Custom email content and strategy by Nexus Marketing

Custom Email Content & Strategy Services from Nexus Marketing

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Email content and strategy development from Nexus Marketing can help you expand your reach and maximize the value of the leads generated by your website. Let’s take a look at what to expect from this offering:

Why are we offering email services?

Email is a natural way to help our clients maximize the value of leads generated through SEO. Email can also fill a crucial gap in conversion and retention strategies where SEO leaves off. 

Think about all the visitors your site gets:

  • Some will be ready to convert after reading your SEO content and clicking through to a demo or contact page—great!
  • Others won’t be ready yet, whether that’s because they’re just taking their time or are at an earlier stage of their buying journey. 

But if you can secure their email address through a contact, download, or signup form, you can stay in touch and close the loop. Keep your brand and expertise on prospects’ minds, nurture the lead, promote your products and services, and more.

How does Nexus come in? Creating a consistent flow of new email content takes time—a lot of it—that your team might not have. The Nexus team can produce steady streams of email content for you, adapted to your brand’s voice and goals.

Is email an effective channel?

Email remains a highly effective marketing channel, even in the age of social media.

77% of consumers from all age cohorts prefer seeing email over promotional content on social media. Well-targeted email campaigns can yield ROIs of up to 4200%, $42 in returns per dollar spent, far above other marketing channels.

It’s scalable, measurable, adaptable to your audience and goals, and easily automated (provided you have a steady stream of content!).

What’s included in the Nexus email offering?

When you purchase an email add-on for your Nexus engagement, you’ll get:

  • A package of 10 or 20 emails to send to your subscriber or prospect lists
  • A custom strategy built around your goals and digital marketing collateral
  • Branded graphics for each email
  • Recommendations for timing your email cadence

What types of email streams can Nexus create?

Your package of emails will be tailored to your business’s goals. Here are some of the ways we can frame your email campaigns:

  • Promotional campaigns: Feature product/service highlights, updates, testimonials, and use cases with the goal of driving conversions.
  • Targeted lead nurture campaigns: Create an educational, semi-promotional stream of email content for subscribers to receive after downloading a particular resource from your website.
  • Thought leadership campaigns: Drive more traffic to your valuable onsite content and promote your offsite publications to build your reputation as an industry expert.
  • NXUnite panel follow-up: Getting ready to participate in an NXUnite panel? Make the most of your list of new contacts with a custom email stream to recap your event and orient new subscribers to your business.
  • Ad hoc, mix-and-match emails: Have a different idea, or don’t see yours listed here? No problem. We can develop custom content or campaigns to meet your needs.

How does the process work?

If you’ve added an email expansion to your engagement, what can you expect from your Nexus team? We’ll follow this workflow:

  1. You, your account manager, and your copywriter will meet to discuss objectives and outcomes for your email campaign(s).
  2. We’ll outline a strategy for your package of emails and send it to you for approval.
  3. We’ll draft your email content and send it to you for review.
  4. We’ll incorporate any changes and edits from your team to finalize the email stream.
  5. Start sending your emails and nurturing more leads!


For packages of 10 emails, the project will be completed within a month of kickoff. For packages of 20 emails, the production process will be split into two batches. You’ll be able to start using them right away before the second batch is completed.

Pricing details:

  • 10-email stream: $6,000
  • 20-email stream: $12,000

For lead nurture purposes, it’s best practice to send an email 1-4 times a week. This means a 10-email stream can be used for 3-10 months and a 20-email stream can be used for 5-20 months depending on your preferred frequency.

Example Nexus Email Stream

Take a look at this example to see what you can expect from a Nexus email stream.

Here’s a strategy that we laid out for a SaaS platform that offers products for nonprofits and businesses. We designed a 10-email stream with the objectives of driving increased engagement from nonprofit subscribers and converting free nonprofit users to a paid tier:

Example email strategy for SaaS adoption and upgrades

Here’s one of the emails from the stream:

Example email from a stream designed to drive engagement from free signups

Want to learn more or discuss the details?

Please reach out to your account manager or copywriter. We’ll be happy to chat through what an email strategy might look like for your business.

Contact Nexus Marketing to discuss custom email content and strategy development.

 

AI’s Impact on the SEO Content Creation Process

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With the platform achieving over 100 million active users in just under two months since its release, it’s become clear to all digital marketers that ChatGPT, an AI-powered tool, isn’t going anywhere.

While AI-generated content can seem daunting for many digital marketers, the team at Nexus Marketing views it as an opportunity. As part of our commitment to providing high-quality content, we leverage ChatGPT to streamline parts of the content creation process and add educational value to our articles.

This guide will walk you through how we use ChatGPT to improve our results for our clients while maintaining a “by humans, for humans” approach.

Our position on fully AI-generated content

While ChatGPT is a powerful tool for streamlining content creation workflows, we never use it to fully generate SEO content. This is due to a few reasons:

  • It can have negative SEO implications. By prioritizing human-written content, we mitigate any risks of publishing AI-generated content, such as duplication. Also, backlinks within AI-generated content may be perceived as less valuable to the Google algorithm than true human-built links, and we want to ensure each link built has the maximum ranking benefit possible for your website.
  • It can jeopardize partner relationships. Our connections in the mission-driven space via the Publishing Partnership program are key to driving results for your brand. Submitting original content is our promise to our Publishing Partners, making human-written content a crucial part of our strategy.
  • It’s less original than human-written content. ChatGPT is trained to generate responses based on linguistic patterns. Overall, human-written content is more original and provides more educational value to the reader. Additionally, AI content generation is heavily dependent on machine learning algorithms and pre-existing datasets. It may not always accurately encapsulate the factors that enhance expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness which leads to worse-performing content over time.
  • It isn’t as user-friendly as human-written content. As a robot, ChatGPT might not fully understand human needs and preferences when drafting its content. Thus, it might lack the human touch that makes content so engaging for readers.

