Author: Miriam Ellis The low-code revolution of recent years has quietly but profoundly changed how local businesses market themselves online. Just a decade ago (when I was still hand-coding websites in HTML and CSS for small- and medium-sized brands), a need for basic programming brought many business owners to my agency. Companies struggled to achieve a professional digital presence without substantial help from designers and programmers, and if budget drove them to a what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) content management system, the available solutions often lacked essential SEO capabilities. This could create a cycle of failure for the owner, whose poorly optimized website wouldn’t be able to achieve their organic search visibility goals or contribute to their local search rankings. Ultimately, that would mean fewer opportunities for revenue, which could become a major cause of business closure. Gradually, and without much fanfare, that dynamic has changed completely. For someone like me, a local SEO consultant, the big shift has meant transitioning from website design to consulting. For local business owners, this evolution can best be described as moving from a challenging place of needing to know code to a softer spot of needing to know tools . The learning curve has become much less steep, and today, we’ll look at the two major causes of this metamorphosis, and provide you with a useful tutorial on the three foundational elements it takes to succeed in the modern SEO and marketing of local businesses. Why low-code platforms are great for most local businesses The first thing all local business owners in search of success should do is clearly define the amount of revenue they will need to earn to call their venture a winner. This figure will be unique to each situation/business. For example, I live in a rural part of Northern California, where many of my neighbors succeed at earning a little pocket money by selling vegetables or eggs at honor-system roadside stands. Their revenue goals are so modest that no phone number is needed, no website has to be built, and no SEO is required. They simply hang a sign at the end of their driveway to start enjoying microbusiness-sized rewards. Talk about low-tech! For most small businesses, though, revenue goals will be higher and achieving them will require some investment in online marketing. The surprising thing is how few assets you actually need to begin winning customers. Two key factors are the chief contributors to this low-code phenomenon: 01. Easier, better content management systems As discussed earlier, older content management system (CMS) solutions often produced low-quality websites lacking basic SEO components. Today, there are multiple platforms with excellent website development software that enable small business owners to publish and publicize an online presence that not only looks professional, but that can be substantially optimized for maximum search visibility . The low-code revolution has helped level the playing field in this regard. Putting programmatic needs behind the scenes allows SMBs to focus on telling their unique stories and communicating with their customers, instead of trying to become programmers in their very limited spare time. 02. Google has cemented a low-code approach to local search marketing In 2005, Google launched its local search offering—Google Maps. Since then, it has grown to become the solution of choice for most customers navigating the local commercial scene. Google Business Profiles (listings of local businesses in Google’s search results) now drive more local business leads than organic results—as much as six times more leads in some industries . Business owners don’t need to know any code to create and optimize a Google Business Profile, and they only need tiny snippets of code to fully track performance. Even more than improvements in CMS SEO capabilities, GBP’s centrality to local business revenue goals has cemented the low-code approach to local search marketing. Unless your business plans to custom-develop apps or other high-tech solutions, your SEO and marketing plan will rely substantially on three major components, and we’ll look at these next. The three SEO factors of local business success Achieving visibility for your local business means you must ultimately understand and fulfill the intent of searchers in your area. It can be useful to think of this activity as consisting of three buckets that work together like the parts of a water wheel—continuously in motion, contributing to one another with a unified purpose. Bucket #1: Optimize your website for customer intent As mentioned above, a modern CMS removes the burden of needing to know code or hire programmers in most small business cases. Just be sure that the solution you choose doesn’t limit the amount of content you can publish and enables you to optimize all of the following elements: Page URLs Title tags Menus/ internal links Header tags Meta description tags Alt text and tags Images Sitemaps (Note: Wix automatically updates and optimizes sitemaps for users) Robots.txt configuration URL status codes (300 and 400 codes) Your CMS should make managing each of these elements possible with a few clicks, but it’s what you actually do with these elements that can influence how many leads your business receives from the web. You may not need to know code, but you do need to become skilled at using these two approaches to understand and fulfill local intent on your website: Market research Polling and surveying the community you serve is the most direct method of discovering exactly what they need and want . If you have already grown a social media following on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok, regularly poll your audience to discover unmet needs and grow your products/services to include them. If you do not yet have a social following and have never conducted a poll before, some options include: Handing out survey cards at your place of business Embedding a survey on your website with a small reward for participants Conducting an email-based survey (if you have begun to establish an email database) Starting a phone- or text-based survey campaign Hiring a company like SurveyMonkey to conduct a professional survey for you (provided your survey group can have geographic limits placed on it) Keyword research You will want to take all of the data from your polls and surveys and combine it with formal keyword research . There are good free keyword research tools like Answer the Public and Google Keyword Planner , as well as a variety of sophisticated paid tools. The only drawback of standard keyword research tools for local businesses is that they cannot be accurately refined to a limited geography (like a smaller city). If you live in a major city and want to know how many people are searching for organic vegan tacos san francisco , the numbers keyword tools show you may be somewhat accurate, but if you’re doing business in a small town, volume estimates will not be reliable. Instead, the best practice is to do your keyword research without geographic modifiers (like city names, neighborhood names, or zip codes) to get an overall sense of demand. Then, add back in those geo-modifiers when you optimize your website for these terms. The key to deriving the most benefit from both types of research is to pay attention to exactly how potential customers talk about and search for the goods and services you offer (or may offer in the future). These are the terms you will use to optimize the URLs, titles, tags, internal links, and text of your website. While little or no code may be needed, outstanding knowledge of your community is a necessity! Bucket #2: Optimize your Google Business Profile for success To build a powerful Google Business Profile (GBP)—one that’s not hindered by novice mistakes—you should familiarize yourself with Google’s guidelines for representing your business . These guidelines determine your eligibility to be listed in Google’s local platform, and tell you what you can and can’t do with the various components of your listings. Local businesses looking to compete should fill out every possible field in the new merchant experience editor. GBPs bring us to one of the key moments in the low-code scenario, because in order to track the performance of your listings, you will need to know something about URLs and Urchin Tracking Models (UTMs) . When you add UTMs to specific elements of your listings and a user interacts with those elements, it will be recorded in your Google Analytics for analysis. For the best tutorial on all the places you can utilize UTMs on your Google Business Profile, watch Claire Carlile’s excellent presentation . Beyond this, no code is absolutely required, and there are five crucial elements of your listing that directly impact its rank in Google’s local results: Business title Google’s guidelines state that you should list your business by its real-world name with no additions (with some special rules for scenarios like co-located businesses and multi-practitioner firms). However, because the name of the business has been shown to influence its local search rankings, local business owners may be tempted to add extraneous keywords to their business titles . If detected, Google may remove these words from the title. The best practice is to follow the guidelines. If, however, your business name is in some way holding you back from achieving your visibility goals (as in the case of a business named “San Diego Tacos” opening new branches in multiple cities), you always have the option to formally rebrand your company. Categories Your keyword and market research should inform the categories you choose for your business . Miscategorization may result in invisibility in Google’s local packs, finders, and Maps. To that end: - Read Google’s tips for choosing categories - Use a browser extension like GMB Spy to see all the categories your local competitors are using - Select as many categories as are relevant to the business while avoiding redundancy For example, if you are marketing a Mexican restaurant, there is no need to use “restaurant” as well as “mexican restaurant” for your categories. The more specific category is generally the better choice. Website When filling out your GBP, you have the option to link it to a page on your website. Typically, the homepage of a small business website will have accrued the most authority and is the best choice to link to from the listing. However, there are cases in which multi-practitioner or multi-location brands will link from each listing to its respective page on the website to provide a more streamlined user experience. The fact that the website URL contributes to local search rankings strongly highlights how crucial it is for small businesses to have a professional, SEO-enabled website. Services One recently discovered local search ranking factor relates to the services that Google auto-suggests to certain businesses while the listing is being created. This is not to be confused with geographic service areas. You can read more about adding services to your listing in this Google support doc , and it’s a best practice to select as many of the suggested services as are relevant to your business model. Reviews The number of reviews a business earns has been shown to impact rank. Current thought leadership in the local SEO industry asserts that the first ranking impact can be seen when a business earns its first ten reviews, with diminishing returns following that. It’s theorized that there is a subsequent benchmark which could possibly be achieving 100 reviews, but this is a matter of debate. The ideal approach to reviews is to avoid any of the forbidden tactics outlined in Google’s prohibited content guidelines , and to receive a steady drip of reviews over time (rather than a big wave all at once). Getting too many reviews too quickly can cause Google to flag them. Taken altogether, these five factors will go far towards contributing to your lead and revenue goals, and the last factor is of such importance that it goes in its own bucket below. Bucket #3: Acquire and manage reviews Google-based reviews not only impact Google’s local search rankings, they are also an SEO and conversion factor . On the SEO side, Google excerpts language from reviews and displays it within the local search results in a feature known as “justifications.” So, if a searcher is looking for great food near me, and one of your reviewers has written “great food!” (as shown above), Google may embellish how your business appears in the local packs by including that review language in a highly visible spot in the local pack. From a conversion standpoint, a recent large-scale survey I conducted at Moz found that 96% of US consumers read local business reviews and 86% say reviews are either the most important or a somewhat important contributor to whether they give a specific business a try. Reviews can become strong contributors to meeting your revenue goals when you take the following approach: 01. Understand that excellent customer service is required to earn positive reviews. What happens in your store and on your website is what customers will write about when they review your business. Investing in customer satisfaction via staff training and generous consumer guarantees are essential for earning a positive, lucrative reputation. 02. So long as it does not violate the guidelines of the review platform, actively ask for reviews at the time of service, or via email or text shortly thereafter. 03. Respond to all reviews . In the survey mentioned above, I found that the majority of reviewers want to hear back from you within two or fewer days. In the case of negative reviews, the quicker you respond, the better. An apologetic, problem-solving owner’s response to a negative review can salvage your relationship with the customer and your good name in the public eye. 04. Promote your best reviews . Republish them as Google Posts , social media posts, on your website, and on in-store signage. I’ve found that only 11% of the public trust what brands say about themselves as much as they trust what consumers say, so put your customers’ praise everywhere you can. Low-code is the best of both worlds for local businesses With all three buckets on your water wheel feeding into one another, your local business will have covered all the elements essential to succeed in search. And you will have done it all with little or no knowledge of code. The journey isn’t over, though—you need to keep your water wheel going to ensure you stay ahead of competitors and continue to reach new audiences. Miriam Ellis - Local SEO Subject Matter Expert at Moz Miriam Ellis is a local SEO columnist and consultant. She has been cited as one of the top five most prolific women writers in the SEO industry. Miriam is also an award-winning fine artist and her work can be seen at MiriamEllis.com . 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Author: Krystal Taing Your business’s website and its Google Business Profile are considered the mainstays of local SEO . But, simply covering the essentials leaves a lot on the table for your competitors to take advantage of. Extending your local business’s online presence to Apple Maps enables you to create an entry point in one of the only digital ecosystems that rivals Google’s. Whether you’re new to Apple Maps or eager to learn more about how to better optimize your listing with Apple Business Connect, my goal is to equip you with the knowledge and strategies you need to attract and convert more customers on Apple. Get ready to dive into everything you need to know to harness the power of Apple Business Connect and make your mark on Apple Maps. Table of contents: What is Apple Maps? Apple Business Connect and its place in your local SEO toolkit What makes Apple Maps unique for local SEO? The launch of Apple Business Connect A guide to Apple Business Connect for local businesses Creating your business with Apple Business Connect Apple Business Connect features: Completing your Place Card Measuring your success on Apple Maps with performance data What is Apple Maps? Launched in 2012, Apple Maps is a feature-rich navigation app that is available on Apple’s iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS operating systems. In addition to providing driving directions, Apple Maps includes a variety of tools to help users plan their routes and explore their surroundings. Users can search for nearby restaurants, shops, and other businesses, and view ratings, reviews , and photos from other users. Similar to other search engines and navigation sites (e.g., Google Maps, Yelp, Tripadvisor, etc.), you should ensure that your business information (address, phone number, hours of operation, website URL, etc.) is accurate and up-to-date on these platforms so that it is easier for potential customers to find you. Apple Business Connect and its place in your local SEO toolkit It’s never been more important to meet shoppers where they are. That having been said, there are many platforms to choose from when determining where to focus your local SEO efforts. In terms of search market share, Apple Maps has been the default navigation app on all iPhones and iPads since 2012. This accounts for a potential active user base of over one billion devices worldwide and makes Apple Maps one of the most widely used navigation applications in the world. With the number of users searching on Apple Maps every day, ensuring your business profile appears accurately and is engaging is imperative. “Apple crossed the 1 billion active iPhones milestone [in 2021], after selling its billionth iPhone in 2016 and then hitting 900 million active iPhone users in 2019.” — Tom Warren, The Verge Apple Maps has continued to innovate its features over the last 10 years, with a focus on improving user experience. The launch of Apple Business Connect is in line with this trend and delivers more relevant information to searchers and provides a much improved experience for businesses as well. The level of effort to claim, update, and publish your business on Apple Maps for a single location is fairly minimal, but the potential impact is high. As an additional local citation , Apple Maps should definitely be one of your top considerations. What makes Apple Maps unique for local SEO? The ways in which a consumer may search for a business or product information depends on where they are in their buying journey. At its core, Apple Maps is a navigation application, which sets it apart from the likes of Google, Bing, and Yelp (which are search engines). This means that when users go to Apple Maps, they typically have some type of destination or action in mind, and are ready to plan out their trip. At this stage though, there is still an opportunity to present searchers with information that can have an influence on their buying decision. This is why it’s critical to complete your business listing on Apple, as potential customers are in a critical buying stage. One limitation, however, is that Apple Maps currently only supports brick-and-mortar businesses. Local businesses that provide their service at their customer’s locations, and do not display their address, are not eligible for a listing (e.g., landscapers, electricians, etc). The launch of Apple Business Connect In January of 2023, Apple launched Apple Business Connect , making it easier for businesses to claim, manage, and optimize their Apple Maps listings. The much anticipated launch of Apple Business Connect replaced what was previously known as “Maps Connect,” which was a more rudimentary interface that allowed businesses to update their basic location information. Although Maps Connect has been available for businesses to manage their location data, Apple Maps also relies on data from third-party partners like Foursquare, Yelp, and Tripadvisor to provide business information, ratings, and reviews. Apple will continue to maintain its integration with Yelp, which allows customers to see Yelp photos and reviews in the business details (also known as “Place Cards”). Apple Business Connect takes this even further, allowing you to enhance your business listings with important details that were previously lacking and providing you with performance data (more on this below), enabling you to create better optimized and richer listings. A guide to Apple Business Connect for local businesses Apple has been gathering and publishing business data for years, so it’s entirely possible that your business information already exists on Apple Maps. Business Connect makes it easier to take control of that business information, further enhancing your profile with all of the details you want to share with customers. While the availability of features may be limited by region, Apple Maps is available in over 200 countries around the world, so the majority of businesses globally can use Apple Business Connect. Apple Business Connect also supports businesses of all sizes, whether you have one location or thousands. Creating your business with Apple Business Connect Apple categorizes businesses into two types in order to get started on Apple Business Connect. You can either be: One business with fewer than 25 locations One/multiple businesses with more than 25 locations For businesses that fall into the second category, Apple Business Connect offers the ability to delegate profile management to a third-party. This means if you are leveraging an SEO agency or third-party tool to manage your listings, you can continue to do so on Apple Maps as well. The agency or third-party just needs to be approved as an API partner and then you can delegate (or share) your business with them to manage on your behalf. When you’re ready to configure your accounts and listings, proceed to Apple Business Connect and select the blue “Get Started” button. 01. The first thing you need to do is log in or create an Apple ID that will connect to your business on Apple Maps. Once you’ve created and logged into your account with your Apple ID, you will be prompted to begin setting up your business. Be aware that Apple requires some information in order to verify your affiliation with the business. To begin, you need to provide: Your business’s legal name (this does not have to be the customer-facing name if that differs; you will have the opportunity to set your display name once your business is verified.) Your business’s country or region Your business’s physical address Your business’s phone number (used for verification) You should also add more details about your location (including descriptions, images, and so on) once you’ve created and verified your business. 02. Once logged in, Apple will prompt you to select your business type. Your options are: a. Small Business — As mentioned above, these can be individual businesses or franchise-style businesses with between 1 and 24 locations. b. Enterprise — Businesses with 25 or more locations. c. Third-Party Partner — This category is for tools and agencies that manage Apple Maps listings for other Small Businesses and Enterprises. 03. Next, Apple Business Connect will walk you through the five-step process for creating your business. You will need to search for your business to determine if it already exists on Apple Maps. If you find the correct business, select it and proceed to the next step. If it doesn’t already exist on Apple Maps, select “Add a new location with this name.” 04. Next, you will fill out or confirm the rest of your business details, as well as confirm the location of your entrance (on the map). 05. You will then be prompted to add your operating hours, including holiday and secondary hours. These hours (as well as any additional details) will not be published to your Apple Maps Place Card until you complete all steps and verify your business. It’s still important to ensure this information is accurate as Apple will review your information during the verification process. 06. Once you have completed these steps, you will be prompted for verification. Based on the information provided, Apple may give you a few options. You can: Skip verification — You will be taken to the Business Connect portal where you can continue adding information about your business. However, you will need to return to complete verification at a later date in order to publish this information. Verify your business by phone — Apple will provide a verification code to the phone number you provided earlier, so make sure this is a phone number you have access to in order to receive the call. Verify your business by uploading documents — You will be prompted to upload legal business documents (such as a lease or utility bill). In order to be eligible, these documents should have the same legal name and address you provided in the first steps of setting up your business. Otherwise, you may risk failing verification, which will delay publishing your information to customers on Apple Maps. Apple states that the verification process may take up to five business days. Once your listing is verified, it will begin to show on Apple Maps to searchers and potential customers. Apple Business Connect features: Completing your Place Card Once your business is verified (or while you wait for the verification process to complete), you can begin optimizing your listing, or Place Card. ' Much in the same way that you might invest time to optimize your business details on other sites and search engines, you want to add as much rich detail about your business as possible so potential customers have everything they need to make a decision. Review Apple’s photo and text standards and guidelines prior to completing your Place Card to ensure that your data complies with Apple’s standards. Place Cards allow you to publish the following information about your business: Place card header: A business photo and logo Display name: The real world name of your business Call to action: Buttons that allow users to take an action. You should choose the most relevant calls-to-action to add to your business profile. The options include: “Add Photos” “Add to Favorites” “Add to Guide” “Call Now” “Get Directions” “Rate Us” “Save as Contact” “Share this Place” “Website” Showcase: You can add special offers and events to your profile that will stay published for 30 days. Showcases can include: A brief title or headline (up to 38 characters) A description of the offer or event (up to 58 characters) An additional action button About: A description of your business and this specific branch/location Photos: Additional photos of your business, service, or products Address: Complete address of this location (which may be the same one you used to verify your account) Phone: The direct phone number for this location Hours: The hours this location is open for customers Website: The website for this business or specific location App: The link to your app in the App Store Categories : The type of business this is (you can find the full list here ). Good to know: You can select applicable attributes from the list below. Wheelchair Accessible Street Parking Parking Garage Pets Welcome Accepts Credit Cards, Contactless Payments, Accepts Apple Pay Status (whether the location is open, permanently or temporarily closed) For official documentation about completing your Apple Place Card, review the Apple Business Connect User Guide . Measuring your success on Apple Maps with performance data Referred to as “Insights,” performance data about how users interact with your business on Apple Maps is a new feature of Apple Business Connect. This can inform the types of information you publish by cluing you into the details that are more (or less) important to users, as well as other success indicators. Apple Business Connect Insights include data for search and the Place Card. Insights are not available until up to three days after a location is verified, and data remains available for up to 12 months if the listing was previously published on Apple Maps. If you just created and published your business on Apple, the Insights data will begin reporting after that date. Insights from search includes data on two core metrics: How many times a business was tapped on in search results What users searched before selecting your business. This is broken into the following categories: Name or Brand Searches (a name or brand associated with this location) Category Searches (a product, service, or business category related to this location) Other Searches (basically all other types of searches either related to an address or city, as well as anything that doesn’t fall into the brand or category searches) Place Card Insights (shown below) show data about what happens once a user views your Place Card and the types of actions they take. You can see the number of views and taps to action buttons on your Place Card. This data is likely the most valuable of the Insights as it shows how many potential customers you are driving to your business. Remember, local SEO doesn’t just happen on Google What happens if your business’s Google rankings start to decline? Investing heavily in one search ecosystem has its benefits, but smart businesses know to cover their bases so that their success doesn’t hinge upon a single platform or algorithm. That’s why it’s important to continuously monitor and refine your listings to ensure accuracy and effectively engage potential customers—whether they’re on Apple Maps, Yelp, Google Maps, or another local platform. Now that you’ve gotten started, continue analyzing the performance of your listing and adapt your strategies as needed to stay ahead. By staying proactive and responsive, you can maximize your business's local SEO potential. Krystal Taing - Global Director of Pre-sales Solutions, Uberall Krystal Taing is the Global Director of Pre-sales Solutions at Uberall. She is a Google Business Profile Platinum Product Expert and faculty member at LocalU. She helps brands at managing hybrid customer experiences. Twitter | Linkedin

