Solo and Small Firm Marketing

Real tested advice. Explained so you can understand.

All posts by Bryan Mixon

How Much Do YouTubers Make?

YouTube has become one of the internet’s most popular moneymakers. But is it all a bunch of hype, or does making money through YouTube have real potential? The truth is that YouTube isn’t just great at making internet stars, it’s also a viable way to make money. Here’s the system with which you get paid out for ads on YouTube:

Google pays the video publisher 68% of advertising revenue. So when an advertiser pays Google $100, you get $68.
The amount the advertiser pays changes, but generally, it is between $0.10 to $0.30 per view, with the average being $0.18/view.
This means that for 1,000 ad views, a Channel will get $18 on average. That works out to about $3-$5 per 1,000 video views.

So there’s the short answer. For every 1,000 views, a YouTuber will make $3-5. That’s not bad. But how simple is it to get those 1,000 views and how complicated is it to scale up.

What Can You Earn In Your Channel’s Early Days?

YouTube is not a great get rich scheme. The truth is that in the early days, it’s extremely unlikely that you will be making a great deal of money, or really any at all, by using YouTube in the very first days. While it’s possible to activate your AdSense account from the beginning and theoretically make money from posting your first videos, unless you’re already bringing over a large audience from another platform, it will take time to build enough of an audience to get enough views to make money.

Here’s an important aspect to keep in mind when evaluating all of this. While some advertisements are paid based on CPM (cost per thousand views), the vast majority are paid based on CPC (cost per click). This means that the money paid is calculated solely on the number of people who have clicked through on the ad. Because overall, very few people will click through, in order to make money it’s necessary to have the overall number of views be extremely high.

Even when the ad is being paid based on CPM, it requires the viewer to watch 30 seconds of the ad, instead of skipping ahead. This too increases the number of viewers overall necessary to make money. Additionally, you can only begin withdrawing payments from your AdSense account after you have reached $100.

So at the start there are not a lot of opportunities to make much money directly through advertising. There are however a few other options. One of these is affiliate marketing. By choosing a popular product and then linking to the product’s sales page for affiliate marketing, you can begin to make money more quickly.

Another important thing to consider in the early days is choosing the right niche for your market. By choosing an extremely popular topic your channel will have its best competitive edge. Here are some topics that are extremely popular:

Celebrity gossip
Food Reviews
Funny Things (especially with animals)
Gaming
How-to and DIY
Lifehacks
News
Numbered Lists
Product Unboxing
Spoofs

Moderately Successful Channels

After putting in your time in the early days and going about it all the right way, you should be able to achieve moderate success. At this point is when you can begin to see some AdSense money in addition to any affiliate marketing money you have been earning.

At this point you won’t be able to live off of the YouTube income, but you’ve become an influencer within your niche. At around 20,000 subscribers you can think about adding an additional revenue stream through crowdfunding using a site like Patreon. On average, payments through Patreon are $7 and the site takes 5% of the income. However the overall income from this source can be increased by uploading regular videos. This is likely to increase the number of times subscribers contribute to the Patreon.

After achieving some success with AdSense, it’s a good idea to build on this. Choosing the right key words and phrases can lead to higher CPCs as can choosing the right products to review.

At this point some channels may be getting requests for endorsements from smaller brands, but there is a lot of growing to do in this area. The period of moderate success can be a very trying time for YouTube channel. Certain expectations have been established, and the channel is required to upload regular quality content. This can amount to a full time job, but does not yet pay like one. It is especially easy to get discouraged during this phase.

Success Begins at 1,000,000

It takes a whole lot to get there, but once you’ve achieved 1,000,000 subscribers running a YouTube channel actually becomes easier rather than harder. While this number may seem completely out of reach, in reality there are actually 2,000 channels with over a million subscribers, so it can be done!

And once this has been achieved, then it’s time to start making the real money from AdSense. Of course channels still have to upload videos regularly but let’s break down how much they can make.

A channel that uploads one video a week has 1,000,000 subscribers. Each subscriber views the video. Assuming that 150 viewers watch an ad for every 1,000 views and the CPC is $0.18, the channel will earn $18,000. Upload two videos a week and double that.

At this point there are additional revenue stream options through sponsorship offers. Additionally some can independently sale their own merch direct to fans. Any review channel can make great affiliate money at this stage as well.

The YouTube Superheroes

Then there are those at the top of the pyramid. The ones making astronomical incomes from their YouTube activities. These are in the seven figure range and above. If this feels impossible, the most recent list of Forbes top ten YouTubers had a whole of kids on it. Let’s take a look at the Top 10 for 2019:

Ryan Kaji: $26 million
Dude Perfect: $20 million
Anastasia Radzinskaya: $18 million
Rhett and Link: $17.5 million
Jeffree Star: $17 million
Preston (Preston Arsement): $14 million
Markiplier (Mark Fischbach) : $13 million (Tied for 7th place)
PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg): $13 million (Tied for 7th place)
DanTDM (Daniel Middleton): $12 million
Van Oss Gaming (Evan Fong): $11. 5 million

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 Marketing Leave a comment

Social Media Sites

Social media has become integral for brands to connect with their customers. It fosters a wider reach than content, email, and traditional advertising given that there are 2.95 billion social media users in the world as of 2019, with North America and East Asia having the highest numbers of users.

What makes social media so unique is that much of it is extremely ephemeral, yet a consistent social media presence will outlast any ad campaign, no matter how successful. If you’ve been thinking about boosting your brand’s online presence by increasing your social media activity, here’s what you need to consider.

Social media has both paid and earned media elements, and buying traffic differs from buying followers.

Social ad spend is currently around $102.2B and on a 7% upward trajectory. After all, with such an enormous reach, spending directly on social media platforms can seem like a more effective use of your marketing budget than traditional advertising or content that is only seen on your own channels. However, social media has both earned and paid media elements to it.

Earned media happens much faster when your company is talked about in a newspaper or magazine. With social media, it can take time to build up a following organically and get the desired traction and results from your social posts. Every brand will face different challenges and advantages when it comes to getting into the groove for regular posts and user engagement, but a universal truth is that you simply cannot buy followers. There are several scammers that promise to increase your follower count, but it’s artificial because they’re all bots with a few “real” accounts thrown in that don’t actually engage with your posts.

However, you can buy traffic which can help boost your following organically. That is essentially what you accomplish by buying ads on any social platform: your ad sets should be tailored to the intended audience most likely to be found on the platform, their interests, and the nature of the platform. It entails a different strategy than engaging with followers you gained organically.

Social media isn’t just Twitter and Facebook.

While Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram are the biggest social media platforms out there and considered the most valuable platforms in which to cultivate a following, they’re also not the only ones. There’s hundreds of social media platforms out there, and some of them just aren’t as ubiquitous as Twitter and Facebook. Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube are the places to be if video content is your strength, Instagram and Pinterest for image-heavy content, while Twitter and Facebook are ideal for informative and entertaining social content that’s primarily text.