To ensure ideal SEO performance, it’s important to uphold the “by humans, for humans” approach. That means using ChatGPT to help with the tasks outlined below without publishing its words verbatim.

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Nexus Marketing’s ChatGPT use cases

1. Generating content outlines

One of the first steps of our content creation is outlining, and ChatGPT plays an important role in starting the process on the right foot. We use ChatGPT to generate wireframe outlines of general ideas for the content. Then, the writers combine the wireframe with our in-depth subject matter, UX, and SEO knowledge to make it into something new.

The prompt: Generate an outline for an FAQ guide educational blog post about Google Ad Grants best practices for nonprofit professionals who have never heard of the program before.

The response:

I. Introduction

  • Brief overview of Google Ad Grants program
  • Importance of understanding best practices for nonprofit professionals
  • Purpose of the FAQ guide and its value for newcomers to the program

II. What is Google Ad Grants?

  • Definition and explanation of the program
  • Eligibility criteria for nonprofit organizations
  • Benefits and advantages of participating in the program

III. How can my nonprofit organization qualify for Google Ad Grants?

  • Specific requirements and guidelines set by Google
  • Steps to verify charity status and compliance
  • Importance of having a well-structured website with meaningful content

IV. What are the key features and limitations of Google Ad Grants?

  • Overview of the advertising budget and usage limits
  • Types of ads allowed and their placement
  • Policies and guidelines to adhere to while running campaigns

V. How can I create effective Google Ad Grants campaigns?

  • Keyword research and selection strategies
  • Crafting compelling ad copy and relevant landing pages
  • Optimizing campaigns for better performance and results

VI. How can I measure the success of my Google Ad Grants campaigns?

  • Key metrics to track and analyze
  • Tools and resources for campaign performance evaluation
  • Making data-driven decisions for continuous improvement

VII. Are there any additional resources or support available?

  • Google’s resources, documentation, and tutorials
  • Online communities and forums for nonprofit professionals
  • Considerations for professional assistance and management services

VIII. Conclusion

  • Recap of key takeaways and benefits of implementing Google Ad Grants best practices
  • Encouragement to explore the program and its potential for nonprofit organizations
  • Invitation to reach out for further assistance and guidance

2. Writing meta descriptions

ChatGPT plays a valuable role in generating potential meta descriptions for content. We use the tool to quickly create meta descriptions that we adjust afterward. Instead of asking for meta descriptions based on generic, one-word topics, we take the client’s intended audience and offerings into account. Then, we modify the meta description to ensure relevance and precision.

The prompt: Generate a meta description for an ultimate-guide style blog post about Google Ad Grants for nonprofit professionals who are new to the program.

ChatGPT’s response: Unlock the power of Google Ad Grants for nonprofits. Maximize your online impact and raise awareness with this comprehensive guide for new program participants.

3. Proofreading copy

Our team harnesses the power of ChatGPT to proofread and refine written content. By providing already written passages, we request ChatGPT to proofread, correct grammatical mistakes, tighten the language and improve clarity. The objective is to optimize the content for readability, logical flow, and coherence.

It’s important to note that we never directly copy the rewritten content from ChatGPT. Instead, our team takes inspiration from the suggested changes and incorporates them into their own writing. This ensures that our content maintains a human quality that attracts readers.

The prompt: Proofread the following paragraph for clarity, logical flow, and grammatical mistakes:

In today’s digital age, nonprofit organizations strive to create a meaningful impact and extend their reach to make a difference in the world. However, limited marketing budgets often pose significant challenges. That’s where Google Ad Grants comes in as a game-changing opportunity. In this educational article, we will delve into the world of Google Ad Grants and explore how nonprofit organizations can harness its power to maximize their online presence, raise awareness, and drive meaningful engagement. Whether you’re new to the concept or seeking to optimize your existing strategy, this comprehensive guide will equip you with the knowledge and insights needed to leverage Google Ad Grants successfully. Get ready to unlock new possibilities and propel your organization’s mission to greater heights in the digital realm.

ChatGPT’s response:

In today’s digital landscape, nonprofit organizations strive to make a meaningful impact and extend their reach to create positive change in the world. However, limited marketing budgets often present significant challenges. Enter Google Ad Grants, a game-changing opportunity that empowers nonprofits. This comprehensive educational article delves into the world of Google Ad Grants, guiding nonprofit professionals on how to maximize their online presence, raise awareness, and foster meaningful engagement. Whether you’re new to the concept or seeking to optimize your existing strategy, this guide equips you with the knowledge and insights needed to leverage Google Ad Grants successfully. Unlock new possibilities and propel your organization’s mission to greater heights in the digital realm.

4. Generating stories/examples

The content team uses ChatGPT to generate stories or example scenarios to enrich the content. These stories are helpful for illustrating key concepts that are discussed in the content and the problems that the content’s tips will help the audience solve. The goal of including example stories is to frame the information in a compelling and realistic way instead of relying on abstract concepts.

By reading this example passage, the reader can better understand how Google Ad Grants can maximize traffic to their nonprofit’s website and convert casual visitors into active supporters:

The prompt: Write an example story for an article educating nonprofit professionals about why they should pursue Google Ad Grants. The story’s takeaway should be that pursuing Google Ad Grants is an easy and cost-effective way to spread awareness of your cause.

