Month: January 2020

Categories
SEO

Google Explains How to Use Headings for SEO

Headings help readers who scan through to know what to expect when reading an article. Headings also play a heavy role in SEO presence, but not necessarily for the reason you may think. Google uses H1, H2, and other HTML headings in a specific way for displaying articles in searches on its platform. When Google speaks, we listen, because we want to make sure to incorporate its advice into our SEO strategy.

A Bit Of History On Headers

In the early 2000s, heading elements were among the ranking factors Google used to determine where to rank a page for a particular keyword or phrase. If you wanted to rank, one of the most important things to do was to use your keywords throughout the headings. For the past few years, this hasn’t been the case, but it’s still a common SEO practice today. It’s a habit for many, though if you look at top-ranked sites, you’ll likely see headings that don’t include keywords.

Google’s Thoughts on Headers and Keywords

John Mueller was recently asked about Google’s thoughts on the use of keywords in a heading and their ranking ability.

Mueller responded: I think in general, headings are a bit overrated in the sense that it’s very easy to… get pulled into lots of theoretical discussions on what the optimal headings should be.

Google no longer ranks by keyword but rather the heading and the following contents. They examine the heading to ensure the subsequent information matches. The way that headings should be.

H1 Headings Do Not Outrank H2 Headings

In the past, it was understood that headings were hierarchy based.  H1 was more important than H2 and H2 was more important than H3. The most important keywords would be placed in the highest level of heading. The lesser important keywords were in lower-level headings. Though this may have been the case 15 years ago – it doesn’t apply today – despite the fact that many people still approach using headings this way.

Google explains that headings are irrelevant to rank. Should they still be used? Yes! They are essential for accessibility and for user experience.

What Is The Proper Use For Heading Tags?

Google stands by the idea that the best use of heading tags is for the reader. They indicate the information to follow, introduce a video, or an image. Google doesn’t look for the keyword but the quality of the text. They want to rank a site because the information is relevant to the heading and they can draw the reader to look at more information. The right searches will find your information, not the keywords in the header.

Heading Tags Aren’t Ranked

Headings tags used to make the top lists of ranking factors for decades, even though Google has made changes and has been transparent about them. If you do your own search and really study the results, you will notice the results don’t include the headers with a keyword. Google stands by providing search results with information about the content and that is all.

John Mueller has said: So it’s not so much that suddenly your page ranks higher because you have those keywords there. But suddenly it’s more well Google understands my content a little bit better and therefore it can send users who are explicitly looking for my content a little bit more towards my page.

Mueller also took the time to explain the proper use of heading tags: So obviously there’s a little bit of overlap there with regards to… Google understanding my content better and me ranking better for the queries that I care about. Because if you write about content that you want to rank for which probably you’re doing, then being able to understand that content better does help us a little bit. But it’s not that suddenly your page will rank number one for competitive queries just because you’re making it very easy for Google to understand your content. So with that said, I think it’s useful to… look at the individual headings on a page but… don’t get too dug down into all of these details and variations and instead try to find a way to make it easy for people and for scripts to understand the content and kind of the context of things on your pages.

What This Means For Websites

The great thing about understanding the way Google uses headings is that it encourages more quality content than keyword stuffing we saw for several years. Quality content is much more beneficial to your audience than keyword-stuffed fluff, and Google wants to make its users happy. If people can’t find what they’re looking for in Google, then Google risks losing them to other search engines.

By worrying less about keywords in your content headings, you can ensure your content comes across with more authenticity. You’re less likely to be hit with penalties for keyword stuffing, and more likely to rank ahead of any competitors who are still relying on the old school tactics. Ultimately, you’ll earn a reputation for quality, which helps to build and strengthen relationships with your consumers.

Categories
SEO

January 2020 Google Core Update

On January 13th, 2020, Google announced that its first core update of the year would be rolling out that day. It’s important to remember that as with any other core update, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with the pages that drop in rankings after week or update. They are just being reassessed against content that has been published since the last update or content that was overlooked previously.

Widely noticeable effects are to be expected, which may include gains or drops, so start paying attention to your rankings in the days and weeks following core updates is important. If you found that your rankings dropped, look at what is ranking ahead of your content and consider how you can create an even more comprehensive solution for searchers.

Compared to previous core updates, this one does seem fairly substantial based on some of the early signals and chatter. The core update we saw in September 2019 was slow to roll out and wasn’t very upsetting. The January 2020 core update, however, seems much larger than the September update according to what’s going on in the SEO community.

The core updates usually take a few days, it can take up to two weeks to fully complete so that’s why it’s important to keep an eye on your analytics and traffic in the days and weeks after Google makes an announcement about the core update.

