What is Social SEO?
May 27th, 2013Social SEO is a generic term given to the optimisation of social web content. At present, a majority of good websites engage in some form of search engine optimisation. This process involves incorporating and emphasising those elements of a website that a search engine (typically Google) uses to give a website value. Social SEO is the incorporation of these techniques in social content.
SEO optimisation techniques typically include the use of blogs, keywords, frequent updates, links to other valued content and a variety of media sources, to name a few. This list of techniques has grown, as Google has updated its search criteria and has recently stretched to include relationships with social media. A presence on facebook, twitter and the like, or connection with those that have one can now improve a search engine’s evaluation of a website.
Social media strategy has been noted as an effective form of advertising and product promotion due to its direct connection with people as they interact with others. Social media greatly enhances potential for information dispersion and its content interacts directly with the lives of others. The use of social media also reduces the extent of internet anonymity and tells Google the user is likely to be more responsible for their online actions.
SEO Strategist in Sydney such as Elevate Consulting are experienced in their optimisation practices and are a forerunner in the use of social SEO. With frequent analysis of search engine criteria and an awareness of potential changes to the online environment, Elevate can provide a competitive edge to your business’ online presence.
SEO v/s Social Media Marketing
May 16th, 2013When a business decides to establish an online presence they are presented with a number of options. Should they use search engine optimisation practices? Should they contribute to existing, popular forums in order to contribute to their presence? Should they engage in social media marketing? Should they use online marketing of a more traditional nature?
Answering these questions is not easy and is dependent on the overall marketing strategy of your business. While the components this strategy is comprised of will vary according to business objectives, in a current online environment, a good strategy will incorporate both social media strategy and SEO strategy Sydney.
Social media is one of the most popular uses of the internet, and refusal to undertake marketing in this area ignores a substantial opportunity for any business; the opportunity to connect with consumers. This connection is not only valuable to encourage the purchase of goods and services, it also allows you to maximise your contribution to brand identity. It also makes you look good in the eyes of Google. Traditional SEO methods such as the use of keywords and valued hyperlinks are becoming less effective. Google now devalues overly manipulative web content. Social SEO is now encouraged, with optimisation occurring through conformity to what the internet is perceived to be used for; the transmission of information to all.
This does not mean content can no longer be manipulated to optimise a web page, is just has to be manipulated according to the rules. The best way to optimise your web page must now incorporate a social web presence that is (or at least appears) natural, engaging with other users in an organic fashion.
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Importance of Mobile Sites
April 11th, 2013Mobile websites have become incredibly important. The amount of Smartphone users is beginning to dwarf that of desktop and laptop users. People are using their phones to read news on their break, on the way home from work, to settle a debate with friends or to answer a question – there are almost an unlimited number of reasons why businesses that do not have a mobile website can fall behind competition that does.
Web Designers used to work by the concept that their design services were only viewed by desktops and laptops, meaning that one revision for a website would lead to everybody would seeing it in the same way. However, this is no longer the case. A recent study by Google shows that, if the trend continues in the same rate, in 2015 more people will use their Smartphones to access the web than those that use desktops or laptops.
Benefits of Mobile Websites
Depending on your niche, a website can save or kill your business. By the same token, a mobile website can do the same. A good mobile website has an obvious Call button, for easy access, cropped images to display only enough to stop the screen from expanding, and little information to begin with, allowing everything to come under categories.
However, if you are choosing to have a mobile equivalent of your own website created – perhaps you feel you are missing out on clients due to the harshness of your website when translated onto a mobile device – then you should make sure that you enhance;
- Faster loading times – You need your website to load quickly, otherwise there is no point. Due to the lack of pictures and hidden text under categories, the site can load a lot quicker than a normal desktop. You also need to consider that due to travel, most people will not have access to a Wi-Fi connection, so the page needs to have minimal data to ensure quick loading times.
- Compatibility – Just like making sure your website runs on Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera and other browsers with the same level of quality, it is just as important for Mobile Design Services to fulfil these needs. A website should run well on each type of smartphone. A simple and concise website will cover this problem, as most Smartphones use different screen sizes and operating systems. Mobile site guidelines can assist in this design.
Also be aware that today Search Engines may actually reward websites for having a mobile equivalent. As they have their own index for mobile websites, companies who have both are highly ranked by search engines, where as companies with just a website for desktops are now lower down.
To see how your website runs on a mobile format – either use a phone or find a mobile emulator. This can really help put this drastic need in context and show you the impact of poorly constructed websites.
