Google My Business Setup and Optimisation

Google My Business Setup and Optimisation

by | 18 Aug 2021 | SEO

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Google My Business is a hugely beneficial marketing tool for local and small businesses who need to be found online. It can prevent companies getting lost in the tens of thousands of related search results when internet users near them research into something similar.

We’ve published before about why small and local businesses need a presence on Google My Business, but here we guide you through your Google My Business setup and optimisation process: to benefit your local SEO and help grow your local business online.

Remind me: what is Google My Business?

Google My Business is a business marketing tool aimed at local business owners to help build them up a web presence on what is increasingly a busy and crowded marketplace online through the Google search engine. Google My Business presents address, website and contact details for a local business in a prominent feature when a related term is searched on Google. GMB also powers Google Maps, so it’s essential to get this right.

What benefits are there to Google My Business?

Google hosts over 3.5 billion searches on a daily basis; so for small local businesses, it can feel difficult to be seen amongst all the competition. Google My Business listings improve local SEO by targeting those searching from or for the geographical area relevant to the local business and presenting plenty of information on the company in an easy to read and prominent position on the front page of listings.

What is the cost?

Google My Business is completely free to set up! While some businesses do choose to go on and invest money in various advertising options with Google, this is a separate expenditure and is completely optional. Providing your Google My Business listing is completed sufficiently, further advertising is by no means a necessity.

Setting up Google My Business: Step-by-Step

To set up your free Google My Business listing, first go to www.google.com/business.

You will be taken through a range of steps in order to setup your account and input all relevant information. This includes:

  • Business name
  • Business category
  • Geographic location (for face to face service or an office presence)
  • Where customers can be served
  • Premises address
  • Contact details.

Once this detail has all been added, you can publish this listing and the data will be processed by Google.

A Google My Business profile must then be verified to be publicly listed – and this proves that the business owner is genuine. Claiming the profile through verifying it allows the listing to display a Google Maps location and to share posts.

There are currently two ways to verify a profile; but for many, only one method is available. Verifying by postcard, whereby Google sends a physical postcard with a bespoke code on it to the business’ address for them to then input into the site’s dashboard in the back-end; is the most common method of business verification. The address listed on Google must match exactly where it is to be received. Verification by postcard can take up to 14 days, and if it hasn’t arrived by this point, a new one can be requested.

Some businesses are given the option to verify their profile by phone. If this method is applicable, it will be displayed as you click through to the verification process. This allows for an automated phone call with a confirmation code to be read through it to be made directly to the business phone number listed. This can take place immediately.

There have been trials of verification through a smartphone app and via email, but neither of these methods have yet been rolled out to all of those applying.

Without verification, your Google My Business account will remain inactive and options are very limited. In order to optimise its presence, verification should always be sought.

Once verification has been completed, photos should be added to the business listing. Even if there are not physical premises to photograph and feature, something related should always be added. Google’s own statistics show that businesses with photos receive on average 35% more click-throughs to their website than those without; and photos have a beneficial impact on local SEO.

Once My Listing is live… what next?

Once your profile has a successful listing on search results, it doesn’t mean the job is done and work can halt. Instead, there’s lots of ways to optimise the profile to keep local SEO consistently high and ensure that the listing is shown to as many people as possible. These include:

  • Adding and updating relevant keywords to the listing
    • Keywords are always required for decent SEO, but when included in a Google My Business listing, will further increase the chances of it being displayed to those searching for something relevant
  • Uploading a logo, cover photo and photo/video content
    • Regularly updating and adding content demonstrates a consistent and regular commitment to delivering up-to-date information, which Google recognises and rewards with favourable algorithm prioritisation
  • Encouraging regular reviews
    • Reviews are displayed alongside business information, and the higher the average score, the better. Sending out a link to review the business to existing customers alongside the management and response to existing reviews shows that the business is authentic in its customer care standards
  • Publish offers, events, products and services
    • Google users are used to convenience and so like to be presented with as much information as possible with as little effort as possible. Ensuring a Google My Business listing has as much up-to-date data on it allows interested users to access all the info they need in one place
  • Make use of customer insights
    • Google provides user insights to all Google My Business clients. These allow for those using the service to better understand their audience and their browsing habits, as well as to identify how and why they interact with the business. This presents opportunity for continuous improvement and optimisation.