Author: Judith Lewis Communicating your value to decision makers or potential investors can feel like trying to hit a moving target—after all, pleasing everyone involved with the project is crucial, but different roles will care about different aspects of your work (i.e., implementation, results, etc). So, to demonstrate the great work that your team does, your reports need to communicate the right information to the right people as effectively as possible.  In my experience, the more senior-level stakeholders you report to, the more they focus on the bigger picture. I once presented a report to a group of vice presidents; what they focused on and asked questions about was completely different from what the subject matter experts asked about. While you might take a lot of interest in the minutiae of your data and results, a more senior-level stakeholder could find this irrelevant, distracting, or a waste of time. To create reports that hit the mark—regardless of who you’re delivering them to—you’ll need to: Create an organizational chart Share insights that align with business impact Demonstrate success via KPIs Customize reporting to reflect the C-suite’s vision Make your stakeholders look good Include an executive summary Consider creating tailored reports Put additional data and details in an appendix Create an organizational chart  Before you begin your report, work with your stakeholder (the person who you report to) to create an organizational chart that helps you understand who might view the information.  An organizational chart is a way of positioning your stakeholder within the company at large. Whether you are in-house or at an agency, map out who you are reporting to as well as their manager (or whoever they report to). You may report to a marketing manager, brand manager, etc. who then needs to report to more senior-level decision makers. By understanding everyone’s roles, you can determine who is likely to read your reports, which enables you to reflect their priorities in both your campaigns and your reporting. Share insights that align with business impact In your reporting, focus on delivering unique insights and recommendations that will have a business impact.  Why? Because any tool can tell you how your rankings or traffic changed this month. What you (as an expert) are delivering is insight into:  Why those changes happened What you’re going to do to keep improving Future opportunities and risks  You are the expert and this is where you will shine. If you share your reports with subject matter experts (SMEs), they’ll often require more data around actionable insights. These insights need to be specific and tied to business outcomes.  That means that if, for example, the business has specific targets for volume of sales, leads, etc., then you should focus on them in your reporting. These data points should cover a specific reporting period and illustrate the value of your SEO work.  Use KPIs to demonstrate success Subject matter expert reporting should focus on agreed-upon key performance indicators (KPIs) that: Measure outcomes that result from the specific actions you take and the specific way in which they are implemented. E.g., the rankings and traffic gains from title tag optimization. You can even contextualize your KPI by analyzing it against (in this case) the time it took to A/B test  the new title tag structure and compare that against the revenue impact of having not made those positive improvements. Track the progress you (or your client) are making towards business goals.  When KPI targets aren’t met, you’ll know that you need to adjust course. For example, when I optimize a web page for a client, a key performance indicator would (for some clients) be an increase in traffic and/or an increase in keyword rankings. If the page decreased in rankings or traffic (and no other factors were to blame), that indicates that the actions I took failed to meet the target KPI. KPIs may seem stressful or difficult, however they are an excellent way to agree with your manager or client on a minimum definition for “success.”  Focus your SME reporting  on the agreed key performance indicators. While you can include some of the detail behind your approach to meeting (but hopefully exceeding) target KPIs, this is not always necessary or useful within the main report (but, you can include some of these details in an appendix, which I’ll discuss later ).  When reporting on work in-progress, you can still demonstrate your progress using the same KPIs. In house or agency, do not be afraid to challenge, reset, or add more KPIs in order to ensure you’re able to demonstrate success. Customize reporting for your C-suite For stakeholders at the executive level (such as the CMO, CEO, or similar), your report should focus on the bigger picture of the overall business and how your work fits into those objectives. So, you need to design your reports differently for this higher-level view of the business.  While KPIs can be helpful for reporting back to the CEO or similar, this is not always practical as they may be too specific to one business unit, without a clear enough picture of how important that metric is in the grand scheme of the business.  Work with your stakeholder to establish what the business goals and desired outcomes are, then identify how your work feeds into these goals to demonstrate success. Sometimes reporting to the owner of a business can feel like reporting to a CEO, and sometimes it is like reporting to someone who believes they’re a subject matter expert. Whatever the situation may be, it’s on you to understand the business, discover what the stakeholder (or client) wants, and create reports that work for them so that you can get the recognition you deserve. Make your stakeholders look good Remember, your job is not just to do great work and brag about it in your reporting—you also need to make your stakeholder contact look good to their boss. If you’re in-house, this can help you secure more buy-in in the future and advance your career; if you’re at an agency, this can help you maintain a client over the long term, which can be crucial depending on your agency pricing model .  To do this, you need to understand the KPIs, OKRs (objectives and key results), and any other metrics by which your stakeholder is measured.  For example, I once had a B2B client whose key performance indicator for his annual bonus was tied to how many subscribers he could gain for a mailing list. My team used white papers and paid media to direct more people to the landing page and managed to gather more new subscribers to the mailing list than at any time in the company’s history.  That made the stakeholder look good in front of his boss and got him his annual bonus, but was only a small part of the work we did.  It can be very advantageous to understand your stakeholders’ key performance indicators—not just KPIs for the campaign overall.  Include an executive summary Reports might get read months after they were created or used to bring new staff up to speed. This means that your reports can be read entirely out of context, without you, and possibly out of order. To ensure that the reader has some context for your efforts, include a table of contents as well as an executive summary. I really cannot overemphasize the importance of an executive summary that references business imperatives so that someone unfamiliar with the report can read and understand it.  An executive summary is a paragraph or two that concisely summarizes the contents of the report. It should not simply regurgitate what is in the report, but rather shine a light on the overall outcomes.  In some cases, though, there may be reason to include specific data. For example, I had one client who suddenly, in one month, doubled their visitors to one specific page. This warranted a call out in the executive summary not only because it was abnormal, but because we built backlinks  to that page, which helped drive that performance.  Generally speaking, the executive summary should not be too specific, though. Show how your results tie into individual and business objectives and ensure that the KPIs are clearly stated with their relevant metrics next to each one.  The executive summary is just that—a summary, and it needs to reflect its purpose. After reading the executive summary, stakeholders should be able to glean the essence of the report and, most importantly, possibly make important business decisions after reading only it. Consider creating tailored reports In certain circumstances, it might be useful to create different reports for your key stakeholder, the subject matter expert within the business, or the senior stakeholder that sits above the person you’re directly in contact with.  Certain clients that work with different agencies for different channels may also ask you to work together. In this scenario, it’s useful to create a specific, larger “all-hands” type of report that is then used by other agencies to present to several stakeholders. If your clients tend to outsource their digital marketing , website, social media, etc. then a template for this style of report could certainly save you time. This will not often be the case, as the reports you create should be digestible for all stakeholders with only small adjustments. Ideally, your reports can be read by almost anyone who is senior enough to understand the key business objectives of the company, as well as a little bit about your deliverables. Put details in an appendix Simplify and focus your report on elements that have a business impact. I have said this before, but it is really important to confine the minutiae of the report to an appendix. Do not clutter slides with detailed graphs or words. If you really need those graphs, put them in the appendix. The appendix is your friend.  I promise you, some of my appendices are longer than the main report, so I am not practicing what I preach every time. One presentation I did for a CEO had more than double the slides in the appendix than in the main body of the presentation. Why? The appendix enabled me to present detailed charts, detailed data tables, and detailed results that were excessive in the main body of the report.  The appendix gave me what I needed to back up all the assertions in the main report. That meant I could be efficient with the content I delivered to the client, but could still answer all questions without needing to load up a tool and take forever to get the required data set up and displayed. This does not mean I am advocating for appendices that are longer than reports, only that I am saying you can do it if you need to.  Multi-stakeholder reporting makes more people aware of your success A good report clearly communicates the results of the work undertaken. A great report adds context to that data and tailors it for the person reading it, whether they’re an SME or a member of the C-suite.  It may sound like a lot of extra work and consideration to compile your reports this way, but it’ll pay off when it's time to review your performance (or renew your contract), as everyone involved will feel like you understand their priorities and accounted for them in your efforts. Judith Lewis - Founder CEO at Decabbit Consultancy Judith is a renowned international speaker and digital media consultant, specializing in digital technologies to help businesses innovate and optimize. With over 25 years of experience, she runs her own consultancy delivering actionable business insight for M2B, B2B, and B2C companies. Twitter  | Linkedin

Author: Ray Martinez SEO agency owners and freelancers need to protect their margins to ensure scalability and profitability—especially as generative AI and other developments disrupt the industry. To accurately assess your agency's profitability, it’s essential to understand your earnings relative to expenses. After all, your team might produce top results for your highest-billing client while losing money for the company.  As VP of SEO for Archer Education, I’ve felt the pressure of both having to price my services accurately and the pain of not knowing how to price a project appropriately. How do you balance what it takes to win versus what it costs to get there? So, how can you set competitive pricing to safeguard profits and margins? Below, I’ll walk you through multiple considerations and steps to take to define your SEO agency pricing with the goal of creating a healthy profit margin.  Table of contents: Determine your value proposition Examples of UVPs for various agency types Pricing models for SEO agencies Monthly fixed-rate pricing Hourly pricing Project-based pricing Retainer-based pricing Performance-based pricing SEO agency pricing model table Define your statement of work Communicate pricing and expectations to clients Evaluate and adjust your pricing model Benchmark and iterate to scale your pricing and grow revenue Determine your value proposition The first step to defining your SEO pricing model is understanding what makes your agency valuable to potential clients.  Determining your unique value proposition (UVP) will help you better contextualize pricing for your products or services. Your UVP is a statement that communicates your business, product, or service’s key benefits—it’s essentially a “why” statement. As in, “Why should this client sign with your business?” Examples of UVPs for various agency types Below is a general breakdown of UVPs for the most common types of SEO agencies/service providers. Agency type Unique value proposition (UVP) Independent contractors/Practitioners Cost-effective and highly tailored SEO solutions, ideal for small businesses, startups, and individual brands seeking dedicated attention and customized strategies. Small boutique agencies Customized SEO strategies that are agile, adaptable for rapidly changing market conditions, and done at scale. Their focus on niche markets allows for deeper understanding and expertise.  Mid-sized agencies Tailored strategies with a focus on scalability and growth. Offers a mix of specialized and general SEO services suitable for mid-level markets. Enterprise-level agencies High-end, data-driven SEO campaigns leveraging cutting-edge technology and extensive research capabilities. Suitable for large enterprises with complex needs. To understand your agency’s UVP , assess the factors that help set you apart from other SEO service providers.  One factor might be the composition of your team and their strengths—in this case, you might build your UVP based on breadth or depth of expertise, diversity, capabilities, etc. Does your agency focus on a niche, product, or industry? If so, that should probably be part of the UVP you communicate to potential clients. For example, at Archer Education , we specialize in higher education enrollment marketing. We have years of experience in the industry, can speak to historical trends, as well as forecast future trends. As a team, we can look at a university’s down-funnel metrics and diagnose the critical issues behind underperformance pre- and post-lead. That type of expertise translates to real value, which we convey through our UVP.  Now that you’re on your way to pinpointing why a client would be interested in your SEO services, it’s time to look at how your value proposition, pricing, and benefits compare to competitors in your space. In doing so, you can identify the critical benefits of your products or services (or a competitor’s), enabling you to make better informed decisions on agency pricing.  Pricing models for SEO agencies Now that you have a deeper understanding of the value your agency provides clients, it’s time to determine the most appropriate pricing model for your agency. Monthly fixed-rate pricing For SEO agencies, a fixed-rate pricing model involves setting standard prices for specific services or bundles, offering simple billing and transparent upfront costs for clients.  However, my experience at a small business-focused SEO agency revealed challenges with this pricing model, especially for lower-tier clients paying $500 (or less) monthly. The effort required to generate results for these clients often exceeded the value of their payment, leading to overextension and financial strain for the agency. This situation highlighted the risks of over promising and under delivering, as it impacted client retention and the agency’s financial health due to a lack of clear expectations set from the start. Hourly pricing The hourly rate  model calculates pricing based on the amount of time your agency spends on SEO tasks, making it critical for freelancers, consultants, and agencies. It allows for flexibility and compensates you for all work performed. However, it can lead to unpredictability in billing for both the provider and the client.  For freelancers and consultants, your hourly rate is heavily influenced by the market cost for similar services, making pricing straightforward. Check out the hourly rate (including the high, median, and low ends) on sites like Salary.com , Glassdoor , and Indeed .  “A drawback to this pricing model is it can open up an avenue for clients to begin scrutinizing the amount of time billed for certain work. Many times, this can be solved with some additional client education, but that will depend on the client-agency relationship.” — Mary Carroll, Managing Director, Partnerships at Archer Education If you set your hourly rate on the high end, be prepared to justify that cost. If you set a rate on the low end, this affects the way people perceive your agency or services. You may also see high turnover with clients on the lower end due to budget constraints and perceived value.  To calculate your agency’s hourly rate, you’ll first need to calculate your hourly cost  by dividing a project’s total cost (not including your profit margin) by billable hours.  Profit margins will vary based on your financial goals and funding.  This method requires that you know the actual cost to provide your products or services—not just the price the client pays. Track the time spent on each part of a project to calculate average completion hours, then multiply by your hourly rate (excluding profit) to estimate the cost.  Undertaking this detailed process, as I did in 2023 with the help of project managers, is essential (especially when managing numerous deliverables), and you should prioritize it for your organization. Project-based pricing This model bases pricing on the complexity, duration, and resources required for individual projects. The agency (or freelancer) evaluates each project individually and sets a price according to the project’s specific requirements. This model is suitable for one-off projects or when the scope of work is clearly defined from the start, such as technical SEO migrations or other specialized projects. The most critical piece of project-based pricing is developing a scope of work. If a new need arises, this will be outside the scope of work, leading to three potential outcomes:  Creating an addendum to cover the additional costs The client handling the additional need independently The agency absorbing the cost Any of these options can lead to friction in a client relationship. If you offer project-based pricing, it’s best to ensure that the language in your scope of work enables you to avoid scope creep.  “One approach to that out-of-scope language is including an hourly rate for out of scope work that may need to be covered. This is a simple way to prepare clients for the fact that changes may arise throughout the project and to ensure you can invoice for your SEO team’s work!” — Mary Carroll, Managing Director, Partnerships at Archer Education Retainer-based pricing This approach involves providing ongoing SEO services for a fixed monthly or quarterly payment. Retainer-based pricing provides agencies with a stable income, while ensuring clients receive continuous support for their SEO strategies . In my current role, we deploy a similar model. The retainer model creates tiered pricing based on the number or types of programs we support. For example, we may work with a university with multiple bachelor’s degree programs. As the number of programs we support grows, so does the budget. So, for a school with one program, we might start at a $10K per month retainer; as they add two programs, spending will ramp up to $25K per month or more.  Since we know that the relationship with the client will continue through the contract period, we can plan for the future and set quarterly strategies, enabling us to tackle new needs and opportunities. This model differs from a fixed-rate contract, which offers a set list of services. The retainer model allows for more customization and flexibility for a partner.  “Ensuring clients get what they paid for (from an hours and deliverables standpoint) is a vital component of this pricing model,” Carroll said. “This model can also leave an agency vulnerable to dependency on fewer clients, which is a significant financial risk,” she added, noting, “If one or two large clients leave, expect a significant drop in total revenue.”  Performance-based pricing Performance-based pricing ties your compensation to achieving specific, measurable SEO outcomes, such as rankings , traffic increases, or other KPIs. It incentivizes agencies to deliver results but requires explicit agreement on targets and measurement methods  to ensure accountability. Performance-based pricing models, while potentially lucrative, differ across industries. For instance, online program management (OPM) companies that offered services like marketing and admissions to support online education growth initially benefited universities by attracting more students and enhancing technology access. However, these revenue-sharing agreements, which often locked in long-term commitments, have been criticized for exploiting universities and burdening students with additional costs. Recently, the US Department of Education’s scrutiny of such deals  has led to the downfall of major OPM providers.  Let’s take a look at some common performance-based SEO pricing structures and the agency types that use them below: Performance-based model Description SEO agency type Revenue sharing Sharing of profits and losses between parties Mid-sized agency Enterprise Dollar amount per sale Fixed amount for each sale Freelancer Boutique agency Commission-based Percentage of sale value as commission Mid-sized agency Enterprise Affiliate marketing Earnings from promoting others Freelancer Boutique Agency Cost-per-action (CPA) Payment for specific actions (sign-up, purchase, etc.) Freelancer Mid-sized agency Cost-per-click (CPC) Payment for each click on an ad Freelancer Boutique agency In specific industries, we’re seeing a higher adoption of performance-based models because of their lucrative nature. The publishing side of the SEO industry is an excellent example of this. Companies like Archer and Red Ventures offer clients a cost-per-click or cost-per-action pricing model. They use relevant owned sites to drive organic traffic and conversions for clients across various industries and/or verticals. In higher education, this translates to offering university leads that become enrolled students. Niche.com is another company that combines the CPC/CPA approach with affiliate marketing and links. Both Niche and Red Ventures have a massive footprint that extends across multiple verticals.  SEO agency pricing model table Pricing model Pros Cons Suitable agency types Fixed-rate Predictable pricing Price may not reflect actual effort Boutique Niche/specialized Hourly Flexibility in billing Unpredictable costs for clients Freelancers Consultants Project-based Customized pricing Potential for scope creep Boutique Niche/specialized Retainer-based Stable, predictable income Potential for dependency on a few clients Full-service  Enterprise-level Performance-based Lucrative for high-performing agencies Complex to define outcomes/expectations Enterprise-level  Niche/specialized Refer to the pricing models mentioned above to decide the most suitable model for your agency, but keep in mind that your agency might also need different pricing models for different client types. And, before you finalize your pricing, remember to familiarize yourself with any laws, regulations, or caveats that could affect your business.  