Archives for April 2016

Online Marketing News: Short Attention Spans, Google Feed Rules, Starbucks Emojis

shortening human attention span

The Shortening Human Attention Span (And What it Means for Marketers) [Infographic]
Down from 12 seconds in 2000, the average human attention span is now 8.25 seconds. That leaves marketers with very little time to make a meaningful impression. But, don’t sweat it too much. This infographic has some solid tips on how to capture and hold the attention of your audience, like using clear and brief messaging and telling your audience a story. Social Media Today

Google adds Merchant Center Feed Rules to make formatting shopping feeds easier
For a long time, Google shopping feeds have been a bump in the road for digital advertisers. So much so that there’s a whole industry dedicated to helping advertisers manage their shopping feeds. On Tuesday, Google announced a new feature in the Merchant Center — Merchant Center Feed Rules, that will help advertisers fix errors themselves in a simple way. Search Engine Land


Online Marketing News: Short Attention Spans, Google Feed Rules, Starbucks Emojis

How a GREAT Marketer Befriends an Influencer

great-marketer-influencer

Have you ever watched a reality competition? You know, one of those Survivor-style shows that puts strangers in a stressful situation to battle for a last-person-standing prize?

Don’t be ashamed if you have. I’m a pop culture snob, but still found myself transfixed by ten seasons of America’s Next Top Model. On that show, amidst the freak-outs and tantrums, I noticed one recurring line of dialogue:

“I’m not here to make friends.”

You’ll hear it on almost every reality competition. There’s always one person who alienates everyone else with that specific phrase. Usually it’s followed by, “I’m here to win.”

The funny thing is, in all the hours I wisely invested watching would-be models snipe at each other, no one who said that ever won. Not once. In fact, they tended to get kicked off earlier than anyone else.


How a GREAT Marketer Befriends an Influencer

7 Ways to Step Up Your Email Marketing Game in 2016

7-email-marketing-tips

Email marketing is a great, cost-effective way to engage prospective customers and nurture relationships with current customers. And email is actually welcomed by consumers. In fact, recent research has found that a whopping 91% of Americans say they want to receive promo emails.

But let’s face it. With email being one of the most common forms of communication these days, your customers inboxes are most likely a little full. And it’s time for you to step up your game if you want to continue connecting with subscribers and encouraging them to do business with you.

While we’re almost halfway through 2016, there’s still time to make the most of the latest email marketing tricks and trends. Below are seven considerations for creating an emails that will resonate with your audience and help you up your game.


7 Ways to Step Up Your Email Marketing Game in 2016

38 B2B Content Marketing Case Studies for 2016

B2B Content MarketingThere was a popular article on TechCrunch recently claiming marketers in the inbound and content marketing space have no idea what they are doing and don’t know marketing. For some, that might be true.

When you’re not viewing the world through the lens of a cynic, it’s amazing what you see. Marketers at companies all over the world are planning, implementing and optimizing customer and content centric marketing programs that are achieving results.

For example, each year at the Content 2 Conversion conference, the Killer Content Awards recognize B2B marketers implementing effective content marketing campaigns. And each year, we highlight many of those examples here.


38 B2B Content Marketing Case Studies for 2016

Social Media Marketing World 2016: Insights, Top Blog Content & Words of Wisdom

SMMW-Recap-2016

Last week, we had the privilege of participating in the annual Social Media Marketing World conference in San Diego. We joined over 3,000 other marketers and marketing influencers who were looking to explore the latest trends and best practices for social media marketing.

From the moment (literally) that I stepped on the plane, I had a conversation about the upcoming conference with the woman next to me. It was her first time at a conference like Social Media Marketing World and she planned on spending the flight trying to figure out which sessions made the most sense for her to attend.


Social Media Marketing World 2016: Insights, Top Blog Content & Words of Wisdom

Learn How to Create a More Effective Influencer Marketing Strategy

Influencer Marketing Lee Odden

“Who is more influential to you than the people closest that you respect and trust?” – Lee Odden

In the time that I’ve been at TopRank Marketing, I’ve had the opportunity to witness first-hand how influencer marketing can be an incredibly powerful way to build credibility for a brand, and create connections with the right people.

I remember that one of my first experiences with influencer marketing was an interview that I did with Avinash Kaushik (that was of course facilitated by Lee Odden). I was overwhelmed by how humble and happy he was to collaborate with me. Why? Because Lee and the team at TopRank Marketing had found ways to feature him previously and begin building that relationship.


Learn How to Create a More Effective Influencer Marketing Strategy

Online Marketing News: Social Made Easy, Disruptive Ads and Facebook Switches

Social-Media-Image-Sizing-Cheat-Sheet

Social Media Marketing & Promotion Made Easy [Infographic]
Maybe it’s just me, but I find myself searching frequently for very specific imaging sizing requirements for various social media. Having all of that information bookmarked for an unfortunately timed case of the Mondays has been a figurative life saver. This inforgraphic has all the information you’ll need to rock the social universe. On Blast Blog

Majority of users frustrated by disruptive ads, aware of ad blocking [Survey]
A new survey from Accenture shows the majority of users are frustrated by ads that disrupt their activities, 84% saying that ad interruptions were too frequent. This information came coupled with a growing consumer awareness of ad blocking capabilities. In fact, 73% of consumers surveyed said they would pay more money for long form content if there were fewer ads. Marketing Land


Online Marketing News: Social Made Easy, Disruptive Ads and Facebook Switches

What Brands Like Adobe & The San Diego Zoo Can Teach us About Instagram Marketing

Instagram-Marketing

Only two months after launching in 2010, Instagram had already amassed one million users. Less than a year later, they had already climbed to ten million users. Talk about a welcome solution to what is often seen as a saturated marketplace.

Today, Instagram boasts over three hundred million users. Recent research has also found that over 50% of individuals on Instagram follow brands on the platform.

All of the information above should lead marketers to one simple conclusion: Instagram has definite potential for engaging both B2B and B2C audiences.

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of attending a session at Social Media Marketing World that included Matt Rozen, the Director of Social Media at Adobe and Jenn Beening, the Social Media Planner for San Diego Zoo Global. Both of these companies have done amazing things with their branded Instagram accounts and shared some very useful tips for other companies trying to improve their strategy for marketing their brand through Instagram.


What Brands Like Adobe & The San Diego Zoo Can Teach us About Instagram Marketing

4 Components of a Killer Content Marketing Tactical Plan on LinkedIn

Alex-Rynne-and-Jason-Miller

“People spend time on other social networks, but they invest time on LinkedIn.”

For the first time in the history of media, users can engage with the world’s professionals in one place. The LinkedIn network provides access to a  quality audience within a professional context.

Furthermore, professionals engage with purpose and content on LinkedIn including:

  • 9 billion impressions per week
  • 15x content than job postings in the feed
  • 57% of visits coming from mobile

There is no doubt that many opportunities exist within the platform but many marketers are still trying to find a way to utilize LinkedIn to create and amplify great content. Below are 4 content marketing opportunities shared by LinkedIn’s Jason Miller and Alex Rynne that will help you build your LinkedIn Tactical Plan.


4 Components of a Killer Content Marketing Tactical Plan on LinkedIn

8 Building Blocks to Create a World-Class Social Care Program

social-care-program

We’ve all heard the stories of brands failing and flailing on social media as they try to respond to customer service inquiries.

And here’s why. Most companies are barely set up to meet expectations, let alone exceed them. So when they fall short, they are falling short of the bare minimum, creating friction and negative experiences between the brand and its customers for everyone to see.

Add that to the fact that some companies are doing it so well and therefore aiding an increase in customer expectations. In fact, customers now expect a response in an hour or less after reaching out to a company.  

Social Care Expectations

For the first time at Social Media Marketing World, there were sessions dedicated to building a social infrastructure to enable your company to exceed customer expectations.


8 Building Blocks to Create a World-Class Social Care Program

5 Secrets for Developing a Successful Client and Agency Relationship

how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-digital-agency

Brands large and small around the globe are working with agencies to further their digital marketing efforts. Many companies have been working with agencies for years while others have traditionally kept marketing in-house and are just now dipping their toe in the water.

No matter what stage they’re in, every brand has questions about how to best work with a digital marketing agency and make the most of the relationship. To help answer those burning questions, TopRank Marketing CEO Lee Odden participated in a panel along with Mitch Joel and Jessika Phillips at Social Media Marketing World that tackled some of the questions that everyone has, but are afraid to discuss.

Below you’ll find answers to 5 of the top questions that many people have about what to do and what to avoid to develop a successful client and agency relationship.


5 Secrets for Developing a Successful Client and Agency Relationship

Learn How to Compel Your Audience to Act with These 3 Storytelling Tips

Storytelling-Tips

When you hear the phrase “once upon a time…” your mind likely flashes to some of your favorite childhood stories. But what exactly is it that you remember about these stories, is it:

  • The conflict between Cinderella and her stepmother, that didn’t stop her from finding a happy ending?
  • The irony that Jack won a ticket on the Titanic at the last possible moment, only to slip away into the icy waters of the Atlantic?
  • The various social norms that were crossed, broken or all but forgotten in Alice in Wonderland?

Learn How to Compel Your Audience to Act with These 3 Storytelling Tips