Online Marketing

Content marketing has been around for as long as the consumer internet has, but perhaps unlike any other year, 2012 felt like a definitive, elephant in the room, here I am, stop ignoring me, breakthrough period. People who never spoke of it before, at least not in public, began talking and writing about it. Marketing conferences, professional consultants, digital agencies, and top marketing blogs, many of which rarely mentioned content marketing a couple years ago, began putting increased emphasis on the topic in 2012.

OK, but are we better off?

Maybe. It depends where you look. There are some organizations and people who are doing excellent work (42Floors, Treehouse, and Buffer, are all standouts in my book), but such examples are still the exception rather than the norm. When it comes to producing quality content: webinars, blog posts, ebooks, informative landing pages; many of us our still wandering around in the dark. Not to discredit those who are at minimum at least making some type of an attempt, overall however most of us can still significantly step up our game a notch or two.

Content 1st, Marketing 2nd.

When it comes the outlook for content marketing in 2013, I’m an optimist. The glass is half full, it’s a new year, and I’d like to see everyone succeed, however I know everything worth while takes work. The biggest challenge ahead I believe, is the actual content itself, never mind the marketing of said content. In the spring of 2011, right after Panda, the folks at Google published a post outlining what makes a high quality site a high quality site. Among the questions for site owners were:

Are the pages produced with great care and attention to detail vs. less attention to detail?

Are the topics driven by genuine interests of readers of the site, or does the site generate content by attempting to guess what might rank well in search engines?

How much quality control is done on content?

If this doesn’t dispel any and all doubts about creating valuable content, nothing else likely will. The best advice in 2013 for site owners, SEOs, or really anyone who wants more traffic, is to invest time and resource into web copy that resonates with people. Fortunately or unfortunately, the jig is up on other routes. Eventually content quality will have to be addressed. If 2012 wasn’t the year, 2013 makes for a great time to start.

 

P.S. Not sure where to start? Here’s some recommended reading.

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Google’s attempt to marginalize competition in the online shopping arena has led it to shift from a free comparison shopping search platform, formerly known as Google Product Search, to a for-pay marketplace called Google Shopping.

The change, projected to take place October 2012, will require merchants interested in advertising their products in the new digital space to pay for their placement in a bidding scheme that some critics fear may squeeze out the small-business owner.

Product ranking will also involve an algorithmic component that will take into account the relevance to consumer searches, the freshness of the product information and other factors, but the bid will be a factor as well. Generally speaking, the higher the bid the better the placement, all other things considered.

Google reps say they’re moving to a commercial model because they believe it will encourage merchants to keep their product line and prices updated and help create a more robust marketplace for consumers. There’s little doubt this is true, but one must ask whether that could be accomplished simply by letting the algorithm weed out the less relevant merchants and/or products.

Merchants who choose not to pay will still be a part of Google’s organic search results based on its Web crawling and data collection, but they will not be included in the new Google Shopping area or new product areas dedicated to paying merchants in “sponsored” parts of search engine results pages (SERPs). The search giant will continue with experiments on how SERPs will look as they refine the effort through the summer, but the rollout is projected to come well before the 2012 holiday shopping season.

The response from critics and merchants is mixed, but of course it’s not hard to find the voice of dissent whenever Google decides to start charging for something it once provided for free. The biggest general complaint revolves around the additional cost and time it will take for small businesses to compete with larger retailers. Some businesses will likely fail to adapt quickly enough when it comes to things like understanding the bidding process and managing the data feed.

Of course, none of that is Google’s fault and it should be no surprise the company would like to monetize a service it’s been giving away for a decade. As the war for online merchant space between Google, Amazon and other players heats up all of them will try to find new ways to compete and make money, and the costs of combat will often be shouldered by the “little guy.”

Ever notice that the results of nearly every Google search you make contain a Wikipedia entry?

A study by Conductor revealed that 46% of every search on Google will result in a Wikipedia reference on the first page, whereas it occurs in only 31% of searches conducted on Bing. The research model included both transactional and information keywords, and also measured various word combinations and search term lengths.

Despite there being no evidence of untoward alliances or favoritism, Google honchos are still quick to defend their altruistic algorithms. When asked about the heavy Wikipedia visibility, one rep noted that other studies circulating show the popular information website popping up more frequently on Bing, and that regardless of today’s results the vagaries of the search world practically guarantee that there will be different results tomorrow.

That may be true for users in the U.S., but Googlers in the United Kingdom may not agree. One research study conducted in Brighton, England, around the same time as the aforementioned study revealed Wikipedia appeared on the first search engine results page (SERP) in 99% of searches using 1,000 random keyword nouns (compared to 2,000 specifically chosen keywords in the Conductor research).

The UK researchers took the issue one step further by asking whether the high level of visibility enjoyed by Wikipedia was deserved. This is obviously a matter of opinion, but with nearly 500 million unique visitors each month to its English site it is a very relevant matter to consider, especially if the assumption is that these people are disseminating Wikipedia’s information as a means to validate arguments, make points and essentially drive conversation.

