SAN JOSE — “Google’s looking at you and wondering, who are you, what are you doing, what is your purpose?” That’s the viewpoint of Mordy Oberstein, CMO of RankRanger, who discussed during his session at SMX West in San Jose how establishing and staying true to your site’s identity can help future-proof it against Google search algorithm updates. “For example, if you’re a health information site, are you really about offering me health information or are you trying to push something underneath the surface? Are you actually a covert commerce site?” What to watch forGoogle’s core algorithm updates generate a lot of rankings volatility; but unconfirmed updates may also have a noticeable impact on rankings, Oberstein said. During his session, Oberstein shared data suggesting that one of the distinctions between core updates and unconfirmed updates is how much they affect rankings for Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) sites, as well as how much they sway the top three search results. Oberstein analyzed sites that were hit hard by algorithm updates and observed a pattern of inconsistent content and messaging that might cause users to question the site’s true purpose. Identity = Authority“You go to a website and you look at the page, the UI, the UX, the images, everything. What signals does this page send to the user? Well, now Google’s picking up on a lot of those latent messages,” Oberstein said, adding that when Google profiles your site, it is evaluating everything from your content to your CTAs to your ads to find out more about your site’s identity. “Singular identity equals authority,” Oberstein said. Much in the same way a patient might look for a doctor that specializes in a particular field of medicine, Google is looking to surface results for sites that specialize in their respective sectors. Sites that masquerade as a source of answers and information but instead send users to landing pages that serve their business models are just one example of an identity conflict that may throw up red flags for both users and Google. Establishing your site’s identitySince Google gives greater weight to E-A-T (expertise, authority, trustworthiness) signals when ranking YMYL sites, Oberstein suggested that increasing your authority by keeping every facet of your site relevant to its purpose can help preserve or even improve your visibility after an algorithm update. Focus on your niche and write about it often. “For the same reason that you want to post a blog every once in a while to show Google that you’re still alive, someone who’s an authority on an area is going to write something,” Oberstein said, “They’re going to keep up with the trends, they’re going to keep developing their thoughts — [their site] is going to be a living and growing organism.” However, brands should not publish frequently purely to generate volumes of content about their niche. “Google is looking at these qualitatively and it’s going to pick up on that,” Oberstein said. Don’t be tempted by high-volume keywords. If the intent behind a high-volume keyword does not align with the identity you’re trying to manifest, creating content about it may send mixed messages about your brand. “You know those topics or that keyword that you’re like, ‘it sort of fits what I do, but it doesn’t really fit what I do’ — don’t go for it,” Oberstein said, emphasizing that writing about tangentially related topics may dilute your site’s identity. If you have a secondary identity, keep it simple. Some sites have secondary identities that complement their primary purpose, but getting search engines to recognize that can be difficult. “If you’re Derek Jeter’s website,” Oberstein provided as an example, “but you also sell baseball memorabilia at the same time, you might want to think about making things a little bit less complicated.” One way to simplify is to create an entirely different site specifically for your secondary identity, Oberstein suggested. More about SMX
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Modern-day digital marketers are expected to be skilled in a variety of areas, including analytics, copywriting, creative direction, sales, digital media, and more. But unless you’re ready to spend a significant amount of time and money by investing in a college degree, you need a faster, more effective way to stay relevant in a changing market. Different Ways to Learn Digital Marketing1. Enrolling in professional digital marketing coursesOne of the best ways to learn digital marketing is to sign up for digital marketing online courses. Industry professionals often lead these online courses, which include teaching students vital digital marketing skills with practical assignments and hands-on projects. If you really want to stand out from your peers in this industry, earning your digital marketing certification online will help considerably. Simplilearn’s digital marketing specialist program offers practical courses to prepare students for the digital marketing world, which can help make them industry-ready from day one. 2. Learn by following influencers or industry expertsDigital marketing is a field in which things are always progressing and changing; something new develops each day, and it’s crucial to stay updated. For instance, Moz announced Google’s January 2020 core updates, a key indicator as to how powerful websites are when it comes to organic search rankings. Google also introduced several changes to its algorithm which significantly impact SERPs. Following industry experts and influencers who are proficient in digital marketing is not only a great way to initially learn the basic fundamentals, but it’s also essential for keeping up with the latest digital marketing changes and trends. 