getting to +1: a social approach to winning support for search marketing

Getting to +1

A Social Approach to Winning Support for Search Marketing

presented Dec 20, 2011 to SEMPO VancouverMonique Sherrett | [email protected]

Monique Sherrett@BoxcarMarketing

In a marketing generalist’s world

Panda is a bear

Caffeine is what is in your cup

Freshness relates to things like fruit, milk and underarms

Search Marketing is one part of the marketing mix


The Generalist’s Perspective

Search is part of the puzzle to getting the right people to our site at the right time.

SEM

Outbound MarketingEvents

Direct MailTelemarketing

Inbound MarketingSMMBlogEmail


The Specialist’s Perspective

• The marketing budget (PPC in particular) should be the maximum you can spend with a positive return.

• SEM puts value into a customer relationship that you own and control (traffic to your website)

• The Proof is in the Pudding: With goal and event tracking we measure the success of SEM activity.

SEM = ABC Acquisition of traffic Behaviour on site Conversion of goals

SEM is the perpetual motion machine

Generalists & The Paradox of Choice

Generalists & The Paradox of Choice

Lead Generation“free” traffic sources compete with PPC

Outreach: News/Media/PR

SEO Email Marketing

Content strategy: whitepapers, case studies, infographics, podcasting,

vidcasting, bloggingOutreach: Social Networking

Outreach: Webinars, Virtual

Events

WOM

Leadership & Building Expertise: Q&A sites, guest posting, article placement, forums

Link Building

Social bookmarkingComment Marketing

Paid (Digital Components)

Press ReleasesAdvertisingDirect Mail

TelemarketingSponsorshipsAssociations

EventsConferencesTradeshows

In addition to the demands of SMM & the data

explosion, a large portion feel unprepared for:

• Growth of Channel and Device Choices (65%)

• Shifting Consumer Demographics (63%)

• Financial Constraints (59%)

~7 in 10 CMOs feel unprepared for the demands of SMM

Marketing Challenges Reported by CMOs% of respondents, October 2011

Source: IBM

The Social Media Data Stacks

http://www.hubspot.com/










http://www.marketingcharts.com/











The Polite Struggle for Control

Hubspot State of Inbound Marketing Report 2011


Avg. Budget Distribution

Outbound36%

Email17%

SMM & Blogs12%

SEO22%

PPC13%

Large Business: Over 50 employees

Small Business: 1-5 employees

Outbound14%

Email17%

SMM & Blogs41%

SEO23%

PPC4%

SEM27%

SEM35%


The Perception of Reality

• Leads/Customers Increasingly Coming from “Free” Traffic Sources: Blog, LinkedIn (B2B), Facebook (B2C), Twitter (Source: see any marketing blog, seriously)

• The average budget for Blogs & SMM has increased from 9% in 2009 to 18% in 2011 (Hubspot State of Inbound Marketing Report 2011)

• Facebook is overtaking Google and Yahoo in total time spent online.• 53.5 billion minutes per month vs. Yahoo (17.2) and Google (12.5)(Comscore August 2011 & Nielsen)

• By 2014, mobile internet should take over desktop internet usage. • 7% of all U.S. web traffic occurred from non-computer devices • In Canada, tablets drove nearly 40% of all non-computer traffic(ComScore, October 2011)


What Is Important to the Generalist?

Greater customer acquisition at lower costs. “How do I get more for less?”

More customer engagement across all channels with minimal effort.“How can I leverage each channel?”

Maximum revenue. Optimal profits.“Can I turn followers into leads and leads into customers?”

A clear strategy, the ability to articulate that strategy, and proof“What is the story the numbers are telling?”


A Generalist Is Looking for a Specialist to

• Answer those questions

• Ask even better questions


Specialists Have the Opportunity to Educate the Unaware

User centricity works for relationship management.

• Uncover the root of the queries: What is the intention? What is the request? How do you serve the most relevant response?

• Understand the sales cycle: A generalist moves from browsing to buying orfrom being unaware of the problem (or opportunity) to forming an intent to act

• Focus on strategy first. What is the goal? What marketing actions can achieve that goal? Is SEM a good solution? If not, recommend an alternative.

• Succinctly articulate your expertise. Describe how you can help solve problems and capitalize on the opportunities. Be brief. Be brilliant. Be gone.

• Educate through thought leadership. Consider your own marketing mix.


Specialists Have an Opportunity to Inspire the Interested

With awareness comes assessment. “Is this right for me?”

• Manage fear: There is the fear of falling behind. But also risk in taking action.

“What if it doesn’t work?” “What if this is not the best use of my limited resources.”“What kind of results can I expect?”

• The interested are looking for inspiration: “We can do that!” comes from past results, case studies, whitepapers, ROI calculators, competitor analyses, industry best practices


Specialists Have an Opportunity to Reassure the Committed

Once generalists agrees to part with their money, they need reassurance.

• Present logic, processes, next steps. Clearly define your approach.

• Have a backup: If you haven’t managed fear and doubt, it can be overwhelming. Have a next best alternative: phased engagement, pilot project

• Collaborate early and often. A good generalist will relinquish control of the tactical details once he/she has confidence in your expertise.


Specialists Have an Opportunity to Manage the Process – Not the Person

• Create a routine. Without clear guidelines, a generalist will fill a perceived void. This is what has made them good at their job. Take the lead. Impose a routine.

• Set the tone: Analyze the marketing challenge. Agree on the goals (not the tactics).

• Continuously refer to the goals: Before sharing new ideas and tactics, or reporting on progress, review the agreed upon goals.

• Present your work. Don’t assume a generalist will interpret the numbers in the same way, or that they’ll need to report on them in the same way. Tell them the story.

• Raise objections first. If you have concerns or limitations place them on the table for the generalist to address. Avoid being in the hot seat. Be transparent.

• Retain the role of strategic expert. Avoid the tendency to abdicate the “expert” position thereby becoming an order taker. If you are good, people put more demands on your time. This is a good thing. You can charge for that.


Specialists Have an Opportunity to Convert Allies to Evangelists

Buy in, contribution & commitment creates allies.

But evangelists need you to be remarkable.

• Give them something they didn’t even know they neededShare Insights.

• Routinely provide something they can’t live withoutMake it easy, faster, better to work with you.

• Provide satisfactionBe likable.


Getting to +1

1. Take a social, user centric approach to winning support

2. Find ways to be remarkable to your allies.

3. Don’t abdicate your responsibility as the expert

4. Manage the process

5. Fight fear and doubt with inspiration

6. Educate the unaware so they understand and assign value to Search within their marketing mix


What are the top 2 things your generalist needs to know in 2012?

Take Social Authority Seriously (RTs, +1)


As a generalist/specialist, these are the things I’m curious about for 2012




Consolidate(duplicate content,

301, rel=”canonical”)






Deal with Syndicated content, pagination







Webmaster Tools: search query data








Diversity your Link Building









Take Social Seriously (RTs, +1)











Outclass the competition (rich snippets: apps, video,

reviews, thumbnails)










Speed it up











Mind your Bounce


Speed it up











Mind your Bounce


Speed it up



Adopt earlylink Google+ to your site









Mind your Bounce


Speed it up



Adopt earlylink Google+ to your site

Go Mobile(PPC Mobile,

Googlebot-Mobile)

Who I am. What I do.

• Creative generalist with specialist sensibilities

• Online marketing consultant

• Internet marketing strategist

• Blogger

• Teacher

• Storyteller

Monique Sherrett@boxcarmarketing

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

getting to +1: a social approach to winning support for search marketing

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