Marketing School - Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips

In episode #511, Eric and Neil discuss how it's possible to turn a failing company around. Tune in to hear their advice for turning shit into sugar.

Time-Stamped Show Notes: 

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Turn Shit into Sugar
• [00:32] Before Eric worked for Single Grain, they were an SEO agency. When Google made adjustments, Single Grain turned to shit, because what they were doing no longer worked.
• [01:00] When Eric took over, the balance was negative.
• [01:31] In the first year, his podcast was only getting nine downloads per day, but he kept going because he knew something great was beginning to happen.
• [01:49] He knew he would make things happen if he stuck to his goals.
• [02:04] Eric was afraid to lay people off, but when things are shitty, you have to make quick decisions in order to turn things around.
• [02:22] Getting help from his peers was extremely helpful.
• [02:39] Neil has learned that anytime you think you can turn shit into sugar, it doesn’t happen overnight.
• [03:02] Analyze your business and its problems. Set goals to attack the issues.
• [03:32] It typically takes well over a year to turn a company around.
• [03:49] When things are really bad, you can fix it if you don’t give up and have a good team around you.
• [04:11] The numbers should start improving once you have goals and people in place.
• [04:21] When Eric was leading the marketing team at another company, they only had funding for another five months.
• [04:42] He decided to cut everything on the marketing side and focus on the one thing that had the potential to be effective.
• [04:54] He bet the entire company on one marketing channel.
• [05:03] Sometimes, you have to have to the guts and focus to bet it all on one channel. Once it works, you can expand your approach.
• [05:24] Eric recommends learning how to play poker; it may help you learn how to deal with ups and downs.
• [05:40] Neil recommends you read Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, because it will help you turn your shit into sugar; it will help you organize your plan of attack.
• [06:15] That’s it for today!
• [06:17] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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On episode #510, Eric and Neil discuss how logical conclusions are not always the best marketing techniques. Tune in to hear how they flip the script and explain why common sense is no longer common.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: How We Live in a World Where Common Sense Is No Longer Common
• [00:40] Even ignoring the current political climate, the world is crazy right now.
• [01:00] E-commerce checkout pages: does it convert better to have all the form fields on one page or does it make sense to break it down into two steps and force people to click through?
• [01:14] Most people would break it down into two steps, because it converts better than the first option.
• [01:40] You get people to micro-commit by breaking it down into two steps.
• [02:00] Most people would assume it would be common sense to put it all on one page.
• [02:20] Mike Chang (fitness expert) would ask you to fill out a quiz to see if you qualify to buy his product.
• [02:44] This converted into greater sales.
• [02:52] Instant Checkmate has a similar tactic: they make you wait to see the information.
• [03:20] It goes against logic and common sense, but this method converts to more sales.
• [03:40] It also goes against logic to have a long-form landing page, but it converts better.
• [04:35] Common sense is not common all the time. 50% of the info they give you is true, but the other 50% is based on your knowledge and experience.
• [04:50] Just because something seems logical, doesn’t mean it is going to convert to greater sales.
• [05:15] When you switch things up and think outside the box, you get better results.
• [05:49] That’s it for today!
• [05:53] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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In episode #509, Eric and Neil give 5 tips on how to become the best marketer. Tune in to hear their insightful list and why retaining new information is an important facet. 

Time-Stamped Show Notes: 

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: 5 Tips to Become the Best Marketer
• [00:34] Tip #1: Run an experiment every single week.
• [00:49] At Crazy Egg, they used to have people sign up using Google Authentication, which increase conversions by 30% because it was so much easier.
• [01:14] Because people are now worried about privacy, just asking for name, email, and password is more effective.
• [01:29] Tip #2: Create your own Mastermind (a group of like-minded people who come together to learn what they don’t know)
• [01:51] Find a few people in your area and meet up about once a month.
• [02:28] Tip #3: Learn from other podcasts.
• [02:37] Podcasts with founders usually reveal growth numbers and how they got there.
• [03:45] Tip #4: Create content! Creating content helps you articulate your thoughts.
• [04:20] Tip #5: Pay for information.
• [04:35] If you pay for information, it forces you to actually retain and appreciate the info. Because you have absorbed this information, you are then able to go implement it.
• [05:05] That’s all for today!
• [05:07] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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On episode #508, Eric and Neil explain how you can make money without having to speak. Tune in to hear the steps to making this possible and other great silent marketing tips.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Sell Millions Without Ever Opening Your Mouth
• [00:34] Start with blogs: you start to build an audience this way.
• [00:59] After building an audience, you can then sell them something.
• [01:15] Neil believes blogging is one of the most powerful tools out there.
• [01:43] Eventually, through following free advice or info from a blogger, you’ll end up digging deeper into their resources and buying something.
• [02:25] A woman who worked for Blackberry was following Neil’s advice and if he'd had an option to offer marketing services, she most likely would have spent money on him.
• [03:30] By building and audience, you are building a relationship.
• [03:51] Eventually, you will have to open your mouth, but at the beginning you can build a relationship with written content.
• [04:17] Go to BuzzSumo, type in your industry’s keywords, and it will show you the most popular articles based on those keywords. Go write better versions of that content!
• [04:30] Once you have written the better article, go back to BuzzSumo and find the original article. Click on the “view shares” button, which will show you everyone who has shared that content.
• [04:41] Hit up everyone who shared that content with a simple email that lets them know you wrote a similar article which will most likely interest them.
• [05:28] A tried and true SEO tactic is guest posting on larger blogs.
• [05:55] Link building is still important.
• [06:10] Singlegrain didn’t have a strong link profile, so they did a lot of guest posting, which got them a higher domain authority. They piggybacked off that and starting building a strong foundations.
• [06:41] Dr. Axe went to SEMRush, put in competitor URL’s, and they wrote better versions of the most popular articles.
• [06:54] Take the most popular competing articles and put them into Ahrefs and see which pages have the most backlinks. The ones with the most views, but the fewest backlinks are the articles you want to re-write.
• [07:27] That’s it for today!
• [07:29] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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On episode #507, Eric and Neil explain why they believe that marketing is the best education you can get. Tune in to hear how being good at marketing is not just a business maneuver, but an important life skill.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: Why Marketing Is Your Most Important Education
• [00:44] Learning to be good at marketing, gets you what you need in business and in life.
• [00:57] Neil loves marketing because, no matter what you’re doing in life, you’re pitching, selling, building relationships.
• [01:20] If you don’t know how to talk to people or communicate effectively, you are not going to do well in life.
• [01:30] If you ask your boss for a promotion, beyond doing a good job, you also have to market yourself in order to get that promotion.
• [02:07] You must figure out how to relate to people, communicate effectively, and position yourself so that you’re looked upon positively.
• [02:50] Neil did an experiment where he updated his wardrobe in order to look stylish and professional. He ended up closing more deals.
• [03:30] The reality is that your physical appearance is part of how people perceive you and is just as important as being good at your job, as it’s part of how you are marketing yourself.
• [04:05] That’s it for today!
• [04:07] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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In episode #506, Eric and Neil explain why they believe college is an outdated process that isn’t necessary for everyone. They believe you can learn everything you need to know about marketing through Internet research, online courses, and real-world experience. Tune in to hear more about their thoughts on why college may be an expensive waste of time. 

Time-Stamped Show Notes: 

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: Why You'll Lose Money by Going to College
• [00:59] Neil believes the advice and information you’re going to learn in college is outdated.
• [01:14] The internet has the most recent and updated information about your field.
• [01:56] Eric says that if you are motivated enough, you can learn just as quickly.
• [02:00] Eric always disliked school, because it was a process or system he didn’t enjoy.
• [02:45] Eric learned everything about marketing that he uses after college on his own time.
• [03:15] The only time you need college is if you’re going to be an engineer or a doctor.
• [03:28] Education is not a waste of money, but you will lose money, because what you learn is outdated and you can learn more updated, useful info learning in the real world.
• [04:35] Udemy and Udacity are great places to learn what you need a la carte and it will cost significantly less.
• [05:05] The traditional college process is broken and there are better ways to learn nowadays.
• [05:15] That’s it for today!
• [05:17] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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On Episode #505, Eric and Neil discuss the best financial advice for getting rich as an entrepreneur. Tune in to hear what Eric and Neil say is the best possible thing to do in order to achieve financial and professional success.

