Marketing Matters with Ryan Sauers on Business Radio X

Unpopular Opinion: PR is the future of Marketing

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 21:34:46 GMT

Unpopular Opinion: Public Relations is the Future of Marketing

By Rand Fishkin February 16, 2025

Public relations is a dying trade. Mainstream media has less influence than ever. Pitching for coverage is a thankless, fruitless task. Yeah, well, I think PR is poised for a massive comeback . Here’s why:

Traditional media may have less influence, but diverse, distributed sources of influence have never, NEVER held more sway over opinions and buying behavior. The 2.5 hours on social media everyday, the 49 minutes on YouTube , the faily 6.5 total hours online , the 22% of Americans who subscribe to email news sources, the 565 million ConvertKit , 50 million Beehiiv , 35 million Substack , and 850K Medium subscribers, the 23% of Americans who listen to 10+ hours of podcasts a week, the 600 million people who use Google Discover every day… and all of these sources of influence are reachable via, you guessed it, public relations .
Want to be atop Reddit? Google News? Apple News? Techmeme? Hacker News? Metafilter? Those Google Discover feeds? Well, you’d better be doing PR, because the visibility algorithms that govern all those places, and the people who create for them are, you guessed it, basing a huge amount of what they create, submit, and click on behind-the-scenes PR efforts.
How about the AI tools and LLMs of the world? Yup, them too. Language models are governed by the “trusted sources,” they crawl, index, and use to build up their text corpora. Three guesses what influences change in those models. Yup, it’s PR-Influenced Content . The ability to influence how people write about, talk about, and publish about you on the web directly impact how AI tools respond to questions about your brand, your field, and whether they include you when prompters ask about the problems you solve.

This week’s 5-Minute Whiteboard is the one to show to your boss, team, client, or c-suite next time they ask why you’re recommending more budget go to influencing and pitching the sources of media—ALL sources of media—that reach your target audience, and the algorithmic indices that index ’em.

Social Video Most Trusted for B2B Tech Buyers

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 12:58:38 GMT

A new survey by LinkedIn confirms social video most “compelling and trusted format” influencing B2B buyers in the technology market.

Social video is the most “compelling and trusted format” influencing B2B buyers in the technology market, according to a new survey by LinkedIn.

Of the over 1,700 B2B technology buyers in the US, UK and India it surveyed, 63% say short-form social video content from industry experts “helps inform buying decisions”. The data is based on the subset of people who already engage with industry influencers during the purchasing process, which is 91% of the overall sample.

Looking at the split across the three countries, short-form social video content is most influential for buyers in India, with 66% saying it helps to inform their buying decisions. It is lower for US and UK buyers, at 59% and 49% respectively.

Drilling further into the specifics, a large majority of buyers (80%) who consume video content say that videos including industry influencers are one of the most trusted formats. Again, this is higher for buyers in India (83%) and slightly lower for US (71%) and UK (79%) buyers.

Of the buyers who consume B2B influencer content, 67% say that it helps to build brand trust and creates “awareness of different products and solutions”. As with the previous figures, this is higher for those in India (72%) than in the US (54%) and UK (52%).

After a recent LinkedIn study revealed that 81% of B2B video adverts fail to gain ‘adequate attention or drive recall’ , it seems that influencer-led social video is a better way to catch the attention of B2B buyers.

Diving deeper

Looking more closely at the demographic split, Gen Z buyers engage with B2B influencer content more than any other generation of buyers. A significant majority (90%) of Gen Z buyers who are aware of influencer marketing, engage with B2B influencer content on a monthly basis. This is 11% higher than all other buyers, suggesting that as more Gen Z buyers join the buying group, influencer content will become increasingly important.

Diving into the industry split, more than two-thirds (67%) of B2B buyers in the IT sector who are aware of influencer marketing, say that an industry expert plays a “critical” role in the consideration stage of the buying process. In the tech buying process, nearly 50% of all respondents say their use of B2B subject matter experts “will increase over the next three years”.

It has become increasingly apparent that influencers are an important part of marketing in the B2B space. The global market for B2B influencers has grown 20-fold since 2016 , according to Influencing Business – a report on the sector from Ogilvy released at the beginning of this year. Three quarters of B2B marketers have used influencers, and more than half (53%) of the remaining companies surveyed for the report were considering them.

40% of Podcast Listeners Plan on Increasing Consumption

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 15:50:47 GMT

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of those surveyed listen to or watch the podcast ads half the time or more.

Seven in ten podcast listeners spend six or more hours each week listening to podcasts, and a sizable number expects their listening habits will grow. In established markets including the U.S., a survey by Acast finds 38% of podcast listeners think they will spend even more time with the medium in the coming six months. But it is a worldwide tide. The new global podcast listener report from Acast reveals that over 95% of podcast listeners expect to spend the same amount of time, or even more, listening to podcasts in the next six months.

