By: Casey Meraz In this article I'm going to address the current state of local SEO in 2016, review some findings from a new data-driven local SEO study, and provide you with some actionable tips to win the local SEO game. If there's one thing that's consistent about Google, it's the fact that it's always changing. Over the years we've seen many...
By: Rand Fishkin Knowing what content to create is one of a marketer's most difficult jobs. It's all too easy to imagine your target audience and what they already appreciate, then create more of that. In today's Whiteboard Friday, Rand discusses why that's a bit short-sighted, and we should have a broader vision. Click on the whiteboard image above to open a...
By Larry Kim One of the biggest areas of speculation, contention, and confusion within the SEO universe over the past six years or so has been whether (or how much) social media signals impact organic search rankings. But even if Google isn’t directly using social share counts in their search algorithms, there ought to be some other explanation out there about why high...
By Emily Copp If I offered you a free flight to your next holiday destination—and all you had to do was post a cool photo of yourself on vacation—would you do it? I know I would. That’s the seductive play of the Instagram contest. With very minimal effort, your customers can potentially win cool stuff and maybe show off a little too. In...
By Dara Fontein Can you remember the first time you got into trouble with your parents? Perhaps you were standing on the kitchen table with muddy shoes on. Maybe you had just given the family dog an impromptu mohawk. You might have been fighting with your sibling and broken a family heirloom. Before you could mumble “wasn’t me” your parents had...
By Sarah Dawley I’ve never had a full-fledged makeover, but I can imagine how good it feels. Even after a simple trim I find myself strutting down the street, flipping my hair like I’m starring in a shampoo commercial. Admittedly, I feel a similar sense of pride when I clean up my digital appearance, changing my profile photo or updating my...
By Dara Fontein If you have a sibling, you know that sometimes the best way to learn how to do something is from example. Your big brother might have known how to sneak out of the house in the quietest way possible. Your older sister might have taught you how to beat your brother in Mario Kart. Whatever it was, you...
Written by Valerie Levin At NASA, one of the world’s leading space associations, social media marketing and rocket science combine in a way that could shock even the most weathered social marketer. The organization manages more than 500 social accounts. Imagine what their analytics must look like! From broad agency accounts to specific accounts dedicated to certain NASA missions, their social media...
Written by Lindsay Kolowich When done right, networking is an incredibly valuable investment of every professional's time and effort. It helps us make meaningful business connections, get feedback, and advance our careers. And best of all, it pays significant dividends over time. So why does it seem so unpleasant sometimes? It can feel fake, it's exhausting, and frankly, standing alone in a sea of unknown faces...
Written by Karla Cook Marketing agencies across the U.S. are in the midst of a revenue boom. In 2015, agency revenue increased 6.5% to a record $46.8 billion. This means more hiring, more promotions, and more new leaders trying to find their footing in the challenging agency landscape. Taking on a new position of power can be a massive adrenaline rush, but the excitement can sometimes...