Time-Stamped Show Notes: 

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: The Best Financial Advice for Getting Rich as an Entrepreneur
• [00:35] Eric poses the question: When you’re starting out and you make money, what are you going to do with said money?
• [00:50] Eric’s best advice is to re-invest your profits in your company.
• [01:02] Elon Musk has said that the best investment is in yourself; it’s something you can control.
• [01:21] Neil’s advice is to focus on one thing in terms of your investments.
• [01:45] If you want to get rich and do well, focus on one thing and become an expert at it.
• [02:43] Figure out what you’re the best at and monetize it.
• [03:03] Neil attempts to monetize being a great digital marketer.
• [03:30] Eric says to think of being successful as a circle. Think of the edge of the circle as achieving success and you will never reach the edge of the circle if you aren’t focused on one point along the edge.
• [04:18] Warren Buffett only invests in things he completely understands, which is why he doesn’t invest in Microsoft.
• [04:45] That’s it for today!
• [04:47] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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On episode #504, Eric and Neil discuss the four fundamental things you need to master in marketing. Tune in to hear what these four elements are and how they can massively improve your business.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: 4 Fundamental Things You Need to Master in Marketing
• [00:34] Element #1: Consistency when it comes to running tests.
• [01:10] Neil finds that what works in marketing today, won’t necessarily work tomorrow. By running tests, you figure out what is working and what is not.
• [01:35] For instance, Neil decided to use Google Authentication as a method of signing up for his email list, which produced better results than asking for names and addresses.
• [02:05] Element #2: Having a growth mindset. Looking at your peers, assessing new options, and not being closed-off.
• [02:46] Element #3: Be data driven. Numbers are all that matter!
• [03:21] When Neil spoke with his team recently, they listed changes they wanted to make, but the changes weren’t based on data.
• [04:00] Element #4: Think about the process.
• [04:05] Google the “Toyota Production System”, which is the method by which they make their cars.
• [04:15] Even Eric and Neil have a process for their podcast. When you systamize things, they become easier to achieve.
• [05:00] That’s it for today!
• [05:02] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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On episode #503, Eric and Neil talk about the quickest ways to make a 6-figure salary. Tune in for great tips on how to build your customer and financial base!

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: The Quickest Way to Make a 6-Figure Income as a Marketer
• [00:48] The best way to start building up your salary is to start consulting.
• [00:55] If you charge $1,000/client, you only need about 8 clients per month to get you to your goal.
• [01:15] Even if you don’t have traffic or good sales, there’s a simple strategy you can use to build your foundation (see following points)
• [01:32] Go to CrunchBase, because they list all the recent venture-funded startups. Look for companies that were started on $5-10 million. Find the investors, founder, and CEO.
• [02:15] Email the lead investor with the subject line of the company name in which they just invested.
• [02:45] Neil emailed a lead investor and broke down how he was going to lose money on this particular investment.
• [03:23] If you follow Neil’s steps, the lead investor should follow up and they may even hire you to help fix their marketing issues.
• [03:55] The response rates are huge, because investors want a return on their money.
• [04:28] Figure out your email blasts and call lists, but focus on the quality, not the quantity, which will increase the response rate.
• [05:53] Just follow the CrunchBase tip and you will reach your goal within three months.
• [06:00] That’s all for today!
• [06:02] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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On episode #502, Eric and Neil talk about what makes billionaires different from millionaires. Tune in to hear about the attitude and outlook that drive these successful people.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27] Today’s topic: How Billionaires Are Different From Millionaires
• [00:35] Eric shares his experience speaking with billionaire, Naveen Jain.
• [00:59] Based on his encounter, he believes billionaires are more hands-on, think bigger, and respond more quickly to calls and emails.
• [01:38] Neil thinks billionaires are really big on solving problems.
• [02:31] Eric uses AirBnb as an example of being a company based on problem solving.
• [02:54] Uber is another example of a company that made money solving a basic problem.
• [03:26] Jeff Bezos has been quoted as saying, “Your margin is my opportunity.”
• [04:05] Billionaires are billionaires because they think “big”.
• [04:20] Money indicates how much value someone brings at the end of the day.
• [04:37] Billionaires don’t know when to quit; never say die.
• [05:02] Elon Musk’s ex-wife says billionaires are like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.
• [05:33] Warren Buffet is the final example of a archetypal billionaire.
• [06:14] That’s all for today!
• [06:18] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is an episode about Burrow, the Dollar Shave Club for couches. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve. 

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On episode #501, Eric and Neil discuss why they enjoy working out of luxury hotel lobbies, as opposed to a communal work space like WeWork. Tune in to hear why you should consider spending some of your time in luxury hotel lobbies. 

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Work from Luxury Hotels for Free (and Why WeWork Sucks)
• [00:35] Even though Neil is a WeWork member, he prefers to sit and work in the lobbies of luxury hotels.
• [01:09] No one has ever kicked him out of the lobby nor asked if he was a guest.
• [01:20] Eric finds WeWork expensive and disappointing.
• [01:42] WeWork is great for freelancers looking for companionship.
• [02:11] Lobbies of luxury hotels provide networking opportunities.
• [02:30] Try it, because it’s a good experience and is better than a Starbucks.
• [02:50] Entrepreneurs are doing this all time (it’s their MO).
• [03:09] Look for hotels that are holding conferences that are relevant to you; work from the lobby and you will be much more likely to generate business.
• [03:45] That’s it for today!
• [03:47] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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On episode #500, Eric and Neil discuss the value of credit card points programs and how you can use them to your advantage. Tune in for some great tips on how to make money while spending money.

Time-Stamped Show Notes: 

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Fly First Class Around the World for Free
• [00:37] As entrepreneurs and marketers, you have probably spent a good deal on Facebook or Google Ads.
• [00:50] Neil recommends getting an American Express Gold Card, because they give you 3x the points for every dollar you spend.
• [01:05] For example, a first-class round trip ticket from LA to Dubai will cost roughly $30,000. If you use a cash back credit card, you will get 1.5-2% cash back.
• [01:30] For every $100,000 spent on advertising, the AmEx gold card will give you three times the points.
• [02:00] Unfortunately, the gold card only gives you 3x cash back on your first $100,000. So Neil keeps applying for more gold cards.
• [02:35] If you can put your client’s cost on your card, you will rack up points very quickly.
• [03:20] If a client wants to spend money on your card, you can charge them more for doing that.
• [03:41] If you use AeroPlan, you can end up getting a business class ticket for 55,000 points.
• [04:15] Checking deal sites is helpful and will save you money/save you points.
• [05:05] Using Expert Flyer helps you track when seats are available.
• [05:15] That’s all for today!
• [05:28] Make sure to sign up for an AmEx Platinum or Gold Card to take advantage of the amazing points program.
• [05:40] Chase Ultimate Rewards is also a card with a great points program.
• [05:56] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is a great episode about the Hello Fresh CEO. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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On episode #499, Eric and Neil list five hacks that will help you make more money off your customers (particularly existing customers). Tune in to hear some great tips that will help to increase your profits! 

Time-Stamped Show Notes: 

• [00:28] Today’s Topic: 5 Simple Yet Effective Hacks that’ll Get Your Customers to Pay You Double the Money
• [00:35] Hack #1: Increase your prices.
• [01:12] Hack #2: Add upsells and downsells. The easiest way to get more money, is to get your existing buyers to pay you more; it is easier to get people who are already paying you to pay more money.
• [01:34] For example, GoDaddy offers 10-20 upsells or downsells when you are checking out.
• [01:52] What Eric and Neil have found, is that upsells that offer speed and automation tend to have the highest “take rate”.
• [02:22] Hack #3: Retain your customers. Use a program like Ask Nicely, as it will help you automate communication between you and your clients.
• [03:06] Think about how you can retain customers and provide a service for them.
• [03:50] Hack #4: Run re-marketing ads on YouTube.
• [04:15] Do the “opposite” sales pitch; whatever you went with before, market it using the opposite tactic.
• [04:57] Hack #5: Use Drift or a chat box program to keep in touch with customers.
• [05:45] That’s all for today!
• [05:46] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is an episode about Burrow, the Dollar Shave Club for couches. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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In episode #498, Eric and Neil discuss how to throw a virtual conference when you don’t have a built-in audience. Tune in for tips and tricks for building an audience and making sure your information reaches the masses. 

