Learn how to measure SEO ROI from content marketing, while also getting tips on how to improve performance and increase your profits. I also detail the 8 most common reasons I see companies not accomplish their SEO goals with content marketing.

1. How to Get SEO ROI
From Content Marketing
Ross Hudgens, Founder, Siege Media
@RossHudgens http://siegemedia.com

2. For some companies,
content marketing isn’t
working.
@ROSSHUDGENS

3. @ROSSHUDGENS
The dream of posting once
a day came and went, with
only empty pockets to
show for it.

4. @ROSSHUDGENS
Getting search ROI from
content marketing is more
than just saying
“Let’s Write Blog Posts!’

5. It takes accurate measurement
of SEO potential, and a
consistent effort to improve
every time out.

6. And yes, links still matter.
You just have to get them
the right way.

7. @ROSSHUDGENS
HOW TO MEASURE
SEO OPPORTUNITY

8. WARNING
THIS IS AN SEO-FOCUSED
ANALYSIS. THERE ARE
MANY MEASURABLE
CONTENT MARKETING
BENEFITS, BUT THIS DECK
WILL ANALYZE ROI FROM
SEO PRIMARILY.

9. Calculate the SEO revenue potential
of a strong vertical position using
competitor SE traffic price.
http://www.semrush.com/info/retailmenot.com?db=us

10. If necessary, make financial adjustments based on
business model differences that may make you unlikely
to rank for something, or make less revenue.
If your coupon site was male focused, you
wouldn’t target Bath and Body Works.
@ROSSHUDGENS

11. Identify the average
authority/link #s of three or
more well ranking sites in your
industry.

12. Assess link velocity to determine a future expected
authority value for your competitors.
https://majesticseo.com/reports/compare-domain-backlink-history

13. Using that data, calculate the
reasonable number of links/authority
you will need in the future.
Approximate LRDs Needed For High-Ranking Positions
Approximate DA Needed for High Ranking Positions
@ROSSHUDGENS
2240
71

14. Start building content and/or look back at content
you’ve built, and identify the average cost per
link (CPL) for your business.
Avg. Content Development Cost:
Avg. # Links Generated:
Avg. Cost Per Link (CPL):
@ROSSHUDGENS
8
$2500
$312.50

15. Also determine what link acquisition velocity
is possible for your business, and how that
might modify average CPL.
Expected Links/Mo.
Monthly Overhead
CPL Adjustment
New Realized CPL
@ROSSHUDGENS
64
+$8850
$401

16. Use your CPL to identify the approximate cost
it will take to rank well in your industry from an
authority perspective.
$401 CPL X 2240
(Linking Root Domains)
$898,240 Expected Link Cost
(ELC)
@ROSSHUDGENS

17. Calculate the sunk costs of developing great
landing pages/product/etc that will be the best
result on your SERPs. This will overlap with link
acquisition costs, sometimes significantly.
@ROSSHUDGENS
$3,000,000
Landing Page/Product Development Cost

18. Do the math to determine a reasonable expected
loss before profitability from search.
$3,000,000 Landing Page Development Cost
$898,240 Link Development Cost
$3,898,240 Total Loss Before Significant SEO Rev.
@ROSSHUDGENS
+

19. Once ranking well, there will also be
significant SEO maintenance costs to
consider that will eat into monthly profits.
$875,320 Potential Monthly Revenue from SEO
$56,000 SEO Maintenance Costs
$819,320 Potential Monthly Revenue from SEO
@ROSSHUDGENS
-

20. You should also monitor the authority growth of your homepage and
subpages, as well as other competitor pages. This is more difficult to
do hard math on because of PA/DA utilizing a logarithmic scale.
Month One
Our DA: 43
Homepage PA: 56
Subpage1 PA: 24
Competitor DA: 65
Competitor HP PA: 81
Competitor Subpage: 62
Month Two
Our DA: 46
Homepage PA: 59
Subpage1 PA: 25
Competitor DA: 66
Competitor HP PA: 82
Competitor Subpage: 63
http://moz.com/help/pro/campaign-setup

21. Use these calculations to create a ranking
timeline for your business.
@ROSSHUDGENS
TIME
AUTHORITY
AUTHORITY GOAL

22. Also use these calculations to develop a SEO
costs/revenue timeline for your business.
@ROSSHUDGENS
TIME
$$$

23. Make calculations easier with our free ROI
measurement tool and 36 page guide.
@ROSSHUDGENS
Get it Here:
SIEGEMEDIA.COM/ROI