3. Learn by following the top digital marketing blogs and videosIn addition to following some of the industry’s top influencers and experts, keeping up with some of the most respected digital marketing blogs and video channels is also a terrific way to learn online marketing. From the basics to advanced principles, these popular blogs offer updated information that can improve your marketing skills. Some popular digital marketing blogs to follow include Moz, Neil Patel, Kissmetrics, and Search Engine Journal. If you prefer videos, some of the top YouTube digital marketing tutorial channels include GaryVee, Backlinko with Brian Dean, and Digital Nest. 4. Learn the basics from free online coursesThere are several websites that offer digital marketing training at no cost. You can sign up on those sites and learn digital marketing through various courses and programs. Those courses can help you develop an understanding of digital marketing and some also provide certificates upon completion, but they are not as authenticated as professional certificates and tend to have low completion rates. Free courses don’t usually offer any interactive projects, practical hands-on learning, or live lectures. Although some of these free courses can help you get your feet wet, if you’re serious about learning digital marketing, you’ll need professional training with a certified online education program. As the old adage goes, you get what you pay for. What to Look for When Choosing a Professional Digital Marketing Course:Choosing the right digital marketing course can be somewhat challenging. With all of the available choices, it’s important to find the right fit. When it comes to making your selection, the practical choice should be one that teaches all aspects of digital marketing in-depth. A well-rounded education program should include SEO, content marketing, paid search, and more. The best courses give students the opportunity to learn hands-on by practicing with projects and learning from some of the best industry experts. Need some help making a selection? We’ve handpicked and reviewed some of the best online digital marketing training courses, which include: 1. Simplilearn’s Digital Marketing Specialist ProgramThe Digital Marketing Specialist Master’s Program aims to get students industry-ready by offering training in a wide range of areas. Students receive access to seven full-length, comprehensive courses that cover all areas of digital marketing. What you get with Simplilearn’s Full Stack Masters ProgramThe Digital Marketing Specialist Master’s Program includes:
The Master’s Program comes with an expert-curated learning path, which is a step-by-step plan to gain the skill set of a digital marketer capable of managing the digital marketing initiatives of their organization. The program’s learning path begins with the Fundamentals of Marketing Course, which equips learners with a general understanding of digital marketing principles. Students then progress along the path, learning advanced skills in digital channels, conversion and strategy, web analytics, pay per click (PPC), SEO, and social media. Elective offerings in advanced content marketing, advanced email marketing, advanced website conversion rate optimization and advanced mobile marketing give you the flexibility to master other areas as needed. Simplilearn’s digital marketing courses are accredited from OMCP, and include high-quality videos, projects, quizzes, simulation exams, active expert forums, downloadable workbooks, and apps, amounting to 200+ hours of e-learning content. Simplilearn’s Digital Marketing course – preview 2. Market Motive’s Masters in Digital MarketingFounded in 2007, Market Motive is a pioneer in online digital marketing training. Market Motive’s structured curriculum is trusted by enterprises and licensed by universities worldwide. Market Motive’s Masters in Digital Marketing program gives you access to more than 250 hours of training, covering analytics, SEO, PPC, social, conversion, mobile, email marketing, and content marketing. What you get with Market Motive’s Masters in Digital Marketing program:
Market Motive’s digital marketing courses are designed for all skill levels, regardless of experience and background. 3. Coursera’s Digital Marketing SpecializationSeven courses and a hands-on capstone project will earn you a certification from Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization, covering analytics, SEO, social media, and much more. Each course requires 32 to 40 hours over four weeks to complete. What You Get with Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization TrackThe seven-courses offering includes:
Designed primarily for beginners, the program does a good job of introducing novice digital marketers to the world of online marketing. But the course’s open availability, plus lack of mentored guidance and access to expert instructors can make the program challenging for self-learners. Unlike some of the other courses on this list, Coursera’s offering does not include on-demand support for premium customers. Marketing in a digital world – preview 4. AMA’s Digital Marketing eLearning Certificate ModulesIf you’ve only got an hour to invest, the American Marketing Association offers a series of Digital Marketing eLearning Certificate modules that cover social media marketing, email marketing, analytics, content marketing, online advertising, and SEO. What you get with AMA’s Certificate ModulesAMA’s digital marketing course modules include:
Designed for digital marketing beginners, these introductory courses are not as comprehensive as some of the other offerings on our list. Professionals interested in the AMA’s Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) credential will benefit the most from these modules. 5. Lynda.com’s Marketing TutorialsIf you like to browse, sort and find your own path in your spare time, Lynda.com’s Marketing Training + Tutorials might be right for you. You’ll need a monthly LinkedIn subscription in order to access these courses. Priced at €17.99/month, its price point makes it a good choice for beginners testing the waters (you’ll pay more to access downloadable assets). What you get with Lynda’s Marketing Tutorials
Key components of Online Marketing (Lynda.com) Lynda’s emphasis on video tutorials makes it a good choice for anybody looking to learn more about digital marketing, but it’s no substitute for a rigorous training course. Choose the program that best meets your goals Whether you’re just starting out or you’re ready to take on something more challenging, you are sure to find something to match your learning style and career goals. The post The 5 best digital marketing courses for your digital success this year appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/2JpXFyw The post SEL 20200226 appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/391W2iM When we talk about content marketing strategy, it’s amazing how often people think that means: Can I Haz Moar Peoples!!!... The post 6 Critical Components of <br>Captivating Content appeared first on Copyblogger. via Copyblogger https://ift.tt/390Rr01 A “Made in USA” label accompanied by a flag icon appears to be the latest automated ad extension test by Microsoft Advertising. Where it’s showing. Interestingly, the automated ad extension was spotted in Bing.com results in Germany by Frank Sandtmass of Hamburg-based SEO and Analytics firm Vertriebsberatung. Why we care. Microsoft Advertising has a number of automated ad extensions that can appear in text ads on Bing. The aim of any of them is to give users more information and increase click-through rates. Automated extensions pull data from a range of sources — landing pages and domains, ad copy and in some cases third-parties — and can display automatically without advertiser opt-in. It’s not clear how widespread this test is (we haven’t been able to replicate it) or whether it can show for other countries. We have asked Microsoft Advertising for comment and will update here with more details if available. The post ‘Made in USA’ ad extensions spotted on Bing appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/3a3SwV5 Exciting news: Registration is open for Search Engine Land’s SMX Advanced! Join us June 8-10 in Seattle for master-level, tactic-rich search marketing training that skips the basics, leaves no stone unturned, and equips you with the knowledge you need to advance your campaigns and career. The agenda will be posted soon — for now, here are some highlights to get you excited:
Secure your seat today and lock in lowest rates — up to $900 off on-site prices! Stay tuned for details about the agenda, networking, workshops, and more :-) The post SMX Advanced registration is open! appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/2HXLHZo Have you gotten the hard sell? Google reps have been pushing Shopping advertisers to adopt Smart Shopping campaigns — and even to switch away from standard Shopping campaigns entirely. You shouldn’t abandon standard Shopping just yet, said Kirk Williams, owner of ZATO Marketing at SMX West in San Jose last week, but it’s probably time to start testing and understanding how Smart Shopping campaigns work. “Smart Shopping can definitely perform well, but what you lose if you just run Smart Shopping campaigns is data that can inform other marketing efforts,” said Williams. “You still want to be running [standard Shopping and Smart Shopping] together.” The big differences between Smart Shopping campaigns compared to Smart Shopping are automation (almost entirely) and data (very little). Google doesn’t provide data on audiences, search terms or placements in Smart Shopping campaigns. In fact, Williams noted, Smart Shopping and standard Shopping run on two distinct codebases and are managed by two different engineering teams in separate Google offices. We know the trend is toward automation, so how can advertisers make the most of Smart Shopping campaigns? Williams offered several tactics for Smart Shopping advertisers. Here are four key ones. Extract insights from Smart Shopping with AnalyticsWhile Smart Shopping campaigns are a black box in many ways, Williams has some neat tricks for uncovering more data than first meets the eye. Set up custom Channel Groupings in Google Analytics for Smart Shopping and standard Shopping Campaigns. You’ll then be able to use advanced segments to compare the two against certain dimensions. Test Smart Shopping with Custom LabelsUse the custom labels in your product feeds to segment and test products to learn which ones perform better in Smart versus standard Shopping