Marketing School | Digital Marketing | Online Marketing

In episode #1213, we discuss how Eric prevented his SEO traffic from dropping drastically. Failing to redirect correctly when redesigning and assuming that your developer knows the ropes are two big mistakes you should avoid. Tune in to hear which tools Eric used to prevent a traffic disaster!  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: How Eric Siu Saved His SEO Traffic from Tanking. [00:53] What went wrong: not giving the developer a checklist when the site was redesigned.  [01:15] Going ahead with the redesign without having the correct redirects in place.  [01:44] Using Google Search Console to help point out issues with your site.  [01:54] Using monitoring tools such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, and SEO Spider.  [02:20] What happened once 404 issues were fixed.  [02:32] Ensuring that you don’t lose traffic by breaking the URL structure.  [03:49] Increasing the mobile site speed and maintaining the desktop speed.  [05:00] Why you don’t have to be perfect everywhere.  [05:44] Avoid making the same

In episode #1212, we share the top marketing trends for the coming year. You can expect to see wider use of chatbot software, voice search, and business intelligence (BI) tools. Tune in to hear why companies will continue to develop products only to give them away for free!  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: Marketing Trend for 2020.  [00:45] The growing popularity of software such as ChatBot and ManyChat.  [01:17] The benefits of combing chatbots with text tools such as Twilio.   [01:45] Some of the biggest companies in the chatbots space and the expanding market.  [02:13] How voice search will start to dominate searches through applications like Alexa.  [02:36] Companies building products and giving them away for free to generate leads.  [03:57] Learning what to optimize by using Pattern89 to run Facebook and YouTube ads.   [04:33] The excess of channels and data sources and the growing need for BI tools.  [05:27] Streamlining all the data sources through customer data platforms suc

In episode #1211, we share all the best templates for accelerating your business growth. Whether to stay organized, test and implement new ideas or find out the projected cash you’ll have left at any given point, there is a formula for each. Tune in to learn more about the three must-read books for growing your business! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: Templates We Use to Grow Our Businesses Faster.  [00:50] When Traction is a great framework to use and how it helps you stay organized.  [01:43] Traction as the first, Scaling Up as the second, and 3HAG WAY as the third step.  [02:53] A growth plan for coming up with, implementing and testing new ideas faster. [04:37] Using Runway to show you how much cash you will have left at any given point.  [05:30] The ideal amount of cash to have in the bank when you are in startup mode.   [06:02] Accelerating growth by hiring experienced people.   [06:53] The awesome templates available from Point Nine Capital.  [07:38] To stay updated with eve

In episode #1210, we share seven practical ways to use data to grow faster. It is all about finding the right tools to help you optimize and automate your operations so that you can get the maximum benefit from your marketing efforts. Tune in to hear why you should use a data scientist and keep a record of everything you do for marketing.   TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: Seven Practical Ways to Use Data to Grow Faster.  [00:30] Why data is important – think machine learning and artificial intelligence.  [00:49] Google’s built-in AI that can help you optimize your ads.  [01:10] The tools you can use to make the most of your Facebook ads.  [01:29] How using the search bar inside Google Analytics can assist you.  [02:01] The helpful reports Google Data Studio provides for executives and agencies.  [02:23] Finding automated solutions for SEO such as BrightEdge, ClickFlow, and Distilled.   [03:08] Why you want to work with a data scientist and what you can expect to pay.  [03:54] Puttin

In episode #1209, we discuss the various problems that WeWork recently ran into. It is crucial to remain realistic about what your company is and what it offers rather than thinking it is more than it is. Tune in to hear what venture capitalists will likely look for in time to come! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: What You Can Learn from WeWork’s Debacle.  [00:42] What WeWork is and the information that was recently uncovered about them. [01:35] Their IPO having to be canceled and SoftBank bailing them out.  [01:52] The crazy payout that the co-founder and former CEO Adam Neumann got.   [02:19] Learning that we as marketers cannot put lipstick on a pig: we need a decent product.   [02:34] How WeWork pitches themselves versus what they actually are.  [03:22] Being realistic about what you are as a company and what you are good at. [03:52] Learning to negotiate well even if things aren’t working out as you planned.  [04:09] The importance of taking care of your money and your people. 