We also have a very powerful Online Visibility Strategy Sydney. We are experienced and can provide competitive quotes to get your mobile website higher in rankings and increase the size of your user base. We also offer a range of other SEO services.
Beware of Google Balrog!!!
March 26th, 2013It appears that Google has gone into hyperactive mode, releasing one search algorithm after another. First, it was Panda which was followed by Penguin. These search algorithms sent waves of change around the SEO world by switching the criteria that was used to search and rank web pages in search listings. As a result, SEO companies upped their game by developing more authentic content. Now, Google has launched Google Balrog, another search algorithm that promises to change the way SEO company experts have been using social networking platforms to promote the websites of their clients.
SEO services Sydney typically target popular social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to create official accounts and pages for their clients. A number of activities and engaging pieces of content are posted on these web pages to attract more online users and increase the popularity of the web pages. While this seems harmless enough, many SEO companies have been buying Facebook fans and Twitter followers from companies that offer packages of such services. By paying a few dollars, professionals of an SEO company could get from hundreds to thousands of social media followers or fans for their clients instantly. This can also help many fledgling websites gain high rankings on search results.
This is going to change with Google Balrog. Although messages such as the Cassandra Memorandum are trying to downplay the threat, this new algorithm has been developed with the capability to detect such accounts from genuine and authentic ones. Such accounts can be described as fake accounts, as they do exist but are inactive. They have only been created to serve the purpose for which they are sold. When the Google Balrog begins detecting such accounts and lowering the search ranking of the websites accordingly, SEO experts will have to find new and innovative ways of increasing the social media popularity of their clients. A leading SEO Company might have to consider maximising organic growth rather than artificial escalation.
Several SEO companies are already working on ways to deal with the Google Balrog update. Some professional SEO services Sydney are developing ways to focus on producing authentic and useful content that attracts social media followers to reduce their dependence on inactive, purchased followers. Such a strategy has also been espoused in the famed Cassandra Memorandum that focuses on quality content rather than secondary tactics.
Use of Microdata Formats for SEO
March 21st, 2013Microdata and microformats help to setup context for search engines. Using these markups and tagging methods will not only help you integrate media such as video and images into the fold of the search results but can help you rank higher. This is partially due to the fact that people will be more likely to click on your links because they contain media as well as the fact that search engines such as Google will rank your website higher due to this fact. This synergistic effect helps to increase your rankings and provide aesthetic for users that see your listing.
Is it Beneficial?
There are different markup languages and protocols that web developers have used over the years, but microformats started it all. As newer techniques and abilities have come along, the developers have built on the idea of microformats and have started widely adopting microdata syntax. Basically the newer form of microformats, microdata syntax, is part of the html5 web design trend that Google tends to favor. It allows you to build element classes that tag the content with an appropriate class and rel value. There are distinct classes that have been established to distinguish a real world connection or you can even create your own categories and class for the microdata. Some examples of the types of connections or classes that can be defined include books, movies, articles, people, and events. Adding the extra microdata syntax is an easy addition that will increase traffic and can be performed by SEO consultants Sydney.
Using Consultants for your SEO Services
There are a few different markups that you can talk about with your SEO consultants in Sydney or elsewhere, but it shouldn’t be too difficult of a choice. Both microformats and microdata are widely supported and although Google does prefer microdata syntax (Schema.org) discussing this with your SEO consultant will help you to make the best choice for your situation. Navigating lingo and learning about microformats, microdata or RDFa, can add unnecessary complications that businesses shouldn’t need to worry about. Finding the one that works with your website using an SEO consultant can improve your rankings much more than wasting time trying to figure out which markup to use.
Don’t stop at just microdata or microformats as these are just one aspect of the SEO services that you need to gain traffic. Although they are just a piece of the puzzle, they can make a difference to your click through rates of organic search. They are simple and easy to implement using SEO consultants in Sydney.
User Experience: Microdata tagging
The main reason to think about and implement microdata syntax or microformats is to add to the user experience. As people are more likely to click on the search result that contains a video preview, image, or other piece of media content, your click through rates will naturally increase alongside these additions. People like to have the best possible understanding and utilizing microdata tagging will help to show them why.
What KPI’s will you use to measure SEO success?
February 24th, 2013Online strategy development is one of the most important things needed when it comes to achieving business goals and capturing the attention of the visitors to your website. Without developing your strategy, chances are you won’t be able to achieve any positive outcome and there will be no way you can convert your visitors into customers.
