8 Principles for Digital Marketing Success

8 PRINCIPLES FOR
DIGITAL MARKETING
SUCCESS
JUNE 24, 2014
BY JIMMY SMITH

2
Principles for Digital Marketing Success
8 PRINCIPLES FOR
DIGITAL MARKETING SUCCESS
1. ANALYTICAL
2. ORGANIZED
3. USER CENTRIC
4. MEASURED
5. AUTHENTIC
6. OPTIMIZED
7. STRATEGIC
8. HOLISTIC

3
1. ANALYTICAL
• “DATA BEATS GUESSES…EVEN THE TINIEST
AMOUNT OF EMPIRICAL FACTS VASTLY IMPROVES
THE PROBABILITY OF MAKING CORRECT UI
DESIGN DECISIONS.”
• JAKOB NIELSEN, WEB USABILITY GURU

4
1. ANALYTICAL:
ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
• BUSINESS REQUEST:
• “HOW MANY PEOPLE CLICK ON THE CAROUSEL HERO BANNER ON
LDS.ORG?”
• LDS.ORG = FLAGSHIP WEBSITE FOR THE LDS OR MORMON CHURCH
• WHAT THEY REALLY WANTED TO KNOW:
• ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE CAROUSEL HERO BANNER WORTH THE
SCREEN REAL ESTATE?

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10K Clicks
60K
Clicks
20K Clicks 2K Clicks

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1. ANALYTICAL:
ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
• ANALYSTS:
• UNDERSTAND THE STRATEGIC QUESTIONS BEHIND THE REQUESTS
• DON’T JUST PROVIDE DATA. PROVIDE ANSWERS.
• BUSINESS:
• SHARE THE QUESTIONS THAT KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT
• SEEK INSIGHT, NOT JUST REPORTS
• BETTER QUESTIONS, LIKE:
• WHICH BANNER AD IS MOST EFFECTIVE IN DRIVING
CONVERSIONS?
• WHAT ARE THE MOST PRODUCTIVE SOURCES OF TRAFFIC?

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2. ORGANIZED
• “ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST
COMMON MISTAKES MADE WHEN
BUILDING WEBSITES IS WHEN GRAPHIC
DESIGNERS GO STRAIGHT TO A
GRAPHICS PROGRAM AND START
DESIGNING. THIS IS LIKE A
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY STARTING TO
CONSTRUCT A BUILDING WITHOUT A
BLUEPRINT…BAD INFORMATION
ARCHITECTURE WILL CRIPPLE YOUR
[WEBSITE].”
• SHARI THUROW AND NICK MUSICA

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2. ORGANIZED:
DEVELOPING INFORMATION
ARCHITECTURE
• PRODUCT MANAGER OF SEMINARY.LDS.ORG AND INSTITUTE.LDS.ORG
• SEMINARY AND INSTITUTE = WEEKDAY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES
• MIGRATED SITES TO A CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMS)
• TOOK OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE (IA)
• BETTER EMPHASIZED BUSINESS PRIORITIES
• OPTIMIZED THE SITE FOR SEARCH
Seminary.lds.org Institute.lds.org

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2. ORGANIZED:
IA PROCESS AND RESULTS
• THOROUGH KEYWORD RESEARCH
• VETTED IA WITH BUSINESS, KEEPING IN MIND OBJECTIVES
• TESTED THE DESIGN THROUGH AN ITERATIVE IMPROVEMENT PROCESS
• RESULT: TRAFFIC DOUBLED WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF REVAMPED
SITE LAUNCH
• RESULT: TOP TWO SITES AT THE CHURCH FOR SEO SCORES
Seminary.lds.org Institute.lds.org

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3. USER CENTRIC
• “TESTING IS GREAT
BECAUSE YOU CAN GET THE
MOST IMPORTANT PERSON’S
OPINION: THE CUSTOMER’S.”
• AVINASH KAUSHIK, WEB ANALYTICS
GURU

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3. USER CENTRIC:
USABILITY TESTS
• COLLEAGUE ASKED ME TO RUN USABILITY TESTS ON A NEW WEBSITE
FOR LDS SEMINARY TEACHERS

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3. USER CENTRIC:
USABILITY TESTS METHODOLOGY
• SOFTWARE
• SILVERBACK (GUERRILLA USABILITY TESTING SOFTWARE)
• METHODOLOGY
• SAT DOWN WITH REAL USERS
• GAVE THEM TASKS TO COMPLETE
• ASKED THEM TO THINK OUT LOUD
• TRACKED
• TASK COMPLETION RATES AND TIMES
• USER COMMENTS
• OTHER OBSERVATIONS

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3. USER CENTRIC:
USABILITY TESTS
• LEARNINGS…
• BIGGEST ISSUE: FINDABILITY
• MENU  SEARCH  MENU
• USERS IGNORED HOME PAGE
CONTENT
• “HELP ME WITH” SECTION
RARELY USED
• ACRONYMS LIKE “CSTAR”,
AND “DSS” CAUSED
CONFUSION
• RECOMMENDATIONS…
• INFORMATION SCENT BEST
PRACTICES IN CONTENT AND
SERP
• SIMPLIFY AND FOCUS FOR THE
HOME PAGE
• REMOVE “HELP ME WITH” LAYER
AND MOVE CONTENT UP IN IA
• DON’T ASSUME PEOPLE KNOW
ACRONYMS

