What We Read This Week (WWRTW): November 18, 2017
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About What We Read This Week (WWRTW): Each week, we share bits and bobs from around the web that 270netters have been reading this week.
There was a TON of great content out there this week. I could’ve easily spent the whole week reading and digesting everything that came my way through various channels. Because we’ve found that there is so much out there each week, we’ve decided to curate a Pinterest board each week to share all the cool, informative, interesting blog posts and news articles we find each week. Check out the bottom of this post for more information.
Meanwhile, here’s What We Read This Week:
“Content Creation Robots Are Here [Examples]” – Content Marketing Institute
This post absolutely blew my mind. Robots can create some pretty solid copy, even if they are limited to data-driven reporting. I know I certainly could’ve used a bot back in my journalism days, when budget proposals and annual reports were released, even if I would have needed to go back in and add some context later on.
The main takeaway from this piece is that AI will not be a replacement for good old human writers anytime soon. The work we do for our clients here at 270net is data-driven, yes, but we don’t do a lot of synthesizing data into content. We analyze our audience and craft helpful, interesting, unique content to fit that audience’s needs. No bot can replace that.
“Influencers’ Top Social Networks for 2018” – MarketingProfs
Social media use is exploding, and any marketer worth their salt will encourage a client to increase and augment their social media presence. This survey is interesting in that it shows the vast majority of social media influencers use Instagram.
Though this survey could easily be interpreted to mean that everyone should jump on the Instagram train, I urge a bit of caution: Not all businesses are well-suited for the platform. Instagram works great for certain industries, mostly B2C (business to client). (Check out our mega-post on social media for businesses for more information on this.) When we first speak to a new client, we give them our best evaluation of what platforms we feel would be best suited to their business. We don’t recommend Instagram to everyone, and we probably never will.
“Reviews are the Most Prominent Local SEO Ranking Factor in 2017” – Search Engine Journal
We all already know the power of reviews for local businesses. It’s something we advocate to our clients time and time again, and we’ve even given you instructions on how to get more reviews for your business. This data shows just how important they are for online rankings.
What this data means for local businesses: Always, always, always solicit reviews from customers. Respond to your reviews. Even if someone leaves a less-than-complimentary review, respond professionally and address the customer’s concerns head-on. And, of course, make sure you have an up-to-date, fully optimized website.
“How To Use Emoticons, Memes and GIFs In Social Media Marketing Without Embarrassing Yourself” – SEMrush
Emoticons, memes, and GIFs are among the most engaging content online because of their relatability and humor. Leveraging these visual elements can make – or break – your business’s social media marketing efforts with the click of a button.
A social media snafu can be downright embarrassing. ? It can even hurt your business. If you’re going to use memes or other humorous elements in your social media marketing, take the time to read this guide and learn what you’re doing. Or, better yet, let a professional handle your social media. You’ll be glad you did.
“How Google AdWords (PPC) Does and Doesn’t Affect Organic Results – Whiteboard Friday” – Moz
Rand Fishkin’s Whiteboard Fridays are always informative and they usually set my brain spinning. This week, he tackled the topic of whether paid ads in search results influences organic rankings. This is a question many digital marketers get from clients, and the answer is always a little more complicated than some people bargain for.
The biggest takeaway here is that, yes, Google AdWords can indirectly affect the organic rankings for your business. If you’re really looking to just drive traffic, this will be an important consideration for you when thinking about whether or not to buy into a PPC campaign. However, all the AdWords use in the world and increased exposure from PPC campaigns isn’t going to do any good for conversions if your website doesn’t adhere to the basics for a high-converting website: well-designed, SEO friendly, easy-to-navigate, and providing value to your potential customers.