All Items Tagged as at SEMpdx Wed, 13 Nov 2024 19:04:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://www.sempdx.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/sempdx-favicon-150x150.png All Items Tagged as at SEMpdx 32 32 2024 Holiday Party with SEMpdx, AMA PDX, PRSA, pdxMindShare, and Indie Agency News https://www.sempdx.org/sempdx-events/2024-holiday-party-with-sempdx-amapdx-prsa-pdxmindshare-indieagencynews/ https://www.sempdx.org/sempdx-events/2024-holiday-party-with-sempdx-amapdx-prsa-pdxmindshare-indieagencynews/#respond Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:30:53 +0000 https://www.sempdx.org/?p=552243 Join SEMpdx, AMApdx, PRSA and AIGA in good conversation. Light appetizers will be provided, and attendees will receive 1 drink ticket. Admission is $10 for members and $15 for non-members.

Read More

The post 2024 Holiday Party with SEMpdx, AMA PDX, PRSA, pdxMindShare, and Indie Agency News appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
Gravitate Design

Thank you to our SEMpdx headline sponsor, Gravitate Design!

Celebrate 2024 with SEMpdx, AMA PDX, PRSA, pdxMindShare, & Indie Agency News!

Register Here –
You will need to use your registered SEMpdx membership email address to receive your discount.

Join SEMpdx, AMA PDX, PRSA, pdxMindShare, and Indie Agency News after work on Thursday, December 5th, 2024, to celebrate the holidays by eating, drinking, and partaking in good conversation. Light appetizers will be provided, and attendees will get 1 drink ticket.

  • When: Thursday, December 5th, 5:00pm – 8:00pm
  • Where: Spirit of 77, 500 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232 (map)
  • Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members
    RSVP Now!

 

Hosts

AMA PDX

Portland is home to some of the most creative and innovative marketing professionals in the nation, working with businesses that include local start-ups, globally-recognized brands, and everything between. AMA PDX brings together these professionals, from across Portland and the surrounding areas, through valuable professional development events, networking opportunities, and monthly luncheons.

 

Indie Agency News logo

Indie Agency News (IAN) supports the independent agency world through news, content, learning and, critically, a community built into the platform (think Fishbowl meets LinkedIn, but for indies). Our brief is simple: Build the global home for independent agencies. The mission? Serve independent agencies and the brilliant people behind them. The intention? Visibility for indies. Discovery for marketers.

 

 

pdxmindsharepdxMindShare was founded in 1999 by Anvil Media, and has been bringing professionals in Portland, OR together for career education, networking, and connecting employers and employees ever since.

 

PRSA logo

PRSA Oregon serves a diverse community of professionals, empowering them to excel in effective, ethical and respectful communications on behalf of the organizations they represent and the constituencies they serve.

 

 

SEMpdx elevates Portland’s digital marketing profile by bringing digital marketing professionals and area businesses together. Our goal as a nonprofit organization centers around the digital marketing community in Portland, Oregon.

 

Promotional Sponsors:

Become a sponsor of this great event! Contact the SEMpdx Sponsorship Team.

ThinkNW

ThinkNW is a next-generation professional organization and platform bridging generations of talent and leadership in the Pacific Northwest. This region includes many history-changing companies, and ThinkNW aims to continually build a unified home for learning, inspiration and growth.

 

Mac's List

Mac’s List connects job seekers and employers, so together they can make better employment decisions, grow successful organizations, and build meaningful careers. We do this with educational resources, local professional-level job listings, and community-building activities.

 

Parking & Transit

Very limited free parking in the shared lot, but plenty of metered street parking around the venue. Portland Streetcar stops are 1-2 blocks away (CL Line), MAX stops are 1/4 mile north at the Oregon Convention Center, and the #6 bus runs on MLK Jr. Blvd. & Grand Avenue.

SEMpdx strongly urges attendees to be safe and use rideshare providers like Uber and Lyft.

Register Now

The post 2024 Holiday Party with SEMpdx, AMA PDX, PRSA, pdxMindShare, and Indie Agency News appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
https://www.sempdx.org/sempdx-events/2024-holiday-party-with-sempdx-amapdx-prsa-pdxmindshare-indieagencynews/feed/ 0
Kick off 2024 with SEMpdx, AMApdx, PRSA and AIGA https://www.sempdx.org/sempdx-events/kick-off-2024/ https://www.sempdx.org/sempdx-events/kick-off-2024/#respond Mon, 29 Jan 2024 21:03:57 +0000 https://www.sempdx.org/?p=551135 Join SEMpdx, AMApdx, PRSA and AIGA in good conversation. Light appetizers will be provided, and attendees will receive 2 drink tickets. Admission is FREE for members, $10 for non members.

Read More

The post Kick off 2024 with SEMpdx, AMApdx, PRSA and AIGA appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>

people networkingRegister Now

Kick off 2024 with SEMpdx, AMApdx, PRSA & AIGA!