Ever since Wikipedia’s inception in 2001, the debate has raged over whether the website is reliable enough to use as a vetted source given its open-access approach to developing content. The fact that there is also Scholarpedia, an open-access peer-reviewed version of Wikipedia, suggests that there is a market and desire for a more reliable source of free information.

The fact that Scholarpedia never shows up in Google or Bing search results, however, demonstrates Wikipedia’s dominance across search engines; dominance so pervasive that information sources like Scholarpedia would be hard-pressed to compete against it.

Even fans of Wikipedia would have to admit there is a problem with that. When the ubiquitous nature of an inferior product is so complete that it hampers the possibility of a superior product emerging, it leaves questions regarding marketplace mechanics and Google’s influence on it.

Thinking back to every math class I’ve ever had, from memorizing multiplication tables in 3rd grade to dissecting trig functions in college, there’s always been that one student who at some midpoint through the year raises his / her hand and begrudgingly asks “Wait, when am I ever going to use this stuff?”

Dependent on the instructor, we’d either get an answer ranging from sit down, shut up, and learn it anyways, to a halfhearted explanation along the lines of how math can get us out of a jam when we’re doing taxes or find ourselves in the never going to happen in a million years scenario of trying to make some odd configuration of change out of a dollar.

Truth be told – there’s many reasons, much more than I’m qualified to talk about, why mathematics is and should be taught frequently, especially starting from a young age. Apart from the basic principle that math serves as a significant chunk in the foundation of many social, natural, and engineering sciences, the sheer challenge and discipline alone of learning how to analyse and solve problems makes the time put in worth it in the long run.

This is why whenever I see someone saying that learning to code is a waste of time, it makes me cringe. Even though I’m an online marketing a guy through and through, I can’t understand the logic behind why anyone would want to put a limit on what they currently know and what they should learn.

Coding is challenging
Coding is fun
Coding is fun, because it’s challenging!

End of story. For me, this is reason enough.

Not convinced?

What about the fact that every piece of technology that makes online marketing even possible, is only here because at some point someone programmed it?

What about the fact that a basic knowledge of coding helps with communication? If online marketing is a part of your job to any degree, someday you’re going to have to work with programmers. It’s not a question of if, but when. You’re only kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

Some kids don’t want to learn math and it’s sad, because someday they might need it, and if they don’t, well at least they learned a thing or two about problem solving and grow to become more well-rounded individuals in the process.

Some people didn’t want to learn web design, PPC, SEO, and social when they first came around either, however a number of people did, who then eventually excelled and used what the learned to move their ideas, products, and businesses forward in a big way.

Some people don’t want to learn how to code; maybe because it isn’t a part of their job description, or it’s too difficult, or they don’t have the time for it, or some other excuse that doesn’t hold much weight. I’m still searching for a logical counter argument.

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In his recent “2012 Update from the CEO” Larry Page, co-founder of Google, addressed Google’s present and future. Google is essentially saying that personalization, identity and relationship will be the currency of the web. That’s the reason why signals such as anchor texts are become less valuable when compared to social signals.

He began his update by writing, “Sergey and I founded Google because we believed that building a great search experience would improve people’s lives and, hopefully, the world. And in the decade-plus that’s followed, we’ve been constantly delighted by the ways in which people have used our technology—such as making an artificial limb using old designs discovered online.”

He also says in his introduction that there’s much more planned for Google because of technology advances and that the company can achieve more, faster if it has an approach “with the passion and the soul of a start-up.”

He wrote that choosing that approach since last April has meant management reorganization, the closing or combination of products and the updating of others, including Google Search.

Looking at Google+

Part of creating a more intuitive experience for Google users means “products work together seamlessly,” Page wrote.

“People shouldn’t have to navigate Google to get stuff done. It should just happen,” he said in his letter.

This is where Google+ comes in for people to follow, share and recommend items, photos, articles, websites, videos and more with specific circles, or groups of friends.

“Well over 100 million users are active on Google+, and we’re seeing a positive impact across the Web, with Google users being able to recommend search results and videos they like—a goal we’ve had ever since we started the company,” Page wrote.

Google+ is also allowing people to better connect with and search for people they know, find out faster and more accurate search results and shop and compare prices for things like airline tickets or hotels.

“Truly great search is all about turning your needs into actions in the blink of an eye,” he wrote. “It’s all about speeding things up so users can get on with the things that matter in their lives.”

A Need for Speed and Accessibility

Page also wrote about the speed of smaller devices, including mobile phones. He wrote that he’s especially excited about Android and Google Maps and Google Wallet features. Products like Gmail and Google Docs can also be used across Android and desktop devices.

“As devices multiply and usage changes (many users coming online today may never use a desktop machine), it becomes more and more important to ensure that people can access all of their stuff anywhere,” Page wrote.

He reiterated that Google looks forward to working with more hardware partners in the future.

