Central Perk

luni, 25 iunie 2012

Here's how to know if you'd qualify for refinancing

Hello --

President Obama's plan to give mortgage relief to responsible homeowners boils down to one important principle. He wants to simplify the refinancing process.

And the very first step is to let people know if they would benefit from the President's proposal -- so we've built a tool to help answer that question.

Just enter a few basic facts about your mortgage, and this tool will help you figure out if you currently qualify for easy, low-cost refinancing -- or whether, like millions of families, you need Congress to act to help you lower your interest rate.

Get started now.

As tens of thousands of people have spoken up and written in to the White House, we've heard one message loud and clear: The refinancing process is anything but easy to navigate.

Even homeowners who have done everything right and made all their payments on time are getting caught up in unnecessary red tape. Sitting down and reading through some of these stories is a powerful reminder of why it’s so important that we get this done right away.

One mom in Maryland, raising two teenage boys by herself, wrote in to say that she's working 15 hour days to make her mortgage payments and keep current on her bills. Another family from Illinois is hoping to lower their mortgage payments so they can help pay for college for their kids. One woman in Arkansas called the President’s plan a "no brainer" and talked about how much good it would do for the broader economy.

So if you are like these people and think that both you and our economy could stand to benefit from the President’s refinancing plan, give the tool a try, then take a moment to share it with your friends:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/refi

Thanks,

Brian

Brian Deese
Deputy Director
National Economic Council

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Photo of the Day: The Littlest Salute

Your Daily Snapshot for
Monday, June 25, 2012

Photo of the Day: The Littlest Salute

A young boy along the rope line salutes President Barack Obama after the President spoke at the NALEO Conference in Orlando, Florida, June 22, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The Guide to Developing a Content Strategy for "Boring" Industries

Posted: 24 Jun 2012 01:57 PM PDT

Posted by Stephanie Chang

There have been multiple articles that have discussed the value and opportunities that content marketing brings to SEO - from organically building external links and ranking for more long tail keywords, to establishing a community and building brand awareness. As the SEO industry slowly moves away from manual linkbuilding and adapts a more long-term and forward-thinking approach (whether it be forced as a result of recent aggressive Google algorithm updates or because as an industry, we're starting to seek a sustainable methodology to establish authority), the challenge is in figuring out how to set up a proper framework that would help our community develop a content strategy for all websites.

Image courtesy of SEOmoz

The goal of this post is to show the SEO community how to start thinking about how to develop a cohesive and integrated long-term content strategy (and not just one-off linkbait pieces). It won't be easy and definitely will not result in immediate returns, but if the goal is to build a sustainable and authoritative site in the long-term, the upfront costs can be justified. To show you the steps of how to create a content strategy, I've chosen what might be a seemingly "boring" industry (and an industry I knew very little about prior to writing this post), tires, to demonstrate how a content strategy is possible for all industries and all sites, and how a little research can go a long way.

Image courtesy of Distilled

Step 1: Asking the Right Questions (Learning About the Industry)

As an industry, we already have a very good idea of how people in general use the Internet. However, if I were to do a content strategy specifically tailored around the tire industry, I would want to understand how the core demographic for tires is utilizing the Internet.

For example, the type of questions we want to learn about tire shoppers could be:

How do tire shoppers use the Internet?
Where do they spend their time online?
Who is considered an influencer in the tire industry?

We also want to understand what the industry landscape looks like.

Who are your business competitors? Who are your online competitors?
What currently makes up your biggest market? What markets are out there that you might not have previously targeted? Examples include:
- Car aficionados
- Car manufacturers
- General consumers
- Automobile repair/service shops

And more about your specific tire company.

What story do you have? What is your company background?
Why should an individual looking to purchase a tire choose you? What is your unique value proposition?

As well as, what does your current customer base look like?

Are they advocates and influencers for your brand?
Are they one-time/casual shoppers or repeat customers?
Are they price-focused or are they service-oriented?

All this information helps you as an SEO garner a much deeper understanding about the tire business, which will be fundamentally important in determining the type of content to produce.