Acast CEO Ross Adams credits that to the vast array of content available in podcasting, where it can serve as a sort of antidote to the short-form world filled with doom scrolling.

“It highlights the uniqueness of the medium and the relationship — and that they’re going to spend more time with it highlights that there is a wealth yet to be discovered within podcasting, and what the medium itself is doing to people’s mental health well-being, and the relationship they have with it is incredibly positive,” he said. “These are the kind of signals you need for more and more advertisers to start coming into the space. You don’t hear that with any other media. So we’re in a very special space.”

According to the survey results, in both emerging and established markets podcasts have among the highest engagement rates of any tested medium. Eight in ten listeners overall say they are engaged or highly engaged when listening to podcasts. In the U.S. specifically, listener attention is more fleeting as more than 40% of respondents said they are highly engaged when listening to podcast content. Yet that is higher than the 26% who say the same for radio.

That engagement translates into consumption for the ads in the podcasts. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of those surveyed said they listen to or watch the podcast ads half the time or more. That is translating into sales for marketers. In the U.S., half of podcast listeners say they have made a purchase because of a podcast ad, including a third who have done so more than once.

The report says daily podcast listeners in emerging markets like India, Brazil and Japan already are more likely than those in established markets to have made a purchase because of a podcast ad. Acast sees big ad-spend growth potential in those up-and-coming parts of the globe as consumption rises.

Adams says the data not only shows that podcast habits have held as the medium has spread to new corners of the world, but also how quickly the emerging markets are catching up to what has already occurred in more established markets like the U.S. “Emerging markets learn from new markets, and trends do follow the same trends, but in general, they happen quicker,” he said.

Listening While Shopping

Podcasters are well aware that listeners consume shows while driving, doing chores, or relaxing. But the survey points to another habit that could have implications for advertisers. It finds that 14% of podcast listeners in established markets like the U.S. say they are listening to a show while actually shopping. That is most likely primarily online or mobile shopping, not in-store headphone wearing, but it still offers an opportunity for the medium to sell itself as a way to reach shoppers close to purchase.

Acast’s survey finds that among those listeners, they are 50% more likely to listen to podcast ads all the time, and they are 82% more likely to have made a purchase multiple times based on a podcast ad they have heard.

“These are all new trends that are really interesting for podcast hosts to learn, because it might change the approach they make to advertising,” Adams said. “This research highlights that there are a growing trend of people taking that medium with them. And so actually, from a retailer’s point of view, to be able to advertise whilst people are doing actual shopping, and that’s a real advantage over most mediums.”

The report also points to a growing opportunity for podcasters to go live. It says a third of U.S. podcast listeners have already attended a live podcast event, while half (51%) of listeners in emerging markets are interested in doing the same. It also says that co-listening to podcasts is more common in emerging markets, which could offer advertisers new ways to maximize their reach.

Video Leads Discovery

The survey also reveals the rapid spread of video podcast consumption around the globe. Because YouTube is the platform that listeners most commonly use to listen to podcasts in emerging markets, Acast says listeners in emerging markets (71%) are just as likely as listeners in established markets (72%) to have watched a video podcast. It also reports that consumers that have watched a video podcast are significantly more likely than those who have not to agree that their favorite podcasters feel like their friends.

“Video is a big part of podcasting. I don’t think it’s necessarily changing the entire approach to it, but I think it’s clear that people are discovering podcasts through video,” Adams said. “Therefore, as recommendations are still relatively broken in podcasting, video is going to play a bigger part in in podcasting, but more so from the discovery side of things.”

The ability to listen to content created anywhere in the world is one of podcasting’s appeals, but some countries are more outward looking than others. Acast says Canadians are most likely to listen to shows from beyond their borders, with two-thirds (68%) often listening to a show from a country they don’t live in. That compares to 37% for U.S. listeners.

Acast’s report is based on data collected during August by Attest of 2,600 weekly podcast listeners aged 18-64 in 13 countries, with at least 200 weekly listeners in each country.

Download the full report HERE .

Changes Coming to Instagram

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 15:23:49 GMT

IG Chief Flags Changes Coming to Profile Grid Displays

By Andrew Hutchinson

This could prompt a significant shift in your IG posting strategy.

As you may have noticed in the app, Instagram is currently testing a new vertical grid display on user profiles, which switches from the traditional square-shaped thumbnail images to longer stills in-stream.

As you can see in this example, posted by digital marketing expert Lindsey Gamble , some IG profiles already have this new, updated profile grid format, which better aligns with videos, especially, Reels, in formatting.

