This document summarizes insights from processing over 4 million opt-ins per month. First, pages should be "giving pages" that provide value instead of immediately asking for information. Sidebar opt-ins should be replaced with a two-step process that gives an incentive. Second, the highest converting page is a simple "resource guide" listing relevant tools and apps in the practitioner's field. These pages require little time or effort to create but consistently outperform longer-form or higher-perceived-value offers. Marketers are encouraged to test these approaches.

1. Content Marketing!
Power Tools

2. Advanced Blogging &!
Multichannel Analytics
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Andy Crestodina!
Orbit, Strategic Director
@Crestodina

3. Search + Social + Email = !
Content Marketing
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

4. Social Traffic
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

5. Search Traffic
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

6. Email Traffic
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

7. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

8. The Funnel
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

9. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014

10. KNOW!
LIKE!
TRUST
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

11. The Funnel !
+ Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

12. Traffic x Conversion Rate = Success
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

13. “Your website is the mousetrap…
your content is the cheese.”
Barry Feldman
@FeldmanCreative

14. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Find Your Traffic
Champions!
Which pages are pulling in visitors?

15. Top content…
Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

16. Top content…
Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

17. The Spike and the Long Tail
Initial spike from email
and social promotion
(one week)
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
20 to 40 visits per day
from organic search
(months or years)

18. Posts than Rank High on Page Two…
Queries Report (Advanced Filter with “Average Position” set to Greater than 10)
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

19. Posts than Rank High on Page Two…
Queries Report (Advanced Filter with “Average Position” set to Greater than 10)
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

20. Finding Posts with Ranking Potential
1. View: Search Engine Optimization > Queries
!
2. Set Advanced Filter: “Average Position” greater than 10
!
!
!
3. Sort by “Average Position”
4. Confirm the rank by searching for the phrase
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

21. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Indicate the Relevance!
It’s called “on-page” SEO

22. Use the phrase in 4 places
A. Once at the beginning of the title <title>
B. Once in the first header <h1>
C. Four to six times in the body of the page
D. Within the links to the page from other pages on
your site.
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

23. 1. Title: once in the beginning
It appears above the address bar in your browser…
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
…and it’s the link in Google search results!

24. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
<title>Home</title>

25. 2. Header: once, anywhere

26. 3. Body Text: Four to Six Times

27. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Don’t be too!
aggressive!

28. This stuff works…
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

29. Headline
Subhead
Content
Find Your !
Conversion !
Champions!
What’s your most!
compelling stuff?
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

30. Subscribers per blog post

31. Pageviews per post

32. Subscribers per pageview per blog post
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
…also known as conversion rate!

33. How to find conversion champions

34. Headline
Subhead
Content
Put On Your!
Traffic Driving!
Gloves!
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

35. I know you know this stuff…
• Put it into heavy rotation on the social networks!
• Add it to your home page slideshow!
• Link to it from your email signature !
• Run an ad using PPC, Facebook, etc. !
• Write and pitch a guest post linking back to the page!
• Write a roundup of your best posts, put it at the top!
• Link to the post from other high traffic pages
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

36. The Report of !
Broken Dreams!
Headline
Subhead
How is your website unsatisfying?
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

37. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

38. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

39. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

40. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

41. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Email Signup Forms!
Grow. Your. List.

42. Before…
After…

43. 1900% increase. Not bad!

44. Why it works
1. Prominence
2. Promise
3. Proof
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

45. GOOD!

46. BAD

47. Headline
Subhead
Content
Subsequent Conversions!
Anything else I can do for you?
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

48. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

49. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

50. Conversions
not setup?!!
!
BAD DOG!

51. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

52. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Analytics
Shortcuts!
All the reports !
your heart desires

56. Source: Google Analytics Solutions Gallery

58. Powerful Hubs of Content!
Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Putting it all together

59. Bloggers!
v.!
Great Bloggers

60. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Topics
CENTRAL HUB!
Main topic, business
category
RELATED SUB-TOPICS!
Answers to the main
questions, “how to” articles
SUPPORTIVE BASE!
Broad range of helpful,
related topics!

61. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
“Why do dogs…”
source: ubersuggest.org

62. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Thank you, Ubersuggest!