Time-Stamped Show Notes: 

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Throw a Virtual Conference When You Have No Audience
• [00:37] When Eric attempted to throw a virtual conference a few years ago, he had no audience.
• [00:45] When throwing a conference, you must, first and foremost, set your goal or objective.
• [00:59] Eric reached out to a lot of people that he thought would be “smart”; he then had them record segments and let them blast their email lists. He made it easy for them to share the event with their social media following.
• [01:30] Eric made sure to make other people’s involvement as easy as possible, by fitting it around their schedules and workflow.
• [01:50] The end result was that they collected 6000 or so emails and sold a bunch of recordings of the conference for a total of about $5000.
• [02:15] Neil supports Eric’s method and says that you have to recruit popular people who will help bring in an audience. This doesn’t mean big names necessarily, but rather people with a big following and a long email list.
• [02:50] Also, go after companies that have a big following and offer them the opportunity to have a new platform.
• [03:10] Crowdcast is a great product to use for these virtual conferences (It worked for Eric, but it crashed when Neil pulled in too many viewers).
• [03:46] Google Hangouts has also worked for this type of venture, but you have to make sure that everything is well coordinated.
• [03:51] In this case, well coordinated means sending out email or social media blasts for each segment with enough headway to get viewers or hangout members.
• [04:05] To stay coordinated, use a scheduling tool like Buffer or Edgar for your social media channels. Paid ads work, as well.
• [04:29] Collecting email addresses is a forgotten, but necessary art.
• [04:35] Corporations are more likely than individuals to share their email lists, because they always want more publicity.
• [05:03] That’s it for today!
• [05:05] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is an episode about Burrow, the Dollar Shave Club for couches. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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In episode #497, Eric and Neil talk about how you can boost your iTunes podcast rating. Tune in to hear some great tips and hacks in order to gain subscribers, increase your popularity, and expand your business.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:28] Today’s Topic: How to Increase Your iTunes Podcast Ranking.
• [00:50] When looking to improve your ranking, you need to get into the “New and Noteworthy” section.
• [01:05] Join podcast communities, such as Podcasters’ Paradise, because they can help promote your show and boost your rankings.
• [01:25] Asking for reviews and rankings doesn’t really help, but what does is sending people from your email list over to your iTunes page. You have to convince them to subscribe.
• [02:05] Semantics got people to subscribe by promising a bonus.
• [02:45] Marketing School got as high as #8 in their business podcast rankings, but they often hover around 50-100.
• [03:05] iTunes only counts your listens and subscribers on their site or app.
• [03:19] Russell Brunson from ClickFunnels who has the Marketing Secrets podcast, was running Facebook traffic to an MP3 stick giveaway and would charge $9 for shipping. He would make $32 on the front end from this promotion.
• [04:40] Russell would get five subscribers for every sale of each MP3 stick and was at #1 on iTunes’ business podcast rankings.
• [05:28] Be consistent! If you’re not continuously putting out new content, you’re not going to get new subscribers.
• [05:46] By making all the episodes visible, it helped boost their rankings.
• [06:13] Make sure you’re using tools like Google Keyword Planner, UberSuggest, SEMrush, or BuzzSumo to get ideas for popular topics.
• [06:30] Make sure your iTunes page formatting is clean and that your titles are straightforward.
• [07:13] That’s all for today!
• [07:15] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is an episode about Burrow, the Dollar Shave Club for couches. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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In episode #496, Eric and Neil talk about the five hacks you can use in order to generate clients using LinkedIn. Tune in for some great advice about how to use this networking site to your advantage.

Time-Stamped Show Notes: 

• [00:28] Today’s Topic: 5 Hacks to Generate Clients Using LinkedIn
• [00:35] Hack #1: Write content! They push content more than Facebook, because LinkedIn is hungry for content.
• [01:25] Hack #2: Use DuxSoup. DuxSoup allows you to visit profiles, collect email addresses, and send messages to LinkedIn users. DuxSoup will also help you sort out good contacts.
• [02:40] Hack #3: Ask people for feedback on LinkedIn. AlertFind allows companies to text and communicate with their employees with ease during times of crisis. You can use this system to hit up ideal customers and ask for feedback.
• [04:45] Hack #4: Filter out people for first or second-degree connections on LinkedIn. Using DuxSoup will help you filter and then reach out to these people.
• [05:42] Hack #5: Change your bio so that it reflects the work you want to do, on top of what you actually do. This can increase inquiries.
• [07:15] That’s it for today!
• [07:17] Supermetrics is a powerful analytics reporting tool. It does things other analytics tools cannot do! To learn more go to Supermetrics.com/marketingschool.

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In episode #495, Eric and Neil point out six ways to exponentially increase traffic to your site. Tune in to hear about simple and effective ways to boost your business’ visibility.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:28] Today’s Topic: 6 Ways to Exponentially Increase Your Traffic
• [00:34] Repurposing or updating your content increases hits to your site. You can reevaluate your content every few months.
• [01:15] Take the existing content from your website and put the opening lines or entire opening paragraph on LinkedIn and include a link to the full content located on your site.
• [01:45] Because LinkedIn isn’t as popular a networking site, it is more likely for them to push your content.
• [02:10] Another strategy is to use paid Twitter ads; engagement is high.
• [03:24] Try using SEMRush and Ahrefs in tandem: SEMRush will show you your competitors’ traffic, while Ahrefs will help you see the backlink count for their most popular pages. Take this intel and use it to write similar, but better content.
• [05:28] The sixth way to increase traffic: translate your content into other languages. English-speaking markets aren’t the only ones with money!
• [06:17] SalesForce’s number two market is Japan.
• [06:25] Find freelance translators on Upwork, so you get better quality work than you would a translation tool.
• [06:37] Make sure you use “HREFLANG”, because it will tell search engines that you have content in multiple languages.
• [06:55] Make sure you use subdomains for other countries.
• [07:15] Pick regions with high populations and high GDPs. You may corner the market in certain countries, because not everyone is doing this.
• [07:43] That’s all for today!
• [07:45] Supermetrics is a powerful analytics reporting tool. It does things other analytics tools cannot do! To learn more go to Supermetrics.com/marketingschool.

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In episode #494, Eric and Neil talk about ways to promote your business and retain customers without resorting to sleazy tactics. Tune in to hear how you can promote your business in an easy and fun way.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:28] Today’s Topic: Top Marketing Tools to Win Business Without Being Sleazy
• [00:35] An email service provider helps you send good content and increase business in a non-sleazy way.
• [01:02] Reaching out to customers or other companies individually provides value and goes a long way in retaining their patronage.
• [01:05] Neil also recommends checking out WebinarJam, because you can promote a product or service through “educating” clients.
• [02:00] WebinarJam is the best service, as they offer better tools to optimize your business.
• [02:50] Have some form of live chat available on your site. Intercom or Drift are great services for this, as they are more relaxed and conversational.
• [03:50] At Nextcon, Eric and Neil spoke with the conference founder who said he gets his customers through a three-way split: lead forms, phone numbers, live chat.
• [04:26] Tubebuddy allows you to schedule posts on Facebook and is a great YouTube analytics tool.
• [05:27] You can also try VideoRemix or PicSnippets for images.
• [05:45] Personalized messages always perform better. People also respond to quirky content.
• [06:35] MixMax is an email follow-up tool that Neil swears by; you can schedule email sequences.
• [07:24] “The fortune is in the follow-up”
• [07:45] That’s all for today!
• [07:47] Supermetrics makes it easy to set up good-looking reports that make sense. To learn more go to Supermetrics.com/marketingschool.

