Google has changed the game again. This change, formally known as Google Plus The World, has organic SEO experts, competing Social Networks like Facebook and Twitter, and heavy duty Google + users scratching their heads as to how to interpret the effects of this change. The Federal Trade Commission is also looking into the change and exploring a potential anti-trust claim against Google. At Zenergy Works, we are watching client traffic stats to see if the new search affects client traffic and conversion.
 Google PPC What is the change? In a nutshell, it means that if you have shared content with Google + Users you are connected to, and it is relevant to the search, these results will be placed ahead of Local Listings and Organic Search Engine Results. If you are searching for a Birthday Cake, be prepared to sift through a lot of birthday pictures before you find a cake shop to bake on for you. Again, this only applies if you have a Google + account. Google + reportedy is averaging around 6 million visitors per week, a mere drop in the bucket compared to the more established Facebook and Twitter, but significant enough to draw the notice of Search Engine Marketing Experts.
Many online experts have theorized that If organic traffic to Google local listings and organic placements is lessened by the Google + content being placed ahead of it in Search Engine results, and possible content from Facebook and Twitter that Google claims to be open to adding to this search model, then many local businesses who currently rely on organic placement will be forced to explore using Google Adwords to gain traffic. This would, theoretically, cause increased bids for Google Adwords positions and result in catastrophic price increases to the Google PPC advertiser. The implication is that Google has carefully planned all of this to increase Adwords revenues. While no one has a crystal ball that will predict how all of this will go, I am skeptical that this is Google’s motivation and that if it were the motivation, that Google would be able to achieve that result using this strategy. While I agree that mild Adwords bid increases may, and probably will, result from the new search strategy. The increases, if they occur, will be short term. The Search Engine Marketing landscape will not be dramatically affected for the following reasons:
- Google has built its reputation, traffic and status as an industry leader by creating the best user experience possible. It is unlikely that the company would take a dramatic departure from that strategy to pump up its already robust profits. I believe that this is Google’s acknowledgement that Social Media has become an integral part of most people’s lives, and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt’s assurance that he would gladly include content from Facebook and Twitter if those social networks would allow him access to do so are evidence of this strategy. Bing has been growing in traffic and has gained momentum as a Google alternative-to lessen the user experience in light of that development would be risky on the part of Google.
- The traffic volume lost from Organic SEO will be replaced by more local businesses investing time and money in social media and other online ad vehicles like online display, behavioral targeting, remarketing, facebook ads, etc. The online inventory available to address these concerns is vast, and Google Adwords, by the rules of economics, will not be bid above the rates that consumers can receive a return on investment (or ROI), on their ad dollars spent, at least in the long term, or the rates that customers can use to gain a superior ROI using a competing vehicle. Short term, there may be some premiums paid while transition plans are being finalized, but in the long term, the internet, which many economists claim is the closest thing the world has seen to that perfect market with an infinite number of buyers and sellers, will force Google Adwords prices back into line.
So, what is the immediate strategy? I would recommend watching your website traffic closely. Compare traffic from Google to that of other traffic referrers over time. If you see drops in traffic from Google, consider using strategies to develop your Google + and other social networking vehicles to improve traffic. Begin looking now at affordable alternatives to Google Adwords and get ahead of the curve. If you do not see a significant change in your online traffic growth pattern or website conversions, keep doing what you have been doing. If not, begin to mix in the affordable alternatives listed above.
Eric Van Cleave is a Partner in Zenergy Works, a Santa Rosa, California Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optmization, Website Development and Online Marketing firm.
Now that I have your attention with that title, let me calm down and make a case for why you need to make sure that you update your website on a regular basis in 2012:
- Search Engine Results. Google has made it clear with the Panda/Farmer initiative that a positive user experience and original content is the key to maintaining positive placement of your site. The latest algorithm (yes, I used the word algorithm) change from Google, instituted this week and yet to be named, is the evaluation of content above the fold of your website, or the view that you get when you first load the page without scrolling down. Content is king, and if yours is outdated, your Search Engine Results rankings will suffer, but wait, it gets worse.