A Strategy That Works

Google places bets on the technology believed to “have a significant impact over time.”

“When we launched Gmail in 2004, most people thought webmail was a toy, but its accessibility—all your email from anywhere, on any device—and insane storage have made it a winner with more than 350 million people,” Page said.

Google faced skepticism when it acquired YouTube in 2006, Page added. Today, YouTube has over 800 million monthly users.

Google is seeing a positive revenue impact from mobile advertising, Page wrote.

“Our goal is long-term growth in revenue and absolute profit—so we invest aggressively in future innovation while tightly managing our short-term costs,” he said.

A Relationship with Users

Google’s direct relationship with its users is an incentive for the company to do the right thing, Page added.

Users place their trust in Google and Google has “always believed that it’s possible to make money without being evil.”

“We take pains to make sure that users know when something is paid for, and we work hard to make these advertisements relevant for users,” Page wrote.

Over one million businesses now use Google’s advertising products,” he added.

Google started with AdSense and has supported its partners by paying out over $30 billion since its launch over a decade ago. The same is true for technologies like DoubleClick for online publishers and AdMob for mobile developers, according to Page.

“YouTube also generates healthy revenue for Google and our content partners—in fact, partner ad revenue has more than doubled for the fourth year in a row,” he said.

Working with the Best

Page went on to write that Google’s goal is to hire the best and keep them. The company invests in employee offerings such as high quality medical care and cool workspaces but also believes that the workplace should be challenging.

“People are more motivated and have more fun when they work on important projects,” Page said.

A Bright Future

Page closed his letter by explaining that he finds it “easier to make progress on mega-ambitious goals than on less risky projects.”

“Few people are crazy enough to try, and the best people always want to work on the biggest challenges,” he said.

Projects that fail can often lead to something that was worth learning and later using, he added.

He mentions that last year, the Google+ team decided to integrate multi-person video into their efforts and Google+ Hangouts was created. Users can now “video chat with anyone, anywhere, even from the Great Barrier Reef,” wrote Page.

He closed his letter with optimism and a sense of responsibility.

“I believe that by producing innovative technology products that touch people deeply, we will enable you to do truly amazing things that change the world,” Page said. “It’s a very exciting time to be at Google, and I take the responsibility I have to all of you very seriously.

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In Above the Fold, an excellent book on the nuts and bolts of web design, author Brian Miller tells the story of how Vince Lombardi, the Packers coaching legend, would start every season.

“Gentleman, this is a football,” he’d say as he it held it up for all to see. He’d describe the football’s size and shape and talk about how it can be thrown, kicked, and carried. He’d then point at the field and say, “This is a football field.” and proceed to describe its dimensions and shape, before eventually arriving at the rules of the game.

It was Lombardi’s commitment towards fundamental football, not gimmicks, that helped make him a legend. Despite how experienced a player already was before joining the team, Lombardi made sure that the very basics were never overlooked.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a big football fan or indifferent to it all, there’s still a big lesson here.

I’ve noticed at times an all too common lack of an appreciation and disregard when it comes to online marketing and its fundamentals. Maybe it’s because the whole online marketing space itself is still growing and somewhat of a mystery to the uninitiated, but to be frank that’s only a small technicality, and a fraction of the problem.

The real problem is rooted in education, or a lack thereof.

When a person graduates from a top tier college in a specific field it’s safe to say that no matter where the degree was obtained that the curriculum is somewhat universal. If I get a degree in economics (and assuming I paid attention) I’m going to know like the back of my hand the ins and outs of what a supply and demand curve is and how it apply it.

These fundamentals, the simple building blocks of study, however aren’t always as clear when it comes to online marketing, yet some of the basic should be blatantly obvious.

For example, do you know how a search engine works? Yes, we all know how to use Google, but do you know how it actually works? (what a search engine looks at when determining SERPs, the importance of meta tags, etc…)

Do you understand the difference between CPC and CPM, and how it relates to your CPA (cost per acquisition?)

Do you know how to decipher data within Google Analytics? What do the variables represent and why are they important?

Have you spent any time – any time at all – learning a thing or two about HTML / CSS, Photoshop, or a CMS such as WordPress?

OK, but what if I already know all of this really well?

But do you know how to apply it?
This is the million dollar question.

Your understanding on the fundamentals should be to the point where you’d feel comfortable teaching a class on it if you had to.

Can you build a site up from scratch, one that has clear copy with consistent branding that fulfils a core business objective such as selling a product or servicing customers, and also increase its traffic and unique visitors month over month, while all the while keeping track of its progress and making adjustments as needed? Can you do all of this consistently while also reporting on it periodically?

This material isn’t a quick order. It takes months and years to absorb and you’re never really finished. The basics are always going to be a part of the game, regardless of the many small new rule changes or tricks that emerge.

There’s no shortage of distractions in online marketing, but the brass tacks are here to stay. Fundamentals are fundamentals. Don’t skimp over them.

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