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In episode #493, Eric and Neil discuss how you can create paid ad funnels through which you can drive traffic to your site and earn revenue through sales. Tune in to hear some great tips on how to automate your business in your absence.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Step Away From Your Business So It Grows on Its Own.
• [00:35] Neil believes you need a “funnel”.
• [00:47] If you can take your marketing funnel and fine tune it, you can constantly make income whether you are there or not. You can use tools like ClickFunnels.
• [01:07] Use Facebook to advertise, get people to register for a webinar, and then pitch your ebook or course (all of which brings in income).
• [01:27] You can also drive traffic through Google AdWords or YouTube.
• [01:52] You can also upsell (or downsell) different products and generate more interest and income.
• [02:22] The more products that you have to offer, the easier it is to step away from your business and still generate income.
• [02:38] It’s a similar concept for service businesses when using funnels.
• [03:15] When hiring people, you need to make sure you have a solid training process.
• [03:50] Eric likes to let new hires know about his shortcomings so they are prepared and understand the office culture.
• [04:30] Neil likes to hire people who can hit the ground running; he likes to hire from competitors within the industry, because they are already trained.
• [05:20] Set up a 365 day timeline for you business, so it will help you focus on goals and make sure the business can grow without you.
• [06:22] If people aren’t motivated by the same things the boss is, it will make it hard to keep the business growing in the boss’ absence.
• [07:02] Find employees who are willing to take the lead and incentivize their goals by giving bonuses.
• [07:30] Set up a bonus structure.
• [08:00] Employees stay much longer when they are incentivized by bonus structures.
• [08:20] Make sure your bonuses reset, so each quarter or year you’re coming up with new (but realistic) bonus numbers.
• [08:41] That’s all for today!
• [08:43] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is an episode about Burrow, the Dollar Shave Club for couches. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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In episode #492, Eric and Neil talk about how to manage your business while traveling. Tune in for some great tips on how to stay involved while also trusting others to step up in your absence.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:22] Today’s Topic: How to Run a Business While Traveling
• [00:31] Eric and Neil are going to try a new format for the next twenty or so episodes about this type of content and would like your feedback.
• [01:05] Eric likes to make sure he has ironed out processes and delegated important tasks before he travels.
• [01:40] Traveling internationally doesn’t mean you can’t reach your team; you can still work in your current time zone.
• [02:10] Compromising with your leisure and work time while traveling is the best way to get everything done.
• [02:30] Having amazing managers in place means you can actually enjoy your travels and have fewer work responsibilities while you’re away.
• [03:10] Parkinson’s Law applies: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
• [03:50] Just because you own the business, does not mean that you have to do everything: reliable employees are key.
• [04:06] Eric recommends Insta Sleep to help you get your rest on the plane and adjust to another time zone.
• [05:30] Traffic is the lifeblood of your business.
• [05:55] Eric recommends Traction as required reading.
• [06:45] Eric and his team use Slack and 15Five to keep organized and in touch.
• [07:20] It’s important to have systems in place to retain excellent workers.
• [07:40] Always use the plane’s WiFi, so you can communicate and get work done on the go.
• [08:15] The American Express Platinum card gets you travel perks that offset the costs of membership.
• [08:33] That’s it for today!
• [08:42] Eric and Neil recommend the Problem Solvers podcast, because there is an episode about Burrow, the Dollar Shave Club for couches. To listen go to singlegrain.com/solve.

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In episode #491, Eric and Neil explain the purpose of Google’s AMP and why it may be killing your revenue. If you are an e-commerce business, this episode should be of particular interest to you. Tune in to discover how AMP is hurting your business.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27]   Today’s Topic: Google’s AMP Is Killing Your Revenue
• [00:35] Explaining the purpose of Google’s AMP.
• [01:13] When stripping down sites for mobile access, it strips away ads to get the sites to load more quickly.
• [01:30] Reasons why certain countries have different rates of search traffic.
• [02:30] Why your revenue will tank in spite of search traffic increases.
• [03:13] Even though Google says they are adding tools for publishers, take it with a grain of salt.
• [03:35] If you are an e-commerce business, it can be detrimental to use AMP.
• [03:48] That’s it for today!
• [03:50] Marketing School is giving away a 90-day free trial to Crazy Egg, which is a visual heat-mapping tool.
  • [03:55] Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your free copy. You can also learn how to win a one-year subscription to Crazy Egg. 

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In episode #490 of Marketing School, Eric and Neil explain why social media scheduling tools can hurt your numbers in terms of reach. Ultimately, live posts are still where it’s at.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:30] Today’s Topic: Buffer and Hootsuite Are Hurting Your Facebook Reach
• [01:05] When using Buffer and Hootsuite to schedule posts, it doesn’t get nearly as much engagement as “live” posts or by using Facebook’s own tools.
• [01:54] These tools are ok to use with Twitter.
• [02:19] They ultimately recommend to avoid using tools and post manually.
• [02:20] That’s it for today!
• [02:22] Marketing School is giving away a 90-day free trial to Crazy Egg, which is a visual analytics tool.
  • [02:28] Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your free copy. You can also learn how to win a one-year subscription to Crazy Egg.

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In episode #489, Eric and Neil give advice on how to increase the number of your Instagram followers. A lot of it is as simple as interacting and engaging others on the social media platform. Listen in for more specific advice on how to get your first thousand followers.

Time-Stamped Show Notes: 

• [00:28] Today’s Topic: How to Get Your First 1,000 Instagram Followers
• [00:44] Gaining Instagram followers by doing “shout for shout”
• [01:59] Promote your social media profiles by cross-linking them all and linking to them from your website.
• [02:58] It’s harder to rank on Google organically, because if it wasn’t, they wouldn’t get money from ad revenue.
• [03:14] If you have an email list, link to your social media profiles in your blasts.
• [03:50] Interact and engage on Instagram to make your profile more visible.
• [04:35] That’s it for today!
• [04:37] Marketing School is giving away a 90-day free trial to Crazy Egg, which is a visual analytics tool.
  • [04:43] Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your free copy. You can also learn how to win a one-year subscription to Crazy Egg.

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In episode #488 of Marketing School, Eric and Neil discuss whether it is better to hire an agency or a freelancer to market your business. Tune in to learn which approach is best for you and your company.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

• [00:27] Today’s Topic: Should You Work with an Agency or Hire Freelancers?
• [00:36] Establish a goal.
• [01:15] Freelancers are great if you have a lot of time to manage people; plus it’s more cost-effective.
• [01:46] Agencies tend to move faster than the companies that hire them; hire them if you need someone to push you.
• [02:33] You can find freelancers on sites like Upwork, Problogger, or Fivrr.
• [03:38] You can use tools like Hubstaff to manage your freelancers (it takes screenshots and helps to track their time).
• [04:15] Before you hire anyone, be sure to ask what they are going to do for your business.
• [05:00] Check agencies’ and freelancers’ past work, experiences, and ratings.
• [05:33] That’s it for today!
• [05:35]  Marketing School is giving away a 90-day free trial to Crazy Egg, which is a visual analytics tool.
  • [05:42] Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your free copy. You can also learn how to win a one-year subscription to Crazy Egg.

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In Episode #487, Eric and Neil discuss how to learn copywriting when you suck at writing. Tune in to learn that you don’t have to be an expert writer to be a copywriter. Focus on overcoming objections and solving problems. They also shares books, tools, and helpful resources.

