Marketing School | Digital Marketing | Online Marketing

In Episode #313, Eric and Neil discuss how to do SEO for small businesses with less than $1000 a month. Tune in to learn how you can still do SEO effectively—even with a small budget—and why you shouldn’t believe everything that Google tells you. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Do SEO for Small Businesses With Less Than $1000 a Month 00:35 – You can’t focus on everything 00:40 – Try to have your site on WordPress so you can have Yoast and not worry too much about on-page SEO 00:48 – Neil sticks to content creation and building links around the content 00:55 – Neil uses Ahrefs 01:01 – Put in your competitor’s URL and click on the top pages that will show you the pages your competitor gets the most traffic 01:29 – Look at that page and try to create a better version on your website 01:38 – Find the people that are linked out to the page and reach out to them 02:00 – Reaching out works, but it’s a long-term play 02:08 – Keep it simple 02:34 – “Don’t believe everything that

In Episode #312, Eric and Neil discuss how to create an experimental culture in your marketing department. Tune in to find out how Eric and Neil do experiments with their respective teams and how it boosted engagement and a sense of value and pride for team members to be a part of the experimentation. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Create an Experimental Culture in Your Marketing Department 00:38 – Twitter was running .2 tests per week when they were still struggling 01:02 – After that, their usual growth skyrocketed 01:12 – Jeff Bezos of Amazon also brought tons of experiments that helped them boost quickly 01:17 – Driving experiments for the company or marketing department is really important 01:26 – Treat your experiment as a product 01:37 – Eric runs experiment meetings with his company, Single Grain 01:49 – Every week, someone is required to bring in new ideas 02:33 – You can use Trello to write in your experiments 02:43 – There should be a well-thought idea and

In Episode #311, Eric and Neil discuss the marketing tasks they do daily. Tune in to know what Eric and Neil do every day and how these habits contribute to their success. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: The Marketing Tasks Eric and Neil Do Every Day 00:36 – The big thing that Neil does is post on social media 00:49 – Neil also responds to comments from Social Web and Social Profiles 00:59 – Neil looks into Google Console to track posts that are declining in views and clicks 01:07 – He will then update those posts and content and they will go back to where they were 01:27 – Eric is trying to work on the business more 01:44 – Eric is working on creating content 01:58 – Eric also checks his Google Console and track his posts’ ranking 02:33 – You do NOT have to do exactly what Eric and Neil are doing 02:35 – Eric also has a lot of one-on-one time with the team to see where he can help 02:48 – Eric checks the interns campaigns and coaches them if needed 03:09 – Neil reads marketin

In Episode #310, Eric and Neil discuss how to rank in Google image search. Tune in to learn how Google can recognize your images more easily and how to adjust for Google’s limitations to BOOST your ranking. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Rank in Google Image Search 00:40 – If you are in consumer-based industry, you can generate a lot of traction from Google image search 01:00 – Image filing should be restricted to what you’re trying to rank for 01:06 – If it’s a car, use all tags to describe to Google what your image is about 01:57 – You can also use a long description which is similar to all tags, but longer 02:31 – If you’re always ranked over time, make sure you’re surrounded with text as Google uses text to figure out what the image is about 02:40 – In the next couple of years, Google’s AI might be able to identify which is which 03:06 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: How well you rank on Google image searches will depend on the industry. Google will

In Episode #309, Eric and Neil discuss how to get tons of views on your LinkedIn updates. Tune in to know the number of views Eric and Neil received on their first LinkedIn update and why you should leverage LinkedIn NOW. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Get Tons of Views on Your LinkedIn Updates 00:38 – You can now write longer-form LinkedIn content now 00:55 – Eric has around 6K connections in LinkedIn and when he wrote about longer-form LinkedIn updates, he got a thousand views in just 10 minutes 01:10 – There were also 2nd degree views in LinkedIn 01:23 – A simple text update can get you tons of views 01:34 – Neil has also tested LinkedIn updates 01:44 – He got 232K views, 280 likes and 151 comments on his first update 01:57 – Neil learned that the more generic your update, the better off you are 02:28 – It comes down to how many views your content is getting by the right type of people that can potentially generate income—so be specific 02:48 – One guy reached out

