Blog and content strategies with Stephen Turcotte of Backbone Media at the Boston SEO Meetup

Blog and content strategies with Stephen Turcotte of Backbone Media
October meeting of Boston SEO Meetup

Food sponsor CookieOutlet.com, coupon offer code: BostonSEO

Backbone Media, started 1996, didn’t realize were doing content strategies

Content strategy

    Taking something you already have, know about, that your customers are interested in and make it useful to them

Every strategy starts with a goal

  •     Who are your customers
  •     What are they looking for?
  •     Solutions? 

The Balsams.com resort in NH
  •     What else could be done to drive new people?
  •     Campaign: Take your family to get your kids off the wii
  •     Keywords
  •     Audience that you want to reach: i.e. Mothers concerned about “kids spending too much time …”

Tibco: biz intel software
  • Write about trends in software space
  • Find experts who bloggers
  • Use diff angles, leverage content already out there in Forbes, Biz Journal, summarize and then add your angle
  • ID keywords, which ones are you not hitting

Creating content

Best when company can write its own content, but it’s hard to do, takes so much time to find something to write about, publish it, and follow upon the comments

Great bloggers tend to peter out after time
Thanks for further clarification from Stephen Turcotte:

 “Lots of companies think they have people who could be greatbloggers, but they tend to peter out after time” it would be moreaccurate to what I was trying to say. In contrast, a common trait insuccessful bloggers is that they maintain a strong commitment tolistening, writing posts, and commenting regularly; month after month,year after year. It takes a special commitment to doing that.

Editor's note: That is what he said, but my fingers couldn't keep up. Back to our program ...

Have someone relevant in-house, but clients know don’t have time to do it

Tie into Twitter and FB, get active on Twitter, push clients

Should be posting 2-4 times a week for difficult keywords, less if you’re in a niche

Planning

  • Where see best bang for the buck?
  • What topics can’t cover in the site but that are of interest to your customers?
  • What’s relevant to customer in past 2 weeks, 6 months, 2 years: Example: Swine flu

Execution

  • Think a little outside the box
  • Have quality and be useful
  • Don’t do what everyone else is doing, building content over time
  • Be relevant to audience, even if you’re regulated, there’s areas of interest
  • Talk about topics that affect your targets

Tracking conversions
  •     Help the company by creating a strong call to action, convert a visitor into a lead   
  •     Get them into the blog: Can be tracked organically based on keyword
  •     Convert them to someplace: Really strong call to action: Go to form and fill it out, that’s a conversion
  •     10-20 articles in second month, start measuring in months 3-5

Results

  • Create a footprint for the business, goal isn’t to be the best blogger
  • Publish where it'll  stick, get into architecture that will last, won’t disappear, going to keep it for 2-3 years
  • Think of how much traffic can this content send to my company for the next 1-2 years

Previous SEO Meetups



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Posted by Suzanne of Designated Editor at 10/7/2009 9:46 AM
Categories: Content
Tags: Content blogging Boston SEO Meetup Backbone Media corporate blogging Boston networking
 

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  • 11/9/2009 1:31 PM BLOG.DESIGNATEDEDITOR.COM wrote:
    How social is search and search is social
  • 11/9/2009 2:28 PM BLOG.DESIGNATEDEDITOR.COM wrote:
    How social is search and search is social
  • 11/13/2009 10:44 AM BLOG.DESIGNATEDEDITOR.COM wrote:
    How social is search and search is social
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  • 10/7/2009 9:24 PM Stephen Turcotte wrote:
    Hi Suzanne, thanks for the great summary. I think it's all correct except for this one point that says "Great bloggers tend to peter out after time". If you could modify that to say “Lots of companies think they have people who could be great bloggers but they tend to peter out after time” it would be more accurate to what I was trying to say. In contrast, a common trait in successful bloggers is that they maintain a strong commitment to listening, writing posts, and commenting regularly; month after month, year after year. It takes a special commitment to doing that.
    Reply to this
    1. 10/8/2009 2:05 PM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Hi Stephen,
      All set! Thanks for clarifying! Also, that IS what you said, just I couldn't keep up!
      Thanks again,
      Suzanne

      Reply to this
  • 12/22/2009 9:45 AM web development wrote:
    That was an inspiring post,

    Keep up the good work,

    Thanks for writing, most people don't bother.
    Reply to this
    1. 12/28/2009 8:41 AM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Thanks for writing as well. Do subscribe so you won't miss any future posts! Thanks again, Suzanne

      Reply to this
  • 12/31/2009 6:27 AM no download casinos wrote:
    It’s great to have an SEO meetup in Mumbai at last. I am looking forwar to joining your next meeting.
    Reply to this
    1. 12/31/2009 4:18 PM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Hi there,

      Just to clarify: The SEO Meetup I generally attend is in Cambridge. Do share what's doing in Mumbia, would love to hear about it!

      Thanks for taking the time to comment,
      Suzanne

      Reply to this
  • 1/6/2010 4:51 PM bodybuilding wrote:
    Yeah when you first start blogging you have tons of ideas and are really motivated, but over time like anything else you start putting it off more and more or running out of ideas and before you know it your last blog post was 3 months ago.
    Reply to this
    1. 1/7/2010 11:36 AM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Thanks for contributing such a great point. It is tough to keep up the flow. Actually, this is a great blog topic. Please subscribe so as not to miss it.