- Bug out rate. Even if you manage to escape the trap of decreased search engine rankings, an offer on your home page for 10% off of your services that expired 2 months ago will not encourage web surfers to spend their valuable time on your site, and will encourage them to move down the list to visit your competitors.
- Conversion Rate. Even if the web surfer continues to consider your business despite the fact that you describe technical updates to your products from a year ago on your site, when they make a final determination of who to give their business to, a lack of attention to your website would be much the same as never cleaning the front window of a retail store on a busy street, or never sweeping the parking lot of your store. Potential customers will become discouraged and go elsewhere.
It is not just content that needs to be updated. How old is your site? Take a look at the sites of your competitors, or even other companies in your type of business in nearby markets. Does your site have a modern, positive feel? If not, consider giving the site a facelift and perhaps, at the same time, adding an improved Content Management System so that you will be able to easily update and maintain your web presence.
If you track your internet traffic, and it is not increasing, or if you do not see in-store sales increasing from customers that found you online, please closely consider the simple and easy tips listed above-it could change your 2012 for the better!
Eric Van Cleave is a Partner in Zenergy Works, a Santa Rosa, California Website Design, Website Maintenance, Ecommerce, Search Engine Optimization, and Search Engine Marketing Firm.
If you are a Google + user, and you have searched in English for any of the topics you usually search for, you may have found, in some cases, 2-3 pages of information from fellow Google + associates inserted into your search for “Birthday Cake”. This change is officially called “Google Search Plus the World” and I would encourage you to well, Google it, and view the video that explains the changes in full.
Whether you like this change or not, have already changed your default search to Bing, or think that Facebook, Twitter and other social networks have a cause of action in anti-trust court (Google CEO Eric Schmidt has repeatedly stated that if Facebook and Twitter would allow Google to spider their content, they would gladly include them in the new party), is secondary, in my mind, to the online marketing implications of this change. It may be too early to tell, but in the interest of Zenergy Works’ commitment to strive to be the Best SEO Company out there, and because the majority of our clients are Local SEO clients with a loyal client base, I would advise you all to strongly consider the following:
- There has not been as much emphasis on Google + as a social network to promote business. Do some work on your Google + page. For a full tutorial, please go to https://plus.google.com/
- While I am not advocating an abandonment of Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and your other marketing efforts, Google + has become a force that must, at least in the short term, be reckoned with.
- Early returns have not shown significant reductions in website traffic for our clients because of the new change. This is not a panic from an SEO standpoint, but more of a change that must be monitored and factored in to future strategies.
Google is definitely on the move, and as the search engine that is used for roughly 70% of all searches, it must be dealt with by all of us, even for business who do SEO in Santa Rosa, California and other small communities. Stay tuned and we will keep you informed of new developments.
Eric Van Cleave is a partner in Zenergy Works, a Santa Rosa, California Website Design, SEO, Local SEO, SMO, and SEM company.
In Part 1 of this blog post, we examined the psychology of bringing a potential client to a landing page by empathizing with that client and understanding what motivates a client to come to your page and take action. Now we will examine the structural elements of website design that will ensure that this client is firmly into the sales process.
Structural Elements:
- Make sure that next steps are clear. Eliminate distractions by taking away all navigation to other parts of your site from the landing page.
- Strike a balance between the length of your form and the amount of information you need to qualify the lead. The longer the form, the more likely that it will not be completed. Be sure that your form contains automatic permission to market your services to that customer, but also limits your use of that email address to just your services so the prospect has no fear of their address being sold.
- After the form is completed, be sure to have a Thank You page that includes social links that allow the user to share your offer with their social network. Often clients will want to share their good fortune in finding you online. You may even wish to add an email responder with a direct call to action.
