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Tag: SEO keywords

Google Ads Setup Best Practices

Posted on by Robin Renee

Google Ads Setup Best PracticesWe share a lot on our blog about search engine optimization. SEO focuses on all the things you can do to maximize the chances that your web pages will come up high in search engine results organically when keywords relevant to your site appear in a search query. To approach internet marketing with a broader scope, paid search advertising is another item in the toolbox of what you can do to show up in search engines when it matters most. Here are some best practices for using Google Ads to reach people through paid search.

Find the right keywords.

Figuring out which keywords you want to use is the first step. What is your business or service about? Make a list of all the words and phrases that you believe are relevant. After you do some initial brainstorming, focus in on what someone searching for your website would be thinking. It’s not only about the terms you and your industry use to describe yourself and your work, but what words would the average person who is seeking you use? After you capture those ideas, use a tool like Keyword Difficulty in SEMRush to get more information. Focus on higher search volume keywords for your campaign.

Find the WRONG keywords.

With paid search advertising, it is not only important to determine when you want your ad to show up, but also when you don’t. This is why you’ll want to create a negative keywords list. Think about the things that someone may be looking for that could be akin to what you do, but not quite it. Would you rather not receive clicks from people looking for “free legal advice” if you are seeking paying clients or “home health care” if you operate a facility? List the terms that would cost you money without leading to successful connections and make sure that information is added during your Google Ads setup.

Know the specific goal of your ad.

What exactly do you want people to do based on your ad? Do you want a customer to come to a brick and mortar location and buy your product? Do you want to increase clients through phone calls? Do you want to lead customers to your website to complete a sale? Getting a clear idea of the goal of each ad will help guide how you write it and what you can do afterward to get even more for your effort.

Craft great ad copy.

Again, remember to put yourself in the mindset of your ideal customer. Google Ads recommends focusing on benefits to the user. Do you want to appeal to someone who wants to find an experienced orthodontist, a family law attorney, or a sports massage therapist? Don’t be coy about what you do; make sure it is front and center. Make sure your ad lets a person know what you can do for them. Be the one who can provide quick, concise, and accurate answers to what the searcher has in mind. Give special attention to your headline.

Use ad extensions.

Ad extensions are extras you can include that call more attention to your message than ad copy alone. These include things like call-to-action buttons, links to more details, location information, and more. Keeping your goal in mind, it is best to enable all the ad extensions that are relevant to your business. Four or more are recommended to help grab the extra attention you want.

Experiment!

The range of responses to small variations in ads can be fascinating. It may well be that a minor shift in wording or the use of a different image can make a big difference in response. Google Ads allows you to try various versions of similar ads. For example, do you want to advertise “sports apparel” or “active wear?” Track the performance of each version over a given period of time and continue on with the ones that work the best.

Make informed bids.

The price you will pay for your Google Ad is determined by factors including the relevancy and quality of the ad as determined by Google and the amount all users are willing to pay to be seen when a given keyword is used in a search. You can set a maximum bid for individual keywords, a daily maximum, as well as a maximum for your entire campaign.

As you proceed, keep track of the profit you make through Google Ads. Through informed experimentation, you can maximize those profits. Try a bid increase, for example, to see if it results in increased profits. Once you gain insight into the best approach for your campaign, utilize automatic bidding and let the silent auction work for you.

The Google Ads home page makes setting up an ad campaign easy. However, the real benefit will come from doing your homework beforehand so you know your market and your intention, and once your ads are set up, remaining flexible and able to adjust as you discover what makes them most successful. Use these Google Ads setup best practices, and you will be well on your way.

 

Resources:

Gabbert, E. (December 8, 2017). “Keywords vs. Search Queries: What’s the Difference?” The WordStream Blog. Retrieved from https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2011/05/25/keywords-vs-search-queries

“Google Best Practices,” Google Ads Help. Retrieved from https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6154846?hl=en

“What is Google AdWords? How the Google Ads Auction Works,” WordStream.com. Retrieved from https://www.wordstream.com/articles/what-is-google-adwords

 

 

Best SEO Bloopers! 5 Things NOT to Do

Posted on by Robin Renee

Best SEO Bloopers! confused monster holding unplugged cordsSo you think you’re ready for SEO?