In fact, it pretty much is the Reels grid, but translated to the main feed, with all of your posts set to be adapted over to this display.

And this, or a variation of it, is likely coming to all users soon, as explained by Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri in his most recent Q and A clip.

As per Mosseri:

One Thing To Get Right When Brand Building

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 19:53:36 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

Brands should exploit new media’s possibilities to deliver on four basics :

1) offering and communicating a clear customer promise

2) building trust by delivering on that promise

3) Continuously improving on it

4) Innovating beyond the familiar

Virgin Atlantic does this by, for example, including travel tips from crew members on its Facebook page; communicating with customers on Twitter in rapidly changing situations; offering a taxi-sharing system to enhance its brand; and maintaining Vtravelled.com, a site where customers exchange information, stories, and advice.

As customers experiment with social media platforms, companies should try to gain customer insights rather than simply try to increase sales. In addition, capitalize on the media’s speed and reach while protecting the brand’s reputation, and carefully follow the unwritten rules of customer engagement online.

But, it’s wrong to think we’re entering a world in which traditional marketing activities, and brands themselves, will become irrelevant. In fact, the opposite is true. Social media creates urgency for companies to get the basics right, developing and reliably delivering on a compelling brand promise.

It has always been risky for companies to disappoint customers, at least over the long term. But today the scale and speed of social media can make falling short instantly painful. companies that consistently deliver what they promise, benefit mightily when social media amplifies their reputation. The obvious danger is failing to keep pace with social media developments. But an equal, less obvious danger is getting distracted by them and losing sight of the fundamentals.

For years, we've engaged in assisting on marketing strategy with companies across industries; over the past 16 years we’ve focused on new media, and now on social media marketing. And we’ve been directly involved in successful new-media start-ups, including one specializing in customer advisory panels and online brand communities. Our conclusion? The companies that will succeed in this environment are exploiting the many opportunities presented by social media while keeping an unwavering eye on their brand promise, and they are judiciously revising the marketing playbook rather than trying to rewrite it.

Leverage Social Media

Most companies utilize social media as tools for engagement and collaboration. Of course, social media can also boost brand awareness, trial, and ultimately sales, especially when a campaign goes viral. More important for most companies, however, is that through social media they can gain rich, unmediated customer insights, faster than ever before.

This represents a profound shift. Historically, market research was product- rather than customer-centric: Marketers asked questions about attitudes and behaviors relevant to their brands. More recently we have seen the rise of ethnographic research to help them understand how both a brand and its wider product category fit into people’s lives. Social networks take this a step further by providing powerful new ways to explore consumers’ lives and opinions.

Enhance the Playbook

Although any company’s decision about whether and how to use a new tool is situation-specific, all companies should incorporate social media into their marketing playbooks. But what’s the best approach? Our analysis of the strategies and performance of a diverse range of companies suggests that great brands share four fundamental qualities:

They offer and communicate a clear, relevant customer promise.
They build trust by delivering on that promise.
They drive the market by continually improving the promise.
They seek further advantage by innovating beyond the familiar.

These basics don’t sound like rocket science, but we’ve been surprised by how many companies still fail to get them right. Social media can be used to reinforce all four, even as they make them more urgent.

Trust.

Clearly, trust is mainly about operational execution—service delivery. But keeping customers informed when things go wrong can prevent a slip-up from becoming a trust-eroding PR disaster.

Continual improvement.

For most companies—the biggest social media opportunity lies in gathering insights to drive continual incremental improvements.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

But here’s our advice, based on the dozens of early successes and failures we’ve studied:

Don’t throw out your playbook.

Start with your brand promise and let it guide all your actions in social media. Don’t get distracted by the abundance of options.

Companies can and do sell things via social media, of course, but their real value at this stage lies in learning about customers. Instagram, Tik Tok and Facebook have such tremendous reach that they provide detailed quantitative analyses of communication flows between consumers. Increasingly smart natural-language-processing technology will, over time, help marketers extract further insights from the content of those discussions. At the other extreme, company-sponsored online brand communities can generate immediately applicable insights from direct, smaller-scale interactions.

Strive to go viral, but protect the brand.

The few brands that have substantially improved sales by using social media have done so with communications that convey authenticity and relevance—and are so entertaining that they go viral.

Anything Goes

Engage, but follow the social rules.

Social media conversations about brands are usually unstructured or semistructured and moderated by the participants themselves, using unwritten rules. People join in freely because they enjoy and learn from the discussion. Your company can also join, and to some extent influence, the conversation—but only if you are accepted by the other participants. Those in the company who execute its social media strategy should naturally be at home with the culture and rules of each social network. But they must also be deeply knowledgeable about the company’s products and—most important—steeped in its brand and values.