campaigns. Williams suggested using custom labels to isolate higher performing or popular products with segments such as top products, most reviewed products or gateway products. Know Merchant CenterEven if your feed uploads automatically into Google Merchant Center, there are many features and levers you can adjust for testing and optimization. For example, use Feed Rules for testing titles. To do this, first up products for your test and control groups using custom labels in your feed. Then in Merchant Center, set up your title test via Feed Rules. Analyze performance by comparing clickshare, click-through rate, impression share and total eligible impressions (impressions/impression share), advised Williams. Prove your value in the age of automationWith essentially no set-up time (82 seconds! said Williams) and the rest nearly entirely automated, what does job security look like in a Smart Shopping campaign landscape? “There is always a market for problem solvers,” said Williams. (And Williams exemplifies this. He is ever-curious and constantly looking for ways to add value and solve problems for clients and fellow marketers.) The key to adding value and getting more out of your Shopping efforts starts with understanding how Smart Shopping works. Some examples: You can’t add placement exclusions to Smart Shopping campaigns, but Williams figured out that you can exclude them at the Account level and apply those to your Smart Shopping campaigns. You can also add negative keywords to Smart Shopping campaigns, you’ll just have to ask your Google rep to do it for you. And the ROAS default in these campaigns is 200%, for example. Don’t rely on defaults. Is that the right setting for your products? More about SMXThe post Smart Shopping campaigns: How to test and extract more value from automated campaigns appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/38ZhtRj Google has posted an explainer for its AMP (accelerated mobile pages) status report on the AMP blog. The report can be accessed within Google Search Console and allows users to identify issues and validate fixes. Why we careAlthough AMP isn’t a ranking factor, page speed is; and AMP can be used to create fast-loading pages, Stories, ads and more. Knowing how to use Search Console to identify and resolve errors can help you deliver a better experience to your mobile users. More on using the AMP status report
The post How to use the AMP status report to identify page errors, validate fixes appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/2VnfZN6 Google Images will soon replace the dimensions information you see in the image search results, as you overlay your mouse cursor over a specific image thumbnail. Google will replace the dimensions information with product, recipe, video, and soon, licensable labels based on the query. What is changing? Here is a screenshot highlighting the dimensions section of the image thumbnail in Google Image search: By the end of this week, a Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land, the image size dimensions will be replaced with product, recipe, video, and soon, licensable labels. Google was unable to share a screenshot of the new change. We will update this story when we see the new labels show up in Google Image Search. Why the change? Google said this will help searchers find visual ideas and get more done directly from the image thumbnail. Images that are licensable, will likely show the license label in that overlay. Images that come from videos, will show a video label. Recipe photos will show the recipe label and so on. Why we care. If this does indeed work as Google expects, more engaged searchers will help increase clicks on your images and hopefully traffic to your web site. This gives us even more reason to make sure to add the various markups to our images when applicable. The post Google Images to replace dimensions overlay on image thumbnails appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/2PqzDUB Competition forces retailers to rethink the role of branded non-branded and trademark traffic2/25/2020 When it comes to Google Ads, most retail marketers are interested in a single KPI – return on ad spend. To increase ROAS, some marketers devote the majority of their ad spend to high-converting, branded traffic. While a focus on efficiency still serves retail marketers well today, it’s more difficult to improve ROAS than ever. That is because investing primarily in low-funnel, branded traffic limits reach to the shoppers who already know your brand. This customer pool is both finite and shrinking. Google Ads is also saturated with competition and constantly changing. Players including Amazon and Walmart are buying up the SERP and often outbid other retailers on their most lucrative keywords and products. Dwindling real estate for organic ads creates additional pressure to spend more to remain competitive. To combat these challenges, retail marketers must adopt a more holistic approach to Google Ads. It’s important to understand how to acquire new customers and continue to retain existing ones by targeting diverse traffic types. In this article, we’ll outline how reevaluating your keyword traffic can help you achieve unique goals for your business, including new customer acquisition and retention. Read on for tactics to keep costs in check and maximize the value of your trademark, branded, and non-branded campaigns on Google Ads. An integrated view of Google Ads