In a previous article we took a look at the top SEO questions that clients ask. We are always pleased to help our clients understand the concepts behind our search engine optimization process, as well as the specific steps we take to make improvements. The only stupid question, as the old adage goes, is the one left unasked. There Is one big question we would like to put forth for you to consider as you develop your website for greater visibility: Are you ready?

You may be hearing from all corners that you need SEO, and we agree! But first, make sure you don’t wind up making any of the “best” SEO bloopers! Break down the “Are you ready?” question to see whether or not the time is now.

SEO Blooper #1: Complete SEO… Decide to Change the URL

Is your web address the one you really want? Is it easy to remember? How many other sites link to you at your current address? These are all questions to ask yourself before embarking on SEO. Your web address, or URL (Uniform Resource Locator) should be clear and succinct. You may choose your name or the name of your business. You may choose a URL that describes your business and location as a keyword does, such as plumbingatlanticcity.com. A very long and complicated web address is not ideal. Since this is “where you live” on the internet, give it a lot of thought early, change the address if need be to something simple and memorable, and build from there.

A change of web address can be detrimental to SEO if no steps are taken to reach out to people whose sites link to you. It is essential to have them update their links as much as you are able. It is also important to review all internal linking within your site to update to the new URLs. Use a plugin such as Simple 301 Redirects to ensure that if someone tries to access your site via an old link, they will get to the new page rather than find a broken link to nowhere. Changing your web address is a big deal, but if you must do it, take care of it before embarking on a major search engine optimization effort.

SEO Blooper #2: Complete SEO… Immediately Move the Business to a New City

How long will your business address be at its current location? Because of the continuing importance of local SEO, this factor counts for a lot. If you own a florist shop in Tallahassee, you will want to use the city name in conjunction with your keywords to signal to Google not only the relevant and useful nature of your web content about floristry, but also where you are located. It would be counterproductive to put in the time and effort to optimize your website for Tallahassee only to relocate to Orlando soon after.

The better bet would be to research keywords for the new location before the move. The isearchfrom.com tool is useful to explore Google search results as if you are in another location. Find the keywords that bring up the strongest results for the new city, pair them with the new location, and optimize your pages for those terms. After the move, your website will already be working for you.

SEO Blooper #3: Complete SEO… Immediately Rewrite Web Pages

Sometimes when we speak to a new client, they have very defined ideas about the keywords they would like to target for high ranking on their website. A vital question that at times has not yet been answered is this: Does the site have content that focuses on and uses those keywords? If so, some or all of the client’s suggested keywords will likely turn out to be strong choices. If not, our research will find the best contenders. Another, broader question that needs to be answered is “Is the website about what you want it to be about?”

It is a helpful attitude to want your website to be the best it can be at all times, even if you intend to change it at some point in the future. But if you’re planning a major overhaul, it is best to wait until afterward to get into the details of SEO. If you choose keywords and optimize pages based on current content in one week only to change emphases and make major edits and rewrites the next, you will lose the time, energy, and money you just put into your SEO. Choose your direction, write the content, add some compelling media, then optimize your site for the best value.

SEO Blooper #4: Begin SEO… Decide to Forego All Local Modifiers

You dream big. You don’t want to be tied down to a single place on the map when your products can and should be enjoyed worldwide. Are you ready to do some work that may, at first, seem counterintuitive? The use of local modifiers sometime proves confusing at first. It’s easy to imagine that if someone sees the name of a single city or small town, that they would be deterred from your site. The truth is, it is important to get the people to your web page in the first place. Because of Google’s emphasis on local search, associating your business with its primary physical location will help raise the profile.

