Bedell Communications

Got content? Need more? In my last post I brought up the idea of recycling content to get more out of your marketing budget.  Podcasts, videocasts, and webcasts lend themselves well to this idea.

You can transcribe an excerpt of a podcast, videocast, or webcast to create a short technical article for your Web site or blog. Listen/view your ‘cast and identify the soundbite you want to reproduce. It should provide a complete idea and be able to stand alone. For example, from a webcast on migrating to Windows 7, you might excerpt the first, preparatory step. You can either transcribe that excerpt word-for-word and edit it, or you can summarize it based on what you heard. Here are some tips for making this work:

• Add an introductory paragraph that puts the article in context. Focus on the content you’re reproducing, not the ‘cast you pulled it from.
• Wrap up the article with a short paragraph explaining where the content came from with a link to the full ‘cast. This is a great opportunity to generate more leads. You might also include this information in a sidebar to make it more visible.
• Keep the entire article between 300-5oo words if you’re posting it on the Web. Keep to the shorter side of that range if you’re using it as a blog post.
• This format is great for concise, actionable how-to advice.  Readers immediately get a sense of how they’ll benefit from the larger piece. (Don’t forget that link!)
• Take advantage of images. If the excerpt relies on a visual — a slide from a webcast, for example — post it as an image with the article. You can even include a short video clip.
• Give the article a unique title that is optimized for search engines.
• Distribute the article via e-newsletter or submit it to online tech pubs.

– Crystal Bedell

Search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) are complex beasts that change constantly as Google and other search engines change their search algorithms and the rules of the game. Unless you’re a full time SEO/SEM professional, it can be difficult to stay on top of the latest developments. That’s why I was pleased to come across TopRank Online Marketing Blog’s 100+ Search Marketing Resources to Learn SEO & PPC.

The list of more than 100 SEO/SEM resources is based on a poll of Online Marketing Blog readers and is divided into categories such as blogs, forums, webcasts, and e-newsletters. Find the format that best suits your learning style and give a few of the resources a try.

If you’re short on time (and who isn’t?) you might give the Daily SEO Tip blog a look (I found this by clicking through to TopRank’s BIGLIST of Over 400 Search Marketing Blogs from the BIGLIST of Search Marketing Resources).  The daily bite-sized SEO/SEM lessons are easy enough to squeeze into the most hectic schedule.  — Crystal Bedell