ChatGPT’s response:

Imagine a nonprofit organization called “Global Health Alliance” dedicated to providing medical assistance in underserved communities. The organization struggled to reach a wider audience and raise funds to support its critical initiatives. However, after learning about Google Ad Grants, they decided to give it a try. With the help of expert guidance, Global Health Alliance created compelling ad campaigns that specifically targeted keywords related to their cause. Within weeks, their online visibility skyrocketed, attracting a surge of website traffic and generating significant interest in their mission. Thanks to Google Ad Grants, Global Health Alliance quickly realized that pursuing this program was not only easy but also an incredibly cost-effective way to spread awareness of their cause, reach a broader audience, and make a greater impact in the world.

5. Brainstorming call-to-action language

Crafting effective call-to-action (CTA) language is essential for driving conversions for clients. Our team leverages ChatGPT by asking it specific questions to align the CTA with the client’s target audience and desired tone. Also, with ChatGPT’s browsing mode, we can quickly collect data from across the Internet to support our claims.

The results from ChatGPT serve as inspiration, which our copywriters adapt and customize to fit the client’s context, ensuring the CTAs are engaging and relevant.

The prompt: Write an engaging, click-worthy CTA for a business that promotes Google Ad Grants management to nonprofit professionals. The tone should be professional, yet eager and optimistic. The CTA should be around 3 sentences in total.

ChatGPT’s response: Ignite your nonprofit’s growth with our expert Google Ad Grants management. Maximize your online reach, raise funds, and make a lasting impact. Unlock the power of Google Ad Grants and propel your cause to new heights.

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6. Optimizing for snippets

Snippets are concise sections of content that appear on Google’s search results pages, providing quick answers to user queries. ChatGPT helps us optimize snippet-bait sections by making them concise, direct, and highly relevant. Our team prompts ChatGPT to answer specific questions or refine existing snippet baits or FAQs, allowing us to enhance their performance and visibility in search results.

The prompt: Concisely answer the question “What are Google Ad Grants” for an audience of nonprofit marketing professionals. This answer will be targeted to secure a featured snippet on a Google results page.

ChatGPT’s response: Google Ad Grants is a unique program offering eligible nonprofit organizations up to $10,000 per month in free advertising budget on Google Ads. Designed to empower nonprofits, these grants provide the opportunity to raise awareness, drive website traffic, and promote their causes to a wider audience. By leveraging Google Ad Grants, nonprofit marketing professionals can maximize their online presence and make a greater impact in the digital landscape.

7. Generating FAQs

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) provide valuable information to users and enhance the user experience. ChatGPT assists us in generating relevant questions related to specific topics. These questions help enrich your content and address user intent. Our team evaluates and refines the generated questions to ensure they are valuable additions to the FAQ section.

The prompt: List 10 frequently asked questions about Google Ad Grants that nonprofit professionals might have when trying to determine if they should pursue the program as part of their marketing strategy.

ChatGPT’s response:

  • What are Google Ad Grants?
  • How can my nonprofit organization qualify for Google Ad Grants?
  • What types of ads can I create with Google Ad Grants?
  • What are the benefits of using Google Ad Grants for my nonprofit?
  • How much free advertising budget does Google Ad Grants provide?
  • Are there any restrictions on the types of keywords or content I can use in my ads?
  • Can I run ads for multiple campaigns or initiatives using Google Ad Grants?
  • How do I track the performance of my Google Ad Grants campaigns?
  • Are there any specific policies or guidelines I need to follow while using Google Ad Grants?
  • Can I use Google Ad Grants alongside other advertising methods or platforms?

ChatGPT can also quickly create FAQ schema code for your content, which is beneficial for SEO.

8. Sourcing statistics

Statistics add credibility and educational value to your content. ChatGPT’s Web Browsing mode assists us in sourcing interesting statistics and credible resources related to specific topics. Our team ensures that ChatGPT provides sources to verify the relevance and freshness of the statistics. For up-to-date information, we double-check ChatGPT’s suggestions with manual research.

The prompt: List interesting statistics about Google Ad Grants that I can use in an ultimate guide-style article for an audience of nonprofit professionals and provide your sources.

ChatGPT’s response: Here are some interesting statistics about Google Ad Grants that you can use in your ultimate guide-style article:

  • Google Ad Grants is a powerful tool for nonprofits, offering up to $10,000 in monthly advertising credit. This can be used to reach new donors, volunteers, and supporters​ (source).
  • Google owns over 92% of the global search engine market, helping nonprofits connect with more prospects than ever before. 98% of searchers click a result on page 1 of Google, making the Google Ad Grant a great way to drive more clicks. The average return on investment (ROI) for nonprofits using Google Ads is $4.78. For Google Ads, advocacy groups and nonprofits have an average cost per click (CPC) of $1.43. View-through revenue (revenue from donors who saw but didn’t click on an ad) accounts for 35% of all giving sourced from digital ads (source)​.

9. Generating ideas for original images

Providing custom-branded images helps signal an article’s educational value, which can boost its SEO ranking. The content team leverages ChatGPT to make engaging and informative images that complement written content.

The prompt: Give me 3 unique image ideas for an ultimate guide-style article about Google Ad Grants. Think along the lines of Venn diagrams, flow charts, and themed images that visually represent the information in an engaging and educational way.

