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Here's What You Missed Yesterday: The White House Summit on Working Families

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Here's What You Missed Yesterday: The White House Summit on Working Families

Yesterday, the White House, in partnership with the Department of Labor and the Center for American Progress, hosted a Summit on Working Families with the aim of having a national conversation and set a concrete agenda to bring American workplaces into the 21st century.

The conversation focused on the full spectrum of working families -- from low-wage workers to CEOs -- who are working hard to help their families succeed both at work and at home.

Watch the President talk about what we can do to help families get ahead -- and find out what you missed from the Working Families Summit.

How Google Plans to Steal More of Your Traffic Graywolf's SEO Blog

How Google Plans to Steal More of Your Traffic

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 09:33 AM PDT

At the SMX Advanced Conference in June of 2014, Danny Sullivan had a Question and Answer session with Matt Cutts. During this session, Matt did a live search demo that, in my opinion, demonstrated that Google wants to take the search traffic it’s currently sending to other websites and keep it for themselves. I’ve embedded the video of the complete ... [Continue reading How Google Plans to Steal More of Your Traffic]

The post How Google Plans to Steal More of Your Traffic appeared first on Graywolf's SEO Blog.

Is Your Content Credible Enough to Share?

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 05:14 PM PDT

Posted by Carson-Ward

Insufficient credibility undermines digital marketing, particularly among SEOs who now produce or promote content as part of their job. People won't share content that isn't credible; they know the things they share reflect on them and impacts their own credibility. While the importance of credibility gets mentioned in passing, little has been said about how to actually build it, until now.

Your Guide to Establishing Credibility

You build credibility by signaling to the reader that you can be trusted. The signals of trust can come from the author, the site, and from within the content itself. Each signal will appeal to different types of readers in different contexts, but they come together to make content that is credible enough to share.

Rand mentioned credibility in his Content Marketing Manifesto as one of the things we need to build familiarity, linkability, and trust. Several studies have also shown credibility's critical role in promoting and sharing. So, let's build some credibility.

1. Establish expert credibility

Expert credibility comes from having knowledge others do not. People want experts they can understand and trust, especially when trying to understand complex or ambiguous topics like new technology, engineering, advanced science, or law.

Be an expert or hire an expert with insight

A Syracuse University study found "insightful" content was most correlated with users' estimation of a blog's credibility. You can't offer interesting insight on a subject you know very little about, so obviously you need to be an expert or hire one.

Unless your expert has breaking news, he or she needs to provide quality analysis and opinion to add any value. Most successful non-news content is opinion and/or analysis, whether verbal, graphical, or textual.

If you're creating video or text content for your site, the expert should also be able to clearly express complex subjects in a way readers can understand and follow. If he can't then get a content writer to interview the expert and relay the information.

Source experts

Do not try to give your opinion as an expert in a field where you're not one. It won't work.

We've all read non-expert content on subjects where we're knowledgeable. We know what expertly-written content looks like and can easy detect pretenders. If you pretend to be an expert and get one little detail wrong, you'll blow all your credibility with the people who actually understand and influence the discussion. They won't link to or share that piece of content and they may never share any of your content again. Don't take that risk.

Rather than trying to fake expertise, try finding experts and incorporating their expertise into your post. Journalists have long understood this tactic. Even journalists who are experts use quotations from other experts in both news and analysis pieces. The front page of the Washington Post's technology print section is usually littered with quotation marks and according-tos.

People running blogs can easily get a quote from someone knowledgeable enough to have an opinion that matters. Experts with strong opinions usually want to share them.

Be passionate to build trust

The Syracuse University study and this University of Pennsylvania study show that passion is key to judgments on credibility and sharing. Readers don't just want an expert who can explain things; they want an expert who cares.

Experts who know what they're talking about tend to have nuanced and sophisticated opinions about subjects they understand. Don't undercut that understanding with a shallow piece of content. Expert pieces should be deep and thoughtful.

Legal experts who really care about Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission simply wouldn't take the time to write a bland essay on what the ruling said and how it might impact the future of politics. SEO experts don't want to report on the fact that Google penalized guest post networks. They care, and want to explain why it's good or bad.

Expert opinion shouldn't be confused with argument, and it doesn't require you to start a firefight with anyone who's taken the other stance.

Cite sources

Cite the sources for all you expert insight. Citing expert sources is the most obvious way to back up your claims and gain trust. Often citing a source is as simple as linking to the webpage from which you got your information.