Join SEMpdx, AMApdx, AIGA Portland, and PRSA  after work on Thursday, March 7, 2024, to celebrate the new year by eating, drinking, and partaking in good conversation. Light appetizers will be provided, and attendees will get 2 drink tickets.

Admission is FREE for members and $10 for non-members.

 

  • When: Thursday, March 7th, 5:00pm – 8:00pm
  • Where: Spirit of 77, 500 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232 (map)
  • Cost: FREE to Members, $10 for non-members
    RSVP Now!

 

Hosts

AIGA Portland

AIGA Portland’s mission is to develop and enhance Portland design careers, welcome and connect new and seasoned members of the Portland design community, and celebrate the exceptional work and accomplishments of Portland designers at every level.

 

AMA PDX

 

Portland is home to some of the most creative and innovative marketing professionals in the nation, working with businesses that include local start-ups, globally-recognized brands, and everything between. AMA PDX brings together these professionals, from across Portland and the surrounding areas, through valuable professional development events, networking opportunities, and monthly luncheons.

PRSA logo

PRSA Oregon serves a diverse community of professionals, empowering them to excel in effective, ethical and respectful communications on behalf of the organizations they represent and the constituencies they serve.

 

SEMpdx elevates Portland’s digital marketing profile by bringing digital marketing professionals and area businesses together. Our goal as a nonprofit organization centers around the digital marketing community in Portland, Oregon.

 

Promotional Sponsors:

Become a sponsor of this great event! Contact the SEMpdx Sponsorship Team.

ThinkNW

 

ThinkNW is a next-generation professional organization and platform bridging generations of talent and leadership in the Pacific Northwest. This region includes many history-changing companies, and ThinkNW aims to continually build a unified home for learning, inspiration and growth.

pdxmindsharepdxMindShare was founded in 1999 by Anvil Media, and has been bringing professionals in Portland, OR together for career education, networking, and connecting employers and employees ever since.

Mac's List

Mac’s List connects job seekers and employers, so together they can make better employment decisions, grow successful organizations, and build meaningful careers. We do this with educational resources, local professional-level job listings, and community-building activities.

Parking & Transit

Very limited free parking in the shared lot, but plenty of metered street parking around the venue. Portland Streetcar stops are 1-2 blocks away (CL Line), MAX stops are 1/4 mile north at the Oregon Convention Center, and the #6 bus runs on MLK Jr. Blvd. & Grand Avenue.

SEMpdx strongly urges attendees to be safe and use rideshare providers like Uber and Lyft.

Register Now

The post Kick off 2024 with SEMpdx, AMApdx, PRSA and AIGA appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
https://www.sempdx.org/sempdx-events/kick-off-2024/feed/ 0
2019 Digital Marketing Predictions (+ 2018 Year-in-Review) https://www.sempdx.org/blog/2019-digital-marketing-predictions/ https://www.sempdx.org/blog/2019-digital-marketing-predictions/#respond Sun, 23 Dec 2018 19:46:37 +0000 http://sempdx-v2.local/?p=25971 As we wind down 2018 this holiday season, it’s a time to reflect on the year’s highs and lows. It’s also a good time to revisit Anvil’s annual digital marketing predictions for 2018 and look forward with new digital marketing predictions for 2019. As we’ve done for the past 12+ years, we sat down and graded our 2018 predictions, then discussed our 2019 digital marketing predictions and are ready to share today.

Read More

The post 2019 Digital Marketing Predictions (+ 2018 Year-in-Review) appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
As we wind down 2018 this holiday season, it’s a time to reflect on the year’s highs and lows. It’s also a good time to revisit Anvil’s annual digital marketing predictions for 2018 and look forward with new digital marketing predictions for 2019. As we’ve done for the past 12+ years, we sat down and graded our 2018 predictions, then discussed our 2019 digital marketing predictions and are ready to share them below.

2018 Digital Marketing Prediction: How Did We Do?

Voice Search will make massive strides in 2018
In 2018, digital assistants will dramatically affect the way consumers search. The 2017 holiday season will prime the pump with consumers purchasing large quantities of voice-assisted devices, including Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple iPhones with Siri and Microsoft Cortana devices. The Android, Windows and Apple device users will speak directly to their devices to conduct searches as well as manage their lives. How consumers verbally communicate significantly varies from how individuals type out search queries. Because of this variation in behavior, you will begin to see more long-tail keyword queries; this will allow brands to create much more accurate and intelligent keyword search optimization strategies, since more granular data will be available around consumer behavior. Voice search is also driving the need for brands to optimize for Position 0 on Google. Position 0 is a sentence, list, or table “answer” to common questions asked by Google users that appear above the organic search results. This coveted position will become increasingly competitive, even as Google heavily moderates results. Lastly, brands will increasingly invest in custom voice “skills” for Amazon, which is now estimated at 25,000, to better connect and engage consumers.
GRADE: B

Voice Search will fully embrace Paid Media
As we predicted in 2017, it’s only a matter of time before Google and Amazon figure out how to monetize voice assistants. As more phones and smart speakers flood the markets and consumers acclimate to utilizing these devices daily, Google, Amazon, Bing and Apple will increasingly explore ways to integrate paid media into their voice-based services. This process has already begun: as we outlined in March, Local Service Ads are in beta and will be rolling out to Google’s Home and Pixel devices soon. Select home service companies have been invited to participate in this paid, Adwords-based experience. More is sure to come. By Q4 2018, consumers everywhere will be asking their voice assistants for shopping help and that paid ads will be at the center of the interaction. You can bet on it.
GRADE: D

Amazon Search will continue to gain ground on Google
According to a Kenshoo study, 56 percent of consumers start product searches on Amazon. That means a minority of consumers are starting product searches on Google. While this behavior shift that has been in the works for the past decade, it will reach a tipping point in 2018.
With Amazon advertisers expected to increase investment by 63 percent in 2018, Google may find itself in a defensive position. In short, Amazon is the new Google in many respects, so brands will adjust marketing strategies appropriately in 2018. Those that take a more aggressive stance and invest bigger and smarter in Amazon organic and paid programs will outperform competitors that fail to do so, in 2018 and beyond.
GRADE: B+

eBay makes an Ad Play
As Amazon reaps massive financial success from its Sponsored Products promotion platform, expect other players to step up. One big online reseller that will be making a play in 2018: eBay Promoted Listings. Once known as the place to auction off that (hopefully valuable) junk from your attic, eBay has quietly started allowing “Buy Now” listings to become more pervasive, representing an opportunity for re-sellers to sell direct using the platform. eBay also allows a minimum bid for auction items to be considered “sold”, for those selling rarer and more valuable items they believe will fetch a premium. Along with new listing options, eBay is increasing ways to get more traffic to customer listings via its Promotions tool, expanding the program to new categories and sellers in 2017. Unlike Amazon and other promoted listings platforms that charge only for a click, eBay only charges for the promotion when an ad is clicked and the item is sold to the clicker within 30 days. This allows them to charge a premium for promotions, but the charge is always attached to an actual sale. Experts predict eBay Promoted Listings will represent a $1B+ market with over 70% margin, prompting a rise in eBay stock valuation in Q4 of 2017. Early adopters of this technology might see a blue ocean of opportunity in 2018.
GRADE: D

AMP Pages Will Blow Up & Become a Ranking Factor
As Google continues to roll out Mobile-First Indexing, more emphasis will be put on sites utilizing AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) to improve mobile user experience. AMP pages load 4x faster than normal website pages on average, which can significantly improve user experience, CTR and site engagement. Currently, AMP pages do not have the widespread adoption that Google was hoping for. Only 900,000 of the 1.2 billion websites on the internet have implemented the AMP framework thus far. With Google’s continued focus on mobile, it is likely that they will soon factor the use of AMP pages into organic rankings to further increase adoption. Businesses that have yet to implement the AMP framework should consider creating AMP pages for their top performing content, especially if Google intends to make AMP a ranking factor.
GRADE: C-

Link Building will play a much more prominent role
We’ve already discussed the importance of ranking for Position 0 and owning voice search results, but it is worth mentioning that the old-school strategy of securing high quality inbound links to boost domain authority is not only important, it is more critical than ever. To achieve Position 0, ensure that other websites linking back to your website are the most “authoritative” around the query that the visitor is searching. 70 percent of voice search results are Featured Snippets, so capturing Position 0 in SERPs translates to you owning the voice result if someone talks to Siri, Bixby, Cortana, Alexa or another digital assistant.
GRADE: B-

Brands will focus on Fan-Generated Content
When it comes to showing products in natural settings, there are several brands who rely on celebrity photoshoots and repurposing paid influencer content. The influencer scene has become so overblown, that many influencers are pricing themselves out of the market.
Based on this trend, we think the bubble is about to burst, and many brands will switch to sharing user- generated content from fans instead of high-priced influencers. Vans Girls is already sharing fan-generated content for many of its Instagram posts. This works in Vans’ favor by allowing them to save money, while providing incentive to its fans. Fans are already posting great content on their meticulously-curated accounts and tag posts with Vans in the hope of being featured on one of their favorite brand’s social pages. The collaboration strengthens brand affinity with consumers and helps solve a common challenge among brands: content creation.
GRADE: B+

Micro-Influencers are going to become more useful to Consumer Brands Than Big Influencers
In the past few years, Influencer Marketing has become a proven tactic for driving awareness and leads. Seventy one percent of consumers are more likely to make a purchase based on a social media reference. People follow influencers they like and respect on social media, but an influencer doesn’t have to be a celebrity or have at least 100,000 followers to help your brand.
While brands have been pining after mega-influencers, micro-influencers have demonstrated significant value by making an impact with as few as 1,000 followers. They tend to be more authentic and trustworthy brand ambassadors. The smaller price tag, high engagement rates and steady results will raise eyebrows of previous skeptics. Look for 2018 to be the year of the micro-influencer.
GRADE: A+

