Category: Blog GVC Marketing

1. Adopt a visual-first mindset. 

You know text-based content isn’t enough if you want to engage today’s audiences. But just because you’re using more visual content — from motion graphics to data visualizations to interactive experiences — it doesn’t mean you’re using it effectively. To truly thrive in a world that puts visual content first, you need to adopt a visual-first mindset. 

Think about it: How do you kick off your typical marketing campaign? If you write the text or messaging before planning what types of visual content you’ll be deploying, you’re not really putting visuals first. You should start planning every campaign by asking what types of content your audience is most likely to engage with, and on what platforms. Do they respond best to 10-second video ads or three-minute explainer videos? Do they interact with more branded content on Twitter or Instagram? 

Answering these types of questions ensures that you’re using the types of visual content that will really convert, right from the start. If not, you’re still living in the text-driven world of the past. 

2. Define your visual identity. 

Maybe you’ve already got clear brand guidelines in place. Or perhaps you’re overdue for a rebrand. Either way, it’s worth your while to kick off 2020 with an honest assessment of whether your brand’s visual identity is truly serving your best interests. 

For instance, if you’d like to build brand awareness among Generation Z in 2020, you should be able to easily adapt your visual content to multiple channels. And considering Gen Z watches an average of 68 videos per day, you should have clearly defined brand guidelines for what your videos and motion graphics look like. 

Many brands haven’t fully developed their visual identity to include an illustration style, icon style, data visualization style, and other considerations. Make sure you’re fully prepared for every scenario. 

Why go to all this effort to fully develop your visual identity before you start creating visual content in 2020? Because the key to building brand awareness is making your brand recognizable across all the visual content you produce. This requires a commitment to achieving a consistent look and feel, no matter the asset or the platform. That means you need a visual brand identity that’s not just highly adaptable but also communicates the right vision of your brand. 

3. Develop a visual workbench. 

Once you’ve developed a visual identity that you’re confident in, you want to be able to implement it across a wide variety of assets. A visual workbench can help you achieve this. 

A visual workbench is a collection of pre-designed assets that you’ll use again and again. For instance, maybe you need a set of icons that represent your fundamental products or services. Or maybe there’s a stat that you share often because it proves the value of what you have to offer. 

Whatever the case may be, there’s no sense in redesigning it from scratch every time. Even if you did so, the different look and feel of each could actually prevent you from developing a more recognizable brand. 

4. Create a visual language for every campaign. 

When it’s time to plan a particular marketing campaign, you may need to develop a visual language especially for that campaign. A visual language acts as a “style guide” for your campaign. While it will likely include many aspects of your visual brand identity, it may include additional elements or specifications that are optimized to achieve the campaign’s unique goals and reach your target audience.

You’ve worked hard to develop a visual identity for your brand as a whole. So why do you need a visual language for individual marketing campaigns? Because your brand guidelines are sometimes too general to achieve campaign-specific goals. For instance, if your company makes shoes, you probably have a pretty broad audience. But if a single marketing campaign is aiming to promote your new line of hiking shoes, you’re speaking to a smaller segment of that audience with unique tastes and preferences. So you’ll want to adjust the look and feel of your content accordingly — without losing sight of your overall brand identity. 

Adopt these four resolutions in 2020, and you’re likely to see more engagement and greater brand recognition with every campaign you run. Happy new year, and happy marketing!

At a recent gathering, a friend of a friend found out I write about digital marketing and SEO. He immediately perked up: “You’re the person I need to talk to!” What exactly did he need help with? He had a blog with tons of great content on it, but he wasn’t getting as much traffic as he wanted.

And he was right – he did need to talk to me. Or at least, he needed to talk to someone who knew a little something about SEO.

That’s because SEO is what gets great content in front of the audiences who want to read it. On the flipside, content is basically SEO insight put into practice.

So, to anyone who thinks SEO and content marketing can operate in isolation, this article is here to explain why they are not only complementary, but should be in total alignment in any agency or marketing department.Why your SEO strategy and content strategy should be aligned

Take a cursory glance at any job listing for a content writer today, and chances are you’ll see “SEO” mentioned at least once as a desired skill. (Just in case you didn’t believe how intertwined these fields really are!)

But let’s take a step back and break down what SEO even means: Search Engine Optimization.

In other words, an SEO strategy is a strategy for giving some digital asset – in this case, content such as blog articles, infographics, videos, etc. – the best chance possible for people to find it organically (i.E., naturally) on search engines. Usually the search engine we’re talking about is Google.

