital assistants, etc. it can be confusing even to know where to begin when you’re a newbie.</p>
<p>Getting into the groove of keyword research doesn’t just happen overnight. You need to know how people search and what they search for before you can even start to think about mapping your keywords.</p>
<p>And with more than <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.internetlivestats.com/" target="_blank">6 billion searches a day worldwide</a>, how do you know where to start?</p>
<p>It’s about finding the deepest, darkest, secret corners of the user’s search intent to find “the right stuff” in a bowl full of “meh’s.”</p>
<p>That’s where this article comes in. I’m spilling my top tool picks for those looking to improve their SEO repertoire.</p>
<p>So, if you’re starting from square one and don’t want to look like you stumbled out of 1997 with keyword stuffing, read on.</p>
<h2>What People Search For</h2>
<p>Where do you look for news stories or trending topics?</p>
<p>There are so many excellent tools that help SEO marketers make sense of what people search for and why. They can help answer questions like:</p>
<ul>
<li>When should I write an article?</li>
<li>Would this article perform well?</li>
<li>Who would read this article?</li>
</ul>
<p>How do I find these answers?</p>
<p>With some awesome tools.</p>
<p>Here are 28 of my favorite tools that can help SEO noobs (or anyone really) discover what people are searching for and why.</p>
<h2>1. Buzzsumo</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what do people search for buzzsumo" width="1400" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-do-people-search-for-buzzsumo.gif" title="what do people search for buzzsumo | SEJ" class="wp-image-211824" height="678" /></p>
<p>Buzzsumo is one of my favorite tools because of their <a rel="noopener" href="http://buzzsumo.com/solutions/content-discovery/" target="_blank">Content Discovery</a> solution. It enables you to search by topics Trending Now. And, you can filter by 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours. Plus, you can filter by topics. So, if the usual government hoopla isn’t something you want to tie your keyword research tool, just filter it out.</p>
<p>Or, you can use Buzzsumo like <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/wonderwall7" target="_blank">Kelsey Jones</a>, founder of SixStories, uses BuzzSumo. She says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I love using Buzzsumo because it not only shows me what type of content is popular on social media, it also shows me what publishers and my clients’ competitors are writing. The interface is also really to use, and I like being able to sort by date and number of social shares. To me, Buzzsumo is worth the cost for both content marketing and keyword research.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Buzzsumo does offer a free version, but you can upgrade for $99 a month if you want to get alerts on specific topics and all the other goods Jones mentioned.</p>
<h2>2. SEMRush</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for semrush" width="1256" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-semrush.gif" title="what people search for semrush | SEJ" class="wp-image-211844" height="664" /></p>
<p>To help you find what people are searching for around a particular topic, just type in your keyword or phrase and watch the magic happen. SEMrush will pull phrase match keywords, related keywords, and organic search results.</p>
<p>Paid users have more features and the pro version starts at $99 per month. But, you can still use the tool for free when searching for ideas.</p>
<h2>3. Answer The Public</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for answer the public" width="1377" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-answer-the-public.gif" title="what people search for answer the public | SEJ" class="wp-image-211848" height="679" /></p>
<p>Answer The Public is another favorite of mine and relatively new to the scene compared to other tools. It uses searches from Google and Bing and has a massive database that is able to predict what searchers are going to ask.</p>
<p>The interface is what makes this tool one of my favorites. While it is a keyword research tool, it displays a beautiful visualization of data.</p>
<p>I had a chance to speak with <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Casieg" target="_blank">Casie Gillette</a>, Senior Director of Digital Marketing at KoMarketing, about this topic of learning what type of content people search for and why. She said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“We spend a lot of time <em>in</em> search results, looking at the types of content and what the engines are showing. It’s tough to understand the intent and identify trends without that information. I also spend a ton of time with SEMrush and some of the question-based tools (e.g., Bloomberry or Answer the Public). I love the question-based tools because they scour places that people are talking about specific topics — it gives you real insights into a niche, and I always end up finding something new.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Answer the Public is free and you can export the data to a CVS or Excel file.</p>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for bloomberry" width="1246" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-bloomberry.gif" title="what people search for bloomberry | SEJ" class="wp-image-211828" height="681" /></p>
<p>Bloomberry is just like Answer The Public; the main difference is that Bloomberry displays real questions and topics that people are already talking about on blogs and forums. And, it was created by the team at Buzzsumo, so bonus points!</p>
<p>Bloomberry is useful if you’re creating content for Featured Snippets. And, it’s free!</p>
<h2>5. Google Trends</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for google trends" width="1369" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-google-trends.gif" title="what people search for google trends | SEJ" class="wp-image-211846" height="682" /></p>
<p>With <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-trends-seo/226809/">Google Trends</a>, you can quickly view top stories or charts. And, you can search and compare specific keywords in three quick steps:</p>
<ul>
<li>Type in your keyword in the search box at the top.</li>
