Why thematic blogging improves SEO

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Do you want to rank well in Google? Then your site is going to need two things: quality backlinks and great, relevant content. Anyone who knows anything about SEO knows about the importance of backlinks. But most people aren’t aware of the importance of having thematically related content. So much so, that we would say that a lack of thematic content is one of the biggest issues we face when working on client websites. Because, despite having great websites with decent content, they don’t have enough content for Google to associate their site with a particular topic. And, as a result, they don’t rank as highly as they should. That’s why we’re going to take time today to cover the importance of thematic content, why you should blog and the kind of results that you can expect.

From what we’ve seen, and according to the research of other SEO authorities, relevance can be a huge factor in helping smaller website beat larger authorities. If Google thinks that your smaller site is more knowledgeable on a certain topic than a larger site, it will give you priority in the search results.

As a result, it doesn’t matter if you have one great post on a topic. If you have no other related content for that keywords, Google won’t rank you as high as you could. If you create several pieces of supporting content related to that theme, however, and build quality links, then you should see your rankings quickly increase.

How we’ve helped clients improve their thematic SEO

We have helped a number of clients improve their thematic SEO to great effect. There is one client in the auto industry for who that has proved particularly effective. They were ranking high for Porsche-related terms but they wanted to increase their services to cater for Audi, too. They had pages, but because their site was only about Porsche, they didn’t rank well.

Once we had analyzed their site and realized the issue was with a lack of thematic content, we set about creating a blogging package that would make sure Google associated the website for Audi as well as Porsche. The results were fantastic. Over a four-month period, their rankings went from page 2 and 3 to almost all page 1.

1/18/20185/22/2018
Audi Repair Seattle11
Seattle Audi Repair176
Audi Service Seattle259
Seattle Audi Service238
Audi Tuning Seattle135
Seattle Audi Tuning113

 

The site now ranks on page one for all but the most competitive term. And we have no doubt that they will rank on page one for that term too shortly.

This demonstrates just how important thematic content is and why you need to start blogging today.

 

Improve your blogging today

If you think you need help with thematic content, we can deliver results similar to what we have shown above. Our blogging packages are designed to help you rank for more keywords and to help you increase your thematic content. Get in touch today to find out more.

The state of the current Local SEO landscape and the need for additional citations

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Go to a lot of Local SEO agencies and you will be told that when it comes to Local SEO, all you need to do is to submit your website to a couple of the major aggregators to achieve a local map ranking. While this may be true if you operate in an uncompetitive niche, it simply isn’t the case if you operate any other niches. The truth is that if you want to rank properly you’re going to have to get a lot more citations and do a lot more work—or your agency is going to have to work harder for you.

In this article, we will analyze the current state of the local SEO ecosystem and consider why it is important to make sure every single directory is covered and NAPs are accurate and consistent.  

What does the U.S. Local Search Ecosystem look like at the moment

Whitespark and Tidings have worked together to map out the current state of the local SEO ecosystem. From their fabulous work, we can see who the major aggregators of business data are, how each of the major search engines use this data and how that data flows between all of the sites in the ecosystem.

The outcome of their research is the image above. From it, we can see that there are four main data aggregators: Acxiom, Infogroup, Localeze, and Factual. These major players collect and aggregate almost all of the business data out there. Search engines will then license this data to fuel their rankings. But that’s not all. They will also license data from other major sites like Yelp, Foursquare, Facebook, and Yellowpages. On top of that, the search engines will also maintain some data of their own, even if they rely heavily on the aggregators. We can also see that there are quite a number of vertical and geo-specific sites that provide a fantastic source of traffic to local businesses. Most of these will take data from one of the aggregators, but they all use different ones. As such, it is hugely important to make sure that your data is accurate on each of the aggregators and that it is showing up correctly on the niche sites relevant to you.

As you’ll be able to see, if you want to maximize your presence, you’ll need to have the correct business information on each of the major data aggregators, as well as all of the other key sites. Not only that but you’ll also need to make sure that it is displaying correctly on the niche sites that are important to you.

