One-on-One Interview with SEMrush CEO, Oleg Shchegolev

I had the opportunity to interview Oleg Shchegolev, CEO of SEMrush.

I could not let pass this opportunity to get to know him better and ask him some personal questions. I am always curious to learn about successful people and the challenges they overcome to become who they are.

 

Interview Oleg Shchegolev with Karina Tama

Talking with Oleg I learned that he and his partner Dimity created SEO quick and after many tests, they realized that people needed more software that is complex. That was the beginning of SEMrush.

Now SEMrush is one of the most popular digital marketing tools around the world.

 

Oleg told me that in order to succeed people should embrace afraid and experiment often. This is his key to success.

 

He also shared with me that in Russia the major Search Engine is Yandex. Search behavior in Russia is the same as in the USA;  people browse for products and services online.

 

Oleg told me that in the next 5 years SEMrush is planning to add more features that will help with content marketing, local SEO traffic, analytics, etc. SEMrush is currently working in updating the Chinese database so that it is able to cover Baidu searchers.

He also revealed to me that the headquarters is now in Chicago and not in Philadelphia.

I didn’t know that SEMrush organized a lot of meetups and worked with the USA and European universities in order to give opportunities to students who wish to explore and learn how to use SEMrush. I am fascinated by this amazing initiative because it is a great support for the new tech generation.

Oleg thinks that formal education is important but it is also important to be able to learn on your own. Technology moves fast and people that want to be part of the industry should be able to be self-taught.

Among the most important qualities of a leader, Oleg considers that intuition, perfect communication skills, and the ability to inspire others are the most important qualities. He said that “leadership is not about personal success, it is about the success of your team”.

Oleg’s day starts early. He usually wakes up at 5 am and gets a fresh cup of coffee, checks his twitter, listens to podcasts, checks his company reports (SEMrush). He multitasks all day. He also reads psychology and science books.

I was talking with Oleg about diversity and I asked him, what he thinks about gender bias in the industry? This is an important question for me because I am a woman and Hispanic. I am a minority and this topic really turns on my engines.

Oleg added that he is aware of the issue but that SEMrush is a company that welcomes people from any race and gender, a company that believes and practices equality. In addition, he told me that 50% of C –level employees in leadership positions are women. He also added that these women are excellent professionals, and they have helped SEMrush to be a leader in the industry.

I know many people want to know if websites should implement Amp pages or not. Oleg’s feedback was that Amp should definitely be implemented because it improves website speed and today users are very sensitive to that.

I also asked him if he thinks that Artifical Intelligence plays an important role in SEO, and how SEMrush is planning to help marketers.  Oleg said that AI will affect SEO but we do not have to worry much about it because AI is as good as the data that it shows. Marketers need to be prepared and be able to adapt to changes. Anyway, AI will not replace marketers for now because as he said before it is all about the data that the AI possess.

We also talked about e-commerce and voice search. Oleg shared with me that website content must be optimized for questions and not for keywords or phrases.

It is very important to optimize content with questions, such as: where, when, what, etc. Furthermore, talking about Local SEO; it is a priority to claim Google my business and optimize it. Also, to make sure that all the listings and citations are accurate.

I also learned from Oleg that as voice search is growing, it is important to use a more conversational language when we create content. A study from Backlinko shows that 40.7% of answers come from rich snippets. Then we should use question keywords in order to earn the rich snippets and be present in voice search results.

He also told me that to create content for voice search we must use long tail keywords and user intent keywords. SEMrush Magic toll can help marketers find these recommended keywords.

Oleg’s guess about Rankbrain’s next evolution is that Rankbrain will get more sophisticated and it will use AI mechanism. Being able to succeed in the new machine, AI’s challenges will be for the best marketers and professionals. These individuals will be able to provide users the right information.

Oleg told me that the most used SEMrush features are the keyword research tool. He invites us to explore more because SEMrush has much more to offer.

I really enjoyed my interview with Oleg and the collaboration of SEMrush PR team. This interview was very extensive that’s why I have written several articles about it. All of them with different information. You can find other articles about this interview in my Forbes, LinkedIn and Search Engine Watch 

 

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Google wants to kill the URLs

The Internet Will Be a Safer Place- Google Wants To Kill The URL

Take a moment to imagine the World Wide Web without URLs. It practically seems impossible, right? The basic Internet user as we know them today relies on URLs. It’s often how we tell a non-credible source from a credible source and how we specifically find brands and items we have an interest in. And businesses face yet another issue. Many of them have built their business on indexing and ranking web pages so that users can find them when completing a web search with certain keywords. What would really become of those businesses if URLs were no more?

