Archive for January, 2010

Four Essential Elements of an Effective Content Marketing Campaign

A lot of online marketers are using content to market their products and services. From article directories to corporate websites, the internet is packed with opportunities to use content as a marketing tool. Still, despite the frequency and quantity of article marketing content, few marketers truly understand how to use content effectively for product marketing. At Appleton Creative, our in-house web gurus and creative pioneers love to help clients get results with content marketing.

It is not just about writing content and slapping a link on, unfortunately. While a lot of people look at content marketing as a fool-proof strategy, the reality is quite different. Content marketing is a strategy that fools a lot of people every year. Some of the top pay-per-click marketers and pop-up masters fall apart when it comes to contextual content marketing.

Marketing products using content is a multi-faceted operation. From keyword research to ultimate execution, smart marketers assign their content marketing operations as much effort as they do their dedicated SEO and pay-per-click campaigns. From the ground up, we at Appleton Creative know you need four elements in your content marketing campaigns:

1) Bulletproof Keyword Research

Content marketing campaigns are effectively restricted and simplified SEO campaigns. While relying on the same principles of keywords, frequency, and backlinks, articles typically operate on a slightly less dynamic field than a full SEO campaign. Article directories generally have authority status from the get-go, and marketers don’t need to worry about pagerank the same way that they would with a full SEO campaign.

Still, it is absolutely essential to research keywords in the same way that you would an SEO campaign. Look at the big winner keywords in your field, and incorporate them and natural secondary keywords into your content.

2) Catchy Titles

Newspapers are continually researching new methods to get people to pick the paper up from a shelf and buy it. They have tried full color front page photographs, in-depth field reports and stories, and even bundling the newspaper with secondary papers and free content.

None of them worked well. What worked effectively was more simple: catchy titles and shocking headlines. The ‘tabloid effect,’ as it’s sometimes known, should be a major driving force behind your articles. Do not just stick with titles that incorporate keywords; use titles that draw attention.

3) Product-Related Content

Content means nothing if it is not somehow linked to the product you are trying to sell. Readers do not feel like buying diet pills after they have read an article on home cleaning products, do they? When you are writing content for your marketing campaigns, keep it valid and related to what you are trying to sell. Drift too far from the topic and you risk losing sales, missing out on customers, and wasting time.

4) A Perfect Resource Box

Your resource box is your content marketing calling card, and it needs to be both effective and memorable. Treat your resource box for what it is — a lucrative SEO asset — and use it to advertise your products with relevant keywords and sales text. Do not sell right there in the resource box — that is what your product page is for — but do use it as an asset. With the right combination of great article content and conversion-ready resource box links, you could have a winning article on your hands.

To begin today on your content marketing strategy, feel free to reach out to the Appleton Creative crew. www.appletoncreative.com

Appleton Creative has a new favorite toy; called Google TV ads. We love it. We love to talk about it, play with it, and introduce clients to it. Google TV ads is just one way we can help you reach your target audience within your budget.

How Is This Possible?

The budget for creating a Google TV ad campaign is determined by the user. The application allows you to set a daily budget and a CPM bid. At that point, you are competing in an auction for TV spots. This format allows equal consideration for all and you only pay for the impressions you get to your spot. Technology and data from the remote control clicks of the 4+ million Dish network subscribers is analyzed and translated into valuable info to get you results.

As far out as 2 weeks, Google sends spiders through the programming line up to match what suits your needs. You are able to control appropriate programming, time of day and networks based on targeting tools much the same as you use Google as a search tool. This proves to be effective in targeting and using the Google Sample size to your advantage. Some commonly used networks used for this media are Oxygen, MSNBC, Spike, and Chiller.

How Effective Is This?

Much like Google’s other tracking tools, you can pull reports within your account to see how your campaign is faring. Some of the options are;
The history of what was aired
Demographic Info
Retained audience data
Total impressions

Why Google TV?

Easy
Affordable
Real Time Analytics
Buy as little as 24 hours ahead of time

Appleton Creative can work with you today to shoot, edit, and create a Google TV Ads Campaign all in one place. Please see our video portfolio at www.appletoncreeative.com

When we at Appleton Creative learned that projections show nearly half of all web users will be viewing the web only on their mobile phones by June of 2010, we were intrigued, then sprung to action. So many of our clients needed updated web sites and here was another angle where we could help maintain their brand.

Mobile web surfing must meet users’ needs quickly. Long load times and bulky graphics will often work against your site being viewed on phones. Some sites however, or portions of sites, will always still be viewed on computers. Typical items that ARE viewed on phones are directions, phone numbers, entertainment sites, and usable applications.

Appleton Creative offers many solutions to make your site better than your competition and suitable for phones, too! Check out our site on your phone @ www.appletoncreative.com