Don't use weasel words like, "it has been said," or, "many people believe," to skirt the citation responsibility. Experienced writers and editors instinctively close the tab on any content attempting to unnecessarily blur their sources.

Show data

Sometimes, instead of breaking news, you can add to it with data. Data lends credibility to your post in a unique way because with numbers, your sources and methodology are more important than the author's history and popularity. The data, if it's compiled and analyzed correctly, speaks for itself.

For example, when the CableTV team heard about the potential Comcast/Time Warner merger, we knew simply sharing the news would be a waste of time. Every major news outlet would easily drown out our site, and opinion pieces where popping up everywhere. Instead, we crunched some numbers, comparing U.S. Census data with coverage data, producing a coverage and population analysis people could see and understand. A few large news organizations used the data in ongoing analysis, Reddit's founder (Alexis Ohanian) shared the post, and roughly 60,000 people ended up seeing it.

JavaScript libraries and HTML 5 tools are springing up everywhere to help non-technical users visualize data in interesting ways. Mapping examples include SimpleMaps (used in our post), MapBox, Google Fusion Tables, etc. Graphing and other data options are all over, but this site is a good place to start. Compile data in-between writing stories related to your niche with Census data or any of these data sources so you're ready to go when news hits. For more tips, Kane Jamison always has tips on data-driven content marketing, including the presentation below:

Cost Effective Data-Based Content Marketing from Kane Jamison

2. Harness hierarchical credibility

Hierarchical or rank-based credibility comes from a person's position or title. High-ranking members of an organization have a better chance of being taken seriously simply by nature of their perceived authority, especially when the organization is well-known.

Have important people write important things

People lend more credibility to an article written by an unknown CEO than a writer they don't know—even if the writer knows more about the topic than the CEO. For better or worse, people are simply influenced by official job titles and standing within hierarchy.

Your definition of what's important may vary. Almost everything on the popular 42floors blog is written by a founder, while CEOs of larger companies will probably have less time and less interest in regular blogging.

Use executives for guest posts

I know – I'm the guy who wrote guest posting had gone too far. Google thought so too based on its latest round of penalties. I believe, however, the lack of credibility and expertise in many guest articles was a major cause for Google's (perhaps disproportionate) response to guest blogging networks.

Don't waste an executive's time on small unknown sites no one would ever read. Instead, consider pitching an article written by an executive or other well-known figure to well-known sites. Trulia is a good example with high-ranking members adding guest posts for Google, The Wall Street Journal, and interviewing with sites like Business Insider. Moz, of course, is another place to see founders adding posts and video frequently.

Better job titles

If you want your content to be shared, make your authors experts in both title and in truth. Changing titles for title's sake may sound stupid, but titles like managing editor, [subject] correspondent, [subject expert], or even [subject] writer have more gravitas than a plain "author" or "contributor." Think about what the title says to a person reading your content (or email). The flip side: writers should actually be subject-matter experts.

You should also re-think giving quirky titles to everyone, as they can hurt credibility. I can't imagine the Wall Street Journal quoting a "digital ninja" or "marketing cowboy" in their story – unless that story is about job titles.

Leadership quotes

You can also make use of another person's position to lend credibility to your content. This works especially well if you're looking for insight into a recent news event. Quotes from company executives, government officials, and other high-title positions give you something unique and show you're not just another blogger summarizing the news built on someone else's journalism.

3. Seek referent credibility

When someone trustworthy shares something with positive sentiment, we immediately trust the shared item. The referrer lends his or her credibility to the referee. The Moz audience will have no problem understanding referent credibility, as it's the primary method Google uses to prioritize content that seems equally relevant to a user query. People also rely on referent credibility to decide whether a post is worth sharing. Those referrals build more credibility, and viral content is born. How do you get some referent credibility to radiate onto your content?

Publish on credible sites

This post will receive some measure of credibility simply by being published on the main Moz blog. Anything on or linked to from well-known sites and authors receives referent credibility.

Share referrals and testimonials

You'll commonly see "as featured on" lists or testimonials from recognizable personalities. Testimonials from anyone at Google or Microsoft with an impressive-sounding position could go a long way for a B2B product. Referent credibility is the reason celebrity endorsements work.

Leveraging referent credibility in a press push generally works well if your company is involved in something newsworthy. Consider requesting and using quotes from relevant and well-known people in press releases or even outreach emails if you've done something worth announcing.

