Google is getting more aggressive about calling out fake news in Google search results. Last October, Google announced that publishers could use schema markup to “show a ‘Fact Check’ tag in Google News for news stories. This label identifies articles that include information fact checked by news publishers and fact-checking organizations.”

This week the “fact check” label rolled out to all of Google Search.

Marking up the HTML code of a Share the Facts box with Schema.org’s ClaimReview schema could result in a “fact check” label in search results. Here’s an example seen in a live SERP:

The tech behind Google’s label was developed as a joint venture between Duke University Reporters’ Lab and Alphabet Inc.’s Jigsaw incubator (Alphabet is Google’s parent company). The effort of these two groups produced the Share the Facts Widget which inserts into the HTML code of an article or blog post a “Share the Facts” box that includes a claim/statement and whether or not it is true.

ShareTheFacts.com said of its widget code:

“Share the Facts boxes are also fully machine-readable, enabling new ways of assembling automated collections of fact-check findings from across the Internet.”

This new rich snippet in search results is a game changer for SEO. That’s because users now have a way to verify the accuracy of a claim even before they’ve clicked a result. It is also a continuation of Google’s present initiatives to curtail the visibility of fake news. You can read more about this in the original post below.

The concept of “fake news” exploded into the public zeitgeist at the end of the 2016 presidential election season. It’s been in the spotlight ever since.

Google is among those concerned with fake news, as we learn from a December 2016 interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Pichai says:

At Google, we’ve always cared about bringing the most relevant and accurate results to users … There have been a couple of instances where (fake news has) been pointed out, and we clearly did not get it right … Just in the last two days we announced that we will remove advertising from anything we identify as fake news.

Pichai’s focus here is towards paid advertisements, but with all the buzz over fake news in the media, SEOs are asking questions about the effect of fake news on organic search.

The bottom line is that Google needs to provide users with quality answers that accurately fulfill the intent of their users’ queries.

So why should SEOs care? What can you do? These are questions organic search marketers are wondering.

Trying to Control Fake News

Is fake news beyond Google’s ability to control? You can bet the search engines don’t take that stance.

Google and Bing are able to verify the accuracy of content to some extent. And the search engines are already in a good position to mitigate the spread of fake news in organic search results.

Read on for what we know about:

• How Google is looking to algorithmically promote factually accurate content in search results.
• How Google is training its computer programs to find and weed out fake news via a fresh update to its human quality rater guidelines.
• Plus, how you can integrate trustworthy factual information into your content using database-driven data.

Algorithmic Solution to Factual Accuracy in Search Results: Google’s Database of Facts

Two years ago the SEO community saw the first sign of prominent Googlers arguing for the usage of factual evidence instead of backlinks as the primary way of measuring domain authority.

New Scientist summed up the idea in an article titled “Google wants to rank websites based on facts not links.” The article summarized a lengthy research paper outlining a potential change to the way Google would rank sites organically.

For many SEOs, the paper implied that if a web page appropriately mentioned accurate factual evidence, this could contribute to its trustworthiness and thus boost organic rankings. This makes sense, especially since everyone knows that content is king.

Additionally, the paper’s argument is in line with a patent that Google filed a decade prior about how to extract and catalog factual evidence from “unstructured documents and build an oracle for various domains” (emphasis ours).

From these documents we can posit that:

1. Google has a large repository of factual evidence that it has been building for years and can reference as necessary.
2. Google is very interested in measuring the factual accuracy of sites so it can be certain users are served the correct answer to any question.

If Google and other search engines place such a high value on accurate facts, then it is imperative that SEOs be aware of how publishing fact vs. fiction could affect them.

Furthermore, there’s some evidence that Google is working toward taking action algorithmically to reduce the visibility of sites that publish fake news…

Update of the Search Quality Rater Guidelines

While Google has said nothing officially about penalizing a site for inaccurate facts, we’re seeing signs that factual information is important in the search engine’s eyes.

Just last week, Google published an update to its Search Quality Rater Guidelines. In her post summarizing what’s changed, Jennifer Slegg suggests that algorithmic action is the intended goal of the guidelines that help human quality raters identify fake news pages on the web.

“(Google engineer Paul) Haahr said that they needed to make these specific changes to the guidelines in order to have training data from the raters. And the need for training data would mean they are looking for ways to algorithmically detect and downrank sites that fall into the categories of fake news, hate sites or other sites with dubious and unbacked theories or claims.”

Steps You Can Take To Avoid Being Labeled ‘Fake News’

Being perceived as authoritative in the eyes of the search engines is not easy. Here’s what you have to do to pass Google’s factual accuracy check:

• Use trusted sources whenever possible.
• Fact check when reviewing content. Look for verification of anything passed off as factual on your pages.
• Avoid sharing information with your users that could be false.

And here’s another pro tip. Where possible, integrate trustworthy factual information into your content using database-driven data.

Here’s an example of this tip. Real estate sites are especially interested in offering users information about a given geographic area. The aim is to help people learn more about the area of a home, which in turn promotes conversions.

The local data that Trulia publishes on a property listing page are area demographics, nearby businesses, schools and crime statistics. These stats are taken from third-party databases. The inclusion of these publicly available statistics is advantageous because Google sees these facts and weighs them as valuable information that helps a visitor with the intent of learning more about the property in question.

Thus, by adding this information to the rest of the content on the page, Trulia (and other real estate sites that do the same) have better fulfilled the intent of the query by being a one-stop-information-shop for users.

Similarly, Public Storage, another well known brand, includes public data on some pages either to improve the user experience or better fulfill the intent of the query.

Below is a screenshot of a storage facility city page that includes a “City Information” tab with indexable content about the region:

Again, the inclusion of this information alone does not make Public Storage the best site, but it does improve the user experience while simultaneously fulfilling the intent of the query in a more enriched and meaningful way.