<li>Click compare, then type in your second keyword.</li>
<li>Adjust the dates if needed.</li>
</ul>
<p>Google Trends also helps you find country data and related queries which will help guide your keyword strategy.</p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/danimalshouse" target="_blank">Dan Morrison</a> at Aimclear says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I frequently turn to Google Trends to understand more about the changing landscape of search behavior. Google Trends provides real-time data that helps marketers understand trends for keywords, and also serves as a place to source related keywords and concepts for deeper content development. Also, Google Trends provides a historical view for analyzing dips and valleys in interest, filters based upon location, and offers an opportunity to compare different terms and concepts.”</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>6. Facebook</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for facebook" width="1074" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-facebook.gif" title="what people search for facebook | SEJ" class="wp-image-211850" height="668" /></p>
<p>Facebook is one of the easiest free tools for discovered relevant topics. Plus, a lot of people get their news from Facebook. The team at Facebook created <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/get-started/trending" target="_blank">Trending topics</a> to provide a list of what is popular on Facebook right now.</p>
<p>If you’re on your laptop, Trending is located on the top right side of your News Feed. If you’re on your phone, just tap the search bar to see a drop-down list of trends.</p>
<p>Just pick a topic and watch the trending news stories roll on.</p>
<h2>7. Twitter</h2>
<h3><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for twitter" width="1299" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-twitter.gif" title="what people search for twitter | SEJ" class="wp-image-211842" height="694" /></h3>
<p>Twitter is another free tool I love to use before creating content.</p>
<p>Similar to Facebook Trends, Twitter Trends use an algorithm to push trends that are determined based on your location and who you follow. You can turn this off by <a rel="noopener" href="https://support.twitter.com/articles/101125#Trend_Location" target="_blank">choosing a trends location</a> in two steps:</p>
<ul>
<li>Click Change in your trends box.</li>
<li>Select Change to add a different location.</li>
</ul>
<p>Changing your location is super helpful if you’re focusing on local SEO.</p>
<p>You can also use Twitter Moments to search for trending topics. You can <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/use-twitter-moments-marketing/177360/" target="_blank">learn more about Twitter Moments here.</a></p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/ashleymadhatter" target="_blank">Ashley Ward</a>, the corporate speaker for SEMrush, has an interesting way to use Twitter to find trends. She says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“When there’s a trending conversation going on, there’s a hashtag attached to it and can easily be found on social media networks like Twitter and Instagram. Half of the time I’ll just head to Twitter and Instagram and start researching the day’s top performing hashtags to see what all the hype is about and then follow the conversation. This type of method makes for great blog post topics and is incredibly useful for content marketing.”</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>8. YouTube</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for youtube" width="1387" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-youtube.gif" title="what people search for youtube | SEJ" class="wp-image-211840" height="684" /></p>
<p>YouTube is mostly known for its <a rel="noopener" href="https://youtu.be/PzO5OuAgMyQ" target="_blank">cooking videos</a> and workout videos, but it also provides a trending videos section so that you can see what’s popular on YouTube right now.</p>
<p>You can also check out YouTube Trends blog. It takes a look at trends happening on YouTube and what’s going on in the world around us like <a rel="noopener" href="http://youtube-trends.blogspot.com/2017/08/tracking-solar-eclipse-on-youtube.html" target="_blank">tracking the solar eclipse.</a></p>
<p>After you identify what’s trending on YouTube, you can compare the topics to your YouTube analytics. If you can tie the trending videos to your niche, it creates an opportunity for you to add a video with a strong potential to rank in YouTube.</p>
<h2>9. Pinterest</h2>
<h3><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for pinterest" width="1358" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-pinterest.gif" title="what people search for youtube | SEJ" class="wp-image-211838" height="670" /></h3>
<p>In November 2016, Pinterest launched <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.pinterest.com/discover/topics/" target="_blank">Explore</a> as a feature for Pinners to find out what’s popular on Pinterest. It uses an algorithm to create personalized pins of that day based on search trends. You can also browse up to 30 different topics.</p>
<p>While Pinterest created this to offer advertisers more organic options, it’s a pretty excellent tool for brainstorming content ideas.</p>
<h2>10-20. Other Social News Sites</h2>
<p>10. <a rel="noopener" href="http://digg.com/" target="_blank">Digg</a></p>
<p>11. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.reddit.com/" target="_blank">Reddit</a></p>
<p>12. <a rel="noopener" href="https://news.ycombinator.com/" target="_blank">Hacker News</a></p>
<p>13. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.producthunt.com" target="_blank">Product Hunt</a></p>
<p>14. <a rel="noopener" href="https://inbound.org/top" target="_blank">Inbound.org</a></p>
<p>15. Instagram’s Explore</p>
<p>16. Snapchat Discover</p>
<p>17. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.flickr.com/" target="_blank">Flickr</a></p>
<p>18. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.quora.com/" target="_blank">Quora</a></p>
<p>19. <a rel="noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></p>
<p>20. <a rel="noopener" href="https://medium.com/" target="_blank">Medium</a></p>
<p>If you’re interested in learning more about how to use social media for keyword research, you might like <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.brandwatch.com/guides/social-listening-practice-seo-content-strategy/" target="_blank">this guide on SEO & Content Strategy.</a></p>
