Links are the lifeblood of the web. Without fresh links, your website has no authority in the engines or consistent referral traffic. Some companies and individuals appear to attract links without really trying. Others struggle and never break through to the point of building links at increasing velocity. We’ve shared plenty of linkbuilding tactics at Online Marketing Blog, and it’s an ongoing popular topic for search marketers. In addition to direct and mechanical tactics, becoming a link magnet in your own right is an indirect yet powerful strategy to attract organic links. The rise of the social web has set the idea of personal branding on fire. By developing a brand for yourself, your company and even the individuals within it, you can build an army of advocates ready to link to everything you post. How can you develop your personal brand so that you only have to publish that sticky idea and links occur as a byproduct? During SES New York 2010, Greg Jarboe, President & Co-Founder of SEO PR, moderated a notable group of linkerati: Rand Fishkin, CEO, SEOmoz.org Jennifer Slegg, CEO, JenSense.com Aaron Kahlow, Chairman & Founder, Online Marketing Summit Jennifer Slegg, CEO, JenSense.com Jen started things off by talking about the building blocks to creating a personal brand with the goal of link magnetism: First, ask yourself, “What an I doing it for?” Rankings Clients Job opportunities Stardust Recognition Figure out why you want to be a link magnet before anything else. Next, consider your name. Personal name Is your name fairly unique? If not, you may have a difficult time building a personal brand. Are there others with similar names? If so, there is the potential for confusion, and you’ll want to consider developing a handle. Is the domain name available? This is vital for your blog, and you’ll want your domain name to be your personal brand if possible. If you use a handle, does it narrow your focus too much? I.E., if your name was “content queen,” you may limit your appeal. Company name This is potentially problematic in that you and the company brand are forever merged. This can create potential company marketing conflicts in the future. Consider using a spin on a company name (i.e., GoogleGuy or Company CEO). Remember company name and your name will always be tied together. What if the company gets sold? Setting the groundwork Whatever name you go with, register it everywhere . Then, set up your blog on your site – everyone who wants to develop a personal brand needs a blog. Create a unique design/logo and ensure it is just as brandable as the name you use. Define your personality People link to personalities as much as quality information. What do you want to be? Helpful – Great way to start if participating in forums is key to your branding. If you show knowledge, people will follow and then link to you. Informative/expert – The most important thing is, you need to know your stuff. If you don’t consider yourself expert quality, start researching and learning now. You’ll get called out if you post bad info. Try these ideas: Guest blogs Speak/participate in events (offline/online) Answer questions via Twitter Controversial – Take the opposite stance on any popular industry topic. If everyone is singing praise about a company, look at the negative. If a company makes a move that everyone loves or hates, take the unpopular view and run with it. But tread carefully – you could develop a reputation for being “anti” or “pro” on a topic. Being a jerk – This is very difficult to pull off, but those who are successful can be extremely popular. This gets you noticed, but you live with the rep. It could prevent you from being an authority. So if that’s your goal, this route may not be the way to go. The key point to remember is the entire world is a stage – everything you say or do will help or hurt your brand. Rand Fishkin, CEO, SEOmoz.org Rand started his presentation with the notion that link magnets are the new paradigm of link acquisition. How is a link magnet different than linkbait? Linkbait = Content that’s built to attract links (but not necessarily reward their creation). Link magnets emotionally or physically reward the linker, creating an incentive. Why is this so powerful? Overall, the web has become jaded. Previously, we used to get plenty of legitimate blog posts/links due to great content. Now this has shifted. With a great post, we’ll get tons of Facebook status updates, Tweets, etc. There was a golden era of linkbait where people loved and supported great content. Now we’re too sensitive; “The fish have figured out that there is a hook attached to our content.” This suspicion has created difficulties in attracting linkbait. But people still link when it benefits them. Savvy marketers are rewarding linkers in non-financial ways. For example, Yelp created a digital badge version of “People Love Us on Yelp” that restaurants could use on their websites. This made the most relevant pages on the web link back to the Yelp site. There is the notion that great content earns links. According to Rand, this is a myth. You could post the absolute best piece of content on a subject on the web, and people will not link to it just because it’s good. It’s like saying, “The best ideas in politics are supported by the voters.” Instead, it’s branding and marketing to sell a concept that has an impact on where content goes. The new bait is an emotional and obvious hook. Linking to content should do something for the people linking to it. Play to a linker’s psychology: Self-fulfillment Satisfaction Efficiency Effectiveness One of the most beautiful things about the concept of link magnetism is that much of the time, especially when it’s embeddable, you have control of targeted links and anchor text. You need a strategy for promotion & spreading of links. You need to create a distribution mechanism and a way to attract people, or it will never work. Examples of great link magnetism: Vimeo – When you click the “share” button on a video, it creates the overlay box to copy-paste the code and share it. By embedding the video, Vimeo also gains three links. OKCupid – They create trends all the time using their data to help market the site. Their blog is frequently an example of both linkbait and a link magnet. By sharing the information on the blog, users are rewarded by sharing something interesting. Techmeme – When they launched the learderboard, more than 30 of the top 100 bloggers linked to them. Simply Hired – They publish the data/stats/salaries behind jobs. It is both interesting and useful data that frequently acts as a magnet for media. Aaron Kahlow, Founder, Online Marketing Summit Aaron decided to be interactive and not give a presentation. He gave just a few tips before turning over the panel to an audience Q&A. Content – If you don’t have great content, there’s no reason anyone should link to you. Personas/branding – If you don’t have a personality or aren’t comfortable with yours, you’ll never form the affinity necessary to gain links. Social – Every time you create something, ask yourself if your colleagues/constituents would share. Friends – Make sure you build relationships with those who are link magnets. Suggestions: 1. Decide who your target market is, and then address them appropriately. For example, you can’t “geek out” and get technical if your audience is not. 2. Make sharing simple and easy. For example, if your audience is active on Twitter, leverage the Tweetmeme button on your blog. 3. When you find things you like, say something about it and link to it as opposed to always linking to the source.
