Within the e-commerce industry, the global market expected to rise this 2022 to a whopping $5.55 trillion. And that figure is only expected to grow over the next couple of years.

If you’re looking to turn your business into an e-commerce business in the upcoming weeks or months, then it’s important to take into consideration the steps that you need to take for your business to take off on the right foot.

Thankfully, we’ve compiled in this article a shortlist of steps to ensure that your e-commerce business is optimised for both conversions and SEO. Let’s take a look.

1. Start with Optimising Your Homepage

Everything starts with the homepage. One of the most visited pages on your website, it’s important to ensure that everything on your homepage is optimised and working. The last thing you want‌ is to have one of the links in your navigation menu to lead potential clients to a 404 error page.

But what, exactly, on the homepage do you need to make sure is optimised?

Put All the Important Information Above the Fold

Content that is considered “above the fold” is usually any and all the content at the top of a page, before one starts scrolling. Here it’s recommended that you put in all the important information, such as your branding logos, navigation and search bars, shopping cart, contact information, and primary call-to-action.

If your website at the top of the page has a banner (often called the hero banner), one best practice is to make sure that the hero banner contains the pain point that you’re trying to solve for your customers. That way they’ll know right away if you’re business is one that can solve their problem.

Primary Call-to-Action

Often attached to that hero banner is a call-to-action. It’s here that you put in the number one thing you want your visitors to do once they land on your homepage.

Whether that’s to subscribe to your mailing list, register for a course, avail of a flash sale, or start browsing through your products, you want that message front and center for visitors to see the moment your homepage finishes loading.

Optimise Your Loading speed

Speaking of loading speed, this is a major factor in your SEO rankings. Slow loading speeds usually result in higher bounce rates. And bounce rates are a huge element in determining your search engine ranking. A good loading speed for any website is usually between 0-3 seconds.

Optimise Homepage Title Tag, Meta Description and Images

All of the above are important elements in search engine optimisation. Make sure that all these elements on your website and web pages contain relevant keywords.  While most make sure to do so on titles and meta descriptions, one sometimes overlooked aspect at image alt texts. These are the snippets of text that would replace images should they fail to load open visiting a certain page. These are also the elements that Google crawls through to determine how to rank your images on their search engine. So make sure that every element on your blog posts and pages is optimised for search.

2. Make Your Site Mobile Responsive

Mobile responsiveness is also another important factor that affects not just SEO, but your overall e-commerce business. Mobile devices generate roughly half of all global traffic, and about 3.5% of all mobile visits to e-commerce websites are converted into purchases.

Mobile search is only increasing globally, and so if you haven’t optimised your website for mobile just yet, there’s no better time than today to get started.

3. Increase Site Security

If you’re an e-commerce website, then the most important thing that you can do for your customers is to ensure that their information is safe and secure.

This is where a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate comes into play. Most web hosting companies and content management systems (CMS) already offer SSL certificates along with their product plans. Given that, it would make sense to avail of their services once you purchase a domain and hosting. Of course, there are other companies whose specialty offers include SSL certificates at either cheaper or more premium prices.

Obtaining an SSL is of utmost importance, especially since Google has officially pushed their HTTPS-First mode. This means that any visitors attempting to access a website that’s in HTTP and not HTTPS, will first be given a warning that the website that they’re about to enter isn’t secure. And for an e-commerce website, that’s the last thing you want your visitors to be notified about.

4. Improve Product Pages

It’s always a best practice to feature your best products on your homepage. However, when it comes to optimising your product pages themselves, there are a few key elements you should take into account:

• Product Page Titles
• Product Images
• Product Descriptions
• Image Alt Texts

In terms of SEO, your titles, meta tags, meta descriptions, and image alt text should all contain the keywords that you want to optimise the page for. This helps you rank better on search engine results pages.

When it comes to product images, on the other hand, it’s always a good idea to showcase several images of your product. Show all the angles of your product so that customers get a good idea of what to expect.

Best of all, you can also include some user-generated content from your customers. Ask permission from people who’ve purchased your product if you can share their posts on your social media page or website. This helps solidify social proof that there are people out there that have purchased and loved your product.

5. Reduce Cart Abandonment

According to the research done by the Baymard Institute, about 69.57% of online shopping carts are abandoned. One of the main reasons for shopping cart abandonment is unexpected costs and high shipping costs. In fact, 56% of shoppers attribute their abandonment to these additional fees and charges.

A few ways to reduce shopping cart abandonment include:

• Providing free shipping
• Offer 100% money-back guarantees
• Avoid website registration requirements
• Add testimonials

If You Need Help With Optimising Your E-Commerce Website, The Search Marketing Experts Team Has You Covered

Now that you’re familiar with the steps necessary to rank your e-commerce website higher for SEO, there’s nothing left to do but optimise those pages! We hope this article has cleared things up enough to pull you out of the rabbit hole and make search engines seem less intimidating. Ready to increase your SEO knowledge even further? Contact the team at Search Marketing Experts today for even more insight into the wide world of SEO! We’ll be there to help you increase your website rankings and achieve online success for your business.

The post How to Optimise Your E-Commerce Website for SEO this New Financial Year appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.

Participate In The End Of Financial Year Sales

Okay, we admit this one seems kind of obvious, but that’s precisely why we have to talk about it. If you’re not running an End Of Financial Year Sale, you’re missing out big time. Everywhere you go during this period, on every website you browse, you’re guaranteed to see the same familiar signs…

EOFYS! EOFYS! EOFYS! 

We all know that acronym, what it stands for, and what it means. It means sales, savings, deals you don’t want to miss out on, and stock you’ll never see again. People shopping at this time of the year expect to see these signs. What’s more, they’re ready to spend their money with any company that has one, be it in their shop window or on their website… This is exactly what makes EOFYS so important for your business. 