Chatbots Will take Over Social Media Messaging
According to a study done by Facebook, 56 percent of consumers prefer to handle a customer service issue over chat vs. over the phone. As this trend continues to grow, the need for timely responses on social channels will grow with it. Every visitor to a website or Facebook business page presents an opportunity to enter a brand’s funnel and chatbots help secure that potential lead. Don’t wait and see for yourself: jump on the trend by creating a simple Chatbots that can answer questions and redirect social media visitors to your Customer Service department and/or Sales team. The secret behind chatbot’s is the ability to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to broaden its knowledge and ability to provide sales and service support in a seamless manner. As a result, look for greater chatbot adoption in 2018 than any previous year.
GRADE: A-

Augmented Reality Marketing will finally Take Off
Pokémon Go might have come and gone, but it’s effects on marketing might not be so ephemeral. The first attempts at augmented reality marketing seemed to be a bust. In 2009, a hidden feature named Monacle made Yelp the iPhone’s premiere AR application. Sadly, it never took off. In 2010, the MIT Technology Review even wrote an article detailing the failures of AR campaigns to draw in consumers. Pokémon Go, the fad of 2016, may have breathed new life into AR by introducing it to a mainstream audience and re-inspiring marketers. Ad Age claims that AR is “marketing’s trillion dollar opportunity.” In the Fall of 2017, Apple released the ARKit, which gives developers tools to create their own Augmented Reality iOS applications. An example of an app already created with ARKit is Ikea Place, which lets you visualize how Ikea furniture and décor will look in your home or office. AR marketing use varies from the real-estate and interior decorating spaces to virtual banners and Google My Business information for brick-and-mortar establishments. Apple CEO Tim Cook pronounced, “We are high on AR for the long run, we think there’s great things for customers and a great commercial opportunity.”
With tech giants behind AR and the “Pokémon Go generation” (millennials) starting to buy homes, advance in their careers, and spend more on entertainment, it seems AR marketing might finally go mainstream. Maybe Yelp will even put out Monocle 2.0.
GRADE: B-

SkyNet may become a Reality, thanks to the rapid evolution of AI
We don’t typically wear our tin foil hats in public, but there are already signs that AI has the potential to go very, very wrong. From the “highly aggressive” DeepMind AI to some of the worlds brightest minds warning us about the dangers ahead, 2018 has the potential to bring a Terminator-like problem front and center. It may not be as obvious as this guy running amok through the city streets with his army of buddies, but it will be very real. We are turning more aspects of our lives over to technology at an alarmingly fast rate. Self-driving cars, bank accounts, smart refrigerators and even medical procedures are being managed by AI, with little to no control or regulation. The rate at which machines can learn already far exceeds our ability as human beings – setting the stage for a potential showdown in the future. We predict there will be at least one major event in 2018 that will clearly demonstrate the threat.
GRADE: A-

2019 Digital Marketing Predictions

Without further ado, here are Anvil’s digital marketing predictions for 2019.

Brands Will Make Major Strides with In-Game and eSport Sponsorships and Related Advertising Opportunities
While online gaming, especially multiplayer, has been around since Doom in the early 90s, recent explosive growth, thanks in part to games like Fortnite, have changed the game for brands looking to target GenZ in particular. Online gaming enthusiasts range in age from 10 to 65, yet a whopping 73 percent of 14- to 21-year-olds in the US identify as a competitive gamer (including 56 percent of females in that same age group), according to a WaPo study. Anvil believes game makers will not be able to resist lucrative partnerships, sponsorships and advertising opportunities. Recent examples include Wreck-It Ralph Breaks the Internet and Fortnite including a brief cameo in the movie and an Easter Egg embedded in the popular game. Look for more cross-over partnerships in the future. There is another large audience relating to gaming and that is spectators and fans. Electronic sports (esports) are increasingly a spectator sport, drawing millions to global competitions (physically and virtually). While most gamers play for social reasons, 35 percent play to win prizes or acclaim. Look for brands to increase sponsorship budgets to get in front of gamers by associating brands with high profile players.

With Search Growing More Prevalent, Google Will Introduce Campaigns Specifically for Voice-Assisted Devices
With voice search becoming more prevalent, we believe the trend will affect Google search with a new campaign type. This campaign type would specifically be for voice search and would allow targeting with bid adjustments by the type of voice search device including mobile phone voice search as well as the specific voice-assisted devices such as Amazon Echo and Google Home.

AEO and REO Will Replace the Outdated SEO Model
Search Engine Optimization will fall by the wayside in favor of Answer Engine and Research Engine optimization. SEO is becoming a broad term that is beginning to encapsulate digital marketing as search engines are more and more able to anticipate user intent. At the same time, SEO is becoming more siloed as websites are beginning to focus more on their own specialty. As a website’s optimization aligns more and more with where users are in their specific journey, websites will have to think about how to optimize to answer questions, allow for research, or convert from search engine results pages directly.