trafficFirst, understanding the full customer journey on Google Ads means understanding the unique value of different keyword traffic. Naturally, keywords indicate purchase intent—which is why it’s important to create campaigns that target branded, non-branded, and trademark keywords, and to bid each keyword type according to its value for your business. While there are exceptions, low-funnel shoppers tend to search using branded keywords. They know what type of product they want and are closer to making a purchase. Upper funnel shoppers tend to use generic, non-branded keywords because they are still researching what they’d like to buy. Shoppers who use trademark keywords are often returning customers. Depending on your goals, these different traffic types may be more or less important for your business. Let’s unpack that idea. Non-branded traffic drives acquisitionMany retail marketers have struggled to unlock the potential of non-branded traffic. When evaluated by ROAS, non-branded campaigns on paid search seem to underperform. Especially when viewed with a last click attribution model, these campaigns can appear unprofitable. Unsurprisingly, many retailers have overlooked this traffic type and focused more resources on low-funnel shoppers who are more likely to convert. However, it’s time to flip that notion on its head. Here’s how. Understand the value of a new customer With increased competition and costs, retailers must consider the value of the shopper they are reaching on Google Ads. For some retailers, a new customer will have a higher value than a returning customer because of his potential for repeat purchases, also known as customer lifetime value (CLV). If your business prioritizes new customer acquisition, the higher cost of non-branded traffic may be justified. Limit costs with a targeted strategy Keep efficiency in mind when developing non-branded campaigns. Bid first on keywords related to your highest margin or CLV products. It is unlikely that you will be able to bid on a large amount of non-branded keywords, so picking the right keywords and products is critical. Support those ads with compelling copy and landing pages that help shoppers make an informed decision. They may not be ready to land on a product page, but instead want to view a page that lists multiple products within a category or explains product features. Track the full customer journey Retargeting shoppers who visit your site from a generic query can increase the value of non-branded traffic. A shopper may discover your site through a non-branded keyword search. You can retarget that shopper when she searches again using a branded keyword and drive the final conversion. Tracking this type of customer journey and giving appropriate value to each click requires a multi-touch attribution model. You may not be able to understand the true value of non-branded click without a full view of the acquisition funnel. Trademark improves retentionTrademark queries can also be easy to overlook. Some retailers assume that if shoppers are searching for their trademark keywords, those shoppers will eventually end up on their site. In today’s hyper-competitive SERP, that is not a given. Thanks to Google’s 2013 SERP update, competitors are increasingly bidding on trademark terms in Google Ads. While they cannot use your trademark keyword in their ad copy, they can undercut your business by offering discounts or faster delivery to effectively steal your customers. Here are some ways to work around this challenge. Protect your trademark terms Owning your trademark search can make the difference between retaining and losing a customer. The good news is that it’s easy to own your trademark terms. Your trademark ad will have a high-quality score compared to your competitors’ ads because you are the actual retailer the shopper is searching for. Make sure your ad showcases the product categories and unique services you offer. Utilize ad extensions to capture as much of the SERP as possible. Measure your Google Ads health Monitor trademark campaign performance carefully. Trademark traffic is a helpful barometer for overall Google Ads health. If you face increased competition or new customer acquisition slows, you may see a gradual decline in trademark traffic. Your business is no longer the first option that comes to mind for shoppers in your vertical. If that is the case, it’s time to rethink your Google Ads strategy and identify where the gaps are in your customer acquisition funnel. Understand the full customer journeyBranded traffic may still account for the majority of your sales on Google Ads, but it’s important to have dedicated trademark and non-branded campaigns if only to understand how shoppers discover and rediscover your products. Having that understanding will put you in a much better position when an e-commerce giant like Amazon begins bidding on your most valuable branded keywords. If you cannot compete for clicks immediately before purchase, you need to step back and view the full customer journey to uncover new opportunities for growth. Crafting targeted campaigns for branded, non-branded, and trademark keywords will help you engage shoppers at every stage of the shopping journey and uncover new value. The post Competition forces retailers to rethink the role of branded, non-branded and trademark traffic appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/2w2pKFF |
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