A Google My Business presence should remain as up-to-date and relevant as possible in order to demonstrate the activity of the company to both Google itself and its users. The impact this will have on local SEO, and therefore custom, is hugely beneficial – so if you haven’t started already, why not?

If you’re a local business looking for further support with your GMB listing and local marketing, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Woya Digital team.

Black Hat vs. White Hat SEO

Black Hat vs. White Hat SEO

by | 5 Aug 2021 | SEO

Reading Time: 4 minutes

SEO is truly a cornerstone to business marketing in the modern age; and if any organisation wants to find its place online, SEO must form part of their ongoing strategy. With Google facilitating some 3.5 billion searches every day and a market share of over 92%, it makes sense for companies to optimise their SEO efforts in a way to fit the Google algorithm.

However there are different techniques to be used, and not be used – you may have hear the terms ‘White Hat’ and ‘Black Hat’?

What is SEO and why is it important?

SEO refers to Search Engine Optimisation. SEO is the practice of optimising online content through a business’ website, social media or any other presence online. Content can be optimised through the creation of relevant content, through increasing usability and accessibility of a website and through the production of authentic third party comments and links on the business.

SEO is important because when done correctly, it fits the Google algorithm and helps the machine learning behind the scenes to best understand when and where to display a search result based on its relevancy to the search being carried out. This means that when a Google user searches a word or term on the site, they are more likely to see relevant results – and therefore, if they’re googling something linked to your business, your business’ online presence is more likely to be prominently displayed in the Google ranking. This can gain significant competitive advantage over competitors.

In a world where ‘to google’ has become a verb and an everyday way of life for the majority of the population, having a carefully curated presence online that displays when people look up something relevant isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ business marketing tool – it’s a must.

White Hat SEO

White Hat SEO is a technique used to optimise content online by targeting it and shaping it for a human audience. This means that the content is created for and aimed at relevant users and viewers without the concern of any additional tools used to target an algorithm or Google ranking.

White Hat SEO includes the creation of high quality, niche content, rich in naturally occurring keywords and phrases, the proper construction of links and meta tags, and the organic linking to and from content by appropriate third parties.

White Hat SEO is considered the most ethical and appropriate way to optimise an online presence in order to improve a Google ranking.

Black Hat SEO

Black Hat SEO is the usage of techniques that directly targets search engine algorithms to increase Google ranking position, without the consideration of the human audience who may be reading, viewing or using the content displayed.

Techniques used by those practising Black Hat SEO include keyword stuffing, link farming, spamming and buying followers and likes. Such techniques are used in the hope of ‘tricking’ the Google algorithm into understanding and promoting the content to a higher ranking on SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).

Black Hat SEO techniques are commonly employed by low quality or altogether false SEO or business marketing agencies who do not intend to deliver on a proper investment.

What does Google prefer – White or Black Hat SEO?

The ethos behind Google is always to deliver the most appropriate search results possible, so Google rankings should be based on real human behaviour and relevancy. Therefore, it is of no surprise that Google favours White Hate SEO tactics over Black Hat SEO tactics.

White Hat SEO sits comfortably within the Google Terms of Usages (Ts & Cs), but Black Hat SEO does not – so technically, those utilising the latter techniques for their online presence are in breach of their user agreement and can be removed from the site altogether. Indeed while this doesn’t often actually happen in practice, the risk is more than the Google ranking priority will be realigned and so the results of Black Hat SEO negative rather than positive for the business.

White Hat SEO is a long-term and continual practice, whereas Black Hat SEO is a quick means to an end rather than a solution that lasts. This means that not only is enacting Black Hat SEO techniques a risk, it is unlikely to ever be effective for more than a short period of time anyway.

So does Black Hat SEO actually work?

It can seem frustrating to see businesses using Black Hat SEO techniques to improve their Google rankings – particularly if it appears to work and list their online presence ahead of those genuinely trying.

However, Google’s algorithms and the machine learning behind them is amongst the most sophisticated in the world; and it is always working to better learn and comprehend human behaviour. We see updates to Google’s SEO requirements every few months but behind the scenes, changes are being made all the time. The most recent update, Google Page Experience, rolled out in May 2021 saw Core Web Vitals being introduced as a Google ranking factor – all of which are based on user experience and accessibility above criteria that can be artificially inflated, such as keywords.