In episode #1208, we discuss how BERT helps to refine Google searches and queries. It is estimated that one in ten searches will be affected by this update and this portion is likely to be increasing even more. Tune in to hear practical examples of how BERT will help to produce relevant search results.  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: How to Beat BERT, Google’s Latest Algorithm Update.  [00:52] What BERT stands for and what its implication is for users.  [01:23] How this update helps with search queries and a practical example.  [02:10] Considering each search word to produce more specific context search results. [02:26] The portion of searches that will be affected by this change. [03:16] Google’s mission to understand what people are looking for.  [03:27] Why the number of searches BERT impacts will likely increase.  [03:43] The sites that are getting traffic from the BERT algorithm update.  [04:16] That’s it for today! [04:19] To stay updated with events and learn more about our

In episode #1207, we share the secret to what has made the Henokiens so successful for over two centuries. Focusing on the big picture rather than on short-term goals is guaranteed to make your business more sustainable in the long run. Tune in to hear why you should pay closer attention to your stakeholders than your shareholders! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: A Simple Marketing Lesson from the Henokiens.  [00:46] Who the Henokiens are and what sets them apart from many others.  [01:04] The problem with the short-term perspective of most companies today.  [01:47] How certain companies manage to stand the test of time.   [03:30] Why you have to think long-term rather than focusing only on short-term solutions.   [04:25] Shifting the focus from shareholders to stakeholders and what it involves.  [05:03] Accepting that focusing on the long game will take more time.  [05:16] Why this approach is more difficult for us marketers.   [05:47] That’s it for today! [05:56] To stay updated

In episode #1206, we discuss the content that you want to keep updating. Start by identifying those posts that have experienced a drop in traffic and rewrite them to align with current topics and trends. Tune in to hear all about the new Clickflow feature that will help you to track down decaying content!  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: Which Pieces of Content to Update.  [00:29] The benefits of updating your content. [01:14] Writing four to five pieces a month and having a team to update three a day!  [01:34] Why writing every day is difficult to sustain.    [02:01] Using Google Search Console to see which of your posts dropped in traffic.  [02:35] Sending poor-performing pieces to be rewritten.  [02:55] The new feature in Clickflow to track decaying content.  [03:34] Why you want to track the efficacy of what you are doing.   [04:10] When to update video or podcast content.  [04:37] Paying attention to the content that is labeled with a year and the most popular ones.  [05:13]

In episode #1205, we share the best things you can learn from Constellation Software. Through strategic acquisitions and looking for markets with a big total addressable market (TAM), they’ve managed to skyrocket to success. Tune in to hear more about the founder Mark Leonard and how they leverage the Berkshire Hathaway model.  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: What You Can Learn from a $20 Billion Company.  [00:32] Constellation Software: where they are based, their market cap, and company size.  [00:56] How they are unique and what they do with other software businesses they buy.  [01:52] Their model of simply maintaining the current revenue. [02:07] They type of companies they seem to be interested in buying and their criteria.  [02:43] How they’re making money from companies that are under the radar.  [03:13] You don’t have to do something well known to make money.  [03:36] Looking for markets that have a big total addressable market (TAM).   [03:52] The mistake of going after bus

In episode #1204, we talk about why customer reviews are important and how you can actually get more. In our online society, reviews play a critical role in helping customers make their purchase decisions. Listen in to discover the tips and strategies for encouraging customers to leave reviews in both B2B and consumer-based markets.  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: Why Customer Reviews Are Important. [00:31] The prominent role that reviews play in purchasing decisions. [01:13] B2B and consumer-based strategies for getting more customer reviews. [02:02] Using NPS software to encourage customers to write reviews. [02:32] Learning to capitalize on previous customer reviews to get more fresh reviews. [03:46] The positive impact of following up with customers to gain more positive reviews. [05:01] That’s it for today! [05:03] To stay updated with events and learn more about our mastermind, go to the Marketing School site for more information. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Boost