If incorrect information exists on any of these sites it can override the data that Google and other search engines have on your business, leading to duplicate listings and a drop in rankings.

 

We maximize your citations

When we do citations for clients we don’t settle for optimizing for one of the aggregators. Nor do we rely on services like a Yext PowerListing. Instead, we build citations month after month adding up to 300 at a time to ensure that you are completely covered. Get in touch to find out more.

Making a Website That Attracts the Millennial Crowd

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beautiful, creative, daylight

The era now is basically the era of tech savvies and internet dependent kids, who are collectively called as “Millennials.” The world we are in is fast changing and that is okay. Developments and discoveries arise any minute of the day and the reason behind that is we want to make everything more advantageous to us. The younger generations are the prime example of how advanced the world has become.

In this day and age, millennials are the biggest clients that every business ventures want to target. The modern world’s demands have totally become more complex and advanced and this is what every single business should meet up with, and that involves designing a site that fits the millennials’ liking.

Here is how you can attract millennials:

  • FOCUS ON THE MOBILE

    Kids these days can totally forget everything else but their phones. Every survey targeted on millennials show that there is not a single teenager who is not fixated on their phones. Everywhere they go, they always carry their phones. Always. This is a reason why designing a website that is also perfect for mobile use is crucial. Make sure that the site’s design won’t annoy and bore your clients when viewing it using their mobile phones.

  • MILLENNIALS FOR A GOOD CAUSE

    The millennials are not only tech savvy but they are also people who love standing firm to something.  Millennials are not only tech savvy but they also love to stand firm with something they believe in, they have visions and principles that they can uphold with conviction. It will surprise you how much these kids are very much into charitable works. Encourage them to support you by integrating philanthropic causes to your site. This is a way to not only boost your site but to also help those who are in need.

  • APPLY WARM AND ENTICING UNDERTONES

    This is the where the fun part begins. Since we are talking about younger generations here, we are planning on how to make them follow our site.  The most important thing is to cut the all the boring stuff and make the design aesthetically amiable to your biggest clients. It is wise to use designs that looks familiar and appealing to their age. When it comes to published contents, make sure they can relate to it.

  • THE SIMPLER, THE BETTER.

    It is fun to spice things up with extra features and stuff, but the very best tactic is by being straight to the point. You see, people have busy lives and most of them don’t have time to figure out which way out is it in a maze, so cut to the chase.

Catching the attention of the younger generation is truly important considering the fact that they are your biggest market. Yes, they are young and still need to experience a lot of things in their lives but remember, nobody knows the online world better than they do. If truth be told, they are the hope of our future. In our case, the millennials are the hope our websites’ success.

Mobile Websites VS Responsive Websites

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business, computer, device

This article is made for those people who are going crazy over the confusion between mobile websites and responsive websites. One would think that these two are precisely the same thing or some would often wonder what is the difference between the two. The difference between the two is not equivalent to rocket science, it is actually rather simple.

The major difference between a mobile site and a responsive site is their URL STRUCTURE.

According to Christian Stack, an Internet Marketing consultant, “A mobile site exists on either a subdomain of your website’s root domain (m.yourdomain.com, for example) or a completely separate URL than your root domain (yourdomainsmobile.com, for example). While a responsive site is your main site and root domain; it’s just built in a way that allows it to respond appropriately when viewed on a mobile device.”

Basically, a mobile site is like a secondary site or a completely separate site while a responsive site is your main site.

  • Do not be confuse with one over the other. Using mobile sites might pose a lot of dilemmas because if you have two completely different versions of your site online, it can pose major issues such as risk of duplicate content issues.
  • Why is this a risk? Well, if Google will index your site, and if you have two different sites to choose from, Google might get confused on what side should be rightly indexed to its search engines.
  • Having a mobile site means you have two versions of your site, it also means that the content could be different from your main site. This can be awful for your search results and traffic. Having two different versions of your site, you will need to update content in both versions if you are making changes to your site. There are potential for mistakes, and the wrong content can be conveyed to your audience.