No matter how tempting it may be to purchase a quick and easy Black Hat SEO ‘fix’ service, it should always be avoided. Even if the gains seem positive in the short term, they will never last and in the long term will only detract from a positive Google ranking.

In order to best promote and nurture your business online, only White Hat SEO techniques should be used. If you’re outsourcing any part of online business marketing, it’s critical to ensure that the agency used is only applying authentic White Hat and reputable SEO services – your online ranking, your reputation, and your bottom line, will thank you.

Woya Digital is a digital marketing agency providing SEO and Local SEO solutions that are aimed at getting you to page 1 of Google. We can assist companies of all sizes, anywhere, promote themselves through the internet. Our fixed price offering is straightforward and yields results!

 

Why White Label SEO is a Winning Strategy for Marketing Agencies

Why White Label SEO is a Winning Strategy for Marketing Agencies

by | 8 Jul 2021 | SEO, White Label SEO

Reading Time: 5 minutes

SEO is such a big deal in the modern business space, it’s also a key offering for marketing agencies.

SEO is something agencies can offer to clients to represent:

  • A comprehensive marketing strategy across all digital interfaces.
  • A long-term commitment to helping their businesses grow.
  • Added value to support other services, such as web design.

The problem is, a great website with zero SEO just isn’t going to cut it – and so it’s becoming vital for so many agencies, even those outside of the marketing sector, to look to their SEO offering to meet demand!

Which is where Woya steps in.

Allow us to explain…

SEO as a Primary Added Value Marketing Service

Ok, so we’re not going to talk about the obvious. Perhaps you know a bit about SEO or indeed know the topic inside out but don’t have the capacity to spend a big chunk of your time working on it!

BUT we will take a moment here to clarify why SEO is such an essential service – and why it’s not going anywhere.

Why IS SEO in Such High Demand?

In the current marketplace, just about every business in every industry needs an online presence.

More and more, that applies even if they conduct no trade whatsoever online. Think about:

  • Cafes, restaurants and take-aways that collate reviews online.
  • Social media platforms, where customer posts and queries are public.
  • Google My Business listings (you’re not on anyone’s Sat Nav without it!).

Those are some basic examples, but you get the idea – if you’re not online, you don’t exist. Particularly over the last year, as the pandemic drove us all inside and closed business doors, we saw a tremendous change in consumer behaviours.

Sure, we had to buy stuff online or order home delivery (because, well, everything was shut), but it’s a habit that seems to be sticking.

Digital is the number one way consumers will check for reviews, compare products, evaluate prices, and ultimately decide where they’re going to spend their cash. In fact, about 81% of consumers research online before making big purchases.

SEO is about so much more than having a significant position in Google rankings! It’s about:

  • Your customers being able to find you – both existing and new clients.
  • Showing up in all the relevant searches for your products and services.
  • Having a professional digital presence that speaks of authenticity and reliability.

We see a massive demand for SEO simply because more businesses recognise the value it brings to their companies.

And thus, our white label SEO offering has exploded, as thousands of marketers, designers, agencies and business services realise that adding SEO to their name is like adding a golden feather to their bow.

How Can White Label SEO Help My Agency?

You can see where we’re going. You need SEO services, and they must be top-notch if your customer is going to see tangible results and see your efforts realised into business profits.

Woya Digital provides a vast range of white label SEO services, whether a comprehensive monthly package, a one-off website audit or a middle ground between the two.

Here’s how it works:

  1. You decide what SEO services you want to offer your clients and set your prices.
  2. We carry out the SEO work for you, white-labelling everything, so it’s good to go – that means your style and branding.
  3. You deliver the results to your client, collect your earnings, and reap the rewards!

It really is that simple.

But What Does White Label Mean – Exactly?

White label means everything we produce, every piece of content, every report, every keyword analysis, and every SEO link building strategy comes from YOU.

If you’re keen to add SEO to your repertoire but aren’t sure to what extent, no worries. We can always have a chat and run through the options that fit your budget – and Woya offers fixed pricing, so it’s your call what you bill your client.

Our white label SEO programmes range from an initial on-site SEO service, including optimisation planning, implementation and reporting, through to ongoing SEO management for the most competitive markets in UK business. Check out our White label SEO page for a bit more detail on the elements included in our packages!