<h2>21. Google Autocomplete</h2>
<p>Now, I want to give into some Google related tools. Google has done well to give you little hints of what people search for. I spoke with <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/georgefreitag" target="_blank">George Freitag</a>, the SEO Growth Manager at Indeed.com, and he explains:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Some of the best tools to research topics for SEO are from Google itself. Google Seach Console lets you know what topics people are already looking for when they arrive on your site, while Google Trends, AdWords, and even the related topics and autocomplete searches found right in Google search pages can give you insight on the kinds of topics people are looking for elsewhere on the web.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So, with that said, let’s take a look at some of Google’s free tools.</p>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for autocomplete" width="1303" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-google-autocomplete.gif" title="what people search for autocomplete | SEJ" class="wp-image-211836" height="579" /></p>
<p>First up, Google Autocomplete. Google Autocomplete is a great tool for finding the best variations of your main keyword phrase.</p>
<p>Just type in the Google search box, and related terms will display in a drop-down list.</p>
<p>You can then manually select the long-tail keyword phrase you want to use or pick a combination of phrases.</p>
<h2>22. Google People Also Ask</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for people also ask" width="1007" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-people-also-ask.gif" title=" what people search for people also ask | SEJ" class="wp-image-211834" height="680" /></p>
<p>The People Also Ask section is another awesome free tool to use when beginning your keyword research.</p>
<p>After you type in your keyword term in the Google search box, scroll down to see different variations of your keyword term.</p>
<p>You can select the drop-down feature to expand the content. I often use these phrases as Headers in my body copy, which is useful if you’re aiming to achieve Featured Snippet status.</p>
<h2>23. Google Searches Related To</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for searches related to" width="1155" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-searches-related-to.gif" title="what people search for searches related to | SEJ" class="wp-image-211832" height="672" /></p>
<p>Google also offers a section at the bottom of Google search results called Google Searches related to.</p>
<p>If you scroll down to the bottom of the search results, you’ll receive up to 8 suggestions that are ideal to use for keyword variations in your content and keyword research.</p>
<h2>24. Google News</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for google news" width="1397" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-google-news.gif" title="what people search for google news | SEJ" class="wp-image-211830" height="670" /></p>
<p>Google News pulls in headlines from news sites worldwide and, like many of the other search engines displays content tailored to your personal interests.</p>
<p>I like using Google News because it presents local interests as well as global news in an easy-to-use interface. You just click on the headline and go directly to the website that published the story.</p>
<h2>25. Google Alerts + IFTTT</h2>
<p><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for google alerts" width="1257" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-google-alerts.gif" title="what people search for google alerts | SEJ" class="wp-image-211858" height="662" /></p>
<p>Google Alerts is similar to Buzzsumo, except you can have unlimited alerts for free. If you’re searching for a particular topic or competitor, you can set-up Google Alerts to come to your inbox as it happens, once a day, or once a week.</p>
<p>I like to pair my Google Alerts with IFTTT recipes. I use <a rel="noopener" href="https://ifttt.com/applets/197799p-google-alerts-to-g-spreadsheet" target="_blank">this recipe</a> to add my Google Alerts to a spreadsheet. And, <a rel="noopener" href="https://ifttt.com/applets/273083p-push-google-alerts-to-slack" target="_blank">this one</a> to push Google Alerts to Slack.</p>
<h2>26. Google Search Console</h2>
<h3><img src="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/themes/sej14/images-new/loader.gif" alt="what people search for google search console" width="1365" data-original="https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/what-people-search-for-google-search-console.gif" title="what people search for google search console | SEJ" class="wp-image-211860" height="629" /></h3>
<p>If you’re lucky enough to have access to Google Search Console, you can find a whole heap full of keyword research and content marketing ideas.</p>
<p>To see what type of keywords users are currently searching for to find your website, pop over to <em>Google Search Console > Search Traffic > Search Analytics</em>. Once you’re here, you’ll see a list of keywords that are getting some traction for you.</p>
<p>Want to dig a little deeper? You can check out my <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-search-console-guide/209318/" target="_blank">Google Search Console guide.</a></p>
<h2>27. Google Keyword Planner</h2>
<p>I left Google Keyword Planner last because I like to use this tool when starting to move into my keyword mapping, but some marketers like to start their brainstorming with Google’s Keyword Planner.</p>
<p>Like <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/katykatztx" target="_blank">Katy Katz</a>, director of account strategy at Marketing Fresh. She says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I use a combination of tools to find popular, relevant search terms for content. There are so many great ones now it’s impossible to pick one! I still like starting with Keyword Planner to get an idea of search frequency. Once I have that, I dig into how people are using those terms and work to identify related opportunities.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Whenever you decide Google’s Keyword Planner is best for you it will help you clarify which keywords are attainable. You want to find that sweet spot of high search volume with low competition.</p>
