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6 SEO Challenges Brands Anticipate in 2022 [HubSpot Blog Data]

SEO
June 15, 2022/by
6 SEO Challenges Brands Anticipate in 2022 In 1990, the key to SEO success relied on keywords. Today, it's way more complicated. The SEO landscape is constantly evolving, and marketers must evolve along with it. But to do that, it's important reflect on the biggest SEO challenges this year — and create a game plan to address them. Below, let's review the top six SEO challenges brands are facing in 2022, according to data from HubSpot Blog's 2022 Web Traffic & Analytics Report and other marketing experts. Top 6 SEO Challenges in 2022 1. Staying on top of algorithm changes. The HubSpot Blogs surveyed 400+ web traffic analysts to identify the top SEO challenges in 2022. The leading challenge — experienced by 50% of marketers — is staying on top of search engine algorithm changes. This isn't surprising — in 2020 alone, Google ran more than 500,00 experiments that led to 4,000+ changes to search. For many marketers, staying current with these changes is like hitting a moving target. So, how can you succeed when Google keeps moving the goal post? The key is to respond to these changes strategically. There's no need to overhaul your entire SEO strategy in response to a minor change. Instead, your time is better spent staying on top of industry news. If a big algorithm change is on the horizon, the SEO industry will talk about it. The second tip may sound counterintuitive, but hear me out – after an...
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What Is Transformational Leadership? [+ How It Drives Innovation]

Uncategorized
June 15, 2022/by
What Is Transformational Leadership? Think about the best boss you've ever had. What made them great? Were they open to new ideas? Did they lead with humility? Showed empathy when you needed it? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, this person could be considered a transformational leader. Transformational leaders empower and motivate others to achieve extraordinary feats and, in the process, sharpen their own leadership skills. Here, we'll cover the basics of transformational leadership, define the key characteristics of this style, and see how it differs from transactional leadership. To get a better idea of how transformational leadership plays out in the workplace, we need to look at its four primary elements: Idealized influence — this is the degree to which a leader models the behavior they want followers to emulate. In doing so, they gain trust and respect from their followers. Inspirational motivation — this is the degree to which a leader articulates a vision and outlines future goals. By aligning followers under a singular vision, they can drive the group forward. Individualized consideration — this is the degree to which a leader tends to each follower's needs and acts as a mentor or coach. As a result, followers feel empowered to make individual contributions to the team. Intellectual stimulation — this is the degree to which a leader challenges assumptions, takes risks, and solicits ideas and feedback. The goal here is to stimulate creativity in their followers....
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If Everyone is a Content Creator — Is Anyone?

Content Creation
June 15, 2022/by
If Everyone is a Content Creator — Is Anyone? Quick riddle for you: What do you have in common with podcast hosts, YouTube sensations, TikTok stars, and Instagram influencers? Stumped? Okay, okay. I'll tell you the answer. Statistically speaking, you probably also consider yourself a 'content creator', at least on some level. Recently, HubSpot's Blog Research team ran a study and found 30% of 18-24 year olds and 40% of 25-34 year olds call themselves content creators. That number might seem high at first, but when you consider how deeply ingrained social media has become in our lives, it starts to make sense.  What did surprise me, however, was this: When asked how many followers most of these content creators had, 84% reported less than 10,000, and 39% reported less than 1,000. This confused me. In high school, I had roughly 100 followers. But I'd never considered myself a content creator. I guess, as it turns out, maybe I should have. To investigate whether 'everyone is a content creator' is true — and what it means if it is — I spoke with three content creators and influencers about their relationship to the 'content creator' label. Let's dive in. Is anyone who creates content a 'content creator'?  Li Jin is an investor and co-founder of Variant Fund, a venture firm investing in the ownership economy. Jin, who's been called 'The Investor Guru for Online Creators', believes everyone is a content creator. As Jin told The Information, "No matter...
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How Marketers Are Preparing for Google’s Third-Party Cookie Phaseout

Marketing Trends
June 14, 2022/by
How Marketers Are Preparing for Google's Third-Party Cookie Phaseout Over the past few years, consumers have become increasingly concerned with how companies use their data. And many feel passionate about protecting their privacy — in fact, HubSpot's Blog Research found 80% of consumers believe data privacy is a human right. Data security has become a critical component for long-term customer retention and loyalty. So it's vital brands behave responsibly when it comes to collecting and protecting consumer data. But many marketers have relied on third-party data for years, so the phaseout of Google's third-party cookie in 2023 will likely cause some concern. Fortunately, it doesn't have to. Here, let's explore the effective strategies marketers will implement to ensure they're still reaching new audiences and connecting with customers even without third-party data. How Marketers are Preparing for Google's Third-Party Cookie Phaseout 1. Marketers are enhancing or developing their data collection operations and management models. One surefire way to prepare for the third-party cookie phaseout? Begin developing or refining a strong first-data party data strategy. As Microsoft Advertising's Head of Evangelism, John Lee, told me, "Microsoft Advertising is working with the digital advertising industry and its clients to evolve and uplevel data privacy maturity for a privacy-first cookieless world. While there is no market-ready solution available today that manages data end-to-end, our guidance for our clients is to take steps now to prepare a first-party data strategy and to conduct robust data management practices." He adds, "First-party will lead the...
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Lying in Sales: 9 Reasons It’s Not Worth Lying to Sell More