In summary, if relevant database options like these are available in your industry or associated verticals, then (appropriately) integrate them into your content in order to:

1. Better fulfill query intent.
2. Improve UX.
3. Add to the accurate factual information your pages feature.
4. Set your site apart from your competition as a one-stop shop for searchers.
5. Make your content verifiably accurate.

If you are interested in looking for data sources that might work with your site’s content, you might start with Google Public Data, Data.gov or Qliq. There’s a nice roundup of more databases you can mine over here.

In a world of fake news where facts will be verified, set your pages apart by supporting your content with accurate information.

Quick Caveat about Database-Driven Content

Using facts as a method for measuring authority is not the be all, end all of ranking factors.

In 2015, Google’s Gary Illyes and Bing’s Duane Forrester spoke against building a site off of public data alone.

Obviously, the search engines will have seen or know about any public data you are referencing so, trying to out rank an existing authority is not the best strategy.

Also, the search engines will still consider other factors, so offering only data does not automatically make you the best. As we saw above with Trulia and Public Storage, you need more than just data and facts. A web page with 100 percent facts should not expect to outrank a competing page with the same facts, original content and a stellar UX.

Will Google Take Action to Suppress Fake News?

By updating the Search Quality Rater Guidelines to reflect a concern with identifying fake news, Google has shown it is not about to let undeserving pages slip through to Page 1 rankings.

It is not yet 100 percent clear whether Google will take algorithmic action against fake news or factually inaccurate content or just use manual actions. But from all that we have seen, Google has the means to eventually implement an automated process that suppresses sites with inaccurate factual information in organic results. Since the search engine already goes to great lengths to feature accurate information, this would merely be a continuation of their existing efforts.

If you like what you see, please subscribe to the Bruce Clay Blog.

The post How Fake News Changed SEO & How to Add More Facts to Your Site appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

• Conversions
• Strategy
• FAQ: How can I enhance my website’s SEO through a strategic content plan? 

Conversions

Let’s start with conversions. It is crucial to have clear goals that your website should accomplish for both your business and its visitors. These goals include quote requests, phone calls, store locators, appointment scheduling, subscriptions, or video views. You can align your site design and content offerings by clearly defining your conversions.

Once you have defined your conversions, it’s time to inventory your content and identify areas that require updates. Conduct a thorough crawl of your web pages and create a spreadsheet that includes important details such as URL, HTTP status, last modified date, title tag, description tag, keywords tag, H1 tag, external links, and snippets of body text. This inventory will help you identify outdated content, pages with errors, and main theme hub pages that should receive more attention.

Analyze your page’s traffic sources and determine which sources bring your website the most traffic. Identify the pages where visitors spend more time and the pages they quickly bounce from. This data will provide valuable insights into user behavior and help you prioritize your content updates.

In addition to analyzing performance, gathering user feedback is essential. Take the time to read your website and navigate through its various sections. Reacquaint yourself with the site’s navigation, information, conversion paths, and search traffic. Ask friends or colleagues to read your pages and provide feedback. Conduct user tests by having individuals navigate through specific scenarios and record their experiences. This feedback will give you a better understanding of how your customers are experiencing your site and help you identify areas for improvement.

Strategy

With a clear understanding of user behavior and feedback, it’s time to implement your strategy. Consider your website’s architecture and ensure it aligns with how users navigate it. Implement SEO siloing techniques, where each big idea or category of your website becomes a pillar with supporting content. Link relevant pages within each silo to maintain a concentrated theme and improve rankings due to subject relevance. Our SEO guide provides a step-by-step process for structuring your website through SEO siloing.

Now that your strategy is in place, it’s time to update your content. Review the inventory spreadsheet and identify pages that need updates or new content creation. Assign keywords to each page that align with its theme and optimize the content for search engines and user experience. Use tools like the SEOToolSet Single Page Analyzer to analyze content optimization and ensure keywords are effectively used. Make sure each page accomplishes its intended purpose and has a clear call to action. Consider how pages link to each other to guide users through the site and discover more relevant content.

To manage the content update process, assign priorities to different pages, and set deadlines for completion. This will help you stay organized and ensure timely progress. Additionally, consider testing different versions of your new content to gather insights on performance. Tools like Content Experiments in Google Analytics allow you to serve different page variations to your visitors’ segments and measure each version’s impact.

Ready to transform your clients’ apprehension into social media success? Partner with our SEO team to navigate fears, unlock opportunities, and propel their business to digital greatness. Contact us. 

FAQ: How can I enhance my website’s SEO through a strategic content plan?

Optimizing your website for search engines is crucial to ensuring online success. Strategic content plans can be one of the best ways to boost the search engine optimization of your website and increase its online visibility. Let’s discuss how we can work together on developing one together.

1. Understanding Buyer Intent:

Begin by identifying the buyer intent search terms relevant to your business. What are users searching for when they land on your site? Conduct thorough keyword research to understand your audience’s needs and align your content with those queries.

2. Quality Over Quantity:

Crafting high-quality content is paramount. Google’s algorithms prioritize content that adds value and answers users’ queries. Ensure your content is well-written, relevant, and engaging, providing a meaningful experience for your audience.

3. Strategic Keyword Placement:

Integrate your target keywords strategically. Place them in the title, meta descriptions, headers, and naturally throughout the content. However, avoid keyword stuffing, as it can harm your SEO efforts.

4. Content Variety:

Diversify your content types. Incorporate blog posts, infographics, videos, and other formats to cater to different audience preferences. This keeps your content fresh and appeals to a broader audience.

5. Regular Content Updates:

Search engines favor regularly updated content. Develop a content calendar and consistently update your website with fresh, relevant information. This signals to search engines that your site is active and reliable.

