Moz Blog

Moz is a company that provides a range of tools and services for search engine optimization (SEO). The Moz blog is a blog on their website that provides news, tips, and insights on SEO, digital marketing, and online branding. The blog features articles written by Moz's in-house team of experts, as well as contributions from industry leaders and other experts. The content on the Moz blog covers a wide range of topics, including keyword research, link building, content marketing, and technical SEO. It is a valuable resource for individuals and businesses looking to improve their online visibility and performance.

 

 The industry's top wizards, doctors, and other experts offer their best advice, research, how-tos, and insights—all in the name of helping you level-up your SEO and online marketing skills.

 

The Moz Keyword eplorer tool is here to save the day. Moz is probably the most respected thought leader in the world of SEO, so when they designed a tool to make keyword research as easy as possible, it’s no surprise that they thought of everything. The keyword explorer lets you analyze any keyword you are interested in ranking for, using specific metrics that were chosen for their usefulness.

If you have a free Moz account (which is easy-peasy to set up if you don’t already have one), you are limited to 20 queries per month, so keep this in mind before you begin exploring. We’ll give you a few tips for making the most of these free searches later in this blog post.

 

Will Social-based E-commerce Model Work In Future?

While Amazon demonstrated a successful business model for e-commerce, Pinduoduo, the second largest e-commerce platform in China, has developed a team-based/social-based buying model. 

Pinduoduo's social, team-based buying model (platform layout shown above) has built success upon creating an unconventional, feed-based shopping experience, rather than a search based experience typical of traditional retail and e-tail. It runs under a "'you don’t know what you want but happy to discover'" mantra, in essence, building a feed catered to each individual user in a personalized, virtual bazaar format. This model has drawn millions to the app and has allowed Pinduoduo to grow its user base and revenues at a dazzling pace.

While this model significantly contributed to its user growth and GMV, the negative side cannot be ignored. Its social interaction is mainly sharing a link with existing connections and asking them to do a favor by registering and clicking the link. This is disturbing especially if sent to people that are not in close connection. Current social-based e-commerce was regarded as annoying and unhelpful to get desired discounts.

Therefore, when Pinduoduo enter the U.S. market, it has launched a new brand called Temu. Temu is similar to Amazon where products are displayed to show its quality, which is completely different from Pinduoduo itself. Its business success still remains to be verified, but seems social-based e-commerce would not be a prioritized strategy for Pinduoduo.

Wechat's recent focus on mini program - embedded apps in wechat

Wechat, the largest social media app in China, has demonstrated its leading position in social media, payment, etc. One noticeable trend is its emphasis on the "Mini-program" - simple apps that are embedded in the app. 

While keeping its position as the dominant social app and payment app in China, WeChat is also trying to replace App Store/Android Store by launching “Mini-programs”. WeChat initiated “mini-programs” in 2019 and now has 7Mn+ mini-programs on its platform. Mini programs are frequently used in ordering online and accumulating points. Also, the “Health code” that permits entering buildings and restaurants is frequently used. Other mini programs include games and videos.

From user's perspective, mini program is extremely easy to use. I don’t need to download multiple apps for ordering. I just simply open WeChat, and the apps are integrated within WeChat. Over the past year I used 500+ mini programs, and it saved the time and energy to download their apps individually. From the developer’s perspective, mini program is much easier to develop and is highly effective for gathering consumers’ information and building connections with them.

Considering monetization, Wechat is free to developers and users. There are display ads for specific free apps, such as Weibo (Chinese twitter), and the developer can pay a membership fee so that users can use it for free.

The Dark Side of Data

This week's discussion regarding the "Social Dilemma" highlighted a number of intriguing -- yet at times, concerning -- trends and issues related to digital marketing. One of those in particular that keep surfacing in my mind was the use and power of big data. As this class has taught us, a skilled marketer can use such information to influence the actions and beliefs of very specific audiences. That power can (and has been) be used for nefarious purposes and has the potential to create further social inequalities. 