Posts Tagged: time
22
Mar 10
Social-media rockstars’ best practices: Part 1 — Attracting an audience
Social networks have caused a huge shift in how companies frame and execute their business. The success of Best Buy’s Twelpforce blurred the lines between marketing and customer service, using videos that feature the 1,000+ Best Buy employees on Twitter offering efficient, direct service. Dell’s Outlet on Twitter earned $9 million in sales . Is there really ROI in the social-media space? Yes, there is. Yet without expertise, this social business culture can be challenging — perhaps even becoming a time sink rather than a profit center. We’ve contacted the speakers and panelists of SOBCon2010 — a yearly think tank of the top social-media strategists, thought leaders, and practitioners — to ask their advice on social-media best practices. Our questions were aimed at how to get the best return on social-media resources in raising awareness and building customer relationships, as well as in direct returns. – Liz Strauss These interviews appear as part of our upcoming special report, “ Driving Your Bottom Line .” The first part of the report publishes on Tuesday, March 23, and the second part will be sent out on Thursday, March 25; if you’re not already a SmartBrief on Social Media subscriber, sign up today so you won’t miss them! What does a company need to do to build thought leadership, awareness and community in the social-media space? Liz Strauss : It seems like every leader has his or her own special way of saying it, but in the end, doesn’t it all come down to relationships? In 2007, the year we started SOBCon, I wrote a post about it that included this sentence, “Every business is relationships, and relationships are everyone’s business.” Without leadership, awareness, and community, social media is tools. Tools are only as good as the people who use them. Hank Wasiak : First, companies have to make a fundamental change in the way they see social media. Social media started out as being viewed as another form of promotion … part of the media mix. Social media has morphed into the fifth pillar “P” of the marketing mix: People. Next, companies must place a priority on developing a people strategy that is viewed as importantly as the other four “P”’s in the marketing mix: product, price, place and promotion. Then, make the necessary systemic changes that will affect everything, including how business planning is approached, marketing departments are organized and integrated marketing programs are created and executed. Finally, adopt new metrics of success that reflect these new rules of engagement. Alexandra Levit : Taking the time and having the patience to build authentic relationships is the name of the game. You have to be out there offering helpful content and resources for free for a long time before you will develop a following. And you have to understand that of the people who follow you, only some will actually buy products or services from you. Companies have to be willing to openly engage with community members via blog comments, Twitter responses, etc. Putting your messages out there without regard to community reaction will simply not do. Lisa Haneberg : The biggest reason internal social-media efforts fail is that they remain a push [system] versus a pull system. In other words, those that think these tools are a great idea convince stakeholders to give them a try, they launch the tools, they beg people to participate, and then they continue to beg people to participate. If the system continues to be driven by a few evangelists, it may never become a real community. To create more pull — users willingly and passionately using the social-media tools and wanting to learn more about how they can affect their work — the community needs to tap into what we know builds adoption and ownership in other aspects of our businesses. This includes that the tools are highly helpful, challenging, interesting, easy to use, flexible and that they allow for users to customize the environment to suit their needs. Early adopters must put their tendency to try and control the social-media environment (fueled by well-intended passion for the tools) in check or they will push their way into irrelevance. Chris Garrett : First, they need to be visible where their community hangs out, and secondly, they need to contribute. It is very important this contribution is seen as valuable and adding something worthwhile, rather than simply broadcasting talking points. The company also needs to be seen to be listening and open to conversation, as being in social media raises the expectation that a real human being is behind the social-media account. L.P. “Neenz” Faleafine : Before they even jump into the social spaces, they need to listen. Listen to the conversations of their targeted audience, understand their habits to understand how to engage them, then figure out how they can join the conversation — and once they see a bridge from them to the conversation, they need to know what they’re going to say after they cross. Drew McLellan : That’s, of course, a loaded question. Let’s assume the company does, in fact, possess the expertise to be leaders in their field. That’s [a] given. Unfortunately, many companies believe that’s all it takes: Be smart and spew your smartness. I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t work in any space, but it definitely would not fly in the social-media realm. I think to create and maintain a genuine position of thought leadership for the long haul, it starts with a servant’s heart. You have to truly believe that someone’s world (personal or business) would be better if they just understood and could master (fill in the blank here with your expertise). So you want to figuratively climb the highest social-media mountains to shout the