- Track your analytics carefully, and be willing to constantly revise these pages to increase conversion rates. New features in Google Analytics allow you to track users in real time. Spend some time doing this to get a feel for why conversions may not be happening. Do not be afraid to change headlines, shorten forms, change offers, etc.
Additional Tips:
- Immediate follow up is the biggest key to lead conversion. Making sure the inquiry is sent to the party most equipped to respond with quick and complete answers to client questions is the key to booking the sale from an online inquiry.
- For those leads that do not convert, be sure to have a follow up system in place. Add the prospect to your email marketing database for follow up information and tracking.
- A/B Split Testing of Landing Page elements. Successful landing pages are tested and re-tested for everything from size of font in form fields to size and color of call to action buttons. Remember that A/B split testing is not effective unless done with consistent traffic in the same time frame. Many testers believe that Organic traffic is too much of a variable, and use primarily PPC traffic. Needless to say, this type of testing is time intensive and expensive, so pay attention to the results!
Entire volumes have been written about the subject matter that I have tried to cover in 2 short articles. For a more complete discussion of this key concept, my two favorite books are “ Landing Page Optimization: The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions” by Tim Ash and “Convert!: Designing Web Sites to Increase Traffic and Conversion” by Ben Hunt.
Both of these volumes contain a wealth of good information on website conversion.
Eric Van Cleave is a Partner in Zenergy Works, an SEO, Website Design, Online Marketing and Social Media Optimization Firm located in Santa Rosa, California.
A Landing Page is a page that is designed to capture the web visitor’s contact information to enter the sales funnel as a lead. Sounds easy, right? Use clever website design and online marketing techniques to get a customer to the page and get them to sign up for something that they obviously should buy from you. Sounds easy, but it rarely is. Successful landing pages are built carefully through trial and error, strict testing, and careful evaluation of the factors that motivate a buyer to purchase the products in question.
What motivates a potential customer to come to your landing page? For instance, you are working to building a list of potential customers for website design and email marketing. What motivates that customer to seek these services in the first place? My best marketing ideas always come from my customers, and I know that most customers that contact us for web design and online marketing services do so because they know that more potential customers are searching for the goods and services that they provide online, and that they are very fearful of losing market share to the competition by having an inferior web presence and marketing plan. So perhaps, if you want the potential new website client to be motivated to start the sales process, you may offer a free evaluation of his/her website and how they stand versus their main competitors in terms of online marketing. Solution found-a roadmap for success, and at no cost!
So now that we have identified the motivation for seeking our services, how do we get our landing page found online? Search terms like “website design” and “online marketing “will bring some traffic to the site, but what would our fearful business owner put into the Search Engine to find this solution to his concern? “Competitive Website Design” would seem to refer somewhat to price, and at the very least, be ambiguous. “Optimized Website Design” seems on point, but only to someone familiar with the vernacular of website marketing. “Websites that get you found” seems to be easy to get to #1 on, and is spot on with our message but probably not a lot of traffic will result. Which one to use?-all of them, because they all reflect the psychology and emotion involved in this decision. It is rare that one search term or phrase is perfect and the end of the marketing campaign, and even if this seems to be so, it is most likely not a good idea to count on one search term alone to drive traffic to your page.
A word of caution, many customer motivations change seasonally. The motivation for buying jewelry for Valentine’s Day is not the same as it is for Mother’s Day, and both are different for Christmas. These motivations should be considered when developing online marketing plans.
Ultimately, you will have to test different keywords, offers and landing page headlines to find the combination that results on the highest conversion rates. Constant testing and revision is the key to long term success.
In Part 2 of this blog post, I will cover the best structure and features of a successful landing page.
Eric Van Cleave is a Partner in Zenergy Works, an SEO, Website Design, Online Marketing and Social Media Optimization Firm located in Santa Rosa, California.