Analysis pieces are a little trickier: pointing out past coverage can lend some credibility to a blog post or press release, but it can also look a little desperate if done incorrectly. High relevance and low frequency are key. A good offline analogy is that person who mentions that time they met a celebrity every chance they get, whether it's relevant or not. Name-droppers are trying (too hard) to build credibility, but it's actually just sad and annoying. The same celebrity encounter might actually generate interest and credibility if it's relevant to the conversation and you haven't told the story to death. Feel free to talk about times well-known people shared or endorsed you, but make sure it's relevant and don't overdo it.

Appeal to credible people

When a well-known person shares your content, more links and shares often follow. Find credible people, see what they talk about and share, and then try make something great that appeals to them. This idea has already been covered extensively here on Moz.

4. Take advantage of associative credibility

People make associations between one trait and another, creating a Halo effect. For example, several studies (1, 2, 3) have found that attractive people often receive higher pay and are seen as more intelligent, when in reality there is no correlation. Users do the same thing with websites, so making your website look and feel like other credible sites is important.

Use trusted design as a guide

Don't run in and steal the Times' CSS file. I'm pretty sure that's illegal. It's also probably not going to work unless you're running a national multi-channel newspaper. But you should be aware that people associate design elements on a site with the credibility of the site. You can help or hinder your credibility through web design in hundreds of ways. Start by looking at legitimate sites and incorporating some of their design elements into your own. Then check out some untrustworthy and unknown sites to see the difference and determine what to avoid.

Obviously you want your site to be unique, but be carefully unique. If you stray from trusted convention, know why you're doing it. Maybe you want to kill hamburger icons on mobile – just make sure you have a well-considered alternative.

When in doubt, test

Split tests tend to focus on conversion and sales, and too often the blog/news design gets dragged along for the ride. Given the importance of content and sharing on visibility, testing the impact of site elements on sharing should be as important as the tests we do on sales funnels.

You can test different design elements as they relate to sharing by creating posts and pages with a page-level variable and a canonical tag back to the original post. Always test URLs with variables against other URLs with variables to account for site owners manually removing them. This setup may also be useful for testing different content promotion channels and methods.

Tracking results externally requires a different URL. You may use a modified URL rather than a variable, but only for single-page tests. Note that results will be a little erratic with variables people might remove, but trends will still emerge.

Consider your domain name

You have probably read a news article and wanted to share it, but then looked for a more reputable source to post to Reddit or Twitter.

Sometimes I'll share content from a site I've never heard of, but usually I want the content I'm sharing to come from a site with a name that evokes trust. Everything in this article goes into a decision on whether to share, but domain name is a surprisingly large factor. When I post an article, I don't want the first response or comment to be something snarky like, "Oh, according to goodbusinessnews4u.com – sounds legit."

Domain will also impact click-through on social networks and social sharing sites. A couple years ago I wrote about choosing the right domain for your branding strategy, and I think its message still holds true.

Domain name will also influence what content seems appropriate. You don't want people asking, "Why is highspeedintaernet.com writing about cooking recipes?" Make sure content strategy aligns with your domain and branding strategy.

Write like a writer; build profiles

You must have credibility in your writing if you want your content to be shared. Follow these simple tips:

Write clearly, hire writers, or don't waste your time on text content. Even a credible expert will have a hard time being trusted enough to share unless they write clearly with native-level grammar.
Build author profiles, use full names, and use author images. Nothing says, "I'm not proud of this" like a partial name without an image.
Build a full section about your company. Be as specific as possible, and avoid vague statements on the value your site adds.
Craft headlines that are easy to follow, avoid trick/cute headlines unless you have a great reason for tricking or confusing users about what the content will deliver.
Be consistent with surrounding articles. Jumbled topics and unrelated surrounding articles make sites look inconsistent.

Avoid clip art and stock images

Just ask Ian Lurie what he thinks about stock images. When I wrote "How Google's Algorithm Silences Minority Opinions" I had the image in my head of Googlebot placing a gag on a user. Thankfully one of CLEARLINK's talented designers had a better (and less aggressive) idea:

A Google logo would have been easy, but boring. The custom image added a strong visual to the argument, emphasizing key points: a computer algorithm silencing a person, the person not caring too much. It also sent the associative message to users that the site is legitimate enough to use unique images.

Most of us can't get custom illustrations or photographs for each post, but you should consider it for high-investment pieces or pieces you think have a good shot at success.