<h2>28. Rank Tracker by SEO Powersuite</h2>
<p>If you’re looking to see what keywords your competitors are ranking for, then <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.seopowersuite.com/rank-tracker/" target="_blank">Rank Tracker by SEO Powersuite</a> is the place to go. You simply add your website URL and plug in your competitor URL to see where the content gaps are your keywords. You can track up to 10 competitors.</p>
<p>Another cool feature with Rank Tracker is that it allows you to see if you have multiple pages ranking for the same keyword term.</p>
<h2>Trending Topics</h2>
<p>As a beginner, you’ll also want to stay up-to-date on the latest trending keywords. So, I’ve put together a list of some of the best articles on top searches.</p>
<hr />
<p><em><strong>Featured Image Credit:</strong> Paulo Bobita</em></p>
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January 21, 2018 at 05:49PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-40317330941296825392018-01-09T13:11:00.001-08:002018-01-09T13:11:36.615-08:00The Best Free Outlook Project Management Add-InsThe Best Free Outlook Project Management Add-Ins<br />
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<p>When you are busy managing a project, any tip, trick, or tool that enhances your productivity can be a huge benefit. And, whether you use Outlook for just emails, simple project management, or a little of both, why not ramp it up with tools that can help?</p>
<p>These handy Outlook add-ins can <a href="http://ift.tt/2qJEuGy">assist you with emails</a><span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2qJEuGy">6 Free Microsoft Outlook Add-Ins for Better Emails</a></span></span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2qJEuGy">6 Free Microsoft Outlook Add-Ins for Better Emails</a></span><span>Add-ins can add functionality that Outlook is missing by default. We show you six free add-ins to increase productivity and fun within Outlook.</span><a href="http://ift.tt/2qJEuGy">Read More</a></span></span>, tasks, assignments, communication, reminders, and overall project management. Best of all, they are each free. Give them a try and see which ones boost your efficiency on that next project.</p>
<p>You may <a href="http://ift.tt/2oPoH88">use Trello for projects</a><span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2oPoH88">A Guide to Trello for Life and Project Management</a></span></span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2oPoH88">A Guide to Trello for Life and Project Management</a></span><span>Trello can help you get organized. It's a free tool to manage any kind of project. Read this guide to understand its basic structure, the navigation, and how Trello can be useful to you.</span><a href="http://ift.tt/2oPoH88">Read More</a></span></span> that are large or small, professional or personal, but regardless, it is a convenient add-in. Turn an email into a Trello card without ever leaving Outlook. When you are reading an email from the inbox preview or message window, just click the <strong>Trello</strong> button on your <strong>Home</strong> tab.</p>
<p>When the little window opens on the right, choose your board and list. The email subject will display as the card name and message body as the description. However, you can edit both fields. You can also select a due date and time. When you finish, click <strong>Add</strong>. You then have an option to view the card in Trello which will display in a popup window. Or you can simply close the add-in.</p>
<p><img alt="Trello Outlook Project Management Add-In" width="670" src="http://ift.tt/2qJ5ohN" height="500" /></p>
<p>There is no better way to add cards to your Trello boards from Outlook emails. You can save time and energy because it takes only a minute.</p>
<p>If MeisterTask is your tool of choice, there is an Outlook add-in for that too. Similar to how the Trello tool works, you can quickly add a task to MeisterTask from your inbox or message window. Click the button in the toolbar and then pick your project and section from the side window. The subject line becomes the task name and the message body becomes the description, each of which can be edited.</p>
<p>When you finish, click <strong>Create Task</strong>. You will receive confirmation of the task creation and can click to view it in MeisterTask. If you do choose to open MeisterTask from the link, your default browser will open to the website, rather than a pop-up window.</p>
<p><img alt="MeisterTask Outlook Project Management Add-In" width="670" src="http://ift.tt/2mjxuvj" height="525" /></p>
<p>If you would like to log out of MeisterTask and unlink your account for some reason, you can do that from the task confirmation screen as well. Click the <strong>gear icon</strong> in the top right corner and hit the <strong>Log Out & Unlink My Accounts</strong> button. Just remember, the next time you want to use the add-in, you’ll have to log back into MeisterTask.</p>
<p>One last web-based project management tool with a great add-in for Outlook is Wrike. With this, you can turn an email into a task or add it as a comment, which is super handy. If you choose <strong>Convert to Task</strong>, you will see the subject line as the name and body as the description, like the above add-ins. But, this one gives you additional options. You can mark a status, <a href="http://ift.tt/2qKPweA">assign it to a team member</a><span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2qKPweA">Delegation: A Must Have Leadership Skill to Reduce Your Workload</a></span></span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2qKPweA">Delegation: A Must Have Leadership Skill to Reduce Your Workload</a></span><span>Once you're in a leadership role, you'll have to learn how to delegate work. We teach you the five Ws of delegation: the Who, What, When, Where, and Why.</span><a href="http://ift.tt/2qKPweA">Read More</a></span></span>, schedule it, add an attachment, and insert subtasks.</p>
<p>If you already have a task created and receive an email that should go with it, click the <strong>Add as Comment</strong> button instead. You can then either search for a task or choose one off of the list of recent ones. After you select the task to add the comment to, you can adjust it just like when you create a task by adding more details.</p>