In 2012, we will be living in a Google Panda World. New changes will be coming soon, and we are already on version 3.2, so the old way of doing things will not improve the performance of your website in 2012. The old way of doing it is to design a really good website, launch it, thank your capable Web Designer and move on. If you did this in 2011, you are behind. If you plan to do it in 2012, you will be lost. Moving ahead, the experience of the user of your website will be the key to success in both search engine placement and conversion. I would encourage every business to take a hard look at their website from the point of view of their customers. Is it easy to find what you are looking for? Does it give me the information I need to make a decision to move ahead? Do I clearly see the Benefits to me of the product as opposed to only features? And finally, and most important, do I clearly see the advantage of using my business instead of my competitors? These are tough questions, to be sure, and the answers can be even tougher. Let me outline 3 steps that can help you to upgrade your website.
1. Content Updating. Products have changed, Keywords being searched have changed. (ie. Who knew about a “15 minute insurance company” a year ago before the current Geico Insurance Campaign?). Most websites do an outstanding job of talking about the “features” of their goods or services (ie. Better gas mileage for a car), but not as good a job as discussing the benefits (ie. Saving money on gasoline every month), or the positive outcome of those benefits (ie. Saving enough to take your family on an extra vacation every year). Another thought is to intertwine testimonials and FAQs into the pages of the website as opposed to just having them in their own separate sections (ie. www.newgenerationmedia.com). A combination of features, benefits, positive outcome of those benefits, answers to the questions you need to know about the products and successful outcomes with the products from other customers is a powerful tool to motivate a website user to take the next steps.
2. Long-Tail or Secondary Keyword Streams. Keyword research is a powerful tool in marketing any website. Many businesses focus on the primary (and very competitive) keyword streams that describe their business (ie. Auto Repair), but neglect the keyword streams that are less competitive, but fit their services better (ie. New radiator). To be found under these secondary keyword streams, content must be created on your website that discusses this service for the areas that you serve. In the new search engine marketing world of 2012, your job is to convince the search engines that you are the best resource for the keyword search you are trying to dominate. In our previous example, creating a new page for your site that discusses the ins and out of new radiators would be the first step to gaining placement for that term. An added bonus is that many secondary keyword streams, while they have lower search volume, have a much higher conversion rate because you are being found by a market that is already shopping for the exact goods or services that you sell.
3. Call To Action. The final step is to make sure that you have a strong call to action. The call to action opportunity should be prominently displayed on each page of the website. If you are found, convince the potential customer of the benefits of your business, and the positive outcome of those benefits, you must give them a clear next step to take. Completion of the online transaction, whether it is filling out a form to schedule an appointment, or buying a product on the website, is the trickiest part of the website process. Making sure that this process is simple and easy to understand, as well as minimizing the number of “clicks” a potential client must use to complete the transaction is critical. The more information you need, the more clicks you need someone to complete to finish the transaction, the less likely that the client will complete the “sales chute” and take the next action. Again, take a close look at this process from the client’s point of view and eliminate all things that are unnecessary or just plain annoying.
Your website is a living document. It needs to change with the market, and as a business owner, you need to periodically review the competition and compare the experience a potential customer has on their site to yours. Look at your website with the eyes of a potential customer to carefully evaluate how useful and complete your site is to them. In 2012, if you can create a complete and positive user experience on your site, you should be able to increase visits, improve conversion rates, and increase profits!
Eric Van Cleave is a Partner in Zenergy Works, a Santa Rosa, California Search Engine Optimization, website design, ecommerce website design, and online marketing firm. Your Website Design in Santa Rosa.
Santa Rosa, CA-Bryan Fikes and Eric Van Cleave have purchased New Generation Media, LLC from the Amaturo Group. The Santa Rosa SEO and Web Design firm has been in business since 1998, and began working with Bryan Fikes under the name Zenergy Works 3 years ago. “I want to thank Lawrence Amaturo for his support over the last 11 years, he has been an incredible resource for myself and all of the partners at NGM,” said Van Cleave. “Under the new ownership structure, I look forward to continuing to strive to be the Best SEO Company and continuing to provide web design not only to Santa Rosa, but to North America and beyond,” said Fikes.