Its not a new debate by any stretch; we live in the Information Age. But I think that there is a growing divide between the have's and the have-not's. In other words, the people, groups, and interests that are able to harness the power of data and use it to influence outcomes in their favor are gaining ground on those that cannot. 

We have seen instances like that of Cambridge Analytica weaponize big data in their digital marketing war against Democrats to influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. election. This is problematic in of itself, however even further, the people, groups and interests that are lower end of the data literacy spectrum are disproportionately people of color. 

If we don't take steps to empower certain people with the skills, knowledge and access to the world of big data, it has the potential to emerge as its own form of inequality. With all that said, I am still optimistic about where society is heading and the potential for big data to level the playing field against inequality. Its incumbent on leaders such as us in this class to lead business and society in the right direction - which is a responsibility I take seriously. 

Subscription model back in trends

Several years back, subscription-based business was the hot commodity on the market, such as Birchbox and Smashbox etc. In recent periods, this type of business model died down and the “surprise” factor wore off. 

However, we saw another wave of rising subscription model in E Commerce – subscribing to a particular product and receive automatic replenishment. Amazon probably is the first major player adopting this model, and now we see other platforms such as Sephora and many DTC brands started the same offering. To provide incentives to consumers, the brand typically offers a discount if customers signing up for subscription. The value proposition is no longer the surprise factor, but the promotional discount and the convenience of not having to reorder the product. This model also increases customer loyalty and repeat purchase. As a result, customer life value increases and the payback period on marketing costs becomes longer. The ROI of marketing jumps and brands could potentially save more marketing costs.  

The auto replenishment subscription model is still mainly used as a tool to retain customer when they are already on the webpage and making purchase decisions. We haven’t seen many brands using the discount as a main marketing point in terms of customer acquisition. 

Beasting the Content

 

Youtuber, Jimmy Donaldson, was recently pictured on the cover of Forbes. Jimmy, goes by MrBeast, and has spent his young adulthood creating fun youtube videos to gain a following and build an empire. MrBeast's first video was posted in February of 2012, and since then, he's been able to accumulate over 19 billion Youtube views. So how did he get there, and what can aspiring content creators take away from MrBeast's creator journey? 

The first step to become a successful content creator is to have a good understanding of your main audience.

• Identify what you're good at and lean into it. Analyze your audience by looking into your platform's metrics. This could be Youtube, TikTok, IG, or Pinterest. Once you have a better understanding of your core audience, produce content that is relevant to your audience and unique to your own personal brand. 

 

The next step would is to plan a content strategy and have an overall goal in mind. What goal would you like to achieve and what small steps can you take to get there?

• For example: Writing out your plan, producing, and allocating efficient time to edit your content before it is published. 
• Find software that is easy-to-use and helps you cut down your editing time, so that you can invest more time on producing content to keep your audience engaged.  

 

The final step consists of putting it all together.

• Continue to analyze your metrics and data to figure out the effectiveness of what you're producing. You can continue to produce content that keeps these metrics and overall KPIs growing steadily. 
• Piggyback off current events. Make teasers, gain subscribers, and publish.
• Have a set calendar with clearly outlined content and publish target dates. 

Publish and share with the world! Maybe one day you'll be on Forbes like MrBeast.

P.S. Just for fun. 

 

AI makes digital marketing more effective and less costly

 

Artificial Intelligence can reduce the cost of digital marketing and increase its effectiveness in growing the sales and profitability. Also, AI can seamlessly stich marketing to sales for customer experience and reduce cost. 

With the help of machine learning, Netflix managed to save USD 1 billion in 2017. When a company is using AI, 34% of customers spend more money on their products and services. Apart from this, 49% are thinking about buying something from the company more often in case it uses AI.

Here is detailed description of how AI makes digital marketing more effective and reduces the cost. The text below is copied from Global Tech Council website.  