Time-stamped show notes:

• [00:28] - Today's topic: How to Learn Copywriting When You Suck at Writing
• [00:43] - If you suck at writing, it doesn't mean you can't do copywriting to compel people to take action.
• [01:00] - Read Persuasion by Robert Cialdini and The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert.
• [01:53] - Neil is great at copywriting, but not writing. He learned he doesn't have to be the best writer from Frank Kern.
• [02:26] - You just need to be able to answer the customer's objection.
• [02:43] - Survey your visitors and find their objections. Use SurveyMonkey or any survey tool.
• [02:49] - Find out why people aren't converting and answer those objections in your copy.
• [03:08] - Solving people's problems will make them much more likely to convert.
• [03:27] - AppSumo is based on sending emails. Neville Medhora from Kopywriting Kourse helped Noah Kagan build AppSumo.
• [03:37] - You have to have good copy when sending emails.
• [03:58] - Also check out CopyBlogger and the podcast from John McIntyre and Ben Settle’s emails.
• [04:15] - When looking at copywriting think of the concept of Seinfeld emails: talking about nothing or the story of your day and weaving in your offer.
• [05:14] - Conversion rates are 1 to 3 percent. To get people to convert, you have to create multiple ways to help your customers convert into buyers.
• [06:29] - Talking to people and presenting information in the right scenario can also help with conversion.
• [06:41] - That's it for today!
• [06:45] - Marketing School is giving away a 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool. Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy.
• [06:53] - You can also learn how to win a one-year subscription to Crazy Egg. 

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In Episode #486, Eric and Neil discuss how to create the perfect “About” page. Tune in to learn how to have an About page that resonates with people through storytelling, connecting emotionally, and giving readers next steps to follow.

Time-stamped show notes:

• [00:28] - Today's topic: How to Create the Perfect About Page
• [00:35] - The Single Grain About page describes our process, who we have contributed to, and our core values.
• [01:12] - Neil's About page is a story. Storytelling is one of the most powerful forms of marketing.
• [01:21] - Create a story with an emotional punch and you are more likely to convert those people into customers.
• [01:44] - Also give next steps about what people should do after reading your story.
• [02:30] - The story needs to resonate with people.
• [02:49] - Neil's About page used to have an image of Neil and things he liked, such as tacos.
• [03:16] - Think about how to connect and resonate with people.
• [03:25] - We speak at conferences to connect with people and find their story.
• [03:35] - That's it for today!
• [03:37] - Marketing School is giving away a 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool. Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy.
• [03:49] - You can also learn how to win a one-year subscription to Crazy Egg. 

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In Episode #485, Eric and Neil discuss how to write a killer blog conclusion that leaves the reader satisfied. Tune in to learn how having a conclusion can encourage the skimmer to read the entire article, encourage engagement through next steps and questions, and cap things off with a concise summary.

Time-stamped show notes:

• [00:28] - Today's topic: How to Write a Killer Blog Conclusion That Leaves the Reader Satisfied
• [00:46] - How Neil always had a conclusion on Quick Sprout, his first big marketing blog.
• [01:09] - Ending a conclusion with a question mark encourages more comments.
• [01:19] - The conclusion should summarize the blog post. People scroll to the bottom and read the conclusion first.
• [01:46] - Eric likes to get to the point and extract value.
• [02:06] - Put next steps in the conclusion such as “leave a comment” and “check out this post”.
• [02:25] - Have conclusion, ask a question, and summarize things. Cap it off.
• [02:38] - That's it for today!
• [02:41] - Marketing School is giving away a 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool. Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy.
• [02:51] - You can also learn how to win a one-year subscription to Crazy Egg. 

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In Episode #484, Eric and Neil discuss how to turn marketing qualified leads into sales qualified leads. Tune in to learn the difference between a marketing qualified lead and a sales qualified lead; how to convert an MQL into an SQL through criteria, and how to automate the scheduling and sales calls.

• [00:29] - Today's topic: How to Turn Marketing Qualified Leads Into Sales Qualified Leads
• [00:39] - MQL or marketing qualified leads are actions that are taken inside your email marketing software or marketing automation software. Such as Drip or Marketo.
• [00:49] - Once someone visits a certain number of pages they may have a marketing score of 70 which makes them a marketing qualified lead.
• [01:02] - A sales qualified lead is based on the ideal client profile.
• [01:11] - How do you turn marketing qualified leads into sales qualified leads.
• [01:18] - Different behavior triggers can move someone into a sales sequence based on criteria that you set.
• [01:47] - Ask for a lot of criteria when qualifying a lead. Use a form field and pass it to sales.
• [02:11] - If sales reps aren't talking to the leads, they are not generating conversions.
• [02:17] - Once the lead hits the form fields you can schedule them automatically in a call using something like ScheduleOnce.
• [03:26] - Once a lead comes in we use Clearbit to enrich the leads. We only reach out if they fit a certain criteria.
• [03:50] - If you want more sales qualified leads have an online chat on your site like Drift.
• [04:20] - Think about what types of leads are closing based on region.
• [05:20] - That's it for today!
• [05:22] - Marketing School is giving away a 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool.
• [05:27] - Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy. You can also learn how to win a one-year subscription to Crazy Egg.

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In Episode #483, Eric and Neil discuss how to do content marketing if you’re in a boring industry. Tune in to learn how you can use other forms of content like video, make content that is either fun or useful, find out what is popular, and build a brand over time.

• [00:29] - Today's topic: How to Do Content Marketing if You’re in a Boring Industry
• [00:34] - Squatty Potty in 2015 did $20 million in sales on Shark Tank.
• [00:58] - They spent $600,000 on a fun video with a unicorn pooping out rainbows.
• [01:24] - Content marketing can be video too.
• [01:29] - Use BuzzSumo to see what is popular. Education and helping other people is sexy.
• [01:50] - Your content just has to be helpful and people will link back to you.
• [02:03] - The Points Guy talks about credit cards and miles.
• [02:26] - The only way to build a brand is to provide value to people.
• [03:00] - How Neil couldn't find a good article on how to install a bidet. Some people may think it is boring, but if the content is helpful you can do well.
• [03:35] - Just look at How to Tie a Tie the number one result is very useful which is sexy at the moment.
• [04:01] - Look at the opportunities and what is performing no matter what niche you are in.
• [04:11] - That's it for today!
• [04:14] - Marketing School is giving away a 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool.
• [04:23] - Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy.
• [04:30] - You can also learn how to win a one-year subscription to Crazy Egg.

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In Episode #482, Eric and Neil discuss how to drive traffic to your website using YouTube. Tune in to learn how you can boost your ranking by having transcriptions on your website, linking to your site from your video, asking for people to visit your site from the video, and using YouTube advertising.

• [00:29] - Today's topic: How to Drive Traffic to Your Website Using YouTube
• [00:35] - Make sure that you are transcribing your videos using a tool like Rev or finding a virtual assistant from OnlineJobs
• [00:48] - Make sure you have something for the search engines to crawl and have different pages on your site. Also make sure you are interlinking.
• [01:21] - YouTube gives you more views and authority the longer you keep people on YouTube.
• [01:43] - YouTube is owned by Google and has advertising that you can use to drive people back to your website.
• [02:05] - There may be a higher barrier to entry on YouTube, but you can even make selfie videos.
• [02:26] - Telling people within your video to go check out your page generates traffic.
• [02:48] - Look at YouTube analytics and see how people subscribe to your channel on your channel page. Put in a link back to your website.
• [03:16] - The more videos you produce the bigger brand you will create.
• [03:51] - It's important to be consistent. 10,000 subscribers is the inflection point.
• [04:23] - That's it for today!
• [04:25] - Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
• [04:31] - Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy

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In Episode #481, Eric and Neil discuss how to become a successful vlogger if you're just starting today. Tune in to learn the importance of good editing, original content, great audio, and video quality – while cranking out volume so you can get your channel to rank.

• [00:28] - Today's topic: How to Become a Successful Vlogger if You're Just Starting Today
• [00:39] - A good example is Casey Neistat he does a great job on his good editing.
• [00:48] - If you just getting started, you need to find a good editor.
• [01:08] - You also have to have a good camera and good audio is super important.
• [01:30] - We are in the studio right now to deliver a better audio experience to you.
• [01:37] - You need to come up with interesting content topics that pique interest.
• [02:05] - Use sites like BuzzSumo to see what is and isn't popular.
• [02:29] - Only 1 in 30 videos are going to take off.
• [02:51] - Look at what Gary Vaynerchuk does just by having a guy following him.
• [03:29] - Crank out volume and deliver value.
• [03:54] - With the algorithms your rankings can die down. Always shoot for success.
• [04:40] - It's also about building your channel's authority.
• [04:54] - Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
• [04:55] - Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• [04:56] - That’s it for today’s episode!