ChatGPT’s response:

  • Comparison Venn Diagram: Create a visually appealing Venn diagram that compares Google Ad Grants with other advertising methods or platforms. Use overlapping circles to highlight the unique advantages and features of Google Ad Grants, such as cost-effectiveness, targeted reach, and the ability to raise awareness for nonprofit organizations.
  • Step-by-Step Flowchart: Design a flowchart that illustrates the step-by-step process of setting up and managing a successful Google Ad Grants campaign. Include key stages like application and qualification, keyword research, ad creation, campaign optimization, and performance tracking. Use visually distinct icons or symbols to represent each stage, making it easy for readers to follow along.
  • Keyword Research Mind Map: Design a visually captivating mind map that illustrates the process of conducting keyword research for Google Ad Grants campaigns. Use branching sections to represent different categories or themes related to nonprofit causes, such as education, healthcare, environment, and social justice. Each branch should further branch out into relevant keywords that align with those categories. This image will visually demonstrate how keyword research helps nonprofits optimize their campaigns and reach the right audience.
  • Ad Performance Dashboard: Develop a visually appealing dashboard-style image that showcases the key performance metrics and data points to track when monitoring the success of Google Ad Grants campaigns. Include elements like click-through rates, conversions, website traffic, and engagement metrics. Use charts, graphs, and icons to represent the data in a visually engaging and easy-to-understand format. This image will demonstrate the importance of tracking and analyzing campaign performance to make data-driven optimizations.

We hope this guide provides you with insights into how we use ChatGPT to enhance our content creation process. By leveraging this AI-powered tool in a strategic and thoughtful manner, we strive to deliver exceptional results while maintaining the human touch and expertise that define our approach.

If you have questions or want to learn more about how we’re using AI to continually improve our content for clients, please don’t hesitate to contact your Nexus Account Manager or Copywriter.

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Our Thoughts on Google’s Generative AI Update

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In a recent announcement, Google introduced Search Generated Experiences (SGE), a feature that uses Large Language Models (LLM), to provide more detailed search results. This generative AI technology aims to provide more comprehensive, detailed responses to search queries, including conversational prompts.

Google has been leveraging AI in search for years, but with SGE, the search experience will become more conversational and fluid. The company refers to this change as a significant shift in the future of search.

There is A LOT of noise on this topic from the SEO industry and plenty that we don’t know. Since this change hasn’t been rolled out yet, the best source of truth is Google’s expanded brief on the topic of generative AI which we’ve reviewed in detail.

Strategic Insights: Navigating the Future of Search with Nexus

The launch of SGE signifies a transformative shift in the search landscape. We are closely monitoring these developments, and here are some of our insights so far:

  1. Emphasis on Quality Over Quantity:
    • Key insight: Google’s SGE highlights the importance of high-quality content.
    • How to apply this: We recommend regular audits of your content to ensure it’s up-to-date and relevant.
    • Nexus POV: We are doubling down on our focus on creating the only highest quality content that should be able effectively to compete in the new evolving landscape.
  2. In-Depth Content and Comprehensive Answers:
    • Key insight: SGE is designed to provide comprehensive answers to complex queries.
    • How to apply this: Consider creating comprehensive guides, FAQ sections, and how-to articles that provide complete answers to user questions.
    • Nexus POV: Make sure that your pages that rank for the most important keywords in your industry fully address the target user intent by looking at the existing SERPs, speaking with experts at your organization on the subject matter, and going through a “best content” checklist that catches any potential gaps.
  3. Focus on User Experience (UX):
    • Key insight: AI integration in search increases the need for solid UX design.
    • How to apply this: Try to focus on making your website mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and have fast loading times.
    • Nexus POV: In our engagements, we’ll be placing a greater emphasis on technical ranking factors via a variety of tools (Lighthouse, SEMRush, Moz, and Search Console) to promote an optimal website experience for users and increase positive ranking factors.
  4. Adaptive SEO Strategies:
    • Key insight: This is a fast-evolving space and SEO practices will continue to evolve with the launch of SGE.
    • How to apply this: We recommend staying informed about changes in search engine algorithms and adjusting SEO strategies accordingly.
    • Nexus POV: We’ll continue to keep clients aware of these changes and adjust our engagements accordingly to maximize organic channel performance.
  5. Thought Leadership:
    • Key insight: SGE’s reliance on high-quality sources and citations means thought leadership and citations by other industry-relevant websites are more important than ever.
    • How to apply this: Strive to publish content that others in your industry will want to reference, to increase your visibility and reputation. Work with industry partners to promote your thought leadership.
    • Nexus POV: Leveraging our network of 200+ partners, we’ll continue to work with our clients to position their brand as an industry leader through the creation of original, insightful content and win-win marketing opportunities.

These insights guide our strategic approach as we navigate the evolving search landscape. We believe that understanding and adjusting to these changes is vital for successful digital marketing in the new era of search.

Leveraging Industry Expertise in the Era of SGE

In light of the new SGE update, industry expertise becomes an invaluable asset. Google’s generative AI system, SGE, rewards content that reflects a high level of knowledge and understanding within specific industries. This reinforces the importance of our approach at Nexus – emphasizing the depth of knowledge in our clients’ industries.

By leveraging industry expertise, Nexus aims to help our clients create compelling, authoritative content that aligns with SGE’s emphasis on quality, relevancy, and depth of understanding. As we navigate this transformative period in search, our focus remains on helping our clients maximize their visibility and impact in their respective industries.

This is only the beginning…

Generative AI is evolving, reshaping the landscape of search experiences. At Nexus, we’re dedicated to staying ahead of these advancements, ensuring we’re always ready to adapt our strategies and practices to optimize search performance for our clients and partners.

Understanding this dynamic field is a journey, and we are committed to it. As we progress, we are more than willing to have conversations on this subject, exploring together how these advancements can be leveraged to further your success.

