Because it’s crucial to stay current with the latest changes in the SEO and SEM industry, the Toolbox digital team attended the Search Marketing Expo Advanced in Seattle last month for a deeper dive into strategy and tactics. We left SMX Advanced with new takeaways on we could make SEO and SEM work even harder for our clients. Here are a just a few:
Handling a Google Algorithm Change: Like most who work in the SEO/SEM space, we are quick to blame a Google algorithm change for a decrease in website traffic, but this is not always the case. Sometimes it’s a technical issue that you may have caused on your own.
Here’s a quick check list on what to do before you blame Google.
1. Get a detailed history of the site
2. Perform a technical audit of the site
3. Utilize professional industry resources
4. Take inventory of what was affected
5. Make a plan and communicate it
6. Measure results
So, yes, we all know Google does change algorithms, around 500-600 changes per year, but there are ways to monitor your site and make sure you aren’t jeopardizing your own website traffic.
Search ads and Social ads: Like twin sisters, these services have their own personality but are very closely related. Each service must know what the other one is doing and complement each other via matching keywords and advertising. An editorial calendar can be a great resource to keep everyone focused and on the right track.
Mobile First: We cannot stress enough just how important mobile is. Designing for the smallest screen and working your way up is the best design approach.
Testing: Ever make a marketing decision and crossed your fingers and hoped it worked? Test it! Data is king when it comes to which ad you should devote your funds to or if your landing page is successful.
Snackable Messages: Let’s face it, attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. You must reach your audience before they drift off into another Buzzfeed quiz.
Rank for Position #0: Everybody wants to be #1 on Google. Now the biggest competition is for position #0: Google’s Featured Snippets. They normally appear above #1 ranking position with an extract of the answer, a display title, and a URL. Here are a few elements that can help you get to the coveted position #0:
1. Indentify a simple question
2. Provide a direct answer
3. Offer valued added information
4. Make it easy for users and Google to find it
We are ready to take your business to the next level with SEO, SEM and social. Contact us to find out what we can do for you.