How Can White Label SEO Benefit My Agency?

Crunch time – what’s in it for you? It’s a fair question and something we elaborate on since SEO is such a lucrative way of expanding your services and giving potential clients the nudge they need to jump on board!

We’ve talked a lot here about how essential SEO is to modern business – but we’ve skipped over the tricky bits:

  • Great SEO takes TIME! And lots of it. So many agencies would love to expand but simply don’t have the capacity to assign half of their working hours to it.
  • Employing SEO teams can be highly costly. Like any service, poor SEO is a simple waste of money – but fantastic SEO can profoundly change the fortunes of any company. Therefore, exceptional SEO professionals command steep pay rates.
  • SEO is not a one-trick pony! Here’s the other problem – SEO changes, sometimes very, very quickly. Staying on top of algorithms, indexing, competitors, ranking, bounce rates – it’s all reliant on knowing what’s changing, what’s trending, what’s working – and if you can’t commit to it, even a brilliant SEO strategy can fall behind in a matter of days.

White label SEO services offer a long-term partnership where everyone benefits!

Why Choose Woya for Your White Label SEO?

Experience and skill are critical here – and it’s beyond vital you choose a white label SEO partner who you know has the goods to back up their SEO promises.

Woya is proud to be a market leader in breaking the boundaries of digital marketing, and we’d invite you to check out our Google Reviews to see what our clients have to say. Check out our Portfolio, too, if you’d like a glimpse into the types of clients we’re proud to partner with!

Here’s what white label SEO from Woya can do for you:

  1. Attract higher profits – you pay a fixed fee and decide for yourself what you’ll charge your clients for the additional service.
  2. Expand your expertise – offer a broader range of services, including one of the highest-demand digital marketing facilities modern businesses are searching for.
  3. Drive reputational excellence – we’re experts in what we do (and have the stats to prove it). High-quality SEO sets your agency apart as a business that delivers and stamps your mark on the sector as outperforming all the competition.
  4. Build on customer relationships – SEO is something that you build on and adapt over time. Having that regular dialogue and collaboration with your clients is a great way to cement your relationship and show them just what you can do.

We work with a broad range of businesses, from global enterprises to start-ups, innovators to small traders, and companies breaking into some of the most demanding markets out there – and we always come out on top.

Like what you’re hearing and want to learn more about how white label SEO can transform your agency offering? Get in touch – it’s what we’re here for!

Successful On-Page SEO: Top 10 Elements

Successful On-Page SEO: Top 10 Elements

by | 23 Mar 2021 | SEO, Top tips

Reading Time: 6 minutes

SEO services or search engine optimisation is more complex than ever before, especially on-page SEO. It is no longer a simple process of marking various things off of a pre-determined SEO services checklist.

Woya Digital’s successful search marketing for our pay monthly SEO services involves the use of 10 important on-page SEO elements that are extensively understood and properly implemented.

What is SEO?

SEO is an abbreviation that in full means ‘Search Engine Optimisation’. Optimising web content for search engines is a marketing discipline within itself (cunningly enough known as search engine marketing). The practice of SEO refers to the optimisation of content on a website so that it can be easily judged on its relevant, appropriateness and importance by search engine programs – meaning that it is ranked high in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Page) when a user searches for a relevant word, term or phrase.

Search engine marketing and SEO practices are often just focused on Google, as it’s by far the world’s largest and most used search engine, but in broad terms, optimised content prioritises websites across all search engines.

What are The Benefits of SEO?

Searching for something online when they need more information is second nature to a huge chunk of the world’s population.

Google alone processes some 3.5 billion searches every day, and with mobile devices and apps at the fingertips of an increasing number of people, the world wide web is more accessible than ever. In order to cut through the ‘noise’ on search engines, businesses must differentiate themselves from their competitors and other, similar, companies – and good SEO can allow them to appear in search results above others; making them considerably more likely to receive traffic and convert that traffic into their desired action (an online purchase, filling out a contact form, etc).

What’s the Difference between On-Page SEO and Off-Site SEO?

SEO comes in two forms: on-page SEO and off site SEO. To some extent, those working in search engine marketing have power over both, but the latter is maintained through indirect control.

