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Google MUM Algorithm Update

Google MUM Algorithm Update

by | 18 Apr 2022 | Digital Marketing, SEO

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The latest major update to the Google algorithm is known as Google MUM – and the Woya search engine gurus help explain the basics of what it is, what it does, and how businesses should update their practices to facilitate it.

What are Algorithm Updates?

What’s referred to as ‘the algorithm’ behind Google is actually its programming; a complex system of numerous algorithms and ranking factors to deliver webpages ranked by relevance on their SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). This behind-the-scenes programming decides what is displayed where on its indices and how that ranking is arrived upon. The ongoing aim of Google (and indeed, of other search engines) is to provide the most appropriate results to a query input – and the algorithm works to do just that.

Algorithm updates are tweaks and changes made to this programming in order to improve and enhance it. Many of these changes are minor and don’t have a huge impact on rankings or how businesses should approach improving theirs but some are more major and can have tangible outcomes. Although not confirmed, it is believed that minor algorithm updates happen almost daily; with larger changes made only once every few months.

What is Google MUM?

The MUM algorithm is the latest major update to Googles programming and is an abbreviation for Multitask Uniform Model.

MUM is a multi-modal algorithm designed to provide answers to complex search queries by concurrently assessing and drawing upon information across multi-language text, images, video and audio content. It is by far the most clever and comprehensive AI algorithm the search engine (or indeed, any search engine) has ever used and will replace its current algorithm, BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers), which was equally considered a state-of-the-art program when it was introduced.

BERT was the first transformer-based machine learning technique for natural language processing aimed at improving search results based on human-input queries. The MUM algorithm takes this technology to a new level – it is believed to be 1,000 times more powerful!

How will Google MUM Change Results for those Using the Search Engine?

Google MUM will transform the relevant search engine results provided to those with more complex queries than a standard keyword or phrase being input.

Using the T5 text-to-text framework, it doesn’t just understand the language being used in the query, but also generates it. Trained in 75 languages at its inception and able to enact multiple tasks at once, its knowledge is comprehensive and it draws upon multi-modal sources to learn.

For example, if a user asks Google about having visited one travel destination and looking for information to compare it to another one, chances are they would need to carry out several searches to find the exact information they require. Instead, with the Google MUM algorithm, the programming will understand the need for comparison and can draw upon other related material: such as weather forecasts, differing travel modes, reviews on places to visit, the items you may need to buy, linguistic differences, visa details, and even medical information for travellers. This will all be presented in one place rather than the user having to make several queries.

How can Businesses Optimise for Google MUM?

The Google MUM algorithm follows the broader trend of internet users accessing content through multiple forms of media and no longer just relying on text and the written word. By accessing and understanding different modes of media, the MUM algorithm’s introduction encourages marketers to create content across varying media types and to properly optimise each so that it’s understood as relevant by the search engine.

No longer will text filled with keywords or phrases be the most reliable source of appropriateness but such benefit can be reaped from the likes of imagery, video and audio files too.

Blogging, thought piece writing and comprehensive website copy will remain important but should be complemented by infographics, photography, tutorial videos and audio books, podcasts and ‘quick listen’ files for a full-service multi-modal digital brand presence. All bases must be covered.

Businesses must ensure that their content marketing strategies are set and solid but also that they don’t miss out detail in the pieces produced. The labelling and positioning of audio and video files must be accurate, all content must be coordinated across varying platforms and imagery must have proper alt-tagging and captions. The ability for businesses to link supporting documentation into their blogs or other written content will now be critical for SEO; gaining the attention of the MUM algorithm and of more customers as a result.

Eventually, as the MUM algorithm fully embeds and consumers realise the amount of information they’re able to gain from a single query, it may even become a competitor toward other brand presence online. For example, there may be little need for users to visit a brand’s social media profile to find all the info they need – as it instead could all be presented on a single search engine results page (SERP).

This enhancement of the search engine could reinforce the need for a cohesive brand presence on a website without the reliance of dumping every piece of available content or dataset on to a social media page for replication purposes. Mums are great, and the Google MUM algorithm is set to be just as helpful as the parents we know and love.

SEO is an important tool for digital marketing and will transform a business’ success online. Its potential is not to be underestimated, and neither should the ongoing effort and work required. Woya Digital are an expert SEO team who understand the evolving needs of successful SEO. Get in touch with us to discuss your online business growth.