Feel free to reach out to me at any time. You can email me at rafi@nexusmarketing.com, or call me directly at 301-760-8230. Let’s navigate the future of search together.

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The Nexus Content Review Process

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Before publishing new onsite content or submitting offsite content for publication, many Nexus clients prefer to provide a quick review. Your copywriter will then incorporate your edits, follow up on any questions as needed, and move the content forward to start generating SEO power for your website.

What does the content review process look like? What kinds of edits are the most helpful for our team to refine our understanding of your company’s voice? We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about content review:


What to Expect From Us

We primarily use Google Docs to create and share new content rather than Microsoft Word. Since Docs are saved in the cloud, they’re much easier for us to share and update. They also allow us to clearly see the edit history of a document.

If Google Docs are new for your team, please don’t hesitate to ask your account manager or copywriter any questions — we’ll be happy to help!

When new content is ready for your review, your Nexus copywriter will provide you with a link to a Google Doc that contains the content. If we’re sharing a draft of an onsite article or activity, we will also share a link to a preview of an unpublished draft on your website in most cases.

  • When reviewing offsite content, you’ll only need to read the Google Doc and provide any edits or comments directly on the document.
  • When reviewing onsite content, you can review the unpublished blog preview to see how the finished piece will appear once it’s live on your website, but the Google Doc version of the article will be the easiest place to leave specific line edits.

We’ll also provide you with a timeframe or “Review By” date for each new piece of content that requires your review. This helps ensure that we can keep a steady pace of content production and meet any deadlines set by our external publishing partners.

Extremely delayed content review can ultimately harm the productivity and ROI of your Nexus engagement. In some cases of extreme delays, we may give you the heads-up that we’ll move forward with the content in question by a specific date.

That said, we also understand that you’re busy with a variety of responsibilities. If you ever expect that you’ll be unable to review content by the requested date or have any questions, just let us know — we can make adjustments as necessary.


The Content Review Hub

For most engagements, we’ll share content for your review in your “Content Review Hub,” which is housed in your engagement’s “Master Account Spreadsheet.” We recommend creating a bookmark for this spreadsheet, but please reach out to your account manager or copywriter if you’re ever unable to find it.

The Content Review Hub looks like this:

Nexus content review hub

How the Content Review Hub Works

  1. Your copywriter will add new content to the review hub once it’s ready for your review by updating the date fields, activity type, title, link(s), and optional notes/context. We’ll set the status to “Ready for Review.”
  2. You can then check the Review Hub at any time to see new content.
  3. Your copywriter will also send a weekly email to update you on changes made to the hub in the past week. If there are no new pieces ready for your review, we’ll let you know what to expect from us next and when.
  4. Once you’ve reviewed a piece of content, you’ll update the status column to either “Reviewed and Approved” or “Reviewed – Discuss Further” (if you want to discuss the content or would like to see a second draft).
  5. You’ll then reply to your copywriter’s weekly update email to let them know that you’ve finished reviewing one or multiple pieces of content.

How “Review By” Timeframes Work

We’ll ask that new content added to your Review Hub be reviewed by the Friday of the following week. For instance, if a new offsite post is ready for review on a Wednesday, we’ll ask that you finish reviewing it by Friday of the following week.

This timeframe ensures that you’ll always have a feasible turnaround period to review content both before and after receiving our weekly update/reminder email. This will also give you the flexibility to better incorporate content review into your normal schedule, and it ensures that we’re not sharing content in a difficult-to-manage manner.

We encourage you to visit the Review Hub at any point during the week when you’re able to set aside time for reviewing content (not just after receiving our weekly reminder email).

Please let us know if you ever expect that you’ll be unable to meet a deadline so that we can make adjustments.

Alternative Review Processes

In some cases, we’ll opt to use a content review process different from the one outlined above:

  • External project management platforms
    • If your business uses a platform like Trello or Asana to manage marketing tasks, we can use it, too. No need to reinvent the wheel if your team already has a process that works! We’ll just need login credentials and appropriate permissions to post and update tasks.
  • Email-based review of individual articles
    • For non-standard Nexus engagements, it may make sense to manage the content review process solely via email. In this case, your copywriter will email you with new pieces for review along with a “review by” date and any notes. Questions and follow-up will occur on that thread as needed.

Your Nexus account manager will work with you during the onboarding process to determine the content review process that will work best for your engagement. For existing Nexus clients, we can also make adjustments over time if you strongly prefer one process over another — just let us know so that your account manager can discuss it with you soon.

What’s Most Helpful for Us

Feedback on content is most helpful for Nexus copywriters when it’s specific, actionable, and gives us a clearer idea of your preferences that we can carry forward into new content. For instance, rather than highlighting a sentence and asking that it be rewritten, leave a brief comment explaining why it’s not hitting the mark or effectively representing your voice.

For more straightforward diction or stylistic changes, direct line edits in the Google Doc will be most helpful.

We also ask that clients avoid heavily reworking links in content, especially in offsite articles (since the primary goal of these activities is to build authority to specific pages on your website using particular types of anchor text). In onsite content, we have greater flexibility with linking. However, if you strongly prefer that something about a link be changed, please let us know so that we can adjust our strategy as needed.

In onsite content, we use heading tags, image alt text, links, and keyword mentions to signal its relevance to Google. In general, please avoid heavily reworking these technical elements and mentions of relevant keywords. This will ensure the content can perform according to the keyword optimization strategy developed by your copywriter for that article.

If you have bigger-picture feedback on a piece of content or have trouble describing your desired changes, please let us know so that we can discuss and offer potential solutions.

What’s Most Helpful for You?

