Post-Penguin, post-Panda, Google and Bing have turned the tables on linking strategies. Any sites that link to your site (inbound) that don’t have any relevance to your content now detract from your organic search ranking. Likewise, any (outbound) links from your site will be scrutinized even more.

The new rule: The linking that supports your organic search engine results must itself be obtained organically through social sharing, guest blogging and similar tactics. The strategy that you need to hang your hat on is now called authoratative engagement signals.

Where to start:  Everyone should have some form of linking strategy for all forms of digital content. Here are a few articles that may be enlightening.

First and foremost, learn what 'linking' is relative to anchor text, TrustRank, link neighborhood, social sharing/social mentions:

http://www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo/growing-popularity-and-links

Here is a true case study analyzed over time and includes domain authority, social 'mention' impact as well as identifying/modifying links with that yield authority:

http://www.seomoz.org/ugc/the-impact-of-company-investment-on-seo-link-building-case-study

Great slideshare. Google measures authority using offsite factors such as press coverage, social media mentions, traffic, search volume. All things being equal, a searcher prefers to visit a well known authority brand than an unknown website with the same content.

http://www.slideshare.net/Branded3/digital-futures-the-latest-advanced-seo-link-strategies 

Don't forget this 'must-have' linking graphic that can be downloaded here:

http://download.prospectmx.com/prospectmx_com-link-building-chart.pdf  

[Image courtesy of: http://www.prospectmx.com] 

Lastly, linking is part of your overall SEO playbook.The nugget here: link worthy content - Strive to create content that is so awesome other websites will be compelled to link to it. Make it interesting. Make it high quality. Create link bait.

http://searchengineland.com/2013-seo-playbook-143224

Related "SEO" Articles

Which Top SEO Tactics Will You Focus On In 2013?

http://searchengineland.com/top-seo-tactics-for-2013-141993

Hot & Cold Trends In Search Going Into 2013

http://searchengineland.com/hot-and-cold-trends-in-search-going-into-2013-141685 

Best

Denice MacDonald 

Everyone knows that posting to YouTube is easy. But is it the right venue for your audience? Does it meet your intended goals? What are the rights and content restrictions?

If your goal is to reach a wide audience, promote a product to the world or get lots of viewers, your best bet is YouTube. It’s the second largest search engine in the world owned by Google and easy to use by most.

More importantly, it is compatible with other software. You can create multiple channels, tag, provide descriptions as well as annotations (links or other call to action scenarios).

Vimeo, on the other hand, is emerging as a business-to-business platform that allows for longer videos and has a smaller community of more dedicated viewers. If your intent is more one-to-one or you need to augment community related content to a more sophisticated business network, Vimeo is for you.

Wait a minute….read the fine print regarding terms of service…

Vimeo offers both a free and a paid “Vimeo Pro” account (currently $199/yr.), while YouTube is always free.

Which means YouTube wants to show ads before/during/after videos or they limit some of the features.

Remember, if you use a free service, you are not really the user, you are the product!

Best

Denice MacDonald

I can't seem to get enough of CMO.com  -- Adobe’s content site created to provide digital marketing news and insight for senior marketing executives around the globe.

Its aim is to help CMOs stay informed and save time so they can more effectively lead their companies in the digital world.

Take for instance their "Insights" section that is routinely updated with curated content and posts from top CMO leadership with real-life stories and solutions.

Moreover, there is an "Events" section as well as a "Slide Shows" for additional thought leadership.

Here's a sample post well-worth the read:

The 10 Secrets of CMO Success - Know your audience. Build credibility. Use the right tools. Granted, tips like those might seem generic, but they are among the “secrets” CMOs and other high-level marketers attribute for their successes.

Check out their site - it will be worth the time.

Best,

Denice MacDonald

As a content strategist, I get this question all the time. My response is always to say that the best way to market your business is to utilize as many channels as possible to reach every corner of your target demographic -- and this should not exclude print.

However, there are areas where print is on the decline and areas of print usage that we can't ignore. Whether online advertising, print lead-gen or even news print, the landscape for 'PRINT' is evolving quickly.

So to help you with your 'print' situation, I have gathered some interesting and timely articles for your use.