Now that you are closer to providing actual quotes to clients, let’s discuss how you can protect your pricing—by defining the scope of your work. Define your statement of work A statement of work (SoW) is a document produced during your sales and contract period that outlines a project’s: Work activities Deliverables Timelines Milestones Goals A good SoW combats scope creep and sets reasonable client expectations. When building your statement of work, ask the right questions. If it’s a technical SEO project, for example, I like to ask things like:  Who’s tackling implementation for technical SEO?  This is important because you need to understand the implementation resources and the hours you’ll need to charge for them. Are you expected to manage uploads in the CMS?  Getting your hands dirty in the front end of a CMS can take time and effort, which can hurt your profit margins. What products, programs, or services do we support, and what is their priority?  Some products or services are more challenging to compete for than others, which will dictate a need for spending. For example, due to a product's complexity, you may need to hire a specialized writer who charges more per word. What problem are you looking to solve?  Are you looking for lower cost per acquisition, lead, or revenue goals? Understanding the client’s needs allows for detailed scoping by addressing their core issues.  In my experience, asking these questions builds trust with your client and sets your agency up for success. When these questions aren’t asked, you (or the client) will absorb unexpected costs. Schedule detailed discovery meetings to help avoid this situation and inform your SoW.  Communicate pricing and expectations to clients The next step is to communicate the statement of work you’ve built to your clients.  Use a document, a pitch deck, or a spreadsheet. This representation of work protects your organization and readies your client for what’s coming down the pipeline.  Whatever method you choose (I prefer pitch decks), I recommend connecting deliverables and tactics to a particular goal or objective—this enables you to provide transparency and build trust with your clients. I use quarterly strategies to adjust deliverables for my clients to allow us to be agile with our application of a data driven approach. These strategies align us with our priority programs and let the clients know how their money is spent.  In my deck, I’ll refer back to the previous quarter’s goals and benchmarks to show a complete path: If we’re down in traffic and conversions, here’s what went wrong. If we’re up, here are the tactics that got us there. In both instances, we set up what’s coming next and why.  Evaluate and adjust your pricing model Once your agency pricing is established and working, it’s time to measure success. You’ll want to understand if what you’re charging is profitable at a deliverable level. Is your agency making money from the pricing model? Are you running over on costs?  There’s no secret formula here—compare your estimated expenses to your actuals to stay on top of costs and get an accurate measure of your profit margins. In addition, your sales team should review the number of deals closed since implementing this pricing model. Are you winning new business, and is that business retained? Keep in mind that your pricing model can (and should) change under certain circumstances. It may be more efficient to provide different pricing if you find that your client base has shifted. Your profit margins may adjust depending on the demand for your services, and even that can affect what’s profitable for your agency to offer. Benchmark and iterate to scale your pricing and grow revenue After you’ve settled on a pricing model, it’s time to test it with benchmarking. After all, the only way to craft a pricing strategy that resonates with your agency and clients is by diving deep into the figures and getting your hands dirty. When you launch your new pricing, track your deals in whatever CRM you use. Compare your deals won/closed rate to the previous period to gauge the success of your new pricing structure from a client perspective. On the backend of a deal, track internal and external costs to ensure that your products or services are profitable.  And, compare your pricing to your competitors to get insight on your strengths and weaknesses. Understand your costs, team strengths, competitors, and your brand strengths. By doing this, you’ll be well on your way to scaling pricing that helps you sustain and grow revenue. Ray Martinez - VP, SEO at Archer Education Ray Martinez is the VP of SEO at Archer Education, where he leads a dedicated team comprised of senior analysts, specialists, and project managers. Together, they craft, implement, oversee, and evaluate SEO strategies for prestigious higher education institutions across the globe. Twitter  | Linkedin

Author: Aoife McIlraith Industry awards can elevate the perception of your agency or in-house team, making you more attractive to potential clients or helping you gain recognition in your organization. Crafting a winning award entry, however, is inherently competitive. So, where do you start? What should you know before you begin? And, how can you distinguish your award entry from the competition?  As an industry judge that has spent many years and hundreds of hours reviewing entries and awarding winners (at the US, UK, and European Search Awards, Global Marketing Awards, European Paid Media Awards, and more), I thought it would be a great opportunity ahead of the European Search Awards this year to lend some critical learning and tips on how to craft a winning entry. Since awards entries are evaluated on both the quality of the work as well as the quality of the application, that’s the lens through which I’ll share both what I’ve seen as well as insights from other industry awards judges as well. Let’s get started. Table of contents: Why teams apply for industry awards Before you apply: Research awards, categories, and past winners How to craft a winning digital industry awards entry What judges look for: The bare minimum for awards entries What to include and avoid for the best possible awards entry Introduction Objectives and budget Strategy, target audience, and creativity Tactical implementation and challenges Results Supplemental content Why we should win Before you submit your entry Digital awards entry do’s and don’ts Why should your agency or in-house team apply for an industry award? For winners, digital industry awards serve to: Elevate your team , adding to your agency’s credibility and in-house team’s visibility with management.  Awards highlight your team’s strategic and creative strengths, making your skills more visible to potential clients, partners, and bosses. Winning or getting nominated not only boosts team morale, but also showcases your expertise on company websites, sales collateral, and across social media platforms. Make you stand out against competitors.  Showcasing  awards on your website can illustrate expertise, experience, authority, and trust  to the industry, current and potential clients, and search engines. Submitting an award entry is one of the only ways you can independently benchmark your work against the best in the business, encouraging continual improvement and innovation. Additionally, nominations and wins can open you up to new partnerships with complementary agencies and clients who are interested in the highest, award-winning campaign quality and implementation. Feedback for future campaigns and award entries.  Most awards provide critique and feedback for entries by expert industry judges. This feedback often highlights really impressive aspects of the work and provides critique on areas to improve (both from a campaign perspective and the quality of the entry). Where else can you receive this type of independent expert review? If leveraged properly, this feedback is a gold mine. If you didn’t secure the win this year, this critique can also help you ensure next year’s award entry is elevated with an increased chance of winning. Before you apply: Research awards, categories, and past winners  To enter and win awards, you need to gather a bit of background information. Look to gain real insights into: Who runs the awards The awards categories available The standard and criteria for entries  Decide which award(s) to submit entries to Awards are a way of illustrating that you and your team are at the top of your field, so take the time to do the research.  Become a student—find details of the past winning campaigns, agencies, and in-house teams. This gives you a benchmark and helps identify what stands out in your field. Also, take a closer look into the companies that run the awards; are they reputable, well-regarded, and trusted in your industry?  This ensures that the awards you choose to enter (and may win) are respected and carry weight. Remember, your research may also benefit from looking beyond your own country to understand global standards and expectations. After you gather this information, decide on what types of awards and categories best align with your team’s efforts in the past year. It takes considerable time and expense to craft great entries, so make sure that that time and money are worth investing . Understand the standard you must meet To understand what judges expect, review the list of past winners. Review some of these top agency and in-house teams in your niche, see which awards they have won, and find the winning case studies. While you may not have access to their detailed submissions, many winners share case studies or highlights on their websites. It’s also beneficial to occasionally extend your research beyond your immediate geographical area to capture a broader view of industry standards. If you see common tactics and methodologies for illustrating the value of work, then you should ensure that you are replicating those techniques in a comparable way for the categories that you enter. Also, look at these companies’ social media accounts, which award events have they attended? Ask yourself, who are the award nominees and winners that are currently working with your dream clients? This will help you gain insights into the current standard those dream clients expect.  Judge’s top tip:  Don’t restrict your research to just your own geographical area. For example, if you are based in the UK or Sweden, research awards based in the USA and Europe. Half of the judges I know judge awards globally—not just in their own country or region. This is key to understanding that there is a consistency in judging, regardless of country. If there is considerable consistency in judging, you can expand your research to gain insights into winning entries in other countries and regions. “To compete for the top spot in your category, several standards need to be met at once: There are of course the results, which usually are essential to even be considered as a winner, but remember that a big part of the entry is storytelling. No matter how good the campaign was, it needs to be sold to judges. Make sure you speak to the judges on all possible levels—like the creativity, the data, and the process. Each judge is different and needs convincing in a unique way. The winning campaigns tend to speak to all possible judging profiles and backgrounds at the same time.” — Natalia Witczy, Global, European, and UK Search Awards judge and CEO at Mosquita Digital Ensure your project matches award criteria When judges evaluate entries, one of the primary criteria is that they meet the brief. If you are not able to satisfy the brief, then you should look for a different category or even a different award to apply for. For instance, if you are applying for an award in the small business category, but you are working with a multinational corporation, you may very well be out of the running simply because the project does not satisfy the category criteria. “Sometimes, awards are won by process of elimination: After an initial review of all applications, I would eliminate the ones that didn’t meet essential criteria, then work backwards to identify the campaign that most accurately reflected the spirit of the award. Those who didn’t follow the category criteria/application instructions were the easiest to rule out of consideration, which is unfortunate because sometimes, aside from the one critical error, the quality of the campaign might have made it a serious contender.” — George Nguyen , Search Engine Land Awards judge  (2019-2021) and Director of SEO Editorial at Wix How to craft a winning digital industry awards entry Let’s now go over what the judges are looking for in your submission as well as the best ways to approach the standard sections of an awards entry. What judges look for: The bare minimum for awards entries In essence, an application is very similar to a case study. You want to illustrate the work that you did, the thinking behind it, and how you created great results.  Across your application, it is important to remember that you are judged on your work as well as the application itself.  So if you are not able to follow the application instructions and if you fail to demonstrate your work, you might not win even if the campaign was exceptional. Respect all instructions and follow them strictly. One example is word count; if the maximum word count is 1,000 words, do not exceed that. Judges might be reviewing over 50 applications for three days straight, so respect their time. It is very frustrating for judges when instructions are not followed and it is such a simple way to get points deducted. So, stick to all instructions and give the judges every reason to score you highly. Be very aware that judges have signed NDAs and the award process is completely confidential. Don’t risk losing points by not including crucial campaign information. Ea ch section of your awards application may be weighted. Do not ignore this weighting if it’s provided; if it’s not, then take an educated guess that all elements may be graded equally.  Regardless how small or simple a section of the application may seem, if the weighting of that section is worth the same as the other sections, it is worth investing time to ensure that all the content that you submit is robust. Don’t ramble but don’t be shy, either—you have an opportunity to showcase your work. Your competitors will illustrate their exploits in great detail, if you are too brief or too long in comparison, you will look as if you’ve undersold yourself.  When entries are similar, those that take the time to invest in the often-overlooked sections of the application can gain precious points that can put them over the top. In a tight race, the highest standard of information in each section can sometimes make the difference between a winner and a runner up. “Show the judges the unique elements because we already know the basics. All judges are experts, so don’t tell us that you did keyword research. Instead, tell us how you researched topics for the target audience and (having identified a sweet spot your client has a product/service for but no content) you filled the gap, structured the internal links  well, and doubled their sales. We need to understand what makes this award-winning, not just what you did.” — Judith Lewis, European, UK, and US Search Awards and Founder at Decabbit Consultancy Now that you understand the approach you need for filling out your awards submission, let’s look at how you can best translate your success story into the application. What to include and avoid to maximize the strength of your awards entry Most industry awards applications are divided into the following sections: Introduction Objectives and budget Strategy, target audience, and creativity Tactical implementation and challenges Results Supplemental content Why we should win Let’s explore how you can approach each of these sections to create a winning entry. Introduction (Agency/client or company overviews) At the start of most awards applications, there is a summary section that pertains to your agency/client or your company (if you’re an in-house team). Use this section to provide a short, informative introduction to your campaign. Set the scene on who your client is, the industry, and maybe even explain the competitor landscape. Take the time to help the judges understand the nature of the business. This is easier with large corporations and household names, but is especially important if you work with a smaller client. This section gives the judges critical background information to better understand your entry and campaigns as they read on, so mention details that are crucial to your success story, but do not go overboard as this is supposed to be a preview to the rest of the application. Objectives and budget I n this section, you need to be direct, to-the-point, and ensure that you include all information (but also limit it to just what is asked for). State the challenge that led to this campaign. List the set of goals you received from the client. Clearly state objectives, goals, and KPIs, both at the start and at the end of the campaign. Use bulleted lists to keep it succinct. Breakdown the budget, based on instructions provided, in clear currency figures. If you can not provide real budgetary figures (i.e., you’re bound to an NDA), you should at least provide an estimated range and then a breakdown of percentages of the budget as per instructions. If you are entering a regional award (e.g., Europe-wide), provide figures in both your local currency and the most relevant converted currency (e.g., Euros).  Remember, judges cannot judge what isn’t clearly measured or described. “State what your goals were before you took on the project, what budget and requirements you were given for the project, the outcome of the project, and the overall timeline of all those events.” — Barry Schwartz , Search Engine Land Awards judge  and CE O at RustyBrick Strategy, target audience, and creativity Strategy:  Describe the plan to reach specific campaign goals.  State the strategy of the campaign.  Link the strategy directly to results, demonstrating clear cause-and-effect. Describe any adjustments made to the strategy in response to unexpected market shifts or challenges. Do not  provide a list of campaign tactics under the strategy section. Target audience:  Getting judges to understand the target audience is crucial for aligning the campaign’s design and execution. Detail any research you carried out. Provide demographics and target audience behaviors. Explain how insights into the audience informed the choice of channels and messaging. Explain how the campaign was tailored to resonate with and engage the target audience. Creativity: Highlighting creativity distinguishes your campaign to judges in both conception and execution. Describe the creative process, from brainstorming to final concept and execution. Highlight examples of creative concepts, processes, and innovative use of technology. Discuss how creativity addressed specific challenges and boosted the campaign’s impact. Judge’s top tip:   Winning entries excel by showcasing a clearly defined strategy, an in-depth understanding of the target audience, and standout creativity. By effectively communicating and outlining how these components drove your campaign’s success, your submission will highlight not just its effectiveness, but also the innovative team behind the campaign.  Tactical implementation and challenges Tactical implementation  is where your strategy meets action, bringing the campaign to life. This is where you should detail the tactical planning, processes and execution. Explain the specific actions you took to execute the strategy, including the platforms and digital tools used. Describe the sequence of operations, showcasing how each tactic aligned with overarching goals. Highlight any innovative practices or unique methods that were crucial to the implementation process. Challenges:  Addressing unique challenges with creative thinking often separates the good award entries from the great ones. List major obstacles encountered during the campaign and explain how you overcame each. Discuss adjustments made to the original plan to accommodate unforeseen circumstances or results. Illustrate how overcoming these challenges contributed to the overall success and resilience of the campaign. Avoid  listing challenges that every agency or in-house team faces (e.g., “getting client or management buy-in” or “tight deadlines”).  A detailed account of your tactical implementation shows how you effectively executed strategies, while discussing challenges highlights your team’s adaptability and problem-solving skills. Together, these sections underscore your campaign’s innovative execution and resilience. “Remember the power of storytelling: problem, unique strategy, conflict, and results. A captivating story hinges on your unique approach and the challenges you overcame to achieve extraordinary results. Many entries miss this, so the results just end up looking ordinary.” — Miracle Inameti-Archibong, Search Engine Land and Drum Search Awards judge and Head of Search at John Lewis & Partners Results Clearly state how you achieved your results. No matter how fantastic your results are, if you are not able to show how you got there and back that up with first-party data and screenshots , it’s almost impossible to validate the results and get awarded high scores for your entry. I can not tell you how many times a lack of clarity and proof has let down entries I’ve judged.  Map the results back to the stated objectives—this should be obvious but is often (and surprisingly) omitted. Use hard figures where at all possible. Providing only percentages may harm your entry.  “We increased conversions by 450% in six weeks,”  is really not telling the whole story— 450%  of what? “We increased sales by 450%,” without illustrating how you contributed to that outcome is also not particularly useful. Never exaggerate your results. Judges are experts and will use third-party tools  to dig deeper if they feel your results are not what they appear. (Yes, it happened to me and yes, they got heavily penalized.) Hard figures are the standard, but if you are restricted by an NDA and need to use percentages, make sure that you provide extra details and prove your results.  Proving and illustrating your results is fundamental to whether or not your entry is high quality. The judges you’re presenting to are people who have been working in the industry for some time and will understand that there can be many reasons why a campaign may or may not succeed. By illustrating how you contributed to the outcome, you can give judges a good reason to advocate for your campaign and skills. Judge’s top tip:   Include a quote from the client on the success of the campaign and how it contributed to the business overall. This is a great extra layer of validation in the results section for the judges to review. Supplemental content Make sure your application shines on its own. Your application should be compelling without over-relying on supplemental documents. Enhancement—not dependence: Use supplemental documents to enhance the narrative of your application, not to house essential data or key points. For example, one thing you can do is show the judges the stages of your creative assets (how they looked at the start versus how they looked at the end). Simplicity and clarity: Aim for clarity and conciseness in both your main application and supplemental materials to avoid giving judges any reason to deduct points. Mind the word count: Remember that words in supplemental documents count towards the total entry limit. Do not lose points by trying to outsmart the rules by adding a ton of extra words in a PDF. Honestly, this will lose you precious points with judges. Judges review many applications quickly, and if yours relies too heavily on supplemental content, it complicates their evaluation. The judges are interested in the data and the evidence, not how pretty the supporting documents are. Why we should win This is one of the most overlooked sections (and one of the hardest to complete). This section is your chance to really show the judges the impact your campaign had on your client, customers, and audience.  Tell the judges why you think your entry deserves to win. Don’t assume they’ll pick up on you implying why you should win. Winning an award for achieving results you were paid to achieve is not award-winning—that’s just doing your job. What was exceptional about these results? What was unique and challenging about this campaign?  If possible, include a client testimonial to emphasize the value of your work. “In a couple of lines, you should be able to summarize the crux of your entry, why it’s innovative, unique and, most importantly, memorable for the judges.” — Crystal Carter , EU Search Awards judge and Head of SEO Communications at Wix Before you submit your entry Perform a final review.  Go back to the application instructions and make sure you checked off every single thing required. Review everything in detail and make sure you stay within the word count; if not, consider another round of editing. Review your screenshots, did you contextualize them? Judges may view your content from a number of different perspectives. While you may use one particular tool every day, that doesn’t mean that the judges who are evaluating your entry are familiar with that particular tool. Explain what your images illustrate and why you are showing them. Qualify your data, screenshots, images, and charts with insights that support your case. Remove screenshots or graphs that don’t back up a stated point. Get an unbiased, expert opinion.  Ask someone that you trust—an expert that has no connection to the campaign you are entering—to review your submission. Ask for their honest critique and feedback. They may very well spot opportunities to improve the entry. Have a native speaker write or review your application. Ensure that your entry is reviewed by someone who is a native speaker of the language you’re being judged in. Judges are likely to be fluent in the application language and will expect a clear and coherent entry that showcases you in the best light. I’ve seen some great cases of work, but the language quality ultimately let them down—a native speaker can help reduce this risk. Digital awards entry do’s and don’ts Do’s: Research thoroughly : Understand who won previously and the standards in your industry globally (not just locally). Adhere to guidelines strictly:  Follow every instruction meticulously and respect the word count and judge’s time. Focus on clarity:  Ensure your entry is clear and concise, making it easy for judges to understand your achievements. Illustrate your strategy and results : Clearly link your strategies to tangible results and demonstrate their effectiveness. Invest in every section:  Treat all parts of the application as critical. Provide proof of results: Back up your achievements with hard data, including charts and first-party data screenshots where appropriate. Use supplements wisely : Enhance your entry with supplemental materials, but don’t rely on them to carry essential information. Review and refine:  Have your entry reviewed by an expert and a native speaker to ensure it’s free from errors and clearly communicates your value. Don’ts: Overlook simple sections:  Don’t neglect parts of the application that seem less important; they could be decisive if entries are similar. Be vague: Specificity in your objectives, strategies, and results is crucial; vagueness can undermine your entry. Exceed word limits:  Stick to the word count to avoid deductions and demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively within constraints. Forget the client perspective:  Including testimonials or client perspectives can significantly enhance the credibility of your results. Miss the final review:  Double-check your entry against the submission guidelines and ask for feedback to catch any overlooked errors or opportunities for improvement. Rely solely on digital proof: While digital metrics are important, contextualize them with qualitative insights to paint a fuller picture of your campaigns impact. And, the campaign of the year goes to… Remember, every entry is an opportunity to showcase your team’s achievements, benchmark against the industry’s best, and highlight your innovative approaches. Ensure you approach each submission with the aim to impress and captivate the judges, demonstrating the excellence and impact of your work. Aoife McIlraith - Managing Director at Luminosity Digital Aoife McIlraith is owner and MD of Luminosity Digital marketing agency and founder of Searchmastermind.org and Speakerlineup.com. With 22+ years of international marketing expertise, Aoife helps brands get the right content to the right audience at the right time to drive sales. Linkedin