Voice Assistants Enter More Home–sand Businesses–Than Ever Before
Use of voice search will continue to increase. Facebook, Google, and Amazon have all doubled down on in-home voice assistants and Amazon have just stated that their biggest Cyber Monday saw the most sales of their Amazon Echo and Echo Dot. Voice search isn’t going anywhere, and these massive companies are attempting to make it easier and easier for users to utilize voice in their everyday lives. Not only that, but voice assistants are moving into the business sphere more and more.

Blockchain Is Going to Lie Low
After the crypto gains in 2017, many companies engaged in the marketing ploy of launching blockchain products, trying to ride the media coattails surrounding the emerging technology and buzzwords associated with it that most people don’t truly understand. A year later and crypto markets are in the middle of a tailspin. As mainstream attention cares only about the dollar signs associated with crypto, companies will keep quiet about their blockchain products until the next bear market. As for crypto, many projects will lose funding; the deadwood will burn. But the community is thriving as ever. Keep your ear to the ground for projects looking to go to market and take advantage of the opportunity to get into this industry on the ground-level by keeping your prices low and goals reasonable.

Video Trends Will Increase in Marketing, Messaging and Media
Live video content (streaming) encourages high-engagement and will be an even more valuable tool for brands in 2019. This type of video content will be more search friendly with more prevalent use of closed captioning and the power of artificial intelligence. AI can transcribe audio to make video more searchable. Video previews (silent) will auto-play on most platforms. With the ease of video production essentially being in everyone’s phone, video will also take on more of a 1:1 approach. Personalized video messages will start replacing chat, email, and phone calls as ways brands communicate with customers. Videos will be created to thank a customer, delivers support, or follow-up on customer questions.

Virtual Reality (VR) Will Finally Go Mainstream
2019 will see Virtual Reality move from a niche-gaming system or novelty experience to a much more accessible platform with higher use than we’ve ever seen before. While it won’t even come close to the usage of mobile, computers or television, the technology, cost and ease of use has taken many giant steps over the past year – which see a payoff this year. Look no further than the new Oculus Go. No longer is a high-powered computer needed to run VR. The Oculus Go is making VR more accessible due to its simple setup and relatively low cost. Facebook, the owner of Oculus is already betting heavily on the success of the Oculus Go by launching an entire multi-platform campaign that spans from social to television. Online radio advertising will see increased impressions and decreased performance as Virtual Reality hangouts become more popularized. The Oculus Go also allows users to play online radio stations while in hangout rooms and will increase the available ad space for online radio such as Pandora and Spotify. However, as these placements aren’t clickable, advertisers attempting to drive site traffic will see decreased performance.

Local SEO Will Get Sexier
Yes, voice search is trendy, but should optimization focus on voice search alone? No: rather voice search should be an integrated part of a larger focus. According to a 2018 BrightLocal study, smart speaker owners usually use their devices to perform local business-related search on a weekly basis. Over half of smart speaker owners perform this type of voice query every day! Voice search optimization shouldn’t live in a vacuum. It should be part of a holistic on-Page or on-SERP optimization plan or Local Search strategy. With an increasing amount of no-click searches and Google-owned content eating up more space (and often all above-the-fold real estate) for local SEO SERPs, on-SERP and voice search optimization is and will continue to become more paramount to Local SEO in 2019.

GenZ Will Call For Increased Brand Transparency & Purpose
Brand transparency and purpose will go beyond affecting ad targeting and be a critical component to developing successful marketing strategies & campaigns. As Generation Z ages and their buying power grows, it will be important for brands to think about their story and how to connect with this new consumer group. To effectively connect with GenZ, brands will not only have to authentically convey their values & purpose but actively live it and prove their commitment.

Amazon Will Create Its Own SEO Position 0
As Amazon gains a larger share of not only online shopping but consumer purchases in general, it will become more and more like its own search engine. We expect increased importance on SEO for product pages, and possibly even position 0 and “featured snippets” in the form of a promoted product that matches one’s search query.

So, there you have it. Feel free to leave comments regarding your 2019 predictions or provide feedback on our 2018 review and 2019 digital marketing predictions. Happy Holidays!

The post 2019 Digital Marketing Predictions (+ 2018 Year-in-Review) appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
https://www.sempdx.org/blog/2019-digital-marketing-predictions/feed/ 0
7 Steps to Leverage Social Media to Increase Search Engine Visibility https://www.sempdx.org/blog/articles/steps-to-leverage-social-media-for-seo/ https://www.sempdx.org/blog/articles/steps-to-leverage-social-media-for-seo/#respond Fri, 17 Oct 2014 03:27:03 +0000 http://sempdx-v2.local/?p=14024 Due to recent changes in consumer behavior, social media will continue to impact search engine rankings and SEO strategy. By integrating social media with your search marketing efforts, you will see a measurable and positive impact on your rankings, traffic and ultimately, sales. Follow the seven steps outlined in this article and see a return on your marketing investment in the coming year, before your competitors figure it out.

