SEO Is Dead. Long Live SEO!

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Much has been made in recent months of the “death” of search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the practice of including certain keywords on a web page, both in the content you see and read as well as in the hidden “meta-content” that only search engines like Google see. In the past, it was possible to pack this content with keywords and links that would get the search engine to think that a page was an authoritative source on whatever keyword(s) it targeted.

Now, however, articles like this one along with our own experience tell us that Google has changed the game. The focus now is on Online Audience Optimization, which is about making a page relevant to the way people engage with content online. So does this mean that all the work we’ve done in the past on SEO is completely useless? Absolutely not, because we’ve always done it the right way, instead of simply cheating the system like many others. Here are three reasons why this is no reason to panic (at least if you’re a Capra client):

  1. Search engines still care what a page is about. If there is relevant content on the page, that still matters to Google. Meta tags and things like that still matter, but if the content is good, which something we’ve always emphasized, you’re still a step ahead.

  2. There’s now more of a focus on making the audience care. If you’ve been following along, you know that we’re all about care. It’s important to know your audience and understand what they care about. If you engage them in that way, they’ll be more likely to engage with you.

  3. Along those lines, it’s important to find ways to get your audience to engage – whether through an active discussion/comment community, gamification or just really kickass content, having people spend more time on your site is what really appeals to Google nowadays. Luckily, this is also something we’ve always encouraged our clients to do, so no one should be particularly worried.

The experts may want to give it a fancy new name, but OAO is just the next evolution of SEO, and it’s one that we and our clients are prepared for. The real question is, are you prepared too?

5 Truths About Doing What You Love

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  1. There will be really hard days. You will spend a lot of time wondering “is this even worth it” and “does what I do even really matter…like really?!!?!” and at the end of each of these thoughts you’ll land on a simple answer that will allow you to exhale, pick up the work, carry it evenly on your back and get it done.  That answer is: Yes.
  2. You will work harder than you’ve ever worked.You’ll go between praying that it’s worth it and knowing that it’s worth it.
  3. As you get closer to doing work that you love in an authentic and true way your nose will sniff out the phoney baloney’s faster than ever. Trust that sniff test or your gut or whatever you call it and do not engage with it.
  4. When you’re doing what you love it’s still work.  It is. And the thing that’s tricky about work that you love is that it has real boundary issues.  Now, I am not one to tell you that you need to work a 4 hour work week, because frankly:I don’t think a 4 hour work week is possible for all of us that are out here building out our dreams.Work that you love can be consuming and before you know it you forget about other things you love…so, check yourself before you wreck yourself.  Yup, I said that.
  5. Work that you love is sometimes like the little boy that cried wolf. Everything is screaming at you “Re-do your website”, “Be active on all the social sites, yes even Google+”, “do this class, read that book, listen to this podcast”.  It can be overwhelming.  The thing that I’ve learned in doing my own thing for nearly a decade  is this: Decide what’s important and make that the priority and let these urgent screams of your inner little wolf crier fade into your spotify playlist.  What’s important: Deliver the best X you can, track it, manage the dollars and cents of it all, enjoy the summits as you reach them.

Client Success: Dr. Joanne Wu of Fit2bWell

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Back in May I had the pleasure of doing a photoshoot with our local Lululemon store – the ambassadors and store leadership in Rochester is amazing and the shoot was fun, productive and introduced me to a number of people that frankly inspired me beyond measure.

One of those people was Dr. Joanne Wu. We were chatting during the shoot and she mentioned how she wanted to up her online game for her business Fit2bWell and that’s where the story starts.

Things I learned about Joanne in this process:

  • Her mission – her intentions – her motivation is GOLDEN.  It’s not complicated – it’s not contrived – it is authentic goodness. 
  • She walks the talk. I love this about her – she’s action oriented and real. In the business of health, wellness, and fitness you don’t get a whole lot of that.
  • Joanne’s ability to impact people is directly related to how much she cares and that is why she is so successful.  She cares and the impacts resonate like ripples in a serenity pond.

In the market for a speaker on the topics of health, wellness, achieving inner zen, integrative medicine or yoga? I can not recommend Dr. Joanne Wu enough. Check out her site for more.

Read the full client success story here.

We asked Joanne to share her thoughts on working with Capra and this is what she had to say:

“Cass and Capra Strategy are gems to work with. Not only does Cass genuinely enjoy getting to know you and the essence of your intentions, but she truly enjoys her work. Their passion to put out a product that satisfies for a “wow” factor is inspiring and sincerely appreciated.”

