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User Engagement Is the New SEO: How to Boost Search Rank by Engaging Users

SEO
January 4, 2021/by
User Engagement Is the New SEO: How to Boost Search Rank by Engaging Users Many businesses aim for their websites to rank highly in search engines, but it's a moving target. Google, for instance, updated its algorithm 3,234 times in 2018 to meet user needs (emphasizing the "optimization" part of SEO). You might remember when Google's featured snippet addition disrupted the numbered ranking system of search pages. Because the snippet's goal is to provide a simple answer from a strong piece of content, it might pull from the second or fourth website listed on the search engine result page instead of the first. As a result, 34% of desktop users don't even click on a webpage, since their questions are answered by a featured snippet on the search results page. This may seem like a cheap tactic to hoard traffic, but it's not. By prioritizing the searcher's experience over the hierarchy of web pages, Google ensures satisfied users. Optimizing for search engines shouldn't be your main focus anymore. The ongoing shift in Google's algorithm over the past decade indicates a new market focus on meeting user expectations. In this post, I'll do my best to pull back the curtain and show you how improving the user experience on your site will also improve your rankings and increase traffic. Search Engine Engagement Metrics Before we delve deeper into the metrics that will likely correlate with an increase in rankings in the age of user experience, it's worth noting that no search engine is an open book. Google notifies the public when it updates its...
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6 Ways to Use Icons in Your Infographics [+ Where to Find Free Icons]

Infographics
January 2, 2021/by
6 Ways to Use Icons in Your Infographics Whether it’s an explainer on solar panels or the farm-to-cup process of making your favorite coffee, infographics compress a world of information into one simple, digestible format. But designing an infographic that successfully communicates a lot of information in a simple visual format requires more than a quick idea and a template. Fortunately, there's one design element that the best infographics all have in common, and it can help you build a professional infographic that gets your point across and looks good doing it. Icons are the secret tool that designers use to take your eye from one point to another so that all that information comes to you in just the right order. Icons form the secret language of infographics, and once you learn how to speak it, yours will be more effective and (hopefully) widely shared by your audience. Why Do You Need Infographic Icons? Infographics can be a great source of information when you’re introducing a complex topic to an unfamiliar audience. People love sharing them because they can communicate a vast quantity of information in an elegant, easy-to-digest format. However, it’s easy to create an infographic that is overwhelming or which simply falls flat. Icons streamline the process of creating the infographic and ensure that it effectively communicates the information it’s meant to share. Infographic icons give structure to your infographic and can be used to highlight key pieces of information. They can also efficiently explain...
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How to Make a Timeline Graphic in Google Docs, Word, Excel, Google Sheets, and PowerPoint

Infographics
January 2, 2021/by
How to Make a Timeline Graphic in Google Docs, Word, Excel, Google Sheets, and PowerPoint Infographics are a great way to capture user attention and communicate key concepts. Why? Because they combine relevant information with graphic impact to increase retention and engagement. Data backs up this common-sense assertion: Research found that people retain 65% of the information they see — but only 10% of the information they hear — and spend 39% less time searching for the content they need when it’s displayed in infographic format. One of the most compelling uses for this functional format? Timeline graphics. These date and data delivery vehicles offer a way to quickly communicate important information — from key dates in your company’s history to upcoming project milestones or predicted market trends. Of course, it’s one thing to see the value in timeline graphics and another to actually create attractive and effective visuals. In this piece, we’ll tackle timeline tactics for familiar applications including Google Docs, Word, Excel, Google Sheets, and Powerpoint. 3...2...1...let’s go! What is a timeline graphic? While there’s no single format for timeline graphics, the most common composition uses four parts: Data Visual Header Description Each timeline element contains all four parts, and elements are then arranged in left-to-right order of oldest-to-newest events. This format offers simplicity of form and function — elements are easy to read and identify, and the “flow” of time is simple to spot. Let’s say you’re creating a...
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What is Technographic Data? (And Why It Matters)

