Each year at Rocks Digital we like to like to look back at the posts that got our readers talking the most. For our long-time readers, join us in revisiting the posts that you like the most. To our new readers, welcome! We know you will gain important insights that you can implement as part of your 2017 digital marketing plan.
Here’s the Rocks Digital Top 15
1. Relationships on LinkedIn Take More Than Just a Click
The Rocks Digital publisher and resident LinkedIn expert, Lissa Duty, shared best practices on how to accept invitations and follow up with your connections on LinkedIn. This post had the most traffic, which tells us that our readers are on LinkedIn and want to learn how to leverage it for marketing. Getting the full benefit of LinkedIn takes more than just clicking “accept” and adding one more to your connections list. As with most things in life it is about quality, not quantity. You must take the time to build a real relationship with your connections. Keep reading to learn how to build quality LinkedIn relationships.
2. Sell Those Domain Names You’ve Been Parking on in 7 Easy Steps
It is not uncommon for businesses to have some unused domain names in their possession, but the question may be what to do with them. Domain names are virtual real estate and there is always someone looking for a better location – which may be the domain you are not using. By using the 7 steps outlined by Bill Hartzer you can get rid of extra domain names and create some extra income at the same time. Just click to read more.
3. It is Time to AMP Your Website!
Did you learn about AMP when it came on the scene in early 2016? If not, then this informative interview of Beth Kahlich by Laurie Shook will tell you everything you need to know to get started. Learn what AMP is, how it works, and why it matters to you and your website when you read about it here.
4. Improve Visibility on Google with These Local Search and SEO Hacks
Google is always adjusting and making changes to its algorithms to make searches more detailed and specific. A recent change in the last year meant the 6-pack was reduced to just 3 and visibility became a little more challenging. Bernadette Coleman helps businesses meet that challenge and stay visible with her list of local search and SEO hacks. To find out what they are, click here.
5. Get More Done with the Best Marketing Automation Tools
Ruth Cole shared the latest tools that help businesses become more effective with the time spent on marketing. These tools help with everything from templates for landing pages, SEO tools, to auto-schedulers for social media posts. Keep reading to find out which tools she recommends and how easy it can be to automate your marketing.
6. How To: Link Building Right with Tactical SEO
Link building needs to be strategic and thoughtful. Gareth Simpson walks us through the tactical SEO that you can achieve by building the right links. You will learn what the skyscraper technique is and how to get it, how blog commenting and writing guest blogs can build effective links, and about links from citations and directories. Learn about all this and more when you continue reading.
7. RSS Feeds – Why Your Social Media Needs Them
When you RSS feed content to your social media channels you are able to share your content quickly and easily to multiple channels all at one time. It is also a way to set yourself up as a valuable resource in your niche market. If you have never utilized RSS feeds, Lissa Duty shows you how quick and easy it is to set them up on your social media sites. Read on to learn more and learn how to set them up!
8. Artificial Intelligence – Is it Taking Over Marketing?
When you were a kid did you dream of flying cars and pushing a button to have a full gourmet meal pop out of a box in a matter of seconds, just like on the cartoon show “The Jetsons”? While flying cars aren’t here just yet, artificial intelligence is taking over many tasks humans used to do for themselves via somewhat simple things like auto-correct, as well as more futuristic things like Siri and Echo. But what does AI mean for the future of marketing? How many marketing jobs done by humans will soon be taken over by AI? Laura Darkstar shares her predictions and views in this thought provoking article. Read more to see where AI is heading.
9. Are You Doing Customer Service Right on Social Media?
Social media has created a space where customers can say whatever they want (good and bad) about a business, and their network of friends, family, and business connections will see it. This means a business’s response to reviews and comments made about them on social media can make or break their reputation. Continue reading this article to learn the right way to respond and create customers for life, from Veleisa Burrell.
10. Your Business is not a Game but Gamification Definitely Applies
We may not all be on an Xbox every spare minute or chasing Pokémon, however, I bet at some point in time you have played a game on your phone while waiting on a client or at a doctor’s appointment. It has become so common that gamification is an important marketing tactic to employ for your business. Caz Gaddis breaks it down and explains how to incorporate it in various marketing plans by using Yu-kai Chou’s 8 Core Drives of Gamification. Continue reading to learn more.
11. Is Your Email Marketing Campaign Working?
When you send out an email marketing campaign you want it to work, but sometimes it is hard to tell if it is working or not. In this article, Thea Millard gives you 5 simple ways to tell when your email campaign is not working so you can take steps to adjust it. Want to know these 5 steps? Just click here.
12. Knowing How to Sell to the Right Person is Sales Strategy 101
John Carroll shares his sales expertise and what to do – and what not to do – when you are selling to the decision makers. It is important to think like them and put yourself in their place. What problem do they need you to solve? It is also important that you do your homework and then follow up consistently. For more tips read the full article here.
13. Dlvr.it Easy to Social Media with RSS Feeds
RSS feeds were a popular topic in 2016 and this post proves it with a “How to” on the RSS Feed tool dlvr.it. Lissa Duty comes to the RSS feed rescue again and breaks down how to get started using dlvr.it. The step-by-step instructions she shares (along with numerous screenshots) will help even the technologically challenged get their RSS feeds running through dlvr.it in no time. Continue reading to learn how to get your social media automated today.
14. How to Get Your Audience to Show Up for Your Live Streaming Event
No one wants to start live streaming without an audience. Making sure you have that audience requires planning and preparation. Patty Farmer shares 7 ways to make sure people show up for your next live streaming event. Be sure to read this post before your next live stream!
15. Make Sure Your Website is Effective with CTAs
A Call to Action (CTA) is a phrase that is frequently used in marketing and sales. A CTA is that statement that takes people from thinking about doing something to actually doing it. It is also a critical part of an effective website. Harley Rubin gives you some actionable steps you can take to make sure your website is making your visitors click the “buy” button. Click now to learn more! (Yes, that is a CTA!)
These posts are just a taste of the need-to-know info featured on Rocks Digital in 2016.
You can access the blog archives by category or search in the sidebar. We have something on almost every topic you might want to learn about.
Our articles are written by talented and knowledgeable contributors that we appreciate every day! Meet some of them here. And be sure to keep up with all the posts in 2017 by subscribing to our digital digest!
Here’s to a happy and profitable new year!
Do you have a favorite Rocks Digital post from 2016 that wasn’t on this list? Share the link below and tell us why it was your favorite.