Be aware that mentioning in your metatags that your company is based in Washington, DC, San Francisco, Silver Spring, or Kalamazoo will not make your offerings seem limited. Everyone is based somewhere. Using the other available space in your metatags, you can make it clear if your business is done online, if you have multiple locations, or if you travel around the world. Even with this knowledge, some people still opt to limit the use of local modifiers to a few pages such as the Home, About, and Contact pages. When few or no local modifiers are used, an aggressive campaign to create new content and an ongoing SEO strategy is an absolute must. Overall, it’s best to get over the fear of limitation and allow local modifiers to do their job in making your site more visible.

SEO Blooper #5: Keywords Fall Slightly in Rankings… Change Keywords

Finally, remember that search engine optimization is in a constant state of flux. Are you impatient?  Like a skittish investor who sells on the first day a stock dips, it is possible to change course with SEO too soon. SEO, at its best, is a longer-term strategy for success. Don’t ditch your investment!

Search engine algorithms change frequently. One of your main online competitors may add new content allowing them to temporarily surpass you in visibility. You may post an authoritative article that puts you on Google’s page one. Soon after, you may experience a technical snafu that gives you a lower ranking.

But a dip in visibility for a keyword doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel. To the contrary, it’s time to take a look at the page where the keyword used to rank higher. Was there a change in content? Is there a way you can rewrite the metatags for that page to be more effective? Could it just be a search engine anomaly that will resolve itself in a week or a month?

Give your SEO time. There will be changes in your ranking. Find ways to increase and adjust your content to make it better. Resolve any tech issues quickly. As long as you see positive momentum toward visibility over longer periods of time, even with ups and downs, you are on the right track.

Be sure of where you want to reside (on the web and in the world), solidify your content, and stick with your keywords and local modifiers over the long haul to avoid these five common SEO bloopers!

SEO Frequently Asked Questions

Posted on by Robin Renee

Top Ten SEO FAQs

Top 10 SEO Frequently Asked QuestionsSearch Engine Optimization (SEO), at its best, is an ongoing process. At Loebig Ink, we stay up-to-date with the latest information on the on-page updates and other efforts that can be made to have the greatest impact on visibility for your website. Before the continued efforts and fine-tuning that can keep improving optimization, there is the initial SEO setup. The whole process can be unfamiliar to a new client, so it is natural that we get lots of questions. Here are the top 10 questions we receive about our initial SEO setup process, and the explanations we give to foster better understanding.

1. We have received your recommended keywords. What are the next steps?

The next step for you will be to review and approve the keywords, or to let us know if you have any questions. Once approved, we will begin tracking the keywords for your site as well as for your strongest online competitors for comparison. After that, we will write the metatags to be added to your website. As soon as we have approval for your keywords, we’ll get started!

2. We have reviewed your recommended keywords. Why didn’t you choose these single-word keywords with a higher search volume?

We choose the highest search volume keywords that are most appropriate for the pages we are optimizing. If a local Google search for a given keyword brings up search results that include businesses or organizations that are similar to your business, it is a good contender. Often single words may have a high search volume but are too vague to have relevant search results. For example, there may be many search results for the word “termites,” but “termite control” clarifies the search results and may better describe the content on the page.

3. Why didn’t you choose the specific keyword I suggested? It’s important to us that we rank for it.

If we didn’t choose your suggested keyword, we may have found an equally relevant, higher volume keyword to use instead. Our initial approach is to focus on higher volume keywords that are most relevant for your industry locally so that the website will start ranking for those keywords. Another reason we may not have recommended your keyword is that your site does not currently have a specific page with related content. We can begin tracking your suggested keyword for future use, even though we don’t recommend assigning it to a specific page at this time.

4. If the Cost Per Click (CPC) is so high for this keyword, we won’t be able to pay for it. Can we choose another instead?