      Consider an editorial calendar  
      Doesn't have to be fancy but a calendar with concepts jotted down can help.

      Consider making your posts shorter        
      Try to stick to one concept, helps reader comprehension and is less likely to overwhelm them.

      Keep an idea log        
      Nothing fancy, just a notebook or leave yourself voicemails if you can get to a handheld device.

      Ask others to guest post       
      Perhaps a supplier of a product you use or would recommend. Also helps build links.

      Please let me know if some of these ideas are helpful.

      Thanks again,
      Suzanne



      Reply to this
  • 1/15/2010 2:18 AM jouer au site de blackjack wrote:
    I think your approach is very interesting. One thing we grapple with is how to measure the value of a corporate blog (in terms of ROI).Some blogs are for traffic. Others, for PR.Have you grappled with this issue of helping company's measure the ROI for their blogging investment?
    Reply to this
    1. 1/22/2010 12:25 PM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Hi and thanks so much for your comment. Currently most of our clients are primarily interested in traffic, but they realize it's possible to build traffic and effective PR with blogs.

      At this time, much of our client base comprises SEO professionals who engage Designated Editor on behalf of their clients because
      1. the link strategy is already fully built out or
      2. the link strategy effectiveness is diminishing.

      This leads me to believe quality content is becoming a higher priority to achieve optimal SEO results. Organic results get more clicks, no?

      Designated Editor doesn't currently provide analytics/tracking to directly show ROI, primarily because our clients are already accessing that data elsewhere. To me, content and analytics is a right/left brain scenario: Firms that specialize in metrics aren't so great at content and vice versa ... unless you have the budget to hire a large firm, in which case, rock on! 

      We're happy to build metrics consulting into our packaging, just no one has asked for it yet ... hesitation reflecting tightened budgetary belts perhaps? Either you're embracing new media doing a lot yourself or you're observing and looking for best practices when you feel more comfortable to invest.

      I'd love to hear other perspectives on this, so please chime in!

      Reply to this
  • 1/15/2010 4:02 AM software development in Surrey wrote:
    Nice post,
    Great introduction to content strategies,
    Keep up the good work
    Reply to this
    1. 1/22/2010 12:27 PM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Hi and thanks so much for commenting. It's so encouraging, especially on days when I have to carve out time to post,
      Suzanne

      Reply to this
  • 1/25/2010 6:38 AM Link Building Service wrote:
    You can create a campaign strategy to target specific groups or individuals who already have an interest in your product or service and are ready to buy. You can select unique keywords related to your product which will catch the attention of the major search engines which in turn will give your website higher ranking.
    Reply to this
    1. 1/25/2010 8:25 AM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Hi and thanks for taking the time to share your insights!
      • Do you normally create specific landing pages for each campaign or are you able to use one multipurpose?
      • What types of results are you getting?
      • Do you do A/B testing or maybe that's not in the budget?
      I hear a lot about what everyone should be doing, what works in the field, sometimes, is entirely different, so I'm interested in your experiences.

      Thanks again, so much,
      Suzanne

      Reply to this
  • 2/2/2010 1:00 PM seo expert India wrote:
    I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to start my own wordpress blog now.
    Reply to this
    1. 2/5/2010 8:54 PM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Glad we can be a resource for you! Do post your blogging questions to us; we're happy to help! -Suzanne

      Reply to this
  • 2/3/2010 1:17 AM event organisers melbourne wrote:
    Stephen thanks for this nice blog, I will make sure that while making blog i will keep in mind these things which you had told.
    Reply to this
    1. 2/5/2010 8:55 PM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Hey there, full transparency: Stephen presented at the SEO Meetup; reporting and posting by Suzanne of Designated Editor. Sorry if there was confusion there -Suzanne

      Reply to this
  • 2/5/2010 11:45 AM oxygen sensor wrote:
    Before you call the pest control company know what problem you have, how you want it handled, and how the pest control technician inspects and treats for bugs, mice, and rats. Knowing the inspection process up front brings you valuable service for eliminating the insects from your home.
    Reply to this
    1. 2/5/2010 9:02 PM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Is this a metaphor for SEO, Adwords, organic, blogging, audiences in general? The possibilities are endless, what does everybody else think?

      We have a white house in the middle of an old farm; Sergio, the pest control guy, says we can cut back on his services if we change the exterior paint color from pure white to a dark color ...

      Reply to this
  • 2/12/2010 2:19 AM India property reviews wrote:
    I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
    Reply to this
    1. 2/15/2010 12:01 PM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Hi and thanks so much for your kind comment. 
      May I suggest using the RSS function to subscribe ... then you're sure not to miss a post. 
      Thanks again, comments like yours make it worthwhile to make time to share all this great information. 
      -Suzanne  

      Reply to this
  • 2/18/2010 6:22 AM stock image wrote:
    Thanks alot for sharing these nice tips
    Reply to this
  • 2/18/2010 7:21 AM betfair wrote:
    thanks for this wonderful post, Keep it up
    Reply to this
    1. 2/22/2010 9:35 AM Suzanne of Designated Editor wrote:
      Thanks for the encouragement!

      Reply to this

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