With high inflation and low consumer confidence, plus the lingering effects of the supply chain crisis, nobody knows quite what to expect this holiday season. But one thing is for sure: if you want your business to succeed, you need to be prepared with relevant, connected experiences across every customer interaction. That’s where AI comes in. Join experts to learn how to help your marketing stand out among the crowd. Register today for “Expert Advice: Make Your Marketing Stand Out This Holiday Season,” presented by Blueshift. Click here to view more Search Engine Land webinars. The post Webinar: The secret to a customer-centric approach with faster ROI appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/ix1voZ2
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Google’s September 2022 product reviews update is now fully rolled out. Google said this update only applied to English-language product reviews. It took six days to complete, beginning Sept. 20 and concluding Sept. 26. This marks the end of a flurry of Google algorithm updates that started with the helpful content update (Aug. 25 to Sept. 9), continued with the September 2022 core update (and Sept. 12 to 26) and concluded with the fifth version of the product reviews update. Rollout complete. According to Google’s search ranking update page, “The rollout was complete as of September 26, 2022.” Google’s July 2022 product reviews update also took six days to fully roll out. There has been some discussion within the SEO community about the September product review update. Barry Schwartz covered that in What We’re Seeing From The Google Product Reviews Update #5 over Search Engine Roundtable. About Google’s product review updates. These algorithm updates are meant to reward high-quality product reviews (in the form of insightful analysis and original research). Google said it will promote these types of product reviews in its search results rankings. In short, if you were impacted, that means you probably need to put more effort into improving your product review content. Figure out how to make it unique so it stands out from the competition. Why we care. Staying on top of Google’s multiple algorithm updates is important. This is a bit unique because Google rolled out overlapping updates this month – product reviews and a core update. Google says the product review update should only impact product review content. But having overlapping algorithm updates could complicate things – especially if you’re trying to diagnose ranking or visibility changes (positive or negative). The post Google September 2022 product reviews update rollout complete appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/irS8WVs I think the best way to introduce the concept of a blog comment policy is to remind you that my... The post Try This Blog Comment Policy to Manage Your Content Faster (and with Less Stress) appeared first on Copyblogger. via Copyblogger https://ift.tt/Fge5ElA Relevance is often discussed in digital marketing. It’s an important topic because not only is it good for consumers, but it is also good for advertisers since the inception of quality score. Advertisers with higher quality scores and relevance are typically rewarded with more traffic and lower CPCs. The following data (indexed to allow multiple verticals and clients to be merged) proves this point. As ad relevance scores go up, CPCs go down and CTR goes up. Based on our data, an above-average ad relevance score vs. a below-average ad relevance score can decrease CPCs by 40%. One of the most critical elements in relevance is the ad copy. In this article, I will break down several ad copy examples and identify what helps make them quality. The elements of a relevant PPC adTo start, we should set the ground rules. Recently, Google has taken more control of ad optimization. With responsive search ads being the default ad type, Google has the power to choose the headline and the description it deems will perform best. Yes, you can pin some elements down to override this auto-optimize feature, but Google’s leaning more and more on its machine learning capabilities to create the most relevant ad. The other key is ad extensions which have just been rebranded as assets. Extensions have blossomed over the past few years, and there are now 19 different types in Google Ads:
When used effectively, all these elements can boost your performance. Remember the data about ad relevance. A more relevant ad can improve your CTR and decrease your CPC. The right information helps reduce friction for customers. With that in mind, let’s look at some examples of relevant and high-quality PPC ads. Example 1: Car insuranceCar insurance is one of the most competitive categories and high-spend verticals. The ad I pulled is an interesting mix of a Top 3 big insurer, Progressive, and other lead generation sites. Notice which ad has bolded keywords that tie to the search term “auto insurance.” It’s interesting to note that Progressive doesn’t have the term “auto insurance” in the description, instead focusing on consumer-proof claims (4 of 5). They also used call extensions. When ads contain phone numbers, you instantly give the consumer the choice to call or interact online. That consumer choice is vital. The other extensions are ratings and deals, which are used well to give consumers a sense of additional information to help make a decision. Example 2: Concert ticketsI’m a music fan and started looking for examples for various artists and tickets to shows I might like to see. I found the below example in a search for “My Chemical Romance tickets.” Seatgeek did a good job laying out two things:
Example 3: Electricity ratesA similar use of the extensions in a different category was for “electricity rates.” The use of copy and these extensions provide the right mix of options, while still focusing on performance/conversions (“Get a Quote”). Example 4: Noise cancelling headphonesLet's not forget that Google is not just showing text ads. Shopping ads are prevalent and frequently show for retail searches. Below is a result for the search "noise canceling headphones." This is an interesting example because of the broad mix of pricing. It looks like the JBL headphones are the cheapest at Target. Target also includes the "In store" note, plus the price markdown and ratings on the product. The combination of price and the robust listings is compelling. Most brands don't consider the price point of competitors as a reason why their conversion rates are high or low when doing optimizations. While it's a different topic, know that competitive research is a critical input needed to understand your performance. Example 5: iPhone 14Let's look at the hottest consumer product right now, the iPhone 14. The example below is some of the biggest players in the game. The approach for AT&T and Verizon are similar, "Get the iPhone on Us." What is different is the use of extensions and site links. They each have a different approach. Which ad would you click on? Why? I personally find the AT&T ad compelling enough in the first position, and the sitelinks let me click on the specific model. Optimizing your Google Ads campaignsWhen we talk to clients, we talk about the "search experience." This includes the keyword, ad and landing page – three important elements of a PPC campaign. Here, we focused on ads and as you've seen, different brands have different approaches – various extensions, copy and price points, among others. All of these will result in different outcomes for their advertisers. The data shows there is real business value in delivering high ad relevance. Having the right elements to run tests and optimize is key. Be on the lookout for new elements that Google rolls out and keep testing. The post 5 Google Ads examples with relevant and quality ad copy appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/LSMJgwX Let’s face it: many consider email marketing boring. It’s not as flashy as jumping onto BeReal or TikTok, and besides, does Gen Z even use email? Email marketing can be an exciting channel because it drives a lot of revenue for your business. Research shows that you can expect a 42X ROI when you invest in email marketing. So, let’s go over a few ways you can supercharge your email marketing and make it exciting again. And yes, Gen Z still uses email – they actually prefer it as the way for brands to communicate with them. Recover lost shoppers with verified offersOnline shoppers routinely abandon their carts, leading to lost sales. If it’s someone you have in your existing customer database, you might rescue that sale with an abandoned cart email. But if they weren’t logged in, the only option is to buy retargeting ads which don’t guarantee a strong ROI. Thanks to platforms like SafeOpt, you can tap into an email list of 175M+ U.S. shoppers to send them a brand-approved offer and recover lost sales. You generate more revenue, and your abandoned shoppers are delighted because they save time and money. Make sure your emails are built for mobile firstThe majority of emails are now viewed on mobile. It’s no longer good enough to have your emails optimized for mobile. It has to be built with mobile as the primary screen and then optimized for desktop. This means you might have to rethink a few things. For instance, research suggests mobile email readers click less than desktop. This makes a bit of intuitive sense because there’s less real estate to work with on mobile. This might mean you consciously decide to build your emails with fewer calls to action and items to click on. This constraint can be good sometimes, as it forces you to focus on what clicks in the email will really drive business outcomes for you. The name of the game is “personalization”The average person gets more than 100 emails per day. Personalizing your emails is the best way to stand out from the crowded inbox and to get your messages noticed and read. You can start small with your personalization journey. Maybe you just include their name in the subject line or the body of the email. Don’t have their name? You can include a recent product they’ve purchased or shown interest in. Personalizing pays off, too. A personalized subject line is 50% more likely to be opened than a generic one. Test, test and perfectIf you love data and experimentation, then email marketing is amazing because you can constantly be testing. Some elements you should routinely be testing are:
Testing can become unwieldy unless you come at it with the right strategy. First off, know what kind of testing you’re going to do and why. An A/B test or split testing only focuses on a single variable and will get you different results than a multivariate test, which tests different variable combinations at once. Second, have an end goal in mind with your testing. This should be more than just a hunch or hypothesis: you should have an important goal like improving click-through rates by 15%. From there, make sure that you’re waiting until you have statistically significant results. This might mean running your test for longer or expanding the sample size. This can be a pain if you have a smaller sample size but it’s worth it to make sure you’re getting actionable results. Once you do get those insights, be sure to take action! If your test revealed that personalized subject lines get higher open rates, then start incorporating personalized subject lines into as many relevant emails as possible. Insight without action is worthless. Finally, remember that you’re never done testing. You should implement the winners of your tests but that should lead to the next set of tests. You can always improve your email performance if you have a test-and-learn mindset. Make email marketing exciting againIf you follow some of the strategies outlined above, your email marketing program will deliver a ton of value. And a growing business is always exciting. The post How to get more out of your email marketing with SafeOpt appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/vtLq6SX Google Analytics 4 may look simple on