Newsletter 05
Marketing with Sajin Nair

With multiple awards including Most Admired Marketing Leader and over two decades of experience in tech-marketing within the IT software and services sector, Sajin Nair has created several outstanding marketing campaigns. He has also published two books in the field of Marketing. Join him on the weekly newsletter.

Have you've ever felt the weight of planning your marketing strategy for the year ahead? You know it's far from a walk in the park. Mention "annual planning" to fellow marketers, and you're likely to share a collective sigh. It's frustrating, time-consuming, and, let's be honest, a bit of a headache at times.

But what if I told you there's a shortcut? That's where the Forrester One-Page Marketing Plan comes into play. It's not just about cutting corners; it's about efficiency and clarity. This one-pager isn't meant to replace your comprehensive marketing plan, but it's a fantastic way to get the ball rolling. It offers a straightforward, accessible strategy that makes it easier for everyone involved to understand, get behind, and put into action.

In diving into the Forrester One-Page Marketing Plan, you'll uncover a few gems:

• Insight into why marketing planning, though it sounds straightforward, can be such a tough nut to crack.

• Three essential questions your plan needs to tackle, and a reminder that you're not in this alone—collaboration across teams is key.

• An outline of six critical elements that make up a cohesive, actionable plan to kickstart your marketing year.

Join free course to Learn how to create a good marketing plan

Have you checked out GPT Store? It is a treasure chest for SEO folks

In January 2024, OpenAI kicked off something huge – they opened the doors to the GPT store. If you've got ChatGPT Plus or are on a Team or Enterprise plan, you're in for a treat. You can now check out custom GPTs made by folks from all over. Pretty cool, right?

Today, I want to share an article on Search Land by Alex Klugerman called "9 of the Best Custom GPTs for SEO in the GPT Store." These tools are awesome for making your website content top-notch, getting ahead of competitors, finding the best keywords easily, and fixing website issues without breaking a sweat.

Head over there to find out more and start exploring the best custom GPTs out there. Trust me, it’s worth it!

Test Your SEO Knowledge. Check out 200+ Questions and Answers

Winning & Losing Big Google Updates: 50-Site Case Study

Ever wondered why some websites boom while others bust after a Google update? It's not what you might think. Forget about author boxes. The real game-changers are hiding in plain sight.

Google's been on a spree, rolling out updates left and right throughout 2023. But here's the kicker: while many sites took a hit, Google dropped a hint for recovery—just get rid of the useless stuff. Sounds simple, right? Not quite. Turns out, nobody's cracked the code on what exactly Google deems "unhelpful."

SEO expert Cyrus Shepard examined 50 websites hit by Google updates between August and December 2023, revealing traffic changes from -67% to +5,595%. Most were content sites relying on ads or affiliate revenue. With over 2,500 data points collected on UX and on-page elements, Shepard uncovered intriguing correlations. Find out what they discovered in the full article.

Top 5 Takeaways:

1. Ads Are the Enemy: Those pesky ads, especially the ones that follow you as you scroll or cover up content, can be toxic for your site's traffic. Less is more when it comes to ads, it seems.

2. Be Unique: Google loves originality. Using stock images? Say goodbye to traffic. Sites with genuine, firsthand experiences—like personal stories or unique insights—tend to win Google's favor.

3. Speak from the Heart: Who would've thought? Using words like "I" and "we" can actually boost your site's visibility. Personal touch matters to Google, it seems.

4. Make Contact Easy: Want to impress Google? Make sure your contact info is easy to find. It's all about transparency and trust.

5. Recovery Roadmap: So, you've taken a hit from Google's updates. What now? Cut down on ads, focus on original content, inject some personal flair, and don't forget to make it easy for people to reach you.

There you have it, folks. The secret sauce to riding Google's waves and keeping your website afloat. It's not rocket science, but it sure feels like cracking a code. Keep it simple, stay authentic, and Google might just smile upon your site.

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