24. @ROSSHUDGENS
STRATEGIES FOR
IMPROVING PERFORMANCE

25. First, invest in great design.
No.
@ROSSHUDGENS

26. Next, seriously, invest in great design.
No.
No.

27. “IF YOU THINK GOOD
DESIGN IS EXPENSIVE, YOU
SHOULD LOOK AT THE
COST OF BAD DESIGN.”
DR. RALF SPETH, CEO JAGUAR

28. The most effective way to
lower CPL is to build a
marketing flywheel.
@ROSSHUDGENS
Content
Promotion
Links
New
Followers

29. Get more followers by
setting up your Tweet
button properly.
http://siegemedia.com/powerful-twitter-tactic-business-blogs-arent-using

30. Proper Format POST TITLE http://url.com
via @ACCOUNTNAME
http://siegemedia.com/powerful-twitter-tactic-business-blogs-arent-using

31. Optimize and/or build
signup hooks immediately.
Use e-mail signups with
design contrast.

32. Every piece of content put out without a compelling
offer present on your site is a large opportunity lost.

33. Find Keyword Opportunity with
Domain vs Domain Analysis
http://www.semrush.com/info/domain_vs_domain/

34. LINKS AREN’T DEAD
Here’s how to get better ones
@ROSSHUDGENS

35. Get homepage links by building content that can be
adequately described without visiting the site.
1. Images.
@ROSSHUDGENS

36. http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/2013/07/email-marketing-stats.html
2. Stats.

37. 3. Quotes.

38. How to Get More Press Quotes:
1. Get on East Coast Schedule
2. Catch News as it Breaks From Europe/East Coast
3. Send Reporter News As Value-Add
+ Add Quote for Context
4. Get Coverage

39. Be diligent with internal linking to important
pages before publishing, parts of (good)
articles will frequently get copied.
@ROSSHUDGENS
Thanks for the link!

40. Follow Up On Coverage With Link Changes
If you’re getting links to pages
without much business value,
putting in a change request can be
a smart move.
@ROSSHUDGENS

41. Best Practices for Link Change Requests
1. Promote the Coverage & @ Mention the Writer
2. Request a Change of Equal or Greater Value
3. Don’t Risk Burning a Bridge
@ROSSHUDGENS
4. Reduce Friction

42. Balance content development focus
between landing pages and your blog.
Too many businesses focus on
their blog and ignore areas that
convert (and need links too).
@ROSSHUDGENS

43. GREAT LANDING PAGES,
GREAT PRODUCTS, AND
GREAT BRANDS ALLOW YOU TO
RANK BETTER WITHOUT LINKS.
If you have enough links to get to #5,
you have enough links to get to #1.

44. Your content should have multiple KPIs. If
your main KPI is links and links only, your
business probably isn’t sustainable.
@ROSSHUDGENS

45. Good Example KPIs:
Source: http://bit.ly/1ryEvkW
@ROSSHUDGENS

46. 8 REASONS YOU WON’T GET SEO
ROI FROM CONTENT MARKETING
@ROSSHUDGENS

47. 1. You only have links
as a content KPI.

48. 2. You don’t have links
as a content KPI.

49. 3. You aren’t building
a marketing flywheel.

50. 4. You don’t consider landing
page costs in your projections.

51. 5. You don’t properly balance
focus between landing page
content and blog content.

52. 6. You miscalculate
your true CPL.

53. 7. You don’t account for link attrition
or future competitor authority.

54. 8. You miscalculate your ranking timeline
and run out of cash before profitability.

55. 3 REASONS
YOU WILL GET ROI
@ROSSHUDGENS

56. 1. You have healthy respect for the
numbers and how they impact SEO.

57. 2. You work hard to have a
better process today than
you did yesterday.

58. 3. You understand that SEO is
a holistic practice, but one still
worth our time and attention.

59. Still confused? Use our free tool & eBook!
@ROSSHUDGENS
Download URL:
SIEGEMEDIA.COM/ROI

60. Image Sources:
Hamster Wheel: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dansil/8187821615 /
Cut Up Money: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/152453473
Jumper: http://www.skydive.tv/project/its_real/
White Out: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/tomsaint/4122029015/
Balance: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/4414594439/
Numbers: http://www.flickr.com/photos/morebyless/9423385629/sizes/l/
Hard Work: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/8677457200/
Links: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jenny-pics/6850508365/
Usain Bolt: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/perfect-photo-of-usain-bolt-after-losing-2013-6
@ROSSHUDGENS

61. Thank You! Questions?
Ross Hudgens, Founder, Siege Media
@RossHudgens http://siegemedia.com