Table of Contents 

• What is AI Marketing, and Why is AI Important to Business?
• Ways in Which AI can Help in Lowering the Marketing Cost
• Concluding Lines

What is AI Marketing, and Why is AI Important to Business?

AI marketing is an innovative mechanism to leverage intelligence technologies in order to collect data, customer insights, predict customers’ subsequent moves, and make automated decisions. AI marketing offers one of the best ways to revolutionize the business world. AI is important to businesses as this technology benefits both large and small companies by assisting them in rising, ensuring efficient decision-making, and revolutionizing management. IDC predicts that by 2024, the AI market is expected to break the $500 billion and total revenues reaching around $554.3 billion. Moreover, Allied Market Research predicts that the global AI market size is expected to touch $169,411.8 million in the year 2025. 

With the help of machine learning, Netflix managed to save USD 1 billion in 2017. When a company is using AI, 34% of customers spend more money on their products and services. Apart from this, 49% are thinking about buying something from the company more often in case it uses AI.

The AI space is booming. If this domain interests you, you can get enrolled in Global Tech Council and become a Certified AI Expert.

Ways in Which AI can Help in Lowering the Marketing Cost

Let’s explore some of the ways by which AI can prove to be useful in lowering marketing costs. 

• Automation of Successful Processes

Various automation technologies have been developed over the last few decades to meet business needs. The aim is to make the business process more agile. Startups and businesses are taking advantage of the growth of AI in automation in this new period.

A smart AI algorithm is assisting leaders in foreseeing extraordinary outcomes. Retail, hospitality, and other service industries

• Automated Customer Interactions 

Despite the fact that many organizations and businesses have begun to use AI and machine learning to simplify their business practices, some firms continue to use manual procedures for tasks that could be handled more reliably and cost-effectively by automation. 

Thus by automating customer support tasks, for instance, handling thousands of queries in a day by leveraging AI technology such as chatbots, organizations can not only save their resources but can also expect enhanced quality levels. 

• Cuts Sales Costs and Not Revenues 

Whether it is a big organization or a small enterprise, the sales process requires a lot of money as the company has to invest in sales strategies in order to keep up with its competitors. Nowadays, due to technological advancements, salespeople are using AI to learn more about their clients. 

Thus, AI not only cuts the need of salespersons but also brings more revenues by offering personalized solutions and maximizing conversions. 

Does that mean a chatbot is a better salesperson than a human?

• Automated Marketing Testing 

By finding what a given customer is willing to pay or optimizing price across their customer and product mix, AI and ML may assist managers in capturing more sales and earnings. Automated marketing testing not only brings more revenue to the table but also frees up marketers in spending more time, leading to reduced marketing costs. As technology is evolving each passing day, AI-based models are capable of performing tasks with complete efficiency and accuracy. 

•  Free up Organization Employees

Apart from lowering costs, AI can free up organization employees from performing repetitive and ordinary jobs. In addition, it shortens the time that those tasks are originally done by your staff while reducing the errors to zero. 

Moreover, it can also reduce the cost of hiring employees while taking advantage of available talents to focus more on critical tasks, increasing overall efficiency.

Concluding Lines: Will AI Replace Humans

From the above discussion, it is clear that undoubtedly AI is a futuristic technology that can transform every business, every company, and every industry. But there is a myth surrounding this futuristic tech, and that is will AI replace humans? Here it is important to note that AI does not replace people in most cases. Instead, it enhances human capabilities and transforms how businesses operate and function. 

Cyber5, Economic Uncertainty, and What it Means for Marketers

 It has maybe never been a more confusing time to be a digital marketer. Between dealing with the ongoing ramifications of COVID, conflicting signals on customers' buying behaviors, and the looming potential of an economic recession - the kinetic nature of the consumer landscape has never felt more fraught. 

The most typical response to uncertainty like this, especially economic, by marketers is to cut back on their spend. I think what recessions past and even the recent market shock event at the start of the pandemic in 2020 have shown is that this is a mistake. And this is supported by research by Analytic Partners in their note from August 2020: "Marketers who cut spend risk losing 15% of their revenue during a recession". Research like this illustrates that when marketers cut back, they risk losing significant and outsized share of their business to competitors in their industry who choose to actually lean in. 

