1. B2B SEO COPYWRITING Certification Course

2. Writing for Your B2B Blog How Content Strategy, Engineering and Deployment Drive Results Shelly Kramer, @shellykramer © 2014 V3 Integrated Marketing

3. 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

4. # of Blogs in Millions 2006 – 35 million 2011 – 173 million

5. 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

6. It’s noisy. And we’re distracted.

7. Being “Awesome” Isn’t Enough Be useful instead. @shellykramer

8. 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 sources 2011 – 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. The Formula Has Changed Old Way: Money x Media = Business New Way: Time x Media = Business

12. Today, Two Things Matter Search + Friends @shellykramer

13. Greatest Challenge? Find Customers Serve Them

14. 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

15. 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.

16. Post Panda/Penguin SEO Tactics Create 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.

17. 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.

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

19. Start with data. Information is power. Start with data. Information is power.

20. 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?

21. 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?

22. 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?

23. All Impact Search Reputation + Brand Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Pinterest Google+ Tumblr Instagram

24. Before social or content, optimize your brand (start with your website)

25. For an effective online presence, make sure you understand Inbound Marketing For an effective online presence, make sure you understand Inbound Marketing

26. Inbound = Bees to Honey

27. 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.

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

29. Companies Generating …than those with no online leads Source: Hinge Marketing Institute, http://www.hingemarketing.com/uploads/Hinge_Online_Marketing_Study.pdf 40% or more leads online Grew 4x faster

30. Technique Effectiveness Rating

31. What do High Growth Companies Do Differently?

32. 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

33. High Growth vs. Average Growth

34. What Do High Growth Companies Find Most Effective? SEO Creating Content (Blogging) Focus on Data Email Marketing Creating More Content (whitepapers, eBooks, newsletters, case studies) Social Media Channels

35. Engaging in Social Channels = Marketing

36. 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%)

37. Greater Engagement (content, social) = Faster Growth Greater Engagement (content, social) = Faster Growth

38. Wake Up Call Successful 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.

39. 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.

40. Why Content + Social? Why Content + Social?

41. 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)

42. Let’s talk about SMBs and what they need

43. Greatest Challenge? Find Customers Serve Them

44. SMBs Concerns Finding Customers Dealing With the Competition Managing Costs Developing New Products + Services Source: Bredin, 2013 SMB Survey, http://www.bredin.com/press_01092013.html

45. Where SMBs + Social To Learn First About New Products and Services, Here’s Where They Go ….. 30% turn to Facebook 28% turn to Google+ 27% turn to Twitter/YouTube 26% turn to LinkedIn Source: Bredin, 2013 SMB Survey, http://www.bredin.com/press_01092013.html

46. SMBs Preferences 68% Use the Web to find information on products or services 58% look for business management advice 59% 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

47. Where to Start? Where to Start?

48. 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?

49. 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?

50. 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

51. 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

52. How to Create Great Content. How to Create Great Content.

53. 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.

54. 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.

55. 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.

56. 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.

57. Want Your Content to Get Read? Understand Search + Produce Relevant, Optimized Content + Develop Key Distribution Channels = Formula For Success

58. SEO? But, I’m a purist…. Don’t want to SEO posts because you’re writing for your readers? Using smart SEO makes it easier for them and gives you better odds that they’ll read your content.

59. 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

60. 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

61. 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

62. 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.

63. The Key to Great SEO People Just ask yourself this: Is it Good for People? If so, it’s Good for SEO!

64. 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.

65. 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

66. 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

67. Step 1: Write, Step 2: Distribute

68. Data Tells You What They Like

69. Check out GetSqueeze

70. Here’s a Sample GetSqueeze Report

71. Meet Tynt, It’s Awesome

73. The Power of a Blog

74. 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

75. 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

76. Your Team is Likely Your Greatest Asset Don’t Forget Them Don’t Assume They Know What To Do, Teach Them! LinkedIn Sharing Facebook Sharing Twitter Sharing G+ Sharing 8:10 vs. 2:10

77. Even For Us, Data Drives Strategy

78. Content Impacts Everything

79. The Interactive Content Grid

80. Step Up Your Game Make Sure Your Website Works Understand the Importance of SEO and how it’s changed today Know Your Audience, Serve Them Let Data Drive Strategy Focus on Creating + Curating Great Content Tie Social and Content to Business Initiatives Leverage Content + Social to Drive Leads + Sales

81. 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

82. KPIs Traffic, page views, time on site Social media mentions, comments, shares Fan/Follower growth Downloads Opens + Click-Throughs Inbound links + Page rank Form Submissions Rate Inquiries + Database growth Active Pipeline + Pipeline Value

83. Engineer Your Content Support your internal teams with content Spoon feed them if you have to Find adopters, make them heroes and they’ll be your success stories Never quit asking to be at the table Track your progress, show results Try not to say “I told you so.” Buckle up.

84. Content. Everybody wants a piece of that tasty pie. Content. Everybody wants a piece of that tasty pie.

85. 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

86. Everybody Thinks They Can Do It They’re mostly wrong. @shellykramer

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

88. 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

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

90. Machines Are Good Assembling Packaging Pushing @shellykramer

91. 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

92. 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

93. You Should Read

96. Shelly Kramer 816.200.2520 Shelly@V3im.com @shellykramer

97. 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

98. 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

99. 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

100. 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

101. Stalk Me, Anytime Shelly@V3im.com +Shelly Kramer LinkedIn Shelly DeMotte Kramer twitter.com/shellykramerfacebook.com/shellykramer www.v3im.com

102. THANK YOU