According to a study conducted by Mozo at the end of the 2021 financial year, 81% of Australians were expected to take advantage of last year’s EOFY sales. With such an overwhelming majority of people around the country anticipating these sales, marketing them is almost too easy. People are actively searching for these sales all throughout May and June. If you’re yet to inform your customers that your business is participating in EOFYS too, we suggest letting them know ASAP. Reap the rewards before it’s too late!

To really make the most of this opportunity, we recommend getting in touch with an SEO agency. They will help you with SEO marketing, informing you of the specific keywords people are searching for during this time so you can optimise your content. With such an uptick in searches from people ready to purchase, any investments to advertise your EOFY sales will be well worth the time and money spent. 

Buy One Get One Free

EOFY is the best time of year to clear out old stock and make way for new products. Accurate stocktake plays a vital role for many businesses as they put together their financial reports in preparation for tax time. This stock count has to be precise as there’s no room for error when it comes to the tax office! With most small businesses unable to afford the technology needed to automate these stock counts, many find themselves conducting them by hand. 

Not only is the time-consuming nature of large stock counts just downright unpleasant, but it can also lead to errors. The more stock you have to count, the longer it takes to get the job done. The longer the job takes, the more time there is for mistakes to occur. Getting rid of as much old stock as possible through incentives such as “Buy One Get One Free” makes this process much easier and more efficient. On top of making your customers happy with the reward of a free gift, you’ll also be making yourself and your staff happy as you begin organising your business’ tax report. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved! 

Introduce A Loyalty Program

As we know, EOFY is an incredibly busy time for Australian businesses. The majority of consumers are seeking out new sales to participate in. Because of this, loyalty programs present a golden opportunity for increasing customer retention. Loyal customers are almost guaranteed to purchase from you if you run a sale. It’s likely you’ll gain new customers during this time too. With such a high increase in site traffic, there’s no better time to introduce a loyalty program. 

Loyalty programs are a fantastic marketing tactic. They allow you to capitalise on the current sale while also creating opportunities for more revenue in the future. There are two effective ways to implement a loyalty program. The first is to create a site pop up that appears as leads make a move to click off your website. The second way is to allow them to opt-in at checkout. Both options encourage customers to further engage with your site and increase customer retention. 

Start Advertising New Products

Right now, you’re likely preparing to say goodbye to your old stock in time for the new financial year. So it makes sense to begin advertising the next line of goods that are about to become available. Why not run social media campaigns to tease future stock? Or give people an incentive to join your mailing list by opening preorders to customers who sign up? However you choose to advertise your next line of products, make sure it remains fresh, consistent, and exciting.

In the lead up to the launch, we recommend leaving out just enough information to encourage people back each day for updates. If you run a clothing business, for example, it can be a good idea to tease your audience with fabric prints without revealing the whole product. Another idea would be to introduce a different product each day on your social media. Then, once the entire line has been revealed, open up pre-orders. 

Structuring your content to consistently push the entire collection without seeming repetitive is essential here. You want to keep your audience invested in your advertising campaign without becoming an annoyance. Focusing on a different product every day will leave your customers feeling excited by the upcoming launch rather than exasperated by it. In turn, this will make them much more likely to make a purchase when the collection finally drops. 

Optimise And Advertise 

Our final tip will help you use what’s left of your business’ budget before the new financial year. Invest in Google Ads and SEO marketing with help from a digital marketing expert. These strategies have an incredible Return on Investment (ROI) and are the perfect marketing solutions. Hiring a digital marketing expert will help you in both the short and long term. 

Short term, running paid advertisements during EOFY will generate traffic at the best time. Remember, people have an increased incentive to buy and are actively searching for deals. Long term, SEO marketing is a great way to prepare your website for the new financial year. Fresh SEO content will help your website to appear on the first page just in time for new product launches. It’s also a fantastic way to use up the remainder of your budget!

Talk To The Search Marketing Experts Today For More Tips This EOFY!

Now we’ve gone over our top five tips, you’re well on your way to ending this financial year in the best way possible. If you’re ready to implement these ideas with help from digital marketing experts, get in touch today! We will grow your digital presence and optimise your website, increasing your online success and boosting your business. Whether you need help with SEO marketing, Google Ads, full website rebuilds, or something else entirely, we have the services for you. Contact the Search Marketing Experts today and learn how we can help your business reach new heights in the upcoming financial year.

The post 5 Marketing Ideas For This EOFY appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.

Believe it or not, internal linking for SEO works similarly to those grocery aisle signs. Internal linking helps organise and structure the content on your website by lumping them into specific categories, sections, and branches much like how a tree would have thicker branches that disperse into smaller, thinner ones.

Did you know that 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine? This is why, as an SEO company in Brisbane, we always encourage businesses to invest in SEO as a way to help them grow their traffic and sales organically over time.

The question is, how does internal linking for SEO affect your business?

What Are Internal Links?

Internal links create a bridge between one page on a website to another page of the same website, just like how the signposts above each grocery aisle connect you to different sections of the same grocery.

What Are the Benefits of Internal Linking for SEO

There are several benefits to internal linking, especially when it comes to optimising your website for SEO. Internal linking doesn’t just affect the way that search engines rank your pages, but it also affects the way that users behave when they visit your website. A few benefits of internal linking for SEO include:

1. Website Navigation and Structure

There are different types of internal links, each with their own distinct functions. Internal links can often be found in the following locations:

• Navigation Menu – This is the menu at the top of your website.
• Footer – This refers to the text and links located at the bottom of your website
• Sidebar – Most websites have sidebars that also contain links to other pages on the site.
• Contextual Links – These refer to links located within bodies of text, usually in blog posts.