We look at the Cost Per Click for each keyword to see how much those purchasing Google Ads are paying for the keyword, which is an indication of its popularity. Our process seeks to increase your organic search results, so you will not need to pay the CPC.

5. The Keyword Difficulty is so high for this keyword. How can our site compete for it?

Similar to how we use CPC, Keyword Difficulty is an indication that many websites are using a given keyword and ranking well for it in Google. From and SEO optimization perspective, a high Keyword Difficulty score lets us know we have chosen a good keyword to target because it is popular and often used on the web. We don’t shy away from keywords based on Keyword Difficulty. Our improvement process competes well for highly sought-after keywords.

6. Why should I use local modifiers in my metatags? I want to go national or international.

Local modifiers are the specific locations that we match to your keywords, such as “mailing services New York,” “fitness center Somerdale NJ,” or “speech therapist Montgomery County PA.” On an initial optimization, we focus our keyword strategy on the physical location of the business. This helps a new website gain a foothold locally since Google has a very strong preference for local searches. We can also use a second geographical area using local modifiers on the pages. Then, an ongoing strategy can build on the initial ranking boost to reach regionally and nationally. To start ranking regionally and nationally, an aggressive blogging and content development strategy is required to be successful.

7. Why should I use my town as a local modifier? No one will ever search for such a small town in Google.

Your keywords and local modifiers not only help people who enter those terms in a search engine to find your website, but they also help establish your presence to search engines themselves. Because Google has such a strong preference for local search, it is imperative to begin your search engine optimization by using your actual location as a local modifier. Once you establish that connection, your site will begin to appear in relevant searches near you whether or not someone typed in the name of your exact city. So by achieving consistently high ranking results for keywords using a local modifier for a small town such as Detour, MD, your ranking will in turn improve in larger cities such as Frederick, MD and the surrounding area.

8. How do I interpret my Initial Keyword Ranking chart?

The numbers next to each of your keywords show where your website is currently ranking in Google for the chosen keywords. A ranking of 1 is the best. It means that when someone runs a search for the given keyword in Google, yours is the first site listed on page one (after paid advertisements/special listings). A ranking of 1 to 10 is on page one, 11 to 20 is page two, and so on. A “100” means the ranking is 100 or above, i.e., the keyword is essentially not yet ranking at all in Google. We provide this chart so you can see where your current rankings are before optimization. We also provide this information about your top online competitors for comparison.

example keyword ranking - music website

9. Why didn’t you choose the competitors I suggested? The ones you chose aren’t my competitors.

We do take your competitor suggestions into account and they especially play a role in our initial research to determine the best keywords for your website and industry. The competitors identified in the list are based on the array of keywords we optimized for the site. Those are the top competitors in Google for the keywords we are using to optimizing the website. Our SEMRush tool shows us who the top keyword competitors are in an area for a given set of keywords. In many industries, it often happens that real world competitors have done little or no SEO and do not rank for your keywords. Those sites would not be useful benchmark web competitors for SEO purposes.

10. Where do the metatags appear on my website?

The title tag appears on the small tab at the top of a webpage and is barely perceptible on the site. It also appears as the blue heading at the top of a search result. The meta description is not visible at all on your website. It appears only as the brief description just below the heading and web address in a search result:

Kansas City Star Google listing

The H1 is the main heading on a webpage. The H2, if used, is the subheading beneath it. In this example, “Optimize Your Blog” is the H1 and “Blog Writing Best Practices for SEO” is the H2:

Optimize Your blog screenshot

We hope this list of FAQs has answered some of the questions you may have had about an initial SEO setup. Feel free to get in touch with other questions you may have about search engine optimization or our SEO services.

The SEO 80/20 Rule

Posted on by Brian Loebig

Get the Most for Your SEO Efforts

The SEO 80/20 RuleIf you are an entrepreneur or business owner, you are undoubtedly a very busy person. You know that search engine optimization is essential to achieve visibility for your website, and a multitude of consultants and web service firms have advice on all of the things you need to do for great SEO. You likely have heard or read about how to improve your site from those with the most general of guidelines to those with the most niche-specific services such as PlumberSEO.net.