On page SEO is everything that can be controlled within a business’ website or web page to influence its search engine relevance – such as keywords, tags, page load times and core web vitals. Off site SEO refers to other websites reinforcing a page’s relevance – through backlinks and mentions.

Top 10 Factors of On-Page SEO

There is lots that can be easily tweaked and changed in order to better optimise your content. These ten areas are easily influenced and quickly improved.

1. Title Tag

The title tag, which is basically a short description of 60 characters, is used by the website visitors and search engines as the identifier.

The title tag itself, placed between <HEAD> and </HEAD> tags near the very top of the HTML code for a particular page informs the search engines what the page is about. Together with the Meta description, the title tag is the representation of your business in Google and search engines.

2. Heading Tag and Keywords

Heading tags are simply the headers that are used on a website post to divide it into different sections. The Heading tag is the main heading that comes after the title on any given webpage. The use of the main keywords that help define a target in the Heading tag is one of the most popular on-page SEO services and techniques because it helps to improve the visibility of your website in a search engine.

3. Subheadings and Keywords

Headers are not limited to just the main or focus heading. There are up to 6 different header tags that can be used in any given website. Each specify and outline a different aspect of a post.

The heading tags from number 2 and onwards are all known as subheadings. It is encouraged that each subheading, especially the first three includes the main keyword for for increased SEO ranking. Using subheadings to break up long passages of text gives an extra opportunity to demonstrate the topic the copy is about and to increase its readability by making it easier to consume in short, sharp chunks. Formatting copy this way encourages the reader to continue reading and to stay on the page for longer.

4. ALT Image Tags

An ALT IMG Tag is the abbreviation to the ALT attribute to an IMG tag. The ALT tags are the alternatives to the text that are added to images in case the browser is unable to properly render them. It is a way for SEO services marketers to ensure that the search engine associates a websites main keywords with related images to strength their search rankings.

The use of ALT tags on images is one of the most successful on-page SEO strategies. Especially for web-stores selling their products online. This practice ensures that the products show up on the Google image search as soon as the keywords are entered in the search bar.

5. Keywording the first 100 Words

Most websites include a long and detailed introduction at the beginning of their posts, only choosing to mention their focus keywords much later and further down, and then they complain that their SEO services and SEO rankings are not working.

That is because the later a keyword is introduced in a post, the longer it takes for Google to recognise and understand what information is being presented on your website. As such, for optimal search engine optimisation it is essential that the main keywords be introduced within the first one hundred words.

6. Website and Server Speed

According to Google, the server speed, website and page speed are taken into account by the ranking algorithm. A slower page means high rate of abandonment, loss of links, and decreased visitor engagement, making it a critically important factor to take into consideration when marking an on-page SEO strategy.

The most recent updates to the Google algorithm include a focus on the time it takes to load pages on a website; across desktop PCs, laptops and on mobile devices. This will prioritise those sites that load quickly over those that don’t, in order to keep quality web content as accessible as possible. To ensure the pages on a site load fast, image resolutions and sizes should be reduced and any excess content and coding removed.

7. Mobile Friendliness

It’s estimated that around 60% of Google searches are carried out on mobile devices, so it’s critical for businesses that their websites work on differing devices. Such compatibility across devices is known as ‘mobile responsiveness’ and allows a site to load optimised to the device it’s being loaded on; in different sizes, formatting and layouts. As a result, Google (and other search engines) prioritise search results for websites that display well across differing mobile devices – after all, if users don’t find a site they can navigate well on their mobile through Google, they’re unlikely to use it to make the same or a similar search again.

8. User Experience (UX)

When a user visits a website, they need to be able to quickly and accurately find what they’re looking for and navigate the site easily. This is known as User Experience, and commonly abbreviated down to the letters UX.

User Experience Optimisation is a practice in itself, and one that’s ever-evolving as technology develops. However, there are some quick and easy steps that can be taken by businesses in order to improve their UX standards and in turn, their SEO.

If a business’ desired call to action is for a customer to make contact, they can display contact details on every page of their site in a prominent position in order for them to be easily spotted. Similarly, small contact us forms can be added for easy form-filling. Menus and headings should be easily named and categorised so that they’re as simple to navigate as possible. Simplify fonts to make them as uncomplicated as possible and ensure text is well formatted, short, snappy and of an appropriate tone to the audience.