<p><img alt="Wrike Outlook Project Management Add-In" width="670" src="http://ift.tt/2minMcH" height="525" /></p>
<p>One thing to note with the Wrike add-in is that as soon as you select one of the two buttons to make the email a task or a comment, it happens automatically. If you decide to add a status, due date, or assignee, that will update it. While this is convenient for a one-click task creator, just be aware of this in case you need to remove any sensitive information.</p>
<p>Moving into inbox productivity, Boomerang is a tool that lets you schedule or snooze messages. You can also check for meeting times, receive a read receipt, and share your availability. When you compose an email, these options are available at the top in the <strong>Boomerang</strong> section of your ribbon.</p>
<p>Another terrific feature is the flexible reminder. You can have a message returned to your inbox at a designated date and time, randomly, or only if no one responds to it. This is a great way to make sure you never forget a follow-up. Just click the <strong>Open Boomerang</strong> button from the toolbar in your inbox with the email selected or hit <strong>Remind Me</strong> in the message window.</p>
<p><img alt="Boomerang Outlook Add-In for Reminders" width="670" src="http://ift.tt/2qKPzqM" height="525" /></p>
<p>One more feature that comes in handy is the <strong>Inbox Pause</strong>. Are you ever so distracted by the <a href="http://ift.tt/2mi7AYF">emails flooding into your inbox</a><span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2mi7AYF">How to Handle Thousands of Emails Using 3 Tips and Tools</a></span></span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2mi7AYF">How to Handle Thousands of Emails Using 3 Tips and Tools</a></span><span>If you're tired of having a cluttered inbox and wish there was an easier way to manage all your emails, here are a few tips and tools that can help.</span><a href="http://ift.tt/2mi7AYF">Read More</a></span></span> that you lose track of what you are doing? Or, maybe you find yourself jumping onto those messages instead of waiting? This is when you can use Inbox Pause. It will stop emails from coming in with the click of a button.</p>
<p>You can set up an automatic response, configure delivery exceptions, or schedule messages for certain days and times. You can also check out the option to <strong>Unpause automatically</strong> if you are worried you may forget to turn it off. All of these options are displayed when you click <strong>Inbox Pause</strong> from your toolbar.</p>
<p><img alt="Boomerang Outlook Add-In for Inbox Pause" width="670" src="http://ift.tt/2qKPzXO" height="315" /></p>
<p>For staying focused on your project, getting reminders to follow up with your team, and sharing availability for status meetings, Boomerang is a wonderful tool.</p>
<p>Turn emails into notes and pop them right into your project notebook with the Evernote add-in. This tool may be a simple one but can be invaluable if you <a href="http://ift.tt/2mjxsUd">use Evernote for project items</a><span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2mjxsUd">How to Use Evernote as a Project Management Tool</a></span></span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2mjxsUd">How to Use Evernote as a Project Management Tool</a></span><span>Evernote offers more than note-taking. No matter the chaos, you can turn Evernote into a project management tool. Let's see how you can use it to stay on top of your projects.</span><a href="http://ift.tt/2mjxsUd">Read More</a></span></span>. From either your inbox or message window, click <strong>Save to Evernote</strong> from the ribbon.</p>
<p>The note name is the email subject line, which you can edit if needed. Then, pick a notebook, add a tag, and include a remark if you like. Hit <strong>Save</strong> and that’s it.</p>
<p><img alt="Evernote Outlook Add-In" width="670" src="http://ift.tt/2qFXC84" height="525" /></p>
<p>If you click the <strong>gear icon</strong> in the top right corner, you can configure the notebook selection and tags moving forward.</p>
<p>What is one of the most important parts of communication with remote teams? The answer is <a href="http://ift.tt/2miZkYu">a solid communication tool</a><span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2miZkYu">7 Free Slack Alternatives You Will Love</a></span></span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2miZkYu">7 Free Slack Alternatives You Will Love</a></span><span>Slack is excellent. It is. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't shop for an alternative. Check out these seven alternatives that can meet your team collaboration needs effectively.</span><a href="http://ift.tt/2miZkYu">Read More</a></span></span>. Whether your team is around the globe or down the road, Moxtra is an application that helps you all feel like you’re in the same room. And, with the Outlook add-in, you can discuss project pieces without opening another tool.</p>
<p>You can start a new chat or a Moxtra meeting by clicking the button in your ribbon. You will then see a popup window with the email contact’s information and a button to <strong>Invite</strong> them. And you can choose a binder from your list and chat regarding that specific project.</p>
<p><img alt="Moxtra Outlook Add-In" width="670" src="http://ift.tt/2qO5pB8" height="525" /></p>
<p>Moxtra is a free communication tool with integrations and applications for businesses large and small. For free, you can have three users and five participants per meeting as well as additional features. For bigger companies, take a look at the pro plans. Just remember, the Outlook add-in is available at no charge and makes project team communication simple.</p>
<h2>Additional Outlook Project Management Add-Ins</h2>
<p>If you work with a specific application already or are just looking for more Outlook add-ins <a href="http://ift.tt/2mhxdcl">to help you manage your project</a><span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2mhxdcl">Turn Outlook into a Project Management Tool with OneNote Integration</a></span></span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2mhxdcl">Turn Outlook into a Project Management Tool with OneNote Integration</a></span><span>OneNote can do more than you think. We'll show you how to turn your Outlook to do list into a powerful project management tool using the OneNote plugin for Outlook.</span><a href="http://ift.tt/2mhxdcl">Read More</a></span></span>, here are several others that you might find useful:</p>