Transitioning smoothly from one aspect to another ensures a comprehensive understanding of how a strategic content plan can significantly impact your SEO efforts.

Step-by-Step Guide: Enhancing SEO through a Strategic Content Plan

1. Identify Buyer Intent: Begin by researching and understanding the specific search terms reflecting user intent for your industry.
2. Quality Content Creation: Develop high-quality, informative content that addresses your audience’s needs and provides real value.
3. Keyword Integration: Strategically incorporate target keywords in titles, meta descriptions, headers, and naturally throughout your content.
4. Content Variety: For maximum reach, diversify your content to reach a wider audience with infographics, blog posts, videos, and more.
5. Maintain Regular Updates: Create a content calendar so your website remains fresh with informational updates.
6. Engage with Your Audience: Encourage user interaction through comments, social media, and other channels to boost engagement signals.
7. Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly; mobile optimization is crucial for SEO.
8. Page Load Speed: Optimize your website’s speed to enhance user experience and satisfy search engine algorithms.
9. Internal Linking: Strategically incorporate internal links to guide users to other relevant content on your site.
10. Backlink Strategy: Develop a backlink strategy using your high-quality content to build authoritative links, enhancing your site’s credibility in the eyes of search engines.

A strategic content plan is the cornerstone of effective SEO. Understanding buyer intent, creating high-quality content, and implementing various strategies can significantly enhance your website’s visibility in search engine results. Keep evolving your content plan to stay ahead in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape.

This article was updated on December 15, 2023.

The post Keep Your Website Fresh with These Strategies for Updating Your Content appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

• Create an informative article or blog post
• Transform your content into a slide presentation
• Convert your content into an audio file
• Create a video presentation
• Craft an infographic
• Promote your repurposed content 
• FAQ: How can I effectively repurpose my content to engage a wider audience? 

Step 1: Create an Informative Article or Blog Post

Through research you’ve already done on your industry, curate what you know into a blog post. To make your blog content stand out, incorporate eye-catching images or graphics.

Step 2: Transform Your Content into a Slide Presentation

Take your blog content and condense it into a slide presentation. Create a summarized version of your article, highlighting each key point on a separate slide. Enhance the slides with captivating images and graphics that reinforce the message. Platforms like Slideshare allow you to upload your presentation and cross-promote it on LinkedIn. Tools such as Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, or Haiku Deck can help you create visually appealing slides.

Step 3: Convert Your Content into an Audio File

To cater to auditory learners, transform your blog content into an audio file. Record yourself reading the content and edit it. Then, you can upload it to audio hosting platforms like Soundcloud and embed the audio recording on your website and/or blog. Alternatively, utilize a WordPress plugin that offers a text-to-speech solution to give your content a voice. Consider supplementing your content with additional insights and commentary through the audio format.

Step 4: Create a Video Presentation

Combine the audio and slide content to create a short video presentation. Upload the video to platforms like YouTube and optimize it for search engines. You can either create the video yourself using YouTube’s video editor tool, which allows you to overlay audio clips onto slide images, or conduct a Google Hangout and save it as a video on YouTube. Videos are highly engaging and can attract a broader audience.

Step 5: Craft an Infographic

For snack-sized content that is easily shareable on social media, transform your blog post into an infographic. Infographics can provide new insights, present statistics, or emphasize key points from your article. Use online tools like Piktochart or Canva to create visually appealing infographics. If needed, you can also hire professionals from platforms like Fiverr or Upwork to assist you in creating impactful infographics.

Step 6: Promote Your Repurposed Content

The final step is promoting your repurposed content across various mediums. Inform everyone you know about your content and offer them the flexibility to consume it in their preferred way. Whether reading the original article on your blog, accessing the slides on Slideshare, listening to the audio file as a podcast, or watching the video presentation, give your audience options. Providing content in multiple formats accommodates different learning preferences and improves the overall user experience.

Repurposing content engages your audience through different formats and extends the longevity of your content. Not to mention, it saves valuable time. Following our six steps, you can start repurposing your content today!

Revitalize your content strategy today—maximize reach, save time, and captivate your audience by repurposing your valuable content using these six expert steps. Contact us. 

FAQ: How can I effectively repurpose my content to engage a wider audience?

The art of repurposing content has emerged as a crucial strategy to captivate a broader audience. Leveraging this approach maximizes the value of your existing content and enhances your reach and engagement. As an expert in the field, let me guide you through the key steps to repurpose your content and amplify its impact effectively.

1. Understand Your Audience Dynamics:

Before embarking on the repurposing journey, delve into the analytics of your existing content. Identify the pieces that have resonated the most with your audience. Recognizing your audience’s preferences and behaviors provides a solid foundation for tailoring your content.

2. Uncover Untapped Platforms:

Explore diverse platforms beyond your usual channels. From podcasts to visual content on platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, each medium has its unique audience. Understand the nuances of these platforms and adapt your content to suit their expectations. This diversification can significantly broaden your audience base.

3. Transform, Don’t Duplicate:

Repurposing doesn’t mean duplicating. Instead, transform your content into different formats. If you have a well-received blog post, consider turning it into an engaging video or a podcast. This attracts a different audience and caters to various learning preferences.

4. Keep SEO at the Core:

Integrate relevant keywords strategically. Identify the primary and secondary keywords associated with your content and infuse them seamlessly. This not only boosts your search engine visibility but also aligns your repurposed content with the search intent of your target audience.

5. Create Compelling Visuals:

Visual appeal is paramount. Invest time in crafting eye-catching visuals that complement your content. Infographics, charts, and custom images enhance the aesthetic appeal and make the information more digestible for your audience.

As you embark on this content repurposing journey, remember that adaptability and creativity are your allies. By adapting and tailoring your content for various platforms and media platforms, you can reach a wider audience.