The platforms themselves are also not monolithic. It can be in characteristics: what Facebook has in the number of users, Twitter has in engagement. The vein of content that succeeds on Instagram might not always translate to Twitter and vice versa. While some platforms are also well-suited to brands like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, other platforms won’t always adapt well to brand content, such as Tumblr.

Think about which social media sites you should prioritize, and why.

While Instagram may put imagery first and Facebook and Twitter have more emphasis on written content, some social platforms are structured for specific interests or purposes. For instance, NextDoor is geographically based on neighborhoods and developments, which is important for businesses that depend on local foot traffic. LinkedIn is designed for businesses and freelancers to find clients, and job-seekers to further their careers, so it’s important to include it in your social strategy if one of your goals is to improve your reputation as an employer. Discord has numerous applications but is best known for their applications in the video gaming spheres and political activism.

Before deciding on which platforms you should focus on, you should think about both the user base you have and the one that you want. Where would they be most likely to go? Why? What kind of engagement are they seeking, and what type of functionality would they looking for in particular? Twitter and Instagram tend to be very up-to-the-minute while Pinterest and YouTube provide tools for users to save content they plan to reference again later through boards and playlists. Discord servers provide chat functions while Facebook has public and private groups that are separate from feeds.

It can be hard to determine the “sweet spot” for how many platforms you should focus on, because every brand’s needs are different. You don’t want to spread too thin but also don’t want to focus all of your social capital in one place.

Real-time engagement is crucial for success with social media.

There are many services, such as Buffer and Hootsuite, that enable you to “set it and forget it” by scheduling posts in advance. While this is helpful for marketing campaigns and maintaining a steady online presence, it ultimately doesn’t cultivate a stable following.

Time and resources need to be put into growing and maintaining followings across social media platforms. The word “social” is in the phrase, right? Talk to people! Have your social media manager engage with people who reply to posts and make comments or ask questions, or do the same with accounts that the brand follows. That real-time engagement is what separates social media from other types of online marketing and contact: when it comes to interactions with your different channels, customers and prospects are more apt to have a specific purpose like troubleshooting a product. Social media is a way to shape your brand voice while responding to users, and provide different ways for them to interact.

For better or worse, social media is a public forum.

Social media has been a great equalizer in ways that traditional media has not: marginalized people can form huge audiences, and brands can utilize social engagement no matter the size of their ad budget. But it’s also a public platform. Some users will use it like a customer service channel while others will just like and repost your content. How your team responds to an angry customer on social media can serve as an exemplar of how you solve problems, or make the problem worse, now that it’s public. Social media is a reflection of your brand, and this goes for both the content that is posted and shared as well as how you engage with people.

Brands also need to exercise caution when jumping on memes, trends, and hashtags, because this can have disastrous outcomes.

Social media can be fun and lucrative, but brands still must account for the various nuances of social media engagement when forming and and executing a social media marketing strategy.

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 Marketing Leave a comment

MuteSix Reviews

MuteSix bills itself as an ad agency that focuses on providing value-driven, full funnel services for its clients. An award-winning company, MuteSix uses data-driven analysis and creative, targeted media buying that supports client goals.

As pioneers in the brand response marketing space, this agency was chosen as the Best Creative Agency by DesignRush.com in 2018. MuteSix was also the National Winner of the American Advertising Awards that same year.

Compared to other agencies, MuteSix is recognized in more Facebook Success Stories. It was also listed on Inc. magazine’s 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2019, nabbing the number 15 slot. Also in 2019, MuteSix was listed in the first annual global ranking by Adweek. Securing the number 10 spot in the Adweek 100: Fastest Growing Agencies, MuteSix experienced a 770 percent jump in growth.

About MuteSix

Founded in 2014 by two entrepreneurs who knew they wanted to approach the ad industry in a different way than anyone else in the industry. Steve Weiss, CEO and founder, along with Daniel Rutberg, COO and founder, head a diverse, creative, passionate and highly-tenured team of 150+ talented individuals at the MuteSix headquarters in sunny Los Angeles, California.

MuteSix has been named in Inc. magazine’s best places to work and gives back to the community. For example, in 2020 MuteSix choose to support Wags & Walks, a non-profit rescue group dedicated to finding Los Angeles-shelter dogs their forever homes.

A Premier Google Partner, Shopify Plus partner and certified in Facebook Ads Blueprint, MuteSix has also been featured in Forbes, Facebook Business, Huffpost and more.

Clients MuteSix Has Worked With

MuteSix has worked with some of the biggest names on the planet including GNC, Condé Nast, Adidas, Ring and Quicken Loans. This agency doesn’t just work with established, household names, though.

It also helps up-and-coming brands get the results they need to scale. goPuff, an on-demand personal convenience store, and MeUndies, a popular underwear brand, are just two MuteSix clients that benefitted greatly from the agency’s ultra-personalized services.

Types of Clients MuteSix Serves

MuteSix delivers its innovative creative marketing, digital strategies and video production services to a wide swath of both B2B and B2C industries. These include diverse sectors such as sports, financial services, e-commerce, luxury, retail, non-profit, technology, publishing and more.

Specialties

Understanding that its clients need a multi-prong approach to marketing that harnesses the power of the digital landscape and utilizes cutting-edge data, MuteSix offers a wide range of evolving specialties. These include Creative Studio, conversion rate optimization, influencer marketing management as well as those listed below:

Amazon Management

With about half of all product searches beginning with Amazon, brands need to stay ahead of their competition and maximize their Amazon visibility to meet their sales growth goals. Working with MuteSix ensures that the agency’s many years of proven growth and experience with Amazon’s reps is funneled to their clients.

Facebook and Instagram Advertising

Arguably the two most influential social media companies in the world, harnessing the power of Facebook and Instagram advertising is crucial to the success and growth of today’s companies — large and small. Utilizing big data, psychological drivers and other proven strategies, Mutesix develops a persona-driven and client-centric strategy that fosters deep connections and understanding that clients need with their customers.

Google and Youtube Advertising

Mutesix understands the drivers behind retail due to its deep and robust insight and experience. Driving return on investment (ROI) with a series of precise advertising campaigns that use a scientific approach perfected as a Google Premier Partner, Mutesix identifies, attracts and converts customers for its clients.

StudioSix

StudiosSix is the in-house video production team at Mutesix. Because this sector is located right within the Mutesix team, the agency’s clients have instant access to professional-grade video services that are held to the exacting standards that MuteSix is proud of.

The quality, detail and precision that is evident in the videos MuteSix produces is unparalleled. It’s this quality that prompts so many of their clients to mention the MuteSix video production skills in their reviews.

