In today’s digital marketing world, trends and tools are constantly evolving and changing to appeal to the consumer – whether that be through social media, internet, television, or third-party applications (and this is just touching the surface). While the need for marketing has been and always will be essential – the way that businesses market their products and services, as well as what platforms they’re using, has changed drastically.
We use Google daily. When we need to know something quick, it’s the first resource we think of. Have you ever wondered how Google determines what information and which sites to present to you first? Often, we supply even the vaguest of terms and still receive detailed and helpful search results that get us the answers or information we want.
So how does Google do it? Algorithms. These algorithms search for key components or material from web pages and organizes them into relevant search results. For many new or smaller businesses, hacking these algorithms can be a bit difficult. The easiest place to start is through Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is an organic way to give your brand the boost it needs and to refine your search result placement.
Here are 3 ways to improve your SEO results and bring your website to the top of a search:
Images are a great way to keep your audience interested. Approximately 65% of individuals are visual learners, meaning they search for visuals or remember things best from visual representations. This is your chance to appeal to both audiences. Make sure that your image is relevant to your company and the page it’s on. The size of the images you use can also make or break user interaction with your site. Larger images don’t only take away from the meat and potatoes of your site, but they also take longer to load. Always remember the 8-second rule: if your site takes longer than 8 seconds to load, 50% or more of visitors will leave.
Another essential to differentiating your page amongst others is the use of keywords. This one might sound simple but take this into consideration. Is what your sharing revolutionary? Have others already discussed the topic? Most likely, yes. Find a way to tie keywords together in a way that connects similar topics or take advantage of new hot topics. If you’re one of the first to share insight on a new topic, you’ll have a competitive advantage over others late to the trend.
With over 2.5 billion people in the world owning a smartphone, mobile web pages have become increasingly relevant. If your website isn’t mobile friendly, a good majority of your audience may turn away and search for another site that is. Most website building platforms allow you to toggle between both and offer simple and easy to use layouts that make it easy for people to find what they’re looking for. Always make sure that your website performs well on a mobile device, and that everything formats correctly. If it’s all out of order and scattered, you risk losing all connections with your mobile audience.
If you follow these three tips, you’ll have a head start in optimizing your search engine results. Though there are more helpful tricks and benefits that SEO can have to your web page, starting here will help you establish your brand and increase your engagement.
At Traffic Jams, we specialize in web design, SEO, social media and content creation. If you’re searching for more ways to improve your SEO performance and increase your visitor’s engagement, give us a call at (855) 859-9998 or email us at sales@trafficjams.com.
Mobile optimization is something that savvy webmasters and business owners have been doing for years. But, with the recent Google algorithm update that actively penalizes unresponsive sites, designing for handheld devices is no longer optional. It’s a necessity if your business intends to compete online.
More people are searching for products and services from handheld devices, with tablets and smartphones leading the pack. In addition, at just over 8%, tablets drive conversion rates that rival those generated by PC users. What does that mean for you as a business owner?
Simple: if your website isn’t responsive, you’ll lose out on potential customers as Google won’t include your non-mobile site in mobile search results. But, having a mobile friendly site isn’t enough. You still need to provide a seamless experience to your audience…regardless of the device they’re using.
We’re here to offer you 10 mobile optimization tips that will not only ensure that you’ll be included in mobile search results but, help you provide a better user experience for your audience. No matter what kind of device they’re on.
Test your site: The first thing you’ll want to do is test your site for mobile compatibility using Google’s Mobile Friendly Test. It generally takes less than 30 seconds and will give you a clear cut answer as to whether you site is, or isn’t, ready for viewing on handheld devices. If your site isn’t mobile friendly, don’t worry – we have plenty of solutions that can help you get up to speed without any coding involved,
Install a mobile responsive theme.
Businesses are encouraged to have an online presence, and we strongly agree with that. However, having a website is no good if you don’t maintain it and keep up to date with changes. Google has recently announced one such change.
Time to Gear Up:
On April 21st 2015 Google will be altering its search algorithm to include whether or not websites are mobile friendly. From this date, if your website is not mobile friendly it may suffer SEO rankings compared to your competitors who do have mobile optimized sites. One of the first things you need to do, before anything else, is to establish whether or not your current website is set up for mobility.
The quickest way to do this is to use Google’s own mobile testing form- available here: Google Mobile Friendly Tester. Another way you can find out if you are set up for mobility is by using Google’s very own Webmaster Tool. Within this tool there is a section called ‘Search Traffic’, and within that you will find ‘Mobile Usability’. The Mobile Usability section will give you details on the number of pages on your site that have issues, and the specific issues encountered by Google’s crawlers on those pages. Visit Webmaster tools, via this link: Google Webmaster Tools.
Don’t Feel Like Optimizing?
If you think optimizing for mobility is a waste of corporate time and money, here are 21 reasons as to why you, sir, are in the “no-no”.
It is no longer a question whether or not you should optimize your website for mobile users, you ultimately must. If you still need some convincing, here are 5 solid reasons you should consider: