Content and Curation for Nonprofits

Excerpted from article on Content Marketing Institute:
" If the success of your content marketing strategy is in any way dependent on your search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine rankings, there are plenty of tools and tactics available that might merit your time and effort to explore.

Here are eight ways I check keyword rankings as a part of an overall SEO-focused content marketing strategy:

1. WebCEO
With WebCEO, I can quickly see rankings for the main search engines and look at the data from different angles, including history over months and how many keywords are ranking for the same page.

2. SEOmoz Pro
It’s easy to add keywords to a campaign and get a sense of rankings over time. SEOmoz offers automated reports, which can be very helpful when analyzing whether your content marketing strategy is moving in the right direction, from an SEO perspective.

3. SheerSEO
With it, I can look at the historical performance of that keyword, to see if it is likely to remain valuable, or if its current popularity is an anomaly.

4. SEMrush
SEMrush does provide an incredible amount of information (including competitive research) based on the more than 90 million keywords that it monitors in its database.
 
5. Browser extensions
If you are looking for some desktop apps that can give you a quick snapshot of your search performance, try checking your rankings using tools like the "SEO SERP Workbench" (Chrome extension) or "Rank Checker" from "SEO Book".

6. iPhone/Mobile
If you disable the office’s WiFi network, you can also see results that aren’t tied to the business’ IP address.

7. Friends
On some occasions, I’ll ask a friend or colleague to conduct a quick keyword search, so I can compare my results with theirs.

8. Search engine spot checks
As a work-around, when I check rankings on Google, I make sure I’m not logged into my Google account, and I disable my browsing history.


Bonus recommendations and advice:
- If you’re going to monitor your keyword rankings, I recommend that you keep your analyses to a minimum (once a month). Whether you look at ranking data daily, weekly or monthly, track conversion metrics as well.
- Even a No. 1 ranking on Google or Bing will be absolutely meaningless if no one in your target audience is searching for that term.
- Search volume and traffic can drop off during different times of the year.
- every content strategy must factor in the value of your current content, the content you are looking to develop in the future, and the potential both offer for increasing inbound links, leads, and engagement..."

Read full original article here:
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2013/05/optimize-content-marketing-strategy-keyword-tracking-tips/

Part of this research is available to the general public, free of charge.
Excerpted from article about this Gartner's 2013 Social Marketing Survey:
"Summary: Gartner's 2013 U.S. Digital Marketing Spending Survey found that investments in content creation and social marketing totaled 21% of digital marketing budgets. Here we dive deeper into the implications of the content imperative for your social marketing strategy.

Overview:
- Impacts
a) Forty-seven percent of survey respondents see content creation and curation as the top role of their social marketing teams, often forcing them to outsource.
b) Digital marketers achieving effective social marketing create and curate content that speaks with an authentic voice.

- Recommendations
a) Balance outsourced content services with in-house expertise, building internal content creation and curation skills, while utilizing agencies and service providers to scale.
b) Develop a style guide to formalize your brand's voice and values, to clarify rules of engagement and to enforce companywide standards."

[There is a detailed analysis in the full article.]

Moreover, Jake Sorofman, Research Director at Gartner, adds some insights in his blog post:
"So it’s perhaps no surprise that Gartner’s 2013 social marketing survey pointed to content creation and curation as the key areas of focus for social marketing organizations—and the most outsourced function.

What’s different about content in the age of the social web?

- It’s human: it speaks with a conversational voice, from one human being to another. Thought isn’t hidden behind stilted corporate speak, chest-thumping claims and pompous language.
- It’s neutral: perhaps not wholly objective, but it holds fire on the hard sell in favor of issues-centric storytelling that supports a brand’s point of view without always making the brand the hero.
- It’s simple: attention spans aren’t what they used to be and competition for that limited attention has reached a fever pitch.
- It’s visual: It’s also easier to consume when you’re already up to your eyeballs in dense text.
- It’s curated: you don’t have to create all of your own content. Leverage happens when you organize and annotate third-party content that helps tell your story or sell your point of view.
- It’s conversational: communities talk back to sustain the dialogue in the form of comments, reviews, ratings and new content of their own that defends or argues against your point of view.
- It’s organic: it’s published fast, often in response to unpredictable moments."

Full article about Gartner's 2013 Social Marketing Survey:
http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/digital-marketing/social-marketing-survey.jsp

Full original post by Jake Sorofman on Gartner Blog:
http://blogs.gartner.com/jake-sorofman/forget-big-data-here-comes-big-content/

Excerpted from article on Copyblogger:
"While keeping diligent focus on your content production, you must also review your past choices, looking for ways to allow more readers to engage with your writing.
In other words you may need to think more like an editor.

Here are 30 editing tips that will help you become a more effective editor-in-chief of the content you create.

***Fall in love with your website:
1. Forget “like.”
2. Sit down; stay awhile.
3. Turn the spotlight outward.
4. Highlight a reason to subscribe.
5. Have discerning taste.
6. Break the rules for a good cause.
7. Don’t call it Google Minus.
8. Check your WordPress before you wreck your WordPress.
9. Tell them what you want.
10. Say no to “yes men.”

***Vamp up your editorial strategy:
11. Water the plant.
12. Prepare; don’t plan.
13. Take yourself out of the equation.
14. Research what’s hot.
15. Seduce your audience.
16. Diversify your topics.
17. Look in nooks and crannies.
18. Tighten up.
19. Walk the line.
20. Log out and mute.

***Make your words irresistible:
21. Try the Fat Ass Fudge diet.
22. Divide and conquer.
23. Use concise language.
24. Outline major points.
25. Write one compelling line.
26. Learn language rules.
27. Avoid word choice mistakes.
28. Examine each letter.
29. Leave time.
30. Regard everything as practice.

Drafts aren’t only rough versions of documents and manuscripts. Most creations are ongoing works in progress..."

Each tip is analyzed with more information and with many external links to explain better the tips.
Read full original article here:
http://www.copyblogger.com/30-editing-tips/