#INBOUND22 What's Next: How To Navigate Marketing Around Search And Social Algorithms

LIVE FROM #INBOUND22 

In recent years SEOs and Content Marketers have found that search engine algorithms have gotten harder to understand and therefore finding methods for ranking their content has become tougher. Meanwhile, on social media platforms, we’re also finding that organic reach is being reduced. All whilst paid ads are continually getting more expensive to set up and manage. 

In Neil Patel’s, CMO and Co-Founder of NP Digital, session at INBOUND22 he addressed these difficulties that currently face the industry and offered insight into how we can beat the search and social platforms algorithms, as well as how we can leverage unconventional marketing techniques to beat the competition.

The Wall Street Journal calls him a top influencer on the web, Forbes says he is one of the top 10 marketers, and Entrepreneur Magazine says he created one of the 100 most brilliant companies. Neil is a New York Times bestselling author and was recognized as a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 30, by another of this year’s speakers, President Obama, and a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 35 by the United Nations.

Neil began by explaining that the algorithms themselves aren’t actually the issue for marketers, it is in fact the lack of transparency of how the algorithms work that is the stumbling block. So Neil asked the question, how do you navigate the algorithms of the various platforms marketers have t use to distribute their content?

The idea is to turn the problem into a solution that can be achieved time after time. In order to make it repeatable Neil translated his method into a formula:

S = AS x (L +WPCI)

Success = Algorithm Signals x (Learnings + What People Can’t Ignore)

So what goes into each of these elements?

Algorithm Signals

When distributing content on any digital platform the first thing to understand is the signals each platform is judging your content on. In other words, what exactly is it the platforms are looking for in the content people upload to them in order to boost the content to the top of people's screens and thus increase engagement? I’ve summarised some of the signals Neil highlighted for each platform, but there are many more.

Google = keywords people are searching for, the links included, the backlinks that come to your content

YouTube = the user’s search history, the time spent watching videos

Instagram = interactions – likes, comments, profile clicks, follows

LinkedIn = the number of comments a post gets, number of video views

Facebook = interactions and engagement with content

Learnings

These are the things you need to learn about your audiences, your business and your process to maximise success.

Do you know your audience inside out?

What is your best content?

When is the best time for you to post?

What does your audience want?

What are your bestselling products or services?

Does seasonality impact your content?

What People Can’t Ignore

These are the consistently popular forms of content that will build your brand and create success.

1. Free tools that help your audience in their job/life
2. The awards that you have won will show your excellency and trustworthiness
3. Build a community or audience that advocates for you or your brand to help promote your content

These 3 aspects are brand-building activity and self-reliance away from large platforms that can impact your success

How To Beat Each Platform

Neil shared some clear and actionable ways to beat the algorithms of the mainstream platforms that are commonly used to distribute and promote content.

YouTube = In the first 24 hours you need to get as many views as possible – To do this you must use Push Notification, Email Blasts, and SMS Blasts to promote this content immediately after publication

LinkedIn = Within the first 4 hours of posting you need engaging comments – That means comments that add opinions, or thoughts to your post, ones that encourage discussions and debate

TikTok = You need lots of comments and Tags – Your posts need to encourage dialogue in the comments that show a high level of engagement

Facebook = You’ll need to create long-form content that keeps people on the platform for as long as possible – Your text posts should be lengthy and your videos should be over 5 mins to boost engagement with your content

Instagram = You need to create live content at least 2x per week – There are very few pages delivering this level of regular content production but users of the platform are craving it and there is a demand for it

Google = Your brand is a big factor for ranking on Google – release free helpful tools that people can search directly for e.g. they type into Google your brand name, this shows an appetite for what you’re offering

Collecting Leads

Once you’ve started to consistently beat the algorithms and your engagement has increased you’ll need to convert your interactions into leads, here are a few ways Neil suggests this can be done:

• Landing Pages
• Quizzes
• Tools
• eBooks
• Consulting Pages
• Webinars
• Co-Marketing
• Targeted Campaigns

Conclusion

Neil’s session was a great look at how to get your content working harder to create engagement. Understanding the way in which algorithms are judging the things you post will help you to create your content in a way that will naturally lead to increased success. If you want to keep winning consistently across search and social platforms then your need to build a community, one that regularly engages and interacts with the content you publish. Scrub your lists regularly and remove the people who don’t open or engage with what you’re sending out.