Author: Erika Varangouli Experienced content creators and SEO s know that the gap between creating some  content and creating efficient  content is enormous. After all, you’re pouring dozens of hours into planning, creating, editing, and optimizing without necessarily understanding where in the search results your content will show up. Instead of investing all your resources before your content goes live, you can scale more quickly and get a better idea of the steps you need to take to improve content performance by adopting the Content MVP Framework.  It’s a strategy that I’ve gradually developed to allow teams to create content that delivers results regardless of the available resources or budget. The framework is based on two simple ideas:  Knowing when your content is ready enough to be published makes all the difference. Success with content is an iterative process. Let’s unpack these ideas so you can put them to work for your content program. Table of contents: Why content is pivotal for online success (and why you’re struggling to nail it) Google’s response to chronic mediocre content and AI Content marketing is neither easy nor cheap Start treating content as a product The Content MVP Framework How to build your content MVP 01. Choose your main topic 02. Identify subtopics to cover 03. Define your content’s unique value proposition 04. Incorporate your product/service 05. Assess content for quality thresholds 06. Set your goal and KPIs 07. Iterate Why preparation is everything What I’ve learned from applying the Content MVP Framework Why content is pivotal for online success (and why you’re struggling to nail it) Before we get into the strategy, let’s recap some crucial context. Google accounts for 82% of the search engine global market share on desktop. If you’re marketing your business online, that means you want to be visible on Google.  This is typically achieved by creating content (at least, in 99.9% of the cases I know). Here’s a great paradox you have to work with in this scenario: To perform well on Google… you shouldn’t create specifically for Google. Successful content isn’t about trying to please bots or algorithms.  This comes straight from Google. The company’s advice  is to “focus on creating people-first content to be successful with Google Search, rather than search engine-first content made primarily to gain search engine rankings.”   For years, Google has consistently evangelized the same approach to content. From the Panda algorithm update in 2011 to the Helpful Content system in 2022 and everything in between, Google keeps urging online publishers to create content that answers people’s needs. In practice, though, this seemingly simple advice can become really complicated:  What does “helpful” mean in each case? What might be helpful to one person might be useless to another. What does “ people-first ” involve? Does that mean I’ll get penalized if I optimize for search engines? (Before you condemn this as a daft question, I’ve been asked this in real life.) What if I’m using AI to create content ? Do I stand no chance of ranking? I’m not one to sugarcoat things, so below are a couple more considerations that further complicate things. Google’s response to chronic mediocre content and AI For years, SEOs and content marketers have created content based on a simple formula: Identify target keyword Analyze the top ranking pages Replicate/paraphrase the content from the top ranking pages (same format, topic, and subtopics covered) Sprinkle in a few more graphs if possible And for a few years (or for a few websites), this approach seemed to work.  Which is why we ended up with millions of SERPs  (search engine results pages), the content of which, when stripped of SERP features, would be mind-numbingly repetitive. I think you’ll agree with me that this is not a people-first approach.  Google seems to be onto this, too.  In 2022, Google was granted a new patent on “information gain scoring.”  Essentially, this patent demonstrates how Google can calculate and score the uniqueness of a content piece compared to the rest of the content on the same topic. And, at the time of writing this article (March 2024), Google was in the midst of rolling out a core and a spam update in combination with handing out a number of manual penalties.  In its own words:  “We believe these updates will reduce the amount of low-quality content on Search and send more traffic to helpful and high-quality sites. Based on our evaluations, we expect that the combination of this update and our previous efforts will collectively reduce low-quality, unoriginal content in search results by 40%.” — Google , March 2024 This comes as a response to what has transpired in the last 12 or so months: The rise of generative AI tools (like ChatGPT ) has allowed unhelpful, unoriginal content to scale and spread like never before.  Content marketing is neither easy nor cheap  The top five challenges content marketers face (according to Semrush’s 2023 State of Content Marketing report ) are Attracting quality leads via content Creating more content faster (and finding resources for it) Generating content ideas  Generating enough traffic via content Generating ROI and sales via content So, here we are now, in 2024: Google SERPs seem seriously repetitive and broken. More AI-generated content  keeps getting added to the sea of existing mediocre content out there. Content marketers struggle to come up with ideas (or ideas that generate value).  How do we deal with the situation? Start treating content as a product Best practices suggest auditing your published content regularly to refresh , consolidate , or prune it.  But, what SEOs and content marketers rarely talk about is: “Is our content ready to be published? How do we know how little is too little or how much is too much to begin with?” The consensus nowadays is that you have to have the best content possible in order to rank. But, how can you deliver this the first time, every single time? This puzzle is what led me to approach content creation differently—by identifying its similarities to a product launch.  To be successful, content and product both need to: Target a specific audience  Meet this audience’s needs Involve a unique value proposition (UVP) Offer a great user experience  Be marketed efficiently Go through iterations/revisions This last part (going through iterations) took me back to product development 101:  Minimum Viable Product (MVP): A simpler or stripped down version of a product that you can still market and expect to see results.  MVPs help businesses explore new ideas without dedicating huge budgets or resources to produce the end product. They allow you to collect feedback, understand product-market fit, iterate, and much more.  So, what if we applied this approach to content creation? The Content MVP Framework In simple terms, the Content MVP Framework helps you determine the minimum quality and information required in a piece of content in order to generate results post-launch/publication.   Similar to an MVP, the Content MVP allows you to launch a viable content product that can serve its purpose and its audience (so, it’s viable), but that might not be the end product.  You launch it to monitor how well it will perform. Based on the insights you gain, you can focus your resources and optimizations more strategically. This approach also allows you to publish content faster (especially when your resources are limited). “Results” here depend on your goals and your subjective measure of success. That may mean organic traffic, rankings, engagement, or something else. Whatever it might be, the Content MVP Framework relies on two simple ideas: You don’t have to (and perhaps you shouldn’t from the outset) invest all your content budget and resources into your first content iteration. The first version of your content needs to be good enough to generate some  results. Based on those results, you can plan your next iterations.  The Content MVP Framework is about efficiency and effectiveness  in content marketing.  And while this may sound like something that’s not for you (wink: editorial teams or companies that strive for “excellence”), I challenge you to continue reading.  Consider this: Content MVP doesn’t mean thin content. Or sloppy content.  In fact, I developed this framework in an attempt to put an end to all the sub-par content I used to receive from writers and editors. In the next sections I’ll explain how you can build a content MVP. You’ll discover that it has nothing to do with lower quality standards and everything to do with maximizing your resources and your results.  How to build your content MVP For a lot of workflows and content (especially evergreen content), there’s a general notion that once it’s published, you probably won’t have to do any major updates on it for a while. This mindset is actually counterproductive when using the Content MVP framework because this strategy is all about process and gradual improvement. Here’s the exact process I follow to build my content MVP:  Choose your main topic Identify relevant subtopics  Define your unique value proposition  Incorporate your product/service naturally  Review your content based on quality marks Set your goal and KPIs Iterate It’s important that you understand the entire scope of the process before getting started. Let’s dig in. 01. Choose your main topic  Let’s say, for example, you’re a mattress seller and you’ve identified the query [how to clean a mattress] as relevant to your audience (Semrush shows 14,800 monthly searches for this query). (Note: If you’ve already performed keyword research and created your content strategy, great. If you haven’t, you need to conduct keyword research  first and build your keyword and content strategy around target topics. Now, back to the rest of this guide.) This is the main target keyword for the content you want to build.  Next, identify close variants you will target within the same piece of content. If you use an SEO tool  like Semrush, you can use its keyword analysis features to gather these terms.  For example, Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool shows [how to clean mattress] (9,900 monthly searches) and [how to clean your mattress] (1,600 monthly searches) are both close variants that you can target with the same piece of content.  And if you don’t have access to an SEO tool, it’s still relatively easy to identify close variants manually. For each of these queries, the SERPs are quite similar (for example, the top results may be exactly the same, or upwards of 60% of the SERPs may be the same, even if the ranked pages are in a different order).  02. Identify subtopics to cover  Next, look for queries that are semantically relevant  and/or indicate very close or complementary keyword intent  to the main query.  There are different tools that you can use to get these (both free and paid). If you don’t have a paid tool subscription, you can use generative AI (like ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini) to help you here.  You can use a simple prompt (like “Propose 10 semantically related terms for [ how to clean a mattress] ”) or a slightly more complex prompt (like “I want to write an article to target the term [how to clean a mattress]. Propose 10 keywords I should also target in this article”).  Using the examples above, ChatGPT (I’m using ChatGPT4) returned the following results: Terms ChatGPT generated from the simple prompt Terms ChatGPT generated from the more complex prompt Mattress stain removal Deodorizing a mattress Deep cleaning a mattress Removing odors from a mattress Cleaning mattress spills Mattress disinfection Vacuuming a mattress Freshening up a mattress Mattress care and maintenance Sanitizing a mattress Mattress cleaning tips Removing stains from mattress Mattress deodorizer methods DIY mattress cleaning Best mattress cleaners Mattress hygiene practices Urine stain removal mattress Dust mite removal mattress Natural mattress cleaning solutions Bed care and cleaning Explore variations of these prompts as well as commonalities between Google SERPs in order to decide which ones to include in your content brief  and content MVP.  I also use AlsoAsked and a bit of good ol’ Google Search to discover relevant search terms and questions people ask around my main topic. AlsoAsked, provides two-level deep insights if you don’t have an account (on the paid subscription you can dig deeper).  Here’s what it returned for my main topic:  And on Google, my search for [how to clean a mattress] returned the following filters: As well as the related searches below: There are also numerous paid tools you can use at this stage, from MarketMuse and Frase to Semrush and Inlinks and so many more.  Using a paid tool like Semrush, I obtained these semantically related keywords:  Dust mites Dish soap Hydrogen peroxide Memory foam Mattress pad Learning how to clean Upholstery attachment Spot clean Stain remover Dead skin All the data above provides me with great ideas to consider while planning and creating my content. In many cases, some of these ideas warrant separate content pieces.  At this point, sift through the data and clean it up so that you end up with only the queries and subtopics you definitely want to target within this one piece of content.  03. Define your content’s unique value proposition To perform well in search and make an impact on your audience, your content doesn’t just need to be high quality and helpful—it also needs to differ from the rest of the content out there.  At this stage, you need to define the unique and additional value you’ll bring to readers with your content.  Start by analyzing the top-ranking pages for the keyword(s) you identified earlier. Once again, you can do this using free or paid tools (or manually, but this will take longer). If you have a paid SEO tool like Semrush, MarketMuse, Clearscope, Inlinks, etc. you can get this information directly from the platform. Each software provides these insights in a different format, but the important thing here is to be able to conduct a gap analysis of your SERP competitors . Once you’ve gathered this information, cross-reference it with the insights you gathered in steps one and two. Search for gaps between the content covered by your SERP competitors and the relevant terms you discovered during the initial steps of your research.  Any topics that are not covered by your competitors present great opportunities to add unique value with your content. I’ve often found that top-ranking pages involve similar content, but: Either none of them include all of the relevant subtopics (lack of breadth) Or, they don’t go into the necessary detail to analyze their topic sufficiently (lack of depth) You can address these gaps with your content. Or, you can come up with a whole new approach to the topic.  Assess whether content in the SERPs addresses the main user intent. Then, come up with new ways to add value for readers . Some examples of this involve:  Leveraging original data Publishing an opinion-led piece (thought leadership) Using a case study as a basis for content Dispelling myths around a topic Collecting insights and quotes from experts Making your content way more visual than the rest of the content out there You can also use generative AI to explore gaps in the top-ranking content. Simply define your reader (audience) and the topics/subtopics covered by the top-ranking pages, then ask it to propose new angles or ways to address the reader’s needs.  04. Incorporate your product/service Demonstrating how your product or service is relevant to the main topic is crucial.  Connecting the dots between what  you’re writing about and why  you’re writing about it is paramount in helping readers make subconscious associations between your brand and the problems you help them solve. The big bet at this point, though, is to do so in a natural way that doesn’t come across like you’re trying to sell them your product now-now-now.  Do : Include screenshots/GIFs of your product in the content naturally to demonstrate a solution to a problem or to show a practical aspect of it. Use graphs/charts/tables leveraging original data from your product/service to strengthen an argument. Share workflows and use-cases to make a complex idea digestible. Add relevant CTAs (calls-to-action) .  Don’t : Use promotional and salesy language to talk about your product/service. Include your product/service in the content if it’s not organically connected to the point you’re making. Feature sales materials (promotional videos, battlecards, etc). Overdo it with the CTAs / use multiple CTAs throughout the page. Here’s an example from Wix . The article is about on-page SEO for eCommerce websites. For the sections that Wix offers a suitable solution, the author includes a breakdown of how the user can use Wix’s feature to complete the step.  05. Assess content for quality thresholds  It sounds like the most logical thing in the world, yet the number of times I’ve seen a content piece fail at this stage is way higher than I like to admit.  Here’s why: Editors, SEOs, email or social media managers (or anyone else getting involved with creating and approving content) often focus on grammar, spelling, or syntax.  These things are important, but they should not be the A to Z of your editorial standards. A content MVP is good to go if—at a minimum—it also passes the inspection for: Covering the main topic and subtopic efficiently Delivering on the unique value proposition Balancing information and demonstrating the value of your product/service Cohesion and logical flow Content formatting Including a table of contents for skimability Including a summary and the most important information/takeaways at the top Including visuals to make complex points simpler and engage readers Adherence to your brand’s tone of voice and style Language that is easily comprehensible by your audience There are more criteria you can include in this stage. The main challenge is to distinguish between the content elements you need to run during pre-launch versus the “nice-to-have” elements that can wait until the first iteration.  The former are essential in order to launch a viable  content product.  To that end, create an editorial checklist before you get to work on any new content. This checklist should include the practical checks each stakeholder has to run from creation (usually the author) to editing (the editor) to publishing (which may include an SEO strategist, a designer or a developer, etc).  Ensure that: You define each check clearly so it's easy to understand for everyone involved. You group elements to check according to their type (editorial, SEO, etc.) for the associated stakeholder. Every check is marked complete before publishing. 06. Set your goal and KPIs For the Content MVP Framework to succeed, it’s not enough to just set overall goals and KPIs for the whole of your content program. You need to set a clear goal and KPIs for each content piece  before launching your content MVP. This is central to assessing whether your MVP is actually viable, how well it delivers on its potential, as well as how many (and what kind of) iterations you’ll need. This part of the process is particularly important when a piece of content is part of your wider content marketing program, as it helps you quickly spot the content outliers and address issues efficiently. At this stage, complete the actions below: Define the goal for a given piece of content: This can be the same as your website’s overall goal (e.g., increase organic traffic) or it can be different (e.g., attract new audiences through word of mouth). I avoid setting more than one goal per piece of content as this often leads to creating content that tries to tackle multiple topics, intents, or needs—ultimately underdelivering on all fronts. Set only appropriate and necessary KPIs : Based on your goal, determine the set of KPIs you need to track. For example, if I want to increase organic traffic, I will track organic clicks, organic rankings for my main keyword(s), and potentially organic impressions and CTR. But, if I want to attract new audiences via word of mouth, I need to measure referral traffic, and potentially social shares/mentions and backlinks . The main point here is to not only choose appropriate KPIs, but to also avoid the temptation of picking too many KPIs. The fewer KPIs you set for your MVP, the clearer the picture you will get once it goes live. Skip every metric that could be considered a vanity metric.  Benchmark : Once you’ve picked your KPIs, you can create your benchmarks. The way you approach this will most likely depend on:  The type of content The content’s goals/KPIs Whether the MVP is a new content piece or an update to an existing one The popularity of the topic The popularity, relevance, and authority of your domain Etc.  The dataset you use to create your benchmark is critical. Let’s say you’re creating a blog post to target a topic that gets a few hundred searches per month. It could be a mistake to benchmark based on the average traffic all your blog posts get (regardless of the popularity of their topics, their age, etc). A different approach would be to benchmark against your average ranking position for blog content after one, two, or six months and set expectations accordingly.  For example: “I will consider this piece successful if it ranks within the top five after one month, as this is a 20% improvement on my current performance.” Or, if you want to set an ambitious goal around traffic, you can benchmark against the performance of your top content (e.g., using the 80/20 rule). So, you can say: “I will consider this piece successful if it generates X clicks within the first three months, as this is a 30% improvement on the average performance of the top 20% of my content.” 07. Iterate  This is the final and most important part of the workflow because adopting the Content MVP framework means planning for iterations further down the line.  Before publishing your content, you need to define: How long you’ll wait until you review your MVP’s performance — This may vary depending on how big/authoritative your website is or the type of content you publish. From the outset, define the timeframe you’re going to monitor your MVP against set KPIs. Avoid setting a timeframe that is too narrow to allow you to extract meaningful insights or too long, which will lead to a delay in reaching high performance sooner.  What the first iteration may look like — Create hypotheses to establish an initial approach for future content revisions/iterations. For example: “If the piece fails to rank within the top five for [keyword], then review SERP changes, page title, subheadings, secondary keywords, and topics coverage.” “If the piece fails to rank within the top five for [keyword] after [1 month] from the first iteration round, then review internal links  and backlinks.” Hypotheses help you create a plan of action and set internal expectations around what may need to happen and when. In turn, this allows you to plan your resources in advance, which is essential in small businesses or teams with limited headcount or skills.  The one thing I waited this long to tell you: Preparation is everything In my experience, the Content MVP Framework can prove hugely successful or  disappointingly useless. What determines success or failure is how much research and work you front load—meaning what you put in place before  you start creating your content.  Although the preparatory work may differ across industries, businesses, or content types, here are the assets I put in place to ensure my content MVPs work.  Keyword and topic research : This provides me with a wider view of the topics that are relevant to my audience and my business. Keyword strategy : This helps me prioritize my topic list based on reach or conversion potential (or both). Content strategy : This shows how each content piece is linked to the rest and to the overarching goal, which allows me to assess the types of resources I’ll need and acquire ahead of launching my content program. Editorial guidelines : These form a nice basis for everyone involved to work off of. I create guidelines that go beyond the typical “we spell things this way” or “we use ‘we’ versus the brand name.” These are all essential and good to have, but I’m looking for things that really help writers and editors achieve the writing style and quality I’m aiming for. Think along the lines of: “Only one point per paragraph” or including tons of examples, like “Don’t write ‘Here are a few steps to help you accomplish [X]’, instead write ‘Here are the exact 5 steps [person, brand] used to achieve X’,” etc. Templates : These help ensure a minimum quality standard for every content piece and help me speed up the process. The first template I put in place is the content brief . Depending on the content type and the goal, each content brief adopts a relevant template that includes all the necessary information. Additional templates you can create include… Article templates based on article type (e.g., listicle, how-to, etc.)  Landing page templates Email templates Social media post templates (based on type of content shared) Testimonial / quote template Visual assets templates Reporting templates  Etc. What I’ve learned from applying the Content MVP Framework I’ve used the Content MVP Framework for over 10 years now. It has helped me achieve great results for my clients and my employers—and often with very limited budget or resources (or both). At Semrush, for example, it helped my team to increase the blog’s organic traffic 7x within less than a year. Here are my top takeaways after years of successful (and unsuccessful) applications of the framework: “Content MVP” does not mean thin, rehashed, or AI-generated content. This framework does not mean that content is created fast or that it requires minimal effort. It’s better to carry out substantial work during the research and preparatory phases, instead of waiting for the content production phase to do most of it. Templatizing as much as possible helps speed up work and ensure certain standards are met every time. Setting clear goals and KPIs is pivotal to launching the right content and for planning for the right iterations. Explaining the framework to all stakeholders (including the leadership team) is key. You need to address all the different ideas around what “great,” “perfect,” or “ready to go,” content means and get everyone on the same page. You also need to get buy-in from management . If they’re not clear on the expectations for this content, having to iterate a few months down the line can (and will) be seen as failure or damage control in many cases. I hope this framework helps you and your teams create content that works—faster and better than ever before. Erika Varangouli - Head of Search, Riverside.fm Erika Varangouli is responsible for growing Riverside.fm’s organic visibility. Before Riverside, she led organic and brand teams at Semrush. She has worked with companies like Capterra, Symantec, Travelex, Asics, HSBC etc. She is a guest speaker, webinar host, and awards judge. Twitter  | Linkedin

