JUMP START Blog and Online Community

It is no longer enough to satisfy your customers. You must delight them.- Philip Kotler

I mean. Philip Kotler. Really I could just stop there...but I won't. Because if you're a marketer in any facet, and you don't know the "Father of Modern Marketing Philip Kotler," then I owe it to you to introduce you to him.

There are a number of reasons I love and follow Kotler, so many, in fact, that it's probably just easier to bullet point some of my top highlights for you:

• he was born, lives, got his Master's at and teaches (at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern) in my beloved Chicago-land (best place in the U.S.)
• he has a PhD from MIT and did post-doctoral at Harvard and University of Chicago (so smart)
• he has written more than SIXTY books (again. so. smart.)
• he's bridged the concepts of economics and marketing (two things I am wildly fascinated with)
• he won American Marketing Association's (AMA's) Marketing for a Better World award (love it)
• I have a secret-almost-crush on him (like in a grandfatherly way...he's smart, funny, charismatic, and totally adorbs)

A lot has happened in the last week in the world of inbound...check out the top five stories we think were the best of the best. 

1. The customer is always last: Looking at marketing from a different perspective (Forbes)
   An interesting take on not only inbound, but marketing as a whole. Learn how important data is, how to implement inbound strategy that will reach your consumer and how to let go of the "all" and hone in on the "best."
2. Five ways to create great B2B content (MarTech Series)
   You could post a blog an hour and never really see any results. Why is that? MarTech Series looks at what content works and how to do it. 
3. Why digital marketing campaigns fail & what you need to do to see real results (Business 2 Community) 
   If you've ever even THOUGHT about launching a digital campaign, this. is. a. must. read. Hint: purpose and strategy are key. 

Another week, another roundup. On deck this time, the top social media news that came out in the last week. Read on for everything you may have missed in the world of social media.  

1. How to use LinkedIn lead gen form ads (Social Media Examiner)
   Everything you need to know about LinkedIn's lead generation form ads. Hint: they make it super easy. 
   
   
2. YouTube announces new ways to view VR content through the app (SocialMedia Today)
   Virtual reality is here to stay - and YouTube is preparing to capitalize on it. Check out the latest in how YouTube is leading the charge to win the VR race.
   
   
3. Customers are less satisfied with social media sites (WARC)
   Nothing earth shattering here...people are concerned and "least satisfied" with ads and privacy protection (or lack there-of). Check out which platforms rank the worst, and get some surprising stats on just how underwhelmed users are. 

Are you attending any great events coming up in the next few months? Here's a look at our top five marketing events in August. Think of it like our wish list of events...if we didn't have to work, we'd hit them all! 

What? DigitaLatest
When? August 6-9, 2018
Where? Industry City, NY

Targeting CMOs and senior marketers, brand leaders, agencies and media partners, DigitaLatest was designed to keep marketing executives and leaders in the know with the most up-to-date technology and tools in the industry.

What? Digiday's Content Marketing Summit
When? August 6-8, 2018
Where? Vail, CO

Digiday's content marketing summit has it all...stellar speakers, engaging activities and networking opportunities galore. Throw in the morning yoga sessions and you will NOT want to miss this event. See how content marketing has changed and what your brand needs to do to keep up. 

SEO tips are easy to come by, but sometimes navigating what's important and the order of priority can be overwhelming. If I've just described your feelings on SEO, then this one goes out to you.

We deal with SEO all. day. long., so we know the best ways to improve it by simply (and consistently) using the right combination of tactics across all your content.

Learn everything you need to be doing – from the basic (do your keyword research), to the not-so-well-known (optimize your alt tags) – to get the best results from your SEO efforts. 

Each week we do a roundup for you, covering the top five articles that came out on a specific, digital marketing-related topic. This week's roundup is on SEO news. So if you had a crazy weed and weren't able to keep up on the SEO news that came out, don't worry – we've got you covered. Read on for the top five SEO-related articles that came out over the last week. 

1. How to Optimize Content Efforts for SEO (MarTech Advisor)
   One of the best articles "summing it all up" I've come across in a long time. Learn quick, easy ways to use SEO to its fullest potential. 
   
   

2. How to project SEO traffic levels and avoid saying, ‘It depends’ (Search Engine Land)
   So often we see our clients struggle to prove the validity or worth of content management to the higer-ups. I know it works, you know it works, but how do you prove to the boss that it works? Simon Heseltine helps you figure it out.  

In the words of The Content Advisory's Robert Rose:

"Marketing is telling the world you’re a rock star.
Content Marketing is showing the world you are one."

I couldn't agree more. Your content marketing strategy needs to be more than just your blog, or just your Facebook page or just the premium downloadables on your site. 

Content marketing is an all-encompassing feat. It's strategic, a road map, with multiple courses and dozens of routes and so many winding trails, all that lead your user-slash-reader-slash-customer to one very detailed, well-thought out, premeditated, specific place...to the belief that YOU, are a rock star. And why do they believe this?

Because you showed them. 

Now I'll be the first to admit, this is no easy task. Mapping out your content marketing strategy to show the world that you are in fact, a bona fide, legit, authoritative, one-of-a-kind rock star isn't something that happens over night. It takes time, and a honed view of the big picture.

But I promise you...it is achievable. It sounds scary, but all it really takes are the right stories in the right place at the right time.

1. 3 best WordPress alternatives for serious business owners (AllBusiness)
   Wondering if a WordPress site is your only option? Not so, my friends...Check out AllBusiness's breakdown on the top three alternatives to WordPress - and they break it down even further by segmenting the top options for content-based sites, eCommerce sites and blog-only sites. 
   
   
2. 11 WordPress plugins for customer support (PracticalEcommerce)
   Bad, untimely or an entire lack-thereof customer service can KILL your business. Take a look at PracticalEcommerce's article on the 11 best WordPress plugins for customer support. 
   

If you have a WordPress site or blog, plugins are your new best friend.

Plugins are easy to install and offer your site added functionality and new features. Think of them like an app on your phone. They add extras to your site.

There are thousands of plugins, both free and paid premium, out there – so if you’re hoping to add sliders to your site, or allow users to comment on your blog or add social icons to your pages, chances are, a plugin will allow you to do so.

How do you install a plugin on your WordPress site?

WordPress has made it easy on you – follow these simple, step-by-step instructions and you’ll be on your way to plugin paradise.

For this How-to, I'll walk you through the steps of adding a plugin that will allow your users to share your content via social (tip: if you're not doing this...you should be!).

Are you blogging with little to no reward or measure of success? It's frustrating, right?

We know...we've all been there. But what if I told you actually writing and posting your blog is really only half the battle?

Want to know how to IMMEDIATELY make your blogs more effective and more engaging?

I'll be honest – there is a lot to learn, know and do, but I promise you this: if you follow these (read: very simple) 11 tips, you'll begin to see more results from your blogging efforts, virtually right away. And isn't that what it's all about anyway? 

Check out the full infographic below!

(and, if you want to read more in-depth notes on the topic, you can check out my full blog too).