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Thoughts from Blend Interactive
One of Blend’s core values is a dedication to advocacy and progress — to expand upon and give back to the community that fuels us. This is where those thoughts live.
Search Results List
Episode 8: Gather Insight From Your Metrics (w/ Jon Crowley) Off-site link
Corey and Deane talk about the first time they tracked analytics on their blogs in the early 2000s. Then, Jon Crowley, Senior Vice President of Strategy at Diamond Marketing Group, talks to us about the balance between data and insights — how to focus on questions rather than raw numbers, how to look for answers rather than “trying to be correct,” and a when we can take data at face value. (He also gives us a tour of his shoe collection.)
Episode 7: Know Your Content (w/ Paula Ladenburg Land) Off-site link
Corey and Deane talk about Blend CEO Karla Santi’s recent selection as Small Business Person of the Year for South Dakota. Then, Paula Ladenburg Land, author of The Content Inventory and Audit Handbook and principal at Strategic Content LLC, joins the podcast to talk about content inventories and content audits, including what separates the two, when and how to worry about auditing, and her first ever content inventory, which arrived as a spreadsheet on one-and-a-half inches of printed paper.
Episode 6: Identify Outcomes and Expectations (w/ C. David Gammel) Off-site link
Corey and Deane talk about understanding the audiences of the The Web Project Guide book, and the concept of predicate knowledge. Then, C. David Gammel, author of Online and On Mission, joins the podcast to talk about how to prioritize outcomes when stakeholders all have their own interests, understanding the expectations of those who use your website, and how to best introduce domain knowledge.
Episode 5: Identify Your Audiences (w/ Erika Hall) Off-site link
Corey and Deane talk about Bleachers, music producers, and how understanding your audience increases effectiveness. Then, Erika Hall, author of Just Enough Research, joins the podcast to talk about interviewing the people who will visit your site — how to frame interviews, effective incentives, and the difference between researching assumptions versus learning about your users.
No CMS Is a (SEO) Magic Bullet: A Quick Guide on SEO Within the CMS
A common misunderstanding is that one CMS is better at SEO than others. The success of your SEO relies on more than just your platform - it relies on content, plugins and the algorithm.
Why Planning Matters
Web teams need plans. Ongoing planning can result in higher ROI, improved long-term site health and an optimized experience for editors and site visitors.
Digital Optimization is for Marketers
The expectations and demands of digital marketing managers have increased dramatically. Account Success Manager Taylor Lopour talks about how digital optimization can help.
Adapting to Disruption
In web, it’s been one for change, adaptation, and innovation. And 2020 has been a year of change.
A Glossary of Site Search Terms
Better understand the scope of your site search with this site search glossary.
Understanding Site Search — Part Four: Choosing the Right Solution
How do you choose the right search engine for your site search? In part four of our site search series, we look at making the final decision.
Beyond Blend.
Blend doesn’t just write here: we also write books, create videos, and dive deep into our individual disciplines. Check out some of our external sources of knowledge.
The Web Project Guide
A phase-by-phase look at the web design and development process, providing context to each step.
Coding with Bob
A YouTube series by our director of development, focusing on .NET coding and Optimizely development.
Eating Elephant
A blog about content strategy, information architecture, and understanding user needs.