the surface, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Did you know that there are multiple reports hidden in GA4? Out of the box, the left-side navigation in GA4 looks pretty bare. There are only 18 reports vs. the 90+ (not including integration reports) in Universal Analytics. But contrary to popular belief, GA4 actually has a lot of the same reports built in. The best examples of this are the GA4 Demographic details and Tech details reports. Where the reports are in Universal AnalyticsIn Universal Analytics, these are all separate reports and each report is separated into subcategories as seen below. On top of this, UA sometimes has additional dimensions you can choose from. For instance, you can switch to “City” instead of “Country.” But this made it confusing to know whether a report was standalone or another dimension in a single report. The Demographics details report in GA4Instead of multiple reports and a primary dimension change, GA4 combines all logical demographic dimensions into a single report, the Demographic details report. The Tech details report in GA4The same goes for the Tech details report. Here, you get 10 reports in one, including:
Now that you know where some of your favorite and most used reports have moved to, hopefully, GA4 feels a little more comfortable. The post Google Analytics 4: A breakdown of Demographic and Tech details reports appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/sNt8y3J Most marketers work day in and day out to stay on top of how their market is evolving, but just one unexpected factor can shift the entire trajectory of your industry. Join this webinar for an eye-opening discussion about how to identify consumer concerns, determine market barriers and where potential gaps may be using consumer and market intelligence. Register today for “Sink or Swim: 5 Ways to Survive a Struggling Economy,” presented by NetBase Quid. Click here to view more Search Engine Land webinars. The post Webinar: Your customer insights can help you thrive in economic uncertainty appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/6Hq710f Google has confirmed that the September 2022 Core Update – the second core update this year – has completed rolling out. Released on Sept. 12, it took two full weeks to roll out. And it came three days after the helpful content update finished rolling out on Sept. 9. Rollout complete. According to Google’s search ranking update page, “The rollout was complete as of September 26, 2022.” The page seems to have been updated about an hour ago. September 2022 Core Update impact. Based on data from tracking tools, the September 2022 core update hit fast, but was less impactful than previous updates. While there was some rank volatility, the consensus was that it was weaker than past Google core updates. What to do if you are hit. Google has previously given advice on what to consider if you are negatively impacted by a core update. Google has said you can see some recovery between core updates, but the most significant changes will come following a future core update. Product Review Update sill rolling out. As a reminder, the September 2022 Product Review Update, released Sept. 20, is continuing to roll out now. We’ll let you know when it’s finished rolling out so you can see what impact, if any, it had on your site. Why we care. Although the overall impact of this Google core update seems less widespread, sites have been impacted. Now is the time to start digging into your analytics data to see if any pages have lost visibility or rankings – and figure out a plan of action to improve those pages to regain any lost rankings over time. The post Google September 2022 Core Update rollout is now complete appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/2qhND38 Traditional search engines use manual tagging or keywords queried against their index to provide results to a customer. This neglects what your customers think, how they behave and what they expect from their search experience. With the evolution of search experiences provided by personalization masters like Google, Amazon and Netflix, customers want the same personalized experience on every website they visit. Natural language search is essential to providing users with the relevant search they crave. It moves beyond keyword matching and programming tedious manual rules. It uses artificial intelligence to infer meaning from complex queries. It learns from data and search patterns to provide a uniquely personal search experience to every customer. During this webinar, presenters discuss why NLP is gaining momentum and why companies should start investing in tools with NLP to help organizations better predict intent, surface content and customize digital experiences for everyone. Key takeaways:
Speakers: Hanieh Deilamsalehy, machine learning researcher, Adobe Eric Immermann, practice director, search and content, Perficient Kurt Cagle, managing editor, Data Science Central Vincent Bernard, R&D director, Coveo The post Natural language search – what’s all the hype? appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/Dxl1ftT Writing. Everyone thinks they can do it, no one wants to do it, and it’s never perfect. We love writing because it stimulates the mind, informs us of something new, and teaches us new ways to think about important topics in our lives. However, writing can be a difficult skill to master. Even when you think you have, you’ll keep making the same mistakes as when you started. Likewise, writing requires intense discipline and is not for the wandering or distracted mind. So the next time you make a mistake or find yourself procrastinating content for a client, don’t sweat it. Even professional writers make some of these common mistakes. 