Search Results for “customer research”

Do Page 1 Rankings Elude You? Make SEO Part of Your B2B Content Strategy

September 28, 2011Content StrategyLeave a comment

Let’s get real for a minute. All of your competitors want to rank on page 1 in a Google search too. So how will you beat them out?

Many B2B marketers utilize search engine optimization (SEO) to improve their rankings in the search engines. There are many SEO techniques to help search engines find your information, but selecting the right keywords and optimizing your site for them, is essential to success.

If you aren’t on page 1 now, simply incorporating the most popular keywords into your website isn’t likely to get you there. Just think of your own Google searches. How often do you go beyond page 1. Hardly ever, and that’s the point. Increasing traffic requires page 1 placement. Be honest about how your site compares to the competition. Does your competitor host a robust site with lots of content? Do they have three times the number of inbound links? If so, consider something other than a head-to-head content strategy.

Where your B2B company fits in the competitive landscape should play a factor in determining the keywords you want to optimize your site for. Think about the keywords in terms of how well your business can rank for them. That’s where you need start if you want to see results.

You can view your competitor’s keywords easily by right clicking on a site and selecting “view source.” Don’t go after the same keywords unless you are prepared with the resources to do battle with loads of original content, social media and publicity. Instead, choose your keywords strategically.

Target Keywords with Lower Competition

This isn’t to say you should pick a keyword based on a lack of popularity. You need a certain amount of volume to make your efforts worthwhile. But use a tool such as the Google Keyword Search Tool to identify less competitive terms first. For example, there are approximately 22,000 monthly searches for content marketing and a fair degree of competition, while content strategy also had 22,000 month searches, but far less competition. Content Strategy has been the focus of several posts that are designed to improve our rankings on this key search term.

Target Localized Keywords

If your business is localized, adding keywords that are relevant for that market can improve your rankings when visitors search locally. Describe your business using your location. For example, we might refer to ourselves as Chicago-based content writers. A natural way to add geographic keywords are through testimonials, project showcases and press releases covering events. Photos can also be optimized for location through your alt tags.

Get Specific

We produce a lot of content that is relevant to business-to-business marketers in construction and foodservice. When you create your content around market-specific keywords, competition decreases and your chances of ranking on Page 1 improve.

Choosing your keywords as part of your overall content marketing strategy, based on solid research, makes far greater sense than following the crowd to page 2 and 3 of the search engine rankings. Use your creativity to create geographic, market-specific and less competitive keywords and then follow through with the content focused on customer needs.

Writers: What do you want to know about SEO? I am speaking at the Construction Writers Association Conference in San Antonio in October and would love to hear from you. Leave your question in the comment box.

Are the Top 10 Construction Management Firms Missing the Boat on Blogs?

September 1, 2011Blogging5 Comments

I have felt for some time that the building/construction industry was dragging its heels on Internet marketing and social media but I was surprised to see that even the top firms were slow to adapt. Using Building Design + Construction’s Giants list as a guide in checking out the websites of the industry’s top construction management firms, I found only one of the top ten construction management companies – all with revenues in excess of $888 million, had a blog.

There is no denying these companies have achieved success without a blog, but they undoubtedly face increased competition. While I am sure potential building owners still solicit referrals for a considered set of builders, I am equally confident they also turn to websites at some point during their search. A company blog provides an outlet for thought leadership, an opportunity to showcase expertise as well as a place for customers and potential customers and prospective employees to engage with you online.

There are plenty of content possibilities … projects in progress, sustainability, charitable work, interesting people and stories. When research shows that blogging drives website traffic, provides valuable feedback to management, and allows companies to showcase their expertise and talent, I am at a loss to understand why these top construction management companies are foregoing the opportunity.

No. 6 (Suffolk Construction) as well as No. 11 on the list, (Hunt Construction Group,) are the exceptions. Hunt’s blog, entitled Landmarks, offers an inside look at various projects under construction as well as community events. Suffolk’s blog provides thought leadership from the company’s CEO. While good efforts, neither of the blogs provides website visitors with an opportunity to comment. About half of the Top 10 firms have Facebook and Twitter accounts. However, often the connections weren’t accessible from the company websites.

Today’s buyers demand more. A modern site should include blogs and sharing features that foster a sense of community.Why is construction so far behind the curve?

Rank BD+C Giants	Company		Blog
1	Gilbane Building Co.	www.gilbaneco.com/	No
2	Skanska USA	www.skanska.com	No
3	Lend Lease	www.lendlease.com	No
4	Hensel Phelps Construction	www.henselphelps.com	No
5	Whiting-Turner Conracting Co.	www.whiting-turner.com	No
6	Suffolk Construction	www.suffolkconstruction.com	Yes
7	Structure Tone	www.structuretone.com	No
8	Jacobs	www.jacobs.com	No
9	Flintco	www.flintco.com	No
10	The Yates Companies	www.yatescompanies.com	No
11	Hunt Construction Group	www.huntconstruction.com	Yes

Content Strategy: A Recipe for B2B Marketing Success

August 24, 2011Content Marketing, Content StrategyLeave a comment

Are you overwhelmed by the number of touch points you have with customers? The marketing mix for many B2B companies today looks like a recipe with an ever-increasing number of ingredients. Imagine the pot is your company. The protein for your recipe is your website and without it, your marketing lacks power. Trade magazines, trade shows and traditional public relations form a base; add blogs; mix in Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and You Tube; sprinkle in custom events, networking, webinars, and mobile. It’s either a recipe for success or a recipe for disaster.

Before the Internet, you knew the recipe for B2B marketing success fairly well. Now the recipe has become far more complicated. You can’t just throw in more ingredients and expect it to taste good. You need to think about what each element of the marketing mix can contribute because time and money are limited. You need to think about what customers are looking for and how they engage in each of the platforms.

In the old days a prospect may have picked up the phone and called a vendor to help him in the buying process. Today buyers conduct much of their preliminary research online. Your customers are going to find the information they need from someone. How will you help them? What can you provide that will be useful? How will you stand out in the crowd? How will you build trust? Where will they look for this information?

Here’s a way to simplify the process:

1) Determine Who

Who do you want to reach? If there are multiple audiences you’ll need separate strategies. Learn as much about them as you can.

2) Determine Your Objectives

Are you after sales leads or brand awareness? Are you trying to establish credibility or educate customers? Choose the “ingredients” of your marketing mix based on your objectives.

3) Determine What

Content should also be aligned with objectives. What can you show, what can you say, what have you done, that will help you accomplish your objectives? How will you show it, how will you say it, how will you communicate it on each of your selected channels? This is content strategy.

Some B2B marketers are probably moving too quickly into new media, while others aren’t moving quickly enough. But whether you are just beginning to embrace it, or have already jumped in, taking the time to develop a content strategy will help ensure your success.

Coming soon… Content for Biz will offer a complimentary B2B content strategy worksheet for all our subscribers. Sign up today be sure you don’t miss it.

How to Create (not copy) Quality Content

August 22, 2011Content CreationLeave a comment

Creativity includes process and technical ability. Below are some recent posts from Content For Biz that explore the process on how to create (not copy) quality content.

Internet Marketing Begins with Quality Content

August 15, 2011Content MarketingLeave a comment

One of the ways quality content can work in Internet marketing is to position your company as a knowledge center. Your knowledge space supports your brand and your customers’ need for information. Planning, creating, and publishing relevant content serves as a pathway for successful Internet marketing.

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