<h2>Do You Use Outlook Add-Ins for Your Projects?</h2>
<p>You might use one or more of these convenient tools already or are now prepared to give one a try. Are there other Outlook add-ins that you use <a href="http://ift.tt/2qKPFyE">for managing projects</a><span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2qKPFyE">The 5 Best Project Management Tips for Beginners</a></span></span><span><span><a href="http://ift.tt/2qKPFyE">The 5 Best Project Management Tips for Beginners</a></span><span>If you are taking on a project manager role for the first time, here are just five project management tips to help you get started.</span><a href="http://ift.tt/2qKPFyE">Read More</a></span></span>?</p>
<p><strong>If you have suggestions for tools that help you, please share them with us in the comments below!</strong></p>
<p><small>Image Credit: SergeyNivens/<a rel="nofollow" href="http://ift.tt/2mjxviR">Depositphotos</a></small></p>
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January 9, 2018 at 02:19PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-71928672788324802312018-01-03T12:25:00.001-08:002018-01-03T12:25:21.885-08:00Competitive BusinessCompetitive Business<br />
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<h2>Track competitors channels (website changes, emails, social media, ads,...)</h2>
<h2>Track competitors channels (website changes, emails, social media, ads,...)</h2>
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<p><strong>Competitive Business</strong> allows business owners to keep track of their competitors’ online, by monitoring all their channels: website changes, trial emails, newsletters, social media, blog, and rankings.</p>
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January 3, 2018 at 04:01PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-27737991372344445842018-01-03T01:50:00.001-08:002018-01-03T01:50:05.205-08:00How to Optimize Your Google My Business ListingHow to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing<br />
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<p>Posted by <a href="http://ift.tt/2CvRdlJ">sherrybonelli</a></p>
<p>An important first step in any local SEO strategy is to claim and verify your local business’ Google My Business (GMB) listing. Getting on Google My Business can increase your chances of showing up in Google’s Local Pack, Local Finder, Google Maps, and organic rankings in general. <a href="http://ift.tt/1mHu631" target="_blank">Qualifying local businesses</a> can claim this free listing on Google and include basic information about their company, like their address, phone number, business hours and types of payments accepted.</p>
<p>If you haven’t claimed and verified your Google My Business Listing yet, that’s the first step. To get started, visit <a href="http://ift.tt/1pNiNe9" target="_blank">http://ift.tt/1pNiNe9</a>.</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2AagxHX" /></p>
<p>Many local businesses just claim their GMB listing and forget about it. What most businesses <em>don’t</em> realize is that there are a variety of other features you can use to optimize your Google My Business listing <em>and</em> several reasons why you should frequently check your business listing to ensure that it’s accuracy stays intact. Want to know more?</p>
<h2>Complete all the information Google asks for</h2>
<p>There are a variety of questions you can answer to complete your Google My Business profile. When done, your listing will have valuable data that will make it easier for potential customers to find your company. And if <em>you</em> don’t fill that information in, someone else could. Many business owners don’t realize that <em>anyone</em> can suggest a change to your business listing — and that includes competitors.</p>
<p>When a searcher clicks on your GMB listing they can see a “Suggest an edit” option:</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2Cvr1ro" /></p>
<p>When someone clicks on that option they can literally edit your Google My Business listing (and make some pretty dramatic changes, too):</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2AaS9FW" /></p>
<p>This is just one reason why it’s <em>very important</em> that you login to your Google My Business dashboard regularly to ensure that no one has attempted to make any unwanted changes to your listing. You'll see a notification that changes are pending if someone has made suggested changes that need your approval.</p>
<p>Also, it’s important to realize that Google <em>encourages</em> people who are familiar with your business to answer questions, so Google can learn more information about your company. To do this they can simply click on the “Know this place? Answer quick questions” link.</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2Cx9KxO" /></p>
<p>They’ll then be prompted to answer some questions about your business:</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2AagBaF" /></p>
<p>If they know the answer to the questions, they can answer. If not, they can decline.</p>
<p>Now, some business owners have cried foul, saying that competitors or others with malicious intent can wreak havoc on their Google My Business listings with this feature. However, <a href="http://ift.tt/2CxLT0Q" target="_blank">Google’s philosophy</a> is that this type of “user-generated content” helps to build a community, more fully completes a business’ profile, and allows Google to experiment with different search strategies.</p>
<p>After you get your Google My Business listing verified, continue to check your listing regularly to be on the safe side.</p>
<h2>Google My Business Posts</h2>
<p>Google Posts are “mini-ads” that show up in Google search in your Google My Business listing (in the Knowledge Panel and on Google Maps.)</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2AagBHH" /></p>
<p>You can have fun with your Posts by adding an image, a Call to Action (CTA), and even including a link to another page or website. If you’re using Yext, you can create GMB Posts directly from your Yext dashboard.</p>
<p>Here are just a few Post ideas:</p>
<ul>
<li>If you’re having an event (like a webinar) you can set up an event Post with a date and time and then add a link to the registration page.</li>
<li>Do you have a sale going on during a specific time? Create a “sale” event Post.</li>