Our goal is for the content review process to be a collaborative one that helps us effectively capture your brand voice while delivering SEO results. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your account manager and/or copywriter if you:

  • Have questions about the content review process or would like to request a process adjustment
  • Have big-picture feedback to discuss that will help your copywriter better represent your brand
  • Want to share new business priorities, preferences, or resources so that they can be incorporated into your content
  • Have any questions about your overall SEO strategy, our content creation process, or anything else

We’ll be happy to answer your questions and chat about your strategy — just let us know!

Website Relaunch: A Guide for Nexus Clients

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You’ve decided to do a site-wide overhaul, but aren’t sure how it will impact SEO. Never fear! We’ve put together a guide to walk you through the critical steps of relaunching your website. If you have specific questions about any of the steps in this list, your Account Manager will be happy to help.

What types of changes have an SEO impact?

Any change to the website has the potential to impact SEO — however, the biggest changes that can impact SEO performance are changes to the parts of the site Google can “read.” We’ll explain a few of the key ones here and how they impact SEO:

URL changes

This is the single biggest thing that can impact your SEO. Your page’s URL is like the page’s name or identity in Google’s mind. If you change the URL without properly redirecting, it would be like handing someone a copy of The Great Gatsby that you had retitled The Roaring 20s Were Wild without letting them know. When their other friends recommend The Great Gatsby (or, in SEO terms, when other sites link to the old URL without a redirect in place), your book recipient wouldn’t know it was the same book you gave them. We want to avoid that!

Changes to H2s,H3s, or image alt text

This can have a negative impact on your best-performing pages, as these are what Google “reads” to understand what the page is about. To continue the book analogy, this would be like trying to understand a textbook without chapters, section headers, or captions. We want to preserve these page elements on the new site so that Google can continue to smoothly understand the site’s content.

Site speed and mobile-friendliness

Google increasingly prioritizes sites that load quickly and are usable for searchers on mobile. Any site relaunch should take the technical performance of the site into account.

Changes that are less important for SEO

Some website elements can provide a better or worse customer experience but have very little impact on SEO. These types of changes include:

  • Using a new blog template (assuming URLs and text formatting is preserved)
  • Adding a chatbot
  • Adding additional calls to action

What needs to be done before the new website goes live?

Set up your robots.txt correctly

After arriving at a website but before spidering it, the search crawler will look for a robots.txt file. If it finds one, the crawler will read that file first before continuing through the page. Because the robots.txt file contains information about how the search engine should crawl, the information found there will instruct further crawler action on this particular site. If the robots.txt file does not contain any directives that disallow a search crawler’s activity (or if the site doesn’t have a robots.txt file), it will proceed to crawl other information on the site.

Read more

Ensure you have a sitemap

You can use an XML sitemap to make sure Google can find and crawl all pages you deem essential on your website. An XML sitemap contains all the important pages of a site to help Google determine its structure.

Read more

Create a redirect plan

Determine the new location for all existing pages on the website so you can put redirects into place after pushing the new website live. Redirects will prevent any loss of existing online authority during the relaunch process.

Read more

Transition tracking and plugins

Bring over any tracking codes or plugins to the new website such as:

  • HubSpot forms or integrations
  • Google Tag Manager
  • Google Analytics (Universal Analytics and/or GA4)
  • Etc.

What needs to be done immediately following the website relaunch?

Check all 301 redirects

Double-check that all 301 redirects are functioning correctly to prevent any loss of online authority or 404 errors. This is the most important step to preserving SEO performance, so don’t skip it!

Ensure noindex and nofollow tags are removed

View your website’s source code to ensure noindex or nofollow meta tags are removed to prevent indexing or crawling issues. This ensures pages can seamlessly show up in search results pages, and that SEO “link juice” is passed correctly through links around the site.

Reindex pages via Search Console

Submit core product and content pages for indexing via Google Search Console to speed up the re-indexing process.

Double-check how Google views your pages

Google provides free tools which measure the speed of a webpage and how it will be rendered by Google’s search crawler. Run your website pages through these tools to identify any page speed issues after your website goes live.

Read more

  • We recommend Google Lighthouse. Learn more about this tool here.
  • Google Search Console can also give you more information about how Google views your page performance, mobile-friendliness, and indexability.

Monitor for issues

Check the website regularly for the first 2 weeks after it goes live to identify any issues that arise during the relaunch process such as:

  • Tracking issues in Google Analytics or external tools
  • Crawl errors in Moz or Google Search Console
  • Indexing issues in Google Search Console
  • Potential manual actions in Google Search Console

Google Analytics 4: Information and Next Steps for Nexus Clients

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What’s Happening

Google has announced that Google Analytics 4 is completely replacing Universal Analytics. Universal Analytics properties (Google Analytics 3) will stop collecting data on July 1, 2023.

If your account manager sent you this resource, this means you’re likely on Universal Analytics (GA3), but if you need to confirm, this Google resource can help you determine which one you’re operating on.

Google Analytics 4 is a big change for how/which metrics are being tracked, the way data is collected, and the interface of the tool. While any big switch like this will involve hiccups, this move is an exciting evolution for the world of web analytics. It enables code-free event tracking, helps fill gaps caused by privacy compliance, and more.

For more information about the differences between Google Analytics 4 and the current Universal Analytics, here are a few helpful resources:

Nexus is here to support the success of your SEO strategy over time, which relies on trustworthy data. So, while we can’t make this migration on your behalf, we’ve put together some resources on what this change means and what next steps are needed.

What Does This Change Mean For My Website Today?