Sizing is another difference between mobile and responsive sites.

  • The reason behind creating these sites is the capability to scan contents on a smaller device, like your mobile phone, tablet, or any other devices. When it comes to mobile sites, it is designed to fit these devices with smaller resolutions.
  • If you try to view a mobile site using a desktop, your contents will dwindle and will become unreadable, so it is best to only view it using your mobile devices. In the case of responsive sites, it is designed to fit all existing devices. It can be seen using either your mobile phone or your desktop without affecting the content’s readability.
  • Doing such thing can make your visitors stay longer on your website and there is a greater chance that they will click the web elements found on your site such as call-to-action buttons, clickable phone numbers, and live chat.

The Conclusion

With all the reasons stated above, a responsive site provides a better experience for every user. It can prevent possible SEO nightmares because these sites are found and indexed by Google. Within the Web designing industry, there is an effort to promote mobile-first design.

How Important Is Typography in Web Design?

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blur, book, business

Most of the time, typography is often disregarded as something trivial but if you think about it, it is equally important as the other web elements of your site.

When you visit a website what is the first thing you notice aside from the actual content? Of course, it’s the look of the website including its chosen typefaces. Would you want to explore a website that is disorganized or a website that seems like it hasn’t been thought about seriously? NO!

This is why typography plays a significant role in web design. Typography not only polishes your website to make it look posh and chic. It also says a lot about your brand and your content.

BELOW ARE 7 REASONS THAT WILL PERSUADE YOU THAT TYPOGRAPHY IS IMPORTANT:

  • IT PLAYS A ROLE ON DECISION MAKING

    Something that seems unimportant actually a very crucial role. Typography could either make or break your content. Your readers’ perception on the contents that you publish will greatly affect website activity. Studies have shown that readers prefer some typefaces over the others because they believe that certain texts, with a particular typeface, are more factual and reliable. Choose a typeface that would make an impact to your website and something that would not stress readers.

  • IT TRIGGERS EMOTIONS

    This is the magical powers of typography. It not only influences your decisions, but it triggers emotions. When you see something that looks nice, you will be convinced to check it out. This will encourage people to visit your website often.

  • TYPEFACE RELATES TO YOUR BRAND

    As previously stated, typography is the reflection of your brand. It will give your readers a heads up on what to expect upon visiting your website. They will have an idea on the content of your website and the quality of products that you offer.

  • THE PERFECT TYPEFACE RECEIVES READERS’ TRUST

    Typography sets the overall mood of your website. You have to ensure that the website will make customers feel comfortable in trusting whatever it is you are saying. That’s why it is imperative to make your typeface relatable and professional.

  • TYPEFACE ENHANCES READABILITY

    The focus should NOT be: to make a website look pretty! Complex typefaces could affect the text’s appearances and website visitors may NOT find it readable. The main point of this is that content should be understandable. It shouldn’t make your readers question what they are reading.  Fonts are responsible for the user’s readability so you really have to choose wisely.

  • SECONDARY TYPEFACES ARE ALSO IMPORTANT

    You don’t stop when you find the ONE perfect typeface. A secondary typeface is equally significant because you also need to indicate essential subheadings. It should also scream like your heading. You can opt to use the same typeface, but there should be a distinct difference between the heading and the subheading. This is why the last reason important.

  • TYPE SIZE IS MATTER TOO

    It’s not only the typefaces that are valuable, but also the type sizes.  You want to emphasize certain words and highlight important data for readers to know the key points that support to the topic.

How to Use Hashtags in Promoting Your Website

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Two Man and Two Woman Standing on Green Grass Field

WHAT’S IN A HASHTAG?

  • Before, the pound sign is just another symbol. Now, it’s widely used in creating hashtags on various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and most especially on Twitter highlighting the trending topics online.
  • The truth is that hashtags are NOT just talking about a certain topic in pop culture. A hashtag may also help you to promote your website and its content.

