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Masterclass is valued at more than $800 million.
It's well known for attracting teaching talent like: Shonda Rhimes, Spike Lee, Aaron Sorkin, Stephen Curry, Simone Biles & more.
But what also should be applauded is the masterclass they're putting on re: content & SEO. [THREAD]
![Masterclass is valued at more than $800 million.It's well known for attracting teaching talent like: Shonda Rhimes, Spike Lee, Aaron Sorkin, Stephen Curry, Simone Biles & more.But what also should be applauded is the masterclass they're putting on re: content & SEO. [THREAD]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EY95-f6WAAENFbY.jpg "Masterclass is valued at more than $800 million.It's well known for attracting teaching talent like: Shonda Rhimes, Spike Lee, Aaron Sorkin, Stephen Curry, Simone Biles & more.But what also should be applauded is the masterclass they're putting on re: content & SEO. [THREAD]")
It's well known for attracting teaching talent like: Shonda Rhimes, Spike Lee, Aaron Sorkin, Stephen Curry, Simone Biles & more.
But what also should be applauded is the masterclass they're putting on re: content & SEO. [THREAD]
You can't deny their results folks...
Organic Traffic: ~1.5-2M Visitors
Referring Domains: 12,000
Facebook: 1.7M Followers
Instagram: 2.1M Followers
YouTube: 654,000 Subs
Twitter: 58,000 Followers
So how are they doing it?
Celeb power? Yes.
But that's not it...
Organic Traffic: ~1.5-2M Visitors
Referring Domains: 12,000
Facebook: 1.7M Followers
Instagram: 2.1M Followers
YouTube: 654,000 Subs
Twitter: 58,000 Followers
So how are they doing it?
Celeb power? Yes.
But that's not it...
Some of the marketing efforts they're nailing:
> Search Engine Marketing
> Intent Based Content Marketing
> Storytelling w. Social Media & Paid
> YouTube Pre-Roll (You've seen them)
> Facebook Advertising & Remarketing
> Search Engine Marketing
> Intent Based Content Marketing
> Storytelling w. Social Media & Paid
> YouTube Pre-Roll (You've seen them)
> Facebook Advertising & Remarketing
They're nailing "Top Of The Funnel" content.
Ranking in the top 3 for things like:
> What is a shallot?
> How to cook short ribs
> How to make soft pretzels
> How to cook over easy eggs
All perfect segues for selling a cooking course.
Ranking in the top 3 for things like:
> What is a shallot?
> How to cook short ribs
> How to make soft pretzels
> How to cook over easy eggs
All perfect segues for selling a cooking course.
The difference between Masterclass' content and recipe bloggers is this 
They don't share a story about how they ate their very first soft pretzel with their dad at a Yankees game in 1997.
They get straight to educating.
They don't share a story about how they ate their very first soft pretzel with their dad at a Yankees game in 1997. They get straight to educating.
Or at least... They get straight to educating after using this banner to convince you that it's worth signing up.
But this isn't the best part.
The Masterclass team understands that people want:
Easy, Homemade, Soft Pretzels.
So they inject these words all over the article. In the headers, in the title and in the body. All without coming off as a keyword stuffed page.
The Masterclass team understands that people want:
Easy, Homemade, Soft Pretzels.
So they inject these words all over the article. In the headers, in the title and in the body. All without coming off as a keyword stuffed page.
The media loves to link to them.
They've been featured in the NY Times (6x), Forbes (16x), The Guardian (4x), BusinessInsider (31x), CNBC (11x), LA Times (9x), I could go on... But you get the point.
They create LINKABLE content & stories.
They've been featured in the NY Times (6x), Forbes (16x), The Guardian (4x), BusinessInsider (31x), CNBC (11x), LA Times (9x), I could go on... But you get the point.
They create LINKABLE content & stories.
Ok. Let's say you're not sold after reading an article.
This is where remarketing comes in. Whether you go scroll through Facebook or watch the latest YouTube video - Masterclass is reaching you with remarketing ads.
Brilliant ads at that.
Just take a look at this...
This is where remarketing comes in. Whether you go scroll through Facebook or watch the latest YouTube video - Masterclass is reaching you with remarketing ads.
Brilliant ads at that.
Just take a look at this...
This pre-roll ad with @GordonRamsay starts brilliantly.
He cuts an onions. Then says "Watch carefully".
That's the hook. You've completely forgetting about the Tasty video you were going to watch and are now dreaming about creating this dish for your loved ones.
He cuts an onions. Then says "Watch carefully".
That's the hook. You've completely forgetting about the Tasty video you were going to watch and are now dreaming about creating this dish for your loved ones.
But here's the best part:
They've applied the same blueprint for every topic.
> Writing & Literature
> Business & Sales
> Sports & Games
> Film & TV
Create AMAZING top of funnel content and optimize it for both conversion and organic traffic.
They've applied the same blueprint for every topic.
> Writing & Literature
> Business & Sales
> Sports & Games
> Film & TV
Create AMAZING top of funnel content and optimize it for both conversion and organic traffic.
The best part? SEOs will hate this..
But they'll never lose traffic because of an "Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness" update.
Who knows 3pointers better than Steph Curry? Who knows omlets better than Ramsey? Who knows writing better than Rhimes?
Exactly.
But they'll never lose traffic because of an "Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness" update.
Who knows 3pointers better than Steph Curry? Who knows omlets better than Ramsey? Who knows writing better than Rhimes?
Exactly.
Still not sold?
Fast forward a few weeks...
You see this post (in Collab w. @Forbes)on the Masterclass Instagram account telling you to gift your mom a subscription because ya'll...
She deserves it!
This is reactive storytelling at its best.
Fast forward a few weeks...
You see this post (in Collab w. @Forbes)on the Masterclass Instagram account telling you to gift your mom a subscription because ya'll...
She deserves it!
This is reactive storytelling at its best.
One of the best content launches I've seen in recent history was the way they promoted their gardening class.
The timing was perfect.
> Everyone quarantined
> People want hobbies
> Gardens are boomin'
> The sun is shining
The content even hooked me: https://twitter.com/TheCoolestCool/status/1257328405130903554
The timing was perfect.
> Everyone quarantined
> People want hobbies
> Gardens are boomin'
> The sun is shining
The content even hooked me: https://twitter.com/TheCoolestCool/status/1257328405130903554
One thing that Masterclass does right is they don't just press publish on a new course and call it quits.
They embrace content distribution. From Twitter & Facebook to YouTube and blogging - they distribute their content like wildfire.
More here: https://twitter.com/TheCoolestCool/status/1228010347690385410
They embrace content distribution. From Twitter & Facebook to YouTube and blogging - they distribute their content like wildfire.
More here: https://twitter.com/TheCoolestCool/status/1228010347690385410
In just a couple days they used their content distribution strategies to promote Ron Finley & his gardening course...
It took off. Look at that spike!
That's powerful.
That's content shaping culture.
It took off. Look at that spike!
That's powerful.
That's content shaping culture.
It will be interesting to see how the brand evolves over time as they build their content moat. I'll be diving deeper into their strategy on the @FoundationIncCo blog.
Don't miss it. Subscribe here: https://content.foundationinc.co/insights-2
Don't miss it. Subscribe here: https://content.foundationinc.co/insights-2