TCR UK Establishes Marketing Partnership with SEO Agency Woya Digital


TCR UK Establishes Marketing Partnership with SEO Agency Woya Digital


by | 15 Apr 2022 | Motorsport, SEO

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In a move that will improve online visibility and increase audience numbers for the TCR UK Championship, a partnership has been secured with specialist search marketing and SEO agency Woya Digital.

Organisers are confident that an increase in search engine rankings will not only generate a boost in exposure for the Championship, but will in-turn provide benefits for sponsors, teams and drivers too.

Woya Digital partner, Steve O’Brien said: “Initially, due to my personal passion, Woya focused on motorsport as one of its core sectors. Over the past six years, our team has worked on digital marketing projects across a range of championships, race teams and sponsors.

This new partnership with TCR UK will allow our company to highlight its capabilities for motorsport marketing at a variety of levels and we’re hoping it will help us leapfrog commercially across all facets of the sport.”

The sentiment was echoed by TCR UK Championship Manager Stewart Lines: “As TCR UK continues to grow in both size and reputation, establishing strategic partnerships with industry specialists are an important part of the development process.

The team at Woya has shown real knowledge and an understanding of motorsport. As such, they have a proven track record in improving search engine rankings. We look forward to working with them this year to raise the Championship’s visibility.”

The Importance of SEO for Small Businesses

The Importance of SEO for Small Businesses

by | 31 Mar 2022 | SEO

Reading Time: 3 minutes
Search Engine Optimisation can seem like a daunting task for brands of all shapes, sizes and types. Big numbers and stupendous statistics often make a topic’s natural association reside with large, multinational corporations, but for SEO this is certainly not the case – it is important for even the smallest of business.

SEO is not just for Big Businesses

While the factors that impact how a business ranks on search engine results pages remain the same no matter the type of organisation or its size (in any terms), how it is practiced and its benefits can vary. SEO is by no means something that only large businesses should focus on, but something for any organisation that may have someone searching for it, or for a relevant product or service.

Of course, it is unlikely that many small businesses will have the same level of investment and resource to pour into their SEO management, but this doesn’t mean it should be any less effective. SEO for small businesses has unique benefits also in terms of location targeting, and can support higher ranking for relevant local users rather than larger companies who are unable to demonstrate the same localised focus.

Combined with a Google Business Profile (previously Google My Business) account, correct (and current) SEO improvement activity can gain easy organic ranking for geographically-appropriate users as well as a map entry, full business profile and even above-the-fold contact information and details. Local rankings are extremely effective as the map prominence really stands out amongst the usual text-only formatting. This can be hugely beneficial for those small businesses with bricks-and-mortar locations.

Although larger corporates are likely to have more budget, this isn’t to say that SEO for small businesses should just be a ‘DIY-when-we-have-time’ job. Instead, it should be delegated to a specialist agency for thorough and effective management.

Affordable SEO for Small Business

SEO for smaller businesses tends to be more finely focused and so can easily be managed on a budget that doesn’t impede on other marketing operations. Woya Digital offer pay monthly SEO packages designed to provide great value SEO for small businesses..

Any SEO agency that insists SEO requires vast amounts of money to be invested into it are chasing revenue and not results.

What does SEO ROI look like?

As with everything, what you get out is a reflection of what you put in – so it’s always worth working with specialists and heeding their advice in order to reap the most benefits.

The ROI of SEO for small businesses will translate into an improved bottom line and business growth over time, but further measures can be more easily identified over the short term. These include:

– higher levels of organic traffic to the brand’s website and any other online presence
– higher levels of visibility through more prominent rankings on SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) for related queries (key words or terms)
– higher levels of brand awareness
– more contact queries directed to the business.

SEO efforts should have a discernible impact that can be demonstrated in measured reports within months of their input. SEO is a marketing activity that happens within constantly moving goalposts, so although the journey may not be wholly fluid, it should be always in an upward curve and positive trend. Long term, good SEO will result in higher profits and business growth as well as competitive advantage above others.

Investing in SEO for Small Businesses

The power of SEO for small businesses is often underestimated, because it can seem daunting and complex, as well as considerably time-consuming for organisations who don’t have lots of marketing staff or tech experts to spare. However, as consumer behaviour shifts permanently to increasing online search on mobile devices, SEO cannot be ignored by any business looking to maintain a customer base and gain competitive advantage.