Following the background research on the tire industry, it's also worth speaking directly to individuals who you know are very knowledgeable about the tire industry - their insight can ultimately help you develop different personas to target. Let's say hypothetically, you own a tire company and through this research realized that street racers was a target demographic you could develop content for. Through the research, you've learned that the majority of street racers are:

Upper middle class
Lives in suburbia
Ages 16-25
Male

You want to start locating and having conversations with people who fit this demographic or, at the very least, have access and knowledge about this demographic. This will provide you with the type of insight that will help you develop content street racers would be interested in or will provide you with the opportunity to interact and potentially, influence street racers.

Step 2: Compiling the Data (Analysis of the Industry)

The second element of the project requires conducting an in-depth competitive analysis on the competitors and seek answers to the following questions:

What types of backlinks has the site received? What types of relationships have these sites built?
Is there one specific competitor who is dominating the industry? If so, spend more effort and time taking a deeper analysis of the site, its content, and its community. (This is especially apparent in the tire industry).
What types of content has the site produced that have performed well?
Are there are any content holes based on a culmination from the market research you've already compiled about the industry and the personas that you want to target?

It's also worth ensuring that your own site's metrics and analytics tracking is properly set up, which can be used to measure growth, traffic, and conversions.

Tire Industry Example:

For instance, in the tire industry, it's clear that the dominant player in the industry is Tire Rack.

The site has received links from high-authority sites like Car and Driver, the Webby Awards, ABC News, and Popular Mechanics.

What has been Tire Rack's competitive advantage?

Many of these articles talk about Tire Rack's video driving tests. For example, their Winter/Snow vs. All-Season vs. Summer Tires video has generated over 440,000 views. Their YouTube channel has over 1,000+ subscribers and over 2 million views.

They also have a back story, an army veteran who opened up shop in 1979 and made customer service/educating consumers his number one priority. The family-owned business now has 3 generations working at the shop. On top of it all, their price points are competitive with all major tire retailers.

However, it appears that the site targets the general consumer, meaning there is opportunity for other tire sites to develop content around different target personas, such as speed racers or truckers to name a few.

Step 3: Defining the Target Audiences and Identifying Project Goals

Using all of the above research, determine how you would differentiate your site from your competitors.

Is it based on your target personas?
Is it based on the type of content you will produce?
Is it based on your brand voice?

Image Courtesy of SEOmoz

At the same time, you also must consider the internal resources that you have access to - what type of content could you more easily create based on the resources you have available? The reality is that often times, dependencies are involved - whether it be departmental approval for different forms of content or budget constraints. These all need to be taken into consideration when compiling a long-term content strategy.

Finally, define your goals - is it to develop content for your target audience? The integration of different marketing teams to build value? Develop a deeper understanding of your target audience? Become an authority in a specific space? All of the above?

What is the vision for investing this much effort/budget/time?

Tire Industry Example:

Let's say I wanted to target the street racer demographic. Based on my understanding of the target demographic, street racers would likely be interested in:

Image courtesy of YouTube

Racing videos - burnouts, drifting, traction tests
Comparison charts on different racing tires
Magazines - for tuners and racers
Street racing forums

I've included links to the best examples I could find. Clearly videos are a huge hit and have an enormous audience, but there isn't a single channel dominating street racing videos. The street racing forum is relatively active and I honestly could not find good examples of comparison charts on different racing tires or even a single linkworthy site of street racing resources. Clearly, there is an opportunity for a company who might be interested in targeting the street racing demographic to become the online authority of street racing.

Step 4: Prospecting Influencers / Determining Shareability

Before investing the time and budget to create a piece of content, first properly outreach and make sure that there is an audience who is willing to share this piece of content. Ideally this would be to sites that have the same audience/personas that you are trying to target. Take a look at social media for potential engagement opportunities (please read and apply Wil Reynold's "Stalking for Links"), search industry news, and reading the content that your competitors are creating.

Tire Industry Example:

If I were targeting the street racer demographic, I'd be very involved on the street racer forum, as well as other car forums that are active. Though this is a long-term strategy, ultimately, building relationships with these individuals is worthwhile.