In episode #1203, we share how you can use intent to shape your content and SEO. The buckets of intent are the best way to gauge where in the sales process your potential customer is, drive them toward the point of purchase and engage them most appropriately. Tune in to hear how to organize your content within the funnel system and what percentage of content should belong to each funnel.  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: How to Use Intent to Shape Your Content and SEO.  [00:35] The three main buckets of intent: top, middle and bottom of the funnel.  [00:45] What top of funnel typically involves: information and education.  [01:32] How the middle of the funnel is different and refines searches by comparison.  [02:13] The bottom of the funnel: when someone is ready to buy and the keywords they’ll use.   [02:38] The importance of understanding how customers buy and how your content performs.  [03:07] Map out the percentage of content that will be top, middle and bottom of the funnel. [03

In episode #1202, we share how we constantly find fresh content topics. There are plenty of tools available that can help you track down the titles and topics that are hot at the moment. Tune in to hear how brainstorming activities can get you ten viable topics on the table in less than five minutes! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: How to Come Up with Unlimited Content Topics.  [00:58] Using the Ubersuggest and Answer the Public tools to find relevant topics. [01:20] Pick topics that resonate with you and not just for the sake of popularity.  [01:46] Doing a site colon command of competitors and what it shows you.  [02:39] Why Ahrefs’ content explorer and BuzzSumo are such helpful tools.  [03:15] How to leverage popular titles from other industries.  [04:15] Getting a group of industry friends together to brainstorm ideas.  [05:05] Looking on social media and on the web at what works for other popular people.  [05:33] How we come up with topics for this podcast.  [06:05] That’s it

In episode #1201, we talk about how Eric Siu gets ahead of his competitors! From attending events and going to bed early, Eric has a bunch of helpful tips and possible jumpstarts for you and your business. Tune in to hear what he does and find some new things for yourself! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: How Eric Siu Gets Ahead of His Competitors. [00:46] Scanning the media landscape for numbers from founders and startups. [01:15] What Eric does with this information and the things he pays attention to. [01:56] Holiday work and putting in the time to get ahead. [03:02] Looking at numbers and comparing these with competitors. [03:20] Blocking off time for peaceful strategizing. [04:19] Competing with bigger and more well-resourced competitors. [06:17] Getting up early in the morning, a focus on sleep and attending events.  [07:59] That’s it for today! [08:02] To stay updated with events and learn more about our mastermind, go to the Marketing School site for more information. Lin

In episode #1200, we talk about how Neil Patel gets ahead of his competitors! From working in the holidays, allowing small amounts of downtime, and mapping out partnerships, Neil has some great strategies to share with everyone! Tune in to hear some inspiring ways to get ahead. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: How Neil Patel Gets Ahead of His Competitors. [00:43] Putting in the extra work and the difference input time can make. [01:40] Vacation time and what happens during those periods. [02:31] The integration of work and life; benefits of bringing these together. [03:35] Unusual call times and putting in the effort in order to win. [04:21] How Neil calendarises his partnerships and reaches out to people. [05:42] That’s it for today! [05:48] To stay updated with events and learn more about our mastermind, go to the Marketing School site for more information. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Michael Moritz  Netflix Ubersuggest Leave Some Feedback:   What should we tal

In episode #1199, we talk about a few books that can help you and your brand in 2020! We share some choices that deal with customers, coaching, ambition and more, while also considering the benefits of less reading and more action. Tune in to find the right content that help you grow in the best way in the new year! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: Business Books That Will Help You Grow in 2020. [00:41] Why a book is a such a great value proposition. [01:05] The Mom Test and figuring out what to build for your customers. [01:39] The benefits of reading no books at all in 2020! [02:20] Taking action instead of stockpiling knowledge that leads to nothing. [03:40] Allowing time for perspective every day. [04:15] Trillion Dollar Coach, Play Bigger and Traction. [05:55] That’s it for today! [06:00] To stay updated with events and learn more about our mastermind, go to the Marketing School site for more information. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Seth Godin The Mom Test Audibl

