Content Marketing Archives - Page 4 of 4

To carry on the theme of spring cleaning, I am going to talk about cleaning up your site and how to get rid of the bloat that may be costing you visits and leads. If you publish content on a regular basis, such as blog posts, podcasts, or videos, your site will inevitably grow over time. Too much content can clog up the system making it difficult for search engines to know which piece of content to deliver to the user. As your site grows, it is highly suggested that you identify the content that is not performing well or that is not helping your visitors. The main emphasis here is keeping the quality content and removing the junk.

A Real World Example

In Tower’s case, we have covered the topic of website audits three times over the last three years. In all honesty, we don’t need three blog posts about website audits, just one will do. Therefore it was my task to find the website audit pages and compare them in terms of content value, usefulness, the amount of traffic they drive, their page authority, and links back to those pages. Once I found the page that I believed to be of the most value I had a couple of options, either:

no-index the pages that don’t perform as well
301 redirect the lesser quality pages to the more valuable page
Create a new “super” page and redirect the other website audit pages to the new URL

In this case, I chose to 301 redirected the under-performing pages so that their equity would be passed onto the main website audit blog post that we wanted to promote. Let’s dig into more detail about how to do this.

Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Content?

Yes, websites can become very bloated with low-quality content that is not performing as well as other similar content pieces. When users came to the Tower website and searched for “website audit” they found at least three different results, all of which are very similar. This meant the users needed to choose which post to view, guessing at which one was most applicable to their needs. This can negatively affect the user experience. It is far better to have one result for the website audit topic. Users no longer need to make a choice, allowing them to click through more confidently

When to Delete

In some cases, when reviewing your content, it may be best to simply to delete older pages that have been added over the years. Content like old event pages, coupons that have expired, or blog posts that are outdated, incorrect or no longer apply are low-hanging fruit. Ultimately you only want pages that are applicable and offer value to the user. If a page no longer does that, you may want to consider deleting it. Note: When you delete pages, you need to 301 redirect the users to an appropriate page, otherwise it will cause your site to have broken links.

When to Consolidate

In some cases, as with the Tower Marketing example where we had three similar blog posts, it may be worthwhile creating a new page that has all the best elements of each individual page, called a “super page.” The goal here is to create a unique, high-quality piece of content that does not outdate itself and can be easily updated. Note: Doing this would require a 301 redirect to point the three older pages to the new super page.

When to Noindex

If you don’t know which pages to delete and redirect, another option would be to noindex the pages. While this does not help with duplicate content issues on your site, it can help search engine to not index a group of similar pages on the web. Tags and Categories are examples of URL extensions that we at Tower noindex because they can bloat the search results and cannibalize the rankings of pages that are more relevant. Note: Noindex still allows the bots to visit that page, they will however not be added to the SERPs.

Benefits of Cleaning Up Your Site

Cleaning up your site has several advantages, one of which is making the articles that are most important to users easy to find. Web designers and SEO’s need to work together to make sure that UX (user experience) is maintained. As mentioned earlier, having multiple search results for the same query can hinder the user journey and UX. When you clean up your site it also allows for better search results. A clean site makes it easier for search engines to index and categorize which page best represents a user’s search query. As noted above, having one super page instead of three can help rankings.

Ready to slim down your website? Contact our specialists today to start the cleanup process.

This blog was updated March 2017.

Who loves stats??? I love stats! And there is no topic with more abundant stats than the impact of videos on potential customers. Here’s data-driven confirmation showing why you need to start exploring the different elements of video in your content marketing strategy:

87% of online marketers use video content
90% of users say product videos are helpful in the decision process
1/3 of all online activity is spent watching video
80% of users recall a video they viewed in the past 30 days
22% of small businesses plan to post a video in the next 12 months

Making the decision to create video content opens you up to a lot of avenues so we’re recommending five elements of video that you should include in your video content strategy.