Step-by-Step Guide: Repurposing Your Content for Maximum Engagement

1. Audience Analysis:

Begin by analyzing your existing content to understand your audience’s preferences and behaviors.

2. Platform Exploration:

Identify untapped platforms beyond your usual channels that align with your audience’s interests.

3. Transformation, Not Duplication:

Repurpose your content into different formats, such as videos, podcasts, or visually appealing graphics.

4. SEO Integration:

Strategically infuse relevant keywords to enhance search engine visibility and align with audience search intent.

5. Visual Appeal:

Invest in compelling visuals, including infographics and custom images, to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your content.

Continue these steps with creativity and adaptability, ensuring each piece of repurposed content contributes to a comprehensive and engaging online presence.

Understanding your audience and diversifying platforms are crucial elements in effectively repurposing content. Following these expert tips can help expand your reach while making an impressionful statement in today’s ever-evolving digital sphere.

This article was updated on December 14, 2023.  

The post A 6-Step Guide for Repurposing Content appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

But what about just two phrases? Can we optimize a page for a primary and secondary keyword? Yes. Here’s a guide to targeting secondary keywords.

1. Look for overlapping words.

Ideally, the two keyphrases share words. Even better, the primary keyword is a subset of the secondary keyword. Here are some examples:

• Bad: “Social media for beginners” and “Twitter tips”

These phrases may share a meaning, but they don’t share any words.

• Good: “How to research keywords” and “Keyword research tips”

These two phrases both share two words, keyword and research, but the words appear in different order within the phrases.

• Better: “Google Authorship markup” and “Google Authorship”

Here, the second phrase is contained within the first phrase. One phrase is really just a more specific version of the other.

2. Look for semantics and synonyms.

You’re not done researching a keyword until you’ve actually searched for it in Google. When you do that search, you’ll see the keyword bolded in the search results. Look closely and you may find words you didn’t search for, bolded in those same search results.

Google engineers call this “latent semantic indexing.” Google is showing pages that include words that are semantically linked to the words for which you search. Often, they’re actual synonyms.

For example, a search for “search engine optimization” will show you search results with the word “SEO” bolded in some listings.

When you notice these words, it’s a sign that you can target both words, even if you’re just using one of them. Now you know that you can target a secondary keyword that shares the same meaning as the primary keyword, even if the actual words aren’t the same.

3. Add internal links using both phrases.

Once you’ve finished your keyword research and written the page with proper SEO best practices, it’s time to go live! But there’s a final step in the process: creating links to the page.

Yes, Google may think you’re a spammer if all the links to a given page include the exact text of the target keyphrase. This kind of over-optimization led to penalties for many websites in 2012. But if you haven’t been doing hard-core SEO, you probably don’t have many “exact match keyword links,” so I recommend the following:

Find other pages on your site (or older posts in your blog) that mention the topic of your new page. You can do this by searching through your own site on Google. Just search for “site:www.yourwebsite.com [topic/keyword].” You’ll soon be looking at a list of pages that are candidates for internal links to the new page.

If there are at least two, create one link to the new page using the primary keyword as the text in the link. Create another link on another page using the secondary keyword. Each link is an indication of relevance to Google. Two links containing two phrases from two different pages will indicate relevance of the page for both phrases.

Pro tip: Links from other websites are always stronger indications of relevance. Look for opportunities to guest blog on other websites and write posts related to your page. When some of these guest posts link using the primary keyword and other posts link using the secondary keyword, you’re indicating relevance for both phrases!

Watch Your Rank

When targeting one more general keyword and another more specific keyword, you’re likely to find that the longer, more specific phrase is the first to rank. If it does, you may love what happens next.

The page ranks for the more specific phrase, gets visits, and maybe gets mentioned by others on their websites, which could result in new inbound links. Then, when they link to it, those links may help it rank higher for the more general phrase causing traffic to jump, then jump again.

For this to work, the content has to be really, really good.

Ultimately, the idea is to give Google evidence that your website is trustworthy, which can help everything on your domain rank a bit better. That’s what SEO is all about. Start narrow until you build up your authority. Then you can go wider. Targeting secondary keywords can make implementing that technique on a single page possible.

EDITOR’S NOTE: See our SEO Guide for direction on how to choose the best keywords and much more.

The post Secondary Keywords: How to Target Two Phrases on One Page appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

As a community manager and a blogger, I have 2 main needs for images:

1. Including them in BCI blog posts to break up text and add visual interest
2. Posting images to social media to share blog and other BCI content

What you’ll know by the end of reading this is:

• Where I get images, both free and paid services
• How to make a graphic-text mash-up using Google Drive that will get noticed in the midst of noisy Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ streams

Free Images and Paid Stock Photo Services

The stock photo site I use is Dreamstime.com because the price is right and the selection passes muster. If you use advanced search to set the price slider bar to the lowest setting, you’ll find images available for 1 credit in the extra small size. Extra small is usually around 480 px by 320 px, which is fine for both my purposes (blog posts and social media posts).

Credits will run you $1.36 if you buy the smallest credit package down to about $1 if you buy 120 credits at a time; 250+ credit packages save you even more cents.

Other Stock Photo Services

I checked out some stock photo site comparisons to get an idea of what else is out there and how they stack up. In 6 Stock Photography Services Compared I learned that FREEIMAGES is the most popular free stock photo library, yet it has a limited selection. Among the most popular paid services, iStockphoto has the most massive library and Getty Images has a complicated pricing and licensing scheme.

Getting Images for Free Online

As long as you’re not looking for high-res or print quality images, you’ve got some good, free options online.

Creative Commons

When using images with Creative Commons licenses, the attribution requirement adds a hurdle to the graphic mash-up use for images I describe later since it adds another element to what must be included in the graphic. But, CC images are great for blog posts.