Read More

The post 7 Steps to Leverage Social Media to Increase Search Engine Visibility appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
Social media + Search engine optimization = success
Social media + Search engine optimization = success

In their quest for the most useful search result, Google’s algorithm has placed increasing weight on social media signals including citations, likes, comments, and shares. Brands that have hesitated to enter the social media fracas have paid a price in terms of organic search rankings. Conversely, brands who embraced social early have benefitted from the additional boost in visibility. The integration of social media tactics into search engine optimization (SEO) efforts can maximize the impact of those efforts on brand visibility, credibility, and sales. The following seven steps will ensure an optimal organic search engine presence.

Step 1: Claim & Optimize Social Profiles
The first and most important step in improving your organic search visibility via social media is to ensure you’ve created profiles on the top platforms. It only takes a few minutes to claim a profile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, Instagram, and Pinterest. Be sure to secure your brand name as your handle, as it typically becomes the URL and is your best performing keyword in search results. Make sure to incorporate relevant industry keywords into your biography and status updates to boost non-branded search visibility. If you only have time to claim one profile, make sure it is Google+, as there is no such thing as SEO on Google without a Google+ company profile.

Step 2: Listen, Learn & Apply
In case you haven’t yet figured it out, social media is the world’s largest focus group. Every day, millions of people publish their thoughts, opinions, and insights about your company, competitors, and industry. Analyzing keywords and phrases posted on social media provides insights into future content opportunities for SEO. When you have insights into current trends, you can create unique, timely, and compelling content for your website, blog, and social profiles. Utilize Google, social platform search, and related tools (like FollowerWonk) to identify industry influencers and leverage your content to engage target constituents. The goal: seek the Share, which is the most powerful vote of confidence regarding the quality of your content and credibility of your website.

Step 3: Integrate with Website
In order to maximize the value of your investment in social media, it is important to close the loop between your social profiles and website. The first step is to embed links to your primary social media profiles into your website (ideally at the header or footer of your template, so that they appear on every page for optimal visibility). This will tell Google and site visitors that you have a social media presence worth visiting. The second step is to embed social sharing buttons (again, ideally on every page) so that visitors can easily share your content via their social media profiles without having to navigate away and lose their browsing momentum. I mentioned leveraging the power of the share, and this is the easiest way to facilitate that sharing. The third step is to integrate feeds from your social profiles into your website (ideally the home page). This is a great way to keep your website content fresh and interesting to users and search engines. Utilizing tools like Postano will aid in content syndication, curation, and measurement of engagement. Last but not least, consider syndicating customer reviews from third-party websites on your own website. Review sites are often highly visible and respected, and offer critical third-party validation. Martin Hospitality on the Oregon Coast incorporates reviews from TripAdvisor and other platforms into their websites to boost credibility.

Step 4: Develop Winning Content
Content has always been King. There is no such thing as a social media or SEO strategy without content. Leverage the research performed in Step 2 to create shareable content. Google loves multimedia, so think about a multi-dimensional media content strategy. The most efficient approach to content creation is to start with HD video, as one 60-second recording can be repurposed to YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook, and edited down for Instagram (15 seconds) and Vine (6 seconds). That same HD video also provides more than 1 million still images (for Pinterest and Instagram), and 60 seconds of audio (for iTunes), and can also be transcribed into text for a blog post or an article. Post and syndicate the content on your website and across your social media profiles for maximum reach and engagement.

Step 5: Go Local, Mobile & Social with Search
According to Search Engine Watch, 50 percent of mobile searches have local intent and 61 percent of those mobile searches result in a purchase. As such, mobile search and social cannot be ignored, especially by retail brands. The first step in creating a meaningful local presence is to claim and optimize your local listings on search engines, directories, and review sites. Google and Yelp are two of the most important platforms in this arena. Once claimed and populated with content, it is essential to monitor and update the listings regularly, as freshness is important. Be sure to optimize your website for local search as well, utilizing Schema.org Local Business markup and Google Maps for driving directions.

Step 6: Monitor Social Mentions & Citations
Among the primary signals influencing search rankings are mentions of your brand in social media. Even if all mentions of your brand are positive (which is unlikely), it is essential to monitor social conversations. Quickly address negative reviews and be sure to celebrate and syndicate positive reviews. Engage constituents in conversation to build rapport and trust. Ask and answer questions about your brand or industry and encourage offline-to-online engagement where possible, including encouraging happy customers to post reviews based on their recent experience. This content will all be factored into your rankings. For bonus points, incorporate positive reviews into your paid advertising and offline marketing.