1. Mini Videos

Until recently, Vine was the king of mini videos, with its looping 6-second videos that were perfect for social media consumption. Now the king is dead, but that’s fine. There are plenty of ways to add a video to your social content strategy without Vine. The newest way to get quick videos into your social feeds is with the use of Boomerang. If you’re not familiar with Boomerang, it’s part hyper-lapse, part GIF, and lots of fun! With the use of the Boomerang app and the click of a button, you can create a 1-second looping video that can have a big impact. Even in such a quick burst, using Boomerang video you have the opportunity to:

highlight a product feature
show off your personality
tease something new

2. DIY Videos

Some companies may be reluctant to get started with video content because they mistakenly think they need big budgets and professional resources to create a successful video. That’s not necessarily the case. So grab your iPhone and don’t be afraid to get a little down and dirty. Even though a DIY video is meant to have a grassroots feel you still want to take care to create a quality product, so take the necessary steps to stabilize your phone with a tripod, use proper lighting, and ensure good sound quality. Use DIY video production to create:

a tips or advice video series
instructional or how-to videos
a “day in the life” video

3. Splashy Production Videos

While we advocate for giving DIY video a try, we also realize that there are circumstances when you’ll need the services of a professional videographer and big-time production value. Hiring a videographer will give you a more polished end product because he or she will expertly fine-tune all aspects of the production process, including lighting, sound quality, framing, and editing. Add a budget line item for professional video production when you want to create:

product launch videos
branding videos
company culture videos

4. Animated Videos

Animated videos may be the trickiest addition to our elements of video list, as it not only requires professional video production but also a talented illustrator. That being said animated videos can play a special role in your content marketing strategy and have been given the nickname “explainer animation.” Animation’s strength is that it can break down complex information and present it in a format that simply and visually presents information to the viewer. Here are a few examples of explainer animation videos that consistently top the “best of” lists:

5. User-Generated Videos

Some brands have uncovered the secret of creating loads of video content – letting their customers do the work for them! User-generated content (UGC) is a photo, a tweet, or in this case, a video that features a user or fan promoting a product or brand, instead of the brand promoting itself. User-generated content is a fantastic tool to address the trend that consumers, especially those in the millennial demographic, trust personal recommendations and endorsements over traditional advertising messages. Use these examples of successful user-generated videos to inspire your own UGC campaign:

GoPro Awards (their social media also features some amazing user-generated “Photos of the Day”)
Lowe’s Fix in Six
Starbucks White Cup Content (not a video, I know, but check out the amazing artwork)

Are you ready to put these elements of video to work in your content marketing strategy?

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It’s not always easy brainstorming new content ideas; especially when you’ve been blogging since Day One, and you feel as though you’ve covered every topic under the sun within your industry. Trust us, we’ve been there, staring at the blank piece of paper labeled “Amazing Content Topics for XYZ Month.” So what to do when you’ve got a serious case of brainstorm block? Below we’ve outlined some creative ideas to get outside your own head when brainstorming new content ideas. Some we’ve tackled, others we can’t wait to try ourselves. Let’s dive.

The Magic of Generalized Topic Ideas

If you work with SEOs, then you know that the more niche and long-tail the focus keyword is for a content piece the better. I agree (as I AM an SEO myself). However, sometimes looking for that perfect, specific, unicorn keyword isn’t realistic. Focus, instead, on generalized topics and narrow it down from there.

For example, let’s say you work at Pets-R-Us. You feel as though you’ve beaten pet care, pet emergencies and adopting pet topics into the ground. You’ve focused on heartworm in dogs, dental care in cats, things your audience may not have known about guienea pigs, and why certain fish can’t be together in a fishbowl. You’re feeling stuck.

Instead of looking for a granular keyword, pull out your focus and pick something basic…like birds! Now, you may have written 100 blogs on birds. That’s cool; keep in mind what ones you have already written, but start narrowing down from there. Pull out as many possible bird blog ideas as humanly possible. Write a giant list of all the possible scenarios you could touch on when it comes to birds. Your list is probably getting pretty long. If you’re still feeling a bit perplexed, we tend to turn to Answer the Public. Here you can type in a keyword phrase and it provides you hundreds of questions people have asked surrounding that topic that you can answer.

Jeopardy Topic Ideas

This method has the #TeamTower stamp of approval for topic generation. If your business has multiple facets and/or product lines, pull a sample of people from each team. Come together and start writing in the form of questions about your specific department. Categorize your questions based on monetary value:

$100-$200 Questions: Basic, top-level questions that we receive on a pretty regular basis
$400-$600 Questions: Questions we receive that are a little more intensive, for the intermediate level customer
$800-$1,000 Questions: Questions that we ourselves ask others in the office as experts or have seen on professional forums about this product/department/skill

Set a timer for each round of questions and keep the questions for brainstorming new content pieces moving forward.

Getting Outside Your Four Walls

Oftentimes as marketers we forget that there’s a whole world of people outside our office, including a) our audience itself and b) influencers who speak the same language we do. Consider the following when brainstorming content ideas:

Ask current customers what they want to know more about. Send them a survey or pose the question on social media.
If you’re open to guest writers, pick their brains about topics they feel are your weak points on the blog and/or topics that they themselves have more experience in than you do.