Technology is a tool and partly a solution for online strategy development. There are various types of businesses and they each have their own goals and target audience. So before you develop a website or presence on the web, you should ask yourself questions such as “what is the goal of my website?”, “who are my target audience?”, “who are my competitors?”, “what are the critical factors for success?” etc.
Realistic KPI for SEO
If you decided to hire a web development company that can do online strategy development for you, it is important to make sure they work on several aspects. These include business analysis, social strategy, digital strategy, market research SEO strategy and advertising campaign planning.
In business analysis, the web development company analyzes your business from a unique point that can make yourself ready for the next move. It can also make your to-do list a lot clearer. Perhaps the most important part for brand building is digital strategy. It differs from one person to another and from one business to another. The design of your website will depend on your target audience, your product and services and area of your business. The uniqueness of your website design will set you apart from others.
Today, everyone gets excited and has been talking a lot about social media. There are a lot of social media sites that can help your business grow and will allow you to share content on your website to increase the traffic your website drives. An SEO company in Sydney will tell you the best social media platforms for your business as well as how they can be incorporated in your website.
You preferred a list of keywords and key phrases to address your target audience will help your business appear higher in a google search than your competitors. Your preferred keyword list can be decided upon with the website company or if you don’t have any idea, or an SEO analyst. They will be able to analyze and inform you the keywords that are great for optimization. The content of your website must be written well and should also be keyword specific. If the web development company offers copywriting, then it would be an added advantage on your part.
If you want to ensure your success online, it is important for you to have a clear understanding of the strong and weak points of your competitors. The web development company you hire should do competitor analysis based on their web presence, social presence and SEO effectiveness. In this process, you will understand which among your competitors are doing great. Finally, you can discuss with the web development company you hire about SEO KPI Tracking with Google Analytics and the best options for advertising that will enable you to drive more traffic into your website.
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Influence of Social Media Today
February 18th, 2013One of the best and quickest ways to gain valuable sales and visibility for your business, service or company is through social media promotions. Social media promotions are fast becoming the most popular means of retrieving information about new and exciting products or ideas. People are willing to spend money and time investing their energy into these services largely because social media connects the concerns directly with their lives, friends and personal interests. Social media promotions are the newest way to build bridges and are what often gives a business or service an edge above the competition. In the current business environment there is just not a simpler way to increase revenue than through social media strategy Sydney. Our company have determined a number of clear cut wasy to catapult your company to the top of a search engine in order to dramatically change the way your business model is seen by prospective customers. The first step is understanding the importance of social media & business integration.
Using Social Media to Target Potential Clients
The reality is that revenue is all about numbers and getting the traffic you need in order to grow your business from the ground up and distinguish itself in an increasingly competitive online environment. While in the past it has been easy to engage in online marketing, this is no longer the case due to the sheer amount of competition experienced in almost every industry. There is no better way to get these high numbers than through social media promotions. The importance of social media and business integration is rising each and every day and if you want to keep afloat or surpass and supersede all the rest, then you will want to engage your business with a number of strategies addressing your target market directly through their interests and online personalities.
Social media strategy Sydney will create the avenues geared towards attaining more traffic for your business website as well as focusing on providing you with access to a wide array of customers that happen to be looking for exactly what you are selling or offering. In these technologically advanced times, there is nothing better than using the internet and particularly social media to your advantage. Get world wide recognition simply with social media promotions, or risk having your business fade into the past decade.
How important is design creativity for websites?
February 4th, 2013Let’s face it, with today’s technology having a website is essential if you want to stay in business and that see that business grow. However, if millions upon millions of websites use the Internet to compete for business you are going to need a website that “pops” if you want to be noticed. Unfortunately, most businessmen and even web designers over look the importance of creativity in a website.
While it is important for a website to be information heavy and easy to navigate, Internet users will never notice these things unless you have a website that immediately catches their attention, draws them in and then holds them there. This is exactly why you need a professional company that offers those creative services that most companies seem to lack. You don’t want a website designer who reduces your website to a series of tried and true templates, you want someone with vision who is capable of making your website stand out in the crowd.
Ways to Attract More Visitors
Spend a little time surfing the net and looking for those useful sites for web creativity. Look over the samples on these websites and ask yourself what makes these websites really stand out. There is little doubt that your answer will be that the site is creative. It has eye catching details and there is just something about the design that makes you want to browse the site.
The truth is, websites have become mundane and run of the mill. Many have a sameness to them that makes it difficult for those surfing the web in need of goods or services to choose between one website and next. With the chance to gain new customers reliant on the click of a mouse, you want your website to be more than a copy of that which a thousand websites have already used. You want a website design that says your website and your company has more to offer. You want a design that draws the eye, pulls at emotions, and catches the imagination of anyone surfing the net.