When

While end of life for Google Analytics 3 / Universal Analytics is still far away, starting to track data in a Google Analytics 4 property as soon as possible will be imperative to minimizing gaps in year over year data.

Because Universal Analytics will stop collecting new data on July 1, 2023, you should set up Google Analytics 4 by July 1, 2022 in order to have the fullest data possible.

Who

You may be able to complete these next steps yourself if you have experience setting up GA or working in the back end of your website.

However, you may need support from your web development resource in order to complete the changes outlined in the next section. To make this request simple, we’ve created an email template you can access below that covers what is needed.

What

1) Start Tracking in a Google Analytics 4 Property

You’ll need to use the Google Analytics 4 Setup Assistant to create a new GA4 property that collects data in parallel with your existing Universal Analytics property. There are no changes to your Universal Analytics property, and it will continue to collect data until July 2023.

The setup wizard should make the basic setup a very quick/low-effort task.

Resources

2) Configure Conversions in Google Analytics 4

In Universal Analytics, “goal completions” are how the Nexus team (and likely yourself and other members of your team!) understand the value of marketing efforts that pass through your website. Today, goals on your site may include things like contact us form submissions, demo requests, or webinar signups, and they may be configured either as destination or event goals.

In Google Analytics 4, these are more simply called “conversions,” and they’re measured with an event-based data model, which typically enables a more straightforward, code-free setup process compared to UA.

Option 1 (Simplest)

Use the UA → GA4 Goals Migration Tool to quickly recreate goals from your connected Universal Analytics property as conversions in Google Analytics.

Destination and Event Goals (the most common for Nexus engagements) are eligible for migration using this tool.

Option 2 (Backup)

In some cases, or if you have trouble with the tool, you may need to recreate corresponding versions of your goals manually as conversions in Google Analytics 4. If needed, you can use the following resources.

  • Step 1: Take Stock of Current Goal Tracking (Goal Completions in Google Analytics)
    • If helpful, fill out this  Google Analytics 4: Conversion Setup Worksheet. If you’re not able to fill this out yourself, your Nexus account manager can provide support.
    • A couple of notes on auditing your current setup…
      • You’ll want to ensure any goals being used by Nexus, your marketing team, your website team, or anyone else at your business are brought over to Google Analytics.
      • However, as noted by Google, “Google Analytics 4 adoption provides a great opportunity to confirm which KPIs are important to your stakeholders.” You won’t want to move over goals that are out of date such as “Holiday Purchase 2017”.
      • When in doubt, go ahead and reconfigure a corresponding goal in Google Analytics 4. You can always turn off data collection later, but you won’t have data retroactively.
  • Step 2: Configure Conversions in GA4
    • For each individual conversion, you’ll create/switch on the appropriate conversion event in Google Analytics 4.
      In some cases, you may need to set up a custom event.

Additional Resources

3) Grant Access to Nexus

Finally, please grant edit-level access to analytics@nexusmarketing.com and notify your account manager when this has been completed.

What Will This Change Mean Later?

Between now and July 2023, your account manager will transition reporting on traffic and conversions for your account to Google Analytics 4. But for now, reporting will remain consistent and we’ll continue to rely on information from Universal Analytics.

How Nexus Can Help

Where Can Nexus Support Your Team?

  • Providing high-level guidance to your web developer about what is needed for the switch to Google Analytics 4
  • Advising on current goal setup and how that translates into conversions in Google Analytics 4
  • Troubleshooting on code-free conversion setup in Google Analytics 4
  • Development of traffic and conversion reports in Google Analytics 4 to support our SEO engagement

Where Will Nexus Need Additional Support?

  • Setup of the Google Analytics 4 instance
  • Troubleshooting with data collection in Google Analytics 4
  • Setup of any custom event conversions in Google Analytics 4 that require working with code

Additional Resources

Template to Send to Web Resource

[Contact Name],

As you may know, Google is replacing Universal Analytics with the new Google Analytics 4 tool.

The full replacement won’t happen until next summer, but in order to minimize any gaps in data collection, we’d like to complete the setup one year before Universal Analytics is discontinued. But we need your help in order to make sure transition can occur as seamlessly as possible.

Could you please complete the following by July 1st, 2022?

  • Set up a new Google Analytics 4 property. Use the setup assistant to create a new GA4 property that collects data alongside our existing property.
  • Set up conversions in Google Analytics 4. Use the goal migration tool to import our existing goals as conversions in GA4. You may have to troubleshoot on this one to make sure all goals are migrated correctly.
  • Provide access to the Nexus team. Please grant edit level access to analytics@nexusmarketing.com.

The team at Nexus Marketing (who we work with for SEO) put together this resource with a few more details and considerations for this, which may be helpful. Let me know if you have any questions about what is needed.

Best,
[Your name]

Off-site Content FAQs

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On what timeline can I expect partner posts to go live?

Our clients often want to know when they can expect pieces to go live on partners’ websites. Typically, posts go live within a month of being sent to a publisher.

When a Content Publishing Coordinator (CPC) sends off a piece, it is standard practice to ask for a specific publication date from our partners. In the event that a partner does not provide a specific publication date, the CPC follows up via email every two weeks.

If after 90 days the partner has still not provided a target publication date, the CPC will pull the piece, so it can be repurposed for another partner. Our biggest priority is making sure client content goes live.

How does Nexus find partners that are a good fit?

One of our biggest priorities as a team is to make sure that clients are satisfied with the off-site placements we secure for their content. Nexus has purposefully developed a diverse partnership network that ideally includes industry-appropriate connections, and the CPC team is consistently leveraging current partner relationships to expand the partnership network. 

