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Showing posts tagged with: kauai advertising agencies
October 3, 2019
What to Expect After A Google Broad Core Algorithm Update
If you’ve landed on our Hawaii Marketing Tips blog while searching for Team Vision Marketing, please visit our home page, creative portfolio or client video testimonials. If you’re interested in learning more about Search Engine Optimization and SEO, please continue reading.
Ever wonder how Google’s algorithm works, and how it ranks the millions of web site content updates that are published every day? Sadly, we’ll never get to know exactly what factors go into their ranking system, but we do know that the Google team is constantly making to maintain their search engine algorithm. Although these updates usually go unnoticed, several times a year the algorithm goes under a big update called, the “Broad Core Algorithm Update.” With these big updates, you may notice some changes in your search engine optimization (SEO) rankings.
If you’re just hearing about the core update now, don’t worry. In this blog post, we provide a brief explanation on how these updates might affect your web site and what your brand should do after the update to upkeep the success of your online presence.
What is a “Broad Core Algorithm” Search Engine Update?
The broad core algorithm update is one big update that improves Google’s overall algorithm. With these updates, the algorithm changes the weight and importance of its ranking factors, then it reassesses everything on the internet, based on these improvements.
Broad core updates are not as major as the Penguin, Panda, Pigeon, or Fred updates, which were implemented to address specific faults or issues in Google’s algorithm. Instead, these updates are made to help Google provide the most relevant and best information to their audience.
What will happen to my web site’s SEO rankings?
Unfortunately, Google has a reputation for giving vague explanations on what issues the updates will address, so we don’t know exactly what will happen when the changes roll out. The rare times that Google has explained how an algorithm has changed, they were trying to promote a specific behavior, such as mobile responsiveness or the adoption of HTTPS as a required part of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices.
However, you can expect to see notable changes to your web site ranking and web traffic. The improved algorithm will edit the web sites ranked on SERP, prioritizing the most relevant and up to date content. Luckily, Google announced the planned core updates in advance, which allowed companies to make last-minute improvements to their sites Search Engine Optimization strategies in order to lower the chances of any negative changes resulting from the algorithm update.
My web site SEO rank dropped! What should I do?
Remain calm. A shift in your SERP rank after a core update does not mean that Google is penalizing your site, nor does it mean that your web site is low quality. Keep in mind that this broad core update is reassessing your content against all the other content that has published since the last update, making newer and more relevant web pages more discoverable for everyone. Google used a wonderful analogy to describe how the core algorithm update operates:
“…Imagine you made a list of the top 100 movies in 2015. A few years later in 2019, you refresh the list. It’s going to naturally change. Some new and wonderful movies that never existed before will now be candidates for inclusion. You might also reassess some films and realize they deserved a higher place on the list than they had before.”
If your website is bringing in less traffic or is currently ranking lower on the Google search engine results, Team Vision Marketing suggests you do the following:
- According to Google executives, a drop in ranking probably lies in its relevancy factor. We recommend that you regularly post new blogs or publish new content on your web site.
- Look through your content. Make sure you are publishing well-written content that provides quality information and accurate data.
- Go through your web site to see if there are any technical issues, like slow loading pages or bad links, that you need to fix. You should be using Google Webmaster tools to regularly evaluate your site.
- Update and enhance your SEO strategies to make it easier for Google’s algorithm to crawl your website’s content.
Will my web sites SEO ranking recover?
Your ranking and web traffic may or may not improve in the next update. It’s not guaranteed that all your improvements will help your site recover to its former search engine ranking. Improving your web site’s rank on Google is not a one and done type of job. It requires regular maintenance to keep up with the competition. You may want to check out our recent Hawaii SEO Tips blog post, designed to help local Hawaii businesses improve their Search Engine Optimization strategies.
My web site rank went up! Will it stay like this forever?
That will depend on you. SEO best practices are constantly changing over time. Team Vision urges all brands, including the ones who are currently ranked at the top of the SERP, to regularly make improvements to their web site and their SEO. Regular web site maintenance is the key to sustaining your web site’s successful online presence.
To conclude, Google’s broad core algorithm update ensures that it’s providing the best information for everyone. The core update may or may not affect your online presence, but all brands should actively publish new content and practice webmaster approved SEO tactics. If you are a local Hawaii business that needs assistance with your advertising, web development and/or strengthening your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts, reach out to Team Vision, a Hawaii full-service Hawaii advertising and digital marketing firm. We have designed and built web sites, and provided SEO management services for Hawaii clients on O’ahu, Maui, Kauai, Lana’i, and the Big Island of Hawai’i.
Contact Us:
Phone: (808) 536-0416
Email: info@www.teamvision.com
Hear from Harry Saunders, President of Castle & Cooke Hawaii, on his experience working with Team Vision Marketing.