Email and Messenger Marketing

MuteSix realizes that context is what matters in today’s busy and fast-paced world that includes cluttered inboxes. That being said, email is understood to be a brand’s single largest driver of revenue. Understanding how to create campaigns that hook a customer and prompt them to click-through are the key to harnessing the power of email.

MuteSix uses an approach that is driven by context with ROI as the ultimate goal. Psychological drivers partner with a deep understanding of each brand’s customers — factors that MuteSix leverages to get its clients’ customers to open emails, click through and make that crucial purchase to complete the sales loop.

Messengers campaigns that are high-performing use the same strategy to bring their clients the success they need to scale, grow and expand to meet their goals.

MuteSix Reviews

MuteSix has five stars on its Facebook page, as well as on Yelp and Google Reviews. Many reviewers lauded the agency’s team for its talent, knowledge and skills in areas such as video production and Facebook ads.

In addition, MuteSix was noted as being easy to work with. Each client receives access to a dedicated campaign manager who heads a full team that handles optimization, creatives and targeting. With access to the campaign team 24/7 and the ability to be as involved or as hands-off as the client desires, MuteSix possesses the flexibility to work with a range of clients.

Dan King, director of marketing for MeUndies, noted in a typical review that the brand uses both Instagram and Facebook to build connections with current customers as well as acquire new ones. With plans to continue using social media to spearhead their aggressive goals for customer acquisition, founder of MeUndies, Jonathan Shokrian, noted that MuteSix has been instrumental in helping the brand scale their channel, hone its strategy and assist with attribution.

Daniel Snow, co-founder of The Snow Agency and GOATcase, a brand of premium phone accessories, gave MuteSix a five-star review on the agency’s Facebook page. He noted that the agency is transparent, communicative and efficient. Additionally, he highly recommended the Mutesix team to brands who want to outsource their marketing strategy.

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 Marketing Leave a comment

When Is the Best Time to Post on Facebook

You’ve created a brilliant content strategy that has great posts to share on social media. It’s full of compelling tidbits, news, information and high-value posts that will attract new customers and bring existing customers back.

Now the question is: When should you post the content on Facebook?

Why Does Facebook Post Timing Matter?

Analysts are constantly trying to discern the algorithms Facebook uses for content sharing on one’s stream. If you’re not using paid advertising on Facebook, then it can become a bit of a guessing game to determine when to put your content out in the open.

Facebook does appear to favor posts by friends and family, making it more challenging for organic business posts to be seen. One study of 43 million posts by the top 20,000 brands found that there had been a 50 percent drop in engagement (measured in likes, shares, comments and reactions) from the start of 2017 to the middle of 2018.

With more than 80 million business pages on the platform, that’s a lot of noise to fight against to get your content seen.

What can you do to determine the best time to post on Facebook? Part of the challenge is the various recommendations afloat on the web. Consider the various time recommendations below:

11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday (Sprout Social)
9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 12 noon with Thursday and Sunday the best days (HubSpot)
8 p.m. on Thursday (TrackMaven)

Here’s a closer look at the logic behind the selected dates for several of the studies noted above.

Sprout Social. While the Wednesday times were among the most optimal, there are other factors. Broadly, the most regular engagement occurs Tuesdays to Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with much lower engagement on the weekends, before 7 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

HubSpot. The early morning and midday times are when people first arrive in the office or are about to break for lunch.

What Are the Suggested Best Times by Sector?

Many of these studies break down the optimal times by industry or demographic. Here’s a look at some sector breakdowns.

Best Times to Post on Facebook for B2C

According to CoSchedule, the best times to post are when workers typically have breaks or are at the end of their day – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., 11 a.m. to 12 noon and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sprout Social recommends posting on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and Friday at 11 a.m.

Best Times to Post on Facebook for B2B

CoSchedule recommends posting at 9 a.m. or 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Here are some of the best times for specific industries, according to Sprout Social:

Education: Wednesday at 9 a.m. or Saturday at 5 p.m.
Finance: Wednesday at 12 noon
Healthcare: Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon
Media: Tuesday through Thursday at 9 a.m. or Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Nonprofits: Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Recreation: Tuesday at 2 p.m., Wednesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 11 a.m.
Technology: Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon

What Is Facebook Audience Insights?

Facebook offers users a powerful tool to use in determining the right time to post. Audience Insights is a free tool to provide you actionable intelligence about your audience, prospects or all of Facebook. It is typically used to target ad buys on the platform, but can also be used to understand better when to launch content.

You can select from three options for audience – everyone on Facebook, people connected to your page or a custom audience. You can also set various demographic criteria, including age, gender, location, language, relationships, education, market segments and interests.

One of the best features of Facebook Audience Insights is its Relevance and Affinity measures. Relevance shows you the Facebook pages relevant to your chosen audience based on page size, affinity and people in your audience who already like a page. The Affinity measure indicates how likely an audience is to like a page compared to the entirety of Facebook users.

There’s also Facebook Insights, which can give you information about your posts. You access the feature at the top of your Business page. You can look when your page’s fans are online and which of your posts are the most successful.

What Social Media Platforms Can My Business Use to Manage Facebook Posts?

There are plenty of options for businesses looking to automate your Facebook posting calendar. Each of these platforms allows you to schedule times, provides analysis and metrics, and simplifies your content management strategy. Here is a look at a few of the most popular:

Buffer. Buffer automates your social posting by adding content to a queue. The tool posts at times you predetermine. The paid version of the service includes analytics.
Hootsuite. One of the oldest social media management platforms, Hootsuite includes scheduling options and content curation, allowing you to tag and search for content to use across media and streams while managing usage across teams. The tool also tracks social conversations about your content.
Loomly. Started in 2015, this site offers automated publishing, collaboration tools and multi-account management. It simplifies workflows and provides more structure via a strong social media calendaring solution.
PromoRepublic. This tool will recommend a posting schedule and suggest content for each social media platform using an artificial intelligence tool that analyzes your audience’s engagement patterns.

How Can I Determine the Best Times to Post on Facebook?

There is clearly no one definitive answer on when to post to Facebook. The optimal time depends on the audience you’re seeking to attract and engage, the content you’re using and the industry you’re in.

Here are a couple of recommendations.

1. Use the Data to Inform Your Decisions

Facebook data and information you glean from a posting platform are plentiful. It’s best to understand your own audience demographics and how your content performs to inform future posting times.

2. Timing Is Everything. Relevance Matters

Sports teams don’t wait to post boxscores. News outlets share breaking news as fast as possible.

You will likely be guided by when you think it’s most relevant. Some content only matters when it’s posted in a timely manner. New product announcements, sales, timing with ad campaigns in other media all should inform when you post. Don’t be afraid to experiment and track the results … giving you more data.

Facebook is a powerful medium, enabling your business to attract customers, fans and followers. Using insights, data and tools can give your business the intel to help create and schedule content to have the greatest impact.