Final thoughts

Unless you have inside information on a rumor or are willing to burn your credibility going forward, your content must project credibility. Smaller sites and lesser-known brands have the most to gain by understanding how users and journalists make judgments on credibility and working to improve those factors. You don't necessarily need to employ every strategy and tactic, but the best coverage and links will always require a high level of credibility.

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!

Quintessential Seattle Places to Visit During #MozCon 2014

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 03:00 AM PDT

Posted by EricaMcGillivray

We're gearing up for all of you to land in Seattle for MozCon! It's just around the corner, July 14-16th, and as we do every year, we want to make sure you have a great time and get a chance to explore our city. (Or to just find a tasty place for dinner after a long day of learning.)

If you haven't bought your ticket for MozCon, do it now! We're quickly selling the last few tickets, and are over 93+% sold out. Buy your ticket today, and sign up for a 30-day free trial to get your Moz Subscriber best deal. (If you cancel because Moz Pro isn't for you, we'll see you at MozCon regardless.)

What is your quintessential Seattle place?

This year, we asked Mozzers to name their quintessential Seattle place. They came up with a bunch of favorites, from breakfast spots to parks and more. Here's what they had to say:

Joel Day

Dick's Drive-In Resturants

"Delicious hamburgers and fries. It's cash only, and there's almost always a line. How Seattle."
- Joel Day

David Mihm

Quinn's Pub

"The best burger north of Father's Office in Santa Monica and always a solid taplist."
- David Mihm

Editor's note: Quinn's Pub is also on our MozCrawl agenda.

Peter Bray

The Market Theater Gum Wall

"I'm based in Mozlandia, and I love coming to Seattle and experiencing this great city. Gum wall is a truly gross tourist trap—actually, careful, you could indeed get trapped—and in the heart of tourism central, Pike Place Market. Still there's a charm to such an offbeat (though heavily touristed) spot."
- Peter Bray

Jess Stipe

Pie Bar

"Pie Bar = pie + booze. An array of whiskies. Local and craft beers on tap. Fresh pies, both savory and sweet, made daily. If they would let me move in, I'd just live there."
- Jess Stipe

Stefanie Riehle

Black Bottle

"Ah-mazing food! Not bad for happy hour. Broccoli blasted - need I say more?"
- Stefanie Riehle

Marcin Narozny

Petit Toulouse

"Petit Toulouse in Queen Anne is the quintessential Seattle favorite when it comes to Cajun/Creole food. Petit Toulouse does not fail to impress every time I have been there. The atmosphere is superb and the food is out of this world. Additionally, I would recommend the buttermilk beignets after a good meal."
- Marcin Narozny

Leah Tyler

La Bete

"I feel like it is the secret Cap Hill restaurant that only the neighborhood tends to frequent. The service is always great; the ambiance is always perfect for whatever occasion you are celebrating (romance, friendship, new boots, hunger); and it's a great place to sit at the bar, order a great glass of wine, and read by yourself. It's just good."
- Leah C. Tyler

Nicelle Herron

Serious Pie

"This is the best pizza in the whole city. The community-style tables make for great conversation with strangers next to you. Great food, good beers. So fun."
- Nicelle Herron

Phil Hildebrand

Belltown Pizza

"If you're looking for pizza and are not into the odd California-style pizzas, this place has the best New York-style pizza in Seattle. Right off downtown, it's the first pizza joint I found in Seattle and is still the best IMHO."
- Phil Hildebrand

Jackie Immel

Kayaking on Lake Union

"You really get a feel for the Seattle landscape. Seeing the Space Needle, Gas Works Park, floating homes, wooden boats...all from a kayak on the water. Nothing better."
- Jackie Immel

Rand Fishkin

Revel

"Some of the best food and drinks you'll find in the city (and that's saying a lot), and their patio in the summer is amazing."
- Rand Fishkin

Jamie Seefurth

Ballard Locks

"It's great to hang out in the sun and watch the boats go through the locks, plus the fish ladder is fun and free! The added bonus is that you're in Ballard so there are about fifty awesome breweries and bars at your fingertips."
- Jamie Seefurth

Lisa Wildwood

World Spice Market

"The proprietor here makes her own blends of spices, and everything is freshly ground or grind-at-home. Best spices. Try the Advieh - yum!"
- Lisa Wildwood

Ben Simpson

Roux

"Matt Lewis of the Where Ya At Matt? food truck started a brick and mortar restaurant, and it is good. Very good. With a updated French Creole menu, he has taken it to the next level, and we locals love it. Keep in mind, it's a bit of a trek from downtown, but there is plenty to explore throughout the rest of Fremont making it well worth the trip."
- Ben Simpson