A version of this article appeared in the December 2010 issue of Harvard Business Review.

Creative Trends 2024: Humor Leads The Way!

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 18:25:52 GMT

Agency Insiders Share Predictions

By Kyle O’Brien

December 28, 2023

The evolution of digital marketing isn’t slowing down—and neither should you. Connect with a community of brand pros and content creators at Social Media Week to learn how to keep pace with the trends, challenges and technology. Register now to save 35% .

It’s that time when everyone weighs in on what they think the next year will have in store for us. The creative agency world is certainly no different, but its trends might be more difficult to predict.

Luckily, people at agencies around the globe with their collective fingers on the pulse of creativity have let us in on their predictions—AI was so prevalent a topic that we gave those predictions their own story . Some quotes have been edited for length and clarity.

Humor and emotion make a comeback

Paul Prato, executive creative director, PPK

The “humor embargo” will break. A rash of recent data indicates that consumers are looking for brands that use humor, with a recent Oracle study finding that 91% of people prefer brands to be funny. Yet the same study found that 95% of business leaders fear humor in consumer interactions. … This year saw several high-profile marketing efforts weighing into social commentary backfire. 2024 will be the year advertisers will return to the realization that funny is far more likely to unite than divide.

Mitch Bennett, ecd, Baldwin&

It’s going to be a nasty year. As the media and social landscape get fired up and election-y and angry, brands have a chance to offer a ray of hope, or comedy, or happiness, or even just a moment of not yelling. Which brands can make us smile for a second? We will appreciate them very, very much.

Eric Kallman, co-founder and CCO, Erich and Kallman

More clients are realizing that, in order to make work that’s all about your brand and what you offer, comedy is the route that allows you to do that in the most ownable way possible.

Harris Wilkinson, CCO, TMA (The Marketing Arm)

We’ll get the chance to put more beautiful, heartfelt and hilarious work out in the world. And isn’t that why we all got into this business in the first place? I’m not saying advertising can fix everything, but as far as I know, data has yet to prove that it can’t.

John Cornette, chief creative officer, EP+Co

Looking at Adweek’s Top 20 Ads of 2023 , I noticed that there are very few heart-tugs or sentimental tones being used. In a world where everything feels so dark and divided, people are eager for more of the good stuff—really wonderfully unexpected and funny ads that solve traditional business problems. In 2024, I suspect we’ll see more of that.

All about the experiences

Natasha Zialor, vp, RanaVerse

With elections happening in the U.K. and the U.S. next year, many consumers will be looking for an escape from everyday life, so my bets are on experiences becoming even bigger, better and harder to ignore in 2024, whether it’s a PR stunt that becomes a meme or a 360 event for social and press exposure.

Katherine Schmidt, associate creative director, Hanson Dodge

2024 will bring an uptick in innovative OOH installations, both faux (a la Maybelline’s Sky High Mascara ) and real (Ikea’s Oxford Street location). These types of activations generated a lot of social buzz but also sparked discussions around reality, augmented reality and the place that each will hold in the future of advertising.

Mindful purpose and culture

Raquel Bubar, managing director, T Brand Studio (New York Times)

Audiences are demanding authenticity in their messaging and are cringing at tone-deaf stories. Gone are the days when brands could get away with only talking about themselves, their products or their services. It will be key for advertisers to speak about what matters most to them and how they can improve people’s lives.

Ben Hennes, co-owner and CCO, Happylucky

We see young consumers identifying as queer at exponentially increasing rates, and nearly 60% of Gen Alpha say that gender is irrelevant. So, we hope brands will look to queer-led teams, partners and agencies to learn how to take queer storytelling beyond the “coming out story,” the “trans drama story” or the performative Pride moment. Brands must treat queer consumers as a vital, always-on, multifaceted humans.

Gary J. Nix, founder and chief strategist, the brandarchist

Cultural fluency is the best investment for your brand in and through 2024. While the approach I propose may be a case of “what’s old is new again,” perceiving culture as a network of values, conventions and social practices supports the basic principle of understanding your customer communities better.

Creators will continue to rise

Victoria Jordan, gm of branded content and creative, My Code

We will move into a new era of the creator economy, one in which creators have much more leverage when it comes to usage rights, IP ownership and pay—a world where creators are highly valued, not leveraged for the relationship they’ve built with their audiences, but invited to collaborate for their diverse perspectives, expertise and cultural lens.

Mike Girgis, co-founder, Dive Billboards

In 2024, digital advertising will continue to evolve toward authenticity, embracing user-generated content and fostering genuine connections between brands and audiences. Brands will prioritize micro-influencers and creators for relatability, encouraging organic engagement on digital platforms.