For a long time, I used Creative Commons licensed photos on Flickr that allow commercial use and derivatives. For use in blog posts, Flickr makes it easy to use Creative Commons licensed images, and the “share” function gives you HTML code including the required attribution. The Creative Commons site search includes Flickr, Google Images, Open Clip Art Library and Pixabay for images, and a number of media and music sources as well.

You can also search Wikimedia‘s library of free images, a collection with Creative Commons copyrights, free documentation licenses or no copyright.

For free images you can also search EveryStockPhoto.com, a search engine for free photos across a number of sources and including a variety of license types.

Public Domain

You can also search Flickr’s collection The Commons, images that have passed into the public domain and belong to everyone, mostly due to their being old. You’ll find awesome vintage photos, advertising, illustrations and art that have passed into public use and can give modern blog and social posts refreshing classic flare. Since they don’t have copyright or licensing requirements, you can use public domain images for the graphic mash-up use which we get into next!

The Graphic Text Mash-up Promo

This is my little trick for sharing blog posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ to get a little more attention than straight text updates.

As you may have noticed, recent layout updates to Facebook and Google+ have put an emphasis on visual media. Skyrocketing mobile use of Facebook, along with other social media apps, was a big reason behind Facebook’s update last March. Images show up larger in the News Feed and may also get priority in the ranking algo. An update to Google+ around the same time also made images feature more heavily. And in the endlessly updating churn of a Twitter stream, a picture attachment makes tweets stand out and, as pictures are worth a thousand words, lets you extend your message past 140 characters.

The graphic should include these three vital components:

1. Image to grab fan/follower attention within a feed or stream
2. A link to drive a viewer to your site
3. Text that promises a payoff from clicking through

You can opt to include a logo for branding purposes as well. Note that if there’s text in the logo, it would add to your text to image ratio which Facebook limits to 20% for ads and promoted content. More on that below.

Creating A Graphic with Google Drive

I use the drawing function in Google Drive to add text on top of images. It’s super easy and Google gives you a ton of font options as well as shapes, arrows, and call-outs you can add to the drawing. Here, you can see a graphic mash-up I created last week to promote our Thank You page series.

1. Sign in to Google Drive at https://drive.google.com/ and create a Drawing.

2. Insert an image that you own or one sanctioned for public use.

3. Create a custom short link to the content. If you’ve got a registered Bitly account you can customize links, and in the Elvis example here you can see I created a custom link “typagecro,” which I chose to suggest “Thank You page CRO” (conversion rate optimization). Another bonus of a registered Bitly account is that you can track clicks on your short links.

4. Insert text on top of the image. These are elements #2 and #3 in my list of three critical components.

   (#2) Include the custom short link, which a viewer can type into their address bar since it’s short and easy to understand. Of course, also include a hyperlink in the image caption or tweet.

   (#3) Include a promise of what’s to come in the full article, or hint at what the full content contains. If it’s a “Top 3 Reasons Why…” post, then you may want include the three reasons right there in the image with an invitation to get all the info in the full post. In the Elvis example I included a brief description of what was covered in each of the two-parts of the Thank You page CRO series. Try to make this message seductive, whatever that means for you and your content.

5. When the graphic is done, go to File > Download as > JPEG, and then save it.

A Quick Note About Design

I’ve taken one graphic design class, one web design class, and a handful of painting and photography classes, so while I’m not a professional designer, I’ve certainly been exposed to the rules of good composition. I think these are the basics to keep in mind when you’re creating mash-ups.

• Make sure text is clearly legible. Black on white is best. White on black is hard for the eye to process. If text is anything besides dark text on light, not-busy background, then make sure text is legible in other ways, such as increasing font thickness or putting a background color behind the text.
• Use no more than two font types. At least one should be extremely easy to read; sans serif fonts are generally easier to read online than serif fonts. The other font can be stylized, used as an accent, and in small amounts.
• For the most part, text should align left. It’s hard for the eye to follow a ragged left edge
• White space is a component of good design, especially in the modern aesthetic. While the graphic will likely be dense as you’re trying to communicate a lot in a little space, available white space should be a consideration in choosing the image.

If you want to get a background in some basics of design, I recommend Bootstrapping Design, a $39 ebook. It’s written for programmers, but I like it because it’s accessible design fundamentals for a non-artist set. Considering we’re in an age where everyone can publish online content, learning the basics of good design is an investment that will payoff.

Facebook Guidelines for Text in Images

Shortly after Facebook’s update in March, it made a new rule limiting text in images used in ads, sponsored stories and Page cover photos to 20%. If you plan to “promote” the Facebook post including an image, pay to boost its visibility or turn it into an ad, the surface area of the image that includes text has to stay under 20%.

I’ll also note here that image posts as they’re displayed on a Facebook Wall favor portrait orientation and will cut off the left and right sides of landscape oriented images. If you’re using a landscape image, then try to keep the text within the area that is “center square” to the height of the image. I’ve illustrated the center square in this drawing.

Yep, I made that in Google Drive, too.

Interested in more design tips?
Learn how you can Create an Infographic for Free!

The post How to Make a Graphic-Text Mash-up to Promote Blog Content on Facebook appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

• Understanding the role of a content marketing questionnaire
• Content marketing cover sheet 
• FAQ: How can I efficiently manage multiple content marketing projects with a content marketing cover sheet?

Understanding the Role of a Content Marketing Questionnaire

Before delving into the specifics of a content marketing cover sheet, it’s crucial to recognize the significance of a content marketing questionnaire. This questionnaire serves as a vital exercise for building an effective SEO and content strategy. By having key players and the marketing head of a company answer targeted questions, you can gain valuable insights into the brand’s identity, competitive landscape, audience groups, brand voice, and content successes and failures.