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In Episode #480, Eric and Neil discuss link building techniques that will become more risky in 2018. Tune in to know which strategies will still work for you and why you should always implement long-term plays into your marketing strategy.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Link-Building Techniques that Will Become More Risky in 2018
• 00:45 – PBNs or private blog networks still work but have their risks
  • 00:54 – Google has had a difficult time catching PBNs
• 01:33 – Guest posting is great but won’t be as effective as it once was
  • 01:56 – Google will know when a contributor posts
• 02:21 – Linking spam will continue to lose its value
• 02:54 – Do content marketing the RIGHT way so you can scale up
• 03:20 – Anything that is quick and easy will NOT last
• 03:37 – Focus on your long-term strategy—this will help you grow the audience that will link to you
• 04:00 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial for Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:02 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 04:15 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Google is continuously improving how well they track and catch PBNs.
2. Content marketing is a long-term play and if done right, will gain you the audience that will link to you.
3. Marketing plays will change significantly in 2018.

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In Episode #479, Eric and Neil discuss how to make money from videos. Tune in to learn how you can monetize your videos and the types of videos you can create to attract viewers.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Make Money From Videos
• 00:44 – You can use Patreon to have your fans support you through donations for your videos
• 01:22 – Add call-to-actions to your videos
• 02:15 – Product reviews still work—link them to a different platform, like Amazon
• 02:37 – Neil’s YouTube videos are getting hundreds of thousands of views a month that he can retarget
• 03:09 – YouTube needs millions of views before you can monetize from it and their terms are continuously changing
• 03:24 – Videos are a long-term play
• 03:40 – Gary Vaynerchuk’s empire has grown because of the number of videos he has
• 04:02 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial for Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:10 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 04:13 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. YouTube’s algorithm is constantly changing—video creators need to be just as quick to adapt to the changes.
2. Monetizing from videos is a long-term play for your marketing.
3. Know your target market and craft videos that cater to them specifically.

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In Episode #478, Eric and Neil share their own personal checklist for throwing a successful live event. Tune in to hear them discuss whether to use a free venue or one that costs money, the various methods to get the word out about your event, the importance of getting help when planning and running a conference, and why your should focus on building relationships rather than making money.

• 00:28 – Today’s topic: Conferences Are Going to Lose You Money Unless You Follow This Checklist
• 00:34 – Map out how much the venue is going to cost you.
  • 00:45 – For their Marketing School Live event they wound up booking one that costs $2,500 instead of a free one because the venue took care of everything.
  • 01:20 – If they’d used the free venue, it would have been an inferior experience for the guests.
• 01:29 – You need to have contingencies for how you’re going to get attendees.
  • 01:40 – Email blast only works if you’ve segmented your list.
  • 01:50 – Partner up with other organizations in the area to get more attendees.
  • 02:20 – Invite people from your Meetup group.
  • 02:39 – Use ads.
  • 02:45 – Use Dux-Soup, an automation tool where you can, for example, hit up all your contacts with “marketing” in their title.
• 03:05 – You’ll lose money if you don’t create the right experience because over time people will come to know you as someone who hosts bad events – and will likely assume that your business isn’t very good, either.
• 04:00 – Get help because it takes a team to run a successful event.
• 04:24 – Eric and Neil’s goal was to break even, not to make money off it.
  • 04:39 – If you lose a couple hundred dollars, that’s a win!
  • 04:50 – Don’t just measure how much money you make from throwing the event, measure how much you make in total: networking, long-term contracts, etc.
• 05:05 – Build relationships from going to conferences and learn from others who’ve thrown events.
• 05:55 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial for Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 06:02 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 06:06 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. A good venue is critical so that you give your event attendees a great experience.
2. Plan ahead how you’re going to get attendees to your event – email, partnering up with other organizations, advertising.
3. The point is not to make money off of a live event, but to build in-person relationships – which will pay off in the long run.

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In Episode #477, Eric and Neil discuss how to get more views from your videos. Tune in to hear them share which tools you can use to improve how your tags are ranking on YouTube, why you should be publishing your videos on multiple platforms, and the importance of pushing and promoting your videos in the first 24 hours.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Get More Views From Your Videos
• 00:40 – You have to have great tags because that’s how Google makes sense of your video.
• 00:50 – Use a tool like TubeBuddy or vidIQ to show you how your tags are ranking on YouTube.
  • 01:05 – YouTube is the world’s 2nd largest search engine so it makes sense to optimize your videos there.
• 01:10 – Publish your videos on multiple social platforms, not just YouTube and Facebook.
  • 01:22 – It won’t hurt your video because it’s not considered duplicate content.
  • 01:29 – Publish your video on LinkedIn, too.
  • 01:35 – Neil gets more views on LinkedIn than on Facebook.
  • 01:39 – The power of taking the same piece of content and publishing it on multiple sources.
  • 01:44 – Neil publishes his videos on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, his website, plus tweets out his YouTube video.
• 01:55 – Leverage automation for this with such tools as Zapier and If This Then That (IFTTT)
• 02:14 – Don’t forget about Instagram.
• 02:18 – Because search engines can’t crawl videos, use a service like Rev to add captions to your videos (especially if you’re going to run ads with them) and/or transcribe your video and put it on your blog.
• 02:48 – The shitty part is that the way a video performs in the first 24 hours will determine its fate of its existence.
  • 03:13 – So make sure that as soon as you publish your video, you do an email blast, promote it hard on all your social channels, integrate it within your website on popular pages so it gets more views, ask people to watch and comment it.
  • 03:29 – This is the opposite of SEO where you can expect great results in 6 months to a year.
• 03:40 – YouTube looks at your watch time so put your videos into different playlists, like an SEO playlist for all your videos about SEO.  
  • 04:14 – Look at your analytics to see what’s doing well and make more videos like that.
• 04:30 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial for Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:35 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 04:44 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Because Google cannot crawl video, add great tags, and use a service like Rev to add captions to your videos (especially if you’re going to run ads with them) and transcribe your video.
2. Publish your videos on multiple platforms, like YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and your own website.
3. Make a playlist to keep people watching your videos longer, as YouTube looks at watch time.

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In Episode #476, Eric and Neil discuss whether you should be worrying about Google’s cache date. Neither Eric nor Neil worry about this too much, and the results of Neil’s tests show that ranking isn’t affected by cache date.  

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Should You Worry About Google’s Cache Date?
• 00:38 – Cache date is when Google last cached a web page.
  • 00:45 – But not the last time Google visited your web page.
• 01:10 – As Google’s John Mueller says, the cached date is separate from crawling & indexing, so not to use that as a metric.
• 01:29 – Neither Eric nor Neil have worried about this too much.
• 01:35 – Neil has tested this by updating his content a little to get a new cache date but his ranking has never increased from doing it.
  • 01:58 – On the other hand, when he takes content pages that are doing fairly well and updates them with the right keywords, makes them more thorough, and adds better images, then over time his rankings do increase.
• 02:20 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial for Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 02:30 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 02:42 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Cache date is when Google last cached your web page, but NOT the last time Google visited your web page.
2. Google’s John Mueller advises ignoring the cached date as it is separate from crawling & indexing.
3. Updating your content to get a new cache date will not increase your ranking – although the update itself will.

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In Episode #475, Eric and Neil talk about backlinks and provide insights which will help you decide how many backlinks you actually need. Eric and Neil provide strategies which will help you zero in on your backlink strategy which will ultimately help build a brand that connects with your target audience. 