Buyer Personas
January 1, 2021/by
What is Technographic Data? (And Why It Matters) Digital transformation is more than just a buzzword — as noted by Forbes, 70% of companies have already deployed a strategy to improve digital service and solution uptake or are actively working on one. And, in 2019 alone, enterprises spent more than 2 trillion dollars worldwide to help drive digital adoption and improve overall organizational performance. For product and service providers in the technology industry, this presents an opportunity: If B2B sales teams can determine where enterprises are struggling with digital transformation initiatives, they can improve targeted marketing efforts and boost total sales. But how do they bridge the gap between potential conversions and practical insight? Technographic data. In this piece, we'll break down what technographic is (and isn't), how companies can collect this data at scale, and why this data is important to help enhance B2B sales efforts. Let's get started. What is Technographic Data? Technographics is a portmanteau of the words “technology” and “demographics”, and refers to information that describes the use of technology solutions, their adoption rates, and the potential challenges they present for organizations. The challenge? This technographics definition isn't terribly useful without context. First, let's talk about what technographics isn't: Demographic data Demographic data focuses on information about people — how many people are employed by a specific organization? What points of contact exist? How have companies' sizes and staff configurations changed over time, and what's on the horizon. This information is critical to help identify potential...
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What is the 7×7 Rule in PowerPoint?

Presentations
January 1, 2021/by
What is the 7x7 Rule in PowerPoint? Despite its reputation for dry content delivery across virtual and in-person meetings alike, PowerPoint remains the go-to choice for many professionals, even as other options emerge that offer greater usability and flexibility outside of the Microsoft ecosystem. Part of the presentation platform’s popularity stems from its familiarity — many organizations still run Microsoft-first IT software environments, making PowerPoint the obvious choice for straightforward presentation design. Simplicity provides the second part of this popularity permutation since creating a basic PowerPoint presentation on a single topic requires minimal time and effort. The problem? “Simple” doesn’t always mean “effective”. Staff across markets, industries, and verticals worldwide have stories about unbearably long and boring PowerPoint presentations that were long on details but short on value. The 7x7 rule offers a framework to help boost PowerPoint form and function by reducing text volume and improving information impact. In this piece, we’ll break down the 7x7 rule in PowerPoint, best practices, and offer some actionable examples of seven-by-seven solutions in-situ. The PowerPoint Problem To put it simply, most viewers don’t like PowerPoint. While the format has the benefit of speed and convenience — and can conceivably be used to communicate information quickly and concisely — many presentations are overlong and overwrought with bonanzas of bullet points that seem relevant but are really just digital hot air. In most cases, the disconnect between appearance and action is boring at best and irritating at worst. As noted by the...
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The Five Types of Utility in Marketing

Marketing Strategies
December 31, 2020/by
The Five Types of Utility in Marketing How do prospective consumers spend their money? What matters to them when they make decisions about how much to spend, where to spend it, and which company earns their business? This is the role of sales and marketing teams in your organization: Designing and deploying consumer campaigns to showcase the unique value proposition of your product or service so you stand out from the competition. The challenge? It’s not easy. Customer preferences are constantly evolving in response to both external market forces and internal financial constraints. As a result, the reasons around how, when, and why consumers spend money are never static — companies must find ways to understand and articulate the value of service or product offerings in a way that both captures consumer interest and convinces them to convert. Here, the concept of utility-based marketing is markedly useful. In this piece, we’ll explore the basics of utility in marketing, why it matters, and then dive into five common types of utility in marketing. What is utility in marketing? Put simply? Value. While in a non-economic context the term “utility” typically means “usefulness”, the marketing-driven definition speaks to the specific value realized by consumers when they spend on products or services. Understanding utility in marketing can help companies both better-predict spending habits and design campaigns to capture consumer interest. Why Marketing Utility Matters Historically, marketing efforts have focused on making an impression. It makes sense — if consumers...
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The Best Free Graphic Design Software for Marketers and Beginners

Infographics
December 31, 2020/by
The Best Free Graphic Design Software for Marketers and Beginners When it comes to website success, what you see is what you get. While compelling text, blog, and social media content can help set your brand apart from the competition, the visual appeal of your site is the first thing users see when they follow backlinks or click through on search engine results. Recent research found that it takes just 2.6 seconds for users’ eyes to focus on a specific area of your website. What’s more, it takes just 0.05 seconds for visitors to form a general first impression of your site — meaning you’ve got just one opportunity to change their minds or reinforce this impression, and it happens in the first three seconds of arrival. As a result, it’s critical to create webpages that are both aesthetically appealing and contextually relevant. For larger businesses, this often means hiring dedicated graphic designers to develop eye-catching designs and deploy them consistently across web pages, but SMB budgets may not support this type of spending. What it Takes to Have a Great Design Advanced graphic design skills require practice, practice, practice. Great designers can take one look at your webpage and see where current visual elements aren’t performing, then create visual content options that capture both your brand position and aesthetic style. But what about website and business owners who can’t afford the skills of a master graphic designer? How can they jumpstart the process of improving their site’s...
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Interesting Advertising Experiments HubSpot Tried in 2020 [+ Takeaways for Marketers]

