March 2016 – Page 2 – Interent Marketing Voices

Mad Marketing 91: Setting the Record Straight on the Principle of They Ask, You Answer

Hey folks, it’s podcast time again, and in this episode of Mad Marketing, I spend quite a bit of time focusing on two essential themes: Why a content audit is so important and some of the trends I’m seeing with our clients (like the dying efficacy of eBooks) How my teaching of They Ask, You…
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Google’s AMP: The Fun and User-Friendly Guide to Accelerated Mobile Pages

Watch the video. Ignore the copy.
That’s my advice to you once you land on Google’s site dedicated to the new Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) Project:
“The Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) Project is an open source initiative that embodies the vision that publishers can create mobile optimized content once and have it load instantly everywhere.”
If you are not a developer and you read the copy, you will be swallowed alive by jargon.
Watch the video, however, and you’ll almost immediately understand what AMP is all about (not to mention a funny Spinal Tap reference, see below).
Or you could just read this guide because it will be the most fun you’ve ever had reading about AMP and how it affects your content marketing.
I promise.
What is Google’s AMP Project?
Since the birth of Google’s Zero Moment of Truth philosophy back in 2011, it’s been no secret that they want to “dramatically improve the performance of the mobile web.”
And I probably don’t need to tell you that there is a small problem with the performance of content on the mobile web.
Chances are, you have a mobile device. And chances are that you’ve clicked a link on that device from a search results page, social media site, or inside your email inbox … eager to consume the content.
But it never comes.
Well, it comes, but in a convulsing patchwork of lurching, jerky images, videos, and ads as the page loads. You look on in horror, eyes dilated, bouncing around in your subway seat

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The Marketing < > Analytics Intersect: My Newsletter!

I want you to sign up for something very, very special I’m doing: Writing short stories from the intersection of marketing and analytics.
My goal is to get you promoted, you are going to love it. So. Please do sign up. But, first, as you’ve come to expect from this blog… Context…
Should you own or rent?
The logic we are taught from when we were babies is that it is better to own than rent. Reality is actually a bit more complicated.
In our context, let’s consider two applications of own and rent.
In the past I’ve spoken about own vs. rent in context of platforms. Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn are platforms where you rent your existences. Mobile and desktop websites, mobile applications are platforms you own. You own the content, you set your own creativity limits (no 140 characters or videos of only xx resolution), and you own the data on platforms you own.
I’ve also spoken about own vs. rent in context of audiences. You rent audiences on TV, Magazines, Search, Display, etc. You own audiences on your email lists, on forums you host etc.
Audiences and platforms, two places to bring our own and rent lens.
Before we go on, a quick word on the word own. It does feel odd to say you own anyone/thing. Own in this context is like as much ownership as you can apply to a seed you plant in your front yard. You need to protect it, you need to nurture it, you need to champion on its behalf, and you need to be unselfish for a long, long, long time, and maybe some day you get flowers. And, here’s the most amazing thing, if

Rainmaker Rewind: How to Stir Up Reader Interest by Dishing Out Your Ideas

This week, I’m excited to share one of our newest shows with you: Zero to Book.
On this episode, Jeff Goins and Pamela Wilson discuss reader feedback, exceeding expectations, and three ways to apply the principle of generosity breeding reciprocity.

As they discuss, your existing audience members help you in two ways: they provide feedback on the ideas you plan to write about and they build anticipation for your book.
But for the feedback to come in and the anticipation to build, you have to be willing to share your ideas.
Some authors hesitate to reveal their thoughts because they fear someone else “stealing” them and publishing them before their book is released.
But there are costs if you don’t take the risk and share your ideas — putting your ideas out there has distinct benefits. To start, it’s a chance to begin exceeding people’s expectations of you.
Tune in for more on Zero to Book here.

