Connecting the Dots: How Writers Can Use Data to
Research and Rank
Andy Crestodina@crestodina | #ContentJam
Strategy
@crestodina
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
$$$
Action
Leads
Action
1. Topics
Actual Content Performance
WeakContributor
WeakContributor
AmazingContributor
AmazingContributor
Perceived Content Performance
@crestodina #ContentJam
WeakContributor
WeakContributor
AmazingContributor
AmazingContributor
Perceived Content Performance
Actual Content Performance
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: Moz, BuzzSumo
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: Moz, BuzzSumo
Most content getsno links and few shares
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
...if you want to create content that achieves a high level of both shares and links then you should concentrate on opinion forming, authoritative content...
or well researched and evidenced content.
@crestodina #ContentJam
...if you want to create content that achieves a high level of both shares and links then you should concentrate on
strong opinionsoriginal facts
The Power of Research
@crestodina #ContentJam
Why publish research?
1. Numbers are credible2. Owned by you, making you the primary source3. The outreach can grow your network4. Support the sales pitch5. Research gets more links and shares than other content
@crestodina #ContentJam
Why publish research?
1. Numbers are credible2. Owned by you, making you the primary source3. The outreach can grow your network4. Support the sales pitch5. Research gets more links and shares than other content
@crestodina #ContentJam
Why publish research?
1. Numbers are credible2. Owned by you, making you the primary source3. The outreach can grow your network4. Support the sales pitch5. Research gets more links and shares than other content
@crestodina #ContentJam
Why publish research?
1. Numbers are credible2. Owned by you, making you the primary source3. The outreach can grow your network4. Support the sales pitch5. Research gets more links and shares than other content
@crestodina #ContentJam
Why publish research?
1. Numbers are credible2. Owned by you, making you the primary source3. The outreach can grow your network4. Support the sales pitch5. Research gets more links than other content
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina
@crestodina #ContentJam
4,066 websites link to CMI’s research
Three ways to produce research
1. Observation: Pick a data set. Gather data.
2. Aggregation: Combine data from existing sources
3. Survey: Mass outreach and analysis
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
observation
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
aggregation
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
survey
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: 2016 Blogger Survey, Orbit Media
The typical length of a blog post is 900 words, up 100 words from last year
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
Find the missing stat
@crestodina #ContentJam
Sonia SimoneCCO, Copyblogger Media
Don’t take shortcuts; they take too long.
@crestodina #ContentJam
The Power of Strong Opinion
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina
The power of strong opinion
@crestodina #ContentJam
The power of strong opinion
@crestodina #ContentJam
The power of strong opinion
@crestodina #ContentJam
The power of strong opinion
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina
@crestodina
@crestodina
@crestodina
The power of strong opinion
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
List of Your Strongest Opinions
LOYSO
@crestodina #ContentJam
What do you believe that most people would disagree with?
@crestodina #ContentJam
What do you believe will happen in the future That most people think is unlikely?
@crestodina #ContentJam
What question are people in your industryafraid to answer?
1. Do original research. Publish a statistic that no one else has published.
2. Take a stand. Publish your strongest opinions.
ACTION: Focus on power topics
@crestodina #ContentJam
2. Relationships
Creators
Contributors and “lurkers”
There are two kinds of people on the internet
@crestodina #ContentJam
• Journalists• Authors• Podcasters• Academic Researchers• Event Producers• Bloggers and Blog Editors
Who makes content?
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
Marketers are now journalists. And everybody is a potential source.
1. Mention them in your content2. Ask for a contributor quote3. Include them in an expert
roundup4. Invite them to guest post5. Deep dive interview
source: Online Networking Guide, Orbit Media
5 Ways to Collaborate
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
An ally in creation is an ally in promotion
@crestodina #ContentJam
You get what you give.
@crestodina #ContentJam
It’s called ego bait
@crestodina@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
How many people are waitingfor your article to go live?Make sure it’s not zero.
Share andmention
@crestodina #ContentJam
Or just email your collaborators
@crestodina #ContentJam
Shared!
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
A few online networking tips...
@crestodina #ContentJam
Rapportive
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. One hour call on Skype, G+ Hangout or Blab2. Monthly for one year3. Bring a guest each month4. Miss it twice and you’re kicked out!
Start a Mastermind Group
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. What are you doing that we can promote?2. What are you writing that we can collaborate on?3. What are you doing to be more productive?4. Do I know anyone that you want to meet?
Content Marketing Mastermind Agenda
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. What are you doing that we can promote?2. What are you writing that we can collaborate on?3. What are you doing to be more productive?4. Do I know anyone that you want to meet?
Content Marketing Mastermind Agenda
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. What are you doing that we can promote?2. What are you writing that we can collaborate on?3. What are you doing to be more productive?4. Do I know anyone that you want to meet?
Content Marketing Mastermind Agenda
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. What are you doing that we can promote?2. What are you writing that we can collaborate on?3. What are you doing to be more productive?4. Do I know anyone that you want to meet?
Content Marketing Mastermind Agenda
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
Content should be designed to attract visitors
@crestodina #ContentJam
Optimized for search...
