SES Atlanta provided a range of useful information, including four important link lessons from a panel that included top marketers from CNN, Cheapflights, Care.org and our personal favorite, the Atlanta Hawks. These lessons can provide insight on how to use quality content to drive links. Take a look at some of the tips the group offered to seminar attendees.
Where’s It’s Viewed Isn’t as Important
One of the most important messages presented was that it isn’t as important where the content is read, as long as its read. To this point, Andisheh Nouraee, from Care.org said that most of the content the company posts is read on Facebook rather than at the site itself. The company is not working on driving traffic from its Facebook page to its website. Rather, the company is working to create web content that has a human interest focus in a Facebook-friendly manner. The company believes that this type of content allows them to still get their reach into the marketplace because customers are still interacting with the company. It’s important to note that, while you want people to visit each of your channels, from your Facebook posts to your website, you also need to market to build your brand and to increase your market share.
Determine Why They Are Coming to Your Site
Instead of providing any and all information, it’s better to focus on what brings people to the website. For example, Care.org removed thousands of pages of content from its website after determining what specific reasons people were coming to their site for, and then revamped and added content in those areas. As a result of the move, the company has a 27% increase in traffic and longer visits by visitors.
Modify Messages to Fit the Audience
Also important is to ensure messages really match the focus of the audience. Cheapflights offered insight into this step. It created “how to” content for its study abroad college students about how to manage life abroad. It then contacted universities, shared this information, and saw a significant increase in its traffic as a result. It’s all about ensuring you have a message that meets the specific needs of the unique reader.
Keeping Visitors on the Site Is Also Just as Important
Once they get there, it’s important to give people what they want so they stay there to get the most out of the engagement. To do this, CNN redesigned their website to make it easy to navigate from whatever brought the visitor to the site to more information. They removed extra content that didn’t seem to fit their search. By doing so, they were able to provide their users with better information and they remained at the site longer. They reduced features and got rid of older style, long posts.
In addition to this information, the panel agreed that content is more important than ever in this industry. And, not only is content invaluable, but it if is not shared properly, all brands suffer as a result.
Great tips from SES Atlanta!