B2B SEOCOPYWRITINGCertification Course

Writing for Your B2B Blog How Content Strategy, Engineering and Deployment

Drive Results

Shelly Kramer, @shellykramer

© 2014 V3 Integrated Marketing

What’s Going On• 400 million tweets per day• 277,779 tweets per minute• 4.75 billion pieces of content

shared on Facebook (a 94%

increase from 8/12-5/13)• 3,298,611 pieces of content shared/min• 100 hrs of video uploaded toYouTube

each minute@shellykramer

# of Blogs in Millions

2006 – 35 million2011 – 173 million

What About LinkedIn• 200 million users worldwide• 2 new members sign up every minute• 35% of users access the site daily• 61% of users use LinkedIn as their primary social network

(22% Facebook, 4% Twitter)• 2.6 million companies have Company Pages• There are more than one million groups• 81% of members belong to at least 1 group• LinkedIn is the most important platform for B2B marketers• LinkedIn generates more leads for B2B marketers than

Facebook, Twitter or Blogs

It’s noisy. And we’re distracted.

Being “Awesome” Isn’t Enough

Be useful instead.

@shellykramer

Consumers Do Their Homework

Google’s Moment of Truth Research surveyed tens of thousands of consumers across many categories. In just one year, they needed twice as much information before buying the same stuff. Why? Mobile devices.

2010 – 5.3 sources2011 – 10.4 sources

No barrier to knowledge. No friction to learning. If you make a bad decision, you’re just lazy, because all the information to make a good one was in your pocket.

How Decisions Are Made

In the B2B space, buyers contact a sales rep only after 70% of the

buying decision has been made (Sirius Decisions, 2012).

Relationships are created with information, not just with people.

SEO Truth

• There is no true Page 1 of Google anymore• Personalization matters. There’s no such thing

as THE search result• No one searches for your keywords anymore• Google changes daily

The Formula Has Changed

Old Way: Money x Media = Business

New Way: Time x Media = Business

Today, Two Things Matter

Search+

Friends

@shellykramer

Greatest Challenge?

Find CustomersServe Them

Today….

Every company is a media company.

Every company needs a content strategy.

Every company needs a social media presence.

Every company needs to understand the importance of connecting social and content to business objectives

Common Pre-Panda/Penguin SEO Tactics

Identify key areas of search engine algorithm that can be manipulated to gain top rankings.

Implement techniques including link building, content spinning, on-page SEO manipulation, ezine article writing, mass press release distribution, doorway pages.

Test, tweak, test.If penalized, adjust or start over with a different

web property.

Post Panda/Penguin SEO TacticsCreate content in multiple iterations that benefit

your audience. Video, blog, images, white papers, webinars, presentations, infographics.

Curate content, deliver it in ways that benefit your audience.

Create networks using social media channels that help distribute that content and get it read and shared. More views = more shares = more authority and credibility = greater search visibility.

Post Panda/Penguin SEO Tactics

Build an audience. Do something to earn it.Build links from other sites that not only drive

traffic, but also qualified leads.Focus on serving your customers and prospects

by delivering a great UX. Give them fast website speed, content in a variety of different mediums to suit their preferences, solve their problems, answer their questions, help them grow their businesses.

You don’t start with social or with content. If you do, you will lose.

Start with data.Information is power.

Start With Competitive Analysis

What are we doing?What are our competitors doing?What kind of content are they

creating? Where do we have opportunities?Where do we suck?What can we realistically handle?

Our Prospects + Social

Who are our prospects?What are they doing?

Where do they hang out?

What do they talk about?What language do they use?

What do they need?How can we serve them?

Our Company + Social

What does success look like?How will we measure it?

Who will “own” this?

How will we train, support, mentor and empower them?

Can we do this without help?

All Impact Search Reputation + Brand

• Facebook• Twitter• LinkedIn• YouTube• Pinterest• Google+• Tumblr• Instagram

Before social or content,

optimize your

brand(start with your website)

For an effective online presence, make sure you

understand Inbound Marketing

Inbound = Bees to Honey

Inbound Marketing Drives Business

But you have to feed the inbound marketing machine, and you can’t do it with only SEO. Great content

is critical. And strong social networks is how you make content a successful lead

generation engine.

