It’s the question we hear every day in marketing: “What’s the goal?” We’ve been trained to believe that the goal, or desired outcome, is the be-all and end-all when it comes to driving marketing success.
But what if we’re wrong? What if the real key to lasting marketing success is the willingness to flip the script and focus on the inputs—the work you’ll do to achieve your goals—allowing the outcome to take shape organically.
While the technique might seem counter-intuitive, there is plenty of evidence of its efficacy.
27. We Know the Right Inputs
+
More Content
More Links
= CItations
28. We Know The Work That Matters vs. Doesn’t
Don’t Do Do Every Day
Create Blog PostsManual Link Outreach
Posting to Google Plus New Facebook Posts
Asking for Google Reviews Monitor Review Sites
29. AFocus on Outcome vs. Input Metrics CanYield Success
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
30. Focusing on Outcome Metrics vs. Inputs Will Bring Success
My Single Best SEO Tip for Improved Web Traffic, by Cyrsu Shepard
38. Blindly Chase Shiny Things
These elements might be
well correlated with sites
that tend to rank well, but
that doesn’t mean they’re
the best investments your
site can make?
Via Moz’s 2015 Google Ranking Factors
39. Via Rand Fishkin’s Art of Product Marketing Presentation
We Don’t Foster a
Culture of Iteration
52. Input
The Work That Moved The Needle
Train: 2 -3X/week
Jan. — Mar. Apr. — Oct.
Train: 4X/week +
30-45m walk/day
Tracked meals/snacks
Tracked meals/snacks
53. Waist: 37
Hips: 42.5
Jan. — Mar. Apr. — Oct.
Waist: 35 1/8
Hips: 41 1/8
Output
The Results Don’t Tell The Story
54. “There is growth in every process, but
not inANY outcome.”
— Eric Cressey, Cressey Sports Performance
55. “An outcome is result. It’s what
happens when the work is done.
— Eric Cressey, Cressey Sports Performance
57. Process-oriented
I’m going to eat more lean protein and
vegetables, in addition to getting 60
minutes of exercise per day.
58. What Ultimately Matters
Exercising in am
Adding to schedule
Plan all meals
No snacks before first meal
200g/protein daily
200 oz./water daily
200 oz./water daily
Nudges
59. This is what’s missing from our
current approach to content
marketing.
60. We ignore the inputs that create
those outcomes.
We measure the outcomes.
61. NUDGES, which make consistent
success more reliable.
We aren’t even aware of our
62. What are the (unspoken) everyday
actions that consistently improve
your content marketing efforts?
63. When we commit to _______, we achieve
success by _______.
64. When we commit to blogging more
frequently, we achieve success by
attaining more links.
65. When we commit to on page SEO, we
achieve success by
increased web visits.
69. Infrequent, Higher-Effort Content?
Many times, one piece of
extraordinary content every
quarter or even every year
can be enough.
See Rand’s List of 10X Content
70. Social Shares? Or Social Followers?
What actions earn
social engagement?
Are they worthwhile?
Via Followerwonk
71. Interacting in Online Communities?
A few replies a week, or
each month, may have a
compounding impact
72. Mainstream or Niche Media Coverage
Press outreach, or
crafting a press-worthy
story/event each month
could be a worthwhile
endeavor
78. Each Effort Can be Broken Down:
Work
Put up two Facebook
posts/week
Fix any broken links
Pitch a guest contribution
1X/month
Participate in three
discussion threads/week
79. Each Effort Can be Broken Down:
Work Metrics
Put up two Facebook
posts/week
Fix any broken links
Pitch a guest contribution
1X/month
Participate in three
discussion threads/week
FB shares, new
page likes, traffic
Traffic increase
Acceptance of post,
traffic driven
Traffic from
discussion site
80. Each Effort Can be Broken Down:
Work Metrics Goal(s)
Put up two Facebook
posts/week
Fix any broken links
Pitch a guest contribution
1X/month
Participate in three
discussion threads/week
FB shares, new
page likes, traffic
Traffic increase
Acceptance of post,
traffic driven
Traffic from
discussion site
Grow reach on &
through Facebook
Direct+search bump
Visibility to new
audience, traffic
Brand awareness,
branded search
81. Each Effort Can be Broken Down:
Work Metrics Goal(s)
Fix any broken
links
Traffic
Increase
Direct+search
bump
Curtail daily
meetings
Nudge
88. Determine Nudges, Work Items & Metrics to Monitor
You have my attention.
Limit all meetings to
only essential parties Post two blogs
per week
Increased social
sharing, distribution,
engagement, reach
Brand mentions,
traffic and links