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 Marketing, Social Media Leave a comment

When Is The Best Time To Post On Instagram

It’s not just your imagination: There’s a pattern behind why some of your Instagram posts get better social media engagement than others, regardless of how hard you worked on them.

Experts have analyzed the science of why some posts seem to reap more than their fair share of clicked-on links, likes, shares, comments, new followers, active fans — and most importantly, results.

Like so much in life, it all comes down to timing. Let’s take a look at which times of day, and which days of the week, tend to have the highest rates of social engagement, and what variations exist within various industries. For consistency’s sake, we’re using Eastern Standard Time (EST) as our frame of reference, so adjust accordingly for your own time zone.

Best (and Worst) All-Around Posting Times

Wednesday is the best day overall when it comes to most-viewed Instagram posts, according to data compiled by the social media management platform Sprout Social. That’s factoring in all brands, influencer personalities, and smaller-scale, individual accounts. Specifically, Wednesdays at noon finds the highest spike of activity on Instagram.

The second most-successful posting time for Instagram users overall is noon to 1 p.m. on Fridays. In general, weekdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. are good days and times in which to post to the ‘gram. (Probably not a coincidence that these are the times when so many people are chained to their desks at work!)

Before 7 a.m. and after 10 p.m. are the times in which you are least likely to find social engagement, as well as all day Sunday.

Keep in mind, however, that these figures represent all Instagram users. Within that broad audience are categories that have different social media habits. If you have a specific brand identity, it’s important to delve a little deeper to find if the “best all around” periods of engagement on Instagram is the guideline you should be consulting.

Although one might think that weekends are a no-brainer for people to be hitting social media, there’s a difference between idly surfing the ‘gram, vs. actually interacting with brands, business services, non-profits, and so forth.

In other words, while your ideal customer might be dreaming of visiting your area over the weekend, she won’t actually be in hotel-booking mode on a lazy Sunday. In fact, the least-successful day to post when it comes to social engagement are Sundays, virtually across the board.

Variations by Industry

If you’re running the social media for a business — or are catering to consumers of specific industries — one size does not fit all when it comes to when to post on Instagram.

Travel and Recreation

The hospitality and recreation businesses are often operating on a slim profit margin, which means that every post counts. That’s true whether you’re operating a resort halfway around the world from your target customers, own a local eatery, or manage a water park.

For the recreation industry, around 2 p.m. is best, with Wednesday and Thursday posts seeming to perform most successfully. (This is probably not surprising, since a midweek “pick me up” post involving a special trip or weekend paddleboard rental can really help office workers make it through the rest of the day!)

As with most other types of industries, Sundays offer the least successful social engagement opportunities on Instagram for the recreation industry. If your own timetable doesn’t make a midday, mid-week posting time realistic (especially if you’re in a different time zone), split the difference by avoiding early morning or late night posts, which have the least amount of social engagement for the industry.

Nonprofits

It’s not enough to simply represent a good cause. It’s also important to find new ways to help current and potential donors and volunteers see why the need is urgent for your nonprofit organization. For example, using Instagram to present success stories is another way to balance the grim need with the positive results that can happen and you can hire an Instagram Advertising Agency.

So, what’s the best time to make an impact on Instagram for your nonprofit? Midweek is best, while Sundays are the least effective times for social engagement for charitable organizations. From about 2 to 4 p.m. are the best times to post, especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Retail Sales

If you’re promoting consumer goods, Instagram presents the perfect way to tell a good story. That’s what makes the difference between “content” and “compelling content.” Rather than simply post a photo and description of the products you’re promoting, help your audience picture themselves using them. Work with influencer partners as well as your own in-house art department to coordinate fun, eye-catching and informative posts.

Whether it’s a flirty dress, container plants for the front porch, or a sleek new drill set, photos and engaging text help would-be customers see how your product will improve their lifestyle. Strike a balance between people who already follow you because they love your brand or store, and those who came across your post by searching for “#sundress” or “potted begonias.”

In general, the best time to post for consumer goods is Wednesday at about 4 p.m. As with other industries, Sundays remain the days in which posts receive the least amount of commercial engagements when it comes to consumer goods. But, as usual, make sure to track sales and inquiries over a period of several months, because your business might actually do well with Sunday browsers.

Don’t Ignore Your Own Common Sense

If your Instagram caters to a specific audience, following the social engagement trends blindly may do your account more harm than good. If you’re a brand or retail outlet that caters to musicians, for example, they may still be sleeping at 2 p.m.!

Experiment to determine which times and days get the best responses. It may be at 2 a.m., when those hypothetical band members are still winding down from gigs — or in the evening, when they’re killing time before it’s time to hit the stage.

Likewise, a crafting-oriented audience may be looking for ideas before the rest of the family wakes up, making early morning the most likely time you’ll get the kind of social engagement you’re looking for from your niche audience.

As with many marketing initiatives, generalized data shouldn’t supersede your own expectations. Many social media accounts are continually surprised by the actual active hours of their target audience, as well as the types of posts which get the most attention. Rather than seizing on what you’ve gleaned after a few posts, take the time to look for longer-term trends — say, after a month or so, as well as after conducting a quarterly and yearly analysis.

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 Marketing Leave a comment

How To Become An Influencer

In a short time, influencer marketing boomed from a fringe market into a multi-billion-dollar industry. Even though obtaining visibility on social sites has also grown more challenging, new social media stars still appear regularly. Influencers gain their popularity because they can deliver stories that engages audiences. That’s exactly the sort of content that businesses want to represent their own brands. If you believe that you’ve got stories to tell, you can set goals and make a plan to establish yourself as an online authority.

Become an Online Influencer in Seven Steps

With your goals in mind, you can include these seven action steps in your plan to develop yourself into an influencer:

1. Pick a Niche

You need to select a niche that truly interests you. If you plan to succeed, you’ll need to stick with this niche for a long time. If you want to radiate authenticity, you need to find topics that keeps you engaged. Of course, most people have several interests. If you need to choose, you might start with the kinds of topics that are likely to be the most popular and profitable. Later, once you establish yourself in a good niche, you can always use your platform to branch out as you see fit.

2. Optimize Social Site Profiles and Platforms

Once you’ve decided upon your chosen niche, you should figure out which social sites will give you the best chance to grow your audience quickly. Sometimes, you’ll have better results if you establish yourself on one or two social marketing platforms before you branch out much to others. You should research typical social site’s typical audiences.

For instance, LinkedIn works well for professional and B2B marketing while Pinterest captures the attention of shoppers and homemakers. You can uncover plenty of marketing statistics about the larger social sites. On the other hand, you might just check out your competition to see where they’re thriving. On the other hand, some influencers say they make more affiliate revenue on some sites and more advertising revenue on others. Your platform choice may also depend upon your main business model.