63. Topics and Focal Distance
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

64. Topics and Focal Distance
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Why do Dogs
Bark at Night?
Hotels and
Dogs: A
Canine Guest
Guide to
Staying
10 Travel Tips
for Dogs

65. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

66. Headline
Subhead
Content
Puppy Training: 5
Best Practices for
a Good Boy!
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
5 Dog Training
Mistakes That Will
Get You Bit

67. Your Outbox is filled with blog posts…

68. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Keyphrases
PRIMARY KEYPHRASE!
Home page targets the most
competitive phrase!
!
SECONDARY KEYPHRASES!
product categories, services pages!
!
TERTIARY KEYPHRASES!
Phrases related to the problem, not
the solution!
!
!
!

69. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Keyphrases
$!
$!
?
PRIMARY KEYPHRASE
Home page targets the most
competitive phrase
!
SECONDARY KEYPHRASES
product categories, services pages
!
TERTIARY KEYPHRASES
Phrases related to the problem, not
the solution
!
!
!

70. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Formats
TEXT!
Search-friendly pages, !
long-form posts, articles
VISUAL CONTENT!
Text plus Infographics, !
Slideshare, diagrams !
and memes
MOTION & AUDIO!
Text plus video and podcasts

71. Source: Periodic Table of Content

72. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Creators
CREATED BY YOU!
!
CO-CREATED WITH
INFLUENCERS

73. Headline
Subhead
Content
source: Lee Odden
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

74. Headline
Subhead
Content
source: Lee Odden
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

75. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Locations
YOUR SITE!
!
OTHER SITES

76. Headline
Subhead
Content
If you’re not making friends,!
you’re doing it wrong.
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

77. Great marketers !
publish…
1. Related Topics!
2. Variety of Keyphrases!
3. Many Formats!
4. With Relevant Collaborators!
5. Lots of Locations
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

78. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
RESULTS!!
Examples !
and Analytics

79. Headline
Subhead
Content
80 visits / month
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

80. Headline
Subhead
Content
180 visits / month
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

81. Headline
Subhead
Content
240 visits / month
($3.70 / click)
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

82. Headline
Subhead
Content
980 visits / month
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

83. Headline
Subhead
Content
1,300 visits / month
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

84. Headline
Subhead
Content
1,900 visits / month
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

85. Headline
Subhead
Content
2,400 visits / month
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

86. Headline
Subhead
Content
570 visits / month
($23.90 / click)
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

87. Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

88. Where there’s traffic, there’s hope…
Headline
Subhead
Content
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

89. This might help…
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

90. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Let’s take it to !
the next level!
Andy Crestodina
Strategic Director, Orbit Media
www.orbitmedia.com/blog
@crestodina

91. 2 Key Insights Learned From Processing !
Over 4 Million Opt-Ins Per Month
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Tim Paige!
LeadPages, Conversion Educator!
@TimThePaige

92. 2 Key Insights Learned From Processing
Over 4 Million Opt-Ins Per Month
Tim Paige - Conversion Educator at
@TimThePaige

93. The Impetus For This Training

94. About Me
• Husband and Father.
!
• Conversion Educator at LeadPages.
!
• I’ve spent the last 12 years learning and
implementing sales and marketing
psychology.
!
• High-impact involvement in growing
LeadPages to over 30K paying customers
and building our list to over 130K
subscribers.

95. About LeadPages
•Software that takes what’s been tested
and proven in marketing and just does it
for you.
!
•About 100 people in size (and hiring at
LeadPagesJobs.com)
!
•Alexa ranks our site the 568th most
popular on the internet (better than
Delta and AirBnB)

96. About Our Dataset
• We process over 4 million opt-ins per
month.
!
• About 15 million page views per month.
!
• Multiple split tests happening at all
times.
!
• We’re now storing billions of data points.