It leaves us to question, why would Google, one of the most well-renowned search engines out there, consider offing URLs? And what would the World Wide Web universe look without it?

Why Google Wants To Kill URL

Although a world wide web without internet addresses seems a little chaotic, it’s being considered for one major reason: safety.

We’ve all come across a URL that looks a little questionable and hesitated on clicking the link. Most of us have even clicked on what appeared to be a legitimate link that led us to a phishing site. These spoof sites are specifically set-up to steal your passwords and other confidential information that you wouldn’t want anyone else to have. For instance, ‘G00gle’ and ‘Google’ look pretty similar at first glance; most victims wouldn’t notice that they’ve clicked the former until it’s too late.

If Google eliminates URLs and creates another way for sites to be identified, then the hope is that web identity will be more understandable for everyone. It should also cut down on the confusion between legitimate sites and phishing sites.

Web Identity and URLs: Already Less Relevant

Truth is, many of us are already used to not associating web identity with URLs, which makes us vulnerable.

One reason that web identity and URLs are less relevant is URL shorteners, which have become a big deal largely because of social media. For instance, the social media platform, Twitter, only allows users to use so many characters. A long URL would significantly take away how much one can enter into a post.

While short URLs are easy to remember and simple to share, they allow hackers to almost effortlessly mask illegitimate sites. Therefore, while it’s a convenient option, it also compromises our safety on the web.

Tools of Defense

Recently, the Chrome Team has been focusing on how to detect URLs that seem to deviate in some way from standard practice. One way they do this is by using, TrickURI, which helps developers check that their software is displaying URLs accurately. This software gives developers something to test against and helps them become familiar with how URLs look in different situations. This is important, as they don’t want to flag legitimate domains as phishing sites and vice versa.

In addition, it’s in the works for Chrome to start alerting its users when a URL looks illegitimate. Google users are already benefiting from the Safe Browsing platform, which alerts users if the system notices malicious behavior on a website. However, the system currently lacks the ability to flag sketchy URLs.

At one point, Google also operated its own URL shortening program as a way to decrease hackers. However, they later replaced it with Firebase Dynamic Links. This service uses dynamic links to send users anywhere within an Android, iOS, or web app, which makes it easier (and safer) to share specific content.

What Would No URLs Look Like?

Right now, it’s difficult for any of us to imagine what a World Wide Web without URLs really looks like. It’s even challenging for Google to fathom. However, what Google hopes to do in the near future is:

  • Figure out how to get users to focus on important parts of URLs
    • Parts relevant to their safety and security
  • Refine how Chrome presents URLs
    • Filter out what makes URLs challenging to read
  • Get Browsers to expand shortened URLs
    • To allow users to determine URL legitimacy

There’s still a lot of work to be done and an unclear vision of what no URLs looks like, but Google is adamant about keeping the Internet safe. In just one year, cyber attacks cost the world $600,000,000,000; which is astronomical. Safety is a growing concern as our society becomes more dependent upon the Internet.

 

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content marketing strategy

Champion And Conquer Your Content Marketing Strategy

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Early in my digital marketing career, I read something that had a lasting impact on my approach to marketing — an essay published on the Microsoft website by Bill Gates called “Content is King.” Bill Gates is a true visionary. What amazes me is that content marketing has taken many different forms over the last decade or so, but it is still king. Content marketing is a cost-effective way to bring in a steady stream of new leads and keep your customers coming back for more. That essay continues to inspire me to reinvent my content marketing efforts and conquer them like a champ.

One thing that I always make a priority is keeping track of my goals. When I’m not getting the results that I’m looking for, I revisit my original marketing goals so I can reground myself and rework my plan step by step.

Knowing Your Market

Do you know who your company’s audience is? If not, you have some homework to do. Send out a survey, create reader personas, ask for feedback and monitor your content to learn more about who needs your products or services. Use analytical tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Audience Insights or review the demographics of your current customers. It doesn’t really matter which method you use, as long as you do something to find your target audience, so don’t get bogged down with semantics.

I like to think that I know my company’s audience pretty well, but I’ve also learned that audiences can change over time. Even seasoned marketers need to spend some time conducting market research from time to time to keep their marketing efforts sharp.

There’s another reason I like to reassess who my target audience is. Our current clients are already hooked, but I like to continually challenge myself to expand our customer base. In addition, new products and services call for new analysis of the target market.

Establishing Your Goals And Objectives

Two very important steps follow identifying your target market. First, you need to be clear about what they need. Second, you need to learn how to quench their thirst for information. To sum up, relevant content is a valuable commodity.