Working with a supportive specialist partner will allow small companies to continue with business-as-usual and rest assured that their online visibility is increasing and exposing their brand, products and services to new relevant audiences.

We take an entirely bespoke approach to every business, managing their SEO in line with their goals and requirements. Monthly reports feed back results achieved and help demonstrate the ‘bang for your buck’, entirely transparently to present value obtained and the ROI gained. Contact the Woya Digital team to discuss how tailored SEO for your small business could help grow your organisation.

 

Does Blogging Help SEO?

Does Blogging Help SEO?

by | 31 Mar 2022 | SEO

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The word blog is just 25 years old and the acronym SEO only a little less so – but both are now used daily by millions around the world as part of regular vernacular. Optimising content to best appeal to the programming algorithms behind search engines is a full-time job, and the approaches taken vary widely between businesses of all shapes, sizes and types.

Investing time in creating relevant content for a blog is a popular method of demonstrating expertise, positioning a brand as a thought leader and producing content for marketing online but does blogging help SEO or is it an unnecessary time investment?

Blogging: A Definition

The word blog is an abbreviation of the term ‘weblog’, which when launched back in the 1990s referred to a listing of text, images or other ‘objects’ arranged in a chronological order online and normally hosted on its own domain; not dissimilar to the social media feeds we’re all so au fait with nowadays.

Today, blogging refers to the creation of regular content – usually text and complemented with imagery, videos and other content. No longer just subject to a domain of its own, many blogs now sit within other websites. In the case of businesses, a blog is often used to produce and add content relevant to the brand’s product, service, industry or niche, to the brands website.

Why is Blogging Important?

Blogging has many benefits. And to answer the big question, YES – it does help SEO!

Blogs, when constructed properly with relevant content within, can help search engines identify the theme and intended/appropriate audience of the site and brand. This helps improve organic search engine ranking, but isn’t the only benefit to businesses blogging regularly. The opportunity for link building can reinforce authenticity to search engines; offering more potential for increasing traffic.

The algorithm behind Google and other search engines thrives on websites that produce regular fresh content as this indicates ongoing relevance, a willingness to work and a reinforcement of the purpose, theme and status of an online presence. As search engines ‘crawl’ and index websites, they work through internal link structures to further their understanding of the domain.

The creation of appropriate content through a blog allows brands to position themselves as experts in their field and to act as a thought leader, even where they’re a new or emerging business. This demonstration of expertise will appeal to potential and existing customers as well as other interested parties. The more opportunities that search engines have to understand what a website is about, who it’s for and how it operates, the more likely it is to rank more highly on SERPs (search engine results pages), the entire purpose of SEO activity.

Structuring and Optimising Blogs

One of the first cues that search engines use to comprehend relevance and theme is the written text on a site; from which the algorithm selects and analyses the language used. This means that the usage of language appropriate to the blog is critical for SEO. The inclusion of relevant keywords and key phrases are the most popular way for blog creators to demonstrate the topic of their site to a search engine – but there is a degree of science behind it.

Blog creators should carry out keyword research before they begin to write their blog content, and should structure their blogs according to search engine preferences, with relevant keyword usage in headers and body text. However – and perhaps most essential of all –  keywords should only be used in an organic and appropriate manner. If the use of keywords or related phrases simply mean that the text within doesn’t make sense, the search engines will pick up on this and penalise the blog’s SERP rating as a result. Professional blog writers and content creators will be able to work just about any keyword or phrase into their written copy; but this is very much an art and is not a skill held by everyone.

SEO considerations do not just refer to the text on a page, however. Sites must load quickly, be as accessible as possible, be built with responsive design to adapt to whichever browser they’re being viewed on and sit on a secure domain. While these factors may not necessarily sit under the responsibility of a blog creator per se, they should remain under the control of the brand and prioritised as part of their ongoing SEO work.

The Onward Promotion of Blogs

Blogs present the opportunity for marketing across a variety of channels, to reinforce a brand industry leader perception and, they direct users back to a business’ domain.

Links from social media networks, other relevant websites and news sites to blogs all help further demonstrate their use and authenticity to search engines – as well as providing some much needed (and often evergreen) content that can be used as a marketing tool or even lead magnet time and time again.