Why Inbound?

Inbound marketing generates more leads for longer periods of time than traditional marketing.

Companies Generating

…than those with no online leadsSource: Hinge Marketing Institute, http://www.hingemarketing.com/uploads/Hinge_Online_Marketing_Study.pdf

40% or more leads online

Grew 4x faster

Technique Effectiveness Rating

What do High Growth Companies Do Differently?

They Focus On

Creating Content Smart SEO

Connecting Social Media to Business Initiatives and Leveraging It

Email Marketing (building and using their list)

And the fact that Data Drives Strategy

High Growth vs. Average Growth

What Do High Growth Companies Find Most Effective?

SEOCreating Content (Blogging)

Focus on DataEmail Marketing

Creating More Content (whitepapers, eBooks, newsletters, case studies)

Social Media Channels

Engaging in Social Channels = Marketing

Altimeter interviewed 70 organizations to establish how they are using content in their marketing strategies. The top priority for external social strategies for the year ahead is content marketing (57%), followed by developing ongoing engagement with customers (50%)

Greater Engagement (content, social) =

Faster Growth

Wake Up CallSuccessful B2B businesses realize that

effectively selling their products or services requires them to go beyond

traditional marketing and face-to-face selling or interacting. They need to

adapt. Adapting means leveraging the web, content and social media.

News Flash…B2B content isn’t as easy as writing fun

B2C content. But when you can do it and do it well, it’s pretty awesome.

Effective B2B content needs to be fun, interesting, human-sounding and all

about your customers – not at all about you.

Why Content + Social?

Content Marketing as a Competitive Advantage in SEO + Link Building

• “Old” Link Building Has Become Commoditized (everyone does it)

• Content Marketing Sets You Apart (and it’s uncommon, valuable and difficult to execute)

• Search Engines Crave Relevance (more content-based data points to use in your ranking)

• Recurrent Content has More Value to Search Engines in the Long Term (adds credibility)

Let’s talk about SMBs and what

they need

Greatest Challenge?

Find CustomersServe Them

SMBs Concerns

Finding CustomersDealing With the CompetitionManaging CostsDeveloping New Products +

Services

Source: Bredin, 2013 SMB Survey, http://www.bredin.com/press_01092013.html

Where SMBs + Social

To Learn First About New Products and Services, Here’s Where They Go …..30% turn to Facebook28% turn to Google+27% turn to Twitter/YouTube26% turn to LinkedIn

Source: Bredin, 2013 SMB Survey, http://www.bredin.com/press_01092013.html

SMBs Preferences

68% Use the Web to find information on products or services

58% look for business management advice59% of SMBs are more likely to visit a

vendor website and explore and 55% are more likely to buy if a website offers business management advice.

Source: Bredin, 2013 SMB Survey, http://www.bredin.com/press_01092013.html

Where to Start?

Let Strategy Drive Tactics• Personas. Who are our prospects and

customers?• What do they care about?• Where are they online? When are they

online? • What makes us a company they want to do

business with?• Do our values and culture align?• What makes us better, different, interesting,

unique, more appealing?

What Does Your Data Show?

How many web visits per day/wk/mo?What % of traffic is unique vs. return?What keywords bring them to your site?What content brings them to your site?What are they doing there?

What sites refer them to your site?

Content Audit: What to Measure

• Most popular content (blog/social media)• LinkedIn Posts, Shares• Twitter Posts, RTs, Comments• Facebook Likes, Shares, Comments

• Google+ shares and +1s• Authority based on tools (Moz Pro or OpenSite

Explorer)• List growth• Leads captured, revenue, conversions

Content Strategy • Figure out your tone and audience

• Analyze your existing assets• Figure out what kinds of content you think will work• Engineer a content plan• Develop a content calendar (not what you’ll write,

instead, which content fits into the plan you’ve engineered)

• Make a plan to create content to serve customers + prospects

• Figure out how you’ll measure success

How to Create Great Content.

