MarCom News, Plus 3 Surprising Rules for Inbound Marketers

This week, we’ll cover a couple of important new Google announcements that affect your marketing tactics, plus take a look at 3 surprising rules for Inbound Marketers, including the proposition that Facebook Likes may not be that important — I’ll tell you why.  Note I’m using this week’s new media marketing flavor, “Inbound Marketing” to stress the difference between “old-school” push marketing (ie. direct mail), and emphasize the importance of engaging in online conversations, then nurturing leads and making sales.

NEWS OF THE WEEK::::::::::::::::

Two items of note for Marketing Communication Professionals:  The coming of Google+ Pages for your Business, and a Google algorithm upgrade that values recency much more.  I know, it’s becoming a Google driven world, but just follow two rules here to stay on top:

• Learn how to make your business “brand” page on Google+  – Mashable Article (Contact me for Social Media Coaching)
• Some are calling the new ranking algorythm upgrade, “Google Fresh”, but the most important thing for you to remember is that Google is now rewarding “recency” more highly in their ranking formula — keep writing content consistently.  See Web Pro News Article (Contact WebFadds if you’d like a quote on regular blog posts written by specialists in your industry)

3 Surprising Rules for Inbound Marketers

This infographic (click to enlarge) shows that FaceBook likers just aren't that interested in your brand

1) FaceBook Likes Are Not That Important

Are FaceBook Likes Really That Important? I say no. Here’s why: First we have a number of studies pointing out fickle reasons prospects click the like button; also, news that some companies are selling likes; and that many likes are from people not in a geographic location where they could do business with a brick and mortar store. Now Crowd Science has produced an InfoGraphic and article (right — click to enlarge) based on research that reveals “Facebook brand pages have been ’liked‘ by only 9% of Internet users — trailing the number of ‘likes’ for all other Facebook elements.” 

I also do not see high engagement or good conversions from Facebook for our B2B clients in Analytics. Take-away?  B2B MarCom Social Strategy should focus on LinkedIN, Twitter, and new Google+ Brand pages — before spending much time on Facebook.   

2) People Dislike Marketing Automation

Do You Hate Marketing “Automation? I do, and I bet your prospects do as well. This continuing mistake by Content Marketers (auto-bot links to blog posts sent to social venues, etc.), is addressed very well by HubSpot with a quick presentation and whitepaper. Flipping through their 10 things to hate slides, I particularly agree that Marketing Automation is “too sales driven.” Social business is not initially about driving hard for the sale… would you agree?

3) SEO May Beat PPC & Social Media for Lead Generation

Note I said “may”, because the jury is not in on this one in my mind.  But SEO is the winner for leads, according to a new report. +Matt McGee, writing for Search Engine Land, dissects the report and provides more insights including that B2B marketers do around 16% using SEO for lead gathering, and 33% of B2B marketing budgets go to SEO. B2C had different results with more emphasis on PPC and Social Marketing. And, no surprise since Social & SEO are merging, “60 percent of respondents said they plan to increase their budget for social media marketing in 2012.”

SEO Periodic Table of Ranking Factors

I think the jury is not in about whether PPC would beat SEO in lead generation, but sooner than later you’ll need to focus on SEO and that includes Social Media.  So, whether you begin with Social Media budget, then realize it’s linked to SEO, or just start with SEO work itself  this great info-graphic from Search Engine Land — The SEO Periodic Table of Ranking Factors — will help you get going (left — click to enlarge). I love the concise definition of on-page ranking factors, “Elements influenced by readers, visitors and other publishers.” Why do I love that? Because in my experience, it is the most neglected area in the practice of SEO.  Too often, C-Level managers insist on “inside-out” thinking, calling for optimization with key phrases they believe represents their company, instead of going with those that research shows will most influence visitors to engage. 

Stay tuned — rules for “Inbound Marketers” change almost weekly now.  I’ll keep you posted here and on Google+.