Author: Crystal Ortiz SEO  and influencer marketing teams typically sit far apart at the metaphorical lunch table. But, what might seem like an unlikely pair might just be an untapped opportunity for greater ROI for your brand. Both channels seek to drive potential customers to your website and into your marketing funnel, and the teams that work on these initiatives possess data that often has implications for the entire business—not just their specific campaigns. Let’s break down these silos to see how social and SEO teams can work in tandem to seize opportunities and add value across your customer journey. Table of contents: SEO and influencer marketing: Why they’re better together How SEO can add value to influencer marketing campaigns How influencer marketing can help SEO campaigns Ways to align SEO and influencer marketing Potential challenges SEO and influencer marketing: Better together SEO teams are fluent in complex data and analysis, while influencer teams are creative and work closely with target audience segments. Collaboration between the two teams can provide practical business benefits via: Data-driven campaigns for influencer teams Better reach for SEO Teams More evergreen marketing campaigns Complementary campaigns that lead to better website experiences Data-driven campaigns for influencer teams Influencer teams make daily decisions around the creativity of their campaigns, who to partner with, and what they’re looking for audiences to experience.  SEO teams can aid influencer teams with these decisions via their ability to find data points about what their potential customers are interested in and searching for.  This might include:  Search volume Seasonal fluctuations Emerging trends Specific personas or buyer audience segmentation Etc. These insights can be incredibly valuable for audience and interest segmentation (e.g., pet enthusiasts, travelers, booktok, etc.), trends and seasonal influxes, and overall understanding of consumer behavior and interests.  For example, when we check beauty and hair trends, we can see that Google searches for [oval face haircuts male] are trending up by 127% YoY. This might be an interesting topic or angle that influencer teams can use to shape conversations or campaigns for clients in the hair and beauty industry. This data reveals that more people are trying to find the right hairstyle for their face shape, which could potentially inspire a series of videos, posts, and social media content, as well as SEO campaigns or products that help people find hairstyles and products according to their face shape.  “Hair styles by face shape” could be an interesting SEO- and influencer marketing-aligned initiative, given that [oval face male haircuts] has a monthly US search volume of 720. The variations around those keywords add up to 11,600 searches per month (the largest being [short haircuts for oval faces male], at 5.4K monthly searches).  SEO teams can validate and plan for website support and architecture to align with influencer campaigns, help create messaging that includes relevant keywords, and even find unique selling points or hooks around widely searched topics (such as in the example above). The influencer team could then align on the most common face shapes are and create content to help people find the right hairstyles for their face. This could lead to conversion content, like online quizzes, blog content, and email nurturing. Ultimately the goal would be to understand what problems consumers face when it comes to deciding on “style,” then building on that campaign to inspire purchases and pull people into the buying journey.  Better reach for SEO teams SEO teams like to focus on getting backlinks  to their websites naturally. While social shares might not directly correlate with an influx of backlinks (or provide any real value in terms of SEO link equity), it’s possible to create campaign buzz via influencer marketing. This can be a great opportunity for influencer/social marketing and SEO teams to partner to align on what pages (if any) the campaign will need as brand or campaign mentions rise.  For example, if a dog food company launched an influencer campaign about safe eating for pets, they could prepare pages in advance to share with influencers and on social media.  Those pages would also serve as the primary SEO pages for capturing the influx of traffic from the campaign. Hopefully, with enough amplification, the pages could earn additional backlinks and generate more in the future.  More evergreen marketing campaigns The value of SEO typically increases over time, meaning that creating pages inspired by influencer partnerships can grow website traffic beyond the initial influencer campaign.  If you create that campaign, you’ll have a destination to send visitors to during the launch, but you can continue to extract value from the campaign by keeping those pages on the website to gain additional traffic and backlinks over time. You can also revitalize and test campaigns that were previously successful, and you’ll be able to replicate those launches with high-converting pages.  For example, if you create an influencer campaign to launch a set of cooking pans, you can probably create a complementary SEO strategy to send traffic from the products themselves to any additional pages you want customers to visit as they make their purchasing decisions (i.e., buying guides, comparisons, how-to, etc) .  Complementary campaigns that lead to better website experiences Many marketing teams tend to think about the website experience only through their own lens. But, when SEO and influencer marketing teams think collaboratively and strategically, your website experience improves and users benefit. After all, SEO teams need content to support their goals, while influencer teams need website resources to support theirs. Here are some examples to illustrate my point: Landing pages not only support conversion goals from influencer initiatives, but they can also rank for keywords that bring in search visibility and traffic.  When influencers develop their product lines or collaborate with your company, you can publish creator pages that rank for their branded terms (Maddie & Kenzie Ziegler’s American Eagle line comes to mind). Regardless of campaign timing, people can search and find their collection on the AE website. As you can see from the Semrush data below, this influencer collection page generates an estimated 1300 visits per month across its 164 ranking keywords.  SEO teams should keep influencer initiatives top of mind, especially considering how those pages fit into the overall site structure and where internal linking  opportunities might exist.  How SEO can add value to influencer marketing campaigns If you’re on an SEO team (or if you’ve focused solely on SEO to this point), the first thing to do is check in with the social team to sync on their priorities (and yours). Using your SEO skills to complement influencer marketing goals while improving your website’s search visibility requires some creative thinking, so ask the right questions when you meet with the influencer team. Here are examples and tips to help you start the collaboration smoothly: Ask which campaigns you should familiarize yourself with to help you understand your audience and gain insights from the team. Get a sense of what your customers respond to best, their comments and questions, and any inside knowledge about the community. Social media teams are often the closest to customers, hearing directly from them on a daily basis. Find out what influencer categories work best for your business type, industry, and social media channels.  Follow social media trends and use the social platforms your company or clients are active on. Stay active on these platforms to make your conversations with the social teams more productive. Identify relevant, trending searches and evergreen keywords to provide to your social media team for consideration. Researching and positioning opportunities this way can help you bring in more traffic/conversions, which are generally KPIs for both teams. Influencer and social media teams should also know about SEO, how it works, and what they can look for or think about so you can validate ideas with research and data to help the team make better decisions. Consider educating the team with basic principles on this topic . Remember, the point here is to learn all about the social team’s plans and goals, especially surrounding overarching themes or topics that can seamlessly integrate with your SEO efforts. Communication between teams is really what you’re after, since this collaboration can play out quite differently depending on your business model and team structure, so prioritize transparency and trust if you want to reap the combined benefits of both influencer marketing and SEO. How influencer marketing can help SEO campaigns If you’re on a social media or influencer team and you’re curious about what a path to SEO collaboration looks like, here are some first-step suggestions to consider: Learn more about SEO, how it works, and how it relates to social media. SEO is becoming closely associated with social media as people are starting to use social platforms to search, plan, and get inspired. Similarly, search engines are integrating more social media signals into their results , so understanding how SEO and social media are intertwined will serve you well.  Ask which SEO campaigns are in the works and at which stages. Take a look at some of the data around how your audience searches to spark ideas for creative collaborations, social campaigns, or conversations within your community. Some social platforms, like Facebook  and TikTok , offer tools to help you monitor trending search terms that can inform your content in real-time, which can give you a headstart on the competition as traditional keyword research tools may not update as quickly. Ask the SEO team how they approach the website architecture, categories, traffic flow, and SEO tools. Educate and train the SEO team on social media best practices, your point of view, and insights into your customer activity. Your insights into customer pain points and interests are considerably valuable. Keep the SEO team informed about social media trends so they can help you put together data that helps validate search visibility opportunities for new topics. Finally, think about the areas of your business that need support and how influencers might be able to drive links or traffic to support those SEO goals. As I mentioned previously, communication between teams will always be the foundation of your success, so ensure you’re communicating regularly and often. Ways to align SEO and influencer marketing There’s no right or wrong way to approach collaboration. Most people think of influencer marketing as sending influencers products and trying to get people to buy from sponsored posts. But, that’s the last stage of the funnel.  You also need to think about SEO and influencer collaborations at the top of the funnel and amplify pages, search terms, products, and brand—not just the product.   The ultimate goal should be to get people from one stage of your marketing funnel to the next, so use these channels to generate awareness and align on messaging. That way, when you do get your product in front of customers (whether organically or via influencer marketing), it’ll be a brand they’re familiar with and are therefore more likely to buy from. Starting with an SEO idea In SEO, you often see groups of keywords that then turn into more extensive SEO campaigns.  For example, perhaps you want to create a cluster of pages surrounding a topic , and you think it’d be great to have influencer marketing support.  SEO product ideas (such as the release of new product libraries, templates , and educational resources) are another potential campaign that would pair nicely with influencer marketing. Once you’ve identified or developed a new SEO product, you could present your case to the partnerships team and discuss potential creative ideas and planning. If you’re further down on the communication chain (or if you prefer to present projects that are further in the pipeline), regular check-in meetings are a great way to update colleagues on the status of upcoming or existing products so social media teams have time to decide if those products align with their immediate goals.  Starting with an influencer marketing idea Starting with an influencer campaign can be equally beneficial to both teams.  For example, perhaps you’re looking to reach a new audience and you’ve developed a social media strategy in which influencers help you increase your visibility to this new audience (this is a very common strategy for TikTok creators—just think about how many times you’ve seen a sponsored placement for a pajama set, water bottle, or ring light — in your feed).  SEO can help provide research on the topics  that an audience segment is interested in, enabling you to better shape the ideas and messaging around the campaign. If your new audience consists of pet parents, for example, you could provide a list of topics you’ve identified as potential starting points for the SEO team. These ideas can turn into keyword research and a search intent  assessment, allowing you to provide a business case to stakeholders.  You would then have the SEO team support you in creating SEO-focused content to help move customers down your funnel.  Potential challenges to consider While a partnership might sound lucrative, both teams will naturally focus on individual initiatives that don’t necessarily overlap. Separation between the channels can make it hard to justify spending company resources on a joint campaign.  That said, settling into silos will put you at a disadvantage against competitors that can align their teams for collaborative campaigns that make a larger splash. Additionally, there may be external factors to consider, such as regulations, legal compliance, and advertising disclosures. Given the potential of SEO and influencer marketing to extend your brand’s reach, however, these challenges are worth addressing. Here are some potential challenges to think about when running SEO and influencer marketing campaigns in tandem. “Important” means different things to different teams Teams may have differing opinions on the importance of a particular aspect of a campaign. This may sound obvious, but it’s important to align with all stakeholders before taking action. While each team needs to have a firm understanding of their audience, SEOs might prioritize data and research, whereas social teams might prioritize creativity and customer connection. Whatever the case may be, you should let the customer data dictate your priorities over trying to be right based on your narrow own experience and viewpoint. Business goals should be top-of-mind Social media and SEO efforts should ultimately support revenue goals over short-term gains.  Remember, influencer marketing can be pricey, and SEO and development costs are expensive as well. The activities you support with influencer marketing and SEO should ultimately tee up the larger objectives of the business.  Consider whether you would execute a given campaign if the other channel wasn’t involved.  “Is this campaign a strong enough idea on its own, that I’d be proud to present as a channel effort if the other channel wasn’t involved?”   Additionally, you might have a good idea, but not the right idea to support what your business/audience needs at the moment. Focus on the ideas you strongly believe in; there’s nothing wrong with working through an idea only to put a stop to it if there are signs it might not be a worthy investment (or even worse, potentially result in wasted resources while moving you away from your goals).  For example, you may have developed an idea but it’s not aligned with the overall messaging your customers respond to on social media, or you ran a small test that doesn’t provide a strong enough case to roll out on a larger campaign (like with more influential creators or across multiple platforms).  ROI projections may look different Putting together a business case (as you would when obtaining buy-in at the individual channel level) has similar importance and weight in a joint effort. But unlike a singular effort, there are added benefits to combining influencer initiatives and SEO.  For example, you could present an SEO business case where you share the total volume, potential, traffic share, and expected business impact (such as revenue over a specific time period). If you’re adding an influencer campaign into the mix, you can add successful campaign ideas and data surrounding those campaigns to help illustrate how these two channels can propel one another.  For an influencer campaign, you can create your business case as you normally would, citing the overall promotion, creative direction, audience, potential reach, and ideal influencers. You could then add SEO data as an additional selling point to stakeholders. By demonstrating an added growth benefit, you can demonstrate how your campaign will progress beyond the initial launch.  Be aware that ROI in influencer marketing campaigns is measured differently than in SEO, which makes aligning on the business benefit that much more important.  In influencer marketing, you’ll generally look at the impressions, engagement (likes, comments, saves, and DMs), and revenue generated. However, conversions aren’t always clearly measured. For example, a consumer might be shown an influencer campaign once, twice, or three times before converting (and there are many definitions of conversions).  Similarly, ROI for SEO  can be a little ambiguous, especially considering the length of time it takes from launch to visibility and traffic generation. Thankfully, an influencer campaign can provide amplification for SEO initiatives.  Legal compliance Social media and legal teams will have more familiarity with legal compliance, such as FTC rules. SEOs should consider turning to those teams for understanding and education in this area.  Influencers are also considered brands of their own and may require legal language for using their image or likeness in certain areas beyond social media posts. Again, this is something for SEO teams to be aware of while working on influencer campaigns. Combine SEO and influencer marketing to minimize risk and maximize ROI Digital marketing is constantly evolving with consumer preferences, technology, and regulation. The businesses that worry the most about how to recover from an algorithm update  or losing visibility in social media feeds are the ones that tend to rely on a single channel to reach their potential customers.  By going multi-channel, you insulate your brand from overreliance on a single platform. And, by focusing on SEO and influencer marketing together, you can even go beyond simply avoiding risk to create campaigns that add ROI at every stage of your funnel.  Crystal Ortiz - SEO Consultant   Crystal Ortiz is an SEO consultant with experience across fashion, health, travel, automotive, and fitness. She teaches digital marketing classes at various universities across the US. Crystal lives in Indiana with her husband, son, and dog. Twitter  | Linkedin

Author: Ross Simmonds I’m sure that, right now, you have a story that is worth sharing. It might be a story about your business. It might be an update around one of your new sales. It might be a how-to blog post that you spent hours writing but haven’t promoted for more than five minutes. This is the reality for many, often leading to an unsustainable cycle of creating new content just to achieve similar performance as an effective distribution strategy. To boot, new content is generally more resource intensive to produce, making it less cost effective than distributing your existing content. Over the last decade, I’ve helped brands that have been stuck on the “content creation hamster wheel” see 10x more traffic on their content simply by distributing it. In this blog post, I’m going to help you learn the ins and outs of content distribution as a way for you to get better ROI out of the content marketing assets that you’re already creating on a regular basis. Let’s dive in. Table of contents: What is content distribution? Why content distribution matters The types of content distribution Owned distribution channels Earned distribution channels Paid distribution channels Content distribution strategies Content repurposing Content resharing Content syndication How to distribute your content effectively What is content distribution? Content distribution is the act of amplifying, repurposing, resharing and promoting your content online. Content distribution  is an often overlooked yet ridiculously valuable part of content marketing. It’s not just about putting your content out there; it’s about strategically placing it across a variety of platforms—be it social media, blogs, email newsletters, or even podcasts—to ensure that it reaches your target audience, engages them, and, most importantly, prompts them to take action. Why content distribution matters Content distribution matters because, amidst all the content that makes its way to your audience on a daily basis, it helps your content  get seen and heard by potential users or customers via the channels that they prefer.  It’s not enough to press publish on a piece of content and share it once or twice on social media. Every business that is looking to generate ROI from their content marketing should invest time and energy into distributing their content after it goes live. The key to getting better value and performance from your content lies in matching the right content formats and distribution channels. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about the latter. The types of content distribution Although there are many platforms and methods you can use to distribute content, they typically fall within these categories: Owned distribution channels — As the name implies, these are channels that you can control directly. Earned distribution channels — This refers to unpaid content distribution that you typically have to earn. Paid distribution channels — This involves payment for distribution on third-party platforms. It can include, but isn’t limited to PPC, social media ads, influencer marketing, display ads, etc. For this guide, I’ll focus on organic methods: owned and earned distribution channels. Owned distribution channels Owned distribution channels are platforms and assets you control, such as your website, blog, email newsletters, and social media profiles. You can distribute your content on these owned channels by promoting it to your followers or subscribers. Here are a few examples: Email list distribution Email lists are a staple in content distribution. Building an email list of your target customers and using that list to share your content is a powerful tactic. Email marketing gives you a direct line to your audience’s inbox. This personal connection allows for you to break through the clutter and drive these individuals back to your content on a regular basis.  So, if you write a blog post about your latest deal, share it over email. If you write an update about a new feature, share it over email. If you record your very first YouTube series, share it over email. The ability to communicate with your audience over email in a 1:1 way is incredibly valuable and a major leverage point as a content distribution play. Imagine being able to tailor your content to meet the specific interests of individual email subscribers, or segmenting your audience to deliver highly relevant articles, updates, and offers directly to them.  Here’s a tactical example:  Imagine you run a short term rental bed-and-breakfast business and send an email to 100 of your past guests. In most scenarios, a lot of these people will unsubscribe immediately because they only stayed at your rental because they happened to be in town at that time. But here’s how email personalization can be a super power: Let’s say that when these individuals signed up to receive emails from you, they self-identified their current address. You can now send 40 emails instead of 100 to only  the people who stayed at your venue as a staycation. This increases the likelihood of tailoring your message to the right people with the right story.  Social media distribution Social media distribution is one of the most effective ways to get your story out there to the masses. Unlike email, distributing your content on social media isn’t isolated exclusively to those who opted into your messaging.  