Print is Dead? Not so Fast! By Forbes [Article concentration on online advertising] by Forbes

• http://www.forbes.com/sites/thesba/2012/06/28/print-is-dead-not-so-fast/
  

Print is Dead! Long Live Print? [Article concentration on News, Print, Books] by TechCrunch

• http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/25/print-is-dead-long-live-print/
  

Is Print Dead? No...but mobile is the future [Article concentration on digital publishing, digital advertising] by InformationWeek

• http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/digital-content/is-print-dead-no-but-mobile-is-the-futur/240000490
  

Poll: Is print Dead? [Article concentration on Magazines, Books and Large Print Publications] By Hype Beast

• http://hypebeast.com/2012/06/polls-is-print-dead/
  

The Case is to Keep Print in Your Marketing Mix [Article concentration on print and brand – 10 steps for using print] by Folio Magazine

• http://www.foliomag.com/2009/case-keep-print-your-marketing-mix
  

Best!

Denice MacDonald

For more learning, connect with Denice on Google+.

Marketers will face increasing pressure to drive traffic, leads and sales through content marketing efforts. With the right data and strong analytics, marketers will have to prove that their efforts are more than brand lift – they will need to show real business impact. 

This pressure will force marketers to figure out how to sustain and grow their marketing efforts. This can only be accomplished through technology and the investment in contenty strategists. Using part-time college students or even on-and-off freelancers won’t be enough. There will need to be an investment in customizing content to target audiences with content that resonates, engages and compells -- resulting in a defined action that can be measured for business success.

To learn more about content marketing, content strategy and content evolution, review the following timely resources.

Resources:

What is a Content Strategy and Why do you need it?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2012/09/18/what-is-a-content-strategy-and-why-do-you-need-it/

7 Strategies for Developing Compelling Content in 2013

http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2012/10/7-content-marketing-strategies-for-2013/

Think Content Marketing, Not Copywriting

http://jontusmedia.com/content-marketing-copywriting/

Best,
Denice MacDonald

Earned Media is basically free media. Earned Media specifically refers to publicity gained through editorial influence and has become the backbone of many social media initiatives and social content development strategies.

With so much user generated content these days, it would behoove an organization not to take advantage of the magnitude of earned media – integrating an earned media strategy during content conception into execution.

Definition

To get the definitions out of the way, those in the marketing and agency world are privy to the buzzwords “paid,” “earned” and owned.” Traditionally, they stand for the different types of media and can be easily broken down like this:

• Paid: Buying a 30-second Super Bowl spot
• Earned: Coverage on Mashable (aka user word of mouth)
• Owned: Your company’s website

The business case for Earned Media

Don’t forget all content — whether it’s text, a video or a microsite — will be “reduced to a link” for social spheres making Earned Media an easy thing to do. There were 500 billion word-of-mouth impressions made by Americans online according to Forrester. Such volumes of word-of-mouth marketing can spread awareness of a product incredibly quickly, and it’s why earned media has become so important to a marketing campaign.

Understanding its usage

Let’s run through a scenario. Earned Media, for example, is what you get when you develop a connection with someone that’s compelled to write a Yahoo review, a blog post, a comment or a tweet, sharing their thoughts on your brand with their social network. It sounds simple but it does take forethought.

Specifically, you will need to develop a strategy at content conception and then filter everything through its earned potential. That is, did I get the right audience, is the content compelling to share (good or bad) and do we make it easy to ‘syndicate’ the efforts (share tools, icons, other channels and formats) and, most importantly, does it integrate nicely as a natural springboard from traditional paid or owned media?

More on Earned Media:

For Social Media Marketing, Earned Media Rules -- MediaPost

How Social Media is Changing Paid, Earned and Owned Media -- Mashable

Defining Earned, Owned And Paid Media – Forrester Blogs

Best

Denice MacDonald

Online video is proving to be a highly effective method for delivering a B2B marketing message or offer to existing and prospective clients. With over 75% of Fortune 500 executives viewing online video at work, savvy marketers are increasingly leveraging the power of online video in their marketing campaigns.

Here is some recent learning to help you get started. 

VIDEO BEST PRACTICES
Core Messaging – Develop a condensed version of the campaign’s core messaging, including the product positioning, campaign offer and call to action. 60 seconds is the ideal video length.
Read more

SOCIAL MEDIA B2B
Three Short Videos Are Better Than one Long Video – People have short attention spans when it comes to the web.