@crestodina #ContentJam
Optimized for social...
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. Actively network with content creators
2. Include them in your content
ACTION: Collaborate with others
@crestodina #ContentJam
3. Link
3. Authority
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. Know your Domain Authority
2. Target phrases only if your authority is in the same range as the other high ranking pages
ACTION: Understand authority and competition
More here: How to increase your Domain Authority
@crestodina #ContentJam
4. Relevance
1. <title>Use the target keyphrase once in the beginning of the title tag
2. <h1>Use the target keyphrase once in the header
3. Body textUse the phrase 2-4 times for each 500 words
Indicate the relevance
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
We’ve been working on an intelligent model... that understands real-world entities and their relationships to one
another: things, not strings.
Amit SinghalGoogle
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
website copyright copyright textwebsite footer examplesheader and footerwebsite footer definitionat the bottom of the pagedesigning a website footerfat footerguidelinesstandardsbest practices
usabilitycontentideas inspirationlinks SEOsitemapsocial medianavigationpurpose of responsivetemplate
Semantically linked to “footer design”
@crestodina #ContentJam
website copyright copyright textwebsite footer examplesheader and footerwebsite footer definitionat the bottom of the pagedesigning a website footerfat footerguidelinesstandardsbest practices
usabilitycontentideas inspirationlinks SEOsitemapsocial medianavigationpurpose of responsivetemplate
Semantically linked to “footer design”
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina
@crestodina #ContentJam
The Results?Let’s take a look...
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
Rankings climb for “website footer design”
@crestodina #ContentJam
What was the search volume in the Keyword Planner?
@crestodina #ContentJam
And finally, the traffic
@crestodina #ContentJam
...and the links
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. Find the words and phrases that are semantically linked to your target phrase
2. Use those phrases within your content
ACTION: Adapt to semantic search
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
Make the best page on the internet for your topic. Be the best answer.
5. Rank
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: “Determining the informational, navigational and transactional intent of Web queries” Bernard Jansen, et al
Online searches by type
Informational
Transactional
Navigational
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: “Determining the informational, navigational and transactional intent of Web queries” Bernard Jansen, et al
Online searches by type
Informational
Transactional
Navigational
?$
brand
Two types of visitors.Two types of phrases.Two types of pages.Two types of conversions.
6. Traffic
@crestodina #ContentJam
Rank ≠ Click
CTR by Search Position
source: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/ctrstudy/
@crestodina #ContentJam
CTR by Search Position
source: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/ctrstudy/
@crestodina #ContentJam
source
@crestodina #ContentJam
source
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: Klipfolio
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. Setup the Klipfolio report: www.klipfolio.com/contentjam
2. Find queries that underperform based on expected CTR
3. Polish up that title and meta description...number ...emotion ...benefits ...etc.
ACTION: Optimize your clickthrough rates
@crestodina #ContentJam
7. Conversion Rate
@crestodina #ContentJam
Your website is the mousetrap.Your content is the cheese.
Barry FeldmanFeldman Creative
Clear contentAnswers to Q’sEvidence & Trust
ConfusionAnxietyDistraction
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
They ask. You answer.
Marcus SheridanThe Sales Lion
20x longer+30% conversion rate
source: Crazy Egg
Answer top questions
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
A great sales page emulates a sales conversation.
Addevidence
@crestodina #ContentJam
Addevidence
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
Where is the worst place to put a testimonial??
But nevermake a pagelike this.
@crestodina #ContentJam
Remove distractions
@crestodina #ContentJam
1. Answer top questions. Emulate a sales conversation.
2. Add evidence to every page on your website.
3. Remove distraction.
ACTION: Optimize for the conversions
@crestodina #ContentJam
Hello, lead!
Create high quality, original content...
in collaboration with relevant influencers...
that organically attracts enough links and authority...
that our search optimized product and service pages...
rank for the transactional phrases...
attracting targeted visitors...
to our compelling, trustworthy websites...
so we get new leads everyday.
Leads ...everyday!
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
Create high-quality original content in collaboration with relevant influencers that organically attracts enough links
and authority that our search optimized product and service pages rank for the transactional phrases
attracting targeted visitors to our compelling, trustworthy websites so we get new leads everyday.
CRO
Social Media
Research
Writing
OutreachSEO
Analytics
Sales
T-Shaped Digital Marketer
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: MOZ
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: MOZ
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: MOZ
@crestodina #ContentJam
source: MOZ
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina #ContentJam
CRO
Social Media
Research
Writing
OutreachSEO
Analytics
Sales
Creative
Friendly
Creative
Creative
FriendlyAnalytical
Analytical
Friendly
@crestodina #ContentJam
Great marketers arecreative, analytical and friendly.
@crestodina #ContentJam
@crestodina
Why are we all here again?
@crestodina #ContentJam
To learn. To make friends.
Why are we all here again?
@crestodina #ContentJam
To learn. To make friends.
Why are we all here again?
@crestodina #ContentJam
To learn. To make friends.
Thank you!
Andy Crestodina@crestodina | #ContentJam