Importance of Brand in Digital Marketing and SEO

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The Importance of Brand in Digital Marketing and SEO

@jtcg | @GraysonMLafrenz | @nslettengren

#CETW

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

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11.6.14

BRAND

DIGITALMARKETING

2010


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11.6.14

BRAND

DIGITALMARKETING

2014


COMMUNICATIONSTRATEGY


Right ContentRight AudienceRight PlaceRight Timing

SUCCESS

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• Who are your ideal customers?• What are their interests?• What are their pain-points?• What are their behavior patterns, motivations, and goals

The Right Audience


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11.6.14

It’s not enough to know who you’re trying to reach,you also have to know what they want to see.


Awareness

The Right Timing

Consideration Decision


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Branded SEO Marketing Strategy

BrandContentContext


People like to share content they like and brands they value.


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Brand & social media relevancy create SEO authority. More and more, search engines are incorporating social context/brand authority into search results.

Social Media In!uences SEO


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11.6.14

The Internet may be a cesspool, but its Google’s cesspool… Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that the Internet is becoming a breeding ground for false information, reports Ad age. But trusted brands help weed through the disinformation…

Source: Wired Magazine


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Optimizing for humans through branding allows you to condition the way people will talk about you. This factor is very important when you're aiming to get more brand mentions that would really impact your site's SEO efforts, branding, and conversions.

The more search engines are getting signals (even unlinked mentions) that verify that you're an authority in your !eld, the more your brand will be trusted and rank your pages well on SERPs.

Clearly de"ne your brand's identity to your audience.


Google’s algorithm is being programmed to think like us!

Enter Google’s Hummingbird Update


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At the heart of hummingbird lies the concept of semantics.

Semantics = Meaning

Google understands that humans can do what computers cannot. We can create the distinction between similar things by virtue of context (i.e. how things are being said).

Computers Aren’t as Savvy as Humans


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The Nerdy Answer: Semantic search is

the concept of improving search results by focusing on user intent and how the subject of a search relates to other information in a wider sense, or its contextual relevance.

What is Semantic Search?


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The straight forward (cooler) answer: Semantic Search focuses on determining what user really mean i.e. their intention.

This model is moving away from a string of keywords in sequence similar to the search query (The old Google Algorithm) then returning “relevant information” containing similar keywords.

Semantic search looks to FIX the current “fragmented web” by truly understanding users intent and matching query with the most targeted relevant information.

What is Semantic Search?


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For example, if a user performs a search for the term “weather”, it’s much more likely that they are looking for a forecast for their area, not an explanation of the science or history of meteorology.

So, in this example:

A Simple Example Of Semantic Search

• “Weather” is the subject of the search

• The desire for a local forecast is the user’s intent

• The difference between a weather forecast and an explanation of meteorological concepts is the context

*As a result you are getting the local weather forecast... your intent!


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Brand & Messaging is a Key Component of Hummingbird

Case and point... As Google is seeking out contextual meaning, it is up to us as brand specialists to create meaning through content on the web. Messaging has always been at the core of branding and traditional marketing. Digital marketing tactics need “immersive brand” more than ever with the hummingbird update.

The Path:In order to create contextual meaning within content, we need to approach it in a humanized manner. This means we create understanding through asking questions... For example, the who, what, why, when, where and how are crucial to human understanding. This needs to be well positioned for the consumer and the search engine in the content of every webpage on your website.

Hummingbird is trying to understand what “we” mean contextually through looking for answers to questions within content on our web and social posts.


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Content is King!...said every digital marketer ever.

But how do we create meaningful content that drives conversion online - outside of just being “Search Engine Friendly”.


Designing an Online Sales Funnel

Unfortunately your sales team will eventually have to go home… so who sticks around to do the blocking and tackling for your brand when no one else is around?

YOUR WEBSITE

Designing an optimal Sales Funnel on your web pages is key

Each web page that showcases your services or products has the potential to sell, thus designing an optimal Sales Funnel on your web pages is key to success.

• This means creating an optimal and logical path for the consumer that leads them to buy what you are selling. (i.e. giving them enough information in the correct order to make a purchasing decision).


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1. Proper HeadingsBreakup the page for easy reading

2. Calls to action (CTA’s)Tell the consumer what you want them to do!

3. Top Tiered Value StatementsAs easy as 1, 2, 3

4. Contact InformationDon’t forget this please

5. Social ProofShow people you’re relevant in Social Media Channels

6. Testimonials From credible “ordinary” everyday people

7. BUZZ What reputable media sources or industry leaders are talking about you?

8. Video When applicable (best when you have a smaller offering)

Elements of an Online Sales Funnel Include:


When designing landing pages for New School of Architecture we used a sales funnel approach to build credibility with the visitor through imagery and messaging based on audience modeling and personas.

BIG wins• Conversion increased from 4.78% to 9.68%

• As a result, there was a 100%+ increase in lead generation from this particular landing page for the Media Design School of Digital Arts.

Conversion Measuring


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While there are many facets of conversion rate optimization both technical and surface level, we !nd elements of branding and messaging at the core.

Creating a sales funnel that is convincing, showcases value, and most of all is highly targeted towards a speci!c audience is key.

• At the surface level we have to de!ne the audience of the consumer

• Drilling down deeper we sort the audiences into groups and de!ne personas

The Art of Conversion Rate Optimization


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CHANNELSSEO / Organic

PPC / Paid SearchDisplay Advertising

RetargetingSocial Ads

Content DistributionEmailCRO

BRAND


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The SEO Foundation


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Nioxin focuses too much on brand and too little on SEO. They are missing an opportunity to leverage the strength of their brand. Basics: Title Tags Target NOTHING

Not just what it is… but what it does.


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Proctor and Gamble Brand Nioxin with No Indexing Strategy. Basics: No Header Tag


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Example of $$$ being left on the table


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COOL NEW S#!T


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COOL NEW S#!T


In the age of analytics and Big Data, tracking marketing dollars through Digital channels is becoming the premiere way to ensure a return on money invested.

Measuring Marketing in Dollars & Cents!


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• Executive dashboards are a great way to con!gure Google Analytics to only show the KPI’s set forth by the executive team and/or the marketing team. This keeps the digital marketing goals in front of all necessary parties for a daily birds eye view on performance

• Examples of strategic KPI’s

◦ Top ten best performing pages in Sales or Lead generation

◦ Traf!c performance by region i.e. regional, national or global

◦ Direct Traf!c vs. Organic Traf!c vs. Paid Traf!c

◦ Mobile performance vs. Desktop performance

Executive Dashboards... the Brand & Digital Marketers Best Friend


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First Attribution vs. Last Click Models• Last Interaction attribution assigns 100% credit to the !nal touchpoints

(i.e., clicks) that immediately precede sales or conversions

First Interaction attribution assigns 100% credit to touchpoints that initiate conversion paths.


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Create Channel Grouping Paths to show how channels work together• By measuring conversion and conversion value of channel groups we can see:

1.Who the introducers and who the closers2.Best of breed conversion paths 3.Make decisions as to what paths warrant the most marketing budgets &

efforts

Attribution Models: Multi-Channel Funnels


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Advanced Tracking through Urchin Tracking Module (UTM)


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Tracked Campaigns through UTM in Google Analytics


Q&A

@jtcg | @GraysonMLafrenz | @nslettengren

#CETW


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Importance of Brand in Digital Marketing and SEO