Part of the core update included an update to the search engine results page layout which displays company favicon in the desktop search results.

How Big are the Changes?

It may be a few more weeks before we can truly determine the scope of all of the changes, but it is safe to assume that Google is adjusting its trust in entire domains based on machine learning for the score updates. The more credibility and trust a domain has from its industry, the bigger the potential change is when Google adjusts the value internally. We can see it well in the health and finance sectors which at the start of the core update processes have seen changes that are proportionately greater than others.

With the latest score update, Google has widened the circle of affected domains and the trend continues. In the daily visibility index data for mobile search results from Sistrix,  you can see the first reactions begin on the 15th to the 16th of January.

Who Won as a Result of This Core Update?

This update focused on domain-wide recalculation of Google trust, there are both winners and losers. Either all of the content ranks better than before or the domain drops a few positions. So far, the winners include the following domains:

● Goal.com
● Onhealth.com
● CarGurus.com
● VeryWellHealth.com
● Fandango.com

Though many expected the movements in the health sector because there are rumors that Google is planning something in this area, there is a wide range of sectors and content types.

Which Domains Lost?

With winners, also come losers. The top losers so far are:

● CarMagazine.co.uk
● BoxOfficeMojo
● Skysports.com
● ArnoldClark.com
● CarBuyer.co.uk

A lot of the focus in the past core updates seems to mostly impact the “Your Money, Your Life” domains, but what’s surprising about this round is the number of sites related to car buying. This may be related to the amount of finance-related information on the site, such as pricing, financing, and insurance. The computerized, data-based quality evaluation is behind the changes, and that could differ greatly from a human evaluation.

Domains that relate to YMYL topics have been re-evaluated by the algorithm, and are either gaining or losing visibility as a whole. Domains previously affected by core updates are more likely to be affected again in the future. The good news is, the absolute fluctuations seem to be declining with each update, as Google is becoming more certain of its assessment and doesn’t deviate much from the previous one.

We’ll have to wait and see what comes of the April 2020 Core Update. Though it hasn’t been announced because the focus is all on the January update, it’s reasonable to expect them on an almost quarterly basis – since we saw one in June 2019, September 2019, and November 2019 (though the November one wasn’t announced, but confirmed by Google.)

Categories
Digital Marketing

Ugly Sites and Conversions

Nearly two decades ago, affiliate marketers generally understood that ugly sites that look like they were built by a child tended to convert well. Major websites were using exceedingly plain designs. Though it may seem counterintuitive to purposely create an ugly site, it might be worth the time to revisit that old affiliate marketing strategy of ugly sites sell.

Today, the ugly sites sell paradigm isn’t well-known. But, it was a well-tested marketing strategy that affiliate marketers used in the early days. Many major websites today use a variation of those ideas discovered nearly 20 years ago. Revisiting this strategy helps to understand how it came to be and how you might be able to adapt it today.

Affiliate marketers gathered around drinks and appetizers at PubCon Boston 2003. They had each independently discovered that making their sites usable but ugly increased sales. One of the most well-known affiliate marketers, Mike Mackin, posted a discussion titled “Ugly Sites Sell”, on WebmasterWorld in June 2003.

The post became one of the most influential discussions from that platform whose influence continues to be felt today. That discussion inspired marketers to split test different designs, including ugly websites that were built for speed, conversions, and usability.

One participant in that discussion from 2003 objected to the ugly site paradigm and suggested that maybe nobody is making ugly sites on purpose. Another legendary affiliate marketer indicated that he was very much purposely making sites that were ugly.

You can still find this discussion online at WebmasterWorld today, but it is hidden behind a paywall.

The Huge Buy Button

Making the “buy” button huge was a critical part of the ugly sites sell approach.

Split testing of the ugly sites strategy discovered that making the buy button large, sometimes to the point of dominating what was visible on the website increased sales. Making the buy button huge increased conversions.

“Ugly” Sites Today

It may sound ridiculous but we still see the strategy in different forms today.

For instance, take a look at this large buy button area on Amazon. This huge call to action wouldn’t be in use if it weren’t effective.

And look at Walmart’s approach. It makes the buy button stand out. The idea of making the buy buttons stand out from the rest of the site may have had roots in magazine advertising, but the strategy was tested and independently discovered by online marketers.

Major Corporations Use Plain Websites

The appearance of a site is just one of many factors to consider when it comes to conversions. However, major corporations such as Wal-Mart and Walgreens, Operate with plain-looking web pages that some may even describe as ugly. We can bet that those companies wouldn’t use that design if it weren’t converting for them.

Looking at the screenshots you can see that their web presence can be described as playing at best and ugly at worst. But we know the sites are successful and because if they weren’t, we could expect them to be updated to use a flashier design.

