I've always been someone who values practicality – whether it's finding tools to organize my tasks or seeking out ways to save time and boost efficiency. And you know what? I believe that when it comes to brands, there are many advantages as well, such as establishing authority, building trust and credibility, and driving traffic and engagement. That's why, as a Product Marketing Manager at Wix responsible for managing the SEO Hub platform and educating our users about SEO, the SEO resource center was a project close to my heart. Creating resources that aren't just informative but practical too. Because when it comes down to it, providing practical resources isn't just about helping users – it's about empowering them to succeed in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Empowering both brands and users
How users benefit from practical resources
Accessible Knowledge: Users have access to a centralized hub of information, making it easier to find answers to their questions and learn new skills related to SEO.
Actionable Insights: It provides users with actionable tips, strategies, and best practices that they can implement immediately to improve their SEO efforts.
Time-Saving: By offering practical resources that are easy to digest and apply, users can save time that would otherwise be spent scouring the internet for reliable information and solutions.
Empowerment: Access to it empowers users to take control of their SEO strategies and make informed decisions that positively impact their online presence.
Continuous Learning: A resource center with practical resources encourages users to engage in continuous learning, staying updated on the latest trends and techniques in SEO to stay ahead of the competition.
How brands benefit from practical resources
Establish Authority: A resource center with practical resources positions the brand as an authority in the industry, showcasing expertise and thought leadership in SEO and related topics.
Increased Brand Awareness: By providing valuable resources to users, brands can increase brand visibility and awareness, attracting potential customers who are seeking reliable
information and solutions.
Builds Trust and Credibility: It demonstrates the brand's commitment to helping users succeed, building trust and credibility among current and potential customers.
Drives Traffic and Engagement: It can drive traffic to the brand's website and increase user engagement as users return to access valuable content regularly.
Generates Leads and Conversions: It serves as lead magnets, attracting users who are interested in learning more about the brand's products or services and ultimately converting them into customers.
In summary, establishing a resource center with practical resources benefits both users and brands by providing valuable knowledge, establishing authority and credibility, driving traffic and engagement, and ultimately generating leads and conversions. It's a win-win situation where users receive valuable information and solutions while brands enhance their reputation and achieve their marketing goals.
The SEO resource center on the Wix SEO Hub
In my role as a Product Marketing Manager overseeing the SEO Hub, my aim is to create a holistic SEO education experience, make the Hub a one stop shop for all SEO education. While our SEO Hub currently contains educational content, including blog posts, user case studies, weekly podcast, monthly newsletter, a video library, and more, we've identified a gap in practical SEO resources. This realization sparked the inception of the SEO Resource Center – a place dedicated to providing downloadable resources that users can customize. Our goal is to enhance productivity and streamline SEO processes for our users, offering them invaluable tools to navigate the SEO landscape with greater efficiency.
This was the first time we ever did such a project collaborating with many SEO industry leaders who created those resources. Overall, my role as a PMM in this project was to orchestrate the entire process, ensuring that every component – from content creation to resource center design – aligned seamlessly to deliver a valuable and user-friendly experience for our audience.
The Objectives and Benefits of the SEO Resource Center
Our objectives were twofold: firstly, to strengthen our brand's perception and credibility within the SEO community by offering resources endorsed and curated by top-notch industry experts. Secondly, to position the SEO Resource Center as the go-to destination for professionals seeking reliable and effective SEO resources, thereby solidifying our status as a trusted authority in the field.
This initiative was driven by our desire to enhance user productivity, streamline SEO workflows, empower professionals to achieve better results, and facilitate easy sharing of customizable resources tailored to their specific needs.
The Impact
The SEO Resource Center has truly made waves in the SEO community, delivering real benefits for both users and our brand.
We set ambitious targets, aiming for a 5% conversion rate, 4,000 resource downloads, and 3,000 new newsletter subscribers. Our goal-setting process was informed by past marketing efforts, where we achieved a 3.6% conversion rate, and we aimed higher, recognizing the substantial value we were offering through this initiative.
But in just two months since its launch, the center has surpassed our wildest expectations. With over 5100 downloads and an impressive 13.5% conversion rate, it's clear that professionals are finding real value in the resources we've provided. Additionally, we've welcomed more than 1000 new subscribers to our newsletter, expanding our community and influence in the SEO world. And what's really heartening is the positive feedback we've received from the SEO community. Many industry experts have shared our resources and praised the center for its practicality and usefulness. This kind of recognition only reaffirms our commitment to providing valuable tools and insights to help professionals thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of SEO.
The Journey of Creating the SEO Resource Center
As the project lead for the creation of the SEO Resource Center, my role as a PMM was integral to every stage of the process. Here's a glimpse into how we brought this center to life:
Research: We kicked off the process by conducting thorough research to identify the most pressing needs and interests of our target audience. This informed our decision-making process as we curated a list of resources to address these needs effectively.
