e-commerce & social media

Forrester scored companies according to various factors, including the appeal of their website content and use of video. The companies had the potential to score a perfect 30, or obtain a passing score of 20 or above. Only four companies successfully passed Forrester’s test; the average score was 12.8. Forrester did not reveal the names of the four companies that passed its test.

“The biggest problem is that the majority of content talks about the company, what its products and services do and how many awards they’ve won, but doesn’t speak to the issues their prospective buyers are trying to solve,” said Laura Ramos, Forrester analyst, according to Ad Age.

Telling stories, writing in narrative and shooting video were identified as key ways that companies can help their messages stand out among the rest....

Content marketing, SEO, and social media should work together synergistically. Each should be its own instrument, working together to create a perfect harmony....

...But there is one problem. Just like any marketing channel, as more and more marketers starts using it, content marketing will become even more challenging to gain desired results. For example digital banner ads, which made an appearance in 1994, enjoyed 78% CTR(click-through-rate) and the industry average today hovers around 0.05%. Andrew Chen calls it the ‘Law of Shitty Clickthroughs’

As a marketer, this creates a challenging opportunity to create content that is engaging and innovative. A picture speaks thousand words. That explains why visual content like infographics, gifs and memes are the buzzwords in today’s world of content marketing.

In this article, we have put together a selection of the best tools that can help you create amazing visual content. These time saving apps save you many hours as you create stunning stories that are unique and arresting....

Price still rules as an online purchase influencer, but basic brand assets should not be ignored in online product presentations.

Clear, concise, and pertinent product descriptions make online shoppers press the “Buy” button more often than do favorable reviews. In fact, only price topped persuasive product copy as a purchase influencer, according to a survey of 500 consumers conducted by Markettree for HookLogic.

Price remains king, with 84% of consumers designating it as one of the top three factors that cause them to buy. Sixty-three percent named product descriptions, and 49% listed reviews. Bringing up the rear were videos, named by only 12%. Fundamental brand assets like product names, images, and features, maintains HookLogic's survey report, are the bottom-of-the-funnel items most likely to turn browsers into buyers....

...And according to Social Media Examiner, 97% of marketers are currently participating in social media—but 85% of participants aren’t sure what social media tools are the best to use.

This demonstrates a huge potential for social media marketing to increase sales, but a lack of understanding on how to achieve those results. Here’s a look at just some of the ways social media marketing can improve your business...

...Content that will draw customers to your website and to your business is content that educates, informs, and addresses specific needs.

So that your business does not get lost in the clutter, you need to create and curate content that educates consumers about the industry, technology, and new market trends.  Moreover, your content should address the needs and pain points of your target customer.  Therefore, your content should answer questions, provide solutions, and provide strategic insight....

With online and mobile media set to transform primary and secondary education, professional development won’t be far behind. That’s the bet Inc. magazine is making with the launch of a new online education program, bringing in experts and top execs from across the business world to teach courses -- and, yes, assign and grade homework (but no tests!).

The new online education program is kicking off with a five-week course on entrepreneurship, called “The Inc. Startup Accelerator,” which according to Inc. president and editor-in-chief Eric Schurenberg, will “help you with everything you need to know about creating a business -- starting it, protecting it, and marketing it.”

Schurenberg will host the course; individual classes will be taught by a series of guest lecturers, including Eric Ryan, the founder and CEO of Method, Susan Lyne, CEO of BBG Ventures, Sabrina Parsons, the CEO of Palo Alto Software, and Ben Huh, founder of I Can Has Cheezburger, among others....

You’ve heard of social media calendars before, but do you know what they are and how to use one?

Chances are you don’t. And that’s okay… I didn’t either when I entered the realm of social media marketing. But once I learned about it and how to use it, it change how I marketed my businesses on the social web.

Here’s why you need a social media calendar and how you can create one

What do you do if your competitor has already created a saturated content niche in your industry? Here are four ideas to remain competitive.

Here is the sneaky little secret of content marketing nobody likes to talk about. Often, to create an effective strategy, you don’t have to produce the best content. You just need to be first in your niches and overwhelming. Content saturation is a legitimate strategy.

Now let me address the “content purists” right away. I’m not saying quality is not important. It is, for many reasons, and if you have read this blog for a period of time, you know how hard I fight for quality in each and every post....

Infographics are playing a larger role in visual storytelling efforts. When they are thoughtfully designed, they provide attention-grabbing visuals that also help the reader better comprehend and remember the message. This added value to the reader often encourages further engagement and sharing.

Based on my experience creating infographics that are used in PR Newswire’s press releases, blog posts and presentations, here are some best practices for designing infographics that drive results....

The number of shares an article receives has become ubiquitous in online content; widgets that show shares, tweets, pins, and +1s appear front and center on nearly every post you read (or, in this case, just to the left of this paragraph).

Just how many times does content get shared? Where do people prefer to share it? And are some publishers more effective than others at generating highly shared content? These questions are crucial to content marketers looking to understand the key components of a viral marketing success, and our recent research collaboration with BuzzSumo is here to give you some answers....