In the game

Andre Toledo, CCO, David NY

Storytelling will remain a powerful tool for engaging audiences, especially in immersive formats from AR and VR , ushering in new creative possibilities. The increasing integration of advertising within the gaming ecosystem is poised to become a significant trend. As gaming continues to capture a massive and diverse audience, brands will recognize the potential to engage consumers within virtual worlds.

One-stop shops

Chris Copacino, executive director of business development, Copacino Fujikado

Brands are seeking to streamline and consolidate agency services and relationships. The pendulum has unquestionably swung away from agency specialization back to more of a one-point of contact to drive activity across the marketing communications spectrum and audience journey. Brand-side executives have grown tired with being sole points of integration among a throng of specialized agencies and seek to turn their attention back to their business, brand and growth initiatives.

The personal touch

Warren Jolly, CEO, adQuadrant

I foresee the 2024 creative trends being driven by a blend of personalized storytelling, immersive technologies and ethical advertising. Agencies will increasingly leverage insights to craft highly personalized narratives that resonate deeply with individual consumers, moving beyond broad demographic targeting. Moreover, the integration of immersive technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality will become more prevalent, offering novel and engaging experiences. This isn’t just about flashy tech but about creating memorable, interactive brand stories. There will also be a stronger emphasis on ethical advertising. This means not only ensuring data privacy and security but also promoting inclusivity, diversity and sustainability in advertising content. Brands and agencies will be expected to be more socially responsible and transparent in their practices.

Looking for help with your authentic storytelling? Give us a shout! We'd love to chat.

snefzgerpr@gmail.com or 561-632-9525.

Why Podcast Guest Spots Are Beneficial to Your Business

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 19:48:11 GMT

Podcast Appearances Increase Visibility

From Ray Blakney at Business to Consumer

Podcasts are now the preferred entertainment medium for many people. Business leaders launch and utilize their own podcasts to share expertise and promote their own companies to the masses. Get yourself on a podcast today!

Connect with Powerful Industry Leaders

You already know how important it is to network — connecting with other business leaders can be key for finding new clients, landing contracts with new retailers that can start offering your enterprise’s products, etc. Being a guest on podcasts is just one more way that you can expand your network! You will make connections with esteemed people in your industry, as most podcasters with successful podcasts are well-known in their niches.

You never know how these new connections can help you grow your business. For example, you could be interviewed by a big name in your industry who may end up deciding they want to invest in your company. Or, you might chat with a thought leader who shares a piece of advice that ultimately changes the whole trajectory of your marketing strategy. You might even talk with a podcast host who wants to partner with you on a new business idea! The more you grow your network through being a guest on podcasts, the more opportunities that can come your way.

Puts You in Front of Your Target Audience

The ultimate goal of any marketing initiative is to promote your business to those who would be interested in your products or services. Being a guest on podcasts in your business niche could place you right in front of an audience of thousands, tens of thousands, or even more listeners who are in your consumer target market. You can capitalize on this by sharing insight on your business offerings and driving traffic to your website. You may discover that your sales skyrocket whenever you are a guest on a well-known podcast!

Boosts Your Brand Name Recognition

Every time you are a podcast guest, you can promote your business and ultimately boost your brand name recognition in the market. This will help your potential customers or clients associate your company name with your product or service niche. Also, as you book yourself as a guest on more and more podcasts, you may start being in shows with other heavy hitters in your industry. Those listening to the segment (or watching it if there is a video element) will then associate you and your brand with the other business elites you are chatting with. This will help establish your company and you as leaders in your indu stry.

Increases Your Brand Credibility in the Market

Brand credibility is vital for business success. If your enterprise isn’t seen as credible and trustworthy, it can cause consumers to choose your competitors when they are in the market for the products or services you offer. It can also turn other businesses away from wanting to work with you. Thus, being a podcast guest can enhance your brand credibility, as you can add “As Seen On…” badges to your website’s homepage. When visitors to your website see these accolades, it can help them have a more positive outlook on your brand and consider your company more credible. You can also boost brand credibility by sharing the podcast segments on your social media channels!

Being a Guest on More Podcasts = More Backlinks

Every SEO guru knows the importance of getting backlinks for a website. Every time a new website domain links to your enterprise’s website, it can help boost your company’s ranking in search engines. You can increase your backlinks by being a guest on podcasts. In addition to Spotify and other popular podcasting platforms, a lot of podcasts have their own websites that list segments and the bios + website links of the interviewees. Therefore, the more podcasts you book, the more websites that will publish your bio and link back to your domain!

You Might Realize You Need to Refine Your Company’s Mission

When you are a guest on podcasts, you will be asked many questions about your business journey, what problems your enterprise aims to solve, your company’s main mission, etc. As more podcast hosts and guest callers ask you specific questions about your mission, you might realize that the market or society as a whole has slightly different needs than you thought. This may make you realize that you need to refine your business mission to meet those needs. You might also discover that you need to change your company’s overall messaging.

