{"id":677,"date":"2017-10-12T12:45:00","date_gmt":"2017-10-12T12:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.searchenginewatch.com\/2017\/10\/12\/share17-chicago-the-key-themes-and-trends\/"},"modified":"2019-12-17T16:49:40","modified_gmt":"2019-12-17T16:49:40","slug":"share17-chicago-the-key-themes-and-trends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2017\/10\/12\/share17-chicago-the-key-themes-and-trends\/","title":{"rendered":"Share17 Chicago: The key themes and trends"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Digital marketers gathered in Chicago last week for Share17, an event hosted by <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/category\/seo\/\">SEO<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/category\/content\/\">content marketing<\/a> platform BrightEdge.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Share17 provided a welcome opportunity to take stock of where the industry stands, discuss common challenges marketers are facing, and consider the upcoming trends we should all aim to capitalize on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The agenda for the day reflected this, through a combination of guest speakers, customer panels, and plenty of revelations about search marketing trends. The below is a recap of the key themes and <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2016\/08\/17\/10-tips-to-get-your-website-to-the-top-of-google-search\/\">SEO tips<\/a> we took away from the event.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The convergence of SEO and content marketing<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key theme for the day was the <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2017\/06\/28\/marketing-with-intent-the-combined-power-of-seo-and-content\/\">convergence of SEO and content marketing<\/a>, although there were also discussions on how SEO impacts all areas of modern businesses. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">97% of BrightEdge customers state that SEO and content marketing are either merging or have already done so. As a result, the focus shifts to the more pragmatic matters of how this plays out at companies both large and small. At a conceptual level, there is widespread understanding of the interplay between the disciplines, but at a practical level there is still some work to do. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although content marketing\u00a0has grown to become a $75 billion industry, each piece of content needs a lot of help if it is to cut through in such a crowded market. In fact, research from BrightEdge revealed:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">50% of B2B content draws some engagement from its intended audience. The other 50% receives no visits or shares. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The picture is bleaker still for B2C content, with only 20% engaging consumers. The vast majority of B2C content is simply never seen.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2017\/10\/content-and-SEO.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-69762 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2017\/10\/content-and-SEO.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"611\" height=\"436\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO can help here, of course, but it is clear that something is amiss at a broader scale. The content marketing industry has not aligned demand with supply if so much of its output fails to resonate with even a small audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scott Mowery from <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cleveland Clinic<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had some tips to help ensure that content is created with conviction. Without that dedication of attention and resources, it is highly likely that the audience will not engage when so many other options are available. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scott used the acronym C.O.P.E. (Create Once, Promote Everywhere) to distil his team\u2019s philosophy, and it is one that is reaping dividends so far. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The core idea here is to make sure that there is a clear purpose behind every piece of content created and that it is of the highest possible quality. Then it can be repurposed for different media formats and delivered to an audience through a focused amplification plan. With a projected 110 million visits in 2017, this plan seems to be working for Cleveland Clinic. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>SEO is very closely aligned to business strategy<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout the day, there were nods to the prominent position SEO has assumed within businesses due to its ties with content marketing. This is due to the fact that content sits at the center of marketing plans, while marketing channels are ways of promoting\u00a0this message and directing traffic towards content. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO is a fusion of medium and message, as it is simply impossible to rank in competitive industries without creating something of value that appeals to an audience. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working\u00a0in <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2017\/01\/18\/building-your-seo-strategy-in-2017-whats-most-important\/\">SEO in 2017<\/a> therefore requires a broad range of skill sets, from the technical through to the strategic and the interpersonal. Frankly, SEO fails if it exists in a vacuum and it requires input from across departments to reach its full potential. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guest speaker John Hall had an interesting take on what this means for the career prospects of SEOs. He said that he sees more SEO professionals take up senior leadership positions than ever before, based on their ability to view business problems from a range of angles. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The changing nature of SEO has made it hard to pin down with concrete definitions, but that fluidity also creates marketers that are adept at managing the complexities of the modern business landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO professionals need to have influence, both internally and externally, to get this message across. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">John Hall shared some fascinating <a href=\"https:\/\/sewprod.wpenginepowered.com\/2019\/07\/02\/competitive-research-insight-tools\/\">insights<\/a> into the psychology of influencing people, whether within a company or when communicating with customers. His presentation revealed the importance of making a genuine emotional connection with people to stay top of mind in the long term. That brings with it a certain vulnerability, but it is imperative if we are to gain the trust of our audience.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2017\/10\/John-Hall.