Social media offers a viral network that gives your content a lot more chances to break out and spread from one person to many (or, ideally, many to many). Imagine you're scrolling through a social media channel, like X, and come across this: It’s a post from Wix that lives on their blog getting amplified to their social following. This post on X has more than 48K views, pushing the audience to read the blog post on Wix’s domain. This is the power of distribution. With growth-focused blog distribution  tactics, one blog post can reach thousands simply because they took the time to share it on social media. With social media, you can share your content and engage with your audience in real-time. From X (Twitter) to LinkedIn to Instagram, each platform offers its unique benefits, audiences, and opportunities for content distribution. Take advantage of them by creating compelling content and amplifying it. Website content distribution Your brand’s website acts as the central hub for your content distribution, offering a plethora of avenues to engage visitors and share your vibrant content landscape.  By integrating features like pop-ups, chat boxes, and strategic calls-to-action (CTAs)  throughout your site, you can leverage new dimensions of interaction and content promotion. Below is an example of website content distribution from the team at Gong. If you visit their homepage, you will see that halfway through the site is a collection of blog posts, eBooks and resources that they showcase to visitors. Placing content that you have created on different sections of your site is a form of owned channel content distribution. It’s especially successful when these pages are already generating a significant amount of traffic from people who may not know that these assets exist. Other on-site distribution tactics include things like pop-ups. The team at Briogeo has a pop-up on their site asking people to fill out a hair quiz: Pop ups like this can grab a visitor's attention at just the right moment, offering them valuable content such as a quiz (that can also double as a method of lead generation). You can do this with eBooks, white papers, or even a subscription to your email newsletter allowing for future distribution directly to their inbox. Earned distribution channels Distribution through these channels is gained through your efforts and are not paid for. Some examples of earned content distribution are:  Customer reviews Organic search (AKA SEO) Media mentions, press mentions, and social media shares Word of mouth These channels tend to be highly trusted by consumers and offer a sense of validation and social proof for your brand, making them invaluable assets for content distribution.  Customer review sites Customer review sites are pillars of earned content distribution, and for good reason: People trust reviews. The majority of people trust independent review sites more than any other source, according to a consumer online survey from Software Advice: Consumers consistently rely on these platforms to understand what brands/products others trust and also to voice their experiences and opinions on products and services. This presents you with a unique opportunity to harness the power of organic testimonials. Platforms like Yelp, Google Business Profile , and industry-specific review sites provide you with valuable feedback from users and serve to amplify your brand’s visibility and credibility. Encouraging happy customers to share their positive experiences can significantly enhance your reputation, driving more traffic to your content and, ultimately, your offerings. Engaging with reviews, both positive and negative, demonstrates your brand’s commitment to customer satisfaction and continuous improvement, fostering a trustworthy and relatable image in your industry. Organic search (SEO) Owning a top position in the search results when someone looks for your brand or offering on Google is a huge opportunity. Search engine optimization (SEO) provides you with the ability to show up in organic search rankings without paying Google for your spot. The search engine results page ( SERP ) is the page that Google serves up after you type in a query, like [Best Spas in Georgia]: In the SERP above, three spas have earned top placements when someone goes to Google to type in this phrase. You may notice that what is actually ranking here is their GBP account, with star ratings, links to their respective websites, and directions—this is why customer reviews  are so important. At the top of the SERP (above the map) is an article from the Exploring Georgia tourism website. This website likely generates a ton of traffic from searchers and the benefactors of this are the spas that happen to be listed on that page.  This same basic principle applies for all types of businesses with an online presence. For example, eCommerce businesses can create how-to or buying guides  to educate audiences about their industry and how to use their products, and make that content available on-demand via search engines. Media coverage & press mentions When your content or brand stories catch the eye of journalists and news outlets, the articles talking about your brand can increase your content’s reach. Coverage not only brings your content to a broader audience, it also has the ability to send referral traffic directly to your site. Engaging with the press, journalists, writers, and media creators  (whether through press releases or direct outreach) opens up a distribution channel for your brand/content to get highlighted on platforms where you traditionally may need to pay big bucks to get a little bit of ad space. In addition, organic media coverage carries an element of trust that you just can’t buy with paid ads, even when those ads appear in the same publication. Word of mouth Word of mouth has always been incredibly persuasive for audiences, and with the rise of social media, it has become even more influential. Positive word of mouth can have an exponential effect on your brand’s reach and credibility, making it one of the most cost-effective ways to spread your messaging as it relies heavily on satisfied customers and engaged brand advocates. Encouraging word-of-mouth recommendations through reviews, referrals, and social media mentions and shares can help you reach audiences that you may not have been able to connect with otherwise. On social media, one of the most effective ways to increase word of mouth is to include a CTA in the original content asset you’re distributing. For example: Tell people on X to retweet Tell people on YouTube to hit share Tell people in their inbox to FWD the email Tell people on LinkedIn to leave a comment All of these little CTAs can drive meaningful returns. Bookmark this guide and reference the table below for a quick overview of the content distribution channels mentioned above: Content distribution channel Suitable for Metrics to monitor Email newsletter A range of businesses (eCommerce, B2B, D2C, publications, etc.) Various types of content, including informational posts, new products, etc. Open, subscribe, and unsubscribe rates The types of content that get clicked on Social media Engaging with a broad audience in real time Sharing timely content to reach a large consumer base Engagement rates Follower growth Social referral traffic Website Every brand (both small and large businesses) Capturing leads from your ideal customers Building and establishing brand excellence Website traffic Bounce rates Conversion rates Customer review sites Brands where decision making includes customer research Building social proof and trust Review referral traffic Total number of reviews Ratings SEO Increasing organic visibility in search Attracting your target audience at various stages of the marketing funnel Keyword rankings Organic traffic Click-through rates Media coverage Brands looking to reach a broader audience Establishing brand credibility Number of quality mentions Sentiment of coverage Word of mouth Service-based businesses Leveraging customer advocacy amongst your ideal customers Net Promoter Score (NPS) Referral rates Customer lifetime value Paid distribution channels Paid distribution channels involve paying to promote or distribute your content on third-party platforms. These distribution channels are not limited to Facebook, Instagram, and Google though. Paid distribution channels also include opportunities for amplification like paid influencer partnerships, podcast ads, or even newsletter sponsorships. We would be here for hours if we tried to describe all of the ways in which paid distribution can happen. The channels are plentiful, the formats are extensive, and the ways in which you can run your paid media campaigns are diverse. From PPC to fixed rates, the world of paid distribution is one that is vast and significant. Content distribution strategies You can approach content distribution by: Repurposing your existing content Resharing your existing content Syndicating your content on third-party platforms Content repurposing Content repurposing is the practice of reshaping existing content into different formats or fresh pieces to expand its reach and lifespan (i.e., performance). It’s about taking the core ideas or data from your content—be it a blog post, video, podcast episode, webinar , infographic, etc.—and adapting it for various platforms and audiences.  For example, you could transform a comprehensive research report into:  A series of blog posts Infographics Short videos Social media posts This strategy maximizes the value of your original content investments while allowing you to engage with different segments of your audience (via the different distribution channels), catering to their unique preferences and consumption habits.  By repurposing content, you enhance its visibility and effectiveness, ensuring your message resonates across multiple channels and touchpoints. To repurpose your content effectively, you need to understand your target audience and how they consume content. Once you identify this, consider adapting your existing content into different formats that align with those preferences.  For example, if you find that your audience prefers visual content, consider repurposing written pieces into infographics or videos. Additionally, think about ways in which you can make your content more interactive and engaging, such as hosting live Q&A sessions or creating polls and quizzes. Content resharing Content resharing is taking something that you created in the past and sharing it over and over and over again. This method is popular with marketers who use it to improve the performance of evergreen content .  Resharing evergreen content allows you to reach new audiences and drive ongoing traffic to your website or blog without having to invest the level of time and resources required to create entirely fresh content.  It’s also a great way to repurpose content, as you can share it on different platforms and revamp its formatting from time to time. For example, if you wrote a comprehensive guide on how to start a business last year, you can reshare the blog post for months to come. To effectively reshare your content, consider scheduling posts in advance using a social media management tool like Buffer or Hootsuite. Keep in mind different time zones when you're scheduling your content especially if you have a global presence. Now beware: Don’t use this message as permission to reshare the same thing every day. I’ve seen some brands and people make the mistake of thinking that just because they can reshare content that this is the only thing they should do—that’s a mistake. Resharing is one of the many distribution strategies that you can embrace. Find a mix of repurposing and resharing to maximize the power of organic distribution. For example, if you have a social media calendar the ideal mix might look like this:  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Week 1 New content New content Repurposed content New content Reshare from Monday New content Week 2 Reshare from last Tuesday New content Repurposed content Reshare from last Thursday New content Repurposed content Content syndication Content syndication is the strategy of republishing your original content on third-party platforms or websites to reach a wider audience. This could mean taking an article that first appeared on your blog and having it published on a larger publication’s site, or sharing your infographic with a partner website that serves a similar target audience. The beauty of content syndication lies in its ability to expand your brand’s reach beyond your immediate followers or subscribers to include the syndication platform’s audience as well, introducing your content (and thereby your brand) to new eyes. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement; your website gains additional exposure and potential traffic, while the host site enriches its content offerings without producing new content firsthand. If you do decide to embrace content syndication, it’s important to understand best practices. Ensure that your syndicated content hosted on other sites canonicalizes  back to your original content (on your domain). This helps search engines understand which version they should send searchers to. How to distribute your content effectively Like other digital marketing strategies, you’ll need to research your audience, plan your execution, and report on progress in order for content distribution to yield consistent results. Step 1: Content distribution research Understanding who you’re trying to reach—their interests, pain points, and where they spend their time online—informs not only the type of content you create but also the channels through which you share it. Start by analyzing your customer data and social media habits to build audience personas. These personas should include:  Demographic information Professional info Content preferences Etc. Once you define personas for your audience, you will have a clear picture of the channels they spend time on and the types of content they want on those channels. This research is crucial for developing a content distribution engine that drives consistent and meaningful results. Here are a few ways to conduct this research: Audience research tools: Leverage software like Sparktoro or Audiense to conduct research that gives insight into the exact channels your audience spends time on. You can learn who they follow, what they talk about, and even what podcasts they listen to. Content research tools: Use content research tools like BuzzSumo to better understand what content your audience shares and engages with online. Native social research: Deep-dive directly into the channels your audience is spending time on and look at how they’re behaving, what content they’re interacting with, and how they’re amplifying (sharing) content in these channels. Step 2: Content distribution planning Now that you understand your audience and where they spend their time, you need to plan how you will distribute your content. Start by identifying the channels you want to target and determine which types of content will resonate best on each platform. For example, visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest  may be better suited to infographics or images, while LinkedIn may be a better fit for long-form articles or thought leadership pieces. Next, create a content distribution schedule that lists when and where you will share your content on each channel. This can include both organic and paid distribution efforts. Consider utilizing social media management tools to schedule posts in advance and track performance across channels. Step 3: Execute and report on progress Great content distribution is not just about spreading your content for the sake of it. It’s about driving impact. Here are some key metrics to track and analyze to gauge the effectiveness of your content distribution strategy: Reach and engagement : Evaluate your content’s audience reach and interaction levels, such as likes, comments, and shares. High engagement rates often signal content relevance. Referral traffic : This refers to the visitors directed to your site from shared content. Assess both traffic volume and visitor behavior to gauge traffic quality and relevance. Leads/Contact generation : While not always applicable, monitoring lead generation from distribution efforts can be crucial. This encompasses actions like form submissions, newsletter sign-ups, or any engagement indicating potential customer interest. Audience growth : Quantifies the expansion of your audience across platforms. A growing audience signifies effective content distribution and brand connection. By tracking these metrics, you can paint a picture of your content's performance, make informed decisions, and continually refine your content distribution strategy for optimal results. Channels may change, but the value of content distribution is constant Distribution changes regularly. It’s not realistic to assume that the channels we’re distributing content on today are the channels that we will use in 5–10 years. The channels always change. But one thing that doesn’t change is the value of distribution. Great distribution is the key to a successful content initiative. This is why I wrote an entire book dedicated to distribution called Create Once, Distribute Forever . It’s a complete guide to how to embrace not just the tactical elements of content distribution, but also the theory and strategy behind why distribution is one of the most powerful forces in the digital world. I hope you check it out. I hope you also send this along to your team, colleagues, or friends. I’m confident that someone out there you know would benefit from reading it. Let’s get more people off the “content creation hamster wheel” and get more people to realize the importance of distributing their work. Ross Simmonds - CEO of Foundation Marketing Ross Simmonds is the founder of Foundation Marketing, a B2B SaaS Marketing agency that works with some of the worlds most successful brands. He's also the author of Create Once. Distribute Forever: How Great Creators Spread Their Ideas and How You Can Too . Twitter  | Linkedin

Author: James Clark Discovery is the very first step in SEO—if a search engine can’t discover your content, it will never crawl and index it, which means searchers won’t be able to access it. An XML sitemap is an optional, but powerful, tool to support the discovery process (and by extension, your technical SEO efforts). But, what should your sitemap contain? How do you create it? And how do you tell search engines about it? Let’s go on a discovery process of our own—drawing from the official sitemaps protocol and Google’s documentation—to understand how to use sitemaps for better SEO. Table of contents: What is an XML sitemap? How XML sitemaps help your SEO Types of sitemap What an XML sitemap should (and shouldn’t) contain Static and dynamic sitemaps Size limits for XML sitemaps and sitemap indexes How to generate an XML sitemap Sitemaps on Wix Generate sitemaps with Screaming Frog Submitting your XML sitemap to Google and Bing Validating your XML sitemap HTML vs. XML sitemaps What is an XML sitemap? Before Google and other search engines can crawl and index your pages, they must first discover them. A sitemap is a document that facilitates the discovery process by telling search engines about the pages on a website that are available to crawl. Although sitemaps can come in different formats, the most common is XML (extensible markup language)—a language that uses tags to “mark up” and structure information (a bit like HTML). One of the benefits of XML is that both people and computer programs can easily read it. XML sitemaps follow the sitemaps protocol, which Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo all support. This protocol defines what a sitemap can contain, how to format it, and even how to submit it to search engines. How XML sitemaps help your SEO The main way a search engine discovers web pages on a site is by following backlinks. These could be links from your own site (internal links), or links on another site (external links). Some pages can be difficult for search engines to find. An “orphan page” is one that doesn’t have any inbound links pointing to it, meaning that search engines will never discover it by following links. Your website can even have small groups of orphan pages that only link to each other. Another challenge that search engines face is knowing when pages were updated. Although search engines will periodically revisit crawled pages to see whether the content has changed, this isn’t particularly efficient either for search engines or website owners. Sitemaps solve both of those SEO problems: They tell search engines about pages that are available to crawl, even orphan pages. And, they can also tell search engines when a page was last significantly changed, making crawling more efficient. That isn’t to say that a sitemap can replace an effective internal linking policy. Remember, links don’t just help discovery, they also tell search engines about the relationship between pages—something that sitemaps can’t do. Types of sitemap You might think that “sitemap” and “XML sitemap” are synonymous, but the sitemaps protocol defines three valid sitemap formats: XML Text file Syndication feed Google and other major search engines can work with any of these formats. In most cases, you’ll want an XML sitemap—but if your platform or CMS doesn’t provide you with this, consider the other two formats: A text sitemap is a text file (with a .txt extension) that lists all your page URLs, one per line. It can’t contain any other information.  Text sitemaps are simple to create, so this is a good option if you have a very small site and rarely add new pages—though in that situation, you may not need a sitemap at all. A syndication feed is a way of distributing content, especially news content. Although feeds are less popular than they used to be, many platforms still provide them in either the RSS or Atom format. News sites often create feeds for individual categories (or “channels”)—here’s the start of The Guardian’s RSS feed for its culture category: One big drawback of using a feed as a sitemap is that it usually only contains the most recent content. Nonetheless, it can still help search engines discover that content (and, through internal links, other content on your site). The rest of this article focuses on XML sitemaps as these are the most common, and versatile, type of sitemap. What an XML sitemap should (and shouldn’t) contain Your sitemap should contain the URLs of all the pages you want search engines to crawl (and subsequently show in search results). Each page has its own pair of opening and closing tags, containing a element that specifies the page’s location—like this: https://example.com/myurl1/ https://example.com/myurl2/ There are plenty of pages you shouldn’t include in your sitemap, for example: Pages that aren’t the canonical version of the content Pages that are blocked by robots.txt Pages set as noindex In other words, pages you wouldn’t want Google to attempt to crawl and index. The element is mandatory, but there are other optional elements you can include with each URL to add more guidance for crawlers: : The date the page was last significantly modified : How frequently the page is likely to change (e.g., “monthly”) : “The priority of this URL relative to other URLs on your site”—the higher the value (from 0.0 to 1.0), the more important you want crawlers to perceive the page as Google says it ignores and values, while Bing says it “largely disregards” them. The tag, then, is the most useful way of indicating to search engines that a previously discovered page needs to be recrawled. Sitemap extensions The sitemap protocol only specifies how to include URLs in a sitemap. However, one of the most powerful features of the protocol is that you can use it to include other types of content (the “X” in “XML” stands for “eXtensible”). There are Google-supported extensions for the following content types: Images News Video You can create separate sitemaps for these content types or include them in your existing sitemap. The extensions introduce many new mandatory and optional elements. For example, video content requires the tag pointing to the location of the video thumbnail. Static and dynamic sitemaps Dynamic sitemaps are generated each time they are requested from the server, so they will always be up to date. In other words, if you create a new page on your website, then load your dynamic XML sitemap in a browser tab, it should list your new page. Likewise, if you change an existing page, the sitemap should update the value for that page. (If your sitemap is supposed to be dynamic but isn’t updating, you might have a caching issue.) Static sitemaps, on the other hand, aren’t generated on the fly and don’t automatically update. As the name suggests, they are just static files. In almost all cases, a dynamic sitemap is a better option. After all, if one of the main roles of a sitemap is to tell search engines about new content, you want your sitemap to include that content as soon as it is published. Size limits for XML sitemaps and sitemap indexes The sitemaps protocol specifies size limits for XML sitemaps “to ensure that your web server does not get bogged down serving very large files” (but also to make the process more efficient for search engines). Your XML sitemap should: Be no larger than 50MB (52,428,800 bytes) Contain a maximum of 50,000 URLs The size limit refers to the size of the uncompressed file, so compressing the file won’t help you get around this requirement. Instead you should follow the advice given in the protocol: “If your site contains more than 50,000 URLs or your Sitemap is bigger than 50MB, you must create multiple Sitemap files and use a Sitemap index file. You should use a Sitemap index file even if you have a small site but plan on growing beyond 50,000 URLs or a file size of 50MB.” A sitemap index is an XML file that lists multiple XML sitemaps. You might have one sitemap for your posts, one for your pages, and another for your categories—all listed in your index. Sitemap index files have size limits, too. Similar to individual sitemaps, they should: Not exceed 50MB (52,428,800 bytes) Include up to 50,000 sitemaps The sitemaps protocol also has restrictions around content. Some characters must be “escaped”—an ampersand (“&”) is written as “&”, for example. If you’re using your web platform or CMS to generate your sitemap, it will likely follow the protocol, so you only need to worry about these restrictions if you’re creating your sitemap manually (which is rare). How to generate an XML sitemap How you generate your XML sitemap will depend on the CMS or platform you use for your website. Let’s look at how this works for Wix websites as well as how to do this with Screaming