Avoid being overwhelmed by work and information by applying the SEO 80/20 rule. As it is with the balancing of priorities in many aspects of life and business, about 80% of results will come from 20% of your SEO efforts. Here is a list of common optimization tasks with the most critical 20% at the top of the list.

Make These Your SEO Priorities

  1. Develop regular, quality, well written content.
  • Make your website content original, well written, and useful to your target audience. Update on a regular interval to keep your site fresh and your audience engaged.
  1. Select the best keywords for your site.
  • Identify 5 to 10 keywords (usually phrases of 2-3 words) that you want your business to show up for in search engines.
  • Evaluate the popularity of your selected keywords using a tool such as SEMRush or Google Keyword Planner.
  • Use your selected keywords in your content. You can add keywords to older content by editing them in where they would most naturally appear. But don’t overdo it! Keyword stuffing can result in lower SEO results. Use of your target keyword 2-3 times per page is ideal.
  1. Create internal, contextual links to important pages of your website as often as possible.
  • Create links to important content by linking the words that best describe that content. Avoid linking a page to text that uses generic language such as “click here.”
  1. Optimize your website title and metatags.
  • Ensure that each page has its own unique title tag with keywords relevant to the content on the page.
  • Include H1 and H2 metatags on each page. Use only one H1 metatag per page. Include keyword, title, and description tags unique to each page.
  • Read SEO Definitions for more on metatags.
  1. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly.
  • If you have an older site that has not yet been updated for mobile, do that now. Google penalizes sites that don’t provide a good mobile user experience.
  • If you are building a new website, make sure the developer creates a mobile-friendly site from the start. Alternatively, use a platform like Wix that does so automatically.
  1. Claim or list your website in the top local directory and review sites in your industry.
  • Google My Business is a must! Get listed in other directories including Yahoo Local, Angie’s List, Yelp, and your local city/town/regional directory.
  • Choose the best local review site for your business. If people are already reviewing your site on a directory, claim that listing!
  • Determine the most important review sites in your specific industry and obtain listings. For example, if you own or manage a car dealership, Dealer Rater is where you want to be.
  1. Discover and use the social media channels that your customers use.
  • Understand your clients’ demographics and social media use. If they are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat, keep a presence there.
  • Choose the intervals on which you will post to those channels, and maintain the schedule.
  1. Keep it speedy!
  • Speed optimization is easy to forget, but doing so could greatly reduce the effect of all the other hard work you’ve done. Use tools like Test My Site and Pingdom to discover your website’s load time and what you can do to make it faster.

Additional Useful SEO Activities

The following optimization list doesn’t make our top 20% of the SEO 80/20 rule, but do what you can, when you can.

  1. Canonicalize your domain. (Read Matt Cutts’ discussion on canonicalization.)
  2. Add sharing tools to your website.
  3. Put deep level navigation links in the footer of all pages.
  4. Optimize website images with descriptive ‘alt’ text.
  5. Add 301 redirects for pages that have changed or no longer exist.
  6. Register your site with Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
  7. Replace dynamic URLs with URLs that contain relevant keywords.
  8. Install an xml sitemap for your website.
  9. Create an hcard on the contact page or footer of your web pages.
  10. Claim every relevant free local directory listing.
  11. Create multiple web pages that are optimized for local city search results.
  12. Block duplicate content with robots.txt.
  13. Create a blog or write articles and submit them regularly to an article directory.
  14. Conduct a ‘black list’ check of the server where your website is hosted.
  15. Find opportunities for .edu and .mil sites to link to your website. [Ask us how!]
  16. List your website in social bookmarking sites such as digg.com and stumbleupon.com.

Use the SEO 80/20 rule to get the most out of your time and your SEO efforts. Experiment to see which of these tasks brings you the best results. Which SEO activities are at the top of your list?

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