Well, BrightonSEO 2022’s a wrap, and we can all agree it was a complete melting pot of informative and inspiring presentations led by brilliant industry experts. Our team has put together a summary of their top three talks from the event (not including our own) and their key takeaways. So, sit back, read on, and get inspired…
1. Why Scaling (Great) Content is Bloody Hard – Joshua Hardwick, Head of Content at Ahrefs
It’s easy to scale a lot of content. What’s not so easy is scaling good quality content. So, how can brands ensure they’re doing the latter? According to Joshua Hadwick, the answer is straightforward – creating and sticking to standard operating procedures (SOPs).
His advice is to follow the three S’s of content scaling: systemise, standardise, and streamline.
Let’s have a closer look at what that means.
Systemise – this refers to what you do, i.e., the process. A really good tactic is building a Kanban-based content workflow (a project management method) to make sure your team stays efficient and on track.
Standardise – this refers to how you do it. Your SOPs need to be understood by everyone, so it’s really important to make sure they’re easy to interpret – even by someone who has no background in the topic.
Streamline – just because you have an SOP doesn’t mean you can’t improve it. You need to always be able to look at the feedback and better your process.
Why we liked this talk
It’s no secret that Google is increasingly focusing on quality content. This talk addresses one of the fundamental challenges brands face today – how to efficiently scale quality content. The distinction between quantity and quality is really important and yet so easy to get wrong. Getting it right can be made a whole lot easier when teams and departments have a strong process to fall back on – that’s why we thought this talk was so useful.
Don’t be afraid to review existing and established processes to see how they can be improved. This is something we encourage all our colleagues at Croud to do and it has been extremely beneficial to the work we produce.
2. How to go viral on a budget – Alex Hickson, Co-Founder of Flaming Crap
Going viral isn’t a strategy. Your content goals are what make your strategy. Alex Hickson co-founded Framing Crap, a scented candle company that creates signature scents that incites emotion, humour, and common relatability. His mantra? The story you tell is far more important than the product you’re trying to sell. And when it’s done right, you can do it on zero budget.
He recommends using the following checklist to achieve viral success…
Execute emotion – how do you want your content to make your audience feel?
Share the experience – if you want users to share your content, you need to make sure your content is authentic and non-salesy.
Tie your story to a trend – what’s your niche? And what are the trending topics in this niche? How are people engaging with these topics?
Research what other brands are doing – don’t be afraid to follow in the footsteps of more established brands that are getting virality right.
Identify your audience – who are they and how do they interact with content – especially when that content is placed or repurposed on different channels?
Choose the right tools – if you can make your life easier, do it. There are an abundance of helpful (and inexpensive) tools that can help you. For example, tools that connect you with the right PR journalists quickly and efficiently.
Trust in omnichannel – make sure you’re being smart about your content and how you repurpose it across relevant channels.
Monitor and adapt your methods – you need to constantly chase your success in order to figure out what’s working and what isn’t. This is a continuous (and crucial) process and not something to skip.
Why we liked this talk
Everyone loves an underdog story, and being able to achieve virality on zero budget certainly falls into that category! But whether you’re trying to get your content to go viral or not, this presentation shared a valuable lesson – the role of storytelling in achieving marketing success.
Don’t underestimate the power of staying relevant, communicating authentically and executing emotion – these are all factors our teams keep front of mind when working on campaigns and the results speak for themselves.
3. How they teach you to be creative at Google – Max Hoppy, Co-Founder of Bind.co.uk
Creativity can feel like something some people have and others don’t. But according to Max Hoppy, it’s a skill that everyone can learn. And here’s how…
First of all, creativity is highly dependent on the environment you’re in – whether that’s while you’re exercising, in the shower or about to fall asleep. You need to find the right environment for your creativity to blossom, ideally when your brain isn’t too busy.
But it’s not just about your environment, it’s also about stimulating your brain in the right way to foster creative thoughts. Max Hoppy recommends the 3 R’s to do this: related worlds, revolution, and random links.
Related worlds – think about the nature of the challenge you face and where it stems from. Has this challenge cropped up anywhere else and if so, how was it solved? Once you’ve answered these questions, the next step is to jump into these related worlds and try to gain inspiration and ideas.
Revolution – are there any rules that surround your challenge? If there are, why not break one of the rules. This will allow you to think outside the box and stimulate you to think more creatively.
Random links – if you were to pick a random word, object or place and really think hard about it, can you find a connection between that and the challenge you face?
Finally, in order to complete the process, you need to blend expansive and reductive thinking. But since the two are in essence polar opposites, you’re well advised to separate these tasks out and tackle them on different days.
Why we liked this talk
Creative thinking – despite what many may think – is something that can be learned. The difference between those who can do it and those who can’t is that a lot of people don’t know the process. That’s why this talk is especially valuable – it provides a framework for cultivating creative thought and this is something every marketer should know.
Scaling good quality content, achieving virality on zero budget and learning how to think creatively are only a few of the many fantastic topics discussed at this year’s BrightonSEO event. We came away from the event feeling refreshed, inspired and invigorated – and ready to implement our key takeaways into our day-to-day.
Croud’s very own Laura Green, Client Digital Director, also gave a presentation at BrightonSEO, ‘Localisation: Expectation vs. Reality’ which looked at the common mistakes brands make when expanding internationally. Did you know that 57% of consumers experience localisation issues online? Or that 26% would look elsewhere as a result?
The data in this presentation was backed by Croud’s 2022 International Localisation Report which surveyed 1,600 people across four global markets, and included a quantitative analysis of the mistakes major global brands make when localising. The report is now available to download.
If you find any of these topics interesting or want to learn about how you can level up your marketing activities, get in touch with our team today – we’d love to hear from you.