In Episode #307, Eric and Neil discuss where you can hire great developers. Tune in to learn how you can find great developers at a much cheaper rate WITHOUT compromising on value and efficiency. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: Where Can You Hire Great Developers? 00:42 – Eric and Neil both tried Toptal which is not a bad place, but quite expensive 00:51 – The best company for Neil is Crossover which is based in Texas 00:58 – Their team of great developers are usually overseas 01:02 – The labor is cheaper and they’re well educated 01:08 – They have the software to know which is the best of the best 01:30 – They offer 30 days of free development 01:55 – It is quite cheap 02:09 – Eric currently has 2 developers 02:14 – One is based in Singapore and the other one is in Lithuania 02:26 – The developers are well-versed and get things done 02:56 – Eric found them in CodePen’s job board 03:20 – Eric has used Crew and Andela 03:40 – Andela hires developers from other countries s

In Episode #306, Eric and Neil discuss where you can hire great designers. Tune in to hear an exhaustive list of where you can find fantastic designers and view their work. Or, if you are designer and are just needing some inspiration, Eric and Neil will tell you where to go.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: Where Can You Hire Great Designers? 00:32 – Eric uses Dribbble and looks at people’s portfolios 00:42 – You can easily search for what you’re looking for, like an infographic 00:50 – Look for the aesthetic that you like 01:08 – You can also reach out to people who have designed for your competition 01:12– You can use LinkedIn to find this 01:36 – Neil uses 99designs where designers compete for a job 01:53 – Behance is also a platform where designers’ portfolios are available to view 02:02 – Visually is a good place for infographics 02:13 – Some designers post their designs on Pinterest 02:26 – Go to Product Hunt and type “landing pages”, then find a design that you can

In Episode #305, Eric and Neil discuss why you should clean your email list. Tune in to learn what tools you can use to help you manage your email lists and the benefits of making this a TOP priority—including saving you money! Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: Why You Should Clean Your Email List 00:40 – Neil’s email is a mess and uses everything from Infusionsoft to Maropost to Mailgun 01:02 – They’re trying to figure which one will work well 01:19 – “If you don’t clear your list, your deliverability goes through the shitter” 01:24 – No one will get your emails 01:56 – Neil would clean the list, look at the most active subscribers and start sending emails to them 02:05 – Neil uses ConvertKit combined with Infusionsoft as their main mail service solution 02:30 – If you don’t clean your list up and you have a lot of inactive subscribers, you will be paying more 02:53 – Cleaning your email list is also saving you money 03:01 – Have a workflow using Drip or Infusionsoft 03:05 –

In Episode #304, Eric and Neil discuss where you can hire great writers. Tune in to learn how you can easily find great writers in your space and why hiring a full-time writer may work as a disadvantage to you.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: Where Can You Hire Great Writers? 00:46 – Eric and Neil both use Problogger religiously for finding their writers 01:05 – It’s cheap to put a job posting and there’s a lot of great people you can meet there 01:12 – Neil checks his competitors’ blogs and reaches out to some of the writers 01:22 – They usually accept any writing gig 01:30 – Don’t hire full-time writers because the ROI isn’t there 01:37 – People get burned out, so find someone who will write for you just a couple of times a week 01:51 – Find the most popular writers in your space based on comments and social shares 01:56 – Social shares mean they’re driving traffic and comments mean they’re engaging the audience 02:07 – If you’re doing audio and video podcast, go to Rev

In Episode #303, Eric and Neil discuss the type of content marketing you should create when you’re starting off. Tune in to learn why Eric would still start with blog posting even if people are saying that it is dying and why you should start with what YOU are good at. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Type of Content Should You Create When You're Starting Off? 00:38 – First, create blog-based content 00:40 – It is the easiest type of content to create 01:00 – In content marketing, there’s no right form of content to start first 01:10 – If your skills are in audio or video, then start off with those and do what you’re best at 01:24 – If everything is going to one direction, try the other way 01:47 – Think of it as the Blue Ocean Strategy 01:58 – Gary V isn’t good at blog posts, but he’s good on camera 02:18 – If you have created video content in the past and are good at it, then go in that direction 02:30 – If Eric would start now, he would start with blog posting 02:53 – J

