Category Archives: Small Business Marketing

Protect Your Website Against Google Algorithm Updates

Hummingbird algorithm, Organic SEO, SEO, Small Business Marketing,

google hummingbird updateChanges in Google algorithm updates can put the fear into even the most successful of affiliate marketer. The changes can affect search engine optimisation ranking, and can mean the difference between obtaining healthy traffic volume to a site, or not at all. Here’s all you need to know to ensure your website is as protected as possible against future Google algorithm updates.

Make your content unique

It’s been no secret that Google has been waging war with websites that produce low quality content. What this means as an affiliate marketer is that you really need to ensure that the content you provide on your site is meaningful, interesting and unique. Don’t copy from any other sites, and always try to think about how you are adding value to what you produce. Consider using a tool such as Copyscape to check your work isn’t duplicated.

Manage your links

Google has also taken it upon itself to penalise any websites with cheap inbound links that smack of spam. If you want to protect your website, then make sure that your link profile is as natural as possible. What does this mean? Try to create relevant and engaging links on your affiliate site. Incorporate your brand name into most of your anchor text. Use generic anchors such as ‘click here’ and ‘learn more’. Avoid the use of automated link-building software. Have a mixture of do-follow links and no-follow links.

Don’t over use keywords

Previous Google updates have penalised affiliate marketing websites that have been keyword heavy. Don’t over use keywords, but focus on the most important phrases only. When you do use them, make their use as natural as possible.

Engage in social media

It’s something that every affiliate marketer should be doing anyway, but to make sure your website is protected as possible against Google algorithm updates, you should be paying even more attention to social media. Google will view your website favourably if you can show that you have an active social media presence, so make sure you have a Facebook or Twitter account. Make use of Pinterest if you produce unique images, and install social sharing buttons on your pages.

Keep your site current

Again, it’s probably one of the biggest golden rules of affiliate marketing, but if you’re not keeping your website current and up to date, then Google could well penalise you in its next round of updates. So, as well as adding as much unique content as possible, keep reviewing it and make sure it is current.

Build a mailing list

One of the best methods to protect yourself from any future Google updates is to get building a mailing list. Your list should be made up of your targeted email subscribers and all of your customers and contacts, etc.

Get people visiting your site

Google seems to favour those websites where visitors like to frequent, and stay there. So, you need to protect your website by drawing traffic to your site and giving visitors sufficient reasons for them to hang out there for a good while.

Anytime Google changes is heard it worries even the most successful of people. Clicksure, the author of this post, does everything they can to make sure we prepare you before and after the updates.

11 Wonders of Video Marketing

SEO video, Small Business Marketing, Social Media Marketing, YouTube Marketing, ,

youtubeBelow are eleven reasons for you to consider video marketing as part of your digital marketing strategy:

What attracted us most during our childhood days, a comic magazine or a TV cartoon? I am sure most of us will say TV cartoon. That’s because the animation used in video tends to attract us more than mere plain text. Our eyes often get glued to something which has movement. Just compare a photograph with a video. You would prefer watching latter over former. This logic can be successfully used by digital marketers who wish to get their brands across millions of people in short span of time by incorporating the right strategy. The name of that strategy is Video Marketing.

  1. Video lovers are more: People love to watch videos and this has been proved by the success of Youtube channel. According to the experts a staggering 70% of the total Internet users around the world spends atleast 30 minutes watching online video daily.
  2. Video dominates search results: Videos appear at the top of page as a result of search queries. When your audience will enter search query relevant to your line of business, your video has more chances of appearing at the top of search results.
  3. Spreads faster than other content: Videos are shared and liked by people more than the articles or blogs on social media platform which means videos have more chances of getting viral over the Internet.
  4. Creative Videos get more visitors: Videos, if creative and original, attracts more visitors as they can engage audience more than any other format.
  5. Video entertain people: Videos entertain people and gets them glued to their mobile or laptops. It’s an effective way of promoting brand while entertaining people.
  6. Videos are inexpensive: Videos can be created at no cost. Creating 2-5 minutes short videos about specific topic from articles & content is the emerging marketing trend these days.
  7. Information gets conveyed easily: Videos help businesses convey information in an easy manner. People don’t need to go through long texts to understand and get information.
  8. Videos attract Smartphone crowd: Smartphone users crowd is increasing at a tremendous rate and so is video watchers on mobile. Your videos can be easily accessed by Smartphone users.
  9. Videos are versatile: Videos can be shared on different channels and can also be posted on your website.
  10. Videos have human touch: Videos have the ability to provide information personally to target audience.
  11. Video induces action faster than texts: Videos persuade audience faster than articles or blogs. It conveys information more directly. Being an audio-visual medium it reduces the time required to read the articles.

see-hear-listenAccording to the 2013 Online Video Marketing Survey 94% digital marketers in today’s time use Youtube for video marketing and 87% is the video sharing rate on Facebook. Video marketing is one popular tool which can be used by digital marketers to rise above their current level and reach maximum audience. All brands need to do is to create amazing video!

