Here are the stories that grabbed our attention this week. We hope you find some inspiration before you head out to enjoy the weekend.
- Voice Search and SEO: Why B2B Marketers Need to Pay Attention Now: It’s no secret that voice search technology is already impacting B2C marketing in exciting ways. This article will give you a quick window into the reasons people embrace voice search, which of those reasons are enticing B2B decision-makers and how you should start planning to include it in your strategy. Skeptical? Consider that individuals with executive-level incomes are the most comfortable using voice search, even where others won’t. According to this eMarketer piece, Americans are using voice-enabled technology on our smartphones more than anyone else in the world. Optimizing for voice search now will improve your overall SEO, so it’s worth getting prepared even if you don’t believe your customers are there yet. Author Nate Dame offers some simple ideas for finding your voice.
- The Social Trifecta: Optimizing Owned, Earned and Paid Social Media [Infographic]: Keeping up with which channel is trending can feel like Whack-a-Mole, but this infographic from Tracx suggests a calmer approach – something it calls “The Social Trifecta.” Declines in organic social media performance, for example, don’t mean it’s smart to abandon the strategy entirely. Instead of constantly trying to pick a winner, focus on using owned, earned and paid media to complement one another for the best results. Keep this colorful infographic visible as you refine your plan to turn earned media into owned, and turn owned into paid, to maximize the ROI from all three.
- How Marketers Find Social Media Influencers: There’s no shortage of influencer platforms and agencies promising to help eager marketers connect with social influencers, but a recent report from Bloglovin’ says that most (59%) simply reach out directly. Another 35% are contacted directly by the influencers. Survey respondents said they evaluate social media influencers by assessing the quality or authenticity of their content and by researching the size of their audiences.
- Exploring New York’s Lost Baseball History: Even if you’re not a die-hard baseball fan like I am (Go, Dodgers!) you’re likely to enjoy the interactive Ceros experience that celebrates our national pastime – just in time for the 4th of July weekend. Click on your favorite burrough in the New York skyline to travel to a nostalgic look at its famous baseball park. You’ll be rewarded with quick-hitting key facts about the legendary stadium and a brief video that paints a picture of the ballpark’s history, from before its heyday to its eventual fate. It’s a solid example of interactive storytelling that’s worth a look, whether or not your heart skips a beat when you remember Mike Piazza.
What was your proudest innovative B2B moment this year? There are 19 different categories where you can compete for a 2018 Killer Content Award, and winners are in the running to speak at the 2018 B2B Marketing Exchange in Scottsdale, AZ, in February – just when you’ll be most in need of a productive warm-weather retreat. Be sure to enter your best work before you head out for the long weekend. Happy Independence Day, everyone!