Chiaryn Miranda

Pier 66

"You can see the Space Needle, Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier (on a clear day), and the Great Wheel. Such an amazing view!"
- Chiaryn Miranda

Megan Singley

Staple & Fancy

"Fresh ingredients, dishes perfectly made, and an amazing chef's choice option."
- Megan Singley

Biscuit Bitch at Caffe Lieto

Erica McGillivray

"Whether you need a pick-me-up in the morning or after some late night fun, Biscuit Bitch serves delicious Southern-style, with unique Seattle flare, biscuits and all the toppings you could want. I love their Bitchwitch sandwich. Just be prepared to eat it with a fork. They also have gluten-free options. Also make sure to use your favorite location check-in service and get a free sticker."
- Erica McGillivray

Looking for more options? Don't miss our mega post from last year, Rand's personal recommendations, and Jon Colman's Seattle coffee guide.

What's new in Seattle?

Seattle's Waterfront, photo by Rachel Sarai, creative commons licensed

We're always discovering new places to eat and enjoy in Seattle, and here are few that have opened up since last year's MozCon:

Bars

Restaurants

Hanging out in Seattle longer than just for MozCon?

There are tons of great Seattle events happening around MozCon. Here are a few, plus some special deals just for MozCon attendees.

Want to see the MozPlex for yourself? We have office tours!
Come visit the MozPlex and see where all the Moz magic happens. Plus, you'll get some fun swag.

Soccer fan? See the Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers
The Pacific Northwest's biggest rivalry is on Sunday, July 13th at 7:00 p.m. Get Low-Upper Deck seats (normally $25) for $18. Make sure to join our MozCon Facebook Group and make plans to see the game with other MozCon attendees.

See the Sounds play

More of a baseball fan? See the A's vs. Mariners on Sunday, July 13th at 1:10 p.m.
With the link above, get a special discount on Main Level tickets: normally $43-48 and now $25, just for you!

Need a ride around town? Uber has some Seattle deals.
All UberX rides are 25% off for the summer, and if you're a first time Uber customer, use the code SEAMOZ14 and get up to $30 off your first ride. Code expires 7/30/14.

Want to see some local music? Don't miss GeekGirlCon's annual concert, featuring local nerdcore acts, Sunday, July 13th at 6:30pm.
Come out an support a Settle nonprofit and enjoy the nerdcore rap of Shubzilla, DJ K91, NY artist Sammus, local trio Death*Star, and Jonny Nero Action Hero, who mixes beats with his Nintendo gaming systems.

GeekGirlConcert

Love to run? Run or Dye 5k is Saturday, July 12th in nearby Lake Stevens.
You can even run with fellow attendees as Dana Tan's organizing a group to run and have some fun.

Interested in exploring some of Seattle's neighborhoods and cultural celebrations?

Seattle's Chinatown-ID Dragon Fest 2014, Saturday and Sunday, July 12th and 13th
40th Annual Ballard SeafoodFest, Saturday and Sunday, July 12th and 13th
Wedgwood Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 12th and 13th
West Seattle Summer Fest, Friday through Sunday, July 11-13th
Polish Festival Seattle, Saturday, July 12th
Bastille Bash, Saturday, July 12th
Georgetown Garden Walk, Sunday, July 13th
White Center Jubilee Days Street Fair, Saturday and Sunday, July 19-20th

Can't get enough beer? Head over to the peninsula for Bremerton Summer BrewFest, Saturday, July 12th.
No one loves beer more than the Pacific Northwest (okay, maybe Bavaria...), and if you're looking for local brews, this is your best bet.

Wish to experience Etsy offline? Go to Urban Craft Uprising, Seattle's largest indie craft show, for their summer edition, Saturday and Sunday, July 12th and 13th.
Shop local and find the perfect Seattle gift to bring home for your loved ones or yourself.

A foodie and staying after MozCon? The Bite of Seattle, the Northwest's premier food festival, is Friday through Sunday, July 18-20th.
It's a great way to try out a ton of different restaurants from around the area. I'm sure a few are on our must-eat lists.

Who doesn't love local 4-H fairs? The King County Fair is Thursday through Sunday, July 17-20th in nearby Enumclaw.
Check out the mutton busting, 4-H exhibits, fried food, and the rides.

Hope you can find some fun and time to explore Seattle. Don't forget to buy your MozCon ticket before we sell out!