3. Understand Your Audience

You should probably spend some time researching your potential audience before you commit to various social platforms. If you’ve chosen a niche market that you’re interested in, you may already have some understanding of your potential audience members already. Before you produce any content to serve to this audience, you should make certain that your understanding of your audience lines up with the current reality.

To get started, you might rely upon a couple of good tools that can help spark your own inspiration:

BuzzSumo: This tool will give you good information about the most popular content for given topics and keywords. Because of this, it can also show you the most powerful influencers in your niche. You might view these influencers as competition, but you may serve yourself better if you can connect and cooperate with them. Remember that a rising tide lifts all boats.
Google Trends: Google’s free tool will show you what people search for on this major search engine. For instance, let’s say you’re interested in T-shirts. A quick search will tell you that the popularity of that term has waned somewhat over the past year. On the other hand, the popularity of Kobe Bryant T-shirts has increased.

4. Create and Post High-Quality Content

Naturally, you will want to develop yourself as an influencer by establishing your own unique brand. At first, you might try riding on the coattails of established influencers in order to gain visibility. In fact, you might consider current influencers in your niche and figure out how you could add additional value to their work. Then create that value and reach out to them and let them know about it. Also, don’t be shy about adding a helpful description and link to your content in their own comments section, where their audience will see you.

Of course, the kind of content you develop may depend upon your platform, niche, and preferences. For instance, you may want to develop shorter videos for Facebook than you would for YouTube, based upon typical engagement times for people on either platform. In addition, you should look for an angle that’s likely to generate interest.

For instance, one video influencer promotes his historical-artifact shop with period-specific cooking videos. He started with period-battle reenactments and almost accidentally discovered that people liked the cooking videos more. You should develop content to support your clearly designed goals and then make sure you know how you can measure performance.

5. Keep a Consistent Content Schedule

If you want to name one trait of most successful influencers, that would be consistency. You can use tools like HootSuite and Buffer to automate your posting schedule; still, producing a steady stream of content can challenge new influencers. Still, your consistent schedule will help you draw an audience and give you data you can use to measure your success. If certain angles or social sites have proven more successful than others, you will know how to adjust your content plan.

6. Engage With Your Audience

It’s worth mentioning that the entire point of social platforms is to encourage sociability. You don’t need to reply to every comment; however, you should always try to reply to sincere questions and relevant observations. If other influencers stop by to comment on your content, even if it’s plainly just to drop a link, see if you can reach out to build a relationship with them.

7. Let Brands Know That You’re Open to Working With Them

Sometimes, the easiest way to begin earning income by promoting brands is to join an affiliate program. For instance, you might use a particular product in a demonstration and let your audience know that they can purchase it by following the affiliate link in your profile. If that’s not an option, reach out directly to companies that you could feature to introduce them to your social platforms and ask for sponsorships. You can also connect with brand representatives online through platforms like LinkedIn. Once you grow your audience, you’ll probably find that companies will start to come to you with offers.

The Advantages of Developing Yourself as an Influencer

Establishing yourself as an influencer takes effort. In turn, you could gain fame, help worthy causes, promote quality businesses, and sometimes, even get rich. Whatever your own goals, document them in order to develop the strategy to make it happen.

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 Social Media Leave a comment

How To Delete Instagram Account

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms today; however, not everyone has fallen in love with the video and picture-sharing platform. There are several reasons why people might not enjoy using Instagram. For some, it might be the amount of time they spend scrolling through pictures and videos. This might impact their ability to be productive. Other people might not like the drive to compete with other people to post the best images. Regardless, there are people who are looking to delete or deactivate their Instagram accounts.

There are several ways for people to close down their accounts on Instagram. It is important to do this carefully to make sure their data is protected appropriately. Some people might want to delete their accounts for good while others might want to suspend their profiles temporarily while preserving everything they have posted. With this in mind, there are a few common questions that people would like to have answered.

Should You Delete or Deactivate Your Instagram Account?

The answer to this question is personal as different people approach their Instagram profiles in various ways. To answer this question, it is important to take a look at why someone might want to delete or deactivate their account on Instagram.

First, some people do not like the amount of time they spend on the app. There are also some users reporting that they are seeing a lot of ads on the Instagram platform as well. We know that there are Instagram advertising agencies that just target users on Instagram, Some people spend inordinate amounts of time cropping and styling every image and video they post. Other people spend too much time scrolling through people’s stories looking for that perfect picture or image. For those who want to get rid of the distraction, it might be a good idea to deactivate the account. The major advantage of deleting an account on Instagram is that there is going to be an opportunity to return to the profile in the future. Sometimes, people suffer a change of heart and want to return to Instagram. In this case, deactivation will preserve this opportunity.

On the other hand, some people want to delete their profiles entirely. In some cases, people are the victims of cyberbullying and do not want to return to the world of social media down the road. Other people might have had their data stolen. Finally, some people might run an Instagram profile for a business and that company has shut down. Regardless, there are situations where it is preferable to completely delete and close the account rather than deactivate it.

How to Temporarily Deactivate Your Instagram Account

If someone has decided to disable or deactivate an Instagram account, this will hide likes, comments, photos, videos, and the profile from view. The account still exists on a backup server so deactivation will not purge the profile. The account will wait patiently for the user to return. It might even be tempting. In order to deactivate an Instagram account, there are a few steps to follow.

First, log in to Instagram via a web browser. Do not log in on the app as deactivation cannot be completed through the mobile app.
After this, click on the person icon in the top right corner of the screen.
Then, select the “edit profile” option from the menu.
After this, scroll down and click on the option that is labeled “temporarily disable my account.” This option is located in the bottom right portion of the screen.
Once this option has been selected, Instagram will ask for a reason why the account is being suspended.
After this question is answered, Instagram will ask for a password to verify the identity of the person using the profile.
Finally, Instagram will allow the account to be disabled temporarily

It will be important to store the username and password of the Instagram profile just in case the account should be reactivated in the future.

How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account

If you decide to delete the Instagram account permanently, keep in mind that you are going to lose all of your content on your profile. This includes photos, videos, friends, followers, and more. This means that if you decide to return to Instagram down the road, you will have to start from scratch.

Before you delete your Instagram account, make sure that all of your photos and videos have been copied to another location. Once you delete your account, you will not be able to retrieve them from Instagram. Furthermore, if you decide to return to Instagram, you will need to pick a new username. Your old username will already have been taken.

If you want to permanently delete your Instagram account, you will need to login to a web browser. You cannot use the mobile app.
Access the “your account page.”
From this page, you can select the “delete your account” option.
Again, Instagram will ask you why you are deleting your account. You will need to select an option to move forward.
After this, you will have to enter your password once again to verify your identity.
Instagram will make you think about it one more time. Then, you will be able to permanently delete your account.