To best organise your internal links, you first have to determine which pages on your website matter the most. Which pages get the most traffic? Which pages are incremental to your business’ growth?

From there, you start building out content to support your goals. Make sure your navigation menu, footer, and sidebar contains internal links that will lead site visitors to content they’re most likely to consume.

This leads us to our next point. 

2. Distribute Page Ranking & Authority

Distributing page ranking is where building content hubs are helpful.

Content hubs are like an aisle at the grocery. As an example, if you have several posts and pages containing information about “SEO Best Practices” or “Brisbane SEO Services” that are linked together, then those posts begin to form a content hub.

Should a visitor want to learn more about your offer for Brisbane SEO Services, then, it would be easier for them to navigate through all the content surrounding that topic if you had a link dedicated to the category on your menu, footer, or sidebar.

With each blog post or page you create, add contextual links that supports your main topic. Afterwards, you can add each new blog post on this topic to your content hub. This will help lead readers from one subtopic to the next, and help distribute your page rank to other pages on your site at the same time.

3. Provide a Better User-Experience

Think about any Wikipedia page and how everything on there seems interconnected. It’s especially helpful when you’re doing your research. As you dive into a topic, there might be terms that you’re not familiar with. Luckily, there’s a link that leads to another Wikipedia page on that very topic!

When it comes to internal linking for SEO, this pretty much works in the same way. Sometimes, visitors come onto your website wanting to learn about a specific topic, product, or service. Sometimes, as they come in and start reading, they discover all these new terms and definitions that they’d never heard of before.

Linking pages internally helps them better rely on you, as an authority and expert, to provide them the knowledge they need to succeed.

Internal linking also reduces your bounce rate. This happens when someone clicks a link to your website and then almost immediately afterwards, either closes that link or clicks away from your website. The deeper that you’re able to have a visitor dive into your website, the better it is for your search engine rankings.

Talk to the Search Marketing Experts Today for More SEO Advice on Internal Linking!

SEO is a long-term strategy for your business. If you feel that you need some help implementing internal linking for SEO, we’re more than willing to lend a hand as an SEO company in Brisbane. Get in touch with one of our digital marketing experts today and we will grow your digital presence and optimise your website, increasing your online success and boosting your business. Whether you need help with SEO marketing, Google Ads, full website rebuilds, or something else entirely, we have the services for you. Contact the Search Marketing Experts today and learn how we can help your business reach new heights!

The post Why Your Businesses Needs to be Using Internal Links appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.

If you have an online business, you’ve probably heard the term “SEO” more times than you can count, and you may be wondering what it’s all about. At Search Marketing Experts, we don’t expect business owners to be experts in digital marketing – that’s our job! If you’re finding it all a bit daunting, we’re here to help you out with all the SEO basics. 

First thing’s first, what is SEO exactly? SEO (search engine optimisation) is an organic way to get your website to rank higher on Google. This is done by improving your website’s content, including relevant search terms in your writing, and making Google see value in your site. Google prioritises its searchers above all else. It only wants to show them the very best websites, and with the vast amount of web pages at Google’s disposal, it can absolutely afford to be picky. 

This means that getting your website to rank higher can take time and effort. There’s a lot to learn, and fully understanding SEO can feel like falling down a rabbit hole; once you’ve wrapped your head around one aspect, you immediately have to start researching another. As you find yourself bopping around from site to site, you may start to wonder if you’ll ever learn everything you need to know.

While SEO can seem overwhelming, it is also an incredibly valuable marketing tool that can be a major asset for your business. The team at Search Marketing Experts want to see your business thrive online. So, we’ve put together an SEO guide to help you make sense of everything. We have simplified things for you, defining the key components and giving you a step-by-step guide on SEO basics for your business. Learn about the SEO basics all in one place with our list of must-know terms.

Keyword Research

Keyword research is the first thing you’ll want to familiarise yourself with. It’s the process of researching all of the topics relevant to your website to gain insight into your target audience’s most popular search terms. Once you know what people are looking for, you’ll be able to tailor your content to include popular keywords. This will allow Google to better understand what products/services your business offers. This way, it can include your website in relevant search results.

So how do you conduct keyword research? There are a bunch of free online resources that can help you gain insight into which of your topics are the most popular. Google Trends and Ahrefs Keyword Generator are pretty good places to start. These free tools are a great starting point and can serve you well when you begin your journey into SEO. 

SEO Experts

Now you know about keyword research and how to start it for free, it’s time to discuss the value of SEO experts. It can be possible to bump your website’s rankings yourself through basic keyword research. However, it’s worth remembering that there’s a lot of businesses out there working to appear on the first page of results. To make your website shine, you’ll need help, and an SEO expert is basically the digital equivalent of the world’s best wingman. They’ll go above and beyond to make your website look appealing to search engines, increasing your rankings and generating more traffic for your business. 

With so many businesses aiming for the top spot, and most searchers not looking beyond the first page of results, the knowledge that SEO experts possess can be invaluable. Researching relevant search terms for your business is just the first of many steps for an SEO expert. They will also analyse trends, ensure your content follows all the best practices, and develop intricate, personalised strategies to optimise your website for search engines. When you hire an SEO expert, you’re giving your website the best chance possible of appearing at the top of the list. 

Local SEO vs Global SEO

Small to medium-sized businesses will almost always benefit more from local SEO than global SEO. Local SEO uses keywords specific to the area you service. This is intentional and helps your website appear on the results page of potential clients in your area. Search engines are smart. They’ll crawl websites for local SEO to connect searchers to nearby businesses that provide a desired service. To help your business appear among local search results, you’ll need to utilise local SEO. 