Step 7: Measure & Optimize
What gets measured gets managed, as my old boss used to say. In order to get the most out of your search and social marketing efforts, it is essential to continuously measure and optimize. While there are limitless ways to measure the impact of social media on your search visibility, there are a few primary metrics on which to focus. The first set of metrics relates to the impact of your presence in social media, and includes shares, comments, and brand or website mentions (aka citations). The higher the numbers, the more credible your social presence and the greater the likelihood that they will positively impact search rankings. The second set of metrics, which are further down the funnel, relate to the impact of social media on your website. These metrics include level of visibility in targeted search rankings, the associated traffic to your website, and any resulting leads or sales (which require conversion tracking in your analytics to properly measure). Last but not least, it is worthwhile to measure overall sentiment and related qualitative metrics, which are likely to impact site traffic, rankings and sales. Regularly tweak your content based on insights from analytics to maximize your rankings.

Due to recent changes in consumer behavior, social media will continue to impact search engine rankings and SEO strategy. By integrating social media with your search marketing efforts, you will see a measurable and positive impact on your rankings, traffic and ultimately, sales. Follow the seven steps outlined above and see a return on your marketing investment in the coming year, before your competitors figure it out.

The post 7 Steps to Leverage Social Media to Increase Search Engine Visibility appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
https://www.sempdx.org/blog/articles/steps-to-leverage-social-media-for-seo/feed/ 0
Search Engine Strategy New York as Experienced by SEMpdx President Kent Lewis https://www.sempdx.org/blog/articles/search-engine-strategy-new-york-as-experienced-by-sempdx-president-kent-lewis/ https://www.sempdx.org/blog/articles/search-engine-strategy-new-york-as-experienced-by-sempdx-president-kent-lewis/#comments Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:52:38 +0000 http://sempdx-v2.local/events/search-engine-strategy-new-york-as-experienced-by-sempdx-president-kent-lewis/ I just wrapped up 4 days of blog coverage for Search Marketing Standard at SES New York. You can read about the 16 sessions I attended online, and check my personal blog for additional color commentary. All-in-all, the event was good. Since I first attended SES in Boston, I’ve noticed the event has changed along

Read More

The post Search Engine Strategy New York as Experienced by SEMpdx President Kent Lewis appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
I just wrapped up 4 days of blog coverage for Search Marketing Standard at SES New York. You can read about the 16 sessions I attended online, and check my personal blog for additional color commentary. All-in-all, the event was good.

Since I first attended SES in Boston, I’ve noticed the event has changed along with the industry. For starters, the overall energy level has waned as the SES appeals to a more broad and corporate audience. Back in the early days, you could sense the nervous energy and appreciated the “insider information” now outlawed by legal departments.

On the flip side, the content has evolved to a more strategic level, which I appreciate as a business owner. There are certainly more opportunities for hand-on training through SEMPO Institute and Search Engine Academy that take some of the burden off of SES. The parties continue to impress, however.

While they may not be quite as edgy and wild as in the past, the boys at Webmaster Radio surely know how to throw a SearchBash. The presenters are consistently better than in the past, yet I’m still surprised that some were truly rusty and tended to be overly self-promotional on occasion. But we search marketing professionals don’t attend SES for the parties or presenters as much as we do for the content and networking.

Unfortunately for me, I was so busy blogging and keeping things running at Anvil Media, that I wasn’t able to partake in much of the networking opportunities (lunches and some parties). That said, I was able to take away a few nuggets from the content, which I’ll summarize for those that don’t have the time to read my blog posts.

Based on a non-scientific analysis of session attendance and overheard conversations, I believe the hottest single topic was social media (including platforms, monitoring and measurement tools, optimization techniques, link development and reputation management strategies). Secondarily, I there was a bit of buzz about local and mobile search, but it’s still so early in the game that the following is still relatively small.

Perhaps the most inspirational session was Andrew Tomkins keynote this morning about the future of search. Essentially, the Chief Scientist at Yahoo! Research outlined a new abstract-based approach to search results that I found intuitive, powerful and inspiring. We’ll see if my judgment amounts to much, however. All-in-all, an educational event with a touch of inspiration.

The post Search Engine Strategy New York as Experienced by SEMpdx President Kent Lewis appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
https://www.sempdx.org/blog/articles/search-engine-strategy-new-york-as-experienced-by-sempdx-president-kent-lewis/feed/ 1
SEMpdx Exclusive Interview: Seth Godin & His Meatball Sundaes https://www.sempdx.org/blog/events/sempdx-exclusive-interview-seth-godin-his-meatball-sundaes/ https://www.sempdx.org/blog/events/sempdx-exclusive-interview-seth-godin-his-meatball-sundaes/#comments Mon, 03 Dec 2007 04:05:09 +0000 http://sempdx-v2.local/events/sempdx-exclusive-interview-seth-godin-his-meatball-sundaes/ Seth Godin, author and Change Agent, was recently named Most Important Marketing Guru by leading marketing executives. A few months ago, I asked if he’d keynote at SEMpdx SearchFest 08. While he wasn’t able to speak at SearchFest, he agreed to participate in a SEMpdx Webinar on January 15th, where he will be giving a