<li>Does your latest blog post rock? Add a short description of your blog post and link to the post on your blog.</li>
<li>New product you want to feature? Show a picture of this cool gadget and link to where people can make the purchase.</li>
<li>Want to spread holiday joy? Give potential customers a holiday message Post.</li>
</ul>
<p>The possibilities with Posts are endless! Posts stay “live” for seven days or “go dark” after the date of the event. Google is great about sending you reminders when it’s time to create a new Post.</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2CvbGXv" /></p>
<p>TIP: To grab a searcher’s attention, you want to include an image in your Post, but on Google Maps the Post image can get cut off. You might have to test a few Post image sizes to make sure it’s sized appropriately for Maps and the Knowledge Panel on desktop and mobile devices.</p>
<p>To get started with Posts, login to your GMB dashboard and you’ll see the Posts option on the left-hand side:</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2AagDzj" /></p>
<p>Do Google My Business Posts help with search rankings? Joy Hawkins and Steady Demand tested whether Posts had an impact on rankings, and they found that <a href="http://ift.tt/2h63zYe" target="_blank">making Google My Business Posts<em>making Google My Business Posts can improve rankings</em>improve rankings</a>.</p>
<h2>Booking button feature</h2>
<p>Google’s new <a href="http://ift.tt/2xZfIoT" target="_blank">Booking button feature</a> can really help your business stand out from the crowd. If you have any type of business that relies on customers making appointments and you’re using integrated scheduling software, people can now book an appointment with your business <em>directly</em> from your Google My Business listing. This can make it even easier to get new customers!</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2Cx9Ntu" /></p>
<p>If you have an account with one of Google’s <a href="http://ift.tt/2gvIZfO" target="_blank">supported scheduling providers</a>, the booking button is automatically added to your Google My Business listing.</p>
<h2>Messaging</h2>
<p>Did you know that you can allow potential customers to send you text messages? This is a great way to connect directly with potential customers.</p>
<p>If you don’t want text messages sent to your personal phone number, you can download <a href="http://ift.tt/2skFtfx" target="_blank">Google’s Allo app</a>. When you set up your Allo account, use the same phone number connected to your Google My Business account. Now when someone messages you, Allo will send you a notification instead of the message appearing in your personal text messages.</p>
<p>To get started with Messaging, login to your GMB dashboard and click on “Messaging”:</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2AagH21" /></p>
<p>This feature is still in its infancy, though. Right now, messaging is only available to mobile web users and is <em>not</em> available to mobile app or desktop users. People also won’t see the Messaging option in the Knowledge Panel or on Google Maps.</p>
<p>The ONLY way someone can message your business is if they perform a mobile web search on Chrome. (I expect that Google will expand the Messaging feature once they work the kinks out.)</p>
<h2>Questions & Answers</h2>
<p>Questions & Answers is a relatively <a href="http://ift.tt/2wuO0yU" target="_blank">new feature to Google local</a> search. It’s very cool! Just like it sounds, Q&A allows people to ask questions about your business and you can answer those questions.</p>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2AaSjNy" /></p>
<p>Here are a few things to keep in mind about Questions & Answers:</p>
<ul>
<li>The Q&A feature is <em>not</em> visible on the mobile GMB app.</li>
<li>You need to login to the GMB dashboard to see if you have any new questions that need answering.</li>
<li>You cannot monitor the Questions on a mobile device unless you have an Android phone.</li>
<li>You can use the Google Maps App on Android devices to manage the Q&A feature as the business. To do this, download the Google Maps app, sign in with the email address you use for your GMB listing, and you will get push notifications if someone asks your business a question.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="http://ift.tt/2CxifJu" /></p>
<p>TIP: It’s important to note that just like “Suggest an Edit” on GMB, <em>anyone</em> can answer questions asked of your business. Therefore, you want to keep an eye out and make sure you answer questions quickly and ensure that if someone else answers a question, that the answer is accurate. If you find that someone is abusing your GMB listing’s Q&A feature, reach out to the <a href="http://ift.tt/1Q1RHQy" target="_blank">Google My Business support forums</a>.</p>
<h2>Google My Business online reviews</h2>
<p>Unlike <a href="http://ift.tt/2AQS0sO" target="_blank">Yelp, which vehemently <em>discourages</em> business owners to ask their customers for reviews</a>, Google encourages business owners to <em>ethically</em> ask their customers or clients for online reviews. Online reviews appear next to your listing in Google Maps and your business’ Knowledge Panel in search. Reviews can help your business stand out among a sea of search results.</p>
<p>Additionally, online reviews are known to impact search result rankings, consumer trust, <em>and</em> click-through rates. According to <a href="http://ift.tt/1EfZVPP" target="_blank">BrightLocal’s 2017 Consumer Review Survey</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>97% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses in 2017, with 12% looking for a local business online every day</li>
<li>85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations</li>
<li>Positive reviews make 73% of consumers trust a local business more</li>
<li>49% of consumers need at least a four-star rating before they choose to use a business</li>
<li>Responding to reviews is more important than ever, with 30% naming this as key when judging local businesses</li>
<li>68% of consumers left a local business review when asked — with 74% having been asked for their feedback</li>
<li>79% of consumers have read a fake review in the last year</li>
</ul>
<p>If you follow <a href="http://ift.tt/1Ag5rj1" target="_blank">Google’s guidelines for Google My Business reviews</a>, you can ask your customers for reviews. (However, if you violate any of these policies, your reviews could be removed.)</p>