As marketers providing content it is important that we understand this. Online videos should be short, ideally around 3 minutes, or even shorter. If you have a 10 minute interview, then break it up into smaller interviews.
Read More 

B2B MAGAZINE
Know your audience. Know how your audience consumes information. Will your C-level audience read a 10-page white paper or view a three-minute video? Think strategically about the delivery channel.
Read More

TOP RANKED B2B VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
Read More

REEL SEO
Overall great article on creating the perfect video strategy.
Read More

Best

Denice MacDonald

No doubt, Mobile is the strategic priority in 2013. From global reach to primary data and content consumption, we cannot afford to overlook this technology that will require more formal organization, processes, governance.

In response, I have assembled some good resources for anyone involved in “Mobile” initiatives for 2013.

The articles are a combination of retail, IT, marketing and social implications and there is something for everyone.

Forrester’s Top 10 Trends for Mobile in 2013 by VentureBeat
http://venturebeat.com/2013/02/14/forresters-top-10-trends-for-mobile-in-2013/

2013 Mobile Trends for Marketers by Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/forrester/2013/02/14/2013-mobile-trends-for-marketers/

Whitepaper: Top 10 Mobile Trends for 2013 by Juniper Research [Requires Free Membership Sign-up]
http://www.juniperresearch.com/whitepapers/top_10_mobile_trends_for_2013

Seven Mobile Marketing Trends to Watch in 2013 by MediaPost
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/193144/seven-mobile-marketing-trends-to-watch-in-2013.html#axzz2MaajwQix

In summary, you are going to need the right blend of business, marketing, design, and technology expertise to succeed in mobile. Based on the articles above, Mobile will require a multi-year strategy to meet the demands of this evolving medium.

Best,
Denice MacDonald

Website Magazine just posted another stellar post on The Rich Get Richer: A Guide to Interactive Visual Content - an insightful article on the proper use (and measurement of) rich media content.

Specifically, utilizing rich media content such as photography, 360-degree views of the product, and online video are ideal ways to achieve consumer interaction.

Why is it so important?

On average, consumers spend 48 seconds on a website with only text. But add video to the mix and the consumer spends up to five minutes and 50 seconds – making video more than five times more effective than text.

But there is a glitch.

Consumers expect to be able to engage with a brand consistently through every channel, all the time. They want to be able to shop online via computer, smartphone, tablet, as well as in-store, and have a universal experience. So like any other online content, visual content will require a strategy and measurement to reach its full potential.

Read More: 

Interactive Visual Content at: http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2012/05/04/the-rich-get-richer-a-guide-to-interactive-visual-content.aspx

About my favorite publication Website Magazine: http://www.websitemagazine.com/about.htm

Subscribe: https://www.websitemagazine.com/scripts/sub/subscribe_level.aspx

Best

Denice MacDonald

Businesses are overwhelmed with the need to create more content faster -- customized for diverse audiences across multiple channels. Need help? Check out this great book recommendation:

Managing Enterprise Content: A Unified Content Strategy provides the concepts, strategies, guidelines, processes, and technological options that will prepare enterprise content managers and authors to meet the increasing demands of creating, managing, and distributing content.

Author Ann Rockley, along with the Rockley Group team, provides techniques that will help you define your content management requirements, build your vision, design your content architecture, pick the right tools, and overcome the hurdles of managing enterprise content.

This book will help you visualize the broad spectrum of enterprise content, the requirements for effectively creating, managing, and delivering content, and the value of developing a unified content strategy for your organization.

This is a must-have for any content strategist out there looking to harness enterprise content.

Best,

Denice MacDonald 

The social networks are abuzz about Facebook’s Graph Search – currently in beta mode. 

Basically, the new search tool allows people to discover information based on data that Facebook has collected from its users over time.

So what, who cares? Well, Graph Search has the potential to impact businesses on Facebook – in a big way.

Find out where you fit in by accessing the latest and greatest articles on the subject:

• Facebook’s Graph Search, 5 Oughta Knows by Website Magazine (my fav by the way).
• Introducing Graph Search by Facebook (sign up on this page for the beta version - get in line now!)
• Facebook Graph Search Could be its Greatest Innovation by Mashable
• How Facebook's Graph Search Just Replaced a Big Chunk of Google by TechCrunch  

And….why this is going to change everything:

• Facebook Announces Third Pillar "Graph Search" That Give You Answers, Not Links Like Google by TechCrunch

Oh...by the way...here's why social recruiting will have a whole new face:

• How to Use Facebook's Graph Search to Boost Your Career by Huffington Post

Best,
Denice MacDonald

With permission from Word of Mouth Marketing, I am sharing an awesome simple tool in the form of a simple worksheet to create a word of mouth action plan.