Read More

The post SEMpdx Exclusive Interview: Seth Godin & His Meatball Sundaes appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
Seth Godin, author and Change Agent, was recently named Most Important Marketing Guru by leading marketing executives. A few months ago, I asked if he’d keynote at SEMpdx SearchFest 08. While he wasn’t able to speak at SearchFest, he agreed to participate in a SEMpdx Webinar on January 15th, where he will be giving a free copy of his book to the first 300 registrants. Recently, I was able to get a few minutes of his time for an interview to discuss the release of his 11th book, Meatball Sundae, available in stores on December 27th.

 

What was the primary inspiration for your book?

I’ve been doing Internet marketing since <gasp> 1991. In sixteen years, I’ve seen a lot change, but one things seems to stay the same… the lame-brain responses of old-line companies and their pathetic attempts to have it all. It’s frustrating the watch and twice as frustrating to be part of. As the industry gets more and more real, I thought it was time to call some of it out.

Who do you think will benefit most from reading this book?

No doubt, it will be the firms, consultants, freelancers and agencies that are they key interfaces between the web and the rest of the world. Followed by entrepreneurs, managers, CEOs, etc. My hope is pretty simple. I want people to confidently say, “that’s a meatball sundae” when it needs to be said! Negativity aside, I also think we’re at the dawn of a new industrial revolution, and I want people to take advantage of it

In the book, you outline 14 trends that have transformed marketing and business. Describe the process you followed to identify and hone those trends.

There are 20 or 30 trends, probably. I picked 14 that stood out, that were leveragable and that were easy to understand. Then I dug into each one, looking for examples.

On page 69 in your book, you talk about permission, one of your hot buttons. I found the statement “I don’t care about you. Not really. I care about me.” Please elaborate on this concept.

Sorry if the pronouns were unclear. Here’s the long version: “none of your prospects care about you. They don’t care about your ads or your products or your job. All they care about is themselves.” That sounds callous, but it’s true.

You also discuss the Zen of Venn; comparing the ratio of “Notice It” do “Do It,” and how that ratio has changed drastically since the advent of Google AdWords. As you know, SEMpdx is an organization of search engine marketing professionals, so I’d like you to offer up a few thoughts on how our SEM readership may be able to leverage this concept with clients & in-house management.

The idea is this: old-school marketing is about reaching everyone. Spend money to get people to “notice it”. Then, if your product appeals to masses and your ads are good, a portion of those people will “do it” and buy what you’re selling. The do it circle was always tinier than the marketer wanted, because the ads were so general and most people were innocent bystanders. Today, Google has hundreds of millions of “channels”. Each channel appeals to a tiny subset of the audience, and among that subset, there’s huge interest in what you’re saying. To be concrete about it: if I do a search on “civil war antiques” and you have ads and products on this topic, the chances I’ll convert go way up compared to say, someone watching American Idol and seeing a Coke commercial.

One of the most intriguing concepts you outline in your book is the New Bell Curve for price & volume. Tell our readers about this.

We all know about the classic bell curve with the mass market stuff in the middle. The new bell curve demonstrates that the ENDS are the important parts. Super cheap at the left, super exclusive at the right. It’s the middle… the average stuff that’s not much better than the cheap stuff (but more expensive) but not as wonderful as the expensive stuff… that’s where failure lies. Think American Airlines. Not as cheap as Southwest, not as luxurious as Jet Airways.


In the book, you mention Bud.TV as a case study, and write a short note to Bob Iger. Any feedback from either Budweiser or Disney? If not, what do you think they will say?

I would be stunned and shocked if I heard from them. To be fair, both organizations have really good people, really smart people. What breaks isn’t the people, it’s the system. Stuck companies end up that way because systems set in and nobody has the leverage to change them.

Having read a handful of your other books, are there any you feel provide a useful foundation for readers?

There’s a bunch of ways into the kind of thinking I’m pitching. My blog is free and has more than 2000 mini articles. My lens (www.squidoo.com/seth) describes each book. Small is the New Big is a collection from the blog for people who prefer books. Free Prize Inside is a more practical way of thinking about how to get stuff done. But I guess I’d start with either Permission Marketing or Purple Cow.

If there is one idea or concept you’d like your readers to be left with, what would it be?

This is the start of a new industrial revolution, one that will change things as completely as the assembly line did.

What’s next for you, Seth?

Can I take a nap now?

Want more of Seth Godin and Meatball Sundae? Register for his free Webinar, presented by SEMpdx and hosted by Corvent.

The post SEMpdx Exclusive Interview: Seth Godin & His Meatball Sundaes appeared first on SEMpdx.

]]>
https://www.sempdx.org/blog/events/sempdx-exclusive-interview-seth-godin-his-meatball-sundaes/feed/ 4