Zenergy Works has also unveiled a new branding approach, conceived and designed by the Engine Is Red in Santa Rosa. “We are known for providing results for our customers,” stated Fikes,” and the branding idea just grew from there.”
New Generation Media, LLC and Zenergy Works, have grown over the last 3 years and recently leased a new larger space at 418 B St. in downtown Santa Rosa. Helen Vick, who has served as Business Manager for the firm for over 11 years, is moving over to work with Mr. Amaturo to help manage his business interests. “Helen has been a great Business Partner and friend, and we wish her the very best in her new pursuits,” said Van Cleave.
Zenergy Works is a Santa Rosa, California based web design and SEO Company. Zenergy also provides complete online marketing strategies for display advertising, Social Media Optimization (SMO), SEM, Pay Per Click, including Google Adwords, and Local Listing Optimization.
 2011 has been quite the year for Zenergy Works and its clients. Reworking content and user experience on sites to comply with Google Panda, Reworking Local Listings for Google Places, and the continued explosion of Social Media have ensured that it is never boring around here.
The following are some trends that are currently in play and will affect us moving ahead into 2012.
- The last official Google Panda update took place on November 18th. SERP Rankings on Google (and other search engines are bound to follow suit) will continue to be more and more dependent on a positive user experience through relevant content. Rumor has it that Google will not impose any more updates until after the Christmas Shopping season, but more updates are coming.
- Facebook will be launching a mobile ad platform in the Spring of 2012, right before the planned IPO. Recent studies show that Facebook remains a clear leader in this market, and while Google Plus seems to have reached a plateau in both usage and members, Twitter and Tumblr both are making astounding gains in percentage of online sharing of information. All of this is according to a new study by Add This in a study entitled 2011 Sharing Trends, released this past week.
- Google is winning on the browser front. Chrome is expected to become the most popular browser at some point in 2012, eclipsing Internet Explorer. Further evidence that the only constant online is change.
Happy Holidays to you and your families from everyone at Zenergy Works. Thanks for your business, and your interest in our company.
Zenergy Works is a Santa Rosa SEO Company also specializing in website design, online marketing, email marketing, Social Media Optimization and SEM.
There are numerous SEO providers out there now-everyone from American Express to the local Mailboxes, Etc. has an option for SEO Services. Our customers ask us all the time, what should I be demanding of you? Here is a checklist of everything you should be asking for from your SEO Provider.
Lead Conversion Strategy
Your SEO consultant should sit down with you to map out an SEO strategy that increases not only the quantity of traffic to your site, but increases the quality of traffic as well and results in an increased conversion rate and provides you a return on your investment. The keyword research and on page analysis of your site is the foundation of your campaign, but making sure that next steps are clear for the website visitor and targeting keyword streams that are both profitable and clearly within the scope of services of your company is key to continued success.
Keyword Research
Providing the research to establish the keywords to provide the best return on the campaign is key. Keyword Research should encompass a number of different sources, and the increased importance of social media means that information that is important to those potential customers is a vital part of any keyword strategy. Please make sure that the quantity AND quality of website traffic is considered. In other words, optimize for keywords that are both profitable for your business and that will bring customers that you can service well. The old adage that a satisfied customer brings you another customer, but a dissatisfied customer costs you ten customers can be increased geometrically with the proper use of the internet and review sites. As a marketer, I can get your business found first, but you will be responsible for bringing the new customer, and their referrals, to your business.
Link Building
Search Engines view a back link to your site from other authoritative and reputable websites as a validation for your website, or a boost to your SERP rankings commonly known as “link juice”. The larger the geographic area you wish to cover with your Organic SEO campaign, the more authoritative links you will need to be successful. Some common techniques are article submissions, directory submissions and social bookmarking. Current thinking amongst many SEO professionals is that link building is not as important as it once was in improving search engine ranking, but everyone agrees that link building is necessary for effective search engine optimization.