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December 28, 2018
11 Must Have Web Site Features For Hawaii Business Web Sites
11 Must Have Web Design Features for Hawaii Businesses
With the introduction of more and more “do it yourself” web design tools like Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, and others, you may think it’s easy to create and maintain your own web site but there’s a lot more to it than you might think. Trust us, Team Vision Marketing has been designing and programming web sites over the years for Hawaii clients, including Ke Kailani, Ainamalu, Islander Ukulele, Castle & Cooke Hawaii, Koa Ridge, Wailele Ridge and many more.
If you’re about to engage in the process of either designing your own web site or hiring someone to create a web site for you, here are eleven must-have basic web site design features your business web site needs.
If you need help with your business’s web design, let us know! We would love to help!
1. A Well Structured Menu
An organized menu is a KEY element for achieving a higher Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ranking because search engines want to present the best web sites on their search results page, which considers such factors as ease of navigation and content organization. A well-structured navigation will also prevent high bounce rates. New visitors should be able to instinctively know how to navigate through your web site and not waste their time digging through your menus to find the content they want.
Team Vision recommends listing what type of content or web pages you need to have on your site. Then, group the web pages into relevant categories or subcategories.
Pro Tip: Map out your web site design with all of its web pages in a flow chart and then refine that flowchart to create the most simple and organized navigation menus you can.
2. Visually Engaging, Responsive Web Site Design
There’s no excuse for a business web site to have a bad web design. If you make the effort to look your very best for face-to-face interactions with potential consumers or clients, then you should make the effort to make your site visually engaging. See TeamVision.com as an example of a well-designed, mobile-friendly business web site.
It takes less than 15 seconds for potential consumers or clients to analyze the look of your site and determine if they want to continue browsing through it. A clean layout, high-quality imagery, and well-written content make your site appear more trustworthy and give you a higher SEO ranking, which can result in increased web site conversions.
If you have the budget for it, there are many web site design companies that can help you create an aesthetically pleasing, responsive web design that’s fully customized to your needs. If your budget dictates that you need to go the less expensive route, DIY web site tools, like WordPress, also possess some decent web design templates, but your customization may be limited without an experienced web development team assisting you.
3. Call-To-Actions (CTA)
Call to actions are instructions designed to provoke an immediate response from your web audience, such as “Call XXX-XXXX Today!” or “Buy Now!” buttons. CTAs are important for conversions, so make them conspicuous and readily available throughout the site. Ideal CTA locations are on applicable sections of web pages, and within the site’s header and footer.
4. Visual Components: Images, Videos, and Infographics
Strong visual elements are a must for any web site design. Photos, graphics, and videos are much easier to comprehend than text, they increase brand awareness, and can help increase conversions.
• 46% of users take action after viewing a video ad (Geniusmonkey.com)
• Videos on landing pages can increase conversion by 80% (Forbes.com)
According to the 2018 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report by Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs, three of the top six content types being prioritized by B2B marketers are visual content, such as videos, infographics, and illustrations/photos
Although photos and graphics still provide creative visual interest, videos are the fastest growing form of visual content. Videos are more engaging, helpful for testimonials, demos, and storytelling. Infographics are also growing in popularity for tutorials and sharing analytics.
5. Well Written Copy with Keywords
Copy is vital for gaining more traffic, increasing conversions, and keeping your web visitors on the site longer. For SEO purposes, your web site’s text content factors in heavily. So, your copy should be relevant, concise, and rich with keywords that relate to your business, products, and services. Bad grammar, misspellings, and poor organization will get your web site flagged by search engines as a low-quality site, negatively affecting your SEO ranking and your web traffic.
Your copy should also clearly communicate all the information your audience needs to know in a concise fashion. If your web visitors can’t find the information they’re looking for, then they will quickly leave your site and go to one of your competitors. But be mindful of not sounding too sales orientated. If the tone is too promotional, then it might deter your audience from wanting to read more.
6. Enhanced Tracking and Tracking Pixels
These little snippets of code are important for measuring the effectiveness of your online marketing programs. When someone visits and takes action on your web site through Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads, the pixel’s report the action and automatically adds the web user’s information into a remarketing or lookalike audience list. Pixels also optimize conversions so Facebook and Google ads can determine how to best deliver your ads to audiences that are more likely to take action.
7. Quick Load Times
Load time speed plays a primary role in building traffic and retaining visitors on your site. Long load times can result in high bounce rates, which will negatively impact your conversions and SEO strategy. SEO algorithms heavily weigh on your web site’s bounce rates when ranking your site on search engine results pages (SERP).
There are a number of ways to improve your web site’s load time, however, most of these techniques will require some coding. There are WordPress plugins that can help but hiring someone to program these techniques might serve as a better investment for your web site.
• Visual content is the usual culprit for long load times. Try compressing and resizing your images and videos before uploading them to your website. Think about it, bigger files take more time to load.
