Baer says, “I’ve written a lot about content marketing software and the content marketing software and tools industry. I believe it’s overbuilt. I believe it’s too frothy. I believe there’s too many startups with too much venture capital. Some of them will fail. Some of them will be disintermediated. Some of them will be rolled up. But they ain’t all going to make it.I have been under the impression for quite a while that eventually one of the large content marketing platforms — Kapost, NewsCred, Percolate, Contently — will develop social media capabilities and try to become... [...]

Baer says, “PetRelocation.com is a door-to-door pet moving service. Rachel Truair, Chief of Staff, and Caitlin Moore, Content Marketing Specialist, are in Texas where the company is based. However, PetRelocation provides services for pets that are moving all over the world. For example, if a pet needs to be moved from San Francisco to Shanghai, PetRelocation handles all of the paperwork, arranges for a pet-safe, pet-friendly flight, clears the pet through customs, and gets it delivered to its new home.You would think that, given its furry clients, PetRelocation could just market themselves... [...]

Baer says, “There’s a reason we come back to the same grocery store each week. It’s the same reason that we return to the same barber, home improvement store, or favorite restaurant. These businesses have created a positive experience, which in turn creates loyalty toward their particular brand.In the retail world, brand experience and engagement are the strongest drivers of loyalty, and the digital world is no different. Design, atmosphere, speed, and problem resolution are all pillars of a great consumer experience, and these same concepts contribute to their digital experience as... [...]

Baer says, “People do strange things when they’re desperate to be heard. They might say something outrageous, act inappropriately, or provoke someone into a reaction.When it comes to marketers and their content, this dynamic can get even weirder.We’ve all seen so-called “professionals” trying to outshout each other like hyped-up kids at a birthday party, getting louder and crazier as they try to grab buyer attention. From publishing hard-line content to making outlandish promises, the carnival barker school of content offers plenty of gimmicks that sound bold in theory but just... [...]

Baer says, “For too long, social’s contribution to business success has been ignored and undervalued. In this post, we are going to start changing that by walking through the steps necessary to finally measure social’s business impact and give social the credit it deserves.Inspired by Jay Baer’s post, I want to share with you how you can prove the value of social media with well-known tools and a little creativity. (If you haven’t read Jay’s post, stop and do it now!)A lot of ink has been spilled—or more aptly, words typed—on how one of the greatest challenges in social marketing... [...]

Baer says, “Search engine optimization (SEO) audits have the unfortunate reputation of being time-consuming and tedious. However, most people who have owned a website for very long know their importance. Since 93% of online experiences start with search engines (SEJ), you need regular audits to keep your site relevant and ranking well. Even if you have consultants take care of your SEO, it’s still a good idea to understand these seven steps.SEO is a constantly changing landscape. The search engines keep forcing companies to reevaluate their SEO strategies. The good news is, SEO audits... [...]

Baer says, “Another month, another excellent round of guests on the Social Pros Podcast. In February, we heard from Southwestern Consulting’s time management expert, a social media champion from Life Time Fitness, BroadSuite’s biggest social fan (iSocialFanz), and the Social Media Examiner himself.As always, our Social Pros draw from different backgrounds and perspectives when they join us to talk about social media as a vital source of communication and connection in today’s digital world. Despite their differences, this month’s guests agree that you need to embrace change.... [...]

Baer says, “Recently Google and Twitter announced that you will now be able to get tweets inside Google search results again.That used to be case until 2011, and then their previous relationship lapsed. So for the last four years or so you cannot find tweets inside Google search results, at least not in real time. But that is changing, and it’s mutually beneficial.1Google is Self-Aware in a Way Few Tech Titans Have BeenGoogle understands that the world that they have dominated for a long time is becoming extinct.The same way that dinosaurs used to dominate, the webpage is no longer... [...]

Baer says, “I’ve been writing about, participating in, and talking about blogger outreach for years. My favorite posts and topics of conversation revolve around actual examples or case studies of blogger outreach done well.The other day, I published a definitive guide to blogger outreach in order to make sure marketers of all levels have a good foundation for this very effective influencer marketing strategy. To complete that guide, I want to provide a wrap up of my favorite blogger outreach examples from the past year.Enjoy and be ready to be inspired, because there are some very creative... [...]

Baer says, “Last Thursday, Re/code revealed that Pinterest is laying the groundwork for an eCommerce “buy” button. According to reporter Jason Del Rey, merchants could be able to start limited testing in as little as three months.With more than 70 million monthly users, Pinterest is easily one of the largest and fastest-growing social networks around. And when it comes to eCommerce, Pinterest already dominates many of its competitors. In fact, Pinterest users boast the highest average checkout value of all social media referral shoppers, and Pinterest-referred users spend an average... [...]