SEO Copywriting
SEO Copywriting is another critical piece of an effective website optimization campaign. There is no doubt that conversion increases when well written copy is created for the website. With search engines beginning to value the user experience more in determining search engine rankings, first with WC3 Compliance and then with the relevant content discussions of Google Panda 2.5.3 and beyond, keyword rich, relevant and original content that provides the user with valuable information and a pleasant user experience is key. A professional SEO copywriter will strike a balance between copy with the proper keyword density and engaging information that creates conversions.
Web Design and Programming
The biggest obstacles that need to be overcome are with clients who have chosen flash programming, ecommerce platforms that discourage optimization, or websites that use syndicated content to keep updated. The CMS or content management system of a website must allow the website to truly be a living document that reflects the information that consumers want to know when they want to know it.
Pick a platform for your website that allows changes and additions to be made simply and quickly, and make sure that the platform is SEO friendly. WordPress is a platform that is popular with our customers, but many others have excellent properties, depending upon the needs and features of the website. WordPress also offers the distinct advantage of being easily converted to a mobile site that is easily optimized for mobile search. Mobile Site Construction and Optimization is already a factor in most online marketing campaigns, and will become even more critical as handheld devices take over the market.
Social Media
Social Media has become an integral part of any online marketing plan. Effective SMO, or Social Media Optimization , requires not only design skills, but marketing acumen. There is no doubt that Social Media becomes more important with time, so when choosing an SEO firm, be careful to ask about Social Media capabilities and for examples of successful campaigns. Many competent SEO firms outsource some Social Media Programs, and that is a perfectly viable strategy as long as you retain direct access to your Social Media Team.
Many firms have struggled to find all of the services above under one roof, and have hired an Online Marketing Coordinator to keep the online message consistent and to force the different online marketing firms to effectively communicate and work together. The ideal situation for most firms is to find one firm that can provide all of the services listed above. This ensures a consistent strategy without the expense of hiring someone to coordinate all of the efforts.
Eric Van Cleave is a partner in Zenergy Works, A Santa Rosa, California based firm specializing in Organic SEO, Social Media Optimization, Website Development, Mobile Site Development, ecommerce web development, Search Engine Marketing, targeted online display ads and email marketing.
 Congratulations to Zenergy Works client Certified Automotive Specialists of Glendora, California on being named a Top Shop of 2011 by Motor Age. Gene and his team of trained professionals have maintained a record of perfect customer reviews and have achieved this honor through hard work and a commitment to training of all employees. See what Gene had to say about his website design and maintenance and local seo from Zenergy Works:
“Marketing for Consumers
The shop also uses AutoNetTV on its website. While the site has a lot of information, Morrill and his marketing team at Zenergy Works has worked to streamline the site.
They started off like everyone else, and it was “clunky” as they did it themselves. He teamed up with Zenergy Works, which built the website to what it is today. They took care of the search engine optimization and are keeping up the Facebook efforts, too, Morrill says.
The site also is an venue to talk about the accomplishments the shop has achieved, such as receiving the AAA Quality Service Award four years in a row. To receive this award, a repair shop can have no member complaints, a minimum of 99 percent customer satisfaction rating and no facility deficiencies during either AAA’s annual shop inspection or bimonthly shop reviews.”
Zenergy Works is grateful to be a part of the Certified Auto Specialists Team, and we look forward to continuing to be a resource for Gene Morrill and Independent Auto Repair Shops like Certified Auto Specialists.
Zenergy Works is based in Santa Rosa, California and specializes in Website Design, Search Engine Optimization, Local Search Engine Optimization, and all aspects of Internet Marketing.
|
Best SEO Company Zenergy Works - Search Engine Optimization, Website Design, Social Media Optimization, Email Marketing, Pay Per Click, eCommerce, Video Host, Video Optimization, Virtual Receptionist, Live Chat.
|