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-69718 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2017\/10\/John-Hall.png\" alt=\"John Hall\" width=\"693\" height=\"468\" \/><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of this may feel very intuitive, so it is therefore worth asking why we fail to make these connections more frequently. A narrow focus on gaining short-term ROI restricts the potential for brands to make emotional connections over time, but the most profitable brands achieve exactly this aim. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such campaigns have\u00a0typically been the domain of brand marketers but as media spend continues to move online, there should be a seat at the table for SEO too.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Consumers are in control<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the age of cord-cutters and ad blockers, the message for brands is clear: consumers are in control. 28% of US Internet <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2018\/12\/21\/guide-google-analytics-confusing-terms\/\">users<\/a> used ad blockers this year, as the digital advertising industry struggles to balance monetization with user experience. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This dynamic is playing out with particular significance on mobile devices, where consumer expectations continue to heighten. BrightEdge research found that 79% of results for the same query <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2017\/08\/23\/why-seos-cant-afford-to-wait-around-for-a-mobile-first-index\/\">differ across mobile and desktop devices<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Concurrently, the growth in queries containing the phrase \u2018near me\u2019 is slowing. This is driven by implicit intent; users are coming to expect that Google knows where they are and will tailor the results accordingly without direction. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Google\u2019s perspective, the core focus now is on <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2017\/01\/31\/all-you-need-to-master-your-site-speed-without-getting-overwhelmed\/\">speed<\/a>. To keep consumers in the Google search ecosystem on mobile, it is essential to provide an app-like experience via search results pages. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have seen this recently with <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/02\/06\/using-python-to-recover-seo-site-traffic-part-one\/\">developments<\/a> like <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2016\/10\/13\/accelerated-mobile-pages-amp-one-year-on-stats-and-infographic\/\">AMP<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/sew\/study\/2435355\/what-is-app-indexing-and-why-is-it-important\">app indexation<\/a>, but there is still a sense that marketers need to place more emphasis on providing a faster digital experience. 82% of smartphone users consult their phones while in a store deciding what to buy, so every second of extra load time can be costly. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, as Eugene Feygin from Quill.com discussed, <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/05\/31\/image-optimization-for-seo\/\">Amazon<\/a> has calculated that an extra second of load time across their site would result in $1.6 billion in lost revenue per annum.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2017\/10\/one-second.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-69717 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2017\/10\/one-second.png\" alt=\"load speed\" width=\"779\" height=\"428\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This creates a multitude of moments of need or want throughout each day, with the average user now spending 2 hours per day on a mobile device. The approach of applying broad demographic groups or personas is no longer fit for purpose if we want to put consumers first. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A more accurate and profitable approach understands the importance of being in the right place when people need information. That consumer journey will differ by brand and by industry; the companies that prosper over the next few years will comprehend this and plan their content marketing accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2017\/10\/Share.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-69719 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2017\/10\/Share.png\" alt=\"Share17\" width=\"787\" height=\"436\" \/><\/a>This provides a robust structure to an SEO campaign, driven by genuine consumer demand. That structure needs to be populated with content that connects, however, and this is where we should recall the lessons learned from John Hall&#8217;s presentation. It is only by investing ourselves in our content that we will provide something of value that stands out in such a competitive landscape.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the day, there was a sense of this being an exciting moment for the SEO industry,\u00a0but also one that requires a strategic mindset to comprehend and capitalize on so many diverse areas of activity.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scott Mowery from Cleveland Clinic shared a helpful mantra that his team goes by to keep efforts focused in what is an increasingly complex market. If an initiative is not digital, mobile and measurable, don\u2019t do it. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This seems an apt summary of the core themes from Share17 in Chicago, and sage advice for all search marketers. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Digital marketers gathered in Chicago last week for Share17, an event hosted by SEO and content marketing platform BrightEdge. The event provided a welcome opportunity to take stock of where the industry stands, discuss common challenges marketers are facing, and consider the upcoming trends we should all aim to capitalize on. Here are some of the key highlights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1092,"featured_media":678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[203,256,676,677],"content_type":[27095],"class_list":["post-677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-brightedge","tag-content-and-seo","tag-seo-best-practices","tag-share17","content_type-news"],"acf":{"tad_independentcommercial":false,"tad_content_format":false},"post_info":{"name":"idris.nagri@blenheimchalcot.com idris.nagri@blenheimchalcot.com","title":"","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/BrightEdge-Share17-120x90.png","category":"Events","timeago":"8y"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1092"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=677"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=677"},{"taxonomy":"content_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_type?post=677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}