How SEO Has Changed with the Possum Update

By Neil Patel

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Google is totally unpredictable.

SEO practitioners know full well that things can change in an instant, and search engine dominance today means nothing tomorrow.

Or as Babe Ruth put it,

Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.

One of the more significant updates Google made in 2016 was Possum.

In fact, it’s arguably the biggest change Google has made to local SEO since the Pigeon update back in 2014.

As you might imagine, it’s shaken things up quite a bit and has switched up the SEO landscape considerably.

I’d like to dive into this topic and explain how it may have impacted your local rankings as well …read more      

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Don’t Get Flattened on the Attention Superhighway

By Sonia Simone

"Lots of sites are desperate for traffic. But traffic is just the start of the story." – Sonia Simone

When we talk about content marketing strategy, it’s amazing how often people think that means:

Can I Haz Moar Peoples!!!

(English translation: How can I get more traffic to my site?)

That’s not new — the quest for eyeballs is as old as online business.

And it does matter. It’s important to have a critical mass of folks who know you exist. Ask anyone trying to get a business off the ground with an email list of 34 people, 8 of whom they’re related to.

You need a big enough audience to allow for a meaningful response when you try out a …read more      

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3 Ways to Become More Generous and Grow Your Audience

By Beth Hayden

“What could you give your ideal prospect that would really improve her life?" – Beth Hayden

Giving to your audience is one of the foundations of any smart content marketing strategy.

To grow your audience and get better results for your business, it might be time to expand your content beyond blog posts, podcast episodes, or newsletters and find more ways to be truly generous.

The idea is:

Don’t hold back, don’t be stingy, and don’t cut corners. Just give, and give freely.

Looking to become a “giver,” rather than a “taker?” Let’s talk about why generosity works and how you can give your audience more value.

Why giving generously works

You might be thinking:

“How in the world …read more      

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8 Content Marketing Tricks That Helped Dollar Shave Club Go Viral

By Neil Patel

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Ask any North-American male aged 17-30 whether he’s heard of Dollar Shave Club (DSC).

He’ll probably say, “Yeah.”

And it’s not just dudes who know about DSC. A lot of women know about it too because they’ve bought subscriptions for the men in their lives.

Dollar Shave Club is a classic example of startup that blew up—in a good way.

What was one of the first signs of their success?

A video. A viral video.

If you haven’t seen it, you ought to check it out:

The company’s launch video, casually titled “Our Blades Are F**king Great,” quickly became a sensation on …read more      

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Content Marketing as Seduction

By Brian Clark

Phil Connors is having a bad day … over, and over, and over.

The arrogant Pittsburgh weatherman has once again been sent to cover the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He soon discovers that visiting once a year wasn’t all that bad, given that he’s now living this particular Groundhog Day again, and again, and again.

It all begins at 6:00 a.m., the same way each day. The clock radio clicks on with Sonny & Cher’s I Got You Babe, followed by the declaration, “It’s Groundhog Day … and it’s cold out there!”

After the initial shock wears off, Phil (played …read more      

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