• Use browser caching. This technique allows data to be temporarily stored on a visitor’s computer, resulting in faster load time for repeat visitors.
• Slim down your code. This includes deleting unnecessary HTML, Java script, CSS, and white space between code lines.
• HubSpot suggests adding your site’s external Javascript files to the bottom of the page before closing the body tag.
8. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
We cannot stress this enough! It’s 2019, your web pages should already be optimized for search engines. SEO is no longer treated as a bonus in your online marketing, it’s an absolute must! This is how your web site will become more visible on search engine results pages, which will generate increased web traffic and potentially higher conversions.
Read more about key SEO strategies and how to optimize our web site for voice search in our previous blog posts.
9. SSL Certificate, Terms Of Use, And Disclaimers
Security is an increasingly important component of web site design, not just for the audience, but also for web site owners. Adding some security measures is easier than you think.
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate
Buying and installing an SSL certificate is essential for your web site. This standard security technology establishes an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser, ensuring that all the data passed between a server and a browser is kept private. Without it, Google will label your web site as “NOT SECURE”, which will negatively affect your search engine ranking and send red flags to your audience. This certificate also gives your audience some peace of mind.
Read more about SSL Certificates here.
Terms of Use
This legal document lays out the rules that users must agree to in order to use the site and use content from the site. It prevents abuses, protects your intellectual property and registered trademarks, and limits your liability if your content has been used incorrectly or inflicts damage. The Terms of Use also states your right to terminate accounts and establishes age restrictions.
Disclaimers
A Disclaimer is a legal notice that protects the company by limiting the legal liability for the outcome of your web audience using your web site. Without disclaimers, you can potentially face lawsuits.
10. XML Sitemap
Building an XML sitemap into your web site helps Google “crawl” through your web pages to determine your site’s indexing on search result pages. With some coding, you can customize which web pages you think are high quality that Google should pay more attention to and which pages Google should ignore. See Team Vision’s XML Site Map as an example.
Learn how to build an XML sitemap and view Google’s sitemap guidelines.
11. Integration With Google Analytics
Google Analytics is an essential tool for every web site. It provides insight on who your web audience is and which online marketing strategies are working best for your site. It can track how your audience found your site, which device they accessed it from, track their full interaction with your web pages, and much more.
Bonus:
Testimonials & Reviews
Testimonials are effective buying influencers. If you have consumers that have enjoyed your product or service, share that with your prospective customers. If you have the capability, video testimonials are more effective than text testimonials. View examples of quality video testimonials here.
•HubSpot Research also found that 60% of consumers believed customer reviews were either trustworthy or very trustworthy
• According to Nielsen research, “92% of people will trust a recommendation from a peer, and 70% of people will trust a recommendation from someone they don’t even know”.
Portfolios
If you’re selling a service, like advertising and marketing, you should show off your recent and past work. Give your prospective customers an idea of what they can expect from your business. Of course, include some text to give your prospective customers some context.
As an example, check out Team Vision’s extensive advertising and marketing portfolio.
Link Your Social Media Channels to Your Web Site
If you promote your web site on social media, then you should also promote your social media on your web site. Linking your social media to your site can help increase your followers and engagements. Let your audience easily discover a more personal point of view of your company.
Incorporating these 11 key basic web features can help you achieve a higher Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ranking , improve your web site traffic, and increase your online conversions. Are you scrolling through your web site and noticing that you are missing some of these important features? Team Vision can help you with all your web design and Search Engine Optimization needs. We’ve designed and developed many successful Hawaii web sites and SEO marketing programs for Hawaii businesses on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, The Big Island of Hawaii and Lanai.
Reach out to us at (808) 536-0416 or use our website inquiry form at www.www.teamvision.com/contact.
Hear from Harry A. Saunders, President of Castle & Cooke Hawaii, on his 20 years of experience working with Team Vision.
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Sources:
http://time.com/12933/what-you-think-you-know-about-the-web-is-wrong/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlbJKOWEPEM
https://www.godaddy.com/garage/does-your-website-really-need-terms-of-use/
https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2012/trust-in-advertising–paid-owned-and-earned.html
https://blog.hubspot.com/service/get-customer-reviews
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/80471
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-reduce-your-websites-page-speed
https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2018-b2b-research-final.pdf
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/20-web-design-stats-you-need-to-know-first-infographic/524656/
Hey Google, Why Should We Optimize Our Web Site For Voice Search?
Voice searching technology is changing the way we browse and shop on the internet. We can look up almost anything on the web just by saying, “Hey Google…” or “Hey Siri…” We can even turn on the lights, send texts, play music, and plan our day with a quick verbal request.
Image Source: KPCB/Mary Meeker’s Annual 2016 Internet Report
As voice searching continues to gain popularity among all age groups, businesses must rethink their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies and how they write their web page content.
- In 2017, one in six Americans owned a voice-activated smart-speaker
- According to Forbes, OC&C Strategies Consultants found that voice search accounted for $1.8 billion on Amazon’s 2017 sales. They predict that sales will increase to $40 billion by 2022.
- 44% of people regularly use voice-activated technology order groceries, household items, etc. at least once a week.
- 20% of inquiries on the Google app are by voice searches.
- 22% of voice searches are for local information and 30% are for general information, according to Mary Meeker’s Annual 2016 Internet Report.
- Garner reports that by 2020, voice-activated searches will account for 30% of web browsing.
- Emarketer predicts that in 2019, 39.3% of Millennials, 17.2% Gen X, and 10.1% of Baby Boomers will use their voice-enabled digital assistant on their devices.
So, how can we incorporate voice searching in our SEO strategy?
1. Add Schema Markup To Your Site
Search engine algorithms are based on multiple factors that relate to your web site’s content. This is why in addition to producing quality content, it’s essential to incorporate keywords and metadata into your site.
A schema markup is essentially like metadata, which is a set of code that helps search engines organize and classify your website’s content and enables search enhancements. You can use schema markups to optimize information that voice search users will be looking for, like contact information, operational times, directions, and so on.
It may seem daunting for those who are not familiar with coding, but this is an important tactic to use. If you need assistance on any of your web-based needs, give Team Vision Marketing a call. We have extensive experience designing web sites and developing innovative digital and SEO programs for our clients. Check out our web design and marketing work in our portfolio.
2. Use Long Tail Keywords and Keep Your Content Conversational
It requires less effort to say a complete sentence than typing out one, which is why voice searches tend to be longer and more conversational than traditional search engine phrases. Thus, brands should be writing content in a natural speaking voice that includes long tail keywords, which are search phrases that are three to five words long. It might also be worthwhile to test bids on long tail keywords. For example, Team Vision would bid on keywords like “Top Hawaii Marketing Agency” or “Hawaii Advertising Agency”.
Tip: Use Google Search Console to see what voice searches you’re currently showing up on and brainstorm more voice searches your web site can relate to.
3. Anticipate For Specific and Stronger Intent
Along with general inquiries, voice search users can have stronger purchasing intent. So, it might be ideal to test full question keywords or answer questions, like “Where is the closest cafe?”.
The type of question can indicate the degree of desire. As explained on Moz.com, questions that begin with “Who” or “What” reveal interest, while questions that begin with “When” or “Where” shows more intent on an action.
Image Source: “How Voice Search Will Chance Digital Marketing – For the Better”
This also means that voice searches can have more specific inquiries, such as “Hey Google, search for mid-century furniture near me.” This is good news for brands that target a more niche audience or sell a specific product.
Take our client, Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii’s, newest residential real estate neighborhood, as an example. Their target audience for this community is people already living in or wanting to move to Waipahu, Hawaii. Thus, long tail keyword phrases like “Waipahu Real Estate” will be more valuable than just “Real Estate.”
4. Claim Your Business On Google
Although your business should already have done this, it has become even more essential to claim your business on Google, now that more local or “near me” inquiries are made on voice searches – as seen in the graph below.
“Near Me” Voice Search Usage
Image Source: Google Trends “Near Me” Report
Claiming the business gives you the ability to list what category it falls under, give some details about your products/services, and input the correct contact information. This will help your customers find your business easier during searches, provide accurate information, and it can help increase your ranking on the search engine results page (SERP).
5. Make Your Web Site Mobile Friendly
It’s imperative and highly recommended that your web site is converted to be responsive on all devices. Due to the fact that a majority of Google searches, including voice searches, are made on mobile, Google factors a web page’s mobile format into its search engine ranking algorithm.
It also provides your audience with a seamless and more enjoyable web experience. When a site is mobile friendly, the web site automatically formats the content to fit within the width of the screen, making it more aesthetically pleasing, easier to work with, and it keeps your bounce rates lower.
6. Optimize Your FAQS Page
Since questions are more likely to be voice search phrases, optimizing your FAQ page would be worth your while. FAQs pages are another opportunity for businesses to add in more searchable long tail keywords, which can make your web site more attractive for voice search results.
Team Vision recommends researching what common questions your audience might ask in a voice search that relates to your business and title your FAQs exactly like that. For example, a possible voice search question and FAQ for Team Vision could be: “What is a full-service marketing agency?”.
Tip: As previously mentioned, keep in mind that voice searches are more conversational, so adopt a casual tone for the FAQ title and content.
7. Update Web Content for Google Quick Answers
In 2014, Google created Quick Answers, a more convenient method of pulling up content relevant to certain inquiries, like “how to…” or “what is…” searches, from specific web sites. This Quick Answers box is featured above the first organic result of the SERP and includes the link to the page. See an example below.