The best way to do this is to narrow down your keywords and include your location at the end. For example, a cake maker in Brisbane can change the keyword “handmade cakes” into a much more specific keyword such as “handmade cakes in Brisbane”. Sure, “handmade cakes” is going to have a higher search interest globally, but in this case, any data from outside the cake maker’s city is irrelevant. The same can be said for most other small to medium-sized businesses. 

Global SEO is really only important for businesses with a worldwide target audience. When your services are all local, it’s best to not get caught up in the glitz and glamour of globally high-ranking keywords. Local SEO is easier to master, can help you achieve higher rankings,  and reduces the competition. Ultimately, it will serve your business much better.

Long-Tail Keywords

Much like local SEO, long-tail keywords are easier to rank for, show fewer competitors on the results page, and target people who are likely looking for the exact service you provide. These keywords are more specific low-volume search queries that are designed to attract the most relevant customers to your website. They generate less traffic but also often lead to a higher percentage of conversions than high-volume generic keywords.

The more descriptive your keyword is, the more specific your audience will be. If you’re wondering how to change a popular keyword into a long-tail version, it’s a pretty straightforward process. Simply compile a list of your popular keywords and string them together. For instance, our Brisbane cake maker from above could string together popular keywords like “cake” and “birthday” to create long-tail keywords. Keywords such as:

• custom birthday cake 
• 21st birthday cake for girls
• Kids chocolate birthday cake
• Best birthday cake shop in Brisbane

Mobile-First Indexing

As technology has progressed, our phones have become the default way to search the web, scroll websites, and engage in business. Consequently, Google now predominantly crawls through the mobile sites when deciding how to rank and index them. If your site isn’t mobile compatible or mobile-friendly, your business will appear much lower in search results.

To prevent this from happening, an increasing number of businesses have chosen to optimise their websites for mobile AND computers. Not only does it create a more user-friendly experience, but it also further optimises your website for search engines. Thankfully, most search engines have tools to help you test how mobile-friendly your site is, such as Google’s Test My Site. These tools will let you know how well your website performs for mobile users. It will also offer numerous suggestions to help you optimise your site for mobile. 

Black Hat SEO

Now that we’ve gone over the most important SEO basics to familiarise yourself with, let’s talk about the biggest thing to avoid: black hat SEO. Like anything else, there are rules to follow when it comes to search engine optimisation. Black hat SEO covers all the tactics and strategies that break these rules, resulting in potential penalties for your website. 

After learning how to do SEO successfully, it may seem like the guidelines are easy to manipulate to get your webpage ranking among the first results. While this may have been the case in the early days of SEO, technology has advanced significantly since then. Either the algorithm will move the offending page to a lower-ranking position. Alternatively, a manual action will be taken to remove it from the search results altogether. 

Unfortunately, there are many ways people try to manipulate the rules. If we listed every single one, we could be here a while. But, some are definitely less obvious violations than others. We’re going to define three of the most common violations so you can successfully avoid them on your website. 

• Keyword Stuffing: Cramming a long list of high-ranking keywords onto a webpage in an attempt to manipulate search engines into ranking a site higher. Often used in place of high-quality content. Avoid keyword stuffing by placing keywords into your content in a way that makes it sound organic and not repetitive. 
• Poorly Written Content: This refers to content that is unoriginal, unpleasant to read, or irrelevant to your keywords. Examples can include keyword stuffing as well as plagiarism, low-effort writing, poorly researched content, and more. We’d suggest hiring a professional content writer to create content that reads well and encourages visitors to stay on your site.
• Paying for Links: This refers to paying other website owners to include a link to your site on one of their web pages. Purchasing these backlinks is very different from clearly stated paid advertisements and can result in heavy penalties from search engines. Instead, we’d recommend focusing on creating a high-quality website that others want to share voluntarily. 

Become an SEO Pro with Search Marketing Experts

Now you’ve got all the SEO basics covered, you’re well on your way to becoming a real pro! We hope this SEO guide has cleared things up enough to pull you out of the rabbit hole and make search engines seem less intimidating. Ready to increase your SEO knowledge even further? Contact the team at Search Marketing Experts today for even more insight into the wide world of SEO! We’ll be there to help you increase your website rankings and achieve online success for your business.

The post SEO Basics appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.

David Herrmann, president of Herrmann Digital, a paid social advertising company shared on his Twitter account a screenshot of ad placements on TikTok’s search pages. The discovery seems to be a beta test on the platform for additional ad placements. Video ads have a “Sponsored” label and are placed within the top four search results, above the “Others search for” section. The search ads, though, are just placements, according to Herrmann. Keyword targeting is not yet available. New ad placements are always a welcome addition for advertisers, especially one looking to diversify their reach. TikTok has been shown to have an audience with high purchase intent. Companies would do well to further study and consider TikTok for future advertising.

Google Trials New Multisearch Feature

Ever experience being at a loss for words when trying to do a search for the perfect piece of clothing to add to your wardrobe, or when trying to find a tutorial on how to care for a plant whose name you don’t know? These moments of speechlessness are what Google’s Multisearch feature is trying to solve. Using the Google App, users will be able to make a search query using a combination of text and images. Take a screenshot of a stylish blue dress and refine your search by adding “pink” to find it in another colour. Or you can snap a photo of those hydrangeas and the query, “care instructions” to find tutorials on how you can make your flowers flourish. Still only available in English in the U.S., Google’s Multisearch definitely has the potential to take search an innovative step forward.