Frog, a popular SEO tool. Sitemaps on Wix Wix websites come with sitemaps automatically. I say “sitemaps” because the platform provides different sitemaps for different types of pages. The sitemap index lives at https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml, but this could link to sitemaps for events, forum posts, or more, depending on the functionality your site uses. For example, this London barbershop has a sitemap specifically for the products it sells on its Wix website: Also, when you complete your Wix SEO Setup Checklist, Wix automatically submits your XML sitemap to Google for you. You’ll need a Premium plan and your own domain to take advantage of this. Generate sitemaps with Screaming Frog Maybe your platform or CMS doesn’t generate an XML sitemap for you. Maybe you aren’t even using a platform or CMS and instead hand-coded your site from scratch! In these situations, you’ll have to get a little creative. If your site is small, you could use the text sitemap format we looked at earlier, create the file manually, and host it on your server. But, this isn’t very practical if you have more than a couple dozen pages. Instead, you could use an SEO tool called Screaming Frog to crawl your site and create an XML sitemap for you. This is a powerful option as it will automatically exclude pages that are blocked by robots.txt, set as “noindex,” or have a canonical tag pointing to a different URL—in other words, all the pages you ordinarily wouldn’t want Google to attempt to crawl and index. The free version of Screaming Frog will crawl up to 500 URLs, so if your site is bigger than this then you’ll need to pay for a license. Just as with a text sitemap, the next step is to host your new XML sitemap on your server (preferably in the root directory) then submit it to Google. If your site changes often, you could even look at scheduling an automated crawl. One downside of the Screaming Frog approach is that it gives you a static sitemap. If you create a new page or update an existing one, the sitemap won’t automatically change to reflect that. Submitting your XML sitemap to Google (and Bing) Once you’ve generated your sitemap, the next step is to inform the major search engines so they can use it. There are two ways to do this. The first is to specify the path to your sitemap or sitemap index in your robots.txt file, like this example from the Manchester United website: This small change will enable Google and other search engines to find your sitemap the next time they crawl your robots.txt file. The downside here is that you don’t get any feedback: you won’t know when those search engines last read your sitemap, how many pages they discovered, and so on. For that, you’ll need special tools provided by the search engines themselves. These tools let you both submit your sitemap and see how it is being read: For Google, the tool to use is Google Search Console. Our complete guide to Google Search Console walks you through the process of first verifying your site in Search Console and then submitting your sitemap (or sitemap index). If you manage a number of sites and want to submit your sitemaps to Google programmatically, use the Search Console API. Bing has its own equivalent of Search Console, called Bing Webmaster Tools, and the submission process here is also straightforward. You don’t have to choose one approach or the other. It’s definitely worth both specifying the path to your sitemap in your robots.txt file and submitting your sitemap to search engines individually. Validating your XML sitemap It may seem strange to talk about validating your XML sitemap after submitting it, but that’s because submitting your sitemap is actually the best way to validate it. When you submit your sitemap to Google using Search Console (or Bing using Bing Webmaster Tools), the tool will tell you whether your sitemap is valid. In Search Console, you get a green “success” message if everything is OK: But if you get a red message instead, something has gone wrong. Just click on the error to find out more: Once you’ve fixed any errors, resubmit it to prompt Google to fetch it again. There are also free third-party tools you can use to validate your XML sitemap, either by pasting in a link or uploading an XML file. However, even if your XML is valid, there might be another reason why Google can’t fetch your sitemap: Perhaps your robots.txt file is blocking Googlebot from accessing it. Unlike Google Search Console, a third-party validation tool wouldn’t pick up on this kind of issue. HTML vs. XML sitemaps We’ve seen that XML sitemaps are intended for search engines, but there’s another type of sitemap aimed at human users: the HTML sitemap. This is a directory of the main pages or sections on a site, and can help users quickly understand the site’s structure and navigate around. Your HTML sitemap may sit on a dedicated page, or perhaps in the footer—as with this example from Apple: So called “mega menus” in the site header are, in effect, another kind of HTML sitemap: HTML sitemaps do serve an SEO purpose, too: They are a collection of internal links, which Googlebot will happily use to discover new pages and understand the value of those pages. So in that sense they complement the work of your XML sitemaps. That doesn’t mean you should use just an HTML sitemap. Thinking specifically about search engine discovery, they have some major drawbacks compared to XML sitemaps: HTML sitemaps are limited by space on the page, so don’t usually include individual articles, blog posts, or product pages (likely to be the bulk of your new content). HTML sitemaps don’t tell search engines when content was updated. HTML sitemaps usually need to be updated manually, so they may not be completely up to date. For those reasons, you should focus on providing an XML sitemap that is useful to search engines and an HTML sitemap that is useful to your users. If an HTML sitemap wouldn’t be useful to your users, simply don’t include one. Take control over your discoverability with XML sitemaps Now, you have an in-depth understanding of sitemaps. Put your knowledge into practice by working through the following questions: Does my website have an XML sitemap? Does it list (only) the pages I want to be crawled? Does it contain all the detail I want it to (e.g., the time)? Is it valid XML and within the size limit? Does my sitemap update automatically (or do I have a way of updating it)? Have I submitted it to Google and Bing? Have I specified the path to my sitemap in my robots.txt file? Would my users benefit from an HTML sitemap? The exercise will help you come up with a plan for your site, revealing any actions you need to take to improve your sitemap coverage and boost page discoverability. And, if you’re in doubt about anything, refer to the sitemaps protocol and Google’s documentation! James Clark - Web Analyst James Clark is a web analyst from London, with a background in the publishing sector. When he isn't helping businesses with their analytics, he's usually writing how-to guides over on his website Technically Product. Twitter | Linkedin

Author: Debbie Chew Building backlinks for your SaaS business the same way you would for an online store or a local business is a mistake—one that could end up costing you time and giving you little ROI in return. From buying cycles to stakeholders to the types of content those stakeholders look at, your link building must cater specifically to the demands of your SaaS company if you want to increase your exposure, rankings, or traffic. For the past few years, I’ve focused specifically on SaaS link building at Dialpad, working with dozens of clients and enabling me to conduct a study of SaaS link building tactics, which I presented at SearchLove 2023. You’ll find some of those tactics in this article, along with a framework that specifically focuses on what SaaS companies should know about link building. Table of contents: The benefits of link building for SaaS businesses How to get started with SaaS link building Identify pages that need links Conduct a competitor audit Create linkable assets How to secure links for your SaaS business Via other SaaS companies Via relationships with journalists and writers The benefits of link building for SaaS businesses Despite any link building myths you may have heard, backlinks play several crucial roles in SEO. They help search engines find and understand your content, as well as evaluate your relation to other websites. I’ve previously written about why link building is important, and now I want to highlight three key benefits in this section: E-E-A-T Better rankings More leads and revenue E-E-A-T Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) is one way that Google measures web page credibility. Google relies on E-E-A-T (amongst other signals) to determine which pages to rank. Links and mentions of your site contribute to E-E-A-T, which can lead to better rankings for your SaaS business. “Google’s algorithms identify signals about pages that correlate with trustworthiness and authoritativeness. The best known of these signals is PageRank, which uses links on the web to understand authoritativeness.” — Google, How Google Fights Disinformation Better rankings If we were to simplify what the SEO process typically looks like for a SaaS company, there are four key steps: Research keywords to identify what your audience searches for. Create content for those keywords. Optimize the content to rank. Drive signups and revenue, and repeat. Link building helps contribute to the third step—optimizing your content to rank. Especially in competitive and saturated niches, quality content and a fast-loading site alone may not be enough to rank well, so having quality links to your page can act as a tiebreaker. Leads and revenue Let’s say, for example, you’re an SEO at a project management SaaS business. A backlink from a listicle about the “Top 10 Kanban Software” not only increases your visibility to potential leads, but it also makes it easy for them to navigate directly to your site to sign up (and possibly become a paying customer that drives revenue). This referral traffic is extremely valuable for SaaS companies. It’s one of those links that you want to have even if links did not matter to search engines. Going back to search engines, this backlink (and its referring article about the top kanban software) can also help Google understand your company as an entity. In semantic SEO, entities are real-world concepts like people, places, and organizations. Google relies on various sources (including your relationship with other entities) and what others have said about you to understand your SaaS company. How to get started with SaaS link building In this section, I’ll cover what you should do before you start building links to your site (outreach and securing links to your SaaS business are covered in the next section). By now, your site should already have foundational pages (like a homepage, pricing page, and a product page). Unlike local SEO link building, which focuses more heavily on citations and links to the homepage, SaaS link building primarily focuses on SEO pages—pages that target specific keywords your potential customers are searching for. Identifying these keywords requires a bit of research and an understanding of your audience. You can also ask yourself (or your wider team) questions like, “What are decision-makers searching for?” and “What are pain points that our product helps solve?” After identifying these keywords, you can turn them into feature pages and blog posts that cover the entire customer journey. Using the example from earlier (for a project management SaaS), your site should have feature pages that target keywords related to how your product can be used, like [gantt chart] and [todo list]. To address customers higher up in your marketing funnel, you should also publish high-level blog posts that inform or educate your audience on more general topics, like [how to manage tasks] and [what is scrum]. Identify pages that need links After giving your SEO pages some time to rank, you’ll need to review their search rankings to see how they perform. Let’s say, for example, you created a page to rank for the keyword [gantt chart templates] but you’re not ranking on page one. Assuming you created better content than your competitors, building links to your page can help it eclipse the competition. As you can see in the screenshot below, the top five pages have a handful of domains that link to those pages. However, understand that this does not mean you need at least 90 links from different domains to rank, as the quality of those links may vary (from highly authoritative to nearly worthless). This also doesn’t guarantee that you will outrank competitors if you get that many links. What this does indicate is that Google prefers recommending content that has “proven itself” to be helpful, and those backlinks are an indication of that. Now, you might end up with a long list of pages that aren’t ranking as well as you hoped—this is normal. So, how do you prioritize? There are a few things you can consider: Pages that have high conversion rates Pages that target keywords with high cost-per-click (CPC) Pages that target keywords with lower keyword difficulty You should prioritize the metrics that align best with your business or campaign’s goals (e.g., if your primary goal is traffic, then you can prioritize pages based on keyword difficulty). I’ll explain how to actually get links to these pages in the section about how to secure links for your SaaS business. Conduct a competitor audit When auditing a competitor’s links, many guides recommend a link gap analysis to help you identify sites that link to your competitors (but not to your website). This data is often difficult to act on since there may be a large gap between you and your competitors, especially if they have strong brands and/or have been link building for much longer. Other link building guides may also tell you to find your competitors’ links and try to replace them, also known as the “skyscraper technique.” Generally, this tactic doesn’t work so well in practice—particularly when your competitor’s brand is more widely known than yours. Instead, understand what actually gets links in your niche, why, and then start ideating from there. To do this, find your competitor’s top pages by links (while skipping over any foundational pages, like the homepage and pricing page). If you’re an Ahrefs user, you can use the Site Explorer’s “Best by links” report to find this information (although similar functionality is available on many SEO tools). In the example below, I’ve used this report to explore Asana’s backlink profile: This analysis can help you understand: What types of pages get links: Are they feature pages? Glossary pages? How-to guides? Infer how your competitors earned the link: Was it a guest post? Did they contribute a quote? Did they conduct a study? Was their page much more helpful than others? Which domains linked to them: Can you outreach to these domains? Are there similar businesses you can also reach out to? I highly recommend analyzing at least three to five competitors, but the more the better as this helps you get a less biased view of how your niche builds links and the pages that they go to. These insights help inform the types of pages to create and topics that you may want to cover for your own SaaS website to earn backlinks. Create linkable assets Your competitor audit (from the previous section) should help you understand what page or content types tend to get links in your niche. These are the linkable assets for your specific industry. Put simply, linkable assets are pages on your site that others can’t help but want to link to. They may be extremely helpful, unique, informative, authoritative, or all of the above. Aside from link building to your existing SEO pages, creating linkable assets can help attract links with little to no outreach. In a backlink tactics study I conducted in early 2023, I looked at the top five pages (according to backlinks) for 23 companies in six industries. Of these companies, 19 of them are SaaS businesses and you can access the raw data to see which companies were included. The most popular page or content type that received the most links were product/feature pages, guides, glossary pages, and research reports. An honorable mention goes to statistics roundups, such as [project management stats]. This is another type of linkable asset that tends to work well no matter what industry your SaaS business is in. How to secure links for your SaaS business To build links to your SaaS tool, there are many tactics you can try with varying success rates, difficulties, resource requirements, impacts, and ultimately, ROI. For example, you could sponsor a conference and get a link that way, but those types of links should have a “sponsored” attribute. Also, those links tend to go to your homepage instead of your SEO pages, which may not have much impact on how you rank for non-branded keywords (though it may bring in valuable referral traffic). Link building for SaaS tends to center around two major concepts: Creating linkable assets Building relationships Becoming proficient in these two areas is how you succeed in link building for your SaaS business. Since I’ve already covered linkable assets that can help you get backlinks naturally, I’ll go into more detail about building relationships. This can be split into two target groups: other SaaS companies and journalists/writers. Building relationships with other SaaS companies Before going further, I want to emphasize that building relationships isn’t so much striking a deal that’s “if you link to me, I’ll link to you”—Google calls this behavior “excessive link exchanges” in its link spam policies. Instead, you should approach relationships with other SaaS companies with the same care as you would if you were building co-marketing relationships (think demand generation partnerships with other companies with a similar audience). Essentially, you should not knock on every single door (or accept everyone that comes knocking on your door), but rather filter opportunities that actually make sense for the SaaS brand that you represent and its audience. Start a list of relevant companies Some companies/industries will naturally complement your own. Compiling a list of these industries and companies to research will help increase the odds that the relationship works out for both parties. For a task management SaaS provider, for example, there are a number of other SaaS companies that share a similar audience or provide tools that are also used in project management. For instance, time tracking tools or collaboration tools would be ideal relationships to build and cross-promote. On the other hand, certain niches like telemedicine (e.g., Teledoc) or point of sales systems for restaurants (e.g., Toast) wouldn’t be the most beneficial (or relevant) partners to have. Once you have a list of potential companies, take a look at their websites. You can use an SEO tool to see what their top organic pages are, or do a site search to see if they have published content related to your industry. Then, you’ll need to identify the point of contact to reach out to. This could be the company’s content manager, SEO manager, or someone similar. You can use LinkedIn or an email finder tool to find their contact information. The next step after that is to work on your email outreach. Define your request Before you compose your outreach email, you first need to decide on your request. There are typically two types of outreach requests: a link insert or a guest post. A link insert, also known as a “niche edit,” is when a link is added to an existing web page—typically, these should be informational pages like blog posts or guides. Let’s say you notice that the time tracking tool that you want to collaborate with has a blog post titled “Guide to workplace tools,” which covers the use of task management tools. Your email should explicitly highlight this request. The other type of request is a guest post, which is when you write a blog post for another website and link back to your own site (guest posts should never be spammy in nature, otherwise the backlink is unlikely to improve your SEO). Instead, I’d recommend guest posts as a way to share your company’s expertise with a new audience. Therefore, your end goal should be sharing knowledge that another company’s audience would find helpful—rather than writing a mediocre piece of content in order to get a link to your site. Email outreach tips Since email outreach is complex and can be its own standalone guide, I’ve outlined some key points to remember when writing emails for link building: The best cold outreach is warm. As a SaaS product, you may have existing relations with other companies (such as ones that integrate with your app). Cross-promotion with these companies is often the easiest to secure. Avoid using templates and email blasts. Oftentimes, people (especially SEOs) are tired of getting the same emails in their inbox. If you want to build a relationship with another company, personalized outreach is a way to show you value the opportunity to collaborate with their company. Add value. Most link building outreach emails sound something like this: “I saw your blog about X. Can you link to my blog about Y?” This kind of outreach lacks motivation for someone to act on your request. Being able to provide value to the email recipient can help cultivate a win-win relationship. It can be in the form of promoting their blog post in your newsletter, including a quote from their team in a future blog post, and more—just be sure not to offer cash as that violates Google’s guidelines. Personalize and follow-up, but don’t overdo it. Personalization ties back to my earlier point about not using email templates, but you should be careful to avoid coming off as creepy (e.g., “You recently posted about how your brother likes sushi and I like sushi too!”). Also, following up once or twice is acceptable, but constantly following up increases the risk of getting your emails marked as spam (which can hurt deliverability) or an angry response from the recipient. Building relationships with journalists and writers Another group of people that you can build relationships with—and not just to get a link from—are journalists and writers. Journalists and writers often look for experts to quote for a story that they’re covering or a topic that they don’t have expertise in. Journalists are also on the lookout for stories that may interest their readers, and this is where digital PR comes into play. “As an editor at Search Engine Land, professionals from Microsoft, Google, Yelp, etc. would reach out to me with news from their companies to see if I wanted to write a story about it. I would also reach out to them for quotes about industry developments. These partnerships were mutually beneficial and were far more effective because we had relationships, instead of simply acting transactionally.” — George Nguyen, Director of SEO Editorial at Wix, former Editor at Search Engine Land Use HARO, Help a B2B Writer, or similar services HARO, which stands for “Help a Reporter Out,” is a free service that connects journalists to sources. The journalists that use this platform tend to be quite broad, from entertainment to health to technology and beyond, so you’ll need a system to help you filter out irrelevant requests. You can refer to the HARO link building guide for a step-by-step overview of how to do just that. Another similar platform is called Featured (previously Terkel) that requires a subscription if you want to answer queries on their platform. If you’re in B2B SaaS, be sure to subscribe to Help a B2B Writer. And if you’re SaaS company based in the UK, you can monitor the #journorequest tag on X (formerly Twitter) to see if there are any relevant opportunities. When you find a source request that you can respond to, be sure to craft your response according to the requirements and deadline (when applicable). You should avoid using AI content creation tools because those submitting the request are looking for expertise and opinions about a certain topic, not an AI-generated answer. With this link building tactic, there are some disadvantages you should be aware of: You may not always get a backlink If you get a backlink, it may be to your homepage It may take a while for the quote (and your link, if applicable) to get published With that said, the advantages of these types of platforms are that they’re a less resource-intensive way to get links. Also, this is a great way to build up a network of journalists that you can potentially reach out to for future PR campaigns. Run digital PR campaigns Digital PR is about getting online publications to mention or talk about you. Digital PR campaigns aim to create interesting stories about your SaaS company that relate to topics that journalists want to write about. Oftentimes, they tend to be reactive or latch onto trending topics. One common example of a digital PR campaign is identifying a recent (or upcoming) event and pulling relevant data (such as a statistic) that journalists can then use to contextualize what’s going on. For example, AAA (American Automobile Association) publishes an annual study to predict the busiest days to drive during the Thanksgiving holiday. It releases the study ahead of Thanksgiving and shares it with journalists so that if they’re writing a news article about Thanksgiving travel, it would be very relevant to mention AAA’s findings. As for a campaign that utilizes a trending topic, here’s one that HubSpot published shortly after the adoption of ChatGPT in early 2023. The company conducted a survey to understand how sales professionals use AI and created a report based on the findings. This report has links from publications like Business Insider and Yahoo! News. Now onto the pros and cons: Digital PR campaigns are one of your best bets to get backlinks from very authoritative publications—think The Verge or Wired, for example. They’re also some of the hardest links to get, but the advantage is that they have a very wide reach, which can lead to a lot of positive brand exposure and referral traffic. Also, when top-tier publications talk about you, it’s almost guaranteed that mid-tier publications will also do the same. Therefore, it’s a way to potentially get a lot of backlinks and visibility. On the other hand, digital PR campaigns tend to cost a pretty penny. They’re one of the most resource-intensive link building tactics. And with any tactic, results are not guaranteed, so you’d be taking on risk. Like HARO, another disadvantage to consider is that journalists are not required to link to you (it may even be against their publication’s guidelines). And if they do, you’re either getting links to your homepage or whatever page the campaign is focused around. Measure and optimize your link building efforts for continued success Once you begin link building for SaaS, it’s important to also keep a record of your activities. You might find that certain linkable assets work better than others, which will inform your future strategy. Similarly, you might find more success building relationships with other SaaS companies rather than doing the same with journalists. I’ve previously covered how to measure your link building efforts, including the different metrics that will help you understand the impact that link building has and what areas you can improve on. Remember that if you’re in a competitive niche, link building (amongst other areas of SEO) is an important lever to stay competitive and improve your organic visibility. Good luck out there, and may the odds be ever in your favor! Debbie Chew - Global SEO Manager Debbie Chew is an SEO Manager at Dialpad with over 8 years of experience in digital marketing. She specializes in content and link building, and is passionate about sharing her learnings with other marketers. Twitter | Linkedin