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4. MEASURED
• "WHEN PERFORMANCE IS
MEASURED, PERFORMANCE
IMPROVES. WHEN PERFORMANCE
IS MEASURED AND REPORTED,
THE RATE OF IMPROVEMENT
ACCELERATES."
• THOMAS S. MONSON, PRESIDENT OF THE
CHURCH OR JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-
DAY SAINTS

15
4. MEASURED:
FEDEX CULTURE: EVERY CAMPAIGN
IS A TEST
• SALUTE TO SMALL BUSINESS SWEEPSTAKES
• MULTI-CHANNEL: WEBSITE, EMAIL, DIRECT MAIL, AND IN-STORE
• $2.5 MILLION INCREMENTAL REVENUE, AND AN ROI OF 5:1
• NEW ACCOUNT FOLLOW UP (NAFU)
• PHONE CALLS AND TRIGGERED EMAILS TO NEW ACCOUNT HOLDERS
• HALF A MILLION $ IN INCREMENTAL REVENUE PER YEAR
• CAMPAIGNS REMAINED IN “TEST” MODE FOR YEARS BEFORE
BECOMING PERMANENT

16
5. AUTHENTIC
• “CONTENT MARKETING THRIVES ON AUTHENTIC
OPINIONS AND PERSONALITIES, WHICH IS WHY
THIS ROUTE STANDS OUT FROM THE MASSES OF
COMPANY BLOGS AND FEEDS. WE’RE NATURALLY
ATTRACTED TO LEADERS, NOT COMPANY CONTENT
PLATFORMS.”
• RYAN SKINNER, ACCOUNT DIRECTOR AT VELOCITY PARTNERS

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5. AUTHENTIC:
AVOID BAIT AND SWITCH
• PPC AD ON THE KEYWORD “MITT ROMNEY” DURING 2012 ELECTION
• THE LINK TOOK USERS TO A PAGE THAT DIDN’T EVEN MENTION MITT
• TACTICS FRUSTRATE USERS AND CAN DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD

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6. OPTIMIZED
• “BEST WAY TO SELL SOMETHING:
DON’T SELL ANYTHING. EARN THE
AWARENESS, RESPECT, AND TRUST
OF THOSE WHO MIGHT BUY. …THOSE
WHO HAVE REAL EMPATHY [AND] HAVE
THE SEO SKILLS TO INFUSE THEIR
WORK WITH GREAT KEYWORD
TARGETING, SEARCH ACCESSIBILITY,
ETC., ARE GOING TO HAVE ONGOING
SUCCESS.”
• RAND FISHKIN, MOZ

19
6. OPTIMIZED
• MY PERSONAL WEBSITE, MORMONMISSIONPREP.COM
• REAL VALUE + TECHNICALLY SOUND SEO  ONGOING SUCCESS

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ON
Query
Search/m
o
Avg.
position
lds missionary acceptance letter 321 1
sister missionaries 1,074 1
missionary acceptance letter 395 1
sister missionary 1,098 1
online missionary application 820 2
the race poem 1,274 2
missionary application 2,914 2
mission application 582 2
missionary online 1,132 2
provo mtc 734 2
mission papers 6,432 3
lds mission papers 19,896 3
mission papers lds 742 3
missionary online recommendation 1,913 3
lds mission call letter 477 3
online missionary recommendation 2,467 3
lds missionary papers 2,368 3
missionary online recommendation
system 3,781 3
missionary recommendation online
system 617 3

21
6. OPTIMIZED:
CAPITALIZE ON OPPORTUNITY
• OCT 2012: THE CHURCH LOWERED THE AGE FOR MISSIONARIES
• MEN 18 (DOWN FROM 19) AND WOMEN 19 (DOWN FROM 21)
• NATURALLY, NEWLY ELIGIBLE MISSIONARIES WENT TO GOOGLE
• OFFICIAL CHURCH SITES WERE NOT RANKING WELL, BUT MMP WAS

22
7. STRATEGIC
• “LOOK AT YOUR WEBSITE IN
THE CONTEXT OF YOUR
OVERALL BUSINESS
STRATEGY …DETERMINE
HOW THE BEHAVIOR OF
USERS ON YOUR WEBSITE
RELATES TO YOUR OVERALL
BUSINESS GOALS.”
• JASON BURBY AND SHANE
ATCHISON