I think the dynamics that are created during times like this that create opportunity for marketers are the following: 

1) Reduced ad costs as overall advertiser demand decreases - creating an incredibly favorable ads ecosystem and market for those businesses choosing to continue to engage their prospective customers through marketing activities. 

2) A unique opportunity to go back to the basics of brand messaging to communicate clearly what brands stand for. I believe what we saw since 2020 was a clear shift, more obvious than during any other recent year, to marketers winning on consistent and clear brand values that resonate with their customers. Those that did not do this or stood by values that were not in line with customer expectations - were the big losers during this time. 

https://analyticpartners.com/news-blog/2022/08/report-cutting-spend-in-recession-risks-loss/

TV advertising

The removal of third-party cookies may drive advertisers toward TV instead of traditional channels. As the popularity of streaming services continue to grow, there are more innovative ways to generate ad revenue with product placement. In addition, users are increasingly becoming more “ad blind”, so companies are searching for revenue opportunities that have a more seamless user experience. 

1) When users watch a show on one of the streaming platforms, there could soon be an option to purchase an outfit that one of the characters is wearing, without ever leaving the app. This would capitalize on viewers who are fans of a show and would then search for the outfits after an episode. 

2) Another similar option is shoppable ads, so products can be sold directly from the ads. Shoppable ads lets e-commerce advertisers create a seamless, measurable journey from when the user first views the ad to purchasing the product.

3) An interesting alternative is an “in-scene” ad. TV shows could have a custom solution for brands to advertise at just the right moment for a personalized message to the user. Post-production, the streaming service could integrate a brand’s product into the show. 

These types of ads can help businesses increase their conversion rate, simplify the buying process, and make it easier to track and sell the product directly from each platform. For example, initial beta testing has shown a 6.9% increase in favorability and a 14.7% increase in purchase intent attributable to a Virtual Product Placement campaign. While the technology is still new, the results are promising.

Social Media Content Marketing

With over 4.2 billion global social media users, it’s easy to understand why so many businesses invest in social media marketing. There are a number of platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat) to work with and several ways you can create and share content on each of them (e.g. photos, live videos, pre-recorded videos, stories).

The benefits of social media content marketing are:

1. It's easy accesible: 

The marketing contents are just there and get easy exposure to all users when they are viewing social media. Additionally, people usually spend considerable time in social media which can repeat similar content multiple times to firm the impression and higher conversion rate among target customers.

2. Further use of  customer intelligence

Depending on the time users spend on your content/ the clicks/ the conversion rate, the advertiser can get a good sense of whether users like it or not to further adjust the channel of media, the time of the post, and the key works associated with the marketing.

3. Enhance synergies from KOL marketing and direct sell

With the KOL rising, content marketing can combine it with the KOL direct sell in social media and increase the conversion rate. 

Infographics?

 An infographic is a collection of imagery, data graphs like pie charts and bar graphs, and minimal text that gives an easy-to-understand overview of a topic.

Infographics are a valuable tool for visual communication.  The most visually unique, creative infographics are often the most effective because they grab our attention and don’t let go.

But it’s crucial to remember that the visuals in an infographic must do more than excite and engage.

They must help us understand and remember the content of the infographic, as seen in this infographic about employee resignation announcements

Why should you use infographics?

Infographics are great for making complex information easy to digest. They can be helpful anytime you want to:

• Provide a quick overview of a topic
• Complex details
  
• Display research findings 
• Explain detailed post
  
• Compare and contrast multiple options
• Raise awareness about an issue or cause

When you need to give someone a really quick rundown on something that can be hard to explain in words alone, an infographic is a good way to go.

This means that infographics can be useful in pretty much any industry. Here are just some of its use cases

Infographics for marketing, consulting, government, non board and many more.