Once you’ve acquainted yourself with who your customers are and what they need, you’re ready to establish your marketing goals and objectives. Do you want to spark the interest of your current audience? Do you want to build a new audience? Expand your current audience? Promote a new good or service? Increase brand awareness?

It’s important to establish goals and objectives so you know how to move forward. It’s also essential to define successful marketing campaigns. Have you thought about how you’ll know when you have achieved your goals? Think this through before you put your marketing plans in motion. Will you measure it by increased revenue, lower marketing costs, targeted customers or some combination of benchmarks?

Creating The Content Of Champions

Unless you are at the starting gate of your marketing plan, chances are good that you have some existing content to work with. Take a hard look at the work you’ve already done and decide whether you can reuse any of it. Can you update past articles to make them more relevant? Can you add to existing content so that it better enhances your brand or becomes more engaging? Can you beef it up by embedding links to products or services?

Putting The Plan In Motion

With the basic framework in place, it’s time to build on the cornerstone of your efforts. Determine your main formats and advertising channels and develop an overall marketing strategy.

I’ve found that even when my marketing strategy is complete, it helps to leave a little room for experimentation. I like to experiment with a variety of advertising opportunities like sponsored content, social media advertising, infographics and videos. Your marketing plan might include podcasts, e-books, workshops or webinars. Whichever formats and outlets you use, don’t forget to investigate your competition’s marketing efforts to make sure that you’re differentiating yourself.

There are a few different ways that you can manage your content marketing and publication schedule. I like to use a master calendar of what I’m publishing and on which outlet. You can control all the posting and publishing yourself or use an app on which you can load your ads and articles and schedule them to appear at specific times and dates. If you’re working with a marketing team, develop a plan for who will be responsible for creating, posting and publishing content.

Final Tips For Content Marketing Strategy Success

Keep a pulse on how well your marketing plans are connecting to your goals. If you’re not getting the results you want, review your marketing strategy to make sure that you’re following it exactly as planned. You might find that it only takes a few tweaks to get things moving in a better direction. And don’t fret if you’ve made a mistake or two. Learn from them and make better changes moving forward.

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artificial-intelligence-help-marketers

Artificial Intelligence Will Make Marketers Even Smarter In 2018

Each of us has a comfort level with things that we know and understand. That’s why artificial intelligence scares us so much. It’s new and unfamiliar. Knowing that someone out in cyberspace learned something about the items we need and the services that we buy makes our palms sweat and our hearts race with fear and trepidation. The very thought of big brother watching our every move makes us uncomfortable. The unknown is a scary place and we feel threatened by it.

A Scary Concept, But We’re Learning To Like It

AI was still a fairly new concept in 2017. Guess what? While it still scares most of our customers a little, they’re also starting to see how AI can make their lives easier. As I was thinking over my marketing plans for 2018, I found myself mentally toying with how I could incorporate AI into my company’s marketing strategy. It forced me to think about how I’ve developed my own comfort level with AI.

When I have a question, Siri gives me an answer at the sound of my voice. Siri is pretty smart. And Siri can be a little snarky and sarcastic at times, too, which makes me believe for a scant moment that Siri is a little more human than I thought.

And what about those self-parking cars? The very idea of it scared me in the beginning. Why? Because I like to be in control. But enough auto manufacturers are now producing self-parking cars with good results that I’m starting to get more comfortable with it. Why not take a little stress off and let my car park itself?

Have you seen videos of people wearing virtual reality headsets? They’re fully engrossed in the virtual reality experience. To an outside onlooker it’s a comical sight, but at the same time it gives us a greater comfort level with AI.

Giving AI A Fresh Look In 2018

The un-virtual reality is that we’re on the tip of the iceberg when it comes to learning about how AI can assist digital marketers in making stronger connections with customers. We have to help our customers have a greater comfort level with AI before we can make it work to our advantage.

When I’m browsing on social media, ads of items that I’ve purchased or considered purchasing sometimes appear on the page. Is it a coincidence that Facebook never shows me black blouses? Not really. I never search for black blouses and Facebook is tracking that, so they know which products I’d be interested in buying.

It freaked me out a little in the beginning. Then I thought, “What’s so bad about seeing blue blouses in ads? I love blouses in every shade of blue, and it saves me the time of scrolling past all the black blouses.” I’m starting to like those ads because I’ve suddenly realized the value that they bring me.

AI On The Backend Of Marketing

As digital marketers, AI not only gives our customers a better experience, but also tells us about their buying behavior, likes and dislikes and helps us predict their future buying behavior. Now that’s information we can use. Data gleaned from AI will help narrowly define our target markets. Past digital marketing experience tells me that the more narrowly you can define your target market, the greater return on investment you can expect to see.