In Episode #302, Eric and Neil discuss what should you do if the wrong page ranks for a target keyword. Tune in to learn what Eric is currently testing and how Neil managed to redirect his traffic from the wrong page to the RIGHT one. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Should You Do if the Wrong Page Ranks for a Target Keyword? 00:40 – Eric has a blog post right now that ranks for online marketing companies or internet marketing companies 01:02 – Eric’s agency is top 10 for the keyword other websites are ranking for 01:18 – Eric and other SEOs that he has talked to suggested redirecting that page to what converts people 01:33 – Eric is currently testing having a ranking table with different agencies 02:11 – Eric is still trying several different things at the moment 02:21 – Neil suggests making internal links between your pages 02:25 – Google usually sorts things out and it’s just a question of time 02:31 – For the page that isn’t ranking but you want to rank, compare the keywo

In Episode #301, Eric and Neil discuss whether or not you should buy marketing courses. Tune in to learn the importance of putting learning BEFORE earning and why paying for a course is sometimes more beneficial than trying a free one. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: Should You Buy Marketing Courses? 00:39 – There’s a time for learning and there’s a time for earning 00:51 – Check Neil’s advance marketing course or his other courses that he has available 01:03 – Keep reading and keep learning! 01:12 – Implement what you have learned 01:25 – If you’re starting off, courses are great 01:30 – If you’re not starting off, the best way to learn is by networking at events and by practicing and doing things on your own website 01:44 – Neil is a big believer that it is easier to learn through DOING 01:51 – Neil’s current courses are about investments 01:53 – Neil invested in a Canadian company 02:17 – Instead of buying courses, Neil is investing on someone who already is doing them 0

In Episode #300, Eric and Neil discuss marketing tactics that they still use today. Tune in to learn how content marketing has shifted and how Eric and Neil have grown from making simple blog posts to a whole host of different platforms to share their content.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: Marketing Tactics that Neil & Eric Still Use Today 01:11 – Neil noticed that over the years, content marketing has shifted 01:45 – You now have to be everywhere 02:10 – What’s going on with your email, podcast, webinar and blog is all considered content 02:20 – Gary V has been doing great with content marketing 02:23 – He has a videographer who documents Gary V’s everyday life 02:35 – Content marketing still feeds into a different marketing stream 03:00 – Build something long-term by taking advantage of what’s available to you as a business 03:17 – Eric and Neil both look at things holistically 03:25 – Neil started with an agency website and he created a tool for how to do marketing better

In Episode #299, Eric and Neil discuss how to deal with a negative PR. Tune in to learn why negative PR should be IGNORED, how it eventually fades away, and what you should be doing in the meantime. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Deal with Negative PR 00:37 – Neil leaves negative PR alone and doesn’t talk about it 00:43 – When you deal with it, it just adds more fuel to the fire 00:54 – A negative result is also negative PR 01:11 – Some would pay to remove the negative PR 01:26 – There was an agency that was called out for buying links and the owner had a deal with people who wrote negative PR about the agency 01:45 – Eric also just ignores negative PR; it will go away in time 02:09 – It sucks right now but you can get through it 02:23 – Just continue to focus on refining your product and what you are doing 02:33 – Neil had negative PR when a magazine showed inaccurate client data 02:50 – Neil learned along the process that it’s really better to ignore it 03:17 –

In Episode #298, Eric and Neil discuss how to do reputation management. Tune in to learn the strategies you can use to control your negative results regarding your brand or website. Also find out why getting help from a third party can be very helpful when dealing with your antagonizers. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How To Do Reputation Management 00:34 – Reputation management is managing the negative result for a website or brand 01:04 – Ripoff Report has a ton of reviews 01:28 – First is to look at Moz or Ahrefs; look at the top 10 results and the number of links going to the top 10 results 01:46 – If you have a Facebook page, you can link that to the top 10 results to push negative results down 02:06 – Neil uses InboundJunction—it works out deals with the site and forms a contract so the text will be removed 02:16 – It is the most effective, but most expensive too 03:00 – The post was telling people that Neil isn’t an effective marketer 03:10 – Neil learned that there ar

