content marketing done right...content marketing done right june 18, 2019 ken reig leveraging...
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Search Marketing Strategies
Content Marketing Done Right
June 18, 2019Ken Reig
Leveraging excellent content for brand, SEO, engagement and authority
Introduction
Terrible content is everywhere!“…and winter is coming.”
Want to read a 12-page ebook on how to pour a glass of milk?
Need a white paper on the latest Bluetooth keyboard technology?
Ever wonder how to play the cryptocurrency game and win?
Someone has produced this content for you, and it’s stuffed with keywords and banner ads.(and little information of value)
Introduction
How do they Know?
• GA Engagement Signals• Bounce rates• PPV• Time on site
• Return to the SERP
• Off-site Signals• Links• Clicks• Social likes/mentions/shares• Media mentions• Reviews
(Duh…)
Introduction
Marketing in the Age of AssistanceAnticipate customer needs to build loyalty at all stages of the funnel.
assistance/əˈsɪst(ə)ns/
noun1.helping people to get things done.
2.MARKETING driving growth by anticipating and satisfying INTENT throughout the consumer journey.
Curious Impatient
Demanding
What is Content Marketing?
ASSISTANCE is the new
BATTLEGROUNDFOR GROWTH
• Introduce yourself to customers without trying to sell them anything
• Assist them with information
• Make your assistance count so they think of you when it matters
• Respect their intent
What is Content Marketing?
ASSISTANCE is the new
BATTLEGROUNDFOR GROWTH
• Every business wants to be an authority in their space
• Few of them prove it because they focus on commerce only
• You have an opportunity to become a trusted source
• Great content is required to show up effectively
• Compete here to play defense and to win customers
What is Content Marketing?
Assistance
Broadly defined, content marketing is an inbound strategy designed to pull in informational user sessions from search and referral traffic. We’re assisting qualified prospects and introducing them to your brand at the same time.
Content Types
VehiclesCreate exceptional, authoritative content that draws new users to your website with any of the following vehicles:
• 10X Content • Blogs and Articles
• Expertise• Thought leadership• News• Events• Infographics
• Query-driven Content• Tools• PR• Video
Content Types
Blogs and ArticlesThese are the most accessible pieces to compose, but they should be exceptional, and written by experts (or consulted).
• Thought Leadership – Our latest thinking on topic is…• Expertise/Guides – This is THE right information or the best way to do something…
Create the definitive piece of content on a particular subject and weave your expertise into every paragraph.
Utilize a blog for timely content that may change.Use an evergreen, static-page format for content that will stand the test of time.
Compile and group articles together to create a one-stop shop of information on a topic.
Content Types
Query-Specific ArticlesWith the prominence of Position 0 in the SERPs, we can answer common queries to dominate.
• When to wear linen?• When should you plant bulbs?• What is brush hogging?• Best ratio for dark chocolate?• What causes a gluten allergy?
Great Toolhttps://answerthepublic.com
Content Types
Content Types
ToolsCreate an informational experience. Get creative.
• Softball League Finder• Ash Borer Beatle Heatmap• Color Selector• Virtual Try-on Tool• Historical Timelines• Calendar of Events
Use these tools as a centerpiece for article content. Tools are fantastic link bait.
Content Types
10X Content“Content that is 10 times better than the best result that can currently be found in the search results for a given keyword phrase or topic.” –Rand Fishkin
10X can take several forms• A guide or collection of articles• A tool• A show/video• A glossary• A platform for UGC• Etc…
Benefits
Why do we do this?Content marketing yields a variety of valuable gains.
• Informational search traffic for query-specific and long-tail search phrases related to your products/services
• Lots of NEW, top-of-funnel visitors are introduced to your brand as an authority on a subject – impacts brand search and direct load too
• Improved rankings for related business-driving (ecom) keywords (when content is properly optimized)
• Improved overall site engagement (another SEO ranking factor)• Inbound link generation (another SEO factor)• Adds meaningful content to the social media and email dialogues
SEO + Brand Awareness + Credibility + Engagement
Getting StartedPlanning is Critical
• Define your goal/s (Who are we trying to reach?)• Brand awareness / reach new audiences• Informational traffic (SEO)• Social/email content• SEO – Ecom Keywords• Improve engagement / conversion rates
• Identify an approach• Type of content• How it will be great
• Think through Logistics• Bandwidth• Who owns it• Where does it live
• Post Launch• Seed traffic
• Email• Social• PR/Outreach
Sample Plan
• Goals• Improve SEO Sessions/Sales• Grow SEO as an inbound channel for informational sessions• Bring more engagement and authority to social and email channels
• Approach• Utilize a Resource Center/Evergreen Format (vs. Blog) to house content categories and articles• Write a robust library of quality content around playing, rules, penalties, training, equipment
guides and more• Process
• Increase bandwidth with a content partner• Partner with target representatives to ensure quality – coaches, players of different ages, parents,
etc…• Pure Hockey internal stakeholders run QA and publish content
• Post Launch• Post links to articles at least three times per week in social media where appropriate• Include links to poignant content at least weekly in email• Leverage influencer partners to link to the resource center periodically
Sample Plan
Results
• Resource Center launched in earnest in Q2 2017
• Currently bringing in 10k sessions per week and climbing
• SEO is up considerably and still improving
• Content is shared in email and social media weekly – engagement up all around
Case Studies
Case Studies
What’s the difference between chinos and khakis?