To further understand the content marketing questionnaire and its role, we recommend exploring the following resources:

Tackle SEO Web Content Writing with Ease:

This resource provides a bullet list of topics that your questionnaire can cover to gain a deep understanding of brand identity and the competitive landscape. It also offers valuable suggestions for client and project management during the early stages of content development, along with helpful tips for non-writers who may be responsible for online business writing.

Content Boot Camp: Your Company Is Great, So What?

In part 2 of this content boot camp series, you’ll discover the process of drafting an interview questionnaire. Asking the right questions and seeking relevant information without a predefined outcome is a crucial skill for any copywriter or content creator. This series is a must-read for anyone involved in writing compelling web copy.

The Content Marketing Cover Sheet

Once you have gathered essential information through the content marketing questionnaire, it’s time to distill the goals and requirements of the business into a concise project profile. Your content marketing cover sheet acts as a roadmap for your content creation efforts, allowing you to save time and energy when switching between projects.

Key Elements of the Content Marketing Cover Sheet: To create an effective content marketing cover sheet, include the following elements:

Hours or Pages per Month: Outline the agreed-upon number of hours or pages dedicated to the project as defined in the contract. This helps establish a clear scope of work and manage time effectively.

Scope of Work: Specify whether the focus is on optimizing and editing existing website content or writing new content from scratch. Understanding the scope of work ensures that you stay aligned with the client’s expectations.

Cultivated Voice of the Brand: Highlight the brand’s unique voice and tone that you aim to convey through your content. This element ensures consistency and helps you establish a strong brand identity.

What Sets the Brand Apart: Identify the key differentiators that distinguish the brand from its competitors. Knowing what makes your brand unique allows you to create content that resonates with your target audience.

A content marketing cover sheet can be a game changer, so follow the steps and strategies we’ve outlined.

Ready to streamline your content projects and maintain brand consistency effortlessly? Start using Content Marketing Cover Sheets today and stay intimately connected with your client’s goals. Contact us.

FAQ: How can I efficiently manage multiple content marketing projects with a Content Marketing Cover Sheet?

Managing multiple content marketing projects can be a daunting task. One effective solution that savvy professionals employ is a Content Marketing Cover Sheet. This invaluable tool streamlines project management, ensuring efficiency and organization. Let’s delve into the key strategies for harnessing the power of a Content Marketing Cover Sheet to supercharge your content marketing endeavors.

1. Centralized Project Overview:

Begin by creating a centralized Content Marketing Cover Sheet that comprehensively overviews all ongoing projects. Include project names, key milestones, and deadlines. This serves as a quick reference, allowing you to grasp the entire landscape of your content marketing initiatives at a glance.

2. Detailed Task Breakdown:

Break down each project into specific tasks within the Content Marketing Cover Sheet. This detailed task list helps you allocate resources efficiently and ensures that no crucial aspect of a project is overlooked. It also serves as a roadmap, guiding your team through the intricate process of content creation.

3. Resource Allocation and Team Collaboration:

Utilize the Content Marketing Cover Sheet to allocate resources effectively. Identify team members responsible for each task, fostering collaboration and accountability. This collaborative approach minimizes the risk of bottlenecks and promotes a smooth workflow throughout the project lifecycle.

4. Deadline Tracking and Project Progress:

One of the key features of a Content Marketing Cover Sheet is its ability to track deadlines and project progress. Regularly update the sheet to reflect current status and adjust timelines as needed. This proactive approach ensures that projects stay on schedule and allows for timely intervention in case of deviations.

5. Performance Metrics Integration:

Integrate performance metrics into your Content Marketing Cover Sheet. By tracking key indicators such as engagement, conversion rates, and audience reach, you gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your content marketing strategies. Use this data to refine your approach and enhance future projects.

The use of a Content Marketing Cover Sheet is a game-changer for efficiently managing multiple content marketing projects. From providing a centralized project overview to fostering team collaboration and integrating performance metrics, this tool empowers you to easily navigate the complex landscape of content marketing. By incorporating these strategies into your workflow, you’ll streamline your processes and elevate your content’s impact in the digital sphere.

Step-by-Step Guide: Efficiently Managing Multiple Content Marketing Projects with a Content Marketing Cover Sheet

1. Create a Comprehensive Content Marketing Cover Sheet:

Begin by crafting a centralized sheet that includes project names, key milestones, and deadlines.

2. Break Down Projects into Specific Tasks:

Outline detailed tasks for each project within the Cover Sheet to guide your team through content creation.

3. Allocate Resources Effectively:

Use the Cover Sheet to assign team members to specific tasks, promoting collaboration and accountability.

4. Track Deadlines and Project Progress:

Regularly update the Cover Sheet to reflect current project status and adjust timelines as needed.

5. Integrate Performance Metrics:

Enhance the Cover Sheet by incorporating performance metrics, allowing you to refine future strategies based on data insights.

6. Regularly Review and Update:

Schedule regular reviews of the Content Marketing Cover Sheet to ensure it remains an accurate reflection of project statuses and deadlines.

7. Encourage Open Communication:

Foster a culture of open communication within your team to address any challenges or adjustments needed promptly.

8. Utilize Collaboration Tools:

Leverage project management and collaboration tools to enhance communication and streamline workflow.

9. Implement Feedback Loops:

Establish feedback mechanisms to improve content quality and project efficiency continuously.

10. Stay Agile and Flexible:

Be ready to adapt to changes by maintaining flexibility in your project timelines and strategies.

11. Prioritize High-Impact Tasks:

Identify and prioritize tasks that have the highest impact on overall project success.

12. Celebrate Milestones:

Acknowledge and celebrate project milestones to boost team morale and motivation.

13. Address Challenges Proactively:

Anticipate potential challenges and proactively address them to avoid project delays.

14. Encourage Learning and Development:

Foster a culture of continuous learning, allowing team members to enhance their skills and contribute more effectively.