Ultimately, link building is beneficial for building online authority and other SEO outcomes even when partners may be a little outside of a client’s ideal target audience. However, we do have processes in place to target industry-specific placements for clients who may have a more niche offering. This outreach includes:

  • Specific outreach on behalf of clients to their existing connections
  • Beginning a “chilly outreach” process to leverage client POCs’ relationships within the industry
  • Reaching out to top provider lists. 

What should I expect from partner posts?

Here are elements to expect in partner posts:

  • Long-form educational content covering topics relevant to both client and hosting partner
  • Authority building references to client resources

High-quality, long-form content is more valuable for partners. The two biggest benefits of partner posts are link building and thought leadership development.

  • Link building: educational blog posts appear more natural to Google and generally perform better and can reference a number of different client pages, conveying the partner’s online authority to the client.
  • Thought leadership: high quality educational content helps our clients get in front of audiences that could benefit from their expertise and develop brand recognition with the mission-driven space, both of which are intended to pull new leads into the sales funnel. 

How are topics for partner posts determined?

Topics for partner posts are brainstormed with guidance from the Account Manager and Copywriter based on the expertise of the client. These titles are then aligned with relevant publishing partners so as to show off the client’s industry thought leadership and also fit with their blog’s specific audience needs.

For these external blog posts, we are less focused on keywords than getting the client a diverse backlinking profile to build authority to their website in the eyes of Google.

When we are selecting and pitching titles, we are mindful of what linking priorities have been set by client and their Account Managers, but the topics don’t need to match exactly in order to build links naturally. 

Why have I received a partner post for my blog?

Some of our publishing partners work with us on the condition that they are also able to contribute content to our clients in return. By accepting content on your blog you expand the number of partners you can publish with in turn (note: some of our most high-value partners require reciprocation). If you have questions or concerns about guest posts on your blog, please let your account team or content publishing coordinator know so that we can ensure we’re making good matches between our partners and our clients.

I’ve been asked to review a partner post for my blog, what is needed of me?

Your copywriting team will be uploading the partner blog post once it is approved by you, so all you need to do is give your approval to have it published on your blog. If you’d like, you are welcome to read through it and provide feedback, but this is not considered necessary as the blog post has already been reviewed by a Nexus team member. 

We ask that you approve these pieces in a timely manner, as this is what we require of our partners when we send them your content. Ideally, blog posts will be published within 2 weeks. By our policy, we want no piece to remain in this liminal state longer than 90 days.

Partner Blog Content Types

Partner Blog Content Types

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Types of Partner Content

Branded New Content

  • New educational blog posts written for partners with clear authorship by clients
  • Commonly referred to on the web as a “guest post” or “guest contributor”
  • Helps partners by growing their library of educational content with a new perspective from a client who is an expert on the topic
  • Includes references to other informational web content on the partner’s website, client’s website, and broader industry so that readers can learn more about the topic
  • These articles are anywhere between 1000 – 1800 words in length depending on the partner, client, and subject matter

Unbranded New Content

  • Unbranded new content is an article written for a partner by a client without specific authorship
  • Helps partners by growing their library of educational content on a topic they didn’t have to write themselves without any specific promotion of a client’s brand
  • Includes references to other informational web content on the partner’s website, client’s website, and broader industry so that readers can learn more about the topic
  • These articles are anywhere between 1000 – 1800 words in length depending on the partner, client, and subject matter

Branded Content Refresh

  • The client will significantly improve and expand an existing article on a partner’s site that is outdated
  • These existing articles may have originally been written by the client multiple years ago
  • The client will expand the article with new sections, add or update images, and increase the depth of existing sections
  • Helps partner by improving the quality of existing articles on their website which improves their overall website quality
  • Includes references to other informational web content on the partner’s website, client’s website, and broader industry so that readers can learn more about the topic
  • These refreshes will include anywhere between 1000 – 1800 words of new or improved copy depending on the original article

Unbranded Content Refresh

  • The client will significantly improve and expand an existing article on a partner’s site that is outdated
  • These existing articles were not originally written by the client
  • The client will expand the article with new sections, add or update with new images, and increase the depth of existing sections
  • Helps partner by improving the quality of existing articles on their website which improves their overall website quality without being promotional
  • Includes references to other informational web content on the partner’s website, client’s website, and broader industry so that readers can learn more about the topic
  • These refreshes will include anywhere between 1000 – 1800 words of new or improved copy depending on the original article

Benefits of Different Types of Partner Content

  • Expands the number of possible collaboration opportunities between partners and clients
  • Allows for more balance between new content creation vs. improving existing content and brand promotion vs. pure education
  • Increases diversity in backlink types within the content for clients and partners
  • Enables clients to revise outdated content on partner websites and allows partners to improve the content of their website free of charge
  • Partner content should perform better overall in search which is beneficial for both the partner and the client

How do we use content types?

For Partners

  • When the Content Publishing Coordinator [CPC] you work with sends over the proposed quarterly content calendar, they’ll include the type of content next to each of the suggested topics
  • If the proposed content type isn’t a good fit, let the CPC know and they’ll revise with your feedback incorporated
  • All content types are sent over via the same publishing methods and follow the same publishing schedule
  • If you have any questions, ask your CPC and they’ll be able to provide support

For Clients

  • When the Account Manager [AM] you work with sends over upcoming partner placements, they’ll include the type of content next to each of the suggested topics
  • If the proposed content type isn’t a good fit, let your AM know and they’ll work with the CPC team to revise the opportunity
  • All content types are sent over via the same publishing methods and follow the same schedule
  • If you have any questions, ask your AM and they’ll be able to provide support