Regular blogging under a consistent strategy is hugely beneficial to businesses looking to improve their SEO and should not be underestimated in importance of building relationships with customers; both potential and existing. While blogging may seem to some a bit of a wishy-washy practice bound to age, it has lasted the test of time in the virtual world – and will remain a digital priority for anyone serious about ranking well for their audience whenever a relevant query is made through a search engine.

For more information on how our expert blogging team could nurture your brand, contact Woya Digital to discuss service packages and options.

How Many Words Should a Web Page Have for SEO

How Many Words Should a Web Page Have for SEO

by | 16 Mar 2022 | SEO, Webdesign

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Businesses must work hard to ensure that their web content and digital presence ranks in the right places online for those looking for relevant terms, products and services through search engines (which themselves are ever-evolving and increasingly crowding as more and more online content is published.)

The exact requirements for ranking on search engines in the appropriate results change all the time as the scope of their algorithm and programming develops and improves, but one crucial factor for SEO remains: copy content – the written text on a web page.

Writers, marketers and content creators frequently find themselves faced with briefs for increasingly long copywriting jobs in order to best stand out amongst digital competitors and meet best practice requirements for SEO – but does ‘the more the merrier’ rule really work for search engines, or does quality rule over quantity?

How SEO Works

Search engines work as simple matching machines for those typing in a query to them – matching up what it thinks is relevant content to the term/s entered. SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the practice of optimising online content in order for the algorithms behind search engines to recognise it as appropriate and of a sufficient quality in order for it rank highly when a relevant search query is made.

There are three main parts to SEO: the optimisation of the content on websites (organic content), the improvement of the overall user experience of websites (technical) and the usage of paid-for advertising on search engines (ads).

When SEO is written or talked about, it is usually referred to in terms of optimising websites for the algorithm behind Google. As the world’s biggest search engine, it holds an almost 92% market share and so for many is the primary focus before other, more localised search engine services are investigated into.

Optimising Content for Search Engines

For content on a website to be best understood for SEO, it should be clear, held in good context and relevant to the product, service, brand or theme of the website. For most websites, this means hosting content all in one language/dialect, all on a theme or appropriate topic, and written with clear and correct spelling and grammar. Although the programming behind search engines is automated and is entirely computer-based, it is now more accurate than ever.

The latest Google update, BERT (the Bidirectional Encoder Representation) is based on neuro-linguistic programming practices and so is as currently close to human interpretation as possible – so although some common sense should be used in the creation of copy, if a human could understand it, chances are the machine now will too.

How Many Words Should a Web Page Have For Good SEO?

No one knows the exact sweet spot for perfect SEO ranking – and indeed given that indications show the algorithm is updated and tweaked daily, even if they did, it wouldn’t be sustainable or appropriate for long. It has long been suspected that word counts of 1000+ words are best placed to rank well on search engines as this amount gives plenty of context alongside a comprehensive explanation of the topic to those users reading it. This was reflected for many years as high-ranking pages tended to sway toward more longform content compared to shorter, more brief copy.

However, as the Google algorithms have developed and improved in their AI, so too have the requirements for SEO. Now, with smarter programming, search engines are able to comprehend and compute what a website is about and the quality of its content through a lower sample size.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the requirement for good SEO drops from a 1000+ word count to 800+ or even 500+, but rather that the algorithm switches its focus from quantity to quality. Comparisons of content between high-ranking and low-ranking websites no longer evidence such disparity in the lengths of text provided, but rather in the quality of such text alongside several other ranking factors. This means that the best thing publishers of content online can do is ensure it is of high quality, relevant to the site’s topic and easy-to-read.

Keyword Optimisation

The easiest way to demonstrate the relevant of content to a search engine for SEO purposes is to include the use of appropriate keywords or key terms within it. Keywords and key terms are the words or related words typed into search engines by users when they make a query, meaning the query input is easily matched with a resultant page if their usage is consistent.

Keywords can be researched using a variety of keyword tools but their use within text on a page should be natural and appropriate. It is critical that their use makes sense within the context of the copy and that they remain appropriate to the topic being discussed. Keyword ‘stuffing’, that is, the practice of using as many keywords as possible in text without considering the appropriateness of them, will result in negative SEO and will see pages penalised and ranked down on search engine results pages.