• 00:28 – Today’s topic: How Many Backlinks Do You Really Need?
• 00:40 – Look at your competitor’s backlinks profile as a part of your strategy – analyze their domain strength and domain authority
• 01:03 – The block chain industry is in the nascent stage and therefore, susceptible to someone who wants to go “all in” with their marketing
• 01:33 – You do not necessarily need more backlinks than your competitor to boost your profile
• 01:46 – If your brand is really huge, you do not need many backlinks to outsell the competition
  • 02:06 – Build your brand through content marketing, podcasts or videos
• 02:17 – Content thoroughness will ensure that you outrank people with a greater number of backlinks
• 02:48 – Use Google Trends and BuzzSumo to monitor brand quality
• 03:26 – Focus on quality by adding backlinks that are relevant and contextual
• 03:49 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial for Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:54 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 04:04 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. If your brand is HUGE, you do not need more backlinks than your competitor to outrank them.
2. Build your brand through content marketing, podcasts or videos.
3. Content THOROUGHNESS will help you outrank people with a greater number of backlinks.

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In Episode #474, Eric and Neil discuss how high-end infographics still work and manage to pull in traffic. They recommend various sources for finding some great infographic designers and provide tips and tricks which will help you create something that truly resonates with your target audience. 

• 00:28 – Today’s topic: Do Infographics Still Work in Today’s Day and Age?
• 00:40 – A high-end infographic still works
• 00:53 – The basic ones do not work anymore
• 01:09 – People want something new which adds value
• 01:18 – Visual.ly is a great source to find infographic designers; Pinterest, Dribbble and Behance are some other sources worth checking out
• 01:46 – Offshore designers might need more direction compared to someone who is US based
• 02:11 – 3D infographics tend to do quite well
• 02:55 – You can’t just go viral; start off by focusing on creating something great that resonates with your target audience
• 03:10 – Make sure you have an embed code generator; we recommend the WordPress plugin WB embed code generator
• 03:18 – Add a paragraph of text above and below the infographic
• 03:31 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial for Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:38 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 03:47 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. A high-end infographic still works. Avoid using basic infographics. People want something new that adds value.
2. Offshore designers might need more direction compared to someone who is US based.
3. 3D infographics tend to do quite well and generate the required traffic.

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In Episode #473, Eric and Neil discuss how to double your sales by spending more per click. In an attempt to save money and reduce one’s cost per click, many businesses lose out on their opportunity for significant growth. Eric and Neil persuade listeners to adjust their mindsets and SPEND on those high ROI keywords which will draw the right traffic and optimize your profitability.

• 00:30 – Today’s topic: How to Double Your Sales by Spending More Per Click
• 00:40 – A lot of people spend on irrelevant keywords which causes them to waste money
• 00:56 – If you’re spending on those hot keywords, others are spending on them as well
• 01:10 – Some keywords cost 3x more, but will earn you 6x more—optimize on the profitability
• 01:39 – Some people focus on the traffic and cost vs. revenue and profitability
• 01:50 – Look at RLSA (Remarketing List Search Ads) to make sure you’re not spending more than you should
• 02:12 – You may be spending more, but are gaining more qualified and targeted traffic
• 02:40 – When doing pay per click campaigns, it’s about ROI—if numbers aren’t panning out, focus on high ROI keywords that are specific to your product or service
• 03:16 – If you’re in AdWords, you need to spend more per click in order to drive more sales
• 03:33 – “Scared money don’t make money”—be willing to spend and even lose money when you start out with your marketing
• 04:00 – Don’t optimize per click or on the cost, optimize for revenue and profitability
• 04:09 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial for Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:16 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 04:25 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Sometimes, you NEED to be willing to spend on the most relevant keywords to increase your profitability.
2. Even though a keyword may cost three times more, evaluate your rate of return to make the best decision for your ad spend.
3. “Scared money don’t make money”—adjust your expectations when it comes to spending on marketing in order to earn BIG.

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In Episode #472, Eric and Neil discuss what they learned from throwing their first conference. Tune in to hear about the benefits and value of throwing a live event or attending other events, the importance of connecting with your audience, and why making money is not the goal.

• 00:35 – Today’s topic: What We Learned by Throwing Our First Conference
• 00:40 – Marketing School has had over 6 million downloads in a little over a year
  • 00:45 – Decided to throw their first live Marketing School event
  • 00:54 – It’s always good to build relationships
• 01:08 – Got to connect with people who listen to Marketing School – entrepreneurs and marketers – and answer their questions in person
• 01:20 – Never forget that the audience listening to your podcast, watching your videos, visiting your website – it’s a person in front of that computer screen
  • 01:40 – If you don’t really connect with these people, you’re not going to know what makes them tick, how you can provide a better experience for them and, at the end of the day, how you can increase your sales
• 01:55 – “People like doing business with people.”
  • 02:05 – When you build relationships, other things happen
• 02:26 – Eric and Neil see each other maybe once a month, but that in-person conversation before they record the show is really valuable
• 02:41 – The most value Eric gets from every conference he attends is getting to hang out with the speakers, going to those private dinners, etc.
• 02:56 – And you don’t have to throw your own event – go to other industry events; the more you go to, the better
• 03:22 – Neil’s goal is to connect with more people, so he was considering not charging for his public speaking but just attend as many conferences as possible in one year and see what happens
  • 03:25 – The long-term benefit would outweigh the loss of income
• 03:35 – If you’re going to throw your own live event, don’t expect to make a lot of money
  • 04:04 – It’s not about making money, it’s about connecting great people
• 04:09 – Eric’s team put this Marketing School event together
  • 04:13 – Make sure you have a checklist so you have everything covered
• 04:30 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:38 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 04:47 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Connecting with people at live events (yours or others) allows you to really understand what makes your audience tick so you can provide a better experience for them and, at the end of the day, increase your sales.
2. “People like doing business with people.” When you build relationships, other things happen that you couldn’t have predicted.
3. When throwing your own live event, don’t expect to make a lot of money – that’s not the goal.

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In Episode #471, Eric and Neil discuss five marketing books that’ll change your life. Tune in to find out which books are most influential in the industry and that will help you master the art of marketing!

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: 5 Marketing Books That’ll Change Your Life
• 00:38 – Don’t Make Me Think discusses usability and how you can apply these strategies to your website
• 01:11 – Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini is about how you can persuade people to take action
• 01:48 – The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing breaks down laws you need to follow in the marketing space
• 02:04 – Content Inc has a lot of case studies for different types of content
• 02:30 – Ogilvy on Advertising should be read by anyone who’s going into marketing
• 02:50 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 02:57 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 03:06 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. You need to employ marketing strategies for your website—study and learn the tricks to ensure you’re optimizing for conversion.
2. There are actual laws that you should be following in marketing.
3. David Ogilvy, the father of marketing, is a genius when it comes to advertising and marketing.

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In Episode #470, Eric and Neil discuss five business books that’ll change your life. Tune in to learn what entrepreneurs are reading and how these particular authors will change the way you look at your business.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: 5 Business Books That’ll Change Your Life
• 00:53 – The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz talks about a company’s difficulties
• 01:28 – Eric Ries’ The Lean Startup is about how you can get out there and outlines what you need to learn before starting out
• 02:04 – Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh helps you to build a great culture and the core values of a company
• 02:43 – The Dip by Seth Godin talks about when to quit and when to stick with it
• 03:20 – The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt breaks down the problems of every single business
• 04:08 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:13 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 04:28 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. We all make mistakes to learn from them.
2. Entrepreneurship isn’t just about the money, but the people you work with.
3. Books alone won’t make you successful, but provide a guide for your particular field.