Chinos vs. Khakis
• Goals• Improve SEO sessions to the blog• Improve rankings for e-com keywords• Bonus – Prove the value of SEO-driven content
• Type of Content – Basic blog post• Approach
• Answer informational keyword searches with thoughtful, authoritative content
• Process• Research topic, write, publish to blog in
“Products we Love” section• Post Launch
• Cross fingers (rely on strong domain authority for pickup)
Case Studies
Chinos vs. Khakis
• Results
• ~5,000 engagements per month for several years running (for a single blog post)
• Very strong ranking improvements for chinos and khakis keywords and variations
Case Studies
Case Studies
Guide to Dogs
• Goals• Create a body of work in the dog category to
• Improve e-com SEO in Dogs • Drive informational sessions to expose new audiences to the category
• Type of Content – Resource Center• Approach
• Write a collection of engaging, evergreen articles to be named the Orvis Guide to Dogs• Answer commonly asked questions ranging from introductory to advanced in subject-matter depth• Content must be accurate, verifiably correct and on brand
• Process• Increase bandwidth with a content partner• Partner with professionals and organizations for help with research – dog trainers, vets, breed
specialists• Post Launch
• Utilize content in social media and email to build seed traffic• Promote via outreach to build links to Orvis.com
Case Study 2
Case Study 2
Case Study 2
Guide to Dogs
• Results
• In year two, GTD broke the 10k sessions per month mark (engaged, qualified users)
• Dog-category SEO is improved
• The email channel has seen some of its best-ever engagement metrics
Case Study 2
Engagements > Sessions !
Case Studies
Dog Breed Selector
• Goals• Improve e-com SEO in Dogs category• Drive informational sessions to expose new audiences to the category• Create a 10X piece of content that yields inbound links, media hits and mentions for Domain Authority• Improve engagement and credibility in the Dogs category for the brand
• Type of Content – 10X• Approach
• Build the best dog-breed selector going to introduce new users to the brand right at the optimal stage of dog ownership
• Produce the most comprehensive breed pages• Process
• Increase bandwidth with a content partner• Partner with professionals and organizations including the AKC to stay accurate and up to date• Partner with a vendor for the technical implementation• Partner with multiple stakeholders in house including creative, IT, content and marketing to stay on point
• Post Launch• Promote via email and social• Give prominent placement on the ecom site• Promote via outreach to build links
Case Study 3
Case Study 3
Dog Breed Selector
Results• In less than a year, the DBS sees over 15k engagements
per month and climbing steadily• We’re acquiring lots of new quality links from reputable
sources• Email had second highest click rate in 2 years• Anticipate continued strong growth and growth in the
Dogs ecom category
Case Study 3
Engagements > Sessions !
Case Study 4
Dog in Cars - Restraint Laws
• Goals • Answer questions around dog restraint for visitors around the country specific to their location• Improve SEO through link-building efforts
• Type of Content – 3X (Tool)
• Approach• Research laws and present in an easy-to-read format for all• Create a system to stay up to date
• Post Launch• Promote via social, email and blog• Promote via outreach to build links for domain authority
Case Study 4
Case Study 4
Dog in Cars - Restraint Laws
• Results• Over a thousand engagements per week• 64 quality links from high DA sites including Fox, Yahoo, LifeHacker, Rover, and many more all with positive
reviews
Case Study 4
Link Domain Authorityyahoo.com/lifestyle/why-never-allow-dog-ride-140000646.html 96
foxnews.com/auto/driver-passes-dui-dog-lap 94animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/pet-travel/is-it-illegal-to-drive-with-dog-in-lap.htm 92lifehacker.com/how-to-dog-proof-your-car-1833924995 92
cntraveler.com/story/how-to-travel-safely-with-pets 82parade.com/652636/leahingram/the-real-danger-of-driving-with-a-dog-in-your-lap/ 79thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-travel-carrier-for-cats-and-small-dogs/ 75
rover.com/blog/best-car-harnesses-for-dogs/ 75thenewswheel.com/year-of-the-dog-2018-and-canine-seatbelts/ 63wtov9.com/features/drive-safe/dont-pet-and-drive-the-right-way-to-travel-with-your-pet 63theworldnews.net/us-news/why-you-should-never-allow-your-dog-to-ride-in-the-front-seat 58
Engagements > Sessions !
Summing UpIt’s all about the engagement.
Benefits of Content Marketing
• SEO
• Brand Awareness
• Leads and Conversions
• Customer Engagement
• Competitive Advantage
• Links and Media Visibility
• Brand Content to Share
Summing Up
Tips to Remember
• Quality is everything – stay authentic and assistive!
• Production value is important (images, white space, font) – make it easy to scan!
• Don’t try to over monetize
• Consider targeting micro conversions (email signups, downloads, etc…)
• Plan out everything in advance, and understand your goals before starting
• Don’t forget to seed your newly-launched initiatives!
Companies We Watch
Who’s Doing a GREAT Job?
• Patagonia
• Lululemon
• Bonobos
• REI
• Peloton
• Ben & Jerry’s
• Clif Bar