15. Collaborate Across Departments:

Facilitate collaboration between marketing and other departments to ensure alignment with overall business goals.

16. Regularly Assess Content Strategy:

Assess and refine your overall content strategy based on the insights gathered from performance metrics.

17. Ensure Consistent Branding:

Maintain consistency in branding across all content to reinforce brand identity and recognition.

18. Explore New Opportunities:

Stay innovative by exploring new content formats, channels, and opportunities for audience engagement.

19. Optimize SEO Strategies:

Continuously optimize your content for search engines to improve visibility and reach a wider audience.

20. Evaluate and Evolve:

Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your Content Marketing Cover Sheet and associated strategies, making necessary adjustments to enhance efficiency and productivity.

This article was updated on December 12, 2023.

The post Mastering Content Marketing Projects: The Power of a Content Marketing Cover Sheet appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

A study conducted in Germany found Facebook to be as enticing as even the most primal desire, sex, and the most tempting substance, cigarettes. While Facebook’s addictive nature may not be as physiologically demanding, succumbing to its pressure is more difficult. It’s too easy to rationalize another visit to the network as harmless, and so we give in — over and over again.

But like a lashing from a good therapist, Facebook has been hearing it straight from Wall Street. Facebook stock has been descending for weeks as investors are nervous about the company’s long-term prospects. Securing a grip on mobile advertising will be Facebook’s make-or-break moment.

As it goes with most challenges, you’re best to take it as a learning moment. So while Facebook tries to learn what it can about capturing and reaching mobile users, businesses can learn about what makes Facebook so addictive. Mimic some of Facebook’s behaviors to draw users back for more.

Update the site with new content. Give updates about updates.

Why do I return to Facebook every five minutes? Because something new may have been posted! I’m like a lab rat pressing a lever, hoping that each time I’ll be rewarded with some content treat. Facebook has made it easy to identify new content in your network, with a chronological mini-feed and an algorithm ranked main feed both surfacing new and popular shared content.

And of course the power of the little red number in the top left corner can’t be overstated. An instant indication of updates of special interest to you, Facebook tells you the number of high-value updates since you last visited.

Notify users about interactions and favorites on their mobile devices.

Draw your visitors back to the site with any of a number of methods. There are plugins that let commenters subscribe to blog comments. New comments on a thread they posted on sends notifications to the reader’s email address. Facebook has settings that let users set notifications to their mobile device when favorite friends post and when people interact with posts. Getting alerts on your mobile is a surefire way to get people coming back.

Enable sharing to continue conversations.

Of course you want your own content to emulate Facebook content in a very literal way — you actually want your content to be posted to Facebook. Plug your site and content into the social Web with easy sharing. Put those social share buttons in a prominent place near the content. Only include the networks popular with your audience and the type of content published. Only include share buttons on pages that have a high sharing potential. Optimize Meta tags in terms of keywords and length because they’re used by social share buttons when auto-generating the post.

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Yesterday the search engine optimization industry got fresh info from Matt Cutts on the Penguin situation. It’s been about two weeks since the bird first landed, enough time for SEOs to assess any damage and become familiar with the foul consequences of the update. For those suffering under Penguin’s iron wing, a plan of action is needed to identify and remedy the causes of penalties and devaluations. SEO experts have weighed in. Here are the steps for SEOs and webmasters to take to clean-up the link spam Penguin’s after.

Penguin Plan of Attack

1. Diagnosis

How do you know if you were hit by a Google Penguin penalty? Days after the update, Danny Sullivan explained a simple method for detecting Penguin‘s finprints on your site. Review your site’s search traffic immediately after April 24, the day Penguin went live. If your search traffic dropped, you probably got slapped by Penguin. On the flip side, your search traffic may have gone up, in which case you might have benefited at your competitors’ expense. Or perhaps you saw no change at all, in which case good on you.

2. Link Pruning

This is the area where the literature is currently lacking. Our SEO team began engaging in link pruning projects more than six months ago when a client came to us after being hit by the ugly consequences of having purchased 65,000 links. The site was nearly burned to death, but over the course of months of heads-down link pruning the site slowly but surely climbed in rankings. In next week’s SEO Newsletter we outline in detail the link pruning process (updated with the link!), but this is a basic outline of the steps to take to prune rotten backlinks:

1. Identify: You need to gather a comprehensive backlink profile for the site in question. There are several tools available that would accomplish this, including Google Webmaster Tools Backlinks Report, Majestic SEO Site Explorer and SEOmoz Open Site Explorer.
2. Investigate: Go down the list of backlinks to find the rotten ones. It’s a time-intensive step that requires you navigate to each link to evaluate its quality. After a while you may start to get a sense of what’s bad by the URL of the linking page alone. If you opt for using Majestic SEO, you have the benefit of their proprietary ACRank, a quality score that you can use to judge link value.
3. Send Requests: Create a template email requesting link removal that you’ll send to the webmasters in charge of the links identified as low quality. The template should candidly explain that you are an SEO or site owner trying to recover from a Google penalty and would he or she please remove the following links. List the URLs where the links can be found, the URL on your site they point to, the anchor text ─ all the info needed to easily find the link you’re requesting removed. To send the request, you may find contact info on the site, you may need to do a whois search, and you may need to do some sleuthing to get names and email addresses.
4. Follow Up and Repeat: Expect to receive four types of responses to your requests: ● Remove link and tell you. ● Remove link and not tell you. ● Not reply or do anything. ● Will remove the link if you pay them. In the case of the first, verify by going to the page where the link was and if the link was removed, check it off the list. If you haven’t gotten any response back from a contact in 2 weeks, check to see if the link has been removed. It may or may not. If it’s been removed, cross it off the list. If it hasn’t been removed, send a follow-up request.The process of link pruning requires multiple cycles. Each successive cycle will see more links removed. If you run across a webmaster requesting payment for link removal, let’s just say there’s a search engine who will be very interested to hear about this.
5. Communicate with Google: Throughout this process you must keep detailed records of your actions. A spreadsheet with columns for the linking URL, the contact name, the contact email, the date a request was sent, and responses or actions taken by the linking site. In the end you will not be able to extract all dubious links from the site but you will want to be able to show you’ve done everything in your power to extract manipulative links from your backlink profile.

In an interview with Eric Enge of Stone Temple Consulting, Bruce shares some stories of link pruning projects we’ve undertaken.

2. Reporting False Positives (Alternative)

If you saw a downturn in rankings or traffic around the time Penguin launched and you believe you were inappropriately affected, then there is a form for reporting false positives.

3. Waiting…

Once you’re confident you’ve cleaned up your link profile, all that’s left to do is wait. Penguin is an algorithm update, so it doesn’t fall under the auspice of manual intervention and related reconsideration requests. See Matt’s explanation of the difference between handling spam based on manual action versus algorithm detection. Today’s report from Danny held a frightening possibility:

“Again, recovery means cleaning up the spam. If you’ve cleaned and still don’t recover, ultimately, you might need to start all over with a fresh site, Cutts said.”

But before you worry if that’s the boat you’re in, swab the deck and wait until the next refresh of Penguin. Penguin, like Panda, is a filter that Google will tweak and push out again. Since the original launch, Google’s spam team has taken all the info they’ve received from webmasters, analyzed the damage from the first blast and made improvements to the Penguin spam filter which we’ll see next time it gets pushed. If your link pruning was effective, you’ll see it reflected in your search traffic and rankings.

Need more? Our SEO Penalty Assessment services can help your website business recover. Call us: 1-866-517-1900

The post How to Remove Link Spam for Google Penguin Recovery appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

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If you want to make strides in social media, you have to make time for social media. And that’s what we’re talking about today – taking control of your schedule in a way that makes social media work for your success, not against it.

Organize Your Social Media Channels and Opportunities

Creating a social media calendar is a lot like creating an editorial calendar. Identify opportunities to engage and create content ahead of time, and fill in the blanks where needed.

Start by listing out all the social networks you’re committed to, and within each one, list opportunities for engagement. For example, one social network’s planning could look something like this:

Facebook opportunities:

• Photos
• Contests
• Events
• Community engagement

Then, in each one of those categories, further define what will comprise them. For example:

• Photos: Staff photos out and about; staff photos in house; event photos for industry get-togethers; event photos for industry conferences.
• Contests: Community-driven photo contest promoting upcoming launch of service.
• Events: Industry events, training courses, executive travel calendar.
• Community engagement: Thought-provoking questions, news items, polls and surveys, commenting on other Fan pages and profiles.

Do this for every social network you engage in. And now you’re well on your way to creating a calendar. Next up is:

Schedule Social Media Communications by Priority and Task

Of your social media opportunities for each channel, identify what items are more recurring and what items have a ‘laxed timeline. Pulling from the example above, you may find that a contest runs only quarterly or every six months; updating events is once per month; opportunities for uploading photos are bi-monthly and community engagement is daily.

Once you have that down, you can begin to think about breaking things into digestible chunks that are part of your work tasks. To build on that idea, remember that social media isn’t just about pushing communications outward, but also about planning for engagement.

Your calendar should also include a schedule of how quickly you respond to your community’s inquiries and conversations by medium. Some mediums require a faster response than others, for example a blog versus Facebook versus Twitter.

You might have a schedule that says something like:

• Facebook responses: By end of business day, respond to community members.
• Twitter responses: Use email alerts to respond quickly during standard hours.
• Blog response: Once or twice daily, respond to comments.

And while we’re on the topic of timing, each type of social network can require a different approach in the delivery time and method of communications. Dan Zarella has done some interesting research on the science of social media, including how timing comes into play.

With some experimentation, you may find that you want to increase or decrease your communications for any given social network, or change the time of day you send Twitter or Facebook updates and so on.

And how you’ll track the success of these adjustments relies on how you monitor your social media efforts, which also requires scheduling. Some questions to ponder are:

• How often will you check in on tracking your metrics so that you can tweak the strategy?
• Do some campaigns and channels require a faster response to the data discovered in tracking?
• How will the data and your decisions affect the social media calendar?

Plan Out Your Social Media Calendar

Now that you know which platforms you’re focusing on and the tasks they require, lay out your daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly objectives for each of your social media channels.

To put it into perspective, organizing your social media schedule may look something like this:

Social Media Channels

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Blog

Social Media Elements

• Tasks
• Timing
• Tracking

Daily Tasks

Decide what part of the day is best for you to focus on the daily requirements of social media. If you don’t commit to a timeline, chances are social media will feel overwhelming and induce serious ADD. If your early mornings and late afternoons are the quietest, try working your social media in then.

Weekly Tasks

What part of the work week makes most sense for you to complete the weekly tasks in your social media plan? Is it Monday? Maybe Friday? Set yourself up for success here. You want prioritize social media like you do all your “to dos” for the week.

Monthly Tasks

Here, you’ll decide at what point in the month is the best time to do monthly updates. I happen to like the first of the month, unless a certain industry event warrants an “off” date. If you have a blog calendar, this is also a good time to do that in conjunction. (Side note: for more information on how to keep fully engaged with your blog community weekly, read my post on managing blog relationships and time.)

Once you’ve got it all planned out, it’s time to add it to the calendar that’s in your line of vision every day, so it doesn’t slip.  Here’s a sample of what a social media schedule might look like:

Making social media a part of your work schedule makes it far less overwhelming and way easier to stay in front of your communities consistently. These are my tips for making social media scheduling work, what’s yours? Let us know in the comments below!

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