Instagram Updates Ranking Algorithm

This April, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri announced that Instagram is updating how it ranks content on the platform, this time putting more emphasis and focus on original content. “If you create something from scratch, you should get more credit than if you are resharing something that you found from someone else,” he said in a video tweet announcing the changes. Content re-shared from other apps like TikTok, which include a watermark would continue to be downranked. Aggregator accounts that post content from other accounts will see a decline. The same goes with accounts that post trending memes. While the change is still a work in progress, it’s definitely a welcome change in favour of content creators.

Twitter Looking to Add Edit Feature

After Elon Musk published a poll on Twitter asking audiences whether they wanted an edit button or not, Twitter’s CEO Parag Agrawal responded in such a way that Twitter was indeed working on adding an edit button. Testing will begin with Twitter Blue subscribers in the coming months. Of course, concerns of people maliciously changing their tweets. However, according to reverse engineer, Jane Manchun Wong, it seems as if Twitter’s edit option will not update an existing tweet. Rather, it will create a new version of the tweet that will be published in its place, meaning that the edit history will be preserved. The edit button will definitely be a handy tool for users that want to correct misspellings and typos, and it will certainly be easier than deleting a tweet and retyping and republishing it once more.

The post April Digital Marketing Industry Updates appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.

What are internal links?

Internal links are links that lead from one page of your website to another. The links on your homepage, menu and post feed are considered internal links. Links placed within your content are also internal links. More specifically, they’re often referred to as contextual links.

Why are internal links important for search engines?

It’s not just users that follow your internal links. Search engines do as well. Search engines like Google use internal links to help navigate through your website and find other content relevant to a search query. Usually, if a post gets a lot of both internal and external links, this signals to Google the value of the post or page.

Internal links are also a good way to reduce the bounce rate on your website. Bounce rate is based on the number of pages a user visits before leaving (or bouncing) from your website. It’s considered a bounce if the number of pages a user visit is limited to one. Internal links help reduce that bounce rate by providing an opportunity for users to further explore a topic on other pages on your website.

Consider Link hierarchy 

When building an internal link strategy, think about structuring your content into main and subtopics.

After you’ve organised your content in a way that makes sense, create parent pages with the main topic that link to child pages containing your subtopics. This type of organisation is important, especially for creating relevancy and authority for search engines.

What are Anchor Texts?

Anchor texts are the clickable text that your site visitors see. When inserting a contextual link, you have to consider what to choose as your anchor text.

It’s not enough to just choose the keyword you’re targeting as the anchor text. These days Google is smart enough to know that the content surrounding the anchor text refers more to the relevancy of the keyword rather than the anchor text itself. In other words, Google knows if the internal link is related to the keyword you’re targeting without having to rely on whether the anchor text contains your keyword or not.

The importance of an internal linking strategy

Internal linking is a vital factor that helps improve your site’s SEO. They redirect users to other more relevant content on your website and help create a structure for Google to follow and understand.

Creating and building Pillar Pages, or content clusters is one internal linking strategy that every business can take advantage of. Content clusters refer to groups of content that surround a specific topic.

A good example of a content cluster could be pages built around the different types of nutritional diets available for those looking to lose weight. One page could cover Keto, another Vegan, and another Paleo.

Another example of a content cluster could be most ‘How to’ content. When it comes to building and designing websites, for example, there are a lot of questions and tasks that involve creating a working website. Different pieces of content that cover topics ranging from, “How to create a clickable button” to “How to install Google Analytics on your website” could altogether form one content cluster with internal links leading from one to another.

When building your internal linking strategy, then, always take into consideration the following:

• Decide which pieces of content are most important (your cornerstone content)
• Link to recent or popular posts
• Add a related posts section

If You Need Help With Your Internal Linking Strategy, The Search Marketing Experts Team Has You Covered

Strategising and building an internal linking strategy can be time-consuming, especially for entrepreneurs and business owners who spend most of their time managing their businesses. But now that you’re familiar with the basics of how internal works and how you can put it to your advantage, all that’s left is to build up a linking strategy and start connecting your posts and pages to one another. That should help you see an increase in your traffic and a reduction in your bounce rates.

The post What is Internal Linking, and How Does it Affect Your Website Optimisation? appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.

So how do you make the most out of this small but important element? Read on to find out! Search Marketing Experts has gathered all the tips and tricks for you, including unspoken rules, what to avoid, and important things to keep in mind. We’ll cover the essential steps for creating the perfect title tags to boost your business.

Writing For Humans

The most important thing to remember when writing your meta titles is that you are writing for humans first and search engines second. Search engines can certainly help you rank higher and get you noticed. However, it’s other human beings that are going to buy your products or hire your services. You’ll have to learn how to hook in your audience if you want your website to really succeed. 

Sentences

The first thing to consider is that many people do not have the patience to read long sentences. You know, the ones that seem to go on and on for ages and feel like they are never going to stop no matter how long you may keep reading and wishing for it to be over and… Well, you get it. As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to keep your title tag between 50 and 60 characters. Anything longer and search engines will likely cut off your meta title mid-sentence, so keep it short. Punchy. To the point. Provide the information people need, but don’t waffle. Search engines actually measure meta titles with pixels. However, that’s a little more complex and using a character count works just fine, so we’ll stick to what works best for us. 

Meta Titles

As well as keeping things succinct, your meta titles will also want to target your audience’s interests. One great way to do this is by making use of “the curiosity gap”. This marketing tool is particularly useful as it rarely exceeds a single sentence, which appeals to the short and snappy nature of meta titles. The curiosity gap draws people in by discussing subjects they’re already invested in and then igniting their need to know more. 