HOW CAN A HASHTAG BOOST YOUR WEBSITE?

  • Before we dig deeper, let us start by discussing the significance of a hashtag. In this day and age of the rampant use of social media, we can say that hashtags have helped in making posts, activities, topics more visible and more accessible to online users despite geographic differences.
  • Since a hashtag is a symbol we affix to a topic that we want to emphasize, or to a topic that we want to reach thousands or even millions of people both locally and internationally, it has been a great promotional tool for content creators to promote their websites or contents.
  • It is basically just typing a hash symbol preceding the topic of choice, and that’s basically it. When online users search for that same hashtag, or even a related topic, your content will be categorized as one of the possible choices, allowing other users to easily see your work.
  • Thus, increasing the chances for others to click on your website and read its contents. In simpler terms, it works like an online filter, which organizes posts for the convenience of the online users. Let’s admit that there are millions of content published each day whether it’s on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and etc. But there are a few pointers that we need to know before we start promoting online.

THINGS TO CONSIDER IN USING HASHTAGS

  • It is important to remember that in using a hashtag in a general sense, especially for promotional purposes, that the characters preceded by the hash symbol should not be separated by a space, there should be no spaces in between those letters or words.
  • It is also important to remember that your chosen hashtags should be related to whatever it is your publishing. Of course, it is common knowledge to use a hashtag that relates to the content that you want to promote. You cannot just use a hashtag that has nothing to do with your content because that will mislead the users. They will not trust you if they will found out that you used a popular hashtag just for promotion.
  • Also, using long hashtags can be a disadvantage because using hashtags that are way too long are not too memorable to online users. That is mainly because, it can sometimes be tiring and hard to remember long phrases so as much as you can use as little words to make it easier for the users to join in.

THE CURRENT WAY TO PROMOTE

These are only some of the most relevant things you need to know about hashtags. It’s the new way to promote your website and its contents. Hashtags help you boost your social media engagement. It also helps you promote your contents in the most modern and convenient method.

What Are Hashtags?

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Two People in a Discussion with Mobile Phones

A hashtag is a tag used on popular social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter,  and Instagram.

THE HASH

  • Back in the days, it’s just a number sign! Now, a hash symbol, (#), is used to highlight a particular word or phrase so that it can easily be seen by others users looking for the exact or similar content. In short, a hashtag is used to automatically classify similar posts or activities for the convenience of online users.

THE FORMAT

  • For example, you want to post a picture on Instagram and you would to highlight the the beautiful sunset in Greece, you can simply type #sunset. To recap, you need to  type the pound symbol and add the topic you want to highlight. MAKE SURE IT DOES NOT special characters like dashes, ampersands, question marks, and exclamation points. Also, hashtags do not support spaces.

Your post organized according to your chosen topic, making it easier for other users who are also searching for the same topic. That is how hashtags work, but there are still things you need to know when using hashtags.

SOME TIPS FOR YOU IN USING HASHTAGS EFFECTIVELY:

  • Starts with hash character followed by other characters.

    • Popular hashtags on Instagram include terms such as: #happy, #photooftheday, #cute, #selfie, #picoftheday
    • You can use your own hashtags aside from these generic ones.
    • A common mistake is that most users include popular hashtags in the description. In the end, their pictures are looking for attention and very unnatural. It won’t many social engagements as expected.

  • There should be a space before the #!

    • There is no space after the pound sign, BUT REMEMBER TO ADD A SPACE BEFORE THE HASHTAG. For example: It’s pourin’ rain! (space) #RainRainGoAway

  • Hashtags do NOT support letters with diacritics, special characters, spaces, and numbers only.

    • So, hashtags like #888 will not work, make sure it has words and numbers. #MTV2018 or #Grammys2018 are great hashtags for recurring events. Names like Renée Zellweger are not allowed as hashtags. You need to transform the “é” to an “e.” It would be something like this: #ReneeZellweger.

