Unless you’ve been living in a cave you’ll know Google launched it’s (latest) fledgling social network Google + late last year. It received mixed reactions and to begin with was mostly populated with SEOs and people from the tech industry. That has changed now and plus is getting more main stream traction. Cue Google Search, plus Your World:
I’m going to go ahead and assume that you are aware of last weeks SOPA protests that resulted in several of the internet’s largest properties self-censoring in protest. While the internet lit up with debate and discourse about the potential moral, financial and ethical dimensions of the SOPA bill, us SEO types had a very different reaction to the protest.
It’s an opportunity to run studies and gather some sweet sweet data.
It has been recently reported that Google is now testing search and display varieties of a cost-per-lead ad setup that would allow advertisers to contact interested users by phone and e-mail. Interestingly, searchers will have the chance to enter their e-mail address straight in to search results which would then be passed on as a lead to the advertising firm. Once the advertising company has the user’s details they can then make contact and advertise them a particular product. Continue reading
Hot news has come in regarding an exciting new Google site called What do you love? (www.wdyl.com). It is apparently a new Google site trying to create an integrated user interface to search across Google’s channels.
The idea is to direct users to a solitary page of applicable results across many of Google’s applications for any inquiry entered into the wdyl search box. The search button is even designed as a heart so there’s no excuses for you not to love it!
Overall the best queries are for wide-ranging terms rather than specific ones. For searches on “Sunshine” you’ll discover pictures of the sun, patents about sunshine, sunshine on Google Trends, videos on sunshine, books about sunshine, and the list continues. Continue reading
When it comes to SEO, many clients have different reasons why they rank for certain keywords. On many occasions, clients will base their keyword choices on the search volumes they generate. However, clients don’t really care about search volume unless they sell CPM based advertising. What is important is that the keywords they target generate a high conversion rate.
Sadly, many agencies are notorious for letting clients hear what they want to hear and unfortunately allow them to dictate a path doomed for failure. In comparison, affiliates have a much clearer understanding of keyword optimisation. Affiliates will usually target conversion-centric keywords, because if pages don’t convert into sales, then they don’t get paid. It really is that simple.
Furthermore, if you are merchant and you “own the cart,” it’s generally advised that you use your own custom built solution. It’s also recommended that you track the original keyword that a customer used to land on your website and then write it into a cookie. As soon as they complete a transaction, simply write it to the database and then run a daily, weekly or monthly report on those numbers.
Which leads to the question, are you chasing keywords for visibility, or are you chasing them for conversions?
In the world of SEO, high quality content can really help you gain some fantastic links. Below are 5 top SEO copywriting tips to help improve your link baiting strategies. Also with the latest Google Panda update, you’ll have to pay close attention to the content that you are submitting as it can affect your site’s rankings. So, sit back, take note and watch your links grow!
1. Write for Power Skimmers
In today’s fast moving world, many people don’t have the time to read every single page of content, and instead choose to scan online material. Therefore, images, layout and colour need to stand out and catch the reader’s attention. Remember, it’s about finding the balance between high quality content, eye catching colours and images that pull the reader in to your article and click on your link!
Photo: PA
Facebook is one of the world’s largest growing companies and it comes as no surprise that a huge part of the business is advertising.
One angle Facebook is keen to deliver upon is the launch of real time ads.
Whereas hundred’s of major brands are now active on the site, Facebook’s advertising platform still seems far more popular with advertisers hawking ‘interesting’ products and services, or attracting users to their Facebook apps.
Could that change?
In the long term Facebook will definitely change in order to create a sustainable long-term company. Facebook’s one aim may be to use its collected data to enable it to help advertisers unite with consumers in a much more targeted approach than ever before.
This could transform into the real possibility of Facebook delivering real-time ads focused on the online conversations its users are having when they’re having them, an idea confirmed by AdAge’s Irina Slutsky:
“Users who update their status with ‘Mmm, I could go for some pizza tonight,’ could get an ad or a coupon from Domino’s, Papa John’s or Pizza Hut”.
As it stands, Facebook has everything it needs to launch such an advertising campaign. With a huge audience, whose desires and intentions are potentially commercial in nature, it creates an opportunity for Facebook to launch relevant advertising at the very moment needs, desires and intentions surface.
However, it is far too early to predict whether s real-time ads will become successful. In any case, data mining isn’t perfect, and what may appear like the perfect time to target a consumer with an ad might not necessarily be the case.
For example: a status update about a family member losing his or her house being is probably not the time to pitch an ad for a mortgage, yet conceivably a status update mentioning ‘house’ could trigger such an ad.
However, Facebook has a lot to consider before launching real time ads. Interestingly, If Facebook users begin to notice that their status updates and conversations create more advertising, many might have second thoughts about what they actually share. An outcome that goes against the very reason why Facebook was created.