Look at popular industry forums and see what questions other professionals are asking. Write a couple blogs that specifically answer these questions and post the link back in the forum when you’re done.
Reach out to businesses/consumers that might use your product/service. Ask them, if they were looking into purchasing your product/service, what questions would they want to have answered when looking at a potential site.

“Do Geckos…” and Other Recent Google Search Ideas

It may seem too simple, but oftentimes the best ideas are. Looking for a topic? Start typing into your Google search bar and see what others have looked for recently regarding that topic. You may be surprised that many of the questions posed could all be included into one singular blog.

Imitation Is the Greatest Form of Flattery…And Then Do It Better.

Get inspired. Find other content pieces and topics that you love on Pinterest, on competitors’ sites, through popular content publications, by other influencers…and then figure out how you can either a) expand on the topic or b) make it more compelling, interesting, or entertaining.

For example, you find an amazing blog on a competitors site entitled “The First Six Months With a New Puppy.” It explains all the vaccines you should be getting for your pup, what common health issues might pop up, training qualms to expect and growth patterns. The information is comprehensive and the writing is easily formatted enough to not be overwhelming for users. It’s a 10/10 on the content scale. So how can you do the same but better? We know humans are visual creatures. How about an infographic? How about personal anecdotes from your customers? How about a “Case by Case” scenario or a comparison chart between common breeds? In what way can you take a topic that’s already been done and make it 10X better?

Feeling like your creative well has run dry can be tough, but finding the right brainstorming technique can crack the code for the jackpot of all ideas. We wish you luck and happy writing!

How are you brainstorming content ideas? Have a topic you’d like us to write about?

Share Your Ideas

In 2014, online and eCommerce sales accounted for $101.9 billion of the total holiday retail sales. An increase of 6.8% from the previous year. It’s no surprise that online shopping is growing into a major contributor of holiday sales. So much so that it’s spawned several of it’s own holiday shopping milestones, including Cyber Monday and Free Shipping Day.

So whether you run an online store only or your eCommerce platform supports a physical retail store, it’s important to understand the psychology of online shopping, what motivates buyers and why online consumers make the choices they do. As you put together your seasonal promotions plan, consider these strategies, inspired by how shoppers think, to motivate online purchases on your site.

Make Sure Shoppers Are in the Mindset for Shopping

An important first step is to understand when people are shopping. This way you can “speak” to them when they are in the mindset to make purchases. Shopify has shown that people begin searching Google for Christmas ideas as early as August!

Of course, all retailers prepare for the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season, both in-store and online, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Additional dates that have become top performers in the lead-up to the holidays are:

Green Monday – The second Monday in December is named Green Monday for the influx in cash it brings to retailers. This is the date when people start to feel the crunch and stop procrastinating.
Free Shipping Day – In 2015, Free Shipping Day is being celebrated on December 18. Promoted by countless online retailers, they will provide free shipping on standard deliveries, and can still offer delivery by Christmas Eve.
Super Saturday – This is the last Saturday before Christmas and a big day for those who typically save their shopping for the last minute.

Keep these dates in mind when you are planning out your sales and promotions throughout November and December.

Create A Sense of Online Urgency

psychology of online shopping - limited inventory

This is a classic example of FOMO! That’s Fear of Missing Out and the struggle is real. No one wants to miss out on the perfect gift or the biggest savings. Take a page from the grandaddy of online retailers, Amazon, and call out items with a dwindling inventory.

Amazon uses “20 left in stock” as their trigger to promote purchase urgency. If you have an item that does sell quickly and goes out of stock, allow online shoppers to sign up for an email alert when inventory is replenished. The follow-up email can also spark a fire for shoppers to get their purchase completed.

psychology of online shopping - countdown

Additionally, you can use a countdown feature to show shoppers exactly how many days, hours, or minutes they have to take advantage of a site-wide sale or special promotion. As the days tick by, add a “Need it By Christmas?” callout to each product page. Tell shoppers how many days are remaining to place their order so that it arrives by Christmas Eve.

Keep Online Shoppers Happy

Did you know that coupons bring happiness? A study from Coupons.com and Claremont Graduate University proved that coupon recipients experience signs of happiness, lowered stress, and relaxation. And while coupons and discount codes are a staple of online promotions, the psychology of online shopping shows that they still bring joy.

So what’s the winning discount strategy? A percentage off? A set dollar amount savings? A BOGO offer? There may not be a concrete answer, as every shopper may be enticed by a different promotion. We recommend implementing A/B testing into your email marketing strategy to see which offer resounds best with your customers. With all else created equal, same subject; same graphics; same delivery date; same products, test two different offer types (20% off or $25 off) to see which results in more purchases.

Also, consider an element of exclusivity in your discount offers. Create a flash sale, a sneak peek event, a bump in savings, or added 2-day shipping for select customers. Segment individuals who have signed on for loyalty programs, repeat customers, or first-time visitors. Making someone feel special is never a bad thing.

Get Online Shoppers Over the Final Hump

psychology of online shopping - shipping dates

One reason that some shoppers choose to shop in retail stores is that they can avoid the added shipping costs associated with ordering online. Shipping charges are often cited as the main reason that an online shopper will abandon their shopping cart. Whether you offer periods of site-wide free shipping or an everyday free shipping thresholds, shipping promotions can break down that mental block that shoppers have about buying online. Be sure that you’re clearly communicating your shipping policies and, more importantly, cut-off dates for packages to arrive in time for the holidays.

Also, consider offering free returns. Many times shoppers are reluctant to purchase products online because if things don’t work, they have to pay to return their items. Zappos was one of the first online retailers to offer Free Shipping & Free Returns and has built a loyal fan base because of this generous customer service strategy.

Need help understanding the psychology of online shopping and what goes on inside the brains of online shoppers? Contact our team for our marketing advice.

Contact for Insight

The stats on including visuals in your content are staggering. 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. 40% of people will respond better to visual information than plain text. Posts generate 94% percent more views if you add compelling visual elements. In addition, all the major social media platforms are giving more prominence and exposure to posts that include a visual element.

If you’re design challenged (raising my hand!) and don’t have a design team at your disposal, I suggest these three tools for visual content marketing that will have you creating Twitter covers, blog headers, infographics, and incorporating top-notch photography like the true artist your 5-year-old self always thought you could be!

Canva

The beauty of Canva is that they offer templates for any kind of visual content you need to create. Whether it’s a Facebook or Twitter cover photo, Pinterest graphic, blog image or title header, or social ads, they offer numerous templates in a variety of styles. The pre-designed templates, allow you to simply tweak the copy to suit your needs or delete components down to a simple background image and then begin building a unique design.

As a tool for visual content marketing, I tend to use Canva not for template designs, but for smaller graphic pieces. Canva offers, what seems like, an unending supply of modern and quirky little icons, word bubbles, illustrations, photography, and holiday and seasonal images that make Clipart look ridiculously outdated. (Which it is. So please stop. Stop using it.)

There are so many free elements on Canva, but if you fall in love with a background or icon that does cost you something, you’ll find you won’t pay more than $1.

Piktochart

Piktochart is a lot like Canva, but instead of social media or blog images, they offer templates for infographics. They offer over 400 ready-to-use designs, although most of them fall under the Go Pro package ($29 per month/$290 annually). However, there are free themes available and I’ve always found something free that suits my needs. They are eye-catching and modern, and categorized for easy browsing. There is also a gallery of recently created Piktocharts to use as inspiration.

Although you’re starting with a pre-designed template, you can edit just about every element of the design. Change titles and body copy, colors, or images using editing tools that are easy and intuitive. You can even add or remove blocks of content to make your infographic longer or shorter as necessary. Start with a template comparing the benefits of tea and coffee and end up with a infographic comparing different student loan options.

What I like about Piktochart is that for a design illiterate like myself, I don’t have to worry about choosing colors and fonts that work well together. That’s all taken care of for me.

Death to the Stock Photo

I saw this slideshare shared on Google + not that long ago and I loved the ideas they shared on how to turn cold, generic, Stepford stock photos into something a little more edgy and interesting. In addition, I also stumbled across Death to the Stock Photo.

The site was started by two photographers who wanted to make their work available for friends who were writers, artists, freelancers, etc. Once you sign up on the site, a pack of stock photos is emailed to you at the start of each month. You don’t even have to think about it, it just shows up! You download the pack and the images are yours to use. Each month comes with a new theme – Wired, Slow Down, and Creative Space, are a few examples. Some months the images aren’t exactly a good fit for the clients I work with, while other months it’s a total jackpot!

They also have a Premium service, where in addition to the monthly pack, you also have access their library of over 400 images for $20 per month.

Share your go-to tools for visual content marketing! Or if you want to add visual content to your marketing strategy, contact our team!