  • The wrong application of hashtags can bring about suspensions.

    • Using TOO many hashtags can lead to complications. It diverts your followers from the main point, which is your promoted content.

  • It’s NOT necessary to insert your brand in every hashtag.

    • Your followers will conclude it’s a hard selling tactic. It’s not all the time that you need to promote your business. Sometimes, you are using hashtags to ask your followers, to let them share and interact with other users. After all, that’s what social media is all about. Sharing and collaborating with each other.

Hashtags are a staple.

This article only covers the basics of what hashtags can basically do. Hashtags have become widely used in every social networking website. As you can see in Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, there are a lot of trending hashtags each day. You to use them wisely and not just used them for promotional purposes. If you put too many of them, other users might find it fishy and would doubt your authenticity. Remember to stay true to your brand at all times!

Why a Website Is Better than an App

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app, apple, application

Mobile apps provide convenience  for whenever we are on to the go, but apps are NOT always the best solution. Yes, apps make our life easier because we don’t need to bring our computers to play, to communicate, and to work. We just need to bring a handy phone and we use a variety of apps. Indeed, apps are quick and easy to use for the people on to go, but in this post, I will discuss that there are only 2 reasons to create an app.

First of all, what is an app?

An app is a stand alone program to created for a specific purpose. If an app fails to fulfill a purpose, it is not considered useful. Once you create an app, it needs to provide something a website cannot. If the app you made is a replica of an existing the website, it defeats the purpose.

There are ONLY 2 REASONS why you need an app:

  • The company needs an app for further brand recognition.

    Look at big companies, they create apps for you to gain rewards. It’s their way of paying you back for the years of being loyal to their brand. Of course, it’s also a marketing strategy to get in touch with those loyal customers. They develop apps to make customers love their products more. You DO NOT need to install the app first. The app is just an add on especially if you want to take advantage of the loyalty rewards.

  • The company’s product/service is the app.

    If the app is your business, then, you need to further develop that app. SNAPCHAT mobile app is the perfect example. It’s a fun way to share pictures and over 180 million people have downloaded and used the app. Snapchat is the business itself. It cannot function through a website, but it needs your mobile phone to function.

If none of the two applies, then, you don’t need an app. The truth is that people rarely ever download an app. People are picky and they only download apps that are verified and have established a reputation for themselves Instagram, Snapchat, Messenger, Viber, and etc. If your business is quite small, then, you might want to rethink app development and just focus on the website. If insist on making an app, you must keep in mind that the average retention rate for downloaded apps is roughly 3.2% so you do the math. Basically, if people ever decide to download your app, there is no guarantee that they will continue to use it. They will probably just uninstall it.
Let us not get ahead of ourselves and think that apps are the best thing to jump at because that is not always the case. Sometimes, you just have to improve you website, because people don’t search for “Places to visit in South Korea” in the app store right? They utilize SEARCH ENGINES. Popular examples of it are Google, Yahoo, and Bing and these are websites. Apps are not mandatory to your business. Developing your website should be a priority than creating an app.

5 Infallible Principles Guaranteed to Boost Website Sales

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accomplishment, achievement, adult

Majority of website visitors do not buy on their first visit no matter how much they want your products. They will have second thoughts in transacting online. They might not even come back to visit your website. That’s just how online businesses roll. Sales are not guaranteed once you have a website. You need to tweak your website to be more inviting to its audience.

In this article, I will let you know how to increase your online store’s profits without spending too much money and without going through complicated prodecures. In fact, you don’t need a PHD because boosting your website’s sales can be easy peasy if you follow the 5 tips listed below.

Infallible principles to help increase sales:

  • CHANGE YOUR COLOR SCHEME

    If you think the colors you chose are just for added style, you are definitely wrong. It does not only make your website look better and brighter, but the right choice can help you boost your sales. Using color schemes that appeals to your target market can convince them to try your products out.

  • GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS A TREAT

    If you look closely, shopping sites like ebay and amazon highlight pricing differences. When you click on a particular item, the description would always include the price. It get tricky from here because there are usually two or three prices listed. A product would usually have a list price and an actual price. The list price is always more expensive than the actual price. This will tell your customers that if they buy this item right now, they will take advantage this bargain. This is not to deceive to customers, but you are emphasizing on the price difference. This is an effective strategy that will make the price reduction very obvious and it would be such a waste if they would ignore a great deal.

  • MAKE CUSTOMERS FEEL SAFE

    Your products can look like good, but there’s still a big chance that people won’t bother getting one. Why? They are not of its authenticity. There are a lot of fake deals floating online. Customers are making sure that they getting their money’s worth. This is why it’s important to give your customers the assurance that your website provides high-quality goods and services. Also, give them an estimate on when products arrive at their doorstep and provide further explanation regarding the product’s warranty.

  • START A BLOG

    Blogging is a great strategy because you can highlight your products through it. You can provide instructional videos on how to properly use, care, and store your products. You can also share different tips and uses for it. Plus, through blogging, people know about your products. Once they read a positive review online, they will curious on that product and they will try it themselves. Blogging is also a way for you to address concerns of your existing and prospective clients.

  • LIMIT THE CHOICES

    You may think that providing your customers with limitless options is great. The truth is that it’s not. It will confuse them. They will not know what to pick. Better to limit their options.  Provide a list of your bestselling products, list gifts for him (or her), list buying guides. It’s NEVER about the quantity, but it’s about the quality of your products.

5 Tips to Increase Your Web Design Agency’s Productivity

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achievement, adult, agreement

In web design, we are expected to always deliver results efficiently!

To create a productive website, you need to learn to juggle work and deal with the limited time to complete the project,  budget, and human resources.

How to boost a web design agency’s productivity?

Follow the tips below to help deal with budget constraints, staying informed, and coordinating with your teammates.

  • USE CRM

    What is a CRM? It means CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT.
    In any business, the most important thing is always the customers. How you deal with your customers and meet their expectation can get greatly your web design business. This is why it is necessary for businesses to use a CRM. It organizes your customer’s information, contact details, and many more. It will help you to put things in order and it will make your transactions smoother.

  • BE INFORMED

    Before you start to aimlessly design and create something, know the details of the project first. When asked to design website for a particular online store, you will first need to talk to your client first. Hear what they have to say. Consider what they like before you give your expert opinion. Know what you are up against before you deal with a huge project. That way, you will have a plan on how to approach the situation. You need to know the littlest details to properly strategize the best forms, pages, and designs for your clients.

  • BE ORGANIZED

    In this part, you will be able to learn how to properly manage your design. Manage the individual departments of your web design company, from sales, designing, to the actual operations. The 3 project management tools below will help you organize and set up different tasks for different departments.

    • TEAMWEEK – An amazing management tool that works well like a relay. It can be used across different departments and you will have access to the whole history of a project. As the head, you will know its progress from day 1 until it’s 100% complete.
    • TRELLO – This is best for team members who are working from different locations. Geographic locations won’t be a problem. You can wherever you are with Trello.
    • WRIKE – Highly recommended if you are in one department and the members could easily create project workflows.

  • DELEGATE EFFECTIVELY

    Assign responsibility to the different members of your team. It’s not the time to work individually. A team should have a unified goal. To take note of the different tasks, you should use the project management tools mentioned earlier. Every one on the team knows what to do.

  • KNOW YOUR PRIORITIES

    Learn know what the urgent tasks and what tasks can be pushed back. As a design agency, there are a lot of tasks to keep in mind, from planning to actually designing the project. To perform your duties effectively, you should have the initiative to work on the important ones first then deal with the trivial details later.

The reality is: the web design business is tough. There are a lot of competent design agencies out there that are booming in the market. If you want to be on top of the leaderboard, follow these guidelines carefully.