When choosing a web design company, make sure you take a good look at their sample websites and if their samples don’t show the creativity that will make your website unique, pass them by. There is simply no reason to pay good money for a website that will only get lost in the crowd. If you are looking for a creative web design company Sydney based, there are a few to choose from. Just take your time and make sure that the company you choose offers you the creative services that you need.
What to Expect with SEO in 2013?
January 30th, 2013Search Engine Optimization has been a hot topic for some time. In 2013 it is perhaps gaining more attention than ever before.
If you didn’t know, Google have been releasing algorithm updates since 2011, and these have quite literally changed the face of SEO. So let’s discuss what there is to expect from SEO in 2013 and beyond.
Expected Google Algorithm Changes in 2013
An old style SEO strategy would have involved writing your main website content alongside other articles linking back to your main site. The focus is somewhat similar, but it can not be done in quite the same way. Not one little bit!
- For a start you will need to make sure that your main content is massively helpful and massively laser targeted! If someone searches “how to knit a green wool jumper” then your web page really needs to be optimized for “green wool” and how to knit a jumper with green wool.
- If your page also includes topics about knitting scarves with green wool and socks with red wool then this is not going to be beneficial for you when trying to get your site to rank in the search engine results page (SERPS).
- Your keywords (the phrase you want to optimize for) should not be used too much in your articles, while in the past this has been encouraged. Google penalizes websites for being over optimized. Gone are the times when you should include your phrase in the content 2% of the time (2 times for every 100 words). 1% or less is preferred – preferably less!
Your “linking” strategy needs to alter too! In the past you could link to your main site to lots of articles and the link in those articles would have your exact phrase you are trying to rank for. This is no longer an option. In fact the exact opposite is more likely to have some very healthy and positive results.
It sounds crazy but your anchor text should contain almost zero “exact phrase” links. Instead link using words such as “click here”, or “here” or even the website address.
Also you should ONLY place backlink content on sites that serve RELATED content. So if your web page is about Green woollen jumpers, then you should only be linking to your site from sites that are on the topic of knitting (ideally with Green wool!).
You should also think about linking out (away from your site) to important high PR sites (like Wikipedia). At PubCon 2012: Matt Cutts Blog showcased the fascinating insight into the world of Google. The Las Vegas event also revealed Google’s new disavow tool by which webmasters could enter in the url’s to sites that have been used to link back to your main site, and have those “links” disavowed (i.e. not counted towards the number of effective backlinks your website receives)
If all of these tips sound a little confusing then don’t worry. You can find help. Just find a good SEO company in Sydney or another local service to help get your site ranking well.
Small Business and SEO
January 13th, 2013What is SEO?
- SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.
- This is the process of improving the visibility of a website in search engines results like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
- More visibility of your website means a higher ranking with those search engines, which means more customers finding and visiting your site.
- On-page SEO is what is written in the text is what grabs the attention of the search engines and gets your page a higher ranking. This includes Title Tags, Meta Description, H Tags, Keywords, Internal Linking Strategy, Site Maps, Content, etc.
- And there is also off-page SEO. This is another reason why the context is so important and it cannot be a mix of keywords and keyword phrases that make don’t make sense. This includes Social Bookmarking, Press Releases, Article Submission, Affiliate Marketing, Blog Posting, Directory Submission, Video Submission, etc.
Importance of a High Search Engine Ranking
Without SEO, many websites would be virtually nonexistent. If your site isn’t optimized for search engines, then odds are your site won’t be found when a prospective customer searches for your product or service online.
When your site is well optimized, you will see a significant increase to the people visiting your site. Choosing the right SEO strategist Sydney can also result in driving targeted traffic to your site. This means that people looking for just what you sell can easily find you when they are searching for your products or services online. Without the right SEO company, a business can waste time and money trying to get quality traffic to their site.
If you are weighing your options in order to decide on an SEO strategist in Sydney, make sure you look at everything the company has to offer. If they just perform SEO services, you may not be getting everything you need in order to achieve success online.
It can be incredibly advantageous to choose an SEO company who not only provides SEO services but also provides full online marketing services such as website creation, content writing and targeted keyword research. They can help ensure you complete the SEO beginners checklist.
With more and more websites available to your prospective customers every day, your site needs to stand out and get noticed. If it doesn’t, your money is wasted and you can never get it back. Improve your website’s return on investment and choose the right SEO company to ascertain a strong online presence and increase the potential of your business.