Image courtesy of Honda-Tech

I'd also build relationships with street racers who have a large following on Twitter for the very same reason.

Image Courtesy of Followerwonk

Through investing in these relationships, not only will you be able to build relationships with influencers, you'll also gain a big picture understanding of the common questions street racers ask and thus, have insider knowledge of the type of content that will prove to be successful in helping to build your own following.

Step 5: Creating the Content

Now that we've conducted the market research for our industry, identified target personas, determined the type of content we could create, and initiated relationships with potential prospects that would share our content, the next step is to create the actual content.

We have to:

Brainstorm the type of content we want to create and the form we want the piece of content to be in (white paper, video, infographic, data visualization, images)
Filter the ideas and select which content you want to develop first
Conduct research on that piece of content
Develop the piece of content
Outreach the content once the piece is live

Step 6: Analyzing the Results

Once outreach has been conducted on the content piece, we want to take the time to properly evaluate the metrics and draw conclusions. Overtime, you can measure a variety of metrics like:

Was there an increase in traffic?
Was there an increase in conversions? If not, is it because the landing page needs some CRO? Or is it because the target demographic didn't respond as expected to the content?
If the target demographic did respond, is there any way to repurpose the content in other forms? (Let's say if wrote a guide, can we use that same type of content and post it into a video or an infographic?)

Based on the results of the content piece, the next steps are to iterate, test, and repeat with the purpose of ultimately building a following and a brand.

Conclusion

The purpose of this post was to help you develop a long-term content strategy framework for your site. The reality is that there is no "boring" industry and all industries have the ability to build a passionate community because ultimately, the Internet has become a source for all forms of knowledge. The difficulty is in finding these individuals, reaching out to them, and building content that they would read, enjoy, and share. The value of placing emphasis on long-term returns is that at some point, it doesn't matter what the next Google update looks like, if your site saw a change in rankings, or even how many external backlinks you've built. What matters, is that you've built something that has garnered a loyal following, a dedicated community, and something you can be proud of.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

Seth's Blog : Opportunity cost

Opportunity cost

How much does it cost to go to a movie?

Okay, now what's your answer if I told you that while the movie is taking place, you have to miss the final debate in the school board election, in a race where you're tied for first?

Clearly, the stuff you miss has a cost.

Freelancers are very good at having an innate sense of opportunity cost. They realize, for example, that taking on a friend at a discount might be very expensive if it means that other, better paying work is going to have to be turned down.

Now that just about everyone is in the business of selling their time in some form, it's important to be aware that even if something doesn't cost you cash out of your wallet, the opportunity cost is not only real, it's just as valuable. Not only does it cost money to say 'no', it costs money to say 'yes'.

• Email to a friend •

duminică, 24 iunie 2012

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Poll Shows 78% in Germany, 65% percent in France, 51% in Spain, 49% in Italy Want Greece to Exit Euro; Greek PM, Finance Minister Will Miss Summit Due to Illness; Permanent Nausea
Mainstream Media Headline Silliness
Capital Controls Hit Spain: Government Laws Prohibit Cash Transactions Over €2,500; Minimum Fine of €10,000 for Failure to Report Foreign Accounts

Poll Shows 78% in Germany, 65% percent in France, 51% in Spain, 49% in Italy Want Greece to Exit Euro; Greek PM, Finance Minister Will Miss Summit Due to Illness; Permanent Nausea

Posted: 24 Jun 2012 10:12 PM PDT

Reuters reports Greek PM, Finance Minister Will Miss Summit Due to Illness.

Illness means both Greece's new prime minister and finance minister will miss an anxiously awaited summit of European leaders later this week and delayed a visit by the country's international lenders.

According to a document prepared for the June 28-29 meeting, European leaders will discuss specific steps towards a cross-border banking union, closer fiscal integration and the possibility of a debt redemption fund.

But Prime Minister Antonis Samaras underwent eye surgery on Saturday and Vassilis Rapanos is in hospital after suffering from nausea before he could be sworn in as finance minister.