Takeaways

There are so many ways to promote your business, but one surefire strategy is booking yourself as a guest on podcasts. You will be able to network with high-profile leaders in your industry, as well as promote your enterprise to a vast audience of people who are in your target market. It will also boost your brand name recognition and credibility in the market. Also, you will gain more backlinks for your website and you might discover that your business mission needs to be refined. So what are you waiting for? Start looking for podcasts to be a guest on today!

Chatter from Chat GPT

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 19:31:57 GMT

From Laurie Sullivan at Media Post

ChatGPT Analysis Sheds New Light Into People's Behavior, Intent

___________________________________________________________________________

How people craft prompts to get more information from ChatGPT ranges from simple message lengths to long and elaborate descriptions using action words and nouns, according to an analysis of 5,054 conversations analyzed by Semrush.

The company collected publicly shared links of real ChatGPT conversations between May and June, leveraging data provided by global behavior data supplier Datos.

The number of interactions users have with chatbots varies quite a bit. While eight is the average number of messages in a ChatGPT conversation, three is the median. The longest conversation in the sample contained 692 messages centered on understanding financial risk management.

Although most conversations tend to be short, some users write longer requests. The median message length was 15 words, while the average was 86.

About 16% of ChatGPT conversations include links, but only 6% use plug-ins for extended capabilities like search and third-party integrations, which are currently available with a paid ChatGPT Plus account.

"Write," "make," "create," and "provide" were the most used words to start a conversation with ChatGPT.

Information, data, text, and content were among the most popular actions and nouns requested.

Users are leveraging ChatGPT for tasks well beyond content generation.

Writing code, creating tables, and providing examples are the top three requested actions, even more common than writing articles or emails.

Some 64% of the topics asked ChatGPT to help with programming, followed by social media, information retrieval, business management, and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

The majority of topics focus on enhancing work routines rather than daily activities.

Asking ChatGPT to assume professional roles like "lead" or "expert" improves response accuracy and relevance, enabling users to tailor interactions and achieve desired outcomes.

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Podcast With Lara Chapman of Neighborly Florida: Living Fearlessly

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 19:58:36 GMT

Behind the Story Podcast: Living Fearlessly

https://www.theneighborlyfl.com/p/behind-the-story-podcast-living-fearlessly#details

Reputation Management on Business Radio X

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 19:29:09 GMT

Reputation Management with Ryan Sauers & Susan Nefzger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxAKpqgrEk8

Why Contributing Content is Worth The Time

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 21:23:42 GMT

Traditionally in media relations, journalists interview experts and quote them in articles. Contributed content is a longstanding method to bridge a gap between expert sources and media outlets. It allows the journalist to be omitted from the equation.

Instead, experts write the stories themselves, without an interviewer, and outlet editors review and publish the content directly. This process both frees time for interviewers to conduct conversations elsewhere, and it enables publications to fill needed written space with insight for readers.

While contributed content is nothing new, outlet interviewers – like journalists, reporters, staff writers – are spread thinner today than ever and are wearing multiple hats. Why? Publications are no exception to staffing shortages and resignations; I spoke with one just weeks ago who has a staff photographer helping write articles. Picture that. Outlets simply can’t afford to have fewer written stories today despite these challenges.

As a PR rep who pitches media, for more than a year, I was wondering why I kept hearing “You write the story. I don’t have time.”

Also, while attempting to research new reporters, I kept finding more and more authors were actually contributors. At first, I didn’t know why. According to HubSpot’s January 2022 “ The State of Contributed Content ,” 86% of surveyed editors were planning to increase the amount of contributed content on their sites. This has noticeably taken effect since then.

Contributed content provides expert sources the chance to gain public awareness by sharing thought leadership via media exposure. Brand executives, tradespeople and academic professionals – experts of all kinds – can become published authors via contributed content, increasing leadership standing, SEO authority and public image. This valuable content can often be reshared thereafter in newsletters, social posts and “in the news” on websites.

Contributed content is a win-win

The payoff of having published contributed content is worth experts’ time: They conduct research to select the right publication, choose the right-fit section within and contact the relevant editor (or staff member who oversees contributions otherwise).

Thereafter, the next step entails pitching the unique know-how , and – if deemed interesting by the outlet – adhering to set guidelines when crafting the comprehensive draft. These include not being promotional in nature and not duplicating content to multiple, potential landing spots.

The payoff is worth media outlets’ time, too.