In Episode #297, Eric and Neil discuss what to look for in a CV as a recruiter for a marketing role. Tune in to learn why you shouldn’t be looking at CVs if you want to hire the crème of the crop and how LinkedIn, portfolios, and a good old-fashioned interview can be a better way to gauge the quality of your next hire. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: What to Look For in a CV as a Recruiter for a Marketing Role 00:48 – Looking at certain keywords on a CV depends on the role one is applying for 01:03 – Eric usually just scans the CV and pays more attention to their LinkedIn, social profiles and the examples that they have sent 01:21 – Neil doesn’t look at CVs at all; instead, he asks them about the work that they have done and checks and analyzes them 01:39 – If the portfolio is good, you can ask them a marketing problem and if you like their answers, go from there 01:54 – “It’s all about the hiring process, at the end of the day” 02:07 – The best people typically aren’t looking for

In Episode #296, Eric and Neil discuss the marketing tactics you should do regardless of ROI. Tune in to learn why Neil’s biggest tactic is to focus his energy on everything to do with branding and how helping others and fostering an attitude of goodwill is building for long-term relationships AND success. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Marketing Tactics You Should Do Regardless of ROI 00:36 – The biggest tactic that Neil loves is doing anything with branding 00:44 – Everyone in marketing thinks about ROI, but you don’t need an ROI for everything 01:20 – Branding is what causes your company and business to be on top of people’s minds 01:25 – “Having a big brand is amazing and you have to strive to have that” 01:47 – People are always giving unsolicited advice 02:07 – When Eric receives comments, he knows that he is on the right track 02:29 – “Just stick with things when you know that you’re on the right track” 02:37 – Neil likes helping people 02:46 – “I believe it crea

In Episode #295, Eric and Neil discuss how to do B2B marketing on Instagram. Tune in to know how Instagram can help you close deals and how to use it well for B2B marketing. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Do B2B Marketing on Instagram 00:35 – Instagram is continuing to grow 00:51 – DMing people on Instagram is one of the options you can do for B2B 00:55 – If you want to work with influencers, celebrities, or entrepreneurs, find their profiles and just DM them 01:06 – Eric has a friend who just started shooting videos and DMed people that he wanted to make a shoot for and he got deals from it 01:21 – If you have an Instagram that shows a good example of your work, it will work out well 01:38 – Neil tested different marketing strategies in Instagram and he learned that they don’t work well with B2B directly 01:46 – Indirectly, it’s great for brand building and connecting with people 02:00 – The problem with B2B is most buyers are desktop buyers 02:53 – In marketing, if

In Episode #294, Eric and Neil discuss the 7 question to ask yourself before investing in content marketing. Tune in to learn why these questions are necessary for you to answer in deciding whether or not content marketing is right for you. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Investing in Content Marketing 00:36 – Question 1: what are your goals? Are you trying to get more traffic or are you trying to get more leads? What is informed branding? What are you trying to do, specifically, that will shape your campaign? 00:46 – If you don’t have goals, you can’t manage what you’re doing 01:01 – The action that you take will depend on your goal 01:16 – Second is, how long are you going to make an investment? 01:22 – “If you’re not willing to make the investment for a year without seeing an ROI, content marketing isn’t for you” 01:17 – Content marketing is a long-term play 01:39 – Third is, who is your target audience? 01:51 – Figure out your target audienc

In Episode #293, Eric and Neil discuss how to improve your net promoter score. Do you know the level of satisfaction of your current customers? If not, you need to get on this and start listening to your feedback. Tune in to learn the importance of understanding and maintaining your net promoter score and why having a score of 9-10 can be extremely beneficial for you and your business. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Improve Your Net Promoter Score 00:35 – A net promoter score expresses how much people like your company or brand 00:47 – One of the basic questions to assess this: how likely are you to recommend us to somebody else or another customer? 01:13 – The goal of 60 means you’re doing a great job 01:20 – Eric recommends Google's net promoter score 01:23 – It has a scale of 1-10 01:39 – To improve your net promoter score, you have to look at the feedback, first 01:48 – Ask if there’s anything else they would like to add 02:10 – Eric had a detractor in the past who