Online marketers have been using infographics and other graphics in their content marketing programs for a while now – B2B marketers too. But there’s one online marketing tool that’s been making a big difference for B2B marketers: SlideShare.
We’re so used to seeing presentations at work that we tend to value them over other online content. So we give them more weight than anything else we see online. SlideShare’s stats certainly prove that, with over 60 million unique visitors per month. Impressive numbers that any B2B marketer would want to tap into.
Here are six ways to optimize your SlideShare content so that you can maximize your SlideShare opportunities.
1. Use your keywords & phrases strategically
While the content in each slide isn’t indexable by search engine bots, the file names, titles, and descriptions of your SlideShare are indexable. You’ll rank higher for your keywords and phrases by including them in these strategic places.
- Use it in the filename when you upload your presentation.
- Include them into your presentation’s title and description.
- Add them to the tags as well; in particular, choose your main keyword as the first tag.
2. Design a killer title page
The title page is what visitors see in your presentation’s thumbnail, so maximize its potential for clicks. You do that with bold colours, compelling images, and a great title. If it gets lots of clicks, SlideShare will feature it on their homepage, winning you even more clicks.
Jesse Desjardin’s most popular SlideShare is about how to create killer presentations. He uploaded it over two years ago, and it’s enjoyed more than two million views. That title page is just the first reason why.
Canadian examples
3. Include killer content
The second reason why Jesse’s presentation has over 2 million shares is that it includes informative, easy-to-follow content. Jesse shares his best tips on presentations in an entertaining fashion that makes his point. Do this with your B2B presentations and it’ll get more shares too.
4. Vary your presentation content
Reach a wider audience by uploading different presentations to SlideShare, which includes both different content and presentation length.
One thing to consider is creating longer presentations. For some reason, longer content performs better on SlideShare than shorter content. Is it because viewers are conditioned to expect more in-depth information in presentations than say, in a video? Or do Slideshare readers crave lengthy explanations of business lessons/models they want to learn from?
Examples
- Guy Kawasaki’s 31-page SlideShare on how to create the perfect social media post
- Michael Serbinis’ 69-page SlideShare on entrepreneurship, inspiration, and LEAGUE Inc., his new company.
5. Uncover your best content
SlideShare recently rolled out their analytics tools to all users, so now you can figure out which of your B2B content is getting the best reaction. Then create more of that content. Use what’s available to right now in order to get more value out of your decks.
6. Create teaser presentations
Part of the reason you’re creating presentations is to generate more buzz and website traffic for your B2B firm. You can do this more easily by creating a teaser presentation. That’s where you take the highlights of a longer presentation and create a smaller one that includes what HubSpot calls a “call for more content.”
You’re already familiar with a call to action; a call for more content takes that idea to the next level. Ensure your CTA is clear, provocative and unique.
On the final slide of your teaser presentation, include a “Learn More” link that takes them to a landing page on your website. There, you can ask for visitor information before sending them the full presentation.
It works for two reasons:
- You’re capturing the information of your leads on your website.
- You’re not alienating those readers who hate gated content, since you’re giving away a part of your information for free.
You end up building relationships with both groups of readers, which can be of use to you in the future.
Example
HubSpot does this well in this presentation. Not only is there a Learn More button on each page, but the second last page invites readers to download the full report they mention throughout the presentation.
Try it out
Creating content that your B2B readers want to enjoy and share is always a challenge. Start by showing up where they do, like on SlideShare. You’re already creating presentations every day for your business, so why not appropriate them for your online marketing programs too? Use these tips to optimize each upload you do, and you’ll start to see a difference.
