Here are the top digital marketing data and case studies that caught our eye.

How does Google judge content quality? Study shows brands have advantage

The results suggests content the following key elements help towards ranking highly in Google:
• Ranks highly in search results
• More comprehensively covers the topic
• Easy to read and understand for the average person
• More images and videos
• Generally has a bigger word count
• Includes a greater number of relevant words (ie not just matches for the search term)
View this infographic showing the key findings below:
Content with strong topic knowledge, more visual elements, bigger word counts and more relevant words (not just matches for the search term) are more likely to rank highly on Google…but being a brand also helps, according to new research.

Top agencies on client wish lists: Carat and Mindshare lead the way

When it comes to agency pitches, most brands would like to see Carat and Mindshare on their list, according to a new survey looking into the perceptions of some of the biggest players in the ad industry.

Ad blocking on the rise globally- 5% now censor ads with software

Nearly 5% of all global internet users now use adblocking software, following a 69% surge in installations over the past 12 months, according to a new report.
View the report below:

The six types of social media user: Most Brits ignore brands (infographic)

More than half of Britain’s adult population engaged in social media do little to increase brand interest and create positive associations with brands online, according to new research which has identified the six types of social media user.

Euro and America seasonal trends: What is the international ecommerce market worth to businesses?

Businesses in the travel, retail, leisure and content sectors, could benefit from a global eCommerce export market worth £45bn by 2020, which is three times its current estimated value of £13bn, according to new research. To help businesses capitalise on this opportunity Google created a free Export Business Map which identifies the ten most exciting international markets for UK companies.
The Google Export Business Map looks into the following 10 countries: Germany, USA, France, Austria, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada. For each of these markets, information on internet penetration, web search and online purchasing behaviours is provided, along with other key demographic insights.
View three sample markets (USA, Germany and France) from the report below:

CASE STUDIES

Social CRM case study: How Bosch learned to target select trades on Facebook

Back in 2010, Bosch had a problem- it had two thriving B2B social media platforms but couldn’t determine which manual trades preferred Facebook and which ones visited its bespoke community ‘Bob’. This case study looks at how the electronic tool maker used CRM software to better understand its diverse audience behaviour and market to select trades more efficiently on the right social media channel.
Read this slide presentation explaining how the CRM process worked below:

Maersk social success: How a shipping firm became more popular than Disney on Facebook

A B2B shipping firm doesn’t sound like the most exciting social media brand in the world, but back in 2012, Maersk caught the attention of many (including Facebook itself) after it managed to generate tidal waves of traffic by spinning mundane overseas haulage journeys into tales of high seas adventure. This case study looks at how the firm used a raft of social media platforms to engage with customers… eventually generating more engagement on its Facebook than Disney.

Going viral the B2B way: Sungard prepares IT managers for Zombie Apocalypse

Filling in an online registration form is possibly the most tedious online activity- so how can brands make their customer retention campaigns more fun? IT firm Sungard had the answer: zombies. This case study looks at how a novel approach to selling an Enterprise Disaster Recovery Plan boosted customer reactivations.