Here are a couple more episodes you shouldn’t miss this week:

On this episode of The Digital Entrepreneur, Brian and Jerod begin a five-episode series that breaks down the elements of the modern marketing website.
How Email (Still) Creates the Profit Engine of Your Digital Business

On this episode of TubeTalk, host Jeremy Vest discusses how YouTube influencers can help you expand the reach of your products through reviews and how-to videos.
3 Ways to Work with YouTube Influencers (with No Budget)
And one more thing …
If you want to get my Rainmaker Rewind pick of the

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Should You Publish Guest Blog Posts on Your Website?

“Come sit down, Child. Gently put your hands on my crystal ball,” I say, directing you into my dimly lit fortune teller studio. I’m wearing a Stevie Nicks-inspired black lace shawl and gold hoop earrings.
“You’d like to know if you should publish guest blog posts on your website, yes? Let’s ask.”
My long, blood-red fingernail taps on the glass, as a thick fog swirls underneath the surface of the orb for several minutes.
“Looks like I can’t help you. Good thing you paid in advance.”
And with a swift kick in the rear, you exit the studio without an answer.
My crystal ball couldn’t help you decide whether or not you should publish guest blog posts on your site because it depends on a number of specific circumstances.
This post will help you focus on the factors you need to consider before you start running a multi-author publication. (Who knew an article could provide more guidance than a crystal ball?)
If “multi-author publication” sounds advanced, don’t worry — we’ll get started with Editor-in-Chief 101.
Editor-in-Chief 101
If a financial accountant helps you keep an accurate record of your finances, as the Editor-in-Chief of your website, you’re a content accountant.
It’s your responsibility to publish accurate content that is beneficial for your audience. You set and manage your audience’s expectations and actively craft the best experience for them.
When you first create a content-driven website, the platform may just be an outlet for your own writing, as you educate readers who are interested in

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Wistia’s New Features: Audience Page, Viewer Page, & Stats Digest [Video]

In this week’s Thought Leader interview, I get a chance to talk to Jordan Munson from Wistia. What is Wistia & Who is Jordan Manson? Jordan Munson is a customer champion at Wistia, and has been an employee for three years. (In the tech space, that is like 3 lifetimes). For …
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How to Create Amazing Screencast Explainer Videos to Improve Your Content Marketing Efforts

One of the things we really like to do here at The Sales Lion is to educate folks on all things content and inbound marketing. Everything from high-level strategy to specific tactics. This article is one of those down-and-dirty, in the trenches type of articles. We are going to talk …
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Are You a Digital Entrepreneur?

It’s been said that every entrepreneur is a digital entrepreneur.
This is right. This is wrong.
It’s right in the sense that all entrepreneurs are using digital technology to build, launch, and grow their businesses.
But it’s wrong in the sense that not all entrepreneurs are doing everything digitally — which is, amazingly, now possible to do. And it can create compelling career and lifestyle options in the process.
We just launched a new podcast, The Digital Entrepreneur, that discusses the specific strategies, concepts, and tactics necessary for pure digital entrepreneurs to thrive in today’s ever-evolving online marketplace.
Will entrepreneurs who use digital technology benefit from this show? Absolutely. Because the big ideas apply to all businesses in a digital world.
But we’re talking directly to the pure digital entrepreneur.
Is that you?
Brian Clark and I invite you to join this discussion, which you need to be a part of.
Who is a digital entrepreneur?
Let’s get a little more specific here in how we define “digital entrepreneur” and the distinction between other types of entrepreneurs.
To do this, look no further than the home page for Digital Commerce Institute, the ultimate online home for digital entrepreneurs.
Digital entrepreneurs are entrepreneurs focused exclusively on digital commerce, and digital commerce is “a subset of e-commerce used to delineate companies that create digital products and services that are marketed, delivered, and supported completely online.”
Examples of digital commerce products include ebooks, online education, membership sites, downloadable software, web hosting, and software as a service (“SaaS”).
If

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The Big Mistake that is Producing Content for Your Peers and Not for Your Ideal Customer

I was talking to a business owner today who has been embracing content marketing consistently for the past couple of years. As a result, his website has gotten a lot more traffic. More and more lead forms are being filled out. He consistently gets contacted by others in his space—looking to “tap his brain” and draw…
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