Other SEO Factors

Although content is an important factor on websites, it is no longer the only feature on which a search engine will judge its relevance or prevalence. Webmasters must ensure that their sites are easy-to-navigate, accessible on a range of devices, fast-to-load and that they deliver an all-round positive user experience throughout in order to rank well in SEO terms. There are numerous technical aspects of a website that are taken into consideration alongside the relevance and quality of the text featured and so these too must be optimised.

For support with your business SEO, spanning organic content, technical management and advertising, get in touch with the Woya Digital team. We’re always on-hand to help advise and make recommendations for improvement to help gain competitive advantage and rank as high as possible throughout all relevant search engines.

The Benefits of an SEO Audit

The Benefits of an SEO Audit

by | 5 Mar 2022 | SEO

Reading Time: 3 minutes

What we know about Google’s search algorithm is that it changes almost daily, with up to 200 tweaks and amendments made every year. These constantly moving goalposts is why many businesses struggle to keep on top of their SEO – and why a regular SEO Audit is important.

Where to start with an SEO Strategy

Every business with an online presence should have a strategy in place to ensure that the content they’re producing and publishing digitally ranks where it should on search engines – making and maintaining visibility amongst desired target audiences when they search for related queries online.

Exactly how each brand chooses to approach their SEO will vary, but commonly focused activity tends to include:

    • Pages built and content produced for each relevant topic
    • The research into and onward usage of relevant keywords and phrases
    • A consistent content-producing and publishing schedule
    • A plan for link-building
    • A process for the development of new pages and sites that includes technical SEO
    • Regular updates on the latest ‘best practice’ for SEO updates and strategy.

A comprehensive business SEO strategy will allow content to be produced in a way that plays into the search engine algorithms to keep organic search traffic as high as possible; although often working alongside paid-for ads.

What is an SEO Audit?

An SEO Audit is a full analysis of a website’s features that help or hinder its rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). This entails analysing its areas of success as well as highlighting any areas where improvements could be made, in accordance with current SEO best practice approaches. An SEO Audit should form the first step in creating a tangible workplan to maintain a healthy SEO approach and to consistently improve performance – so the purpose of it is to build a foundation from which to work.

An audit will uncover any issues within technical SEO, the website structure, on-page SEO, user experience, content gaps, content opportunities, off-site opportunities and competitive marketplace standing; clearly mapping out any areas where changes should or could be made.

Although a very basic check through of any website for SEO purposes can be carried out by anyone with the relevant knowhow, it is always recommended that businesses use an SEO specialist for a comprehensive site audit. This provides more technical expertise as well as ensuring the latest in SEO best practice is adhered to; particularly important when you consider the constantly changing Google algorithm.

Why is an SEO Audit important?

A common misconception amongst brands is that as long as your website contains plenty of relevant keywords, it will rank well on search engines. Whilst this may have been the case many years ago, the Google algorithm has long moved on from the simple search of appropriate words and terms. Instead, high SEO ranking now relies upon a vast variety of factors including technical aspects of a website, accessibility functions and links from other trusted and authentic sources – although exactly what combination of successful factors is paramount is unknown.

SEO Audits immediately and discreetly highlight any areas for improvement, so any broken links, missed keyword opportunities or small technical amendments can be fixed. The constant changes to websites combined with human error means that mistakes do happen; and an SEO Audit can ensure they are swiftly rectified with minimum disruption to the site’s rankings.

Regular SEO audits are an essential way to ensure that a website is being worked on in the most appropriate way to adhere to current best practice in an ever-changing environment.

How often should an SEO Audit be carried out?

SEO Audits should be carried out regularly but not so often that the business doesn’t have the chance to enact any required changes and see the difference they make. Ideally, a comprehensive review of the site managed by an expert will take place either every quarter or every six months; with actions taken from it to improve the SEO position as quickly as possible once delivered.

Even if a business is managing their own SEO requirements without the involvement of a specialist service, it is recommended that they invest in a professional SEO Audit at least twice a year to assert their position and reinforce that the actions being taken are correct.

Free SEO Auditing Services

If you are paying for SEO services and do not receive regular reports, or find that your business isn’t feeling the benefits of the service, you should absolutely have an independent SEO audit carried out by a separate SEO provider. This will show you if the services you are paying for are being carried out as they should. Every SEO provide should provide their clients month reports.

At Woya Digital, we offer a free SEO audit report service. Request yours now.