Achieving Measurable Results with Advanced Business Blogging

Achieving Measurable Results with Advanced Business Blogging

Mark Roberge

HubSpot

@markroberge

Social Media Optimization Summit #optsum

March 23rd, 2010

Agenda

I. Intro to Inbound Marketing

II. Drive SEO through Blogging

III. Blogging Best Practices

IV. Promote Blog in Social Media

V. Convert Blog Traffic to Leads

VI.Measure Blog Success

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Outbound Marketing


Outbound Marketing is Harder

800-555-1234AnnoyingSalesperson

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http://www.apple.com/pr/products/ipod/08classic_front_agreement.html


Inbound Marketing

Blog SEO Social Media

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Inbound Leads Cost 60% Less Than Outbound Leads

Source: survey of hundreds of businesses: HubSpot.com/ROI


Why Inbound Is Cheaper


Reading List Suggestion

Inbound Marketing:Get Found using Google, Social Media and Blogs

Top 5 Web Marketing Book on Amazon

InboundBook.com

Agenda







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How Do You Get to the Top? History of SEO


SEO = Context and Authority

Ranking Algorithm:f(n): Context + Authority


Inbound Marketing – One Strategy not Three

Blog SEO Social Media

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Two Sides of Optimization

On-Page(Context)

Off-Page(Authority)


On-Page SEO (Context)

• Page Title

• Clean URL

• Headers

• Description

Off-Page SEO (Authority)

• Recommendations from friends1. “I know Mark Roberge”2. “Mark Roberge is a blogging expert”3. Seth Godin: Mark Roberge is a blogging expert

• Links are online recommendations

1. A link: www.HubSpot.com2. Anchor text: Internet Marketing3. Link is from a trusted website

http://www.hubspot.com/

http://www.hubspot.com/


The Long Tail

The New Marketplace

Keywords

Po

pu

lari

ty

Long Tail

Head


SEO Tips from Website Grader

Lessons from 2,084,563 websites

More Content, Better Content = Links

Source: Data from selected websites using www.WebsiteGrader.com


Blogging Means More Inbound Links

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More Visitors

20


DISCUSSION QUESTION

What are the best ways to incorporate the rules of SEO into your blogging strategy?

Accounting for SEO in Your Blogging Strategy

• Use keyword tool to drive blog topic selection• Configure blog with On-Page SEO in mind• Include target long tail keywords in blog article titles• Think of blog articles as link bait• Think of blog articles as an army of sales people

working for you forever


Where is Search Going?

BEYOND SEARCH ENGINES

PERSONALIZATION REAL-TIME

DISCUSSION QUESTION

What do the future trends of search mean for your blogging strategy?

Agenda







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DISCUSSION QUESTION

What is the best human resource strategy for blogging?

• Outsource?• CEO vs. Marketing vs. Interns?

Blog Human Resource Strategy

DomainKnowledge

BlogSuccess

Writing Skills Bandwidth

Tips for Post Structure

• Use Headings• 500-800 words (or

shorter!)• Lists are OK (just not too

many)• 1 idea per post


Get Into the Content Mindset

• Make emails into blog posts• Turn forum posts into blog

posts• Shoot videos at events• Interview customers for your

blog• Repurpose company data for

public reports• Share lessons you learn

Flick Photo: Cindiann

DISCUSSION QUESTION

How often should you blog?


Frequency of Blog Articles on HubSpot Blog

31

Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10 Feb-10

Articles 21

30

36

54

54 58

Avg. Views / Article

1,137

1,304

1,305

864 1,522 1,447

Avg. Links / Article

11

11

7

4 8 4

Avg. Comments

/ Article

12

15

15

11 18 13

DISCUSSION QUESTION

Should you have a branded corporate blog or a non-branded industry blog?

Agenda







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DISCUSSION QUESTION

How do you think about your blog and social media strategy working together?


Distribute Your Content

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How to Participate

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WHAT NOT TO DO

• Give your company elevator pitch

• Talk about your product features

• Bash your competition

WHAT TO DO

• Educate / answer their question

• Promote other good content

• Get your subject matter experts involved


Focus Participation on Digital Influencers

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Blogging Increases Twitter Reach >75%

38 Source: survey of hundreds of businesses: HubSpot.com/ROI

Agenda







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Blogs and Social Media is for Leads and Sales



How Does HubSpot Convert Visitors?


Quality Content Behind Forms

Offer – WIIFM?

Offer – WIIFM?

• Whitepapers / eBooks• Research / Studies• Free Tools• Trials & Samples

• NOT “Contact Us”• Value must be greater than the cost…

Landing Pages


Limited Navigation

Keep It Short

32% Conversion

53% Conversion

Don’t Put Form Below the Fold

Agenda







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DISCUSSION QUESTION

How do you measure the success of your blog?

Metric #1: Conversions from Traffic to Leads and Sales

Metric #2: Subscriptions

• A measure of you blog’s total reach• A “sticky” number

Metric #3: Pageviews

• Great for media sites selling display advertising• Potential problems for your business:

• Doesn’t measure RSS• Weak measure of engagement• What’s the business value of a “view”?

Metric #4: Comments

• Quantitatively, a good indicator of engagement• Qualitatively, a great way to listen to market

Metric #5: Inbound Links

• Measure the SEO impact of your blog• An indicator of your blog’s role in outside conversations


Beyond the Blog, Measure Total Reach


Track the Whole Funnel for Each Channel

Leads

SEO Visitors

SEO Customers

Blog Visitors

Blog Customers

PPC Visitors

PPC Customers

Social Media Visitors

Social Media Customers

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Final Thoughts …


Lead Nurture

Landing Pages

SEOSocial Media

CMS Blog Leads AnalyticsExpertis

e

What is HubSpot?

HubSpot

Marketo

WordPress

Ektron

Lead Lander

DrupalWeb CEO

Eloqua

Buzz Metrics

Blogger VTrenzCore

MetricsMktg

SherpaWeb

Position

Google

Manti-core

Radian6MktgProfs

On-Dialog

What is HubSpot?

• Founded in 2006 from research at MIT• Over 2,500 customers• 120+ employees

http://www.vmx09.com/award-nominations

Additional Resources

Grade your website at www.WebsiteGrader.com

Read the Inbound Marketing Book www.InboundBook.com

Take the free Inbound Marketing training www.InboundMarketing.com

Start your free trial of HubSpot software www.HubSpot.com/free-trial

http://www.websitegrader.com/

http://www.inboundbook.com/

http://www.inboundmarketing.com/

http://www.hubspot.com/free-trial

Thank You!#optsum

Mark Roberge

HubSpot

@markroberge

Achieving Measurable Results with Advanced Business Blogging

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Transcript of Achieving Measurable Results with Advanced Business Blogging