It’s obvious that some of the factors from the ugly sites sell movement such as the highly visible by button remain as relevant today as they were nearly 20 years ago. Examples of sites like Walgreens and Walmart provide evidence that there is a place for plain-looking websites.

What do you think?

Categories
Digital Marketing

How to Use Multicultural Marketing in Your Digital Advertising

Imagine for a moment that you’ve decided to purchase a new bed. What determines your first steps in the buying journey? Where do you go to get the information you’re looking for? How do you determine your budget? What website would you visit to purchase your new bed? How would you prefer to shop? In the past, visiting a brick-and-mortar business was the only way to purchase a mattress. However, there are several online-only brands that offer in-home trials and free returns, so now you have the option to shop online even if you don’t opt for major mattress brands websites.

These are just a handful of questions that normally come up when you make the decision to buy something. As a marketer, it’s important to remember that for each of these questions, consumers will provide different answers. A lot of our decision-making depends on individual experiences and our cultural background.

Successful international advertising and marketing require an understanding of how customers make decisions. It is also crucial to realize that people in different areas may not have equal access to Internet sources because they face different life challenges and prioritize their goods and services differently.

Research indicates that social media preferences vary by race and ethnicity. Hispanic Americans and African-Americans are among the most active users of mobile devices, radio, and TV. Multicultural millennials are the highest content consumers, with the top four being blogs, radio, TV, and smartphones. It’s because of this marketers have started to develop multicultural content personalization. With it, brands are able to address people of various cultures and ethnicities more effectively.

Aim to Empower

Ideally, you should create a sense of empowerment. Go beyond your brand. Recognize the strength of a group and involved the culture to do more than just purchase a product. Using empowering campaigns not only encourages people to be proud of your brain that helps to establish a positive relationship with your potential customers.

Nike ran a Black History Month ad, “Be Bold. Be True.” it was released for Black History Month in 2019 and features a spoken word piece by Joekenneth Museau paired with images of people being bold. It is subtle in that the connection to Black History Month comes only briefly with the hashtag #BHM. Which allows the message to become more about empowerment.

Be Inclusive

Include Variety in your campaigns representing the backgrounds and experiences of everyone in your target market, not just one particular cultural subgroup. Looks to Coca-Cola’s America is Beautiful advertisement for inspiration here. This ad in particular highlights The melting pot of cultures that exist in America, representing America the Beautiful being sung by different people in many languages. Though there are arguments for and against using the total market trends, inclusivity works when done well.

Tread Carefully

Culturally-focused topics are often sensitive. It can be easy to make mistakes and get negative reactions as a result. As such, you must be able to predict potential ripples of impact for the campaigns and be able to address any negative feedback.

You must research, evaluate, and evaluate everything before executing cultural campaigns of any kind.

Tug on the Heart Strings

As humans, we are fairly emotional. Audiences can be moved even by a slight tug on the heartstrings. This is especially true when you add in cultural factors. Our culture identifies humans as individuals, nations, families, and more. Therefore, people are strongly and sentimentally linked to their culture.

Recognizing a particular culture’s quirk and bringing it to light in a humorous and kind way can give you better customer engagement. Campaigns of this nature tend to focus on a particular cultural trait that if the cultural group was hanging out together, they would poke fun at gently. When it’s done well, meaning that it avoids stereotypes, it usually gives you higher responses, views, and purchases.

Want an example? Take a look at It’s a Southern Thing. Any southerner will tell you how accurate these videos are. A friend of mine who was born and raised in western North Carolina, currently living in Clemson, South Carolina, personally attests to the accuracy of this video on bad weather and this video on how to tell if a southern woman is mad at you.

Understand Cultural Intricacies

Inside multicultural segments, and you’ll run into a variety of changes and varieties that will affect your campaign. Being aware of these can save face, resources, and time.

Take time to carefully study all of your cultural targets for each campaign and adapt your campaign accordingly. If for instance, you want to create a campaign around the Chinese New Year, look at recent census information. It tells us that Asian markets are the fastest and largest growing populations with concentrated geographic locations. Thoughtful marketing campaigns generally find success during each Lunar New Year because they focus their campaigns around that Year’s Chinese zodiac symbol.

2015, for instance, was the year of the Sheep. If in creating a campaign for the 2015 Lunar New Year, you weren’t sure what it meant, it is crucial to learn the cultural intricacies of that audience. The year of the sheep, unlike other lunar year symbols such as the dragon, is generally looked upon with less enthusiasm. Chinese birth rates declined severely in the year of the sheep because it carries a multitude of unflattering issues, one of which suggesting that women born in the year of the sheep don’t live long. Because of these attitudes and the general disposition of the Sheep, it’s not a year that’s often good for marketing.

See how not understanding that cultural intricacy could have made your campaign bomb? The year of the Rat begins on Saturday, January 25th. The rat is the first of all zodiac animals and in Chinese culture, rats were seen as a sign of surplus and wealth. Because of their reproduction rate, married couples also prayed to them for children.

Presenting your brand as all-inclusive and suitable for everyone regardless of culture and background can be great for sales and customer relationships, but must be done with care and precision.

Categories
Digital Marketing

Want to Win Over the Search Engines? Focus on Topics, Not Keywords

If you’ve been in search engine optimization for any length of time, you know how important keywords are when it comes to ranking content. That’s why you hear so much about keyword research and selecting the right keywords based on user intent.

Of course, keywords are important for measuring how successful your site is, but it’s time to move away from the keyword-focused mindset to shifting toward a topic-focused mindset to get even better results.

Topics vs. Keywords

What’s the difference between a topic and a keyword? Topics offer a more holistic approach to keyword research.

A topic consists of several relevant terms and searches queries that can fall into various areas of the buyer’s journey. The types of content you create around any given topic is a bit dependent on the vertical your site falls into.

For instance, you may need content that covers early stages where clients and potential customers need to learn more about a topic. You may also need content from the business point of view on a subject. You may also need content that covers your product offering that solves a problem.

Smaller sites, however, may only require a small piece of the early funnel content that also points to content that outlines products or services offered to solve problems for consumers.

Begin with a Topic Strategy

The most crucial thing you can do for your site when building it from the beginning or rethinking its structure is to strategize the topics you must focus on. By examining the broader aspects of your offerings and identifying a top-level topic, you’ll have a better understanding of what you need.

Once you have an idea of what your main topic focuses need to be, you can go through the standard keyword research process.

The main idea is that you want to expand your keyword research to encompass more semantically relevant terms related to the topic itself rather than just the main keyword. Answer the Public is a great place to start with this.

By looking at the areas surrounding the topic that need to be covered to satisfy a searcher’s various needs, you can provide a better experience. Ask yourself what questions someone may ask about the topic and then do research on those terms.

If you can, talk to people within your target demographic to learn more about them and what they may search for or questions they may have.

Research Your Competition

After you have a basic understanding of what content you will need, start looking into who is already ranking well in those areas. If they are ranking high in the space already, it’s safe to assume they are doing something correctly. As such, it’s important to make sure you continue monitoring your competition in the spaces that you are targeting.

Once you identify your competitors, run their site through tools to see how they have performed for relevant terms over an extended period of time. This helps you see if the results are long-term or if it is a recent jump to let you know whether it’s worth researching them further. Once you know what your competitors in the space are targeting, pay closer attention to how they structure their content.

Look at how they are delivering their content and what their site structure looks like surrounding they’re topics. This gives you a baseline structure when working on building your site.

That doesn’t mean to copy your competitor’s content. You can use it as a guide but plagiarizing doesn’t do anything but hurt you. You want to see what your competition is doing well and find ways to do it better.

Focus on Matching User Intent

Search engines continue to grow smarter, it’s important to go beyond the keywords themselves to understand the intent behind the queries so you can create content that matches the intent. This is what will serve your prospects best and keep the search engines happy.

Take some time to search your keywords in an incognito window. This is one of the quickest and easiest ways to find the intent around a particular keyword or phrase. Based on what the search results are returning, you can determine what content you need to create or edit to fit the needs of the search.

Site Structure Matters, Too

The content creation isn’t the only thing that matters. For the best results and usability, you must organize your content in such a way that it makes sense to the robots that are crawling and indexing your site. It must also indicate that you are an authority on the subject. If the search engine see you create more relevant content around any particular subject, you should see better results around those terms.

One of these easiest ways to demonstrate authority is to use breadcrumbs to show the information flow across your website. This provides an additional layer of navigation for users and also help crawlers understand how you get from one point to another on your website. Breadcrumbs also allow you to change the structure of your site without having to make major changes to URLs which can be dangerous when it comes to search engine optimization.

Domination Begins

Once you have identified your topics and built your road map, it’s time to get started implementing your plan. Sit down with the team that will create the content and review the strategy with them. This keeps your writers in line with your end goal and makes it easier for them to produce high impact content fit your website visitors’ needs.

Long gone are the days where you can focus on hitting a particular word count because today’s search engines want to deliver content that ultimately helps users regardless of word count. Answer questions efficiently and keep the focus on quality over quantity.

I’ve been in the SEO business for a long time, and know how frustrating it can be for businesses who don’t understand the intricacies. That’s why my agency exists. We’ve got everything you need to be successful online, and we’ll help you develop a strategy to reach search engine results page domination.

Contact me today to learn more about how we can work together.

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