Agency Marketing
June 13, 2022/by
Lying in Sales: 9 Reasons It’s Not Worth Lying to Sell More As a salesperson, your success rests largely on quota attainment. Make quota consistently, and you’re a superhero. Miss quota a few months in a row, and everyday inches you closer and closer to a performance plan. For reps or managers in the latter bucket, desperate times often call for desperate measures. First, maybe hitting the number is a matter of closing a few more deals. Then, suddenly, you’re stretching the truth on features and saying, “Sure, we can do that!” when you’re not sure you can really do that — or worse, you're sure you absolutely cannot do that. Sales is a notoriously stressful job, and the pressure to fudge the truth with prospects can become overwhelming when your goal is a long way away. But the unpleasant repercussions are not worth it. But before we delve into why lying doesn’t pay, let’s first see why salespeople lie. Why Do Salespeople Lie? An “honest salesperson” is a myth and a perfect example of an oxymoron to many. But why do salespeople lie? We list three reasons why they do. Perhaps after reading this section, you’ll be more sympathetic towards them. 1. They don’t know the product This is one big reason why the average salesperson distorts the truth. They simply don’t know what a product can or can’t do, so they stretch the truth about its capabilities. As salespeople, they’re expected to know everything about what they’re...
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How to Make a Histogram on Google Sheets [5 Steps]

Google Sheets
June 11, 2022/by
How to Make a Histogram on Google Sheets Google Sheets offers many data visualization tools within its platform, with one of the most popular ones being the histogram. Read more to learn what exactly a histogram is, what it’s used for, and how to make one on Google Sheets. What is a histogram and what is it used for? A histogram is a graphical representation showing the distribution of data points that have been grouped into specific ranges or categories. Say you have a blog and you have blog posts ranging from 1 to 500 words, 500 to 1,000 words, and 1,000 to 2,000 words. You want to analyze which bucket gets the most organic traffic. You can use a histogram to accomplish this. While a histogram looks like a bar chart, the two are not interchangeable. A histogram displays the frequency distribution of variables within a data set. A bar graph, however, serves as a comparison between separate variables. Now that you know how to use it, let’s go over how to make one. How to Make a Histogram on Google Sheets Select your data set. Click on "Insert" then select "Chart." Click the drop-down menu in "Chart Type" then scroll down to the "Other" section. Review your histogram. Edit your chart by clicking on the three dots and then clicking on "Edit chart." Use the chart editor to...
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Bad Press Releases: 14 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid

Public Relations
June 11, 2022/by
Bad Press Releases: 14 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid Press releases remain a critical link in the communications chain. According to Cision’s 2021 Global State of the Media Report, 78% of journalists say they prefer press releases and news announcements to other content types. The problem? Writing a press release is simple — writing a good press release is no easy task. In this piece, we’ll break down 14 common bad press release characteristics and offer suggestions to help your team avoid press release mistakes. 14 Rookie Press Release Mistakes to Avoid While there’s no such thing as the “perfect” press release, your team can get closer to the mark by avoiding common errors. Here’s a look at 14 of the most common rookie mistakes — and how to reduce your chance of making them. 1. Forgetting to Add Links Press releases are not just for the press. Releases will likely be published on your website, and your team might also submit releases to wire services. The result? Press releases now live in a digital world — and they need links that drive readers to other relevant content. For marketing teams still using the traditional model of press release production, however, it’s easy to miss out on links. The result is a release that might have great content but doesn’t go anywhere, meaning your team can miss out on potential conversion opportunities. The Solution: Ensure all press releases are reviewed prior to publishing. If there’s no obvious place for...
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Job Simulations: What They Are and Why Recruiters Need Them

Recruiting Tips
June 10, 2022/by
Job Simulations: What They Are and Why Recruiters Need Them Recruiting or hiring the right talent is essential to the growth of any business. However, it’s not always easy to find the right person. Most times, it feels like trying to find a needle in a haystack-like heap of CVs, with each new one looking better than the last. Sorting through these CVs often requires a ton of time and effort — without the guarantee of picking the right candidate. You can make things easier for yourself and increase your chances of picking the right candidate by using job simulations. In this guide, you’ll learn what job simulations mean. We’ll also consider how job simulations can help you, its pros and cons, types, and how to create an excellent job simulation that’ll benefit your company and its employees. Let’s begin! For example, for a secretary position, a job simulation might include typing a dictation or completing forms. A job simulation might also involve the candidate showing their soft skills like communication, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Job role tests are specific to the job the applicant is applying for, and by using these tests, employers can determine whether a job candidate can do the job instead of hiring them just based on their CVs or interview answers. 85+ years of research compiled into the Schmidt-Hunter paper reveal that education and experience aren’t effective at predicting candidates’ ability. Instead, job simulations help test for skills directly! Let’s now see some...
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20 Best Webinar Software Platforms of 2022

Webinars
June 9, 2022/by
20 Best Webinar Software Platforms of 2022 If you’re looking to attract highly engaged leads, interact with your audience, get real-time feedback, and capitalize on exciting guest speakers, then you could benefit from webinar software. In a blind test run by the team at Business2Community, it was discovered that live webinars got 2.3x the number of registrants than an on-demand video, and had 23% more. In addition, live attendants were also more attentive as participants viewed an average of 80% of the live webinar content. That type of turnout can aid your business in lead generation and more conversions if they’re immersed in what you have to say. To better engage with your audience and meet your marketing objectives, you have to choose the best software to host your webinars. In this post, we’ve listed our favorite webinar software platforms. If you’re in a pinch, we’ve divided them by category for easy research. Best Webinar Software for Marketers Best Webinar Software for Small Businesses Best Webinar Tools for Training and Classroom Sessions Best Free Webinar Software Best Webinar Software for Marketers 1. WebinarNinja Optimizing for the customer journey is crucial and WebinarNinja knows it. The team of WebinarNinja focused Its tool development on making it easy to track and customize according to a prospect’s position in the funnel. We love how this platform: Integrates with CRMs like HubSpot so you can easily track your leads. It offers...
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