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Google considers Content Marketing the most important ranking factor

According to Google' s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) manual, publishing engaging, relevant and useful content will affect your website more to be found better in the search engine than any other factor of SEO.

Users recognize quality content and are more likely to refer other people to it. For example, think about interesting blog posts, videos, posts on social media and email. The better the content matches the visitor's need, the better it helps build your website's reputation with both visitors and Google. As a result, you will be better found in the search engine

In short, the quality of your content is crucial for visitors to your website to build trust and (ultimately) achieve commercial success from there. It's high time to fully embrace this ROI-generating marketing tactic if you don't already.

Content marketing delivers better results

Companies that use content marketing have on average a 6 times higher conversion rate, and the costs are also on average 62% lower. You also appear higher in the list of search results, compared to your competitors. This obviously affects your commercial success.

Content marketing as a ranking factor

Google's success is based on one thing: showing users the right information they need to solve their queries. That information is logically contained in content. This content can be in the form of a blog, but also on forums, in videos, social media, newsletters, or other forms of digital communication. Creating relevant content for your business is therefore very important.

Make sure content is relevant to your target audience

If you know your target audience well, you know what needs, problems and challenges they have. And what questions they ask (to Google) to get answers. Make sure your content responds to this in the best way possible. 

For example, make a list of the most important questions asked of you by (potential) customers and create content that answers these questions as completely and honestly as possible. Then you are most likely to be found by people who ask these questions to the search engine.

Content and Google's business model

The higher the quality of the content, the more satisfied users will be. Google's entire business model depends on the quality of content people post online. So creating good content should really be your number one marketing priority.

Want to learn more about the importance of content marketing?

Get the replay of the "Next Level Talk" webinar from Sept. 7, 2021. You'll hear from the "Godfather of Content Marketing" Joe Pulizzi on why a "content-first business" is the #1 digital business model of this decade. And how to develop a successful content-driven business within 12-24 months.

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Instagram Stories 'Swipe up' replaced by sticker on Aug. 30, 2021

Swipe up is replaced by a new sticker 

For years, the beloved "Swipe up" functionality has been a perfect opportunity for Instagrammers to redirect their followers to external URLs. For example, to an online store or an action page. This functionality was always only available to the larger Instagram accounts with at least 10,000 followers or the verified accounts with a blue checkmark. Instagram will remove this functionality, where users could share external urls with their followers, on Aug. 30. In its place will be a new link "sticker," in the form we already know as polls, captions, and questions, among others. 

Successful tests for new URL sticker

Instagram started testing these new stickers last June (2021). Several Instagram users were already able to use and test the new sticker variant regardless of their number of followers or verification status. The rollout of this new sticker - intended for sharing external urls - will be available starting August 30 for the larger and verified accounts that were previously also eligible for the Swipe up feature.  

Different stickers for different functionalities

Explaining the change, Head of Product of Instagram Vishal Shah explained that these new stickers would better fit the way stories are used by Instagram users. As we know, there are already several features within Instagram that can be added to stories as stickers: for donations, music, and with hashtags. And so now URLs are being added.

More control for higher conversion and better promotion

This new link sticker will also be able to be personalized in the same way as the other stickers. Instagram creators will have control over the color, positioning and text of the new sticker. As a result, you can now place the URL sticker anywhere in your story, which in turn maximizes engagement opportunities! This sticker will have another additional engagement functionality that the Swipe up did not have, namely users can also leave a comment or respond to the post. This was previously not possible with the Swipe up feature. 

With the more flexible way Instagrammers can now start placing URL stickers on their stories, and no longer relying on the default position of the Swipe up feature, we expect a much more approachable possibility of promotion. This will make promotions appear more pleasant and less commercial to followers. And chances are that this very thing will contribute to higher conversions. But: time will tell.

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THIS IS HOW YOU SELL PRODUCTS ON FACEBOOK BY TAGGING THEM IN POSTS

That you can generate sales with Facebook through advertising is known to most people. But we are often asked whether it is possible to sell products through your own Facebook page and how that works. We would like to explain to you how you can set up your own shop and tag products through your regular posts. You can get started right away!

Your own shop on Facebook

Facebook offers tools to set up your own shop, allowing you to "tag" (physical) products in posts. This eliminates the need for links to external pages, such as your own website. In fact, using these links will 'squeeze' the reach of your posts on Facebook and fewer people will see them.

Facebook's interest is to keep people on Facebook itself for as long as possible, so it is not encouraged (read; you are "punished") if you use external links to direct people to other channels outside of Facebook.

3 steps to sell products through your Facebook page

Here you can see an example of what it looks like when you have the shop set up properly and add (tagged) a product to a post.

Step 1. Open a Facebook shop

To sell products, you first need to create a shop environment on Facebook.

Follow these actions to set this up:

  1. Go to your Facebook page settings.
  2. In the left column, click on "Templates and Tabs.
  3. Find the tab for "Shopping" and turn this setting on.
  4. Click Save.

Step 2. Add products to the Facebook catalog

Now that the shop is activated, you can add products to it. This is how you do it:

  1. On your Facebook page, go to the shopping section.
  2. Go to "Manage Product Catalog.
  3. Click "Add Product.
  4. Add images and/or videos of the product you want to sell.
  5. Enter all the details of your products such as the product name, price, description and the URL (recommended to use a link here that you can measure well, called a trackable UTM link) where people can checkout.
  6. Make sure the visibility of your products is set to "Public.
  7. Click "Save" when you're done.

Step 3. Tag products in your Facebook posts

Once the desired products are added to Facebook's product catalog, you can tag them in posts to generate sales. Here's how to do it:

  1. Create a post you want to share with your followers.
  2. Click on 'Product tagging'
  3. Choose the product you want to promote
  4. Publish the post 

Good luck selling your products through your Facebook page.

Do you have any questions about this? Ask them via the chat (click on the chat icon at the bottom right) or send us an e-mail. We are happy to help you further.

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