Author: Maddy Osman If you’re in a new town and looking for a cafe to visit, you might head to Google for a “coffee shops near me” search. The results that pop up directing you to your next latte are Google Business Profiles, which function both as online listings and marketing tools for your business. Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is like a snapshot of your business, providing searchers all the essential information they need, such as location, phone number, hours of operation, reviews and more. GBP is growing in importance, especially for SEO and local search. It can be a valuable way to help you connect with your customers and, best of all, it’s straightforward to set up. Making your business easier to find for searchers is a no-brainer. And, Wix has made it even easier to create and manage your GBP profile by partnering with the service to make it accessible from your Wix dashboard. In this post, we’ll go over some of the most important info about GBP and how you can best optimize your profile on Wix. What’s in this guide: Google Business Profile 101 Why GBP is important for your business Best practices for your GBP Managing customer reviews How to create your GBP on Wix Using GBP Insights on Wix Google Business Profile 101 Google Business Profile is a free tool on Google Search and Google Maps. It serves as a listing for your business and contains basic information about it, including: Contact info Address Business category Hours of operation Link to your site But, GBP isn’t just an online business card. Customers can view photos and reviews left by others, which can help them decide whether to visit you. For business owners, GBP can enable you to schedule bookings or showcase your products or services. Not every business will qualify for a listing. The requirement to have a GBP is in-person contact with customers through a physical location or a business that travels to customers where they are, such as a plumber or delivery service. Why GBP is important for your business It’s no secret that Google is used for almost everything. So, if a customer Googles your business specifically (or a term that is relevant to your business), your GBP can help them find the information they’re looking for. For example, if someone searches “San Antonio bakery,” they’ll have plenty of bakery GBP listings to choose from in the area, and you want yours to be one of them. What’s more, 50% of users who did a local search on their smartphone went to a store within a day, according to a Google and Ipsos study. And, GBP is the number one local ranking factor, according to Whitespark. In addition to helping you more easily connect with your customers and improve your online visibility, your GBP can potentially further your reputation and give you insight into your customer experience. You might think you don’t need a GBP profile if you rank well for relevant searches. But, if your competitor’s GBP profile pops up and yours doesn’t, it might steer people to another business before they even see your site. Best practices for your GBP Follow these tips to optimize your profile for search. Fill out your listing completely and strategically Create a comprehensive profile for your business on GBP to answer questions your customers may have and convey professionalism. Pay special attention to the category you’re listing your business in, as it can help you better connect with searchers. You’ll have more competition if you choose a generic category like “restaurant” than if you choose “Mexican restaurant,” for example. Plus, the more accurately you convey your business, the more you’ll be able to frame expectations for potential customers. Add visuals Photos may be an important factor for potential customers. Make sure your listing has a cover and profile photo. Then, consider adding other interior, product, or service images. Businesses with more than 100 images on their profile had 520% more calls, 1,065% more site visits and 2,717% more direction requests than businesses that didn’t, according to a BrightLocal study. Adding videos to your profile is another great way to stand out and give users a feel for your business. Explore GPB’s extended capabilities GBP has a host of features that could help your business, such as: Messaging Posts Bookings Pricing Menus Depending on your industry, you might be able to list your amenities or services. Look into the features that would serve your business. Making it easy for customers to book an appointment through Google could increase your conversions. Or, if you’re in the food industry, adding your menu can help you stand out from competitors in your area. You might want to turn on the messaging feature so customers can easily reach you with questions. And, use posts to let users know about relevant updates and/or promotions. Managing customer reviews Reviews are an essential part of your GBP. They can make you stand out—positively or negatively—to customers. According to Whitespark’s report, positive reviews are the second most important conversion factor. To attract reviews, you can encourage customers to share their experience through signage at your business location or on your social channels. Note that Google discourages offering promotions for reviews in order to keep them impartial. Instead, focus on providing quality products and services that drive customers to take the initiative and leave a positive review. And, make it easy for them to do so by sharing your GBP link in your receipts, thank you emails and at the end of chat interactions, for example. Another helpful tactic is to respond to reviews regularly. That way, customers build trust with your business and feel heard. In fact, businesses that respond to reviews are seen as 1.7x more trustworthy than businesses that don’t, according to Google. This also goes for negative reviews, which can be tricky, yet beneficial, to reply to. Remember that reviews live on your profile, so it’s an example potential customers will have of how your business handles unhappy customers. Stay professional, courteous, and authentic. Offer compassion and solutions where appropriate. How to create your GBP on Wix Setting up a GBP is simple and now you can do it in Wix. Here’s how: Go to the Marketing & SEO section in the left-hand menu of your Wix dashboard Select Google Business Profile Click Start Now to fill out all the information about your business If your business is already set up, you’ll go to the Verify & Manage page If it is not set up, you will create your business’s profile The next step is to verify your business to prove you own it. You can confirm ownership over the phone, by email, or postcard. Once verified, you’ll want to set your profile up for success. Using GBP Insights GBP Insights can help you figure out whether you’re meeting your SEO goals or if you need to put in more work to make your profile more attractive to search engines and users. You can access Insights by going to your Google Business Profile within the Wix dashboard. From there, you can get an overview of your profile’s performance, including: Views: How many people viewed your listing Direct searches: When someone directly searches for your business name or address Discover searches: When someone searched for a category, product, or service your site offers, and your Business Profile appeared Branded searches: When someone searched for your brand or a brand related to your business Activity: The actions users took on your listing (for example, if they called your business, visited your site, requested directions, viewed photos, etc.) This information is invaluable for understanding how people found your business. Analyzing the metrics can enable you to identify trends or patterns and adjust your strategy accordingly. Your GBP is a doorway for many customers and, with Insights, you can narrow down what’s working and what’s not. Beyond your Google Business Profile Google Business Profile is a tool that helps you stand out on Google—a crucial element for any local business. Your listing provides quick and essential information to your customers while also letting you engage with them in a variety of ways. By optimizing your listing, you set your business up for success and can connect with your customers more easily through search. Maddy Osman - Founder, the blogsmith Maddy Osman is the bestselling author of Writing for Humans and Robots: The New Rules of Content Style, and one of Semrush and BuzzSumo's Top 100 Content Marketers. She's also a digital native with a decade-long devotion to creating engaging content and the founder of The Blogsmith content agency. Twitter | Linkedin

Author: Jamar Ramos This post was last updated on May 18, 2023. Creating an effective, repeatable SEO and digital marketing strategy can be a challenge for small or medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Limited bandwidth and personnel, budget restraints, and even analysis paralysis can contribute to the inertia that’s holding your business back. Fortunately, many aspects of marketing your online business are about process. Once you set up your workflows, building awareness, driving clicks and leads, and winning over new customers can be quite gratifying. At that point, gradually iterating on your processes and trying out new channels and tactics can actually be fun. To get your business to that point, let’s discuss how you can build a set of repeatable digital marketing strategies as an SMB. We’ll start with setting lead-generation goals, but here’s the table of contents if you’d like to skip to the most relevant guidance for your particular situation: How to set lead generation goals SEO and organic marketing strategies for sustainable business growth Optimize your website for search engines Consider adding a blog Consider social media marketing Consider email marketing Paid marketing strategies for instant exposure and amplification Establish your monthly budget Choose your paid search or paid social channels Create paid landing pages How do you set lead generation goals? Simply put, break down organizational silos so that you’re marketing and selling to the right audience. This, in turn, helps to ensure that you’re opening up your business to the largest pool of potential leads. Just as marketers can use data from paid media campaigns to inform some of their on-page optimizations, data from one of your internal departments can inform decisions made by a different department. While this may be easier for some businesses than others, fundamentally, all you need to do is break down those silos and ensure internal departments are talking to each other and sharing critical data. Communication is particularly imperative in two departments: your marketing department and your sales department. Align sales and marketing Sales and marketing need to align on marketing strategy to ensure your business grows and scales appropriately—after all, you wouldn’t want your marketing team to target audiences that your sales team is unfamiliar with. One solution is to enable these two teams to create and implement lead generation guidelines to alleviate some handover headaches. Some of the things they need to align on include: Lead scoring — Both teams need to define what a marketing-qualified lead (MQL) is, what a sales-qualified lead (SQL) is, and even what an opportunity to get a customer into your customer journey looks like. This can help you decide where to place individual leads in your buying funnel. In addition, this can help the marketing team understand when an MQL becomes an SQL and pass it to the sales team for contract development. Service-level agreements (SLAs) — Both teams must agree on the SLAs offered to potential clients. Having these in place helps the teams put together the best package for a lead. This sets the partnership up for success because all parties know what is promised and what should be delivered. Key performance indicators (KPIs) — To ensure both teams are iterating toward higher prospect-to-close numbers, monitoring KPIs is essential. You’ll want to keep track of the following: 01. Number of incoming leads 02. Number of converted leads 03. Lifetime converted lead value By tracking the above, you can monitor your outreach numbers, how many leads turn into paying customers, and how much those customers are worth over time. Once you have the marketing and sales teams aligned on goals, it’s time to set your SEO, organic, and paid marketing strategies. SEO and organic marketing strategies for sustainable business growth While there are a number of organic (“free”) marketing channels that can help small businesses, we’re starting with your website because having a website and updating it is essential to bringing organic leads to your business, making it the one channel you must use. The others we’ll discuss are great to have, but you can pick and choose which to add to your plan depending on how relevant each strategy is for your particular type of business. The goal of these additional strategies (as outlined below) is to drive potential customers back to your website, where they can actually transact with you. Optimize your website for search engines You want potential customers to easily find information about your products/services on Google and purchase them. Your website’s job is to convert people based on your marketing strategies. So, you want your website to shine when new visitors show up thanks to your SEO and marketing strategies. You need to optimize your website for search engines to ensure ease of use as well as discoverability on Google—fortunately, what’s good for users is also generally good for search engines. The first step in optimizing your website is ensuring each page has a goal. Align each webpage to a goal Each page on your website should convey one message clearly and concisely. For example, product pages should focus on your product's unique benefits and features. Your contact page should give visitors information on how to get in contact with your company through email, phone, and social media. When pages talk about multiple subjects, they confuse visitors and search engines. This can result in lower rankings, lower visibility, and lower sales. Instead, pages should have a single goal and work toward achieving that goal. If you find that your pages are not meeting those goals, audit them by answering the following questions: What is the goal of this page? E.g., brand awareness, conversion, etc. How well is the page achieving that goal? Does the content on the page help it achieve that goal? Does the content on the page help the visitor achieve their goal? I.e., does it address why they came to this page? Is there any content missing that would help the page achieve that goal? I.e., information or even navigation. Is this page duplicative of another page? Does this page need to exist? Answering the questions above can help you discover effective ways to optimize your site for search queries, get started with keyword research, and update your web pages. Prioritize internal linking Similar to how maps guide us toward our destination, your website’s internal linking guides visitors toward their destination—if implemented correctly, that is. Internal linking is more than your top navigation, footer, and breadcrumbs. Proper internal linking utilizes landing page content to link to deeper, relevant pages that answer visitors’ questions. In addition, carefully placed call-to-action buttons can move visitors to your transactional pages via internal links. Websites need proper internal linking because it’s difficult to predict how visitors will move from page to page once they reach your site. We can add guardrails to assist their journey, but sometimes they’ll choose pages independently. In SEO, internal linking also helps search engines efficiently crawl more of your website. If there are few ways to find a particular page, chances are a search engine bot may miss that page, meaning it won’t be shown as a result in search engines. Add transaction buttons to your pages You’ve optimized your website content, aligned each page to a specific goal, ensured your pages are indexable, and updated your internal linking. But, is it easy for your potential customers to get in touch with you or purchase your products or services? Make sure that, at any given time, your customers are only a single button click from transacting with your business. As mentioned earlier, you cannot guarantee when customers will buy from you or what page will spur their transaction. What you can control, however, are the number of opportunities they have to buy from you. One of the simplest ways to facilitate easy transactions is to add a CTA in your header and make your header sticky (always in view, even if the user scrolls down). That way, the CTA follows the website visitor and gives them quick access to a transaction button to easily purchase your products/services when they're ready to shop. Remember, conversions can be more than a website visitor buying your products/services. They can also refer to an email newsletter signup (as is the case in the example above), someone contacting you for a sales call, making a reservation, etc. For a deeper dive into pairing your objectives with the right CTA, read Lazarina Stoy’s guide on how to choose the right CTA for your business goals to maximize your website’s transaction opportunities. Consider adding a blog A blog provides space for long-form content to educate visitors about your business, your products/services, your employees, and your industry-specific thought leadership. A blog isn’t necessary for every business, but you should consider it part of your multi-channel marketing strategy due to the SEO value, longevity, and reusability of blog content. You can repurpose blog content in many ways: Email newsletters — Send links to your email subscribers filled with pertinent information, including new blog posts. Organic social media posts — One of the best ways to promote your blog posts is through your social media channels. You can create shortened links to track how many people click on them and what channels they’re coming from. Sharing blog posts on social media may bring in new customers that might never have interacted with your business otherwise. Paid social media — Many social media platforms allow you to boost the reach of your organic posts. This is a fantastic way to get conversion-centric content in front of new social media audiences. Video content — You can convert your text blogs into videos (which may help your content appeal to more people) and add those videos to the existing page. The text becomes the transcript. You can also upload those videos to a dedicated YouTube account. This is especially excellent content marketing if you create how-to blogs about your products/services. While SEO content creation and marketing is an excellent addition to your multi-channel efforts, it isn’t easy. You’ll need someone who can consistently research topics, write, edit, and publish blog posts. You don’t need an aggressive publishing cadence: one or two blog posts a month to start are sufficient to build a healthy corpus of knowledge. Check out Crystal Carter's great guide if you want to learn how to source ideas for user-first content and start writing your own customer-centric blog posts. Consider social media marketing Social media can help you reach a new audience daily by posting your content, sharing others’ content, and replying to your followers and other accounts. You can build a community of brand ambassadors who amplify your message, content, and story. The first step in building your community is picking which platform(s) to use. Each platform has its advantages and drawbacks. Let’s take a look at a few of your options. Twitter — This platform is excellent for sharing content and building a community. Most businesses use Twitter to share other accounts’ content, respond to their followers, and handle customer service requests. Pepper in posts about your business sparingly. You want to add value to your follower’s timelines—spamming them with promotional posts about your business may drive them to unfollow your brand. Facebook — In addition to posting content on Facebook, you can create a dedicated business page that gives your followers quick access to your operating hours and contact information. You can also add a CTA button for quick transactions directly from your Facebook page and even set up a Facebook Messenger chatbot that interacts with your customer’s specific questions. Instagram — IG is a great place to post product photos and business-related images. You can share “behind the scenes” pictures, infographics, other visualized data, and videos. If you sell a product that is enhanced with a visual component, IG is your platform. TikTok — Video, video, video. That’s what TikTok is all about. One way to use the platform is to ask your customer to record videos while using your products. Sharing videos of happy customers is a great way to entice more people to buy your products. Consider email marketing Email marketing has several benefits for your business. It can help you: Nurture and generate leads by asking website visitors and social media followers to leave their emails in exchange for an incentive (like an exclusive offer, for example). Build brand awareness by keeping your company and your products/services top-of-mind for new leads. Use content marketing to answer questions about your products/services for new leads. Best of all, like social media, email marketing can help you build a community. Building a community is better than having customers. A community will promote your brand, leave reviews, and suggest your products/services to friends and family. A community, if treated with respect and grown with care, will provide higher lifetime value to your business. If you’ve been collecting emails through signup forms, you should retarget those potential (or repeat) customers. Send them special offers and coupon codes. Send monthly newsletters containing your latest content to give your blog additional visibility. While email marketing puts you directly in front of your audience, that can become an issue. If you send too many emails, your subscribers will mark you as spam or unsubscribe from your list. Both are bad for business. You can avoid oversaturating your community by outlining the types of emails you send and their cadence. For example, you can provide dates for your upcoming deals in a monthly newsletter, send out a reminder for the sale a week in advance, and one once the deal has launched. Paid marketing strategies for instant exposure and amplification Now that you’ve thought through your SEO and organic marketing strategies, it’s time to layer on some paid marketing to amplify your content and drive traffic to your site. While organic marketing typically only requires your time and energy, you need money to launch paid marketing strategies. As an SMB, dipping into your revenue to pay for ads can be intimidating. Let’s remove the fear with a plan of action. Establish your monthly budget The first step is determining how much you’ll spend per month on your campaigns. Start with a comfortable amount—you can always raise it when you start experiencing some success. Let’s say you have $12,000 budgeted annually for your paid media campaigns (meaning you have $1000 to spend each month). This $1000 dollars, however, may need to cover more than just ads. Unless you run the campaigns yourself, you’ll need some help. Make sure to account for any money you’ll spend on consulting help for your paid campaigns. A great way to keep track of your ad spend is to create a spreadsheet or document that will monitor your spending habits each month. This will help you stay within the budget limits. Choose your paid search or paid social channels Once you’ve established your budget, you’ll need to choose your advertising platforms. With paid search, you run ads on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. With paid social, you run ads on social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc). You don’t need to use all of them to start. If you have a small budget, you may want to limit the number of platforms you use so your money goes farther as you begin. Whatever you choose, remember to periodically test out other channels to ensure you’re acting on the greatest marketing opportunities. Create paid landing pages When you launch your ads, ensure you have individual, noindexed (not discoverable via search results) landing pages for your paid traffic. Why? So that you don’t mix your organic search traffic with your paid traffic. Proper tracking and attribution are essential so that you can gauge the true success of your ads. For example, if you send paid traffic to your organic pages, you’ll have muddied data and little-to-no way to tell if your paid traffic converts. You also want to ensure your paid landing pages are noindexed so search engines don’t rank them. If your paid ad landing pages are indexable, they might rank ahead (or instead) of your organic pages. This can harm your SEO strategies and muddy your tracking and reporting data. Success later starts with the basics now The guidance above just covers the fundamentals of marketing for most SMBs—we haven’t even started scratching the surface of more advanced strategies yet. Before you set your sights higher, review the advice I’ve laid out to ensure that you understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. A solid foundation of basics will not only take you far (think the 80/20 rule), it’ll increase the efficacy of your advanced strategies later on. Jamar Ramos - Content Marketer Jamar Ramos is a 10-year digital marketing veteran with SEO, content marketing, and social media marketing experience. He enjoys writing, playing volleyball, and fighting back against anyone who claims that Shakespeare isn't the greatest writer to ever put pen to paper. Twitter | Linkedin