Many companies are experiencing the benefits of the World Wide Web by launching foreign language sites to contact possible customers from every nation. It’s also important that your main foreign language websites is SEO (search engine optimized) friendly, in order to produce steady, constant traffic – and this contains link-building.
What is link-building I hear you ask….. Well for those of you who don’t know let me please explain… Link building is an internet marketing strategy which allows online companies to increase their rankings in the search engine results pages (SERPs) by getting links back to their website. This can be easily done through a range of techniques, such as online comments, article placements and directory entries. The reason for this is simple. Links establish connections between websites and are the general routes that search engines use to find their way to and index websites.
So, by constantly publishing posts or writing articles in related online publications with a link back to your site, you’ll increase your Google rank position for your website. What is so great about having multilingual websites is that the process works the same in any language.
This does mean however that you’ll of course, have to design content and listings in the relevant language, and if you are not fluent in that particular language then you may have to require the services of someone that does. So, before you begin on your multilingual link building journey, here are five tips to consider….
1. Quality over quantity
It’s vital that you invest time in creating quality content for high ranking sites rather than piles of low-value content as search engines take into account the relevance and authority of the sites which are linking to you,. For articles, make sure the information is of value and up-to-date. Remember, your business’s name is at stake and the articles you are creating need to reflect the high standards your company is striving towards.
2. Know what you’re talking about
Keep up-to-date with the latest industry news and developments. This will help you also get an insight into the varying interests of different language markets.
3. Repetition, repetition, repetition……
Interestingly, Google doesn’t penalise you for duplicating content in a different language. So, rather than having copy-writers producing content for language, you can save a lot of time and cash by simply translating your original content into your chosen languages.
4. Culturally sensitive pitching and content
Know your foreign audience. Informal pitching etiquette and writing styles of the UK and US may not be welcomed in Japan or Germany, so research your market.
5. Multilingual link-building in a SEO nutshell
Link building techniques and strategies may take time to implement but the rewards from an SEO perspective make it worth it. Creating back-links to your translated websites is important but so is the content you produce. The most effective way to increase the SERP rankings of your website is by building back-links – so if you’re not already looking at a multilingual link-building strategy, making use of web directory submissions and article placements, then there’s no time like the present! What you waiting for?
If truth be told, with Facebook storefronts still in their infancy, there are only a handful of commerce success stories around. However, it seems this is due to change. You see, many people don’t really consider Facebook as a transaction avenue, particularly since intermediary Facebook storefront software packages do not permit business within Facebook. Nevertheless, there are still many fantastic causes to set up shop on your Facebook Page.
For example, Facebook users are able to browse your products prior to landing on your website. This is great because it allows fans to publicise the word about specific products and direct traffic from Facebook to product pages on your website.
It’s really simple to start applications like Storefront Social or Payvment, and there’s a possibility that your current e-commerce software provides a Facebook storefront at no extra cost. Below is one such company that has successfully included stores into their Facebook pages and reaped the financial rewards.
BabyAndMeGifts.com advertises gifts for mothers and babies. Owner Jacquelyn Myers uses her Facebook storefront to advertise her most popular products on the site, which excels next to the deals and incentives that the business provides on its Facebook Page.
Myers’s Facebook store is powered by BigCommerce, the exact software that runs her e-commerce store. She is able to exhibit her catalog on her Facebook Page at no extra charge, and users are steered to her main site to finalise their purchase. This is different from other storefronts that allow users to checkout within Facebook.
“It is an easy way for my customers to begin to shop at BabyAndMeGifts.com,” Myers says. “It gives them a quick overview of what is available to purchase at BabyAndMeGifts.com. They are able to click on a product to learn more about it.”
Amazingly, BabyAndMeGifts.com credits about 50% of all online sales to its Facebook Page.
“It is a great way to stay in front of customers. I believe it has been as effective as e-mail marketing for BabyAndMeGifts.com,” she says.
So, although Facebook storefronts are still relatively new, there are companies like BabyAndMeGifts.com that have already begun to reap the rewards. With this in mind, it seems only a matter of time before many other commerce businesses begin to take note and boost their sales figures through Facebook storefronts!
Google has recently launched Adwords Rules, an innovative feature which lets you pause, start or adjust bids at campaign, adgroup and keyword level.
Google’s latest exciting feature allows advertisers to automate various aspects of their AdWords account, from budget changes based on campaign-level metrics to pausing keywords based on cost and conversion data.
In an automated nutshell, Google’s newest feature can be used to change status, bid price or budget and allow you to run the tool at specific times .
So, what does it mean for search marketers?
Rest! Well, sort of. In the past, many search marketers would have to drink numerous cups of coffee just to stay awake so they could physically activate campaigns at midnight. This is because various short term promotions are activated to start at the witching hour to connect with planned changes on the clients website, or the start of broadcast TV and radio projects. For advanced search users, it will mean their lives are made easier and in a world that is constantly evolving and technology constantly improving, this can only be positive addition for large and small advertisers.