Why are search engines so important for content, and why are SEO skills in such high demand for content writers? Again, SEO is how many of your users – especially first-time readers – are going to find you. It’s not the only way… there’s also:Social mediaBacklinks (links that direct users to your content from other sites)Your site (particularly for existing customers)

But for the vast majority of content marketers, search engine results pages (SERPs) are the bread and butter of earning traffic.

Enter SEO.How SEO informs content production Keywords

Every day, billions of users fire up Google (or use voice search to have AI do it for them) and plug in inquiries, hoping to find high-quality, trustworthy content to answer their questions. These can be:General, short inquiries: e.G., “christmas gift ideas”Specific, “longer-tail” inquiries: e.G., “total number of deaths in game of thrones”Local inquiries: e.G, “auto shop near me” or “auto shop east los angeles”

We call these search inquiries “keywords,” and knowing which ones are most popular, when, and with which populations is tantamount to reading users’ minds. With access to data about what keywords people are searching for, plus data about your specific target audience, you can figure out just what kind of content your readers need – then create it and give it to them.

Uncovering those queries falls squarely into the realm of SEO. Experienced SEOs have the tools and knowledge to perform keyword research that then creates demands for certain kinds of content, which it’s the content team’s job to create.

Any great content strategy starts with keyword research, and any SEO strategy is incomplete without a good content strategy to put SEO discoveries into practice.

And while keywords aren’t the only thing search engines care about – not by a long shot – you shouldn’t ignore them, either. They won’t make bad writing good, but they can make good writing more likely to show up in front of readers.How SEO helps content performance Meta data

Search engines use algorithms to comb through, sort, and eventually display web pages on the results pages you see when you do a Google search. Those algorithms change all the time, and it takes a lot of work and expert knowledge to follow the details of those changes. That’s where SEO comes in.

But what exactly are the algorithms designed to comb through or sort? One simple answer is meta data. Take any piece of content – a blog article called “Why SEO and Content Marketing Should Work Together (& How to Align Yours),” for example.

You, as a human reader, pull it up and see (1) what the blog is about (by looking at the title) and (2) what the article actually says (by reading it).

Search engines can “read” these things too, but they can also peek under the hood of the article and see all kinds of data we can’t (and don’t need to). That data includes:

Meta titles – Usually this is the same title you see, but good SEO practices dictate that you include a meta title in a specific place that tells the search engine what the blog is about.

Meta descriptions – Another reader-facing piece of data, this is the short description you usually see underneath the title on the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP).

Image descriptions – Known as alt text, these are descriptions that are meant to take the place of an image if the image doesn’t load or for users with visual impairments. They also provide context for search engine crawlers. Including them helps readability and thus is a good SEO practice.

Internal links – Linking to other areas of your website (e.G., related blog articles or product pages) using anchor text that is natural and relevant increases user-friendliness for readers and gives Google structural support as it crawls your site.

External links – On the flipside, linking to high-quality, authoritative sources (typically with an equal or higher domain authority than your site) in useful, relevant places throughout the text signals trustworthiness to readers and Google alike.

These are just a few of the many, many technical SEO details that can influence the rankings of your content – i.E., the ability of your content to actually show up on the first page of Google, where most searches end.

While no practice guarantees a spot on the first page of Google, by not considering SEO, you’re not even giving yourself a shot.User experience

High-ranking content is usually high-ranking because it provides a good user experience. It’s well-written or well-produced, credible and authoritative, and easy to use – i.E., it looks good, has a readable structure, loads quickly, and doesn’t include broken or irrelevant links.

It’s an SEO’s job to check all of these boxes, not just for individual pieces of content (e.G., blog articles), but for your site at large.

The SEO team has the expertise and tools to go through your site and alert you to any duplicate content, incorrect or broken links, or just kinks such as slow pages or 404 errors that hurt user experience. Leveraging their expertise in this arena should be a fundamental part of your content strategy. What about the role of content for SEO?

Again, in many ways, content marketing is how the SEO team puts their discoveries to use.

Of course, a business’s SEO strategy is about much more than their content efforts: it should encompass on- and off-page practices for their website or e-commerce site, social media campaigns, and anything else that contributes to their digital presence.

But because SEO is about making your organic web presence as good as it can possibly be, a big part of that is going to be the content you produce. Whether it’s uncovering new keywords for the content team to target or revamping a website that needs new copy, it often falls on the content team to fulfill the demands of the SEO team, as informed by their work out in the (digital) field.Tips for aligning your content and SEO strategies.

Keep each other in the loop. Because SEO and content efforts often overlap, not communicating can risk a couple of equally undesirable outcomes. You could end up doing work that’s already been done, or you could find that your plan is incompatible with the efforts of the other team.

By keeping each other in the loop, the content and SEO teams can not only avoid stepping on each other’s toes, but can actually synthesize their efforts and make each department’s work that much greater.

Share skills. Content teams – leverage your SEO team to help with keyword research. They have tons of access to data, and they know how to use it!

As for SEO teams, you can and should be going to your content team when brainstorming ways to capitalize on insights you’ve picked up in the SEO weeds.

Actually have a strategy. This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how much “content marketing” amounts to sitting down and firing off a blog without thinking about how that piece of content will fit with your larger efforts – let alone target keywords or other aspects of SEO.

Think of content and SEO as a partnership. Imagine telling your spouse you’ve booked an impromptu cabin trip for two this weekend, only to find out said spouse already committed the two of you to a basketball game with their boss. Keeping each other in the loop about your plans means actually having plans to communicate in the first place.

And while spontaneity is great for romance, strategy should be the default.

If you don’t come up with an actual plan informed by data and concrete business goals, you can’t take control of your marketing efforts. And you certainly won’t have anything to communicate to your SEO counterparts (and vice-versa).

 Author: Mariah Muller

If there’s one golden rule of starting a business, it’s that you need a blog to grow. Your blog is the reason consumers come back long after they’ve purchased something from your online store. It’s also the reason that new users find your brand when they are searching on Google. Lastly, your blog is the deciding factor for many consumers when they commit to your company.

You’ll hear all kinds of tips designed to help you create a winning content marketing strategy, but do you know if you’re making any mistakes that are costing you traffic and sales? If not, we are going to cover four of the biggest content marketing mistakes you didn’t know you were making, and then we are going to tell you how to fix those problems once and for all.

Let’s dive in!

1. Failing to Capture Email Addresses

One of the most prominent mistakes marketers make when posting content on their blog is they don’t ask readers to join their email list. This mistake could cost you thousands of customers and tens of thousands of dollars. When you publish content on your blog, remember to put a call-to-action (CTA) in a prominent spot on your website. If a reader likes your content, they will subscribe to your list.

Countless benefits come with building an email list. For starters, you’ll have a direct line to talk to your target audience. Communication is vital if you want to build rapport with consumers and show them why your business is worth their time and money.

You’ll also have the ability to nurture your subscribers and help them uncover pain points, all while showing off your latest products and services. Couple this information with the fact that email marketing has a 4,400 percent return on investment, and it’s clear that successful businesses need an email list to thrive.

2. Not Optimizing for Voice Search

When you think of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), you probably think of optimizing your content with keywords or phrases a consumer might type into a search engine. But are you currently optimized for voice search?

Devices like Amazon’s Echo and Apple’s Siri allow consumers to quickly and easily search Google, shop for products, and much more, with their voices. It’s estimated that by 2020, half of all searches will happen with a voice-activated device.

The best way to optimize your website for voice search is by analyzing your existing keywords and thinking about how someone might make the same request but by speaking instead of typing. For instance, instead of “seafood restaurants near me,” a consumer using voice search might say, “Where can I find a lobster dinner in Los Angeles?” Optimizing for voice search helps make your content more accessible, which translates to more traffic and sales.3. Putting Promotion over Value

Another huge issue we see content marketers make is they put their promotions over the value of their content. When your goal is to grow your following with educational and entertaining blog posts, you should put the quality of your articles over the offer at the end.

If someone comes to your website and you have a promo at the end that features a 20 dollars off coupon, they will never see your offer because they couldn’t get through the content. When you want to promote a new product, make sure you include references naturally and keep the integrity of your core piece of content.

4. Forgetting to Gather User Feedback

Finally, don’t forget to use your content marketing strategy as a way to gather feedback from your audience. Knowing what consumers think of your design, product, and industry can provide you with a wealth of information about their habits and pain points.

At the end of your post, ask an open-ended question, and encourage the audience to engage with you in the comment section. Before long, your readers will start talking to each other, and you’ll see your community blossom.

You can also gather feedback with your social media and email marketing campaigns. All of this information will help you craft content that resonates with your audience, which will make your content marketing strategy more effective. Plus, platforms like Facebook have a staggering 2.45 billion active users, making it perfect for finding plenty of people interested in your industry and brand.Conclusion

All great businesses have a high-quality blog with an engaged audience. You’ll likely make mistakes along the way, but there are ways to overcome these issues and grow your brand. As your following grows, your content marketing strategy should evolve to match the needs of your target audience.