<p>When customers leave reviews for you — good <em>or</em> bad — make sure you respond to them. Not only does it show <em>that</em> customer that you appreciate their feedback, it also shows potential customers that you care.</p>
<p>What happens if you get a negative review? First, don’t freak out. <em>Everybody</em> has a bad day and most people recognize that. Also, if you have a troll that gave you a one-star review and left a nasty comment, most people with common sense recognize that review for what it is. It’s generally not worth stressing over.</p>
<p>To learn more about strategically getting more online reviews, check out this <a href="http://ift.tt/2Cx9SgM" target="_blank">article from Moz</a>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Get more out of your GMB listing<br /></h2>
<p>Hopefully these features have given you a new reason to login to your Google My Business account and get busy! If you have any other questions about optimizing your GMB listing, <a href="http://ift.tt/2AbIgHW" target="_blank">let me know in the comments</a>.</p>
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January 3, 2018 at 08:21AM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-41235036462204206552017-12-24T22:51:00.001-08:002017-12-24T22:51:35.525-08:00Project BuddyProject Buddy<br />
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<h2>Outlook integration to your Project Management Systems</h2>
<h2>Outlook integration to your Project Management Systems</h2>
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<p><strong>Project Buddy</strong> provides simple integration between your inbox and your Project Management System. View tasks inline with your email and easily update, add comments and attachments without leaving the email. Project Buddy also automatically attempts to load the right project based on the participants on the email.</p>
<p>We currently integrate with Asana, Basecamp, Trello, Microsoft Planner and more. We are constantly adding new systems. Moving from an email thread to a task in your project management system has never been easier.</p>
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December 25, 2017 at 03:37AM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-1394684051212292472017-12-14T14:46:00.001-08:002017-12-14T14:46:17.049-08:00Google Revamps its SEO Starter Guide: Here’s What’s New by @MattGSouthernGoogle Revamps its SEO Starter Guide: Here’s What’s New by @MattGSouthern<br />
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<p>Google has <a href="http://ift.tt/2AOhaZy">revamped</a> its official SEO Starter Guide for the first time in over 7 years.</p>
<p>With the release of a <a href="http://ift.tt/2C8Zrw3">new</a>, web-based starter guide Google is removing the old PDF starter guide, as well as depreciating the Webmaster Academy which had overlapping content.</p>
<p>Google’s new SEO Starter Guide builds off both of the previously available resources. The revamped guide also includes new sections emphasizing the need for search engine optimization, how to add structured data markup, and tips for mobile-friendly websites.</p>
<p>Google recommends its starter guide to anyone who owns, manages, monetizes, or promotes online content via Google Search. However, as a reader of Search Engine Journal, I think it’s fair to assume you’re already more familiar with SEO than the average site owner.</p>
<p>Google’s revamped guide does not pull back the curtain and reveal any previously unknown secrets of how its algorithms work. Although it does serve as a nice primer for beginners.</p>
<p>After spending some time comparing the old guide with the new guide, here is what I found to be some of the most notable additions.</p>
<h2>What’s New in Google’s Revamped SEO Starter Guide</h2>
<p><strong><u>Hiring an SEO Expert</u></strong><br />
Google’s new SEO Starter Guide does not shy away from telling the reader that it may be worthwhile to hire an SEO professional. In fact, this recommendation is highlighted in the very first chapter of the guide.</p>
<p>Google briefly details the type of services an SEO can provide, and links to further resources such as Help Center articles explaining how to hire an SEO. When is the best time to hire an SEO? The earlier the better, Google says, as this will help ensure a site is search engine friendly from the ground up.</p>
<p><strong><u>Mobile-friendly Websites</u></strong><br />
As you can imagine, since Google’s SEO Starter Guide hasn’t been updated in 7 years, a lot has changed when it comes to SEO for the mobile web.</p>
<p>Google’s previous guide focused on SEO best practices for websites with separate mobile pages, which was the more common practice at the time.</p>
<p>The new guide has been updated to reflect the current state of the mobile web, featuring best practices for creating mobile-friendly websites that can be accessed by all devices.</p>
<p><strong><u>Linking Out to Other Sites</u></strong><br />
Google’s new SEO Starter Guide does a better job of advising site owners to be careful about who they link out to.</p>
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<p>”Be careful who you link to. You can confer some of your site’s reputation to another site when your site links to it.”</p>
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<p>The new guide goes over some of the most common ways people can take advantage of another site’s reputation— such as adding links in comments— and how they can be combatted with the “nofollow” attribute.</p>
<p>These are just a few examples of what’s been added to Google’s new SEO Starter Guide. The new guide is currently available in nine languages, with sixteen more to be added “very soon.”</p>
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December 13, 2017 at 06:55PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-54772981183668018422017-12-13T00:22:00.003-08:002017-12-13T00:22:01.445-08:00BusyOnBusyOn<br />
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December 12, 2017 at 09:44PM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5013466849209827938.post-16153321391105179852017-12-13T00:22:00.001-08:002017-12-13T00:22:00.394-08:00VidFoxVidFox<br />
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December 13, 2017 at 12:52AM
Jag Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15681168546475319022noreply@blogger.com1