Panda. Penguin. Hummingbird. Pigeon. What do these names of animals have to do with search engine optimization?
To the inexperienced marketing professional, it may sometimes sound like Google runs a zoo. However, these names refer to algorithm updates the search engine giant has rolled out over the past five years. These updates are developed in a constant effort to increase the relevancy of search queries you make to the results they list in SERPs (also known as “Search Engine Results Pages”). These changes to Google’s ranking algorithm and core engine also came about as a way to penalize what we in the industry call “black-hat” techniques. Back in the day, it was easy for webmasters and marketing gurus to circumvent Google’s guidelines, cheat the system, and achieve rankings quickly. However, search engine optimization has evolved quite a bit since then, with Google penalizing questionable tactics and relying more on relevancy, content, and trust factors to rank websites accordingly.
While Google regularly releases updates to its algorithm, there have been a few significant changes that all digital marketing professionals should fully comprehend before embarking on organic search and content marketing campaigns.
*Note: this post was updated January 5th, 2018 to reflect new algorithm updates:
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“Buy on Google” Messaging Coming to Mobile Product Listing Ads
Earlier this year, it was rumored that Google was working alongside major retailers on adding a “Buy on Google” button to product listing ads. However, it seems as if the new feature, which is called “Purchases On Google”, isn’t an actual button but rather an enhancement. Added to existing ad formats, it will make it easier for end users to transact via mobile devices. Ostensibly, this is an effort on Google’s part to compete with digital marketplace leaders such as Amazon, where mobile users can already complete purchases seamlessly.
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Mobilegeddon: The Algorithm Update Felt ‘Round the World
Mobile, mobile mobile. That’s all everyone in the SEO industry has been talking about for the past week as Google finally launched its algorithm update that takes mobile usability into account in SERPs (search engine results pages). Websites that are currently mobile-friendly may notice a modest increase in organic traffic and search rankings, whereas websites that have a considerable amount of mobile usability issues will realize the severe repercussions of not planning ahead.
Not Sure Where to Start with Ecommerce Marketing?
Managing an ecommerce store can be a daunting task in the initial stages for a business. Whether it’s a Shopify store or custom Magento website, there are no universally agreed upon manuals for generating website traffic and sales. For a business owner, the foray into digital marketing can be quite cumbersome, especially if one gets overwhelmed by buzz terms such as “conversion tracking”, “customer lifetime value”, and cost per acquisition”.
Discover the Power of Inbound Marketing
Fortunately for ecommerce store managers, there are experienced marketing professionals and digital agencies that can be enlisted to launch and optimize inbound marketing campaigns geared to generate web traffic, grow customer databases, and increase online sales. Contrary to outbound marketing, which primarily consists of one-way communication such as cold calling, traditional advertising, and banner ads, inbound marketing focuses on providing value and two-way communication. The advent of the Internet and evolution of marketing has forced businesses to rethink traditional advertising strategies and reallocate budgets appropriately.
Is your website not mobile-friendly? In the words of Morbo from Futurama, you may be doomed.
Doooooooooooomed!
Melodramatic hooks aside, it looks like Google is finally ready to make mobile usability a significant ranking factor after introducing mobile-friendly labels on organic listings on smartphone and tablet devices two months ago. Webmasters all over web have been receiving usability reports from Google the past couple of weeks, indicating what needs to be done to optimize websites for mobile search. These reports contain the following information:
- Number of pages that have critical mobile usability errors.
- Google’s guidelines on how to implement a mobile friendly website and mistakes to avoid.
- Resources for websites that are built with a CMS such as WordPress, Magento, or Joomla.
Dislike visiting websites that are not mobile responsive? Neither does Google, which is why the latest major SEO update posted to the Google Webmaster Central blog was met with universal praise from digital marketers, webmasters, and internet users alike. While the typical Google update causes consternation among webmasters, this latest update reflects the growing mobile trend within the internet marketing industry. Additionally, the core of Search Engine Optimization is about enhancing the user experience by giving targeted users the right content based on specific queries. The overall user experience will be improved with the ability to weed out websites that are not responsive before clicking-through to any pages.
From coast to coast, it seems like consumers in the United States have quite the eclectic taste when it comes to shopping online. In an analysis prepared by eBay,
it was discovered that all 50 states differ from one another when it comes to the most popular category of products purchased online. For example, firearms & supplies was at the top of the list in New York, but neighboring states such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania had men’s fragrance and gaming products as the most popular categories respectively.
While social media was a novelty for businesses five years ago, it has become an essential component of the online marketing mix in 2014. Brands across all verticals have discovered a myriad of benefits in leveraging platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to market their businesses online.
Social media marketing has quickly become valuable for brands because a perfectly executed strategy can help accomplish various business objectives, such as increased brand awareness and sales generation. An infographic prepared by Merchant Money details the effectiveness of social media in this new era of digital marketing, as well as the main platforms that can be utilized for various campaigns. Depending on the nature of your business, certain social media platforms will be more applicable than others. For example, B2B marketing requires a presence on Twitter and LinkedIn to establish credibility and generate leads. On the other hand, visual-based platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram, and Vine provide prime opportunities to market products for ecommerce business.
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