AI As An Enhancement To SEO And Website Traffic

Just because I’m becoming a believer in AI (or at least less of a skeptic), doesn’t mean that I’m ready to abandon my digital marketing plans for SEO and increasing website traffic. What it does mean is that I plan to be more open-minded about testing AI strategies in 2018 and evaluating the results.

2018 is the year to challenge yourself to be increasingly innovative in your marketing strategy. Look for ways to align content marketing plans with AI tools such as chatbots, augmented reality, image optimization and social media outreach. For example, my customers may enjoy chatting online with a simulated customer service representative. Prospects may respond faster to augmented reality techniques where customers can get acquainted with our professional in-home caregivers before they schedule our service.

Images will take center stage in 2018. Already, the internet shares billions of photos and images per day. As part of your 2018 digital marketing strategy, use AI to mine data and combine it with images to create customized content campaigns for each and every customer. This will allow you to deliver faster response times and increased revenue.

In 2017, AI took us partially out of our comfort zones by showing us that it’s not totally artificial. It’s possible to incorporate just enough personalization and humor in AI to make it believable. Progressive companies that took the plunge and got their feet wet with AI in 2017 reaped the rewards for any perceived risks. 2018 will give us plenty of new opportunities to experiment with big data, the Internet of Things and machine learning as they relate to digital marketing. It will take us and our customers some additional time to develop a stronger comfort level, but the new year is ahead of us and we have 12 months to work on it.

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b2c marketing strategy

A Three-Tier B2C Marketing Strategy That Gets Results

As new marketing channels continue to emerge, technology provides us with an endless array of marketing strategies. In my work as a digital manager, my competition in the senior in-home health market is strong. While it’s great to have so many options at our disposal, I’ve found that the best way to approach B2C marketing is to select a few approaches that really work and dedicate the majority of your time and energy to fine-tuning them.

Tier One: Make your clients your ambassadors.

Providing care to seniors in their homes is a personal service, one that requires a respectful and trusting relationship between our service professionals and our clients. We serve many clients who have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. They’re looking for assurance that the senior care service they choose will be attentive and safe.

Referrals and testimonials from other clients are meaningful to new clients who may be skeptical about receiving quality care. That’s why the first tier of a solid marketing strategy is to turn current clients into ambassadors of your brand. Our tier-one strategy includes emailing coupons out to current clients and asking them to refer friends and other family members to our company.

Testimonials from current clients speak volumes in a business-to-consumer marketing strategy. A personal testimonial like this one does more to motivate consumers to contact us than anything we could write ourselves:

“I want to thank you and the whole team for doing such a great job for my mom. She loved her home health aides. Your service was really top notch and I appreciate how much easier you’ve made things for her in the last couple of months.”

Tier Two: Inform them with regular content marketing.

As people become older and are less able to do the things they once could, the prospect of losing their independence is frightening. A large part of our business-to-consumer approach is using information about senior care to help potential clients have a greater level of comfort with the notion of receiving help at home.

Well-written articles answer all the probing questions that keep your customers awake in the middle of the night. A question that weighs heavily on our clients’ minds is how to pay for in-home care. We try to relieve that burden by using content marketing to inform potential clients about ways to pay for care that they might not have considered.

This content strategy positions companies as trusted experts, while at the same time priming consumers for client conversions.

Tier Three: Focus on the social media channels that your clients are most likely to use.

Tier three of our B2C marketing strategy is the most active because it brings all the other strategies together. Potential clients want information that is fast and easily understandable. We’ve found that our target market spends a lot of time on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, so that’s where we focus. By using articles, videos and infographics, your consumers can get the information they need quickly and on the social media channels they use every day.

Our clients are interested in tips like how to set up trusts for senior-aged parents and how to make improvements to their homes to keep them safe. Social media channels give us the opportunity for our clients to get acquainted with the friendly faces of our staff. We recently added photos to our Facebook page of our employees taking supplies to senior citizens affected by Hurricane Irma. Content marketing articles shared on social media informed seniors on how to prepare ahead of time to stay safe during the hurricane.

Photographs on social media give you the chance to make deeper connections with the greater community. We recently advertised that we created a drop-off site in West Delray Beach to accept donations of bottled water, non-perishable food, baby items and pet supplies for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. These types of events enhance our branding because they show clients that caring for people is more than just our name — we embed it within our corporate culture.

Wrapping Up The Three-Tier B2C Marketing Strategy

Take the time to research which social media channels your clients spend time on. You don’t need to use them all. Through the most effective marketing channels, provide answers to their questions and give them tips they can use today. Make your clients ambassadors of your brand so that your business-to-consumer strategy will turn into consumer-to-consumer referrals.

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