1. Not knowing your target audienceContent requires focus and purpose. Unfortunately, even as a seasoned veteran in the digital marketing industry, it’s easy to write broad content based on a few high-volume keywords with little relevance. Writing content without understanding your audience is like throwing money at the wall and hoping it sticks. SolutionMeet your audience where they surf. Use social listening tools like Hootsuite, examine Reddit forums, and look at other popular blogs/publications in your industry to examine what keywords users use to discuss and research topics in your industry. In addition, keyword and topic research will uncover various subtopics that users are searching for and want answers to enrich your content. Bonus tip: If you’re creating content for a client or business and want to excite them, focus on their top ROI products and services first. Find those money keywords with high relevance and low competition to create content that speaks to their audience and gains them traffic quickly. 2. Thinking too narrowWriting quick blog posts around a single keyword may fulfill your client’s needs, but it most likely won’t net them much return on their investment. If your content thinks too narrow or fails to provide any unique perspective or educational value, it’s just as valuable if you never wrote it in the first place. SolutionIf you’re calling yourself a professional writer, you need to produce high-quality content. Research high-ranking content in your field and find new ways to provide additional insight or personal tips to enrich content. It’s easy to regurgitate the same content as everyone else, but if you want to move the needle with your content, you’ll need to think outside the box. 3. Having a boring headlineThere’s nothing more frustrating than failing to gain any traction on a piece of content you worked incredibly hard and long on. Often, the problem isn’t your content; it’s your headline. SolutionTo garner clicks on your content, you’ll need to first research what keywords drive clicks and traffic. From there, I follow a simple formula for most of my headlines:
4. Not having a strong hookThe two most common reasons people click on content are for quick answers and stories. So, ideally, your headers should provide quick answers to subtopics and your opening has a strong hook to pull the reader into your piece. Like a headline, your hook will determine whether or not you get clicks for content. SolutionMake an impression on the reader. Easier said than done, right? But the point is to avoid going straight into a story or description. You need to give the reader a reason to read your post. While there is no hard and fast rule for writing hooks, here are a few general tips:
Bonus tip: Use your first one or two paragraphs to lead people into a story. In certain cases, you might not dive into the details of your content until the first body paragraph. 5. Not optimizing your header and meta tagsI often come across several articles on highly reputable publications with unoptimized header tags or one-word lists that provide minimal context. Optimizing header tags allow readers to scan your article and find the right subtopics they’re researching. Furthermore, optimizing header tags allows Google to direct users from an answer box to the highlighted portion of your webpage. SolutionFind a seed keyword and then add question phrases to answer specific subtopic questions on Google SERPs. Additionally, create subtopics for any related long-tail keywords. For example, if you write about motorcycles, listing out specs, like the suspension and motor, in specific sections with optimized keywords will give users the exact information they’re looking for and tell them where to find it. Bonus tip: Take a note from the pyramid writing style of journalism. Start with the main topic at the top of your article, then write specific sections of your article with subtopics that relate to the main topic. 6. Not making content scannableGood content should be easily scannable and consumable. Most people will bounce right off a page that contains large run-on paragraphs and scrolls for a mile. SolutionMake content less intimidating by breaking paragraphs up with images, videos, infographics, spaces and well-optimized headers. Experiment with multimedia where it would make more sense to tell a story or explain a specific topic. People are typically visual and kinesthetic learners, so find ways to appeal to those learning styles without inundating them with large paragraphs. 7. Failing to invest enough in editingAccording to Stephen King, about 10% of writing is editing, but I’ve heard some authors say it’s a lot more. Realistically, any error you make in writing should be attributed to your editing. For this reason, writers need to master the editing process. SolutionEver heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder?” When I say invest more time in editing, I’m not talking about devoting more time or spending more money; I mean optimizing the process. Pass your editing to another team member and get some fresh eyes on a piece. Bonus tip: Wait a day or two and then quickly edit a draft so that you have an entirely fresh perspective on a topic. This strategy will make the editing process more efficient and less cumbersome. 8. Using complex jargon and wordsThis point relates to not knowing your audience, but it's a mistake that we're all guilty of making as writers and SEO professionals. Using overly complex jargon and language can be difficult for readers to interpret and follow along with your content. If readers need to constantly Google every other word or phrase you're saying, they'll quickly grow bored and irritated. SolutionAlways substitute complex words with simple language. Ideally, you should be writing for an audience with the vocabulary of a 5th or 6th grader to make content easy to consume and retain. Bonus tip: If you're forced to use jargon, explain it, link it to another page on your site, and spell out any acronyms. 