In episode #1198, we discuss the main thing that is preventing you from achieving SEO success. Your leads won’t convert to sales if you haven’t spent time on customer development. Tune in to hear what you can do to better understand your customers’ pain points!  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: The One Thing That Can Make or Break Your SEO.  [00:32] How customer development is related to SEO.  [01:06] Constantly trying new ways to get traffic in the early days of business.  [02:11] Why traffic and ranking for everything shouldn’t be your goal. [02:50] The importance of figuring out what your customers’ specific pain points are. [03:16] What happens when you focus too heavily on keywords and not the people.  [03:42] Two highly recommended books on learning to understand your customer.  [04:49] Examples of things you can do to promote customer development.   [05:30] Realizing that customer development is an ongoing process.  [06:03] Keeping in mind that search patterns change as peopl

In episode #1197, we share our top seven content marketing tips. One of the most effective and economical ways of keeping your content current is to update old material regularly rather than creating new content all the time.  Tune in to hear what you need to do to boost your content in 2020!  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: Seven Practical Content Marketing Tips.  [00:36] Avoid reusing the same information and relying only on the Skyscraper Technique.  [01:29] Be sure to sprout your content and make the most of the omnichannel strategy.   [02:12] How to leverage the land and expand strategy to optimize existing content.  [03:10] Testing the performance of titles and meta descriptions and tweaking when necessary.   [03:46] Translating and transcribing your content to increase your traffic.  [04:42] Don’t forget about emails – it’s the one channel you can control!  [05:18] Spend a lot of time revising old content rather than creating new material.  [06:44] That’s it for today! [06:4

In episode #1196, we share the quickest ways to get skilled at digital marketing. Keeping up to date with industry news, checking out what competitors are up to, and attending conferences are a few of the ways you can get a handle on marketing. Tune in to hear which app will help you work through articles much faster!  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: How You Can Learn Digital Marketing Faster.  [00:55] Why you must keep up with all the marketing sites and news in the industry.  [01:29] Using the examples that people post to learn from. [01:45] Saving marketing-related posts and articles in the Pocket app and its cool audio feature.  [02:37] Studying everything that your competitors are busy with.   [03:15] A good example of learning from the competition – listen to their podcasts.  [03:51] Listen to Nathan Latka’s podcast where you get all the numbers!  [04:28] Why attending events are the most effective way to learn.  [04:55] To stay updated with events and learn more about our mas

In episode #1195, we share several alternative (yet effective!) ways of funding your business. We give you all the details on crowdfunding, revenue-based financing, and the more traditional routes involving bank loans. Tune in to hear what you need to do to attract investors!  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: Alternative Ways to Fund Your Business.  [00:37] Why people should consider funding and the problem with bootstrapping. [01:02] The need for funding even if you are Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos. [01:47] Thoughts on crowdfunding and the various platforms you can use.  [02:22] A list of the main crowdfunding platforms and how much you can raise per year.  [03:03] The importance of having traction before attempting to raise money.  [03:27] How you can raise money through revenue-based financing.  [04:15] The models that companies like Lighter Capital use.  [05:05] Getting a traditional bank or SBA loan in the US and their interest rates.  [05:22] What the credit card company Brex is of

In episode #1194, we discuss Eric’s biggest marketing blunder of the year. Rebuilding a website can be tricky and there is a range of factors to keep in mind before you can roll out the revised version. Tune in to hear what is on our checklist that will help you to avoid making the same mistake!  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:25] Today’s topic: The Biggest Marketing Blunder of 2019.  [00:34] Trusting the developer instead of following the checklist when doing a website rebuild.  [01:21] Don’t assume anything about what a new developer might/might not know. [01:35] Communication is key: establishing the tracking, lead flow, redirections, etc.  [02:36] Why Neil never does website redesigns and how he approaches changes. [03:39] The checklist for making sure that you rebuild correctly.  [04:23] Doing big changes to a website during a slow period, such as over the weekend.  [04:50] Benchmarking with your old data and ensuring that internal links are right. [05:17] An example of how you would keep intern