Author Bio:

Ana is a digital marketing Specialist and a creative blogger who mostly writes on topics related to digital marketing & Social Media. To read more of her creative writing & tips please follow www.media-mosaic.com.

5 Reasons To Use Google Places

Google places, SEO, Small Business Marketing

Google Places

Google is the dominating search engine and one that majority of people turn to on their computers when they are looking for something. The current shift away from using desktop computers and into using the mobile and tablet has changed the way people search, but only a little bit.

The rise of apps has meant that we don’t necessarily search for things with a search engine but rather use an app for finding a restaurant, for example.

Yet there is one prominent Google service that you still need to pay attention to and that is Google Places. Here are five reasons why you can’t forget about Google.

1. Still The Most Relevant

There is no denying the fact that Google has a big upper hand against other local listings like Yelp or Foursquare. Although these are still good listings to sign up with your business there will always be more advantages for using Google Places.

Google has such a strong expertise in perfecting search engine functions that it is really important to take advantage of their products.

2. Allows Multiple Locations

If your business also works in multiple locations it is really simple to add all branches to your profile. This can ensure that your business is listed to people in various locations and that they can always find your office.

So make sure that you always include all locations, even if it is just an office space it can still improve the way customers find you.

3. Provides Reviews

Google Places also allows customers to review the businesses that they have been to and this is really important for getting your business improve its search engine ranking. You want to get people talking about your business and encouraging customer reviews is a great way to become more prominent business in your field.

4. Localisation Is Essential

In order to attract the right customers to your business you want to of course make sure that people near your business find you. Google Places is great for optimisation of local SEO and therefore essential for any business.

You also don’t necessarily need to use localisation in your searches in order to get local results. Google can get your exact location from GPS in smartphones and thus people who are near your business can find you really quickly.

5. It’s Free To Use

One thing that makes Google Places also an essential listings program to use is the fact that it is free to use. This means that small businesses don’t need to find more money to advertise but can get the same amazing benefits that bigger companies with more resources have. So make sure to sign up your business with this free service.

The above reasons are some of the most important reasons why you should start using Google Places. Although it is important to make your business visible in many online listings it is a good idea to start with Google Places.

It is simple to use and will provide your business a lot more internet presence.

Our guest blogger, Jonathan, is always looking for more information about various Google products and how entrepreneurs can use them to benefit their business.

Are New Social Bookmarking Sites A Good Option For Backlinks?

Small Business Marketing, Social Media Marketing, , , ,

Social bookmarking

social-bookmarkingThe new buzz on the web has to do with social sites and it looks like the internet and SEO is headed firmly towards the social path. From social networking sites to social bookmarking sites, the internet is increasingly becoming a place for social activities and for people to socialize. The popularity of social bookmarking is on the rise and this has led to many new social bookmarking sites making their way into the market that is keenly contested for page rank (PR) ratings. There are many social bookmarking sites available all over the internet and people generally focus only on top social bookmarking sites list when it comes to using them for SEO or backlinks. However, some new social bookmarking sites have a decent PR rating and can be a good option for you. Such sites can be a resource that you can tap early.

 

Backlinks on social bookmarking

  • The use of backlinks is something that is keenly followed by many websites to help increase their traffic and to rise the rankings of their website.
  • By having backlinks at the right places, one can generate good traffic and with increased traffic from quality backlinks, the ranking of the website is only bound to increase.
  • Social bookmarking sites are considered a great platform for backlinks and one can use these sites as they would use search engines and the tagging in the social bookmarking sites is similar to the keywords that are used in search engines.
  • Generally people used the sites that are on the top bookmarking sites list for their backlinks, but one should also consider the new social bookmarking sites as they can have untapped potential if used properly.

Finding new social bookmarking sites

Even new social bookmarking sites are not spared from PR Ratings. Therefore, you will be able to know the PR rating of even the new sites and that will help you to decide on whether to use that bookmarking site or to avoid it. Many new sites have PR ratings of five and above. These sites can be a good option, as they are still untapped, and can provide you access to a different set of people who you can use to build traffic to your site. Many blogs and websites will have the list of new social bookmarking sites along with their PR rating. By visiting such blogs and website, you will be able to find new social bookmarking sites that have untapped potential.

 Why new social bookmarking sites can be a good option

Every new site will have a set of new members that you can target and very few regulars of social bookmarking sites will join new sites, as they would be focusing on the top social networking sites list. This means, the new social bookmarking sites will have new users that could be targeted, to increase traffic to your website. The new social bookmarking sites that have a good PR rating would be a good option and it may be an option that will work out well for you.

Atanu Shaw is an online marketing consultant who has the experience and expertise of handling various online marketing campaigns. He works as Seo consultant on best seo company India.