9. E-A-T

E-A-T is an abbreviation that stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. Although not a direct ranking factor, if businesses intend to take on the position of an industry expert or thought leader in a certain sector or topic, E-A-T is something that needs to be considered through all content creation. In order to demonstrate all three, the content on a website should be able to demonstrate to search engine programs that it is:

  • Well informed and explained in relevant language
  • As correct and accurate as possible
  • Written by or supplied by a qualified person
  • An independent source of information
  • Trusted by others as a source of information
  • Citing other trusted sources of information.

This can be tricky to navigate but if the focus is on producing good quality copy and content, then it should come as a by-product of that already being produced on the site.

10. Website Security (HTTPS)

As part of its commitment to user safety, Google includes website security as a ‘ranking factor’ when it comes to deciding how to present search engine results. This means that websites with good security protocols will be ranked higher than those without.

HTTPS is a secure connection – encrypting the connection between user and website so that no one is able to intercept and acquire any of the data shared between the two. HTTPS (rather than just HTTP, as typed in a web browser) demonstrates that the website being visited has an SSL Certificate (Secure Sockets Level Certificate). This isn’t actually a certificate at all, but rather a small piece of code that encrypts data privacy.

HTTPS is now the default security level for new websites being set up, but older sites may not have yet switched across. Most web hosting facilities offer SSL Certificate implementation for just a nominal fee. Moving from HTTP to HTTPS will have an immediate impact on both search engine ranking and consumer trust, as it illustrates a commitment to data and user privacy.

On-Page SEO Support

Woya Digital is a social media marketing agency offering SEO and Local SEO solutions that are aimed at getting you to page 1 of Google. We can assist companies of all sizes, anywhere, promote themselves through the internet. Our fixed price offering is straightforward and yields results!

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How SEO Works: Simplified

How SEO Works: Simplified

by | 2 Mar 2021 | SEO, White Label SEO

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The three letters SEO are known all too well by those working in digital marketing, but often remains the domain of technical specialists and so misunderstood by others.

The acronym SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, which is indeed a technical practice, but there are vast benefits to it being understood by everyone in a business – especially where business owners are looking to pay for (or already pay for) SEO services.

While there’s really no need for everyone to comprehend the technicalities behind SEO, the basics can be helpful and so here we drill down to the foundations of SEO practice and take it step-by-step to help explain how SEO works, in an easy-to-understand way.

What is SEO?

SEO is the process of optimising content on a website so that the machine-learning algorithms behind search engines are able to identify their relevance and presence, placing them as high up on SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) as possible.

When we talk about SEO, we are primarily referring to the optimisation practices required to best boost a website’s exposure on Google. This is because Google holds (by far) the majority market share in most countries and territories when it comes to visitors, and so it drives more traffic than its competitors.

That said, there are areas worldwide where Google is not the most popular search engine – but, broadly speaking, working on SEO for Google will not inhibit the performance on other search engines and so activities can be enacted no matter the specific focus.

When A User Searches

For the maximum efficiency, digital marketing departments should link their SEO actions to every point of the search process. First, a user performs a search by typing their query into a search engine – usually a keyword or phrase, but occasionally a full question. Immediately, they are then presented with results deemed appropriate by the algorithm; and that are hopefully helpful to answer the query made.

In order to judge the order in which the results are ranked on the SERPs, there are two main factors considered by the search engine’s AI:

  1. Relevance – the search engine must be able to scan through the content on the page and judge it to be appropriate to the user’s search term. Where the keyword or phrase has more than one meaning, it should be the appropriate one for the intended query; which can be a challenge for machine learning.
  2. Authority – the search engine must be able to judge that the webpage (and overall site) that it is directing to must be trustworthy and safe for the user to visit.

How to Demonstrate Relevance and Authority

A business’ web content must demonstrate its relevancy and authority in order to rank on search engine results for user searches made appropriately to the theme or topic.

In order to demonstrate relevance, a website’s content must clearly demonstrate its overarching theme, topics and niche. Search engine’s programming determines this through its content including words, keyword usage, meta tags, videos, imagery and comments.

This allows the machine learning to build up a picture of what the site is about and who it would be relevant for.