Curiosity Gap

Some people argue that the curiosity gap is just a fancier way of saying “clickbait” but that really depends on what content you offer people once they click on your site. If you don’t follow through in providing the information promised in your title tag, then yep! That’s clickbait. You should always avoid clickbait. It will make your business appear untrustworthy, damage your brand’s image, and leave you out of favour with potential customers. 

Title Tags

Your title tag should always be an accurate representation of what awaits on your website. Satisfying your audience’s curiosity will encourage them to engage with your business, boosting your success. There are a few different ways you can structure your meta tags to incorporate the curiosity gap. We’d encourage you to get creative and think of fun ways that your business can utilise this handy strategy. Examples of meta titles using the curiosity gap include: 

• “This Australian Made Furniture is Revolutionising Homes”
• “Gardening Tips For Beginners: 10 Tools You NEED To Buy!”
• “Ethical Fashion: Exposing The Dark Side of Cheap Clothing”
• “Meta Titles – How One Sentence Can Lead to Business Success”

Writing For Search Engines

Once you’ve grabbed your audience’s attention with a short and snappy hook, it’s time to consider how to write for search engines. Appealing to an algorithm can be just as tricky as appealing to humans but once you know the basics, you’re sure to succeed. With search engines, the rules tend to be a little more rigid; they like things laid out a certain way. There are a few things you can do with your title tags to help your website rank higher, so let’s talk about what they are.

Avoid Caps

Firstly, avoid all caps. It makes your website seem disingenuous to people, and search engines also dislike it. The more capital letters you use, the more pixels your title tag will eat up. As we mentioned previously, search engines measure the length of your meta titles with pixels. Anything more than 600 pixels will get your sentence cut off midway through, and the 50-60 character rule becomes redundant when all of those characters are capitalised. 

Meta Titles

Next, tag ONE primary keyword per meta title, and put it towards the front. This will frame your title tag well and gives you more room to get creative with the rest of the sentence. Shoehorning a bunch of popular keywords into your SEO titles may seem like a good idea at first, but remember you’re facing a whole world of competition. The more popular a keyword is, the more businesses you’re up against. You don’t want to make finding your business as hard as finding a needle in a haystack. 

Keywords

Sticking to one primary keyword leaves room to use a secondary keyword further along in your title. It also gives you the option to create a long-form version of the one keyword. For example, if you’re an Australian furniture store, the keyword “Australian Made” has likely been searched way more than “Australian Made Furniture”. However, the valuable keyword still exists in both phrases. The second phrase will simply narrow down the search term to generate more relevant traffic. The same goes for “Gardening Tips” vs “Gardening Tips For Beginners”. Both contain a popular keyword, but the latter will help you reach a more specific audience. When you structure SEO titles to include more specific search terms, search engines can help you out more, making it much easier for your customers to find you.

If You Need Help With Your Meta Titles, The Search Marketing Experts Team Has You Covered

Now that you’re familiar with the essentials, there’s nothing left to do but write those meta titles! This small but mighty piece of text might seem complicated to perfect at first, but once you know what you’re doing, you’ll be getting it right in no time. When you remember everything here and incorporate all our top tips into your new tags, the value of SEO titles will become apparent in no time. You should quickly see a significant boost in traffic that will give your business the potential to thrive.

The post Create The Perfect SEO Title Tags appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.

Facebook groups continue to be a relevant place for communities to grow and thrive. For that reason, Facebook has recently introduced some new tools to help admins and moderators better manage their communities, as well as the spread of false information. Using Admin Assist, any incoming posts that have been flagged by third-party fact-checkers as false are now automatically declined, mitigating the spread of misinformation.

Additionally, the former “mute” function has now expanded to “suspend”. This means that temporarily suspended members are now unable to post, comment, react, or participate in group chats or Rooms.

Facebook has also recently introduced QR Codes that admins can download and share, or copy and paste as a way to invite more followers. Users that scan the QR codes are directed to the group’s About page, where they can put in a request to join the group. Admin Assist also helps group owners automatically approve or decline member requests based on criteria they have set.

Twitter Testing New eCommerce Feature Called Twitter Shops

With Facebook and Instagram introducing shopping experiences onto their platforms, it was merely a matter of time before Twitter followed the trend as well. Currently, Twitter Shops is undergoing testing, available to only a select number of brands in the U.S. The new feature allows brands and businesses to create a shop and feature up to 50 items on the platform. To visit a shop, a user has to visit the brand’s profile page where a “View Shop” button appears and directs them to an in-app browser from the merchant’s website.

Should the feature be rolled out globally, this could prove to be a very useful tool to take advantage of, particularly for those brands with active audiences on Twitter. It gives them an additional channel to feature and market their products, as well as increase sales and revenue.

Auto Sellers Testing Out New Google Vehicle Ads

Based on Google’s own statistics, about 95% of vehicle buyers go online to look up more information when trying to decide on what car to purchase. As a result, Google has jumped ahead and provided an avenue for auto sellers to gain more exposure and increase their engagement and sales with search ads placements.

The ads will display nearby cars for sale and directly connect users to their search results, giving car sellers more opportunities to engage with potential customers.

At the moment the feature is still only available to those in the U.S.. Those auto advertisers looking to use the new placement have to create an inventory data feed that they will then submit and connect to Google Merchant Centre. According to advertisers that have taken advantage of the new placement, they’re receiving an average 25% increase in conversions during testing.

Google AdSense Introduces Related search for content pages

Google AdSense has always been on the lookout to helping online publishers make more money through high-quality ads. Recently, Google has added a new feature that aims to help publishers create more relevant experiences as well. The new “Related search for content” in AdSense works similarly to suggested content that users are more familiar with.