good news. And you are willing to freely share the information — just because you believe that people will benefit from it. I’m not naïve enough to think that’s the only reason. Of course, it’s good for business as well. But the good for business has to be the “as well” or it won’t work. It comes off forced and manipulative. You build community and awareness by reaching out to people. By inviting them into your social-media spaces (blog, Facebook, Twitter … whatever) and you visit them in their social-media spaces. You create relationships, not just between you and them but also among them. And then they tell other people about the community and it grows and flourishes … as long as your intentions stay genuine. Terry Starbucker : If a company is going succeed in this medium, they need to look at it as a process of hitting “value targets” — a progression that ultimately gets to revenue generation. The process, as I see it: Polite and respectful engagement, which I call “reaffirming our faith in humanity.” Injecting humor, with a willingness to be self-deprecating. Providing pertinent and timely information. Acting as a teacher. Inspiring and challenging. This builds the kind of transparency and trust that should allow for directly asking for the sale. Want more? Be sure to check out Part 2 of the interview! Contributors : Chris Garrett is a professional blogger , Internet marketing consultant, new-media industry commentator, writer, coach, speaker, trainer and Web geek. Lisa Haneberg is the vice president and OD consulting practice lead for Management Performance International , where she manages the planning and growth of MPI’s organizational development business unit. Alexandra Levit is the author of “ MillennialTweet: 140 Bite-Sized Ideas for Managing the Millennial .” Drew McLellan created McLellan Marketing Group in 1995. L.P. “Neenz” Faleafine, is the chief evangelist for leading news-aggregation site Alltop and the founder of Hawaii-based media marketing company Pono Media . Terry Starbucker is a service-company executive and a founder of SOBCon and author of Ramblings from a Glass Half Full . Liz Strauss is the CEO and a founder of SOBCon and author of Successful-Blog.com . Hank Wasiak is the co-founder of The Concept Farm . Wasiak is also a best-selling author, keynote speaker, teacher, an Emmy-nominated producer and three-time Emmy award-winning television host. Image credit, YellowPixel , via Shutterstock
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Social-media rockstars’ best practices: Part 1 — Attracting an audience
11
Mar 10
Andy’s Answers: What makes communities work?
I love hearing stories of brands that have built successful, vibrant communities that — while thrilled they’re successful — still aren’t sure why exactly they work so well. Community members aren’t paid, they aren’t being showered with gifts and incentives, and there’s a million other places they could be spending their time. So why are they helping each other so much? What motivates them? Why are they showing up at all? Behind all great communities are forces similar to those that drive great word of mouth. And while just building it doesn’t guarantee they’ll come, the more you can embrace these natural human tendencies the better odds you’ll have of creating something meaningful. Three reasons communities work: People are naturally good . It goes against most of the cynicism we’ve all been taught since Marketing 101, but the vast majority of people in the world are inherently good. They’re not out to tear things down, cause disruptions or break your forums. A handful are, sure — but empowering the good guys in your community makes it easy to drown these idiots out. People love to help others . Call it karma, call it altruism — whatever term you prefer, people love to help strangers. Even though we all feel it, we’re continually surprised to see this quality in others. People like to be connected. Humans are social creatures. We’re driven to build connections, to join groups and to extend our networks of “people like us.” Communities created around specific topics help us find others who share our interests.
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Andy’s Answers: What makes communities work?
10
Mar 10
Time and ROI are the greatest social media marketing concerns
SmartPulse — our weekly reader poll in SmartBrief on Social Media — tracks feedback from leading marketers about social media practices and issues. Last week’s poll question: What is your greatest concern regarding the use of social-media marketing? Time it takes to manage all points of engagement. 44.68% Its return on investment. 24.26% Daily volume of information; lack of content filtering. 21.28% Privacy concerns. 4.68% Time needed to learn about new tools/apps. 3.40% Cost to hire someone to manage it. 1.70% One of the greatest concerns over the use of social media is the amount of time it takes to create proper engagement. If I’ve heard that once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. Some automation systems do exist to help reduce the time investment. But the hard truth of the matter is that, if done well, social-media marketing takes time. But, that’s not really the issue. Lots of marketing activities take time. (Many can be quite expensive, too.) The issue is whether the time required results in a reasonable return on the investment. Isn’t that the issue for any form of marketing outreach? More and more, social media is proving its worth from a PR standpoint, as well as in generating revenue. Certainly, we’re still in the experimental stage with this young medium, but I contend that the more we work with it, the more efficient and effective our efforts will be.
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Time and ROI are the greatest social media marketing concerns