Content Engineering: Sales + CSR

Your sales team and your customer service team are your greatest sources for content inspiration. Nobody knows more than they do what your customers want and need. Don’t trust marketing on this, go straight to the people dealing with your customers (and prospects) every, single day.

Content Engineering: Make Superstars

Write content designed to make your team look (and sound) like superstars. They’ll be shocked. They’ll be proud to share with their friends and customers and it’s a great, big “easy button” you can serve them that will serve you and your efforts very well. Even better? In no time at all, they’ll be clamoring for more.

Content Engineering: Trade Shows

Trade shows are one of the best ways your team can convert leads to sales. Engineer your content in advance of your major industry shows to showcase members of your team presenting, highlights of the event and industry trends. After the show, write about key takeaways, trends, featured speakers, etc.

Content Engineering: Social • Use your participation in LinkedIn groups to

help you find out what prospective buyers want and need, and write content that addresses those things.

• Look for Twitter chats, lists, events, Google+ Communities, Facebook groups, etc. that are specific to the industries you serve. Participate. Make friends. Share their content. Soon, they’ll also be happy to read and share yours.

Want Your Content to Get Read?

Understand Search

+

Produce Relevant, Optimized Content

+

Develop Key Distribution Channels

=

Formula For Success

SEO? But, I’m a purist….

Don’t want to SEO posts because you’re writing for your readers?

<GMAB>

Using smart SEO makes it easier for them and gives you better odds that

they’ll read your content.

Writing for the Web is Different

Develop relevant content that’s strategic, informative, resourceful,

timely or funny

Use keywords that make sense

Write a great headline, using the

right keywords

Sell it in the first paragraph

Post Titles are Muy Importante

Keep your title under 60 characters.

This ensures the full title is visible in a search, increasing the likelihood of a

click-thru.

8:10, 2:10

Don’t leave out META descriptions

META descriptions tell search engines what your post is about

Keep your meta description under 165

characters so the full description is

visible as a search result

Ramble vs. SEO-focused

Paying Bills is a Drag

Ramble, ramble ramble, ramble, ramble for 300 more words (and they’re already gone) then

get to the point of the post.

Best Productivity Tools for Small Businesses

The best productivity tools for small businesses make life easier. Our favorites include PaySimple, Freshbooks and Kapost.

The Key to Great SEO

People

Just ask yourself this:

Is it Good for People?

If so, it’s Good for SEO!

Resources Right Under Your Nose

Sales Team

Customer Service Team

What are the questions the sales team is most commonly asked or the problems customers

most often have for your customer service reps?

Use your internal resources, as well as your buyer persona information, to help develop content that

serves your clients and prospects.

Keys to Success With Distribution

Know Your Audience

Where They Hang Out

When They Hang Out

Give Them What They Want + Need

Don’t Sell: Always Give More Than You Get

Make Friends + Build Alliances Before You Need Them

Success With Content? Be Useful

• Don’t sell. Don’t bore.• Act like a person, not a faceless corporate entity• Stalk + emulate• Create content worth reading• Treat content like tasty bait that delivers something of value.

Focus on delivering value.• Curate content that further serves your audience.• Understand the importance of connecting social to business

initiatives• Promote your blog/social presence on your website and

newsletter and tie it to your offline initiatives• Test, Measure, Test Some More, Measure Again

Step 1: Write, Step 2: Distribute

Data Tells You What They Like

Check out GetSqueeze

Here’s a Sample GetSqueeze Report

Meet Tynt, It’s Awesome

Meet Tynt, It’s Awesome

The Power of a Blog

Track Your Success Don’t Forget Them

Don’t Assume They Know What To Do,

Teach Them!

LinkedIn Sharing

Facebook Sharing

Twitter Sharing

G+ Sharing

Your Team is Likely Your Greatest Asset

• Most popular Twitter content• Most popular blog posts• LinkedIn adopters (groups, opportunities,

RFPs, sales)• Landing page campaigns, email campaigns• Integrate social into your CRM• Blog (and email/newsletter) content can

lead to opportunities, but they don’t do you any good if you don’t track them

Your Team is Likely Your Greatest Asset

Don’t Forget Them

Don’t Assume They Know What To Do, Teach Them!