Marketing Strategy
December 31, 2020/by
Interesting Advertising Experiments HubSpot Tried in 2020 The other day, I was on a run and listening to my trusty Spotify playlist. Lo and behold, in between two of my favorite pump-up jams, I hear a HubSpot audio advertisement trickle through my headphones. It’s not uncommon for me to see HubSpot ads on social media or Google, but Spotify was a new one. This experience made me curious about what other kinds of advertisements our team at HubSpot had tested out this year. So I sat down with a few folks on our advertising and editorial teams. Below, they share some interesting lessons and takeaways regarding the different platforms and audiences they tested in 2020. Advertising Experiments HubSpot Tried in 2020 “While HubSpot has traditionally been relatively direct response-focused (with software signups being the main acquisition goal), one of the biggest takeaways from our advertising in 2020 actually revolves around driving awareness through brand advertising,” shared Rex Gelb, Director, Acquisition Analytics & Paid Advertising at HubSpot. In early 2020, the team realized they were reaching diminishing returns on many of their existing ad channels, namely search and social ads, and saw it as an opportunity to branch out. They spearheaded this effort based on the guiding principle that the HubSpot audience is comprised of people with different media habits. “What works for one person might not work for everyone, so we were likely only reaching a small segment of them through ,” said Jillian Hope, Senior Marketing...
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How to Give a Persuasive Presentation [+ Examples]

Presentations
December 30, 2020/by
How to Give a Persuasive Presentation A presentation aimed at persuading an audience to take a specific action can be the most difficult type to deliver, even if you’re not shy of public speaking. Creating a presentation that effectively achieves your objective requires time, lots of practice, and most importantly, a focused message. With the right approach, you can create a presentation that leaves a skeptical audience enthusiastic to get on board with your project. In this post, we'll cover the basics of building a persuasive presentation. Let's dive in. What is a persuasive presentation? In its most basic form, a persuasive presentation features a speaker who tries to influence an audience to accept certain positions and engage in actions in support of them. A good persuasive presentation uses a mixture of facts, logic, and empathy to help an audience see an issue from a perspective they previously discounted or hadn’t considered. How to Plan a Persuasive Presentation Want to make a persuasive presentation that connects with your audience? Follow these steps to win friends and influence people within your audience. 1. Decide on a single ask. The key to convincing your audience is to first identify the singular point you want to make. A good persuasive presentation will focus on one specific and easy-to-understand proposition. Even if that point is part of a broader initiative, it ideally needs to be presented as something your audience can say "yes" or "no" to easily. A message that isn’t well-defined...
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How to Create a Killer 5-Minute Presentation

Presentations
December 30, 2020/by
How to Create a Killer 5-Minute Presentation Developing and delivering a five-minute presentation seems an easy enough task at first -- until you realize the condensed format actually requires significantly more efficiency, focus, and attention to detail than longer presentation types. When there's less time to get your point across, every second counts more. While short presentations can be unexpectedly challenging to create, when done correctly they can be more impactful than longer presentations. Five minutes is just enough time for you to present a compelling narrative about one topic, without any filler or fluff. The time limit forces you to pack as much valuable information as possible into your presentation while maintaining a coherent structure. The shorter format also encourages audiences to pay more attention. But how can you ensure your short presentation accomplishes everything it needs to within just five short minutes? We've put together an (appropriately condensed) guide on five-minute presentations to help you get started. How Many Words Are in a 5-Minute Presentation? A person speaks on average 120 to 160 words a minute, which means the average five-minute presentation will be anywhere from 600 to 800 words. That means every word should be carefully chosen to support the central idea of your presentation. When constructing a longer presentation, you might be more concerned about transitions and keeping the audience engaged with more extensive narrative elements. In a short presentation, everything you say should directly tie back to your central premise and further advance your...
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