content

3 Google Analytics Tips for Content Creators

If creating content is part of your daily routine, the process has likely become as natural as breathing.

You get your cup of coffee, sit down and start plugging away writing posts that would give Shakespeare a run for his money. OK, so that might be a little over the top, but wouldn’t it be nice to have the process flow that smoothly?

It may get difficult at times to find a source of inspiration or even get a good read on what your audience is enjoying. Sure, seeing the count on your social media buttons go up on certain posts can be a fairly useful indicator of performance. But, as we know, social is volatile and finding a coherent pattern for posts achieving success may not be that easy to figure out.

That’s where analytics come in. (more…)

Say Goodbye to Google Reader: 4 Alternatives to Keep You Organized

Yes, the rumors are true. Starting July 1, 2013, Google will shut down its reader service, giving us dedicated users around three months to find an alternative.

Many of you might be saying to yourselves, “But I use Google Reader every day. Why would Google do such a thing?”

According to Google, usage for the application has been declining; therefore, it wants to move forward with its strategy to focus on fewer products that could have more impact. So just a little over eight years since its launch, this Google product will come to an end.

But many dedicated users aren’t letting Reader go without a fight.

One New York lawyer started a campaign on Change.org to save this service. As of yesterday morning, it’s gotten over 100,000 signatures. But it doesn’t seem like Google will budge on its decision to shut down the service.

In a few months, if you haven’t switched your RSS feeds to a different platform, your morning routine (and all your years of creating a robust directory of the best readings on the web) will vanish. (more…)

7 Easy Steps to Increase Website Engagement

Suppose you visited a website named Girl with a Pearl Earring, thinking it was for the book or movie and found a blog about a girl and her jewelry. How long would you stay?

Your answer would probably be, “Hmmm, not very long.” And because of this, the site would have a high bounce rate and overall low engagement.

Well, let’s assume your website’s name does the content justice and that you’ve already created great content. Yet, you might be having trouble keeping visitors on your site and viewing more pages per visit, and you’re not sure why.

Generating engagement isn’t always easy. Your readers need to be able to find your content, deem it interesting, and go on to read more.

What can you do to make this magical process occur? (more…)

How Crowdsourcing Can Revolutionize Your Approach to Content

Afew months ago an international team of gamers solved a complex problem that had scientists baffled for years.

For a decade industry experts from around the globe had been unable to figure out how a protein-cutting enzyme from an AIDS-like virus found in rhesus monkeys folds.

In a final attempt to solve the riddle, they presented the molecular structure on a collaborative gaming platform called Foldit (where users are prompted to “solve puzzles for science”).

What left scientists stumped for 10 years was solved by gamers 365 times faster, thanks to the use of crowdsourcing.

Impressive, right? Thankfully, the tactic isn’t limited to molecular puzzles; crowdsourcing can bring major benefits to your company.

You just need to know how to harness it.
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4 Ways to Get More Mileage Out of Old Content

I’m a 90’s baby.

I grew up during, at least what I believe to be, the peak of Nickelodeon’s programming.

These classic Nick shows represented an iconic part of tv’s pop culture and had everything from talking babies (Rugrats), a dog and cat conjoined (Catdog), action shows (Legends of the Hidden Temple) and pretty much anything else a kid could dream of.

I was, of course, a devoted viewer and since the end of the ’90s have been missing my childhood roots—the shows that I would watch blissfully for hours on end … and I know I’m not the only one.

The people at Nickelodeon must have heard our cries because a few weeks ago they announced that they were bringing back classic ’90s programming. The greatest shows that ever aired would now be back for our complete enjoyment to reminisce of the simpler times. My early 20-something brethren were as happy as I was: Last week the hashtag #Nickelodeon ranked number 7 as the buzz of “The ’90s Are All That” block programming exploded. It dominated discussion which comes as no real surprise—people thrive on nostalgia, that feel-good that brings them back.
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