As in the screenshot above, when a reader lands on a website, they are served a “Related Searches” prompt that directs them to other pages on the publisher’s website with similar content. This should help websites and publishers increase their overall engagement, pageviews, and impressions.

Google also stressed that this new feature makes use of page content instead of user data to deliver the relevant search terms. This means that cookies are not involved and no user data is being used to deliver these results.

For those interested in using “Related search for content” contact your account manager to help you activate and setup AdSense to maximise this opportunity.

The post March Digital Marketing Industry Updates appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.

Why Is Data Sharing Changing? 

There are a few reasons why regulations have been put in place, and companies worldwide are changing their policies on data sharing. 

• Consumers don’t trust current policies. As the tactics tech companies and digital marketers use come to light, consumers don’t feel that their privacy and data will be protected and respected. As a result, people are investing in VPNs and ad-blocking software to prevent sites from accessing their private information. 
• Companies have been violating consumer privacy. Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Google, Yahoo, Ashley Madison, Uber, Marriott, Ticketmaster; these companies have all received fines for abusing customer data. The catalyst for many was the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which Facebook was fined a record-breaking USD$5 billion for misusing their users’ data. Ever since, stricter data sharing policies have been introduced in the interests of protecting consumers and their information. 
• To better manage data exchanges. Data sharing isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Data and information sharing helps advertisers learn what consumers want and need from their online environment. It will enable businesses to offer real value to customers, providing people with opportunities to personalise their online experience. Policies that enforce data sharing regulations force companies and digital marketers to think more critically about collecting and using data, providing consumers with a more carefully curated experience. 

What Changes Can You Expect To See? 

The changes to data sharing range from policy changes within individual organisations to nationwide regulations. 

• Consumer Data Right (CDR). The Australian government have been working alongside the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to develop the CDR. This right gives consumers more control over and greater access to their data, thereby improving their ability to compare and switch between products and services. Currently, CDR focuses on banking and has the energy sector in its sights, but it’s an excellent start for consumers. 
• Bye, cookies. Google announced they plan to block tracking cookies in Chrome by 2023, so digital marketers will need to figure out how to adapt and deliver targeted advertising. It’s estimated that more than 80% of digital marketers will abandon hyper-tailored advertising campaigns once cookies are blocked in search of something more efficient. 
• Most subscription/micro-transaction services. A significant reason so many apps and sites like Facebook and TikTok are free is that they use personal data as currency. Companies buy your data and information to deliver highly personalised ads. When users stop sharing their information, these major platforms will need to look elsewhere for money, and some are turning to subscription fees or in-app charges. While it might be frustrating to some consumers, subscription-based apps and sites are doing everything they can to protect their users from unwanted advertising and exploitation of their data. 
• Various companies are handling data sharing differently. While some organisations still allow data sharing, for now, others have taken a hard early stance. For example, Apple wants its consumers to have complete control over adblocking and tracking settings. Apple users have the freedom to opt-out of all tracking through web browsers and third-party apps. In fact, users of iOS 14.5 and beyond will need to deliberately opt-in to sharing their unique Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) within apps. At the moment, some Apple users see generic ads only somewhat tailored to their interests. Meanwhile, users of other devices are still receiving highly targeted advertising based on previous purchases and online activity. 

What Does This Mean For Your Digital Marketing Strategy? 

Before you panic, changes to data sharing isn’t the be-all and end-all for digital marketing. There are plenty of things you can do to tweak your strategy and give yourself an edge over your competitors. 

• Start marketing to wider audiences. As companies are forced to move away from tracking, they’ll need to learn to market to wider audiences in an online space. You can get a head start by beginning to experiment with high-quality ad content now. That way, when cookies disappear, you’ll be pioneering a new form of marketing. 
• Look at your audiences’ interests. Google trialled data collection methods placing consumers into groups based on interests rather than segmenting them into hyper-niche groups. If you can step back and start developing creative ads that target wider audiences (like billboards and posters do), your digital strategy will be in a far better position.
• Develop incentives. Stricter policies and regulations around data sharing don’t mean data sharing will stop altogether. It simply means users will have more control over who has access to their data. If you need to capture information from your consumers without infringing on privacy, consider using gated offers. For example, create a pop up that exchanges a client’s email address for 15% off their purchase.
• You may need to consider AI technology. As artificial intelligence develops, digital marketers will turn to this technology to accurately analyse various groups of consumers. Already, there are AI tools available providing far more in-depth analyses of consumer behaviour than we’ve seen before. So, we’d suggest looking into AI sooner rather than later. 

How Can You Stay One Step Ahead? 

You don’t need to wait around for all the changes to happen before changing your strategy. There are actions you can take today that will put your business in the best possible position to thrive once data sharing policies and regulations roll out. 

• Be transparent with your customers. Ethical digital marketing means being honest with your audiences, so try to be completely transparent about your data collection process. Your customers will respect your business far more if you maintain open communication that prioritises honesty. 
• Collect data responsibly. If you plan on asking your consumers to share their data with you, you need to prove to them that you will treat it with the utmost respect and privacy. Create clear policies outlining which pieces of information you’re collecting and why you need to collect it. Explicitly clarify the steps you plan to take to protect your data and incorporate an opt-out feature. In doing this, your consumers know they are the ones in charge of their data privacy. 
• Start looking at macro metrics. What’s the point of analysing micro metrics from hyper-specific campaigns if you can no longer collect data by tracking cookies? Instead, start looking at your consumer data from a more macro perspective. That way you can create campaigns that effectively target broader audiences. 