97. A Quick Word About Taking Notes

98. Ready To Get Started?

99. Insight #1:
Make Your Page a
“Giving Page”
Instead of a “Taking Page”

100. Three Ways To Do This

101. First Way: Get Rid of Your Sidebar Opt-In

102. First Way: Get Rid of Your Sidebar Opt-In Form…
and Replace It With a LeadBox (2 Step Opt-In)

103. First Way: Get Rid of Your Sidebar Opt-In Form…
and Replace It With a LeadBox (2 Step Opt-In)

104. This resulted in a 32%
increase in conversion rate…
Consistently.
Across 30K LeadPages users.

105. This Works Because…
• Perception: “giving page” not “taking page”
• It forces people to make a decision
• It creates “behavioral inertia”

106. Another Example: Ian Brodie’s Home Page

107. Another Example: Ian Brodie’s Home Page

108. Another Example: Ian Brodie’s Home Page
ALMOST DOUBLED HIS CONVERSION RATE

109. Again, the first way to make your
page a “giving page” instead of a
“taking page” is to…
Get Rid of Your Sidebar Opt-In Form…
and Replace It With a LeadBox (2 Step Opt-In)

110. Second Way: Give Something Away With Every Blog Post
•Checklists (PDF)
•PDF versions of your blog posts
•Worksheets
•Recipes
•Resource Guides
•Etc.

111. Second Way: Give Something Away With Every Blog Post
Our Blog Posts
Average A
59.33%
Conversion Rate!

112. Third Way: Make It Easy For People To Get What They Want

113. Third Way: Make It Easy For People To Get What They Want

114. Third Way: Make It Easy For People To Get What They Want

115. The LeadBox Did A Relative ~30% Better

116. Rule Of Thumb
If you need to send folks from Page A to Page B
(Ex. A blog post to a landing page),
use a LeadBox instead
!
Not going to a second page = increased conversions

117. Recap: Make Your Page A “Giving Page”
Instead Of A “Taking Page” By…
•Replacing your sidebar opt-in form with a
LeadBox
•Giving something away with every blog post
•Making it easy for people to get what they want

118. Insight #2:
The Highest Converting
Landing Page We’ve Ever Seen

122. Why This Is The Best-Performing
Evergreen Landing Page We’ve Ever Used
•It doesn’t require someone to process too
much information (like a 3 minute video or a
page of copy) in order to make a decision
•Everyone wants to know the tools that
you're using

127. Why This Is The Best-Performing
Evergreen Landing Page We’ve Ever Used
•It outperforms a free ebook because a
lot of folks are experiencing
information overload and don’t want
something else to read.

128. Why This Is The Best-Performing
Evergreen Landing Page We’ve Ever Used
!
•It outperforms video lead magnets
because the perceived value of video
lead magnets has gone down a lot
lately due to the proliferation of
launches and lack of time.

129. Why This Is The Best-Performing
Evergreen Landing Page We’ve Ever Used
•It outperforms opt-ins for free coaching
sessions — greater value does not
necessarily equal a higher conversion
rate.

130. The Amount Of Time You Spend Creating
Your Lead Magnet Does Not Equal Your
Conversion Rate.

131. You Can Create One Of These In Minutes
If you’re a dentist:
“Buyers Guide: The Top 5 Electric
Toothbrushes Of This Year (Including The
One That I Use)”

132. You Can Create One Of These In Minutes
If you’re a life coach:
“App Guide: The Top 4 iPhone Apps for
Increasing Your Productivity (Including
The Ones I Use Every Day)”

133. You Can Create One Of These In Minutes
If you’re a real estate agent:
“Resource Guide: The Top 5 Safest Credit-
Boosting Home Loans Of This Year”

134. You Can Create One Of These In Minutes
If you’re a marketing agency:
“The Top 5 Digital Marketing Tools For
Local Businesses (Hint: The 3 Best Ones
Are Free)”

135. You Can Create One Of These In Minutes
If you’re a fitness expert:
“The Only 3 Pieces of Exercise Equipment
You Need In Your Home (Hint: They All
Weigh Less Than 5 Pounds)”

136. Why You Should Create A
“Resource Guide Landing Page”
• If you already have a landing page, test this. It’s
consistently gotten our users better results
than almost anything else.
• You can set this up in minutes (it takes 30
minutes from start to finish)

137. Proof:
Just want to share the results from our landing page.
!
Your software got us an 8x improvement over the basic
homepage and a 3x improvement over the previous opt-in.
!
P.S. I'm barely even using all the features, no social proof, weak
offer, etc.
!
Eric D
“
“

138. More Proof
“ “
I've been using this for a little over a month now
and I noticed today that it is accounting for
71% of my new list subscribers! Wow!
Teramis