-Dr. Joanne Wu

 

Thanks Joanne! We are so glad that we had the opportunity to work together.

How to write a testimonial that shines

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I don’t know about your business, but I do know that for us the #1 reason we get new clients is because they heard something about us that they liked. Sometimes that’s a first person endorsement but a lot of times it’s something that they read online.  It is a challenge to get those good testimonials, right?  So  today I wanted to create a resource on:

How to write a testimonial that knocks socks off

Sometimes you’ll write your testimonial and then ask people to endorse it as their own (yup, that’s how it’s done) or sometimes you can ask people and just give them a little guidance (like link them to this blog post) on how to do that.  For the purposes of this example I’m actually going to write a testimonial for Jenny The Flower City Fashionista who was over at my house Monday helping me figure out how I should be putting some outfits together.

Step One: Think of a few powerful lines that you (or the person you’re glowing about) could use on social media.  Make sure you include the name of the service they provided and how what they did made you feel.  Social is all about engagement and feeling.  Go for the feeling.

Examples:

  • Jenny just owned my closet – I went from feeling like I had nothing to wear to so excited to get dressed for weeks and weeks.
  • The Flower City Fashionista Stylist is the real deal – I’d never had a professional stylist in my closet before but it was great! She covered everything from the reassurance that some of my favorites are in fact awesome and new ways to wear them to letting go of stuff that just was not working on my body. An honest opinion and permission to love everything in my closet? HUGE WIN.

Step Two: Think about what you gained from this experience.  We are talking about this big concept: What do people value? So you want to hit on the following: It made me or saved me Time, Money, Efficiency, Increased Productivity, Days, Happy, Healthy.

Examples:

  • Jenny easily saved me 15 minutes every single morning for the next month of my life because I will no longer be staring in my closet saying “I have nothing to wear”.  
  • I refreshed my fall wardrobe and have a new look at my closet thanks to Jenny – she saved me hundreds of dollars!  Thank you so much!
  • I ordered my pumpkin spice latte and had a little spring in my step this morning – feeling pulled together and fresh feels so good – Jenny, you’re the best!

Step Three: Pull it all together.  Add the feeling and the value.  And send all three to the person you think is the bomb (yeah, I said that, I can’t take it back).  They can use them as they need to land their next client.

Example:

  • Jenny, The Flower City Fashionista, came in to assess my fall wardrobe. I was honestly one more frustrated morning away from going on a shopping adventure that would likely have cost me $1,000 because I had the “I have nothing to wear” feeling.  Jenny came in and worked up outfit after outfit that I absolutely loved from things already in my closet.  On top of that she sent me links with 3 pieces (a rust colored pair of pants, a more versatile statement necklace and a moto jacket) that I could get for 1/3 of the cost that would really extend my wardrobe into the next few seasons.  Between the money she saved me and the frustration of avoiding the “I hate everything I own” feeling, this was more than worth the cost of her visit.

 

Testimonials are a little thing you can do to pay it forward.

Do Facebook Ads Really Work?

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Simple answer: Yes. (Sorta).

So that’s not really that simple, is it? Facebook has had a hard time convincing people that the ads you see over on the right side of your newsfeed have any effect whatsoever. Critics would point to low ROI numbers based on clicks and conversion rates – typical measurements for online advertising.

Over the course of the past year, however, Facebook has enlisted help from research firm Datalogix to show that that is the wrong way to look at its ads. Instead, we should view them more like TV ads. Customers may not convert directly like they do with search ads, but having seen the ad, they are more likely to make a purchase at a later date.

But what makes for an effective Facebook ad? Since it’s in their own best interest, Facebook folks aren’t shy about sharing what they think works. Here’s what they think a good ad needs:

  • Focal point: Make sure the ad draws attention to a specific point

  • Brand link: The advertiser should be easily recognized

  • Tone: The tone of the ad needs to fit the advertiser’s personality

  • Reward: This might be a deal, but it doesn’t have to be. Smiles, relevant info and good vibes are all rewards

  • Noticeability: The ad should really stand out on the page

  • Point: Get the message across directly

With this formula, it’s entirely possible to craft an ad that works on Facebook. In addition, you can spend as much or as little as you’d like on Facebook ads. Investments of as little as $50 can yield significant impressions. Obviously, more money will get you further, but it’s not necessary to plunk down loads of cash to see an impact.

At Capra, we can help you put together a Facebook ad campaign that hits the right customers and fits within your budget. While you probably shouldn’t put all your eggs in the Facebook ad basket, it can be a valuable and flexible tool for anyone looking to get their message out to the world.