Contributors: Once the topics were finalized, I collaborated closely with a colleague to reach out to industry leaders in the SEO community. She onboarded contributors who would lend their expertise to the creation of valuable resources for our users.
Resource Creation: With contributors on board, we delved into the content creation process, ensuring that each resource was not only informative but also practical and actionable. Upon finalizing the content, I worked alongside a designer to give the resources a professional and cohesive look, aligning them with our brand's language and ensuring a user-friendly experience.
Establishing the Resource Center: As the resources took shape, I concurrently worked on establishing the resource center itself. This involved collaborating with content writers to create detailed descriptions for each resource and in order to highlight the benefit the user will get from each resource, coordinating with designers to craft a visually appealing and cohesive layout for the resource center, and liaising with tech designers to ensure seamless integration and user-friendly navigation. Additionally, I worked with our email marketing team to integrate the resource center and enable users to access resources directly from their inbox.
Launch and Campaign: Finally, as we prepared to unveil the SEO Resource Center to the world, I took the lead in crafting a comprehensive launch plan encompassing various promotion channels such as sponsorships, partnerships, banners, social media, and paid advertisements. This included strategizing both inbound and outbound promotion efforts to raise awareness and drive downloads, ensuring that the resource center would make a significant impact within the SEO community.
Throughout each stage of the process, my role as a PMM was to orchestrate the various components, ensuring alignment with our objectives and delivering a valuable and user-centric resource for our audience.
Navigating Obstacles
Throughout the development of the SEO Resource Center, we encountered various challenges that tested our creativity, problem-solving abilities, management and communication skills and much more.
Collaboration: Coordinating with multiple stakeholders and SEOs presented communication challenges, each with their own schedule, responsibilities, and writing style. Overcoming this required effective communication skills, adaptability, and the ability to facilitate collaboration and consensus among diverse team members.
Content Creation: Securing knowledgeable contributors posed challenges due to the specialized nature of SEO topics, requiring extensive networking and outreach efforts. Additionally, collaborating with a non-SEO content writer necessitated meticulous attention to accuracy and content consistency across diverse topics. To overcome this, we needed strong networking skills, attention to detail, and the ability to ensure content alignment with the project goals.
Resource Center Design: Designing a user-friendly and visually appealing resource center entailed addressing UX/UI considerations, navigation issues, and integrating seamlessly with existing platforms, such as the email marketing platform. Overcoming this challenge demanded proficiency in UX/UI design principles, problem-solving skills, and collaboration with technical teams.
Promotion and Awareness: Generating awareness and driving traffic to the resource center proved challenging, especially given the competitive landscape of SEO promotions and content. Standing out amidst this competition necessitated leveraging diverse channels and engaging messaging to captivate audience attention. To address this, we required creativity, strategic thinking, and agility in tailoring messages to resonate with target audiences across different platforms.
Lessons Learned
Research's Significance- Research emerged as a pivotal factor contributing to the resource center's success. Through diligent research and the identification of suitable resources tailored to our audience's needs, we crafted valuable assets that catered to their requirements and preferences.
The Power of Practicality: One key lesson learned from this project is the importance of practicality in resource creation. By focusing on providing actionable insights and customizable tools, we were able to meet the real needs of our audience and drive meaningful engagement.
Collaboration is Key: Another valuable lesson learned is the importance of collaboration. Working closely with industry experts allowed us to leverage diverse skills and perspectives, enriching the resource center's offerings and enhancing its effectiveness.
Continuous Improvement: The success of the SEO Resource Center highlighted the importance of continuous improvement. By monitoring user feedback, analyzing metrics, and staying updated on industry trends, we can identify areas for enhancement and ensure that the resource center remains relevant and valuable over time.
Key Skills in Project Leadership: Finally, this project reinforced the importance of specific skills in driving effective leadership and project outcomes. Effective communication and collaboration skills, project management expertise, attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and creativity were pivotal in navigating challenges and ensuring the project's success.
Overall, the SEO Resource Center project provided valuable insights into the importance of research, practicality, collaboration, continuous improvement, and key skills in project leadership in delivering successful marketing initiatives. These lessons learned will guide future projects and contribute to ongoing growth and success in our marketing efforts.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, we're excited about the future of the SEO Resource Center. After seeing how much people love the resources we've provided, we want to make it even better. Our plan is to keep adding more and more useful stuff over time. This way, we'll have a wider range of resources available to help even more people with their SEO needs. Our goal is to keep growing and improving, so we can help as many professionals as possible succeed in their SEO efforts. We're committed to making the SEO Resource Center a go-to destination for anyone looking to boost their SEO skills.