If You Need Help Rolling Out Privacy-First Marketing Strategies, The Team At Search Marketing Experts Are Here To Help

Your business’s digital marketing strategy is essential, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of your consumers’ privacy. The team at Search Marketing Experts are here to help you create privacy-first marketing strategies that find the balance between creative digital marketing and protecting your consumers’ privacy. So if you’re ready to catapult your business into the stratosphere, don’t hesitate to contact the team at Search Marketing Experts today!

The post Changes In Digital Marketing Data Sharing: What You Need To Know appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.

Of course, coming up with content can be difficult, especially when thousands of blog posts come out every day on virtually any and every possible topic. Thankfully, we’ve put together a shortlist of the types of blog posts that will yield you the highest results and traffic for your website.

1. Review Blogs

There’s nothing revolutionary about a blog post featuring a product review. And yet 89% of customers say that they read reviews before making a purchase. The best way that you can leverage review posts, then, is by reviewing popular products within your industry. 

The best way to go about this is to head on over to Google and do a search like, “Best smartphones 2022” or “best project management software”. You’ll notice that popular tech websites are covering this topic a lot. Pay attention to how long these articles are, how many products they compare, and what headings they use. Afterwards, go and write a much more comprehensive and thorough blog post compared to these. The more value you’re able to offer, the more likely you are to slide into that top spot on Google.

2. Frequently Asked Questions Blog Post

Have you ever noticed that when you type in a Google search like, “What is SEO?” oftentimes the top result already shows you the answer to your question? This is what is called a featured snippet, and is practically the Holy Grail of SEO.

That’s where FAQ posts come in. A lot of searches on Google are usually written in the form of a question. And it’s this question and answer format that makes FAQ posts rank potentially higher on results pages. 

How to find out what frequently asked questions to write about: 

• Use a keyword research tool like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest.
• Start typing in a search on Google and look at the questions that populate the “People Also Asked” section.
• Do the same over on YouTube and look at what suggestions dropdown from the search bar.
• Head over to the question-and-answer website, Quora to find common and related questions.

3. Expert Interviews

When you’re just starting out, one of the fastest ways to grow your network and reach is to leverage another person’s audience and influence. One way to do that is to invite them for an interview. Interviews continue to remain a popular form of content, especially in podcasts.

Ask questions that your readers are interested in finding out and learning about and compile it all into a post that provides value and insight.

4. Step-by-Step Tutorials

A lot of users searching for answers online do so because they’re trying to learn something new and unfamiliar. Creating step-by-step tutorials for beginners is a good way to leverage off of that interest. In fact, calling your post a “Beginner’s guide to…” can go a long way in enticing readers to visit your website.

Break down a complicated topic like investing in stocks, or coding and programming into simple and basic steps that could help readers get a jumpstart in their educational journey. Remember, it’s a beginner’s guide! So there’s no need to cover everything. Add simple step-by-step instructions, some background information and definition of terms, and then just link to more detail and comprehensive information.

5. Ultimate Guide Posts

The more comprehensive and complex version of the step-by-step tutorial is the Ultimate Guide. Where a step-by-step tutorial usually only covers the basics, Ultimate Guides are exhaustive in the way that they tackle every necessary step in a complicated process.

Ultimate Guides also tend to do really well, as it was uncovered that in 2021 the average blog post was 1,400 words long. And what’s more that same study also found that blog posts over 3,000 words tended to perform better. When creating an Ultimate Guide, make sure that you cover every single step. You want to make sure that a reader comes out of that complete with everything they need to accomplish the task.

6. Case Studies

When it comes to building authority, nothing beats a good case study. Case studies are also a very good way of generating backlinks, particularly because they’re real-life examples of what worked and what didn’t work. When creating a case study, it’s always good to talk through the process of how you went about creating your results, whether that’s losing 10 pounds in 1 month or earning $100,000 in one week with Facebook Ads.

7. Learn from My Mistakes Blog

For those willing to be vulnerable enough in front of their audiences, one type of case study that works well is a “Learn from My Mistakes” blog. This type of case study focuses on the storytelling, whether that tells the journey of how you got rid of a debt of $1 million, or what adjustments you made to your Google Ad campaigns once you started to lose a lot of money.

These types of posts can be powerful in building connections with your audience. Once you’ve earned their trust and respect, they’re more likely to do business with you, and follow you as you continue to make progress towards your success.

8. Industry News

A lot of blogs (41% of them, in fact), particularly in the tech and digital marketing space, tend to cover news surrounding their industries. And for good reason! These types of blog posts have a very loyal following, particularly if the industry is ever-changing and fast-paced.

These types of posts also cover the latest trends. So whether you’re in the tech, fashion, or entertainment industries, covering what’s new and what’s happening is always a good way to generate traffic.

9. “Best of” Blogs

“Best of” blog posts are usually roundups surrounding a specific niche or topic. The great thing about this type of post is that it can work for virtually any industry, whether you’re covering the “Best Netflix shows in 2021”, the “Best online cooking courses” or the “Best hotels in Queensland”. These can also be a roundup of your own content such as “February’s Top Writing Articles” or “Best Case Studies of 2021”.

10. List Articles (listicles)

Last but certainly not least are list articles, more commonly known as listicles. These remain very popular types of content that users consume. In fact, according to 57% of bloggers, they’re the 2nd most popular type of content. This very article is a good example of it.

Coming up with blog post ideas can be easy once you know what types of content you want to focus on. And if ever you’re not sure what topics you should cover, it’s always a good idea to ask your audience directly what questions they have about your industry, or what are the things that they’d like to learn.

And if you’re looking to optimise your already-existing content for search engines, our Search Marketing Experts are more than ready to lend a hand and guide you towards online success!

The post 10 Best Blog Post Ideas to Bring You Traffic in 2022 appeared first on Search Marketing Experts.