The document discusses strategies for succeeding in competitive digital marketing landscapes. It recommends moving beyond solely focusing on SEO key performance indicators and instead contributing to building healthy digital properties with strong foundations and less reliance on organic search. Marketers are encouraged to map out the entire customer journey and use content to satisfy each stage of the sales funnel, from awareness to loyalty. The overall message is that digital strategies need to connect efforts to real business impacts rather than just search engine optimization metrics.

2. Succeeding in increasingly
difficult marketing
landscape.
What We’ll Cover
Winning in competitive
markets.
Looking beyond SEO KPIs and
contributing to healthy
businesses.

3. Back in 2004
@sam_marsden
Myspace was up
and coming
Friends ended :’-( Kanye was
actually alright

4. @sam_marsden
How long would people wait
for web pages in 2004?
23 seconds
(with progress bar)
9 seconds
(without progress bar)
Source: Nah (2004) - bit.ly/speed-2004

5. Our expectations
were low and we
were satisfied with
ssslllooowww
@sam_marsden

6. In 2019...
@sam_marsden
“A one second delay in
mobile load times can
impact mobile
conversions by up to
20%.”
Source: Think with Google

7. Bottom line:
We expect more.
@sam_marsden

8. And traffic is harder to come by…
@sam_marsden
“In June of 2019, for the
first time, a majority of all
browser-based searches
on Google.com resulted
in zero-clicks.”
Source: https://sparktoro.com/blog/less-than-half-of-google-searches-now-result-in-a-click/

9. Only a poor outcome if the goal is organic traffic.
Could well be a positive for business and brand.
Let’s look at FAQ schema...
@sam_marsden
Source: https://moz.com/blog/new-schema-types-to-create-interactive-rich-results

10. Or link acquisition...
@sam_marsden
Source: http://www.blindfiveyearold.com/the-invisible-attribution-model-of-link-acquisition
Link acquisition is hard to
measure and more publishers
are blanket nofollowing.
Problem if judged on links to
content.
Wider marketing benefits are
there. Just aren’t having the
benefits we expect/ideally like.

11. The bar is set high for SEO’s &
digital marketers in 2019
@sam_marsden

12. How should we respond?
@sam_marsden

13. We need to contribute to
building healthy digital properties...
@sam_marsden
...with strong foundations
and less reliance on organic search

14. @sam_marsden
Source: https://www.ccn.com/ccn-is-shutting-down-after-googles-june-2019-core-update/
...so this can be avoided

15. Cutting through the noise
in SaaS marketing
@sam_marsden

16. Marketing to Marketers
is next level difficult
Most are super skeptical
and smart
Need to resonate with
multiple stakeholders,
verticals, markets.
@sam_marsden
Some don’t know they need
what you offer

17. ….and there’s no shortage of
competition
@sam_marsden
Source: https://chiefmartec.com/2019/04/marketing-technology-landscape-supergraphic-
2019/

18. @sam_marsden
Problem
Solution
Path to conversion is
long and complex

19. 1. AWARENESS
Create memorable
experiences
@sam_marsden
Become a recognised voice
in your community
Show what you care about

20. 2. FAMILIARITY
Align with true industry
experts.
@sam_marsden
Create valued resources.
Prioritise external
collaborations
Put your own stamp on
stale content formats.

21. 3. CONSIDERATION
Shout about client’s results
and experiences.
@sam_marsden
Host industry events,
workshops and training
sessions.
Clearly communicate use
cases.

22. 4. CONVERSION
Sales enablement content.
Feature releases and shiny
new things.
@sam_marsden
Landing pages and one
pagers.

23. 5. LOYALTY
Make your client feel special with
personal touches.
Give them access to exclusive
events
@sam_marsden
In depth, client-centred training
Enable them to become your
biggest advocates

24. Look beyond SEO
KPIs and be judged
by hard business
metrics.
@sam_marsden

25. Map out the journey to conversion
with content that satisfies each
stage of the funnel.
@sam_marsden

26. Lead the way, and don’t follow
competitors to fill in gaps in your
strategy
@sam_marsden

27. Wrapping it all up

28. Yes, take advantage
of
tictacs tactics to get
ahead in SERPs
@sam_marsden

29. Closing thoughts
Your plan needs
to be more than
nicking featured
snippets and
rankings.
@sam_marsden

30. How are we contributing to the
bigger picture?
@sam_marsden

31. Go beyond SEO
KPIs and connect
your efforts with
business impact.
@sam_marsden
Closing thoughts

32. Reduce your
dependency on
organic & build a
brand that transcends
reliance on third
parties like Google.
@sam_marsden
Closing thoughts

34. Sam Marsden
SEO & Content Manager
@sam_marsden
THANK YOU
@sam_marsden