As I mentioned, publication staff members need to fill space both online and in print, and it’s more precious than ever due to staffing shortages. Influxes of contributed content submissions enable outlets to avoid having to sit and wait, hoping relevant expert sources contact them. When experts provide right-fit articles that adhere to guidelines, media outlet staff do not need to spend precious time deflecting and disregarding promotional and off-topic submissions.

Often, the process to receive worthy contributed content is not only like finding a diamond in the ruff, but also it lends to unpredictable quantities at any given time.

Seven Steps to Take if Search Results Drop

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 19:13:58 GMT

https://contently.com/2022/06/14/7-steps-to-take-if-your-search-rankings-drop/

It’s a situation you have probably faced as a content marketer: You publish a piece of content—perhaps a blog post—on your website. After a while it hits Page One in the SERP. It drives traffic and all is going according to plan.

And then, possibly out of nowhere, that ranking drops dramatically—and with it, your site traffic begins to fall. While this can be disappointing, know that the solution may involve simple fixes or updates that could benefit your content (and your business) in the long run.

Why organic search matters when publishing content

The importance of SEO to a content strategy cannot be overstated. In today’s world, consumers and businesses turn to search engines like Google for quick-and-easy answers to whatever questions or problems they have.

For content strategists across industries, SEO can attract potential customers—whether consumers or businesses—to your website. It’s possible that SEO may even be the primary driver of visitors to your blog or site.

Data has also shown that organic search drives significantly more traffic than paid search. In addition, search engine users tend to trust organic results more than ads, which speaks to the importance of creating quality content that Google naturally finds worthy of ranking near the top of Page One.

Your page’s organic SEO ranking dropped. Now what?

Don’t panic if your search rankings suddenly or gradually dive because there’s probably something you can do to resolve the issue. So take a deep breath and follow this action plan, developed from conversations with three SEO experts.

1. Verify that your search rankings truly fell (and by how much)

There are several reasons why this may happen . Before you take action, benchmark the webpage’s new position from its last-known ranking to confirm that your ranking truly fell.

To confirm a search ranking drop of any degree, you can use rank tracker tools on standard SEO tools (think Moz or Semrush). Also, find additional information on Google Search Console, which automatically tracks your average search rankings over time.

Assuming you know what the ranking was before the drop, you can also search for a relevant query on your web browser using Incognito Mode (which doesn’t track your search history) and see where your ranking now sits. Remember: Google can personalize search results based on your search history, web history, or location, so using Incognito Mode is especially important here.

A drop in page traffic can also signal that a search ranking has taken a dive.

2. Wait two weeks

While an SEO ranking drop (especially on a page that drives a lot of traffic) can be disappointing, the first step Brian Dean, founder of Backlinko , recommends is taken after confirming the drop is to wait two weeks.

“I wouldn’t make any changes right away if you see a rankings drop because, a lot of times, rankings will drop as an update from Google is being rolled out,” says Dean, who’s also the co-founder of the site Exploding Topics .

If the drop was rapid and dramatic, you might be able to trace it back to a major Google update or a technical issue with your website, Dean says. So wait two weeks before jumping to any conclusions. Then, check whether your ranking returns to its original spot or close to it. The change may very well have been temporary. But if that’s not the case, continue to Step 3.

3. Assess the urgency of correcting the issue

If the ranking drop seems legitimate, ask yourself (or your colleagues) how this drop in ranking might impact your business and whether it might eventually correlate with a decrease in sales or profit or negatively affect another KPI.

Start by analyzing the extent of the situation by taking a page-by-page approach: Did a few blog posts on your site receive 10 percent less traffic year-over-year? Or is it a bigger issue, like traffic to your homepage falling 80 percent from last month?

Having as clear a picture as possible of what’s at stake will help you determine the urgency behind correcting it and how much time, energy, and funding you should invest in taking action.

4. Identify the cause(s) of the ranking drop

There are many SEO tools to help you identify the cause of a ranking drop. However, there may be various factors causing the slide, and they are not always immediately apparent.

A big change or update to Google’s algorithm for determining search rankings could be the culprit, so start there. These changes happen regularly. And while the powers that be often announce more significant updates, that’s not always the case for more minor updates, says Eric Enge, who runs Pilot Holding , a digital marketing and SEO consultancy and co-author of the book The Art of SEO .

You can also ask your colleagues whether any major changes were recently made to your company’s website that may have contributed to a sudden or gradual ranking drop. Plus, you can check on Google Search Console whether Google is having any trouble crawling a page or if you’re facing a Google penalty .

If none of those applies, start checking out your competition for the relevant search queries. Did your SEO competitors make any noticeable changes that may have bumped up their ranking to overtake yours?

“If you don’t have some direct problem causing the drop, then you get to a point where maybe you need to improve the content and invest in making it better,” says Enge, who was previously founder at Stone Temple Consulting.