Remember that after this process is done, your account will be purged from Instagram. You will not be able to access it in the future. This is why you should store your photos and videos somewhere else if you want to use them for another purpose down the road.

How to Reactive Your Instagram Account

If you decided to deactivate your Instagram account, you may want to reactivate it later. Perhaps you were too busy in the past or maybe you just wanted to take a break. When you reactivate your account, you will be able to pick up where you left off. In order to reactivate your Instagram account, you will need to log in with your old username and password. When you log in, Instagram will ask you if you want to reactivate your account. Select the appropriate choice and your account should appear exactly as you left it. All of your photos and videos should be there; however, a few of your followers might have deserted you during your hiatus.

How to Access or Review Your Data on Instagram

There has been a lot of attention paid to the storage of personal data on social media profiles. There have been numerous scandals related to people’s personal data being stored for business use. Instagram is sensitive to this and has made it easy for people to review their data. How you are going to access and review your own data is dependent on what server you are using.

If you are using Instagram via the web, start by going to your profile. Then, select the settings icon. From there you can select the “privacy and security” option. Finally, scroll down to the “account data” option and view your data from there. You should be able to see everything Instagram has related to your account.

In the mobile app, the process is similar. Go to your profile first. Then, select the icon that has three horizontal bars. From there, you can access settings and then the “security/account data” option. Finally, click on the “view all” option to take a look at your account and data.

It is important for people to review their data on a regular basis. They should make sure that all of their information is correct while changing or removing things that might be inaccurate or that they don’t want to be stored on the social media platform.

How to Download Your Instagram Pictures and Account Details

Before you decide to delete or deactivate your Instagram account, you should download all of your data first. In order to do this, you need to follow a few steps. If you are using the web browser version of Instagram:

Go to your profile and select the Settings icon
After this, click on “Privacy and security”
Next, scroll down to the “data download” option and click on “request download”
Instagram will then ask for your email address and Instagram password
Be sure you enter the same email address that you want to use to retrieve your data
Shortly, Instagram will send you an email with a link to your data
Click on the “download data” link and follow the instructions provided

If you are using the mobile app version of Instagram:

First, click on the three horizontal bars to bring up the menu from your profile
After this, click on the “settings” icon
Again, scroll to the “security” section
Select the “download data” option
Finally, enter your email address and click the “request download” option
Instagram will ask you for your email and password before they send you a link to the email address you entered above
Once the link arrives, click on it and follow the instructions to retrieve your data

It may take up to two days for Instagram to send you a link to download your data. Be patient and give them 48 hours before repeating the process in search of another link.

Deleting or Deactivating Your Instagram Profile and Account

This is a brief overview of the various options when it comes to deleting and deactivating your Instagram account. Prior to taking any of these measures, make sure to protect your data by downloading your photos and videos somewhere else. Furthermore, be sure to think about whether deletion or deactivation is best. While there are numerous advantages of Instagram, there are also some downsides to the platform as well. Anyone who is thinking about deleting or deactivating their account should take a look at the helpful information listed above.

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 Social Media Leave a comment

Best Digital Marketing Podcasts

Whether you’re looking to launch a brand new business or you’re hoping to grow your already successful firm even more, great marketing is key. One of the best ways to learn from the experts is to listen to a podcast while you’re commuting, working or relaxing. We’ve rounded up ten of the top digital marketing podcasts out there today for you. Make sure you check these out and find a new (and often quite entertaining) digital marketing informational resource.

Best Digital Marketing Podcasts

Digital Marketing Fastlane – This podcast isn’t afraid to “get real” to help you achieve real results. Hosted by Kevin Urrutia who is also the CEO of Voy Media and is Facebook Ads Agency, Digital Marketing Fastlane offers proven strategies and real success stories that are useful for both new marketers and those who are a bit more experienced in the game. These quick podcasts do not bog you down with useless information, but instead get to the meat of the matter quickly so that you can learn what it takes to succeed in today’s competitive digital marketplace. Plus, they are a fun listen too!
Duct Tape Marketing – If you’ve spent any time looking at podcasts in this area, you’ve probably come across this one. As a podcast that has been around for more than a decade, this one has a proven track record of success. You’ll enjoy the guest appearances from popular marketing gurus and helpful advice that is specifically targeted to beginning and novice marketers. This podcast covers a wide range of topics that are useful to nearly any marketer, however.
AskGaryVee – One of the few digital marketers that has transcended the marketing world into the public eye, Gary Vee is almost a household name. The AskGaryVee podcast is an interesting and entertaining look at the world behind the motivational speaker and digital marketing guru. This podcast does go “off the rails” at times, but there is so much great information that it is well worth a listen, and it is lots of fun too.
Mad Marketing podcast – This podcast, hosted by Marcus Sheridan, who is a partner of HubSpot, focuses on SEO and content marketing. Based on his affiliation with HubSpot, that only makes sense. Marcus is an entertaining guy, and the show is straightforward to listen to as he is very high energy and adds plenty of personal stories to the mix. You may get started on this show for its entertainment value, but you’ll be hooked by the excellent knowledge he brings to the table.
Social Media Examiner – This is a big one if you are interested in the social media side of things at all. Social Media Examiner runs a website and hosts, on average, two podcasts per week that are chock full of information on how to take advantage of everything social media has to offer today. Hosted by Michael Stelzner, anyone who wants to grow their presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other platforms can’t miss this podcast.
Smart Passive Income – Pat Flynn has hosted the Smart Passive Income podcast for several years now. While it may have less to do with straight digital marketing, it is a great source for inspiration as he is a wonderful source for success stories, many involving digital marketing in one way or another. Plus, almost every episode has a few “hidden” digital marketing tips scattered in among the success stories, so it is worth a listen just for that.
Marketing Scoop – Marketing Scoop is a straight news podcast focusing on what is new and hot in the world of digital marketing. If you are worried about being the last to know about what’s happening in the marketing world, adding this to your playlist is certainly recommended. Hosted by the same people who bring you SEMRush, you’ll not only hear the news you need to stay ahead of the game, you will get interviews from some of the big names in the business too, so even the older episodes are worth a listen!
ProBlogger Podcast – Based off the successful blog of the same name, this podcast is for bloggers who are looking to scale-up in the business. The host, Darren Rowse has been blogging since 2004 and shares all his knowledge on how to succeed. With over 270 episodes already in the archives, there is plenty of older content available to listen to if you’re hoping to use blogging as a way to increase engagement, grow traffic and market your company or your brand to an even larger audience.
Online Marketing Made Easy – More so than any other podcast, the episodes of Online Marketing Made Easy that are hosted by Amy Porterfield feel like they are mini classes. Not only does she teach you lessons on how to market your business and grow your audience but at the end of every episode, she gives you an assignment on how you can take action and make a change right away. If you’re looking for something to truly motivate you to make changes right away, the Online Marketing Made Easy podcast could be just what you’ve been looking for.
Marketing Over Coffee – For a more relaxed approach to marketing, why not try marketing over coffee? This is a “coffee talk” so to speak about the marketing topics that matter most to you. Hosted by Christopher Penn and John Wall, you’ll learn plenty without feeling bogged down. They want you to see that marketing really does have a lighter side, even as you’re learning more about how to grow your business.

