Storytelling Is The New SEO

Martin W. Smith@ScentTrail

SEO Meetup Raleigh, March 26

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• Panda’s Implications– Heuristics Matter• Time On Site.• Pages Viewed.• Return Visitors.• Lower Bounce.

Google’s Algorithm Changes

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• Panda & Penguin Secrets– Content is KING.– Engagement.– Storytelling.– New Sheriff In Town.

Not All Content Is Equal In Engagement.

Google’s Secret Implications

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Conversion

Later

Enga

gem

ent

Time = NOWLater

Low LowHIGH

HIGH

Low

Low

Want:Now, High, High

Content Marketing Matrix

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• High Engagement, Conversion NOW Content Examples:– Video.– Reviews.– Social Shares.– Tribal (bought x, also bought y).– Relevant real time offers.– Breaking news.– Stories.

Want:Now, High,

HighCONTENT

High Engagement Content

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• Stories & Joseph Campbell– Hero’s Journey.– Examples:

• STAR WARS• Comic Books.• 60 Minutes.• Sports.• Your website?

Hero’s Journey

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Telling “Hero’s Journey” Stories

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REI’s Hero’s Journey

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REI About Page Themes

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Patagonia Hero’s Journey

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Patagonia About Page Themes

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REI Product Page: repeats key stories

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REI Product Page: repeats key stories

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REI Product Page: repeats key stories

Themes* Quality* Save World* Love Passion* Trust, Honesty, Club

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Dominos Pizza Tracker = Real Time Content

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How Websites Tell Stories

Overt Storytelling Covert Storytelling

• About Page.• Product Pages.• Return Policy.• Free Shipping.• Terms.

• Design.• Colors.• Images.• Headlines.• People.

User Gen Content

• Comments.• Reviews.• Contests.• Gamification.• Polls, Surveys.

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Gamification Layers

Active Passive

• Earn Badges.• Social Capital.• Points.• Rewards.• Status.• Leaderboards.

• Position.• Jobs.• Elevation.• Status.• Review Reviewer.• Features.

Real Time

• Offers.• Bankable

Rewards.• Elevation.• Status.• Features.

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Storytelling Summary

• Google & Customers want better heuristics.– Storytelling improves engagement.– Engagement improves heuristics.

• Stories = hero’s journey.• Websites = overt & covert storytelling.• Better stories = more:– Traffic.– Social Shares.– Money

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Martin W. Smith Contact

• @ScentTrail• ScentTrail.blogspot.com• CureCancerStarter.org• @CureCancerStart• Facebook/CureCancerStarter• http://www.linkedin.com/in/

martysmith1980vc • Email: Martin.Smith@Atlanticbt.com

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Appendix: Content Engagement MatrixNot all content is equal. Some content is more engaging.The Content Engagement Matrix evaluates content based onits ability to promote high conversions and high engagement.

The important caveat is any content can be highly viral. Viralpotential is as much executional as anything. That caveat stated,some content is inherently more likely to go viral with less effortbecause it starts with higher views.

The Content Matrix defines content by its inherent conversion andengagement potential. The other emerging truth is content that happens NOW is more viral than older content. Closer to NOW, so Time is included as an evaluation point.

Finally this summary and evaluation of a particular type of contentmay or may not apply to your website. The idea Is more importantthan the values assigned.

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Conversion

Later

Enga

gem

ent

Time = NOWLater

Low LowHIGH

HIGH

Low

Low

Content Marketing Matrix

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Conversion

Later

Enga

gem

ent

Time = NOWLater

Low LowHIGH

HIGH

Low

Low

Content Marketing Matrix

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Content Matrix: Now, High, High

• Now, High Engagement, High Conversion– Social Shares (your friends).– Social Signals Summary (See TechCrunch Example)– Video.– Reviews Matrix (See Amazon).– Relevant, real time offers or coupons.– Tribal Data, “Buyers like you also bought…”– Breaking news or trusted source recommendations.– Relevant stories & curated UGC.– Conversion gamification.

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Conversion

Later

Enga

gem

ent

Time = NOWLater

Low LowHIGH

HIGH

Low

Low

Content Marketing Matrix

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Content Matrix: Later, Low, Low

• Later, Low Engagement, Low Conversion– Conditions of Use & Terms.– Ads & Affiliate Program.– Press Releases.– Confusing or dissonant content. – Negative sentiment content.– Too good to be true offers or claims. – Confusing games or gamification.– Unclear navigation, clicky cart or no scentTrail.

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Conversion

Later

Enga

gem

ent

Time = NOWLater

Low LowHIGH

HIGH

Low

Low

Content Marketing Matrix

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Content Matrix: Later, High, Low

• Later, High Engagement, Low Conversion– My Account.– My UGC.– Contests (when I lose).– My old reviews.– Negative friends reviews.– Controversy.– Negative Sentiment.– Post purchase problem resolution (returns,

warranty).

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Conversion

Later

Enga

gem

ent

Time = NOWLater

Low LowHIGH

HIGH

Low

Low

Content Marketing Matrix

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Content Matrix: Now, High, Low

• Now, High Engagement, Low Conversion– Sports.– Q&A.– Unsupported Staff Reviews (will pick fights).– PR Problems.– Unsupported Bad Reviews (only insults fairness

doctrine).– Too new (unsupported by tribe).– Polls, Quizzes and Surveys.

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Conversion

Later

Enga

gem

ent

Time = NOWLater

Low LowHIGH

HIGH

Low

Low

Content Marketing Matrix

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Content Matrix: Now, Low, High

• Now, Low Engagement, High Conversion– Internal search.– Highly specific internal search (use of catalog

number).– Emails targeted to segments (less relevant than

personas b/c segments = YOU, personas = THEM).– Affiliate links from trusted source websites.– Hot guru or maven recommendations.– Strong word-of-mouth within specific tribe.

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Conversion

Later

Enga

gem

ent

Time = NOWLater

Low LowHIGH

HIGH

Low

Low

Content Marketing Matrix

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Content Matrix: Later, Low, High

• Later, Low Engagement, High Conversion– Abandoned Cart email.– Wish List.– Wish List Special Offer.– Saved shopping carts.– Relevant older blog posts.– Saved internal search.– Saved Google search.– Saved content or Q&A. – New comments to your shares by friends.