SEO Content Marketing Roundup, Week Ending December 7th, 2011

In this week’s Web writing news, the past year is coming to a close while a new year has yet to begin. Betwixt and between the 2011 retrospective and 2012 predictive musings are exceptional news and posts from all reaches of the internet marketing sphere: content, social, SEO and search. Transitional times can make for the most interesting discussions! Catch up with this week’s picks…

Content Marketing

Forget about Cyber Monday – according to comScore data reported by Greg Sterling, it was Cyber Week to the tune of $6 billion. Posted at Search Engine Land’s new sister site, Marketing Land.

So where do SEO and social media fit in your company? (Hint: it’s not about marketing). Via Lee Odden at Top Rank.

MarketingProfs offers a free download of the results of its second annual survey (in partnership with Content Marketing Institute): “B2B Content Marketing: 2012 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends.”

Heidi Cohen posts a chart showing the rise of B2B content marketing with the top content marketing metrics to track.

Featuring input from big companies (Coca-Cola, The Gap companies, and The Grammy Awards) iMedia Connection posts why 2012 is all about measurement.

Twenty CMI bloggers share their votes for the “must-see” content marketing posts of 2011 (from varied sites) via Michele Linn at Content Marketing Institute.

Brad Shorr addresses content strategy within the design process at Smashing (UX Design) Magazine.

Joe Pulizzi addresses whether content marketing is an asset or an expense at Junta42.

Jeff Bullas posts part one (of two) of his beginners’ guide on how to video blog on a budget.

Five easy steps to better buyer profiling are posted at Content Marketing Institute.

Wrapping it up on a lighter note, Ian Lurie posts “Death of an internet marketer” at Conversation Marketing.

SEO & Search

Eric Enge discusses keys to engagement, user generated content (UGC), and SEO at Search Engine Land.

Neil Patel posts a great overview of all the major Google updates influencing rankings at Quicksprout.

Virginia Nussey addresses SEO strategy in light of Google’s 2011 algorithm updates (especially Panda and Freshness) at Bruce Clay.

Josh Giardino tells Google to “stop playing (the jig is still up!)” at Distilled.

Bill Slawski discusses Google’s latest antics and the costs and benefits of making changes at SEO by the Sea.

Aaron Wall posts an infographic depicting how Google killed longtail keywords at SEObook.

Melissa Fach posts a video of Google’s Matt Cutts explaining cloaking at Search Engine Journal.

Mark Jackson discusses how SEO is both science and art is at Search Engine Watch.

SEO Hacker posts how meta tags should be used for SEO.

Finally, Samir Balwani posts the ultimate small business website guide at sitefo

Social Media Marketing

YouTube analytics headlines Social Media Examiner’s weekly news.

Cheryl Burgess discusses social media business trends for 2012 at Blue Focus Marketing.

Gabriella Sannino addresses your social footprint at Level 343.

Mark Schaefer posts the three developments that are sabotaging the social media movement at {grow}.

Ashley Zeckman posts 20 social media do’s and don’ts at Top Rank.

HubSpot posts seven “silly” Google+ business page mistakes (to fix NOW).

Jeff Bullas shares nine steps to “compelling contagious content” for your social media marketing at his blog.

Eight small business social media tips from the pro’s are posted at Social Media Examiner.

Seven tips for better social marketing engagement (via the SMX Social Media Marketing Conference) are shared at Brafton News

Will Google+ overtake Facebook? HubSpot posts the data behind the question.

Bill Slawski posts Twitter differences in different countries at SEO by the Sea.

photo credit to: Smoobs