This simple worksheet will help you get your word of mouth program off the ground. It's perfect if you're inspired by the idea of earning the respect and
recommendation of your customers but just don't know where to start.

Print it out and use it alongside everything you're already learning to create simple action steps.

Here it is! [You just need to share minimal information]

http://wordofmouth.org/blog/downloads/free-download-the-word-of-mouth-action-plan

Stay connected to Word of Mouth via their blog:

http://wordofmouth.org/blog

Enjoy!

Denice MacDonald

The Google personalized home page went away in November (referred to as the iGoogle home page) as part of Google's overall product cleanup campaign.

I loved my Google Personalized page and had added widgets and gadgets to make my life easier. So what to do? Google is suggesting using Chrome exclusively as an option to the now-outdated iGoogle page. BUT, I have found another replacement: Netvibes!

Founded in 2005, Netvibes pioneered the first personalized dashboard publishing platform for the Web. For consumers, Netvibes is the most awarded startpage where millions of people around the world personalize and publish all aspects of their daily digital lives.

The application is easy to use. In fact, you can use their themes (which automatically populate for you) or you can create your own ‘tabs’. Adding content is simple as they provide categories to search for your favorite news, business or even entertainment feeds. Featured apps located here: http://eco.netvibes.com/apps.

I thought I would never move away from my beloved iGoogle page but this ‘starter page’ application provides so much more. I guess change is always good.

Best,

Denice MacDonald

For more learning, connect with Denice on Google+.

Since 1999, Forrester has used its Website User Experience Review methodology to evaluate the user experience of 1,500 websites spanning business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) companies, numerous industries, and disparate geographies.

They examined the trends over time and across types of sites to identify the common user experience problems that persist to this day. Based on the findings, they challenge digital customer experience professionals to identify those problems on their own sites and fix them — or risk wasting millions of dollars.

The report is timely, comprehensive and provides plenty of key takeaways - basically Forrester indicates that the website user experience still stinks after more than 12 years!

To get this report, you will need to sign up and provide some basic information - allowing you to access Forrester thought leadership moving forward:

Get the full document

For more information about Forrester and their products, please visit their website at http://www.forrester.com/ or contact the Client Support at clientsupport@forrester.com.

Best

Denice MacDonald

[Graphic courtesy of: http://www.kuali.org]

I get excited each time I get an email from Hinge (Branding and Marketing for Professional Firms) because they consistently deliver white papers and resources that are spot on.

Now most of you would say that Hinge is probably a competitor of mine - and I would say yes! But I would be remiss not to praise their work as something I would do. Suffice the collaborative exposure.

So, please take the time to download their latest resource: Marketing Planning Guide for Professional Firms. Even if you are not a 'professional firm' per se, there is still some logical learning from this resource.

Specifically, inside this guide you will find a step-by-step process to setting up your marketing for the year. It includes aligning your marketing with the firm’s overall strategy, establishing the foundation, the right mix of online and offline efforts, content marketing development and ways to measure success. Sounds simple but most organizations rarely get it right.

Learn more: 

• About Hinge 
• Blog 
• Newletter

Enjoy!

Denice MacDonald

Content Strategy within the Design Process is an excellent article written by Brad Shorr at Smashing Magazine on how: Content Strategy is the glue that holds a project together AND that language influences behavior.

I loved how Brad gave an objective overview of how content is an emerging practice area that needs recognition and integration into the development process from the beginning -- and through -- any digital project or initiative. If anything, you need to read the barter and exchange of team members during the process - hillarious and spot-on!

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Likewise, Brad provides a compelling infographic [right] as well as additional resources on the subject:

The New Rules of Marketing and PR - David Meerman Scott
Explains content strategy better than anyone. The third edition was published in July 2011.

Content Strategy - Google Knol
For a thorough overview of content strategy and links to books, blogs and other resources, check out this fantastic Knol.

Call to Action Buttons: Examples and Best Practices - Jacob Gube
To promote creative compatibility, designers and writers alike should study this Smashing Magazine article.

