Storytelling Is The New SEO
Martin W. Smith @ScentTrail SEO Meetup Raleigh, March 26

Google’s Algorithm Changes • Panda’s
Implications – Heuristics Matter • Time On Site. • Pages Viewed. • Return Visitors. • Lower Bounce. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 3

Google’s Secret Implications • Panda
& Penguin Secrets – Content is KING. – Engagement. – Storytelling. – New Sheriff In Town. Not All Content Is Equal In Engagement. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 4

Content Marketing Matrix Conversion Low
HIGH Low Low Engagement Want: HIGH Now, High, High Low Later Time = NOW Later 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 5

High Engagement Content • High
Engagement, Conversion NOW Content Examples: – Video. – Reviews. Want: – Social Shares. Now, High, – Tribal (bought x, also bought y). High CONTENT – Relevant real time offers. – Breaking news. – Stories. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 6

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Hero’s Journey • Stories &
Joseph Campbell – Hero’s Journey. – Examples: • STAR WARS • Comic Books. • 60 Minutes. • Sports. • Your website? 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 8

Telling “Hero’s Journey” Stories 3/23/2013
Storytelling Is Content Marketing 9

REI’s Hero’s Journey 3/23/2013 Storytelling
Is Content Marketing 10

REI About Page Themes 3/23/2013
Storytelling Is Content Marketing 11

Patagonia Hero’s Journey 3/23/2013 Storytelling
Is Content Marketing 12

Patagonia About Page Themes 3/23/2013
Storytelling Is Content Marketing 13

REI Product Page: repeats key
stories 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 14

REI Product Page: repeats key
stories 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 15

REI Product Page: repeats key
stories Themes * Quality * Save World * Love Passion * Trust, Honesty, Club 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 16

How Websites Tell Stories Overt
Storytelling Covert Storytelling User Gen Content • About Page. • Design. • Comments. • Product Pages. • Colors. • Reviews. • Return Policy. • Images. • Contests. • Free Shipping. • Headlines. • Gamification. • Terms. • People. • Polls, Surveys. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 17

Gamification Layers Active Passive Real
Time • Earn Badges. • Position. • Offers. • Social Capital. • Jobs. • Elevation. • Bankable • Points. Rewards. • Rewards. • Status. • Review Reviewer. • Elevation. • Status. • Status. • Features. • Leaderboards. • Features. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 18

Storytelling Summary • Google &
Customers want better heuristics. – Storytelling improves engagement. – Engagement improves heuristics. • Stories = hero’s journey. • Websites = overt & covert storytelling. • Better stories = more: – Traffic. – Social Shares. – Money 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 19

Martin W. Smith Contact •
@ScentTrail • ScentTrail.blogspot.com • CureCancerStarter.org • @CureCancerStart • Facebook/CureCancerStarter • http://www.linkedin.com/in/martysmith1980 vc • Email: Martin.Smith@Atlanticbt.com 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 20

Appendix: Content Engagement Matrix Not
all content is equal. Some content is more engaging. The Content Engagement Matrix evaluates content based on its ability to promote high conversions and high engagement. The important caveat is any content can be highly viral. Viral potential is as much executional as anything. That caveat stated, some content is inherently more likely to go viral with less effort because it starts with higher views. The Content Matrix defines content by its inherent conversion and engagement potential. The other emerging truth is content that happens NOW is more viral than older content. Closer to NOW, so Time is included as an evaluation point. Finally this summary and evaluation of a particular type of content may or may not apply to your website. The idea Is more important than the values assigned. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 21

Content Marketing Matrix Conversion Low
HIGH Low Low Engagement HIGH Low 3/23/2013 Later Time = NOW Storytelling Is Content Marketing Later 22

Content Marketing Matrix Conversion Low
HIGH Low Low Engagement HIGH Low 3/23/2013 Later Time = NOW Storytelling Is Content Marketing Later 23

Content Matrix: Now, High, High
• Now, High Engagement, High Conversion – Social Shares (your friends). – Social Signals Summary (See TechCrunch Example) – Video. – Reviews Matrix (See Amazon). – Relevant, real time offers or coupons. – Tribal Data, “Buyers like you also bought…” – Breaking news or trusted source recommendations. – Relevant stories & curated UGC. – Conversion gamification. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 24

Content Marketing Matrix Conversion Low
HIGH Low Low Engagement HIGH Low 3/23/2013 Later Time = NOW Storytelling Is Content Marketing Later 25

Content Matrix: Later, Low, Low
• Later, Low Engagement, Low Conversion – Conditions of Use & Terms. – Ads & Affiliate Program. – Press Releases. – Confusing or dissonant content. – Negative sentiment content. – Too good to be true offers or claims. – Confusing games or gamification. – Unclear navigation, clicky cart or no scentTrail. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 26

Content Marketing Matrix Conversion Low
HIGH Low Low Engagement HIGH Low 3/23/2013 Later Time = NOW Storytelling Is Content Marketing Later 27

Content Matrix: Later, High, Low
• Later, High Engagement, Low Conversion – My Account. – My UGC. – Contests (when I lose). – My old reviews. – Negative friends reviews. – Controversy. – Negative Sentiment. – Post purchase problem resolution (returns, warranty). 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 28

Content Marketing Matrix Conversion Low
HIGH Low Low Engagement HIGH Low 3/23/2013 Later Time = NOW Storytelling Is Content Marketing Later 29

Content Matrix: Now, High, Low
• Now, High Engagement, Low Conversion – Sports. – Q&A. – Unsupported Staff Reviews (will pick fights). – PR Problems. – Unsupported Bad Reviews (only insults fairness doctrine). – Too new (unsupported by tribe). – Polls, Quizzes and Surveys. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 30

Content Marketing Matrix Conversion Low
HIGH Low Low Engagement HIGH Low 3/23/2013 Later Time = NOW Storytelling Is Content Marketing Later 31

Content Matrix: Now, Low, High
• Now, Low Engagement, High Conversion – Internal search. – Highly specific internal search (use of catalog number). – Emails targeted to segments (less relevant than personas b/c segments = YOU, personas = THEM). – Affiliate links from trusted source websites. – Hot guru or maven recommendations. – Strong word-of-mouth within specific tribe. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 32

Content Marketing Matrix Conversion Low
HIGH Low Low Engagement HIGH Low 3/23/2013 Later Time = NOW Storytelling Is Content Marketing Later 33

Content Matrix: Later, Low, High
• Later, Low Engagement, High Conversion – Abandoned Cart email. – Wish List. – Wish List Special Offer. – Saved shopping carts. – Relevant older blog posts. – Saved internal search. – Saved Google search. – Saved content or Q&A. – New comments to your shares by friends. 3/23/2013 Storytelling Is Content Marketing 34