Technology has made it easier than ever to learn from experts and in turn, grow your business. With all of these podcasts, you have access to some of the greatest minds in digital marketing today–that you can listen to 24 hours a day! Take advantage and you’re sure to advance your knowledge of digital marketing so that you can achieve amazing things.

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 Marketing Leave a comment

How to Create a Multi-Language WordPress Site

Your website is one of the essential elements of your digital marketing strategy. You use it to inform people about your business or brand and to convince them into becoming your customers. Building your website with WordPress comes with a lot of benefits. One of those benefits is that you can easily create a multi-language site.

Having your website translated into multiple languages is a huge business advantage. It’ll help you reach a wider audience, become more dominant in foreign markets, and improve organic traffic. All you have to do is learn how to translate your WordPress site into other languages.

WordPress doesn’t have the translation feature, so you have to use plugins or other techniques to translate your website. But, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

Here’s how to create a multi-language WordPress site.

1. Human Translation

The first option you need to consider is translating your site by using human translations.

The advantage of human translation over machine translation is the following:

better quality of the translation
no literal translations
adaptation of the content to suit the target language

Naturally, if you don’t speak the target language yourself, you’ll have to hire a professional translator. Still, if you have the resources to do it, we highly recommend that you do.

Apart from translating the content of your website, you’ll also need to add different language options to your website. You can use the different plugins to help you out.

Polylang

Polylang is a great option for incorporating translations into your website and making it multilingual.

After installing the plugin, visit Settings and choose Languages to configure it. Within the Language settings, you’ll be able to:

add different target languages you want to use on your website
translate site title
translate site description
chose date and time format
choose the default language

Once you finish with the settings, you’ll be able to add posts on different languages. All you have to do is:

select a language
create a post
add different translations to different posts

So, the plugin doesn’t automatically translate your content and human translation is required. Still, it enables you to make the translations visible and smoothly incorporated into your website.

WPML

The WPML plugin is one of the best known, and most widely used WordPress multilingual plugins. It’s a premium plugin, which means it’s paid.

There are three options:

Multilingual Blog, $29
Multilingual CMS, $79
Multilingual Agency, $159

The plugin offers full-time technical support and a 30 days money-back guarantee.

Here’s what the plugin offers and what makes it one of the best plugins for turning your site multilingual:

over 40 languages
adding your language variants
translate every element of your website
compatible with other WordPress plugins
supports most WordPress themes
ordinary WordPress users can be assigned as translators
offers professional translators
set translation deadlines
media translation

So, the plugin is perfect for making everything ready for adding translations. Still, it doesn’t translate the content itself.

You have to translate the content or hire someone to do it for you. You can consider an online translation service such as Pick Writers.

Also, you can turn to machine translations and then paste the content to your dashboard.

But, there are plugins that offer automatic machine translations. Let’s take a look.

2. Automatic Translation

If you’re looking for an easier way to turn your website into a multilingual one, there are WordPress plugins that can help you out.

Weglot

Weglot is one of the best multilingual plugins available today.

It’s simple to use and it turns your website into a multilingual one in just a few minutes. Here’s how to use it:

install and activate the plugin
set the original and destinations languages
translate

A language selection bar will be available at the corner of your website. People will be able to choose which language they prefer to read in.

Naturally, you can edit your translations to make sure everything is just the way you want it to be. You’ll be redirected to your Weglot account. You’ll be able to use a Dashboard with all your translations.

Here’s a couple of more Weglot features that might pleasantly surprise you:

no coding needed
delivers clean source code
indexed by Googe
customizable language button

Weglot is a simple plugin that can turn your site multilingual n just a few clicks. It allows you to edit the translated content and revise it all in a single dashboard.

Google Language Translator

Google Language Translator is another machine translation plugin that enables you to turn your website multilingual.

While most of the essential features are free, there’s the advanced paid version which comes with additional useful features.

The free version offers automatic translation of posts, pages, tags, widgets, etc. The paid version comes with additional great features such as:

SEO indexing
URLs translation
manual translation correction
translating metadata

live chat support

This plugin can be a good addition to your digital marketing strategy, and help you expand your reach with translations.

However, be careful, since not all translations make sense and sometimes can be of poor quality.

Let’s Rewind

As you can see you have two options when it comes to turning your site multilingual.

If you have the knowledge or the resources for human translation, it’s a better option since it will provide accurate, adapted, and adjusted translations.

If you don’t speak the language and don’t have the resources for hiring translators, go for the machine translations.

There’s a plugin for each purpose, so you won’t have to go through too much trouble.

Final Thoughts

A multilingual website is inviting and welcoming to a wider audience. It helps you expand your target audience and reach out to them with confidence. It’s a valuable part of your digital marketing strategy.

Use the advice above to select the option that suits you the best. Turn your website into a multilingual one and you’ll see it was worth the effort.

Author
At a relatively young age, Donald Fomby has already amassed impressive experience as a freelance writer. Donald studied Computer Science at Texas A&M. He has a passion for technology, social media and travel.

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 Marketing Leave a comment

Content Marketing vs. Link Building: Which Should SEOs Focus On?

Whether you run your own blog, eCommerce platform or business website, brand advertisement is a constantly looming question worth thinking about. According to 99 Firms, 44% of website referral traffic goes through Google as it is the biggest global search engine out there, with 72% of marketers stating that content relevancy is the biggest challenge when it comes to SEO positioning.

Content marketing and link building both add to the overall SEO ranking and general positioning of your brand in their own respect, to varying degrees. Given that the nature of this question is complex, we will go through several points in regards to both content marketing and link building to unearth which approach to SEO would suit your needs the most. Let’s start off with the basics and go through the most poignant questions on the matter.

Basics of SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is often considered the de facto deciding factor in a brand’s search engine relevancy. SEO trends are constantly shifting in favor of fresh topics, original keywords, and content relevant to individual search queries.

Technical optimization elements such as keyword density, content formatting, multimedia optimization, and link building are considered baseline requirements for brands that aim to reach the first page of Search Engine Result Page (SERP). However, balancing how much content you produce against how much attention you pay to link building (promoting your hyperlinks on other websites) is a matter of perspective.

Some businesses aim for split attention between the two while others (such as in the case of eCommerce sites) go for a totalitarian approach and place all of their resources into either one or the other. Both approaches are viable and neither is the wrong choice when it comes to search ranking optimization. With that said, optimal SEO will bring your brand certain perks that would otherwise not be available to you.