Top Ten Mistakes of Web Management - Jakob Nielsen
For insight into design-related project management, read this post by the brilliant Web usability expert Jakob Nielsen.

Lastly, you need to subscribe to Smashing Magazine’s network or obtain their free five year anniversary eBook here! Well worth the download and/or sharing with others.
                                                                                                                (Image credit: Chris Depa, Straight North)

Best,
Denice MacDonald

Content ... content ... content!

The focus continues to shift to quality content folks: Penguin will give page rank based on how often content is updated, how long a visitor spends on a site reading it and how many times it is shared across social.

How Google's 'Penguin' Update Will Change [Content] Publishing for the Better 
by AdAge Digital October, 2012

What does this mean?  Thankfully less about stuffed search words and more about content enrichment and amplification.

Reason simply, content will no longer be a mechanism to convert clicks but a tool to boost awareness, increase overall engagement and offer opportunities to connect with a quality audience.

And the customer that content is tailored for will no longer be SEO bots as the New SEO favors the true end-user: the reader who consumes, shares and engages with your content.

A definite dream-come-true for content strategists!

Enjoy!

Denice MacDonald

For more learning, connect with Denice on Google+.

Sprout Insights is an online resource for small business owners, marketers, and others looking to learn about reaching audiences and customers with new social media tools like Facebook, Foursquare, Yelp, LinkedIn, Twitter, Yelp, and more.

You’ll find three kinds of articles at Sprout Insights: day-to-day news coverage of new developments and changes in social web tools that you can use to reach customers, guides to the basics and best approaches for those tools, and first-hand accounts of how businesses from neighborhood bakeries to internationally regarded brands have built better relationships with customers, clients, and fan.

By the way, Sprout Social touts a great social management tool for very affordable rates and plans. Give it a shot for free here.

Best

Denice MacDonald

For more learning, connect with Denice on Google+.

I recently completed a new website that concentrated on inbound marketing and sophisticated lead generation. As part of the strategy, it was imperative to create relevant, enticing conversion pages.

In the past, most companies would do 'overkill' on these conversion pages - resulting in less conversion and more confusion about the company or product. Moreover, the content 'promise' delivered 'less than expected' and left the visitor disappointed. As we know, a disappointed visitor never comes back.

I recently received an email from Infusionsoft for a recently published white paper on marketing strategies for SMB's. The email was quite enticing and, with one click, landed me at this page - providing an exemplary example of a strategic conversion page:

Infusionsoft used 5 key elements to get me to opt in:

1. The logo or brand element is not overwhelming - just a reminder that this opt in is for Infusionsoft and/or available to click should I want to get to their home page.
   
2. The overarching message or 'grab statement' is Dream Big! Who doesn't want to dream big! Got me didn't it?
   
3. The item is FREE!
   
4. There are several easily scannable bullet points so that I get the gist of the offering.
   
5. There are only two opt in fields for me to get the goods!

About Infusionsoft

Infusionsoft is an all-in-one marketing automation software used by thousands of savvy small businesses to leverage personalized marketing automation to convert leads, grow sales and save time. Take a look at their product - I have been impressed with their content and would suggest a peak!

Enjoy!

Denice MacDonald

For more learning, connect with Denice on Google+.

Google+ has emerged as a key player in online marketing and definitely poses competition to Facebook. However, Google+ isn’t the easiest thing to understand. Reason simply, it has a lot of features that can confuse beginners. Even advanced users can miss a lot of the little gems and nuances that define Google+.

So to help out, I have assembled some really good articles for consumers AND businesses to aid in adapting quickly to Google+.

Original announcement (with video) and introduction to Google+

Introducing the Google+ project: Real-life sharing, rethought for the web

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/introducing-google-project-real-life.html

Here's a great article by Mashable (continually updated) containing screen shots, video and cheat sheets with content for all facets of Google+ including Circles, Sparks, Hangouts and mobile:

Google+ The Complete Guide

http://mashable.com/2011/07/16/google-plus-guide/

New eBook: How to use Google+ for Business Hubspot)

http://www.hubspot.com/how-to-use-google-plus-for-business/?source=hspd-website-magazine-how-to-use-google-plus-for-business-20111122

Here's a great cheat sheet from Mashable:

Best,

Denice MacDonald

For more learning, connect with Denice on Google+.