139. “This was by far the HIGHEST converting landing page I’ve
ever tested. Confession: I didn’t design it, and neither did my
webmaster! But, I was able to make it in about 3 minutes
using LeadPages.”
-Ryan Deiss from Digital Marketer

140. What To Do Now:
•Get a resource guide landing page up
•Replace your sidebar opt-in with a LeadBox
•Give something away with every blog post
•Make it easy for people to get what they want

141. Questions?
@TimThePaige

142. The Future of
Content Marketing
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Michael Brenner!
NewsCred, Head of Strategy!
@BrennerMichael

143. The Future of !
Content Marketing!
Michael Brenner!
NewsCred – Head of Strategy!
@BrennerMichael
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

147. Great !
marketing !
is great !
storytelling

148. Today’s always-on,
connected world
presents a huge
challenge and an
opportunity for
Brands

149. We need to
connect with our
audience through
stories people
love!

150. (TL / DR)!
The world has changed. !
Most marketing sucks.!
Attract your audience
through stories people
love.

152. Today we are all connected

153. http://lucasgalo.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/h-and-g-lg.
jpg!

156. The first TV ad - 1941

157. Camel ad - 1950

158. Apple - “1984”

159. 159

160. “Content
Marketing is all
the marketing
that’s left!”!
Seth Godin, 2008

161. The Internet - Mosaic browser 1993

162. The first online banner ad - 1994

163. “Native Ad?” 1994

164. Thank You Mom - 2014

165. 165
PEOPLE DON’T BUT WHAT YOU DO,!
THEY BUY WHY YOU DO IT.!
-SIMON SINEK

166. 166

167. 167

168. Unique Point of View Trap
How brands can
become
consumed with
their story, not
their customers.

169. 60-70% of marketing content!
goes completely unused.!
(Sirius Decisions)!

170. 73% of people surveyed wouldn’t
care if the brands they use !
disappeared from their life.!
(Co.Exist)!

171. 80% of CEOs
unsatisfied
with CMOs!
(Fournaise Group)!

172. Marketing has a
marketing problem!

174. Newspaper Advertising Revenue: Adjusted for Inflation, 1950 to 2013

175. Banners?
You are more
likely to . . .

176. Remain Optimistic About Mobile Ad Spend Growth…!
Print Remains Way Over-Indexed

177. What will change in 2015?
FROM !
Content about us!
Content for social!
Disconnected digital
channels!
Campaign-driven content
TO!
Customer-centric
storytelling!
Content at the core of
everything !
Brand content hubs /
publishers!
Continuous “culture of
content”

178. The Future of !
Content Marketing is!
“Converged Media”

180. Unilever Marketing Spend 2000-2015

181. Unilever Marketing Spend 2000-2015

182. Unilever Marketing Spend 2000-2015

183. “Brands need to !
take the phrase !
‘acting like a publisher’ !
literally.”!
Dietrich Mateschitz, Founder and CEO Red Bull

184. Converged Media!
Requires an!
Owned Content Hub

189. 189

192. The Future of !
Content Marketing is !
Proven ROI

194. “Content Marketing ROI !
is 4X our traditional
marketing spend.”
Julie Fleischer, Kraft

195. The Future of !
Content Marketing is!
Visual

198. The Future of !
Content Marketing is!
Entertaining

199. Kmart 2014

200. Examples: Brand Entertainment

201. Your audience wants stories!
!
Will you give it to them?!
!
@BrennerMichael
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

202. They Ask, You Answer
The Essence of Great Marketing and Business
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Marcus Sheridan!
Author, The Sales Lion!
@TheSalesLion

203. “Great Website”
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

204. The Facts: As Consumers, We Are…
• More impatient than we’ve ever been.
• More demanding than we’ve ever been.
• More loyal than we’ve ever been…
potentially.
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

205. Before we get started,
who here is the
exception?
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

206. #ASCENDSummit2014
@TheSalesLion

207. October 10th, 2008
#ASCENDSummit2014
7,882
@TheSalesLion

208. This was us…
#ASCENDSummit2014

209. Burying your
head in the
sand is
officially a
dumb
marketing
strategy
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