If you’re willing to take the time to engage with consumers, optimize your site for voice search, grow your email list, and create well-written content, you’ll have no problem mastering content marketing in 2020.

With more than one billion monthly active users, Instagram ranks third after Facebook (with just over two billion active users) and YouTube (with 1.9 billion) in terms of the most popular social media network. While Facebook still has more total users, it is no secret that Instagram has a reach that shouldn’t be ignored by business users.

According to the latest data compiled by UK-based service platform Superviral, Instagram could be a crucial part of a social media marketing strategy. The Facebook-owned service now ranks second as the most downloaded free app in the Apple App Store, and is the 10th most searched query on Google.

The service has seen serious growth in 2019, which could continue next year.

“With a 20% increase in users from June 18 to April 19, I believe Instagram’s growth isn’t slowing down any time soon,” said Rabban Faruqui of Superviral.Co.Uk. “From a biological perspective, we can see why visual-based social media companies like Instagram and Snapchat will continue thriving as visuals are processed 60,000x faster than text in the brain, meaning consumers simply prefer images/videos over text.”

Reaching Millennials And Generation Z

Instagram also has appeal to younger adults, far more than Facebook these days. According to data from SproutSocial, 64% of Instagram users are 18-29 years old – but more importantly nearly two out of every three adults in this age group use the service.

The service is also expected to account for nearly a quarter of all Facebook’s ad revenue by the end of this year!

The users of the service also have a reasonable amount of “disposable income” noted by Superviral’s data: 31% of Instagram users make more than $35,000 a year, while 32% of users make between $50,000 and $74,000, and 32% make between $30,000 and $49,000 a year.

Ditching The Likes

Earlier this year Instagram made a bold move in dropping its “likes” feature, but that has been seen as a largely positive move.

“From my understanding, Instagram’s recent leap into hiding their likes will cultivate a non-judgmental environment for its users that will increase the number of posts being submitted to the platform,” explained Faruqui. “The recent move is a competitive move with Snapchat. This will only capture Snapchat’s user base as only the user can see how much engagement their post has received.”

Business On Instagram

What sets Instagram apart from other social media services is in the fact that 80% of accounts actually follow at least one business or brand, and 200 million “Instagrammers” actively visit business profiles daily. Moreover, 70% of users turn to Instagram to look up a brand, while 60% of users learn about new products via the social media service.

Only about 11% of active users are in the United States, but the 2020 estimates are that it will still account for some 112.5 million American users. By contrast 70 million users are in Brazil, 69 million in India and 40 million in Russia.

Interestingly, males account for 51% of total users on Instagram.

Time To Post

Those looking to make a splash on Instagram need to consider carefully when to post. SproutSocial’s research found that weekdays between 10am and 3pm were the most ideal times.

Superviral offered even more specific data, and broke it down by key times. Travel posts are best on Fridays from 9am until 1pm, while entertainment-specific posts should be made on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12pm noon until 3pm. Food at 12 noon on Fridays, and retail on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, also at noon.

Non-profits do better on Tuesdays at 4pm or 10am, while e-commerce related posts should be made on Thursdays at 9pm or 4pm, and Healthcare on Wednesdays or Sundays at 9am. Personal care is best posted on Thursdays or Fridays at 1pm, 2pm or 3pm. Technology related topics should be posted on Mondays or Tuesdays at 2pm, and education on Thursdays at 4pm or 5pm.

But as all social media experts noted there is no really bad time – and given different time zones and international markets it is about the message and image as much as anything.

Picture Perfect

SproutSocial reported that 100 million photos are posted daily! If a picture tells a thousand words that means there are literally an encyclopedia worth of stories posted each and every day. Brands need to consider the photos they post.

Superviral suggested that images with a single dominant color17% more interest than images with multiple dominant colors, while images with texture had higher engagement rates with 79% more interest than those with low texture. Users also apparently like some space in photos – as those with more background (negative or white space) get 29% more likes than those without.

And users certainly aren’t colorblind. Those images that have blue as the dominant color generation 24% more interest than those with red as the dominant color.

#Love Is All Around

Finally, when it comes to hashtags, #love remains the most popular on Instagram. However, marketing experts agree if your content isn’t actually about love, don’t use that hashtag.

There are other options – and Instagram does allow up to 30 hashtags per post. If you’re looking for some suggestions, Oberlo published a list of the 100 best Instagram hashtags for likes in 2019.

Rounding out the top 10 include: #Instagood, #photooftheday, #fashion, #beautiful, #happy, #cute, #tbt, #like4like, #followme.