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In Episode #469, Eric and Neil discuss the big mistake you’re going to make with content marketing. Tune in to learn how your content can still be rendered useless, even though you’re gaining a load of traffic. You’ll also find out the true goal of content marketing.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: The Big Mistake You’re Going to Make With Content Marketing
• 00:34 – Most people focus on traffic
  • 00:39 – “Traffic doesn’t equate to sales or leads”
  • 00:48 – Neil’s friend, Mike, of Axe was getting tons of traffic and 5x sales from content marketing which is from paid ads
• 01:12 – Content marketing doesn’t convert as well as paid ads and other types of marketing strategies
• 01:31 – Make sure you update your content in a relevant way
• 02:07 – The goal for content marketing is ROI
• 02:20 – Neil published content which generated traffic but zero leads
• 02:44 – “It’s not about producing a lot of content, it’s about producing relevant content”
• 03:16 – Check your analytics to see what people are reading and looking for and make content from that
• 03:53 – Traffic isn’t free even if it isn’t paid, since you still invested time
• 04:02 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:10 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy and a chance to win an annual subscription of Crazy Egg
• 04:22 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. High traffic doesn’t necessarily equate to sales or leads.
2. Create content that is relevant for your paying customers.
3. Check your analytics to find out what your people are ready and looking for—build new, relevant content linked to those topics.

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In Episode #468, Eric and Neil discuss how to make the most of Black Friday traffic surges. Tune in to learn how you can make the most out of this holiday sale season while still keeping your profit margins healthy.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Make The Most of Black Friday Traffic Surges
• 00:48 – Retarget the people who didn’t buy
  • 00:59 – Tailor a message for them by offering something better to get them to come back
• 01:17 – There’s also Cyber Monday
  • 01:28 – Make sure to have different offers for both holiday sales
• 01:38 – Create mystery campaigns like contests using Vyper or mystery additional discounts
• 02:08 – People get too riled up, so be creative
• 02:30 – Take advantage of upsells and downsells during checkout to increase your average value size and profit
• 02:45 – Ensure your company’s health in the process
• 03:35 – Segment your products
  • 03:48 – You want to consistently pitch people on your additional products for the next 12 months
• 04:19 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 0431 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 04:38 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Retarget people who haven’t made it to their cart and offer them better options.
2. Something that will make people curious will draw them in further.
3. With your sales and discounts, make sure you’re not sacrificing profit.

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In Episode #467, Eric and Neil discuss simple SEO preparations that can be made for Black Friday. Tune in to learn how you can boost your ranking prior to Black Friday so that you can maximize your audience’s awareness of your upcoming sales and promotions.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Simple SEO Preparations You Can Make for Black Friday
• 00:36 – Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving
• 01:00 – Start optimizing pages for Black Friday offers now or at least a month or two in advance
• 01:25 – Have the right landing pages and plan your sales, discounts and other offers
• 01:50 – When optimizing, it’s all about your click-through rates
  • 02:05 – Include Black Friday related keywords on your titles and meta-descriptions
• 02:30 – Build links to your holiday sale
• 02:53 – Use social signals that indirectly help search engine optimization
• 03:19 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:23 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 03:38 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Optimize your page prior to Black Friday—at least a month or two in advance.
2. Use Black Friday keywords for your titles and tags.
3. Utilize your social links to promote your Black Friday sale.

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In Episode #466, Eric and Neil discuss what they think about affiliate marketing. Tune in to learn the pros and cons of affiliate marketing and why both Eric and Neil LOVE it.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Neil & Eric Think About Affiliate Marketing
• 00:35 – In general, Eric thinks that you are at a disadvantage if you start with affiliate marketing early
  • 00:40 – You’re collecting a percentage of the sales, so you need to perform up to 5x times better than the advertisers
  • 00:53 – Having a service or building a product is better/easier
• 01:11 – Neil loves affiliate marketing
  • 01:28 – Neil would love affiliate people to work for him
  • 01:38 – They figure out ways to make things happen
• 01:45 – Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to learn about the market
• 02:12 – Eric loves affiliate marketers, but thinks of the long-term
• 02:25 – Check out affiliate marketer conferences and network
  • 02:36 – There’s the Affiliate Summit and Affiliate World to name a few
• 02:53 – Going to black hat SEO sites will let you know what people are up to
• 03:20 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:32 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 03:38 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Getting into affiliate marketing will push you to perform better than the advertisers.
2. Affiliate marketers figure out ways to make things happen and are always learning.
3. Learning black hat SEO and doing it the white hat way can make you a better affiliate marketer.

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In Episode #465, Eric and Neil discuss how SEO is going to change in 2018. You’ll find out why that #1 spot in a search result is becoming more and more crucial for the purpose of voice searches. You’ll also hear what will affect your likelihood of appearing first.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How SEO Is Going to Change in 2018
• 00:40 – Voice searches are becoming more and more popular
• 00:49 – If you’re going after a voice search, you’re only going to get one result
  • 01:06 – Gaining the first position for search results is crucial
• 01:27 – Google has been investing so much into voice
• 02:00 – In Google’s algorithm, one factor is the brand query
  • 02:12 – People are searching for keywords associated with the brand, like “Neil Patel SEO”
  • 02:32 – It’s one of the hardest factors to manipulate
• 02:40 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 02:52 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 02:56 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. The use of voice search in mobile devices has been growing significantly.
2. The first spot in a search result is becoming more crucial as voice search will only show one result.
3. People are using brand queries that can affect a brand’s standing in a search result.

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In Episode #464, Eric and Neil discuss how to find new growth opportunities. Tune in to learn the websites you can visit that will help take you to that next level in your copy, landing page, and marketing strategies. You’ll also find out why it’s good to know what your competitors are up to. 

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Find New Growth Opportunities
• 00:33 – If you’re following marketing, you’re continuing to learn
• 00:40 – Quora ads and LinkedIn ads are still considered semi-new in marketing
• 01:00 – Marketing School makes Eric and Neil stay relevant because they’re accountable to their audience
• 01:13 – Learn and read around the space
• 01:25 – Assess your competitors using Ahrefs, SEMrush and BuiltWith
• 01:42 – Don’t use ad blockers so you can see your competitors’ ads
• 01:58 – Land-book is great place for landing page inspiration
• 02:07 – Go to Swiped.co for feedback regarding copy
• 02:15 – Facebook Groups like Badass Marketers and Founders is an engaging one
• 02:31 – com and Inbound.com will help you find new opportunities
• 02:45 – Go to conferences and events as well
• 02:58 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:09 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 03:15 v – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Learning should be constant—be willing to adapt to the ever changing technology today.
2. Find growth opportunities by attending conferences and events and grow your network.
3. Find out what works for your competitors so you can stay ahead.

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In Episode #463, Eric and Neil discuss what makes the brand special. Tune in to learn how the big brands become a permanent mark in people’s homes and memories. Eric and Neil discuss how you, too, can make this impression on your customers.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Makes a Brand Special?
• 00:35 – Eric shares what makes the iPhone special
• 00:55 – A brand becomes special when it can make those special connections with their audience
• 01:10 – Everybody has a different story for Coca-Cola—this shows how the product touches people’s lives
• 01:51 – The easiest way to find what can make your brand special is by looking at what your competitors are doing
  • 01:58 – Do what your competitors are NOT doing, as long as it won’t hurt your brand
• 02:13 – Branding is important
• 02:21 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 02:33 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 02:40 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Connecting with one’s audience is what makes a brand special.
2. A brand becomes special once people can share their own stories with their experience with it—it could even be a part of their lives growing up.
3. Leverage what your competitors are NOT doing and take advantage of it.

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In Episode #462, Eric and Neil discuss 7 marketing tools you should be checking weekly. Check your ranking, keep track of HIT keywords, and know what your competition is up to so that you can stay ahead of the game!

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: 7 Marketing Tools You Should Be Checking Weekly
• 00:32 – One is Google Analytics
• 00:43 – Two is SEMrush to track your competitors
• 00:56 – Three is AuthorityLabs which shows new keyword opportunities and great keywords you should be tracking
• 01:16 – Four is Ahrefs so you can identify the spammy sites
• 01:34 – Five is Google Trends which shows how you are trending over time
• 01:44 – Six is VaultPress which shows security issues
• 02:00 – Last is Google Search Console
• 02:26 – Marketing School is giving away 90-day FREE trial to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 02:36 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to get your FREE copy
• 02:40 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Utilize tools to help you keep up to date on your website’s performance.
2. Check your competitor’s performance so you keep yourself aware of their latest updates.
3. Consistently tracking your metrics will make it easier for you to make the right adjustments for your website.

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