The Web Guys
Inbound Links: A Primer
While SEO best practices change regularly, inbound links are still one of the most significant ranking factors. Whether you call them hyperlinks, backlinks, or plain old inbound links, they all refer to a link from someone else’s online property to your own. These links may not be fancy, but they are integral to SEO, and if that isn’t important to you, it should be. If you’re not quite where you need to be regarding inbound links, however, never fear – this primer and a digital marketing specialist can help you get there.
The Need for Speed: Page Speed Optimization
If the notion of page speed conjures ideas really complicated technology in your head, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Page speed is and always has been integral to search engine optimization (SEO), which means that understanding the basics is definitely worth the effort. You get that web pages are loaded, and if you also get that the ones that load more quickly are awarded bonus points, you’re ahead of the game. Things get more complicated from here, but the experienced digital marketing professionals at The Web Guys can help you get your site get to where it needs to be.
Why Does My Business Need AdWords? #FAQuesday
It used to be enough to rely solely on SEO strategies to keep your phone ringing, but due to some of Google’s latest updates, it’s not your safest option to turn your back on PPC. What changed? In February 2016, Google announced that it was killing right sidebar ads, and moving a fourth position to the top of the search results page. Does this impact me? This has a huge impact on organic results. While there used to only be three ads at the top of the page, there’s now an additional ad taking up space. Often times, organic results can’t even be seen until you scroll further down the results page. Do you want to rely on results that people have to scroll to find instead of getting a top-of-the-page position that searchers will see first What should I do? If you aren’t currently running ads with AdWords, it’s … Continued
Draw High-Quality Website Traffic with AdWords
Now that you’ve learned about the various digital marketing tactics needed to establish a thriving online presence for your business, it’s time to dive into the purpose and complexities of paid search, commonly referred to as PPC (pay-per-click). We’ll focus today on Google AdWords, the most-recognized type of PPC advertising. You’ve likely seen these ads, which are identified with a small yellow box that says “Ad,” in Google search results. Whenever one of these links is clicked, the ad owner pays for that visit to its website. The price is set through Google’s auction process. Factors affecting the price of ads include: the industry, competitors’ bids, quality of your ad, and quality of the landing page searchers will be taken to. In order to get high-quality clicks to your website at low prices, you need to be armed with a plan before jumping into the PPC world. We at The Web Guys are happy to … Continued
Continue Working on SEO, or Get Left Behind
Your company has a well-structured and optimized website, local listings, and profiles on the top social media platforms. So now you can sit back, run your business, and let the magic of SEO (search engine optimization) take care of making your phone ring and filling your inbox with leads. Right? Not so fast… It’s Changing Again? Because the landscape of search is always evolving, one of the most important pieces of digital marketing is keeping up with changes made by Google as well as countless other websites, search engines, and platforms across the Web. In fact, according to Moz, Google changes its search algorithm 500-600 times each year. That’s an average of about 1.5 changes per day. Moreover, Moz’s biannual Search Engine Ranking Factors Experts Survey shows the expected influence of ranking factors in Google’s algorithm. With so many changes, who is keeping up with SEO on your behalf? Research … Continued
Control the Conversation with Online Reputation Management
Whether you’re a plumber in Orlando or a car dealership in Ohio, the Internet has become an integral part of the way you do business and a game changer for your clients as well. According to Moz, at least 67 percent of consumers admit to being influenced by online reviews. Do you know what potential customers would find if they searched for reviews about your company? If you haven’t taken the time to dig through your online reviews, you might be in for a shock. Take a deep breath and don’t panic – the digital marketing minds of The Web Guys are here to help you reap the benefits of proper reputation management. Represent Even if you don’t want to be active on a third party review site like Yelp, there’s a possibility your company is already listed. Yelp doesn’t regulate what reviewers post (save for those that violate their … Continued
Why Should I Verify My Facebook Page? #FAQuesday
Facebook is making it easier for consumers to connect with businesses on the social network, rolling out an update this fall that allows companies to verify their official Facebook pages. You’ve likely already seen the blue verification badges on celebrity pages, indicating they belong to the actual star and not a super fan. Now a similar feature is available for many businesses. The Web Guys team has been getting a lot of questions lately about why page verification matters. So today, we’ll explain the three most important reasons every company should verify its Facebook page. 1: Customers will know that your page is authentic. It’s pretty easy to create fake Facebook pages, intentionally or not, so it’s extremely important to verify the page you’ll actually be using. Not only does this let your customers know the page is legitimate, but it also tells Facebook that you are who you say you are. 2: Facebook search results favor verified pages. … Continued
Why Does My Business Website Need Images? #FAQuesday
Think about the last time you were scrolling through your Twitter feed and found something appealing enough to “like” or re-tweet: Were you drawn by your neighbor’s 140-character description of his new car or the photo of him grinning like a kid from behind the wheel? And that White Castle breakfast casserole you whipped up for the last family gathering — did you find the recipe in a dust-covered cookbook or through a link your friend posted with Facebook pictures of the finished dish? When it comes to cutting through the volumes of information Americans are inundated with every day, The Web Guys understands that few things are as powerful as an attention-grabbing image. Indeed, industry research shows that tweets with images are shared 150 percent more often than those with pure text, and photo-focused posts drive 87 percent of a typical Facebook page’s engagement. The stakes are even higher … Continued
Happy Thanksgiving from The Web Guys!
Break out the nice dinnerware — Thanksgiving is finally upon us! The Web Guys has been waiting all year long for the holidays, and we couldn’t be more excited for the arrival of festive celebrations, ugly holiday sweaters (appropriate office attire from Thanksgiving until Jan. 1), and copious amounts of delicious, sleep-inducing turkey (for non-vegetarian digital marketers). As we all barrel through Thanksgiving dinner to make it in time for Black Friday deals, let’s not forget the meaning of the holiday: showing gratitude.
Can a Seasonal Business ‘Turn Off’ Digital Marketing? #FAQuesday
At The Web Guys, we serve many businesses that provide seasonal services: snowmobile rentals, lawn care, watersport rentals, and even construction. These firms tend to bring in the majority of their income during specific times of the year, offsetting the months when they are simply hoping to break even. Over the years, a number of our clients have asked if we can deliver our digital marketing efforts during the months they are “in-season” and pause them during down times, hoping to save money when things are tight. While it might seem like something that can be turned on or off like a light switch, that isn’t the case, and trying to do it can actually negatively affect your online visibility in the long-run. Google Doesn’t Stop When Your Business Slows Down Digital marketing is a year-round activity because although your business may slow down during certain times of the year, Google is constantly working to provide … Continued