Instead, Greece's foreign minister and outgoing finance minister will attend the meeting to ask for the terms of the 130 billion euro ($162.96 billion) bailout to be loosened.

Athens faces a stern test at the two-day EU summit, with euro zone paymaster Germany particularly resistant to giving Athens any leeway.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble made his country's position all too clear in a bluntly worded interview on Sunday, telling Greece to stop asking for more help and instead move quickly to enact reform measures already agreed.

"The most important task facing new prime minister Samaras is to enact the programme agreed upon quickly and without further delay instead of asking how much more others can do for Greece," Schaeuble, a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, told Bild am Sonntag.

His comments came as the paper carried a poll of 4,000 people showing 78 percent of Germans and 65 percent of French people wanted Greece to leave the euro zone, with 51 percent in Spain and 49 percent in Italy also backing a Greek exit.

Permanent Nausea

Having to face the Troika, Merkel, and German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble would be enough to give any Greek nausea. That statement particularly applies to the Greek finance minister.

Expect the nausea to be permanent.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List

Mainstream Media Headline Silliness

Posted: 24 Jun 2012 06:30 PM PDT

I am frequently amused by mainstream media news headlines that come across my screen.

For example, here are three consecutive headlines on Bloomberg in the span of 13 minutes that will show the silliness of it all.

At 8:40 Bloomberg reported Japanese Stocks Advance on Optimism for Euro Growth.
At 8:53 Bloomberg reported Japan Stocks Swing From Gains to Losses on Euro Growth Plan
At 8:53 Bloomberg reported Asia Stocks Decline as Investors Await European Meeting

At a bare minimum someone is too glued to the screen.

Last Sunday, I admit I was glued to the screen following the Greek election (as was nearly every blogger). However, this moment-to-moment silliness is an every minute affair for Bloomberg.

Is it really necessary to update everyone the moment stocks in Japan, the US, Europe, and everywhere else switch from gains to losses?

Apparently they think it is, or they wouldn't do it.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List

Capital Controls Hit Spain: Government Laws Prohibit Cash Transactions Over €2,500; Minimum Fine of €10,000 for Failure to Report Foreign Accounts

Posted: 24 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT

If Spain is seeking further instability, a new law on financial transactions is sure to do just that. Via Google Translate, Spain passes a law limiting cash payments to 2,500 euros.

Key Provisions

Minimum fine of €10,000 for taxpayers who do not report their foreign accounts.
Fine of €5,000 for each additional account
Cash transactions greater than €2,500 prohibited
Cash transaction restrictions apply to individuals and businesses

The US requires reporting of foreign accounts as well, supposedly for the same reason, preventing tax fraud.

In Spain however, consumers and businesses are already very nervous (and rightfully so), of a Spain exit from the euro with a return to the Spanish peseta accompanied by an immediate devaluation.

In that context, these controls are only going to make consumers and businesses even more nervous, if not outright suspicious about what is going on.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List

luni, 25 iunie 2012

Here's how to know if you'd qualify for refinancing

Photo of the Day: The Littlest Salute

The Guide to Developing a Content Strategy for "Boring" Industries

The Guide to Developing a Content Strategy for "Boring" Industries

Step 1: Asking the Right Questions (Learning About the Industry)

Step 2: Compiling the Data (Analysis of the Industry)

Step 3: Defining the Target Audiences and Identifying Project Goals

Step 4: Prospecting Influencers / Determining Shareability

Step 5: Creating the Content

Step 6: Analyzing the Results

Conclusion

Seth's Blog : Opportunity cost

Opportunity cost

More Recent Articles

duminică, 24 iunie 2012

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Pagini

Persoane interesate

Arhivă blog

luni, 25 iunie 2012

Step 1: Asking the Right Questions (Learning About the Industry)

Step 2: Compiling the Data (Analysis of the Industry)

Step 3: Defining the Target Audiences and Identifying Project Goals

Step 4: Prospecting Influencers / Determining Shareability

Step 5: Creating the Content

Step 6: Analyzing the Results

Conclusion

More Recent Articles

duminică, 24 iunie 2012

Pagini

Persoane interesate

Arhivă blog

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