210. They ask.!
You answer.
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

211. “The BIG Five”
!
1. Cost
2. Problems
3. Versus
4. Reviews
5. Best
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

212. How much does it cost?
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

213. #ASCENDSummit2014

214. #ASCENDSummit2014

215. #ASCENDSummit2014

216. $2.5 Million
Off one-single article

217. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014

218. #ASCENDSummit2014

219. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014

220. #ASCENDSummit2014

221. Awards / Reviews / The Best

222. #ASCENDSummit2014

223. #ASCENDSummit2014

224. #ASCENDSummit2014

225. #ASCENDSummit2014
/

226. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014

227. How many pages of
your website would
a potential customer
be willing to read?
#ASCENDSummit2014

228. #ASCENDSummit2014
30

229. #ASCENDSummit2014

230. #ASCENDSummit2014

231. #ASCENDSummit2014
Honest and
Transparent Content is
the greatest sales tool
in the world. Period.
@TheSalesLion

232. #ASCENDSummit2014

233. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Get the book. It’s free. !
It’s awesome.!
But you already knew that.☺
www.TheSalesLion.com!
!
Marcus1@thesaleslion.com

234. A Tactical Toolkit to Conquer
the Digital Marketing Trifecta
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Lynette Young!
Content Marketing Manager, AWeber!
@LynetteRadio

235. Social
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Create!
Connect!
Consume!
Contribute!
Collaborate

236. Blog
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Create!
Connect!
Consume!
Contribute!
Collaborate

237. Email
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014
Create!
Connect!
Consume!
Contribute!
Collaborate

238. Winner’s Circle
#ASCENDSUMMIT2014

239. @LynetteRadio
plus.google.com/+LynetteYoung
LinkedIn.com/in/LynetteYoung

240. About ASCEND
The first ASCEND Digital Marketing Summit was a runaway success. And
we couldn't have done it without the support of our speakers, sponsors
and attendees.
!
Industry experts, business innovators and digital influencers from around
the world congregated in Philadelphia to learn actionable tips and ideas
from an A-list roster of speakers.
!
But the fun didn't stop once the speakers left the stage. We networked
over hors d'oeuvres inside of an old bank vault, toasted the Philly skyline
from one of the best views in the city and partied with an astronaut. No,
really - check out the video!
Get the full recap here

241. Content Marketing
Power Tools
If content marketing is your top
priority, these five ASCEND
sessions will show how to build
your business with proven tactics,
the latest trends and tools, and
sage advice from experts in the
field.
$59 - Order Now!
Multichannel
Marketing Power
Tools
Want to drill down into marketing
channels like SEO, email, affiliate
marketing, landing pages and
mobile? These six ASCEND
sessions cover today's most
effective marketing methods, with
actionable insights you can use
right away.
$59 - Order Now!
COMPLETE PACKAGE
Content +
Multichannel
Full-stack marketers and do-it-all
teams, this comprehensive
ASCEND package is for you.
Combining the content and
multichannel sessions, this
package includes 11 sessions
from our renowned presenters,
covering the most vital areas of
your digital marketing efforts.
$99 - Order Now!
ASCEND Video Packages

242. Conquer the Digital Marketing Landscape
Join us this Fall 2015 in the historic and beautiful city of Philadelphia
and learn how to ASCEND your business to new heights.
!
Stay Updated

243. Tell your friends about ASCEND
#ASCENDSUMMIT

244. About AWeber
AWeber develops and runs an opt-in email marketing service used by over 120,000 small businesses,
bloggers and entrepreneurs around the globe. Our web-based tools help businesses grow by staying
in touch with customers and prospects through email.
!
Since Tom Kulzer founded AWeber in 1998, many bright, creative problem-solvers have joined the
team in Chalfont, PA.
!
As we enter our 17th year in business, our talented team continues to expand as we accomplish our
mission of building AWesome tools to support our growing base of customers. Driven by that mission,
our team uses a set of six core values to guide our decisions and innovation on a daily basis.
!
• Create Remarkable Experiences.
• Execute with Passion.
• Foster Respect and Cooperation.
• Listen to What People Say About Us. Invite Feedback.
• Learn. Educate. Innovate.
• Don’t Take Ourselves Too Seriously. Have Fun.
Learn More