LinkedIn SharingFacebook Sharing

Twitter SharingG+ Sharing

8:10 vs. 2:10

Even For Us, Data Drives Strategy

Content Impacts Everything

The Interactive Content Grid

Step Up Your GameMake Sure Your Website WorksUnderstand the Importance of SEO and how

it’s changed todayKnow Your Audience, Serve ThemLet Data Drive StrategyFocus on Creating + Curating Great ContentTie Social and Content to Business InitiativesLeverage Content + Social to Drive Leads +

Sales

Test, Measure, Test

Feed your social channels with great content. Content that is useful.

Treat content + social as part of your lead generation efforts (track it)

Experiment with landing page campaigns and other initiatives

A/B Test. Often. Never stop building your list

KPIsTraffic, page views, time on siteSocial media mentions, comments, sharesFan/Follower growthDownloadsOpens + Click-ThroughsInbound links + Page rankForm Submissions RateInquiries + Database growthActive Pipeline + Pipeline Value

Engineer Your Content

Support your internal teams with contentSpoon feed them if you have to Find adopters, make them heroes and they’ll

be your success storiesNever quit asking to be at the tableTrack your progress, show resultsTry not to say “I told you so.”Buckle up.

Content. Everybody wants a piece of that

tasty pie.

Who Wants In?

• Brands trying to DIY• “Content marketing agencies” formerly known as custom

publishers• Agencies who’ve figured out the power of brand storytelling• PR Firms looking for owned media• Social Media firms• SEO firms• Direct Marketing agencies• Web Development firms• Poseurs and snake oil salesmen

@shellykramer

Everybody Thinks They Can Do It

They’re mostly wrong.

@shellykramer

Who to trust? It’s easy. See who’s practicing what

they preach.

Content Marketing Is Not …

A campaign. It’s a way of thinking, a fundamental business strategy and you can’t fake it. It’s a completely different way of doing things. And it works.

@shellykramer

Curation. Anybody can do it. Few can do it well.

Machines Are Good

Assembling

Packaging

Pushing

@shellykramer

But it Takes a Human

To effectively curate content. You have to know how to tell a great story, deliver an audience and regularly deliver content that keeps them coming back for more.

@shellykramer

In Order for Curation to Work

• You can’t build an audience based just on curation, and passing along things others have created

• You have to be known for something first. You have to earn that.

• There’s not an easy button

@shellykramer

You Should Read

You Should Read

You Should Read

Shelly Kramer816.200.2520Shelly@V3im.com

@shellykramer

In Order for Curation to Work

• You can’t build an audience based just on curation, and passing along things others have created

• You have to be known for something first. You have to earn that.

• There’s not an easy button

@shellykramer

Examples: What Not To Do• XYZ Company’s Tip & Roll Bleachers, Tip Space

Limitations in Your Favor• Standard Height Sport Bleachers Come Through in

the Clutch• XYZ Preferred Bleachers: When You Prefer the Best• Parks & Playground Professionals Choose Deluxe

Bleachers from XYZ Bleacher Company • Maximize Your Seating Capacity With Low Rise

From XYZ Bleachers

@shellykramer

Examples: What To Do Instead• Tip & Roll Bleachers, Tip Space Limitations in Your

Favor• Why Standard Height Sport Bleachers Come

Through in the Clutch• Preferred Bleachers: Are They Really Any Better?• Parks Playground Professionals: What You Need to

Know About Choosing Bleachers• The Magic of Low Rise Bleachers: Maximizing Your

Seating Capacity

@shellykramer

Other Best Practices• Your job as content producers is to make your

team look like superheros. Write content intended for their bylines, make them look and sound smart and they’ll worship you forever.

• 3. Preferred Bleachers: Are They Really Any Better?• 4. Parks Playground Professionals: What You Need

to Know About Choosing Bleachers• 5. The Magic of Low Rise Bleachers: Maximizing

Your Seating Capacity

@shellykramer

Stalk Me, Anytime

Shelly@V3im.com+Shelly Kramer

LinkedInShelly DeMotte Kramertwitter.com/shellykramer facebook.com/shellykramer

www.v3im.com

THANK YOU