Start off your week strong with our curated list of tips and inspiration around every aspect of the digital marketing world. This is the Mad Fish Catch of the Week.
SEO
With the introduction of RankBrain and the focus on human-centric SEO, understanding which fundamentals still matter will make or break you. From site speed to Google Penalties, this piece will break down what you need to know to keep your company going strong even if you haven’t hitched your wagon to AI just yet. You’ve got this.
PPC
Exact match is dead. In another move towards user-centric marketing, this shift proves Google is getting serious. Things to know include: semantic keywords are more important, and they’re going to perform differently so testing and optimizing is going to get more important. Don’t rest on your laurels with these. Segmentation by intent and purpose will become even more impactful, so make sure you’ve started these shifts to make changes and optimization easier and more natural. Get all the nerdy details.
Design
This week, we’re focusing on how this artist brought the refugee crisis to life with an incredible photo project. Instead of focusing exclusively on the refugees themselves, the artist took photos of each person’s phone, with captions explaining favorite memories, things they missed, and more. He explored the journeys of refugees from Syria and Lebanon. Take the time to view the project here.
Social Media
Within industries, there are usually defining brands. When it comes to social media, that’s less true. Who is the Nike of social media? Maybe you jump to one of the big networks, but at the end of the day numbers only mean so much. Brands that lead their industries are the gold standard, the most recognizable. It isn’t about how many Air Jordan’s have been sold, it’s about their unique place in the market. What they mean. This may be because social platforms are built around scale instead of quality. It matters what you’re measuring… is it how many connections are made or how deep they are? This may define the difference between Twitter and Tumblr for instance. Want to delve deep? Read on.
Content Marketing
Determining ROI on your content marketing can be complex. Tying content directly to sales is usually impossible, but determining traffic numbers and engagement can be a good hint to the quality of your content. Measuring organic traffic, time on page and engagements are all valuable, but which metric matters most? We’d argue that organic traffic is #1 as it determines the total number of potential customers that have seen your work. Learn more here.
Culture
Does the phrase culture fit make sense? This piece explores why utilizing the term as a reason to hire (or not) may be a new way to discriminate against candidates. Breaking down new verbiage around the notion of work culture and culture fits is important, as it prevents us from creating homogenous workforces. Instead, cultural compliment or contribution explore how employees may push the company forward or introduce new ideas and points of view to a work culture. This helps prevent stagnation and encourages a variety of ideas to be present. Get a fresh perspective.
Productivity
Feeling stuck sucks. Staying stuck is destructive. Whether you’re in a rut or just have a bout of writer’s block, when you’re feeling trapped or stuck it’s important to identify what’s making you feel that way and brainstorm strategies that will help empower you to change your situation. Naming what you want, what’s holding you back and what you need to make it happen are the three steps to take first. Though you may feel paralyzed, whether it be by fear or indecision, taking the first step and getting moving is the thing that will make you feel better and help you move forward. Go get ‘em.