Advantages of SEO

When it comes to direct advantages related to SEO of your content and website as a whole, there are quite a few items to consider. According to Tech Jury, 93% of online experiences begin with search engine queries, while only 7% of users will go as far as the third page of SERP in order to find relevant content for their engagement.

This effectively means that businesses that don’t regard SEO as an important element of their online brand awareness strategy will effectively lose a tremendous amount of traffic to other brands. Applying the right combination of link building and content marketing to your website however can bring several advantageous points to your brand, including but not limited to:

Streamlined and accessible website User Experience (UX)
Higher engagement and conversion rates
Better brand positioning and industry authority
Better networking and affiliate marketing opportunities
High return on investment (ROI) in terms of incoming traffic and revenue

Without Content, There is No Link Building

An important point of discussion can be made in regards to choosing either content marketing or link building while completely disregarding the other side of the SEO equation. While possible, this type of approach to brand-building is ill-advised for several reasons.

For one, in order to practice efficient link building, you should have quality content available on your website, whether its blog posts, product pages or other forms of media. No platform, blog or business will promote your links or embed them in their content if there is no tangible value on the other side of the hyperlink. On the other hand, content marketing by itself might yield you positive SEO and traffic over time. However, without link building, your site will come off as very competitive and unfriendly when it comes to networking or cooperation with other businesses.

Without content, there is no link building to speak off in terms of organic SEO and traffic generation. Without link building, there is no high traffic or content engagement, leaving your site barren of leads or word of mouth. As we’ve mentioned previously, both of these SEO approaches offer valuable advantages – let’s dive deeper into each one to discover the minute details which will help you decide on the best combination of the two for your specific business and industry.

Content Marketing Gives your Site a Voice

In the proverbial sea of websites, having a distinct voice is one of the most essential aspects of brand positioning. Content marketing can give your website a voice in regards to how the audience perceives your products and services and differentiates it from others in your industry. Your business culture, long-term goals, company vision, and mission statement will all add to the effect of brand marketing for whoever decides to visit your website.

No amount of link building will ever manage to help your website “speak” to the audience through blog posts or creative product descriptions as content marketing is able to. Backing that content up with well-positioned links on competitive industry websites and aggregates will ensure that your site is reputable and professional in the eyes of stakeholders.

Link Building Promotes your Brand

Speaking of brand positioning, every industry is a competitive battlefield when it comes to vying for the customers’ attention. For better or worse, your website is one of many in a specific industry, with clearly positioned leaders, followers, and newly-launched businesses. Link building can ensure that your website is visible to potential customers, curious B2B clients, and individuals who might be interested in networking and collaboration.

You can spread your link building efforts to other, related industries and thus offer unique services to that website’s audience. For example, if you run a graphic design agency, positioning your links in the arts or photography blogging niches can do wonders for your lead generation. Find interesting niches to position your brand in and use existing content marketing materials as a precedent for those businesses to consider embedding your links into their pages for mutual benefit.

Content Marketing Boosts your UX

Once you attract an audience through your link building, it’s important to create some form of value for their time and (in case of products and services) money. Content marketing in the form of blog posts, detailed product portfolio descriptions and multimedia should be created to further cement your link building efforts. This will create an efficient loop for your SEO efforts and ensure that your visitors enjoy a well-thought-out UX as a result.

Link building without any relevant content or value to back the effort up will quickly deteriorate into your brand’s reputation as a spam website. Most importantly, your SEO ranking will drop as a result of link building which isn’t backed up by quality content in the placed hyperlinks. Strive for engaging UX on your website and work on your portfolio’s sales pitches, calls to action and other engagement opportunities before devoting your attention to outreach and link building.

Link Building is a Long-Term Gain

One notable factor to consider when it comes to link building is that it can provide your website, SEO and brand as a whole with long-term gain. Once your links are positioned on competitive websites and prolific industry portals, they will most likely stay there for the foreseeable future. Whether today, tomorrow or in two years, anyone who visits those particular pages will encounter your links and be tempted to follow up on them to see what value they hold for their interests.

Content marketing, on the other hand, leans more on current trends and what is considered a hot topic now as opposed to two years ago. If you write blog posts about topics which are stale and old news in everyone’s eyes, they won’t drive new traffic to your website and most certainly affect your SEO in a less than stellar way. In this aspect, link building holds a clear advantage but it should be noted that the content your links are embedded in will grow older over time, prompting you to seek new link building opportunities constantly.

SEO Mistakes to Avoid

To cap things off, it’s worth noting that not every SEO activity will hold net benefits for your website or ranking. Even too much of a good thing can become bad as a result of spam or overreliance on singular optimization activity. In that regard, let’s take a look at some of the most prevalent SEO pitfalls you should keep in mind in your content marketing and link building efforts going forward:

Poor Internal Sitemap

Your website’s internal structure will play a major role in the SEO ranking and visitor engagement efforts. In this aspect, you should categorize your links according to their content and role in your business. Gather all of your links into a sitemap and make the map accessible through your landing page for both your visitors’ and search engine algorithm’s benefit.

Content for Content’s Sake

There will always come a time of the year when content ideas simply run dry. When that happens, you shouldn’t start creating content for the sake of publishing “new” posts or pages on your website. Look for new trends to discuss, opinion piece topics to tackle and other forms of creative content marketing instead. Patience is a virtue in this regard; it will showcase that your brand is about quality more than it is about the sheer quantity of pages.

Content quality is another important thing search engine look at. It is always a good idea to work with a variety of usual tools, writing and translation services as well, such as TheWordPoint, Grammarly, Readability Score or Hemingway Editor, to ensure the relevance, high-quality and readability of their posts.

Lack of Website Auditing

Website audit is what is commonly referred to as “SEO spring cleaning”. Even though you should actively look for new opportunities for content marketing and link building, you should also tidy up your website on a semi-regular interval. Check your pages in regards to keywords, active links, ads and other content which will affect not only your SEO but the overall UX of your website. Don’t get caught with dead links, broken media or wrong keywords in your content by running an audit on your site every once in a while.

Best of Both Worlds (Conclusion)

When all is said and done, choosing between content marketing and link building shouldn’t be a mutually-exclusive choice. Find a healthy balance of both in regards to your brand’s marketing strategy, resources, networking and most importantly – product and service portfolio available for lead conversion.

Start with relevant content and look for link building opportunities that will be happy to work with you in terms of brand positioning going forward. Before you know it, you will settle into a routine of content marketing followed by link building in a production cycle which suits your staff and resources regardless of what popular trends or industry leaders might say on the highly subjective matter of either-or.

Author:
Erica Sunarjo is a communications professional with more than five years of experience. Erica runs her own blog BestWritersOnline and is proud of her an uncanny ability to explain the most complex subject in simple terms.

by Bryan Mixon April 18, 2021 SEO Leave a comment