This makes it critical for websites’ content to remain relevant to its key theme or topic, to be presented in a way that is appropriate for the audience and to be useful enough that it can be easily shared. Those producing web content for the site must ensure that relevant keywords, phrases and language is used throughout all published content and copy – and in technical areas such as tags and names.

In order for a website to demonstrate authority, it must appear genuine and trustworthy. This is most commonly demonstrated through safety and security authentication as well as links from other sites (and links to other sites) appropriate to the theme.

If other domains online deem the site relevant and honourable enough to link to, a search engine will take that to be a positive reference and endorsement of authenticity, appropriateness and trustworthiness.

The Two Main Types of SEO

There are two primary types of SEO:

  1. On-page SEO ­– SEO activity that it is carried out on a webpage and is created and curated by the business.
  2. Off-page SEO – SEO activity that is carried out on other websites linking back to it.

On-page SEO is usually the first port of call for those looking to improve their exposure on search engines.

This includes, but is by no means limited to:

    • The basic coding of a page should be well tagged with keywords and phrases used
    • Site architecture should be easy-to-navigate with a comprehensive site map in place
    • Content should be published that is relevant, engaging and shareable
    • Links between internal sources should be clearly marked and functioning correctly
    • Images must be appropriate to the site’s theme
    • All content should load quickly and be well accessible.

Once a site’s basic SEO functions have been optimised, a business can turn its focus to off-page SEO. Generally speaking, this includes, but is not limited to:

    • Links put in place to the site from others (preferably from high-authority sites)
    • PR and social media campaigns launched to generate interest and discussion of the brand
    • Facilitation of reviews on third-party websites mentioning or linking back to the site.

Both on-page and off-page SEO combine to help best demonstrate to search engine algorithms the appropriateness of ranking a site well when certain queries are made by users.

While on-page SEO should be managed first, the impact of off-page should not be underestimated and will contribute toward the overall efforts made, particularly when it comes to demonstrating the authenticity and authority of the site to the search engine algorithms.

Check out our SEO packages for smaller businesses

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Judging SEO Success

There are several measures by which businesses can judge the success of their SEO efforts – but it must be noted that all SEO activities should be enacted on a ongoing basis and not as a one-off piece of work.

How to monitor the continual progress of SEO work is often misjudged by those who don’t understand how it all works – it can be more complex than expected!

Domain Authority

Every website has a DA (Domain Authority). A DA is a score given to a site numbered between 1-100 that ranks how likely it is to show up highly on SERPs, typically with 1 as the lowest and 100 as the highest.

Exactly what is considered a high score varies between industry but generally speaking, anything above 25 can be thought of as good. Positive and fruitful SEO efforts will elevate a website’s DA score and so this improving over time can indicate progress made.

It is worth noting, however, that DA (and indeed, further search ranking) is impacted heavily by the age of a domain – as search engines are unable to build up a picture of authenticity or reliability on an immature website. This may disadvantage new businesses in the short term but the DA score will soon build and rankings improve.

Search Rankings

Perhaps the most notable example of SEO success is the SERP ranking presented when you type in a relevant query. However, this used as a measure of success in the simplest term does not work as accurately as many would assume – because there’s a lot more at play when it comes to displaying search results than most think!

While search engine rankings are what is being targeted with SEO work, it is not often that any two people typing in a matching query will be met with the same rankings. This is because the search engine takes into account the person’s search history, location and personal settings when presenting results – and so a quick check often won’t highlight the most accurate ranking.

There are specialist tools that can be used to judge the ranking of a website. It is always recommended that businesses use specialists in this space rather than trying to search for their own sites in order to avoid influencing traffic levels inaccurately.

What’s more, specific specialist services will be able to advise on areas for improvement as well as a more direct picture of action vs influence when it comes to DA improvement and SERP exposure.

Combining this with other factors such as paid-for advertisement placements, backlinking strategies and PR campaigns can help hugely improve SERP performance as well as positive public perception and brand image.

While SEO efforts are often best left to specialists in the field as well as technical web experts, there is benefit to everyone in a business understanding how and why it works. This allows for everyone to do their bit and play their part to contribute toward a wider positive public perception of the brand; both online and off.

The Value of Good Marketing Content 

The Value of Good Marketing Content 

by | 2 Feb 2021 | Digital Marketing, SEO

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The marketing sphere is changing and evolving all the time in line with new technologies, and now more than ever, with consumer expectations and appetites.

