The Science of SEO

I will admit I did not understand the importance of SEO before starting this study. As a millennial and a person who has had the internet for the better part of my life, I take for granted the complex ability of the internet. I also can relate to the internet users who searches something in the google search engine and only explores what is one the first page. With these realizations I now have a better understanding why SEO is so important. SEO: The Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization was a great source for not only understanding the importance of SEO but also all about how it works.

The article explains the ins and out on how SEO actually works but for the purpose of this blog I a going to concentrate on how SEO can benefit the Marketer. Marketers have learned the methods of search engines to detect how there business can be searched more efficiently. Search engines become more accurate when they keep the customer in mind and determine if the customer is being satisfied through transactional, informational, and navigational searches. I always hate when I search for an answer and none of the searches apply to my questions. This is what the search engine in designed for, to meet the needs of the users.

I found it very interesting that the quality of a search results is not measured by quality but the popularity is what the search engine relies on to turn up quality results. It is important for marketer to see their website how the search engine see the site and there are programs that can test this. Markets also need to keep in mind “crawlable link structures,” or making sure the search engine can maneuver through the website to link it to a search. When I think of a search engine I would say that the key words in the search hold high importance. The article writes about key words that,

“The usefulness of this intelligence cannot be overstated; with keyword research you can predict shifts in demand, respond to changing market conditions, and produce the products, services, and content that web searchers are actively seeking.”

Business Spotlight: Etsy

 

Etsy came to my mind because there has been numerous times where I have searched for a general product and Etsy has popped up multiple times on the front page. Sure enough Etsy has been praised for its success in SEO. In fact, Etsy has published advise and steps for their clients to maximize their products SEO which are sold through Etsy. This is because Etsy itself in a way is a search engine. The people who sell hand made goods on Etsy have to be able to follow the SEO tips in order to get their product noticed.

By teaching customers to master SEO, customers are encouraged by there success. They way that Etsