content jam 2016: connecting the dots

Connecting the Dots: How Writers Can Use Data to

Research and Rank

Andy Crestodina@crestodina | #ContentJam

Strategy

@crestodina

@crestodina #ContentJam

Action

1. Topics

Actual Content Performance

WeakContributor

AmazingContributor

Perceived Content Performance

WeakContributor

AmazingContributor

Perceived Content Performance

Actual Content Performance

source: Moz, BuzzSumo

Most content getsno links and few shares

...if you want to create content that achieves a high level of both shares and links then you should concentrate on opinion forming, authoritative content...

or well researched and evidenced content.

...if you want to create content that achieves a high level of both shares and links then you should concentrate on

strong opinionsoriginal facts

The Power of Research

Why publish research?

1. Numbers are credible2. Owned by you, making you the primary source3. The outreach can grow your network4. Support the sales pitch5. Research gets more links and shares than other content

1. Numbers are credible2. Owned by you, making you the primary source3. The outreach can grow your network4. Support the sales pitch5. Research gets more links than other content

@crestodina

4,066 websites link to CMI’s research

Three ways to produce research

1. Observation: Pick a data set. Gather data.

2. Aggregation: Combine data from existing sources

3. Survey: Mass outreach and analysis

observation

aggregation

survey

source: 2016 Blogger Survey, Orbit Media

The typical length of a blog post is 900 words, up 100 words from last year

Find the missing stat

Sonia SimoneCCO, Copyblogger Media

Don’t take shortcuts; they take too long.

The Power of Strong Opinion

@crestodina

The power of strong opinion

@crestodina

List of Your Strongest Opinions

What do you believe that most people would disagree with?

What do you believe will happen in the future That most people think is unlikely?

What question are people in your industryafraid to answer?

1. Do original research. Publish a statistic that no one else has published.

2. Take a stand. Publish your strongest opinions.

ACTION: Focus on power topics

2. Relationships

Creators

Contributors and “lurkers”

There are two kinds of people on the internet

• Journalists• Authors• Podcasters• Academic Researchers• Event Producers• Bloggers and Blog Editors

Who makes content?

Marketers are now journalists. And everybody is a potential source.

1. Mention them in your content2. Ask for a contributor quote3. Include them in an expert

roundup4. Invite them to guest post5. Deep dive interview

source: Online Networking Guide, Orbit Media

5 Ways to Collaborate

An ally in creation is an ally in promotion

You get what you give.

It’s called ego bait

@crestodina@crestodina #ContentJam

How many people are waitingfor your article to go live?Make sure it’s not zero.

Share andmention

Or just email your collaborators

Shared!

A few online networking tips...

Rapportive

1. One hour call on Skype, G+ Hangout or Blab2. Monthly for one year3. Bring a guest each month4. Miss it twice and you’re kicked out!

Start a Mastermind Group

1. What are you doing that we can promote?2. What are you writing that we can collaborate on?3. What are you doing to be more productive?4. Do I know anyone that you want to meet?

Content Marketing Mastermind Agenda

@crestodina

Content should be designed to attract visitors

Optimized for search...

Optimized for social...

1. Actively network with content creators

2. Include them in your content

ACTION: Collaborate with others

3. Link

3. Authority

1. Know your Domain Authority

2. Target phrases only if your authority is in the same range as the other high ranking pages

ACTION: Understand authority and competition

More here: How to increase your Domain Authority

4. Relevance

1. <title>Use the target keyphrase once in the beginning of the title tag

2. <h1>Use the target keyphrase once in the header

3. Body textUse the phrase 2-4 times for each 500 words

Indicate the relevance

We’ve been working on an intelligent model... that understands real-world entities and their relationships to one

another: things, not strings.

Amit SinghalGoogle

website copyright copyright textwebsite footer examplesheader and footerwebsite footer definitionat the bottom of the pagedesigning a website footerfat footerguidelinesstandardsbest practices

usabilitycontentideas inspirationlinks SEOsitemapsocial medianavigationpurpose of responsivetemplate

Semantically linked to “footer design”

website copyright copyright textwebsite footer examplesheader and footerwebsite footer definitionat the bottom of the pagedesigning a website footerfat footerguidelinesstandardsbest practices

usabilitycontentideas inspirationlinks SEOsitemapsocial medianavigationpurpose of responsivetemplate

Semantically linked to “footer design”

@crestodina

The Results?Let’s take a look...

Rankings climb for “website footer design”

What was the search volume in the Keyword Planner?

And finally, the traffic

...and the links

1. Find the words and phrases that are semantically linked to your target phrase

2. Use those phrases within your content

ACTION: Adapt to semantic search

Make the best page on the internet for your topic. Be the best answer.

5. Rank

source: “Determining the informational, navigational and transactional intent of Web queries” Bernard Jansen, et al

Online searches by type

Informational

Transactional

Navigational

source: “Determining the informational, navigational and transactional intent of Web queries” Bernard Jansen, et al

Online searches by type

Informational

Transactional

Navigational

Two types of visitors.Two types of phrases.Two types of pages.Two types of conversions.

6. Traffic

Rank ≠ Click

CTR by Search Position

source: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/ctrstudy/

CTR by Search Position

source: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/ctrstudy/

source

source: Klipfolio

1. Setup the Klipfolio report: www.klipfolio.com/contentjam

2. Find queries that underperform based on expected CTR

3. Polish up that title and meta description...number ...emotion ...benefits ...etc.

ACTION: Optimize your clickthrough rates

7. Conversion Rate

Your website is the mousetrap.Your content is the cheese.

Barry FeldmanFeldman Creative

Clear contentAnswers to Q’sEvidence & Trust

ConfusionAnxietyDistraction

They ask. You answer.

Marcus SheridanThe Sales Lion

20x longer+30% conversion rate

source: Crazy Egg

Answer top questions

A great sales page emulates a sales conversation.

Addevidence

Where is the worst place to put a testimonial??

But nevermake a pagelike this.

Remove distractions

1. Answer top questions. Emulate a sales conversation.

2. Add evidence to every page on your website.

3. Remove distraction.

ACTION: Optimize for the conversions

Hello, lead!

Create high quality, original content...

in collaboration with relevant influencers...

that organically attracts enough links and authority...

that our search optimized product and service pages...

rank for the transactional phrases...

attracting targeted visitors...

to our compelling, trustworthy websites...

so we get new leads everyday.

Leads ...everyday!

Create high-quality original content in collaboration with relevant influencers that organically attracts enough links

and authority that our search optimized product and service pages rank for the transactional phrases

attracting targeted visitors to our compelling, trustworthy websites so we get new leads everyday.

Social Media

Research

Writing

OutreachSEO

Analytics

T-Shaped Digital Marketer

source: MOZ

Social Media

Research

Writing

OutreachSEO

Analytics

Creative

Friendly

Creative

FriendlyAnalytical

Analytical

Friendly

Great marketers arecreative, analytical and friendly.

@crestodina

Why are we all here again?

To learn. To make friends.

Thank you!

Andy Crestodina@crestodina | #ContentJam

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