Amongst the buzzwords and terms we all hear banded about online, two words in particular are front and centre right now: content marketing. Also known as marketing content. Or just content!

Yet ‘content’ now seems to be such a popular word that it’s being used in industries outside of traditional marketing and even by those you may not consider to be ‘businesses’. But what does it really mean and why is it so important for marketing? Let Woya Digital reveal all…

What Do We Mean By The Word ‘Content’, In A Marketing Context?

The word ‘content’ in the relevant context means literally “substantive information or creative material”. It is this that those discussing the word in a digital marketing lexicon refer to, and in particular, material online that can be used as part of a marketing strategy to draw attention to the relevant brand and its products, services or experiences.

This includes, but is by no means limited to, written articles and blogs, videos, infographics, e-books, online events, webinars, podcasts, case studies, how-to guides and e-mail newsletters.

Content isn’t just used by traditional businesses for digital marketing practices, but also makes up the base strategy for social media influencers. Essentially, everything they produce is content, to promote both themselves as a brand and to promote the products or services of brands who have employed them. The word is probably the most prevalent in this sector and so the public who follow social media accounts of this type are more aware of it than most.

What Is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is a specific digital marketing practice that focuses on the creation, publishing and distribution of content in order to attract, retain and sustain a targeted audience.

Online, this works primarily to attract audiences and generate leads through customer base expansion. The content shared through content marketing is usually accessed for free, although when the brand has built its reputation sufficiently, paid-for options offering further value are often added as additional income generation streams.

In order for content to be used as ‘marketing content’, each piece of it needs to be created in line with the brand appropriate guidelines so that it is instantly recognisable, consistent, fits the right look and feel for the business and is targeted to be considered of value for the audience. Content marketing should always begin by identifying a customer want or need, and providing content to fit it.

Why Is Content Important for Marketers?

Content marketing is of increasing benefit to businesses online for several reasons.

As far as marketing specialities go, content marketing is very time-consuming; but the benefits far outweigh the investment.

Marketing Content is an evergreen asset.

Once created, content never goes away and can be reused and repurposed time and time again to remain current and up-to-date. It’s a digital marketing asset and can form part of a larger suite of marketing materials to be used as and when required.

Content can prompt customers through the sales journey.

Like all marketing materials, content should always come with a call to action. If created sufficiently to fit a customer knowledge gap, want or need, content can position a brand as experts in their field and give added perceived value to any purchase made with them.

Marketing content acts, therefore, as a prompt to move along the sales process in a subtle manner – unlike more direct sales tactics that are often disliked by consumers.

Content boosts SEO efforts.

Everything produce digitally for a brand should be created with search in mind.

When marketing content is published and shared online, it works to build digital presence, establishes authenticity as an industry thought leader, builds reader/user trust and helps to attract, educate and nurture leads – all of which give a boost to a business’ SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). In turn, brands with good quality content being shared can expect to attract more organic traffic to their digital presence; be that a website, social media profile or other content channel.

Content can be shared widely.

Searchable content is key for message amplification, and consumers love it – after all, what could be more authentic than something someone believes in or enjoys enough to share onward with others?

When third parties and other consumers share a brand’s content, it widens the audience and directs more people to the business as well as increasing the reputation as an industry or topic expert. One of Google’s key measures as to how credible a source is, is to crawl those linking to it and sharing its content, so this too gives another angle of SEO benefit.

Marketing content is much more likely to be shared onward than traditional advertisements, as it contains a perceived value to the consumer and so in turn, the shares expand the marketing effort onward.

How Does My Business Get Started In Producing Marketing Content?

To get started in content marketing, first identify customer needs, wants or information gaps. Do your potential customers misunderstand a related business topic? Do potential customers know the risks of not using a certain product or service? If a brand is able to explain in easy-to-understand terms aspects and topics of their industry to consumers, content can be created around it and this can be published and shared.

Content does of course, need to fit the overall marketing strategy and business goals, amplify the existing marketing messaging – and should also be presented in a manner that suits the target audience.

If you’re looking to make a start on creating and publishing marketing content, or would like support with content strategy and creation, the Woya Digital team are here to help. Sitting at the forefront of content creation, we’re able to utilise our experience across various industries and disciplines to produce content that attracts, converts, and better yet – delights!