9. Making content too longOne of the hardest habits for long-time writers to kick is creating lengthy sentences and paragraphs. Unfortunately, we all have a natural impulse to say as much as possible or over-explain our points at the risk of overwhelming our audience. I always recommend limiting the wording of online content to its medium. For example, blog posts don't need to be over 2,500 words – save that content for an ebook! SolutionDepending on the medium, paragraphs in blog posts should only be one to three sentences at most. Additionally, if you're not writing an evergreen guide, keep subtopics short and sweet, saving content for each subtopic on a separate post! Bonus tip: Take some inspiration from Hemmingway and his infamous iceberg theory. In some cases, your content can be simple and doesn't need to explain every argument. For example, most readers understand why "content is king" and don't need a paragraph reinforcing this point. 10. Not providing a clear call to actionRealistically, your content should provide solutions or next steps to motivate your readers toward a desired action. However, if you don't include a clear call to action (CTA) or related content on your website, you could risk losing website visitors forever. SolutionGive readers a reason to stay on your site or interact with your writing more. Offer a newsletter signup link at the end of an article or provide a CTA button that leads to a sale or consultation if you're writing for a business. Bonus tip: Create a drip campaign for readers who sign up for your newsletter using related content that eventually leads them to purchase something from your website. 11. Failing to properly interlink between contentYou should always provide relevant links throughout your content to build authority on your website. Additionally, interlinking also increases website time on page and increases your website's likelihood of a conversion. SolutionUse your favorite organic research tool like Semrush to find your top-performing/highest ROI pages and insert links in your content relevant that reinforce the main topic of the article. Bonus tip: Form content clusters around main topics and provide supporting links to subtopics on separate pages that interlink with each other. For example, suppose you have a top-navigation page for content marketing and a supporting page on link building. In this case, insert links in both pages of content to link between each other. 12. Forgetting to promote your contentOn the flip side, most professional writers are often lazy when it comes to promoting their content. Unless you have an established audience on social media or your blog, your content's reach won't go far without links and shares. SolutionBuild links to your content by reaching out to other authors who have written about similar topics and asking for a link. In addition, there are several ways to build links to your site and specific content pages, such as guest posting, content syndication, reaching out to influencers, etc. The goal is exposure, which will drive relevant metrics to your site and help it rank for various keywords. Bonus tip: Advertise your content on sites like Facebook and Twitter to help put your content directly in front of your targeted audience. Sure, many people are skeptical of ads on social media, but if your content is good, it will drive engagement. 13. Not reviewing contentIf we're not tracking the performance of our content after it's written, we're not gaining any insight into what we're doing wrong. SolutionUse Google Search Console, Google Analytics, or your favorite organic research tool to see which content is driving traffic to your site and which is not generating clicks. Compare this data to its keyword ranking and identify areas where meta tag optimizations, different keywords, or adding multimedia could give your content an edge over the competition. Content is a serious investment, so track its performance to get the best return out of your investment. Bonus tip: Consider repurposing content by updating it to modern standards or adding video or infographics to content to help it rank organically again. 14. Spending too much time on one pieceTime management is one of the hardest skills for a writer to master. Depending on the length and topic of a piece, you could spend hours working on a single piece. As a writer, your living is based on your work output. So how do you improve your output and spend less time on each piece without sacrificing quality? SolutionOptimize your process with a few helpful hints:
Bonus tip: Find your flow state. Everyone has a way to enter a flow state of total concentration and focus. Meditate or listen to music if it helps you get into that flow state. 15. Not reading enoughI find that very few professional writers don't read, but it's still a helpful reminder that you're not reading enough. Reading is like weight lifting for a writer; it helps strengthen those brain muscles and form new neural pathways. In addition, reading more about your industry and the topics you're writing about will make you a topical authority and increase your credibility. SolutionSet aside time each day or every other day for reading. I often block off some time during my lunch hour to read from my favorite publications, like Search Engine Land, so I'm always informed of the latest news in the SEO industry. Bonus tip: Practice different forms of writing to improve your writing. For example, try writing about new topics, writing fiction, or writing for different formats like newsletters or press releases. This helps keep the mind fresh, and you'll never get bored of writing. All professionals make mistakes, but most of them are not published online for the whole world to see. However, your work will only improve if you go back to basics from time to time and refresh your writing knowledge. This is why I read William Zinsser's "On Writing Well" almost annually to hone my writing skills and get back to the basics. However, the best way to overcome these mistakes is to keep writing. Never feel discouraged because even the most seasoned writers make mistakes constantly. The post 15 horrible mistakes even professional online writers make appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/Vbtdlkn |
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