23
Proclaim the
Gospel and Hasten
the Word
Inspire members
to share the
gospel online
Motivate and
Inspire
Why Share: Elder
Ballard’s talk
Visits, Downloads,
Views, Time on
Page, Bounce Rate,
Search Rf
Inform and
provide examples
Why I Share –
Stories
Visits, Views, Time
on Page, Bounce
Rate
Other A/V Videos:
Bounce Rate,
Search Referrals
Teach members
how to share the
gospel online
Instruct How to
Online
In Plain English:
RSS, Social
Bookmarking, etc.
Views, Time on
Page, Bounce Rate,
Provide findable
and sharable
content
Site Search and
Navigation
Most Popular
content and
sections, site
search terms, zero
result searches,
search conversion
Push out negative
results in SERPs
Distribute
Optimized Content
Provide Optimized
Image Galleries
Visitors,
Downloads, Search
Ref, Key images
Google Rank
Provide Badges
and Widgets for
Key Landing Pages
Code Grab Its,
Widget and Badge
Referrals, LP
Google Rank
Optimize LDS
Share itself
Blog, LDS Share
Badge
RSS subscribers,
Comments, Badge
Referrals
Share It, Fav-ing
and Liking-type
features
Search referrals,
Bounce, Visitor
growth, Usage
stats : % of visitors
liking, # of times
shared
User Generated
Content
Submit Pictures:
“Temple” pictures,
“Mormon”
pictures, etc.
# of submissions,
# of good
submissions
Purpose Tactics /
Features
Objectives Goals /
Strategi
es
KPIs
Planning
for
“Sharing
the
Gospel”
website

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7. STRATEGIC:
STRATEGICALLY CONGRUENT
• KNOW HOW USERS ONLINE BEHAVIOR RELATES TO
BUSINESS GOALS
• CONGRUENCY BETWEEN GOALS, STRATEGIES, FEATURES,
AND TACTICS
• KPIS, THEN, TRULY BECOME INDICATORS OF GOAL
PERFORMANCE
Proclaim
the Gospel
and
Reputation
Manageme
nt
Inspire
members
to share
the gospel
online
Motivate
and Inspire
Why Share:
Elder
Ballard’s
talk
Visits,
Downloads
, Views,
Time on
Page,
Bounce
Rate,
Search Rf
Inform and
provide
examples
Why I
Share –
Stories
Visits,
Views,
Time on
Page,
Bounce
Rate
Other A/V
Videos:
Bounce
Rate,
Search
Referrals
Teach
members
how to
share the
gospel
online
Instruct
How to
Online
In Plain
English:
RSS, Social
Bookmarki
ng, etc.
Views,
Time on
Page,
Bounce
Rate,
Provide
findable
and
sharable
content
Site Search
and
Navigation
Most
Popular
content
and
sections,
site search
terms,
zero result
searches,
search
conversion
Push out
negative
results in
SERPs
Distribute
Optimized
Content
Provide
Optimized
Image
Galleries
Visitors,
Downloads
, Search
Ref, Key
images
Google
Rank
Provide
Badges
and
Widgets for
Key
Landing
Pages
Code Grab
Its, Widget
and Badge
Referrals,
LP Google
RankOptimize
LDS Share
itself
Blog, LDS
Share
Badge
RSS
subscriber
s,
Comments,
Badge
Referrals
Share It,
Fav-ing
and
Liking-
type
features
Search
referrals,
Bounce,
Visitor
growth,
Usage
stats : % of
visitors
liking, # of
times
User
Generated
Content
Submit
Pictures:
“Temple”
pictures,
“Mormon”
pictures,
# of
submission
s, # of
good
submission

25
8. HOLISTIC
• “IN MOST PEOPLE’S VOCABULARIES,
DESIGN MEANS VENEER. IT’S INTERIOR
DECORATING. IT’S THE FABRIC OF THE
CURTAINS AND THE SOFA. BUT TO ME,
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM
THE MEANING OF DESIGN. DESIGN IS
THE FUNDAMENTAL SOUL OF A MAN-
MADE CREATION THAT ENDS UP
EXPRESSING ITSELF IN SUCCESSIVE
OUTER LAYERS OF THE PRODUCT OR
SERVICE.”
• STEVE JOBS

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8. HOLISTIC: BRAND EXPRESSION
THRU ONLINE CHANNELS
• FEDEX BRAND: SPEED AND RELIABILITY
• "WHEN IT ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY HAS TO BE THERE
OVERNIGHT"
• PRODUCT MANAGER OF THE ONLINE SHIPPING SERVICE
• REINFORCE SPEED WITH AVERAGE CHECKOUT UNDER 4 MINUTES
• REINFORCE RELIABILITY WITH HIGH TECHNICAL QUALITY IN
WEBSITE

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8 PRINCIPLES FOR
DIGITAL MARKETING SUCCESS
1. ANALYTICAL
2. ORGANIZED
3. USER CENTRIC
4. MEASURED
5. AUTHENTIC
6. OPTIMIZED
7. STRATEGIC
8. HOLISTIC

28
THANK YOU!
• THESE SLIDES ARE POSTED ON MY SLIDESHARE
ACCOUNT: SLIDESHARE.NET/JRS76
• ANY QUESTIONS?

8 Principles for Digital Marketing Success

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