5. Take action and correct the issues

Once you know what’s causing the problem, you can correct the issue. What you do can vary among web pages, so it’s essential to take a page-by-page approach to remedy a search ranking drop in the first place.

While some resolutions may be more technical in nature, the content often simply needs to be improved and updated, says Bruce Jones, an SEO consultant who also runs 1on1seotraining.com . These improvements can take many forms, like getting more backlinks, adding more list items to a blog post, or upping the word count. “Sometimes it might just be little tweaks that might move the needle,” Jones says.

At this step, you may also want to check on SEO in alt text for images, or you might need to address a keyword density issue. Regardless of the steps you take, remember to keep users’ search intent front of mind. What do the highest-ranked pages for a query provide that you don’t? How can you better meet your audience’s needs?

6. Make additional updates to your content as needed

You can also use this opportunity to improve your content and make it stronger, whether for SEO, user experience, timeliness, or overall quality. Dean says this may involve updating out-of-date statistics, adding more internal links, or updating the writing style to better align with your brand’s voice.

7. Keep a close eye on the data

Remember that it could take some time for Google to re-index your page after making changes. “Once you’re done with the last change, set the calendar for a month,” Dean suggests. Then, go back and check whether your ranking improved.

Continuously monitoring your page rankings on Google Search Console or other rank trackers can also be worthwhile. “(The ranking is) probably not going to go straight up,” Dean explains. “But as long as it’s trending up, that’s a good sign that what you did is working. And you might want to already scale that out to other pages that aren’t even affected yet to get ahead of perhaps the next update.”

New Data on Reaching Your Target Audience via Social Marketing

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 20:39:03 GMT

(Image credit: Pixabay)

Know your audience then shape your social strategy to reach them on the appropriate platform. This is the wisdom of the ages, as long as I have been involved in social media marketing, which is about 15 years! Yet, marketers or businesses continue to under utilize the correct platform based on their audience. Do you know how different generations are using social platforms and what their expectations from brands may be? The answers are the keys to effective social marketing. To help everybody out, Emplifi just released a decent survery providing new details on how to choose platforms based on age demographic.

A new report from Emplifi, with research conducted by Harris Interactive, offers some insights to help marketers shape their social strategies.

“Social continues to pull away as the consumers’ choice, and the companies that will succeed are those who follow their customers’ lead and embrace social as well,” said Emplifi’s Shellie Vornhagen in a press release.

The report answers several key questions for marketers:

Which social platforms do each generation prefer?

Generation X can be found on Facebook, while TikTok and Instagram are favored by Generation Z. YouTube and Twitter have similar engagement across all age groups.

All age groups prefer to communicate with brands via social media rather than any other channel.

How are consumers using social during the purchasing journey?

More than 40% of Americans already use social media to interact with brands during the purchase process, and 68% either use or would like to use social media to ask questions before buying a product.

Some 64% use social media or would like to use it to make purchases and 59% say the same about post-purchase communications.

Facebook is the top platform for providing purchase inspiration to Gen X and millennials, but YouTube is top for Gen Z, although it also ranked highly across other age groups. TikTok also is a significant purchase driver for Gen Z.

What do consumers expect from brands on social?

Sixty-two percent of consumers don’t think they receive an excellent customer experience when making purchases on social media, rising to 70% among Gen Z.

And 52% expect brands to answer their queries within an hour, while 32% expect a reply within 30 minutes.

The research exposes a gap between customer expectations and reality as 39% typically end up waiting at least two hours for a response, while 20% are left waiting for 24 hours.

What this means for marketers

The report shows that consumers are already using social to drive purchase decisions and offers insights to help marketers target customers on the right social platforms.

Perhaps the most significant finding is that all respondents, but particularly Gen Z, want better customer experiences from brands on social media, especially when it comes to response times.

“Brands need to adopt an ‘always on’ approach when it comes to social media interactions,” the report advises.

We already know Gen Z consumers have a high expectation of brands in terms of personalization and that they want to see inclusive content from brands that involves communities and creators.

Marketers who combine those strategies with fast social response times could help their brand to become a favorite among the younger generation.

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Why organic search matters when publishing content

Your page’s organic SEO ranking dropped. Now what?

1. Verify that your search rankings truly fell (and by how much)

2. Wait two weeks

3. Assess the urgency of correcting the issue

4. Identify the cause(s) of the ranking drop

5. Take action and correct the issues

6. Make additional updates to your content as needed

7. Keep a close eye on the data

New Data on Reaching Your Target Audience via Social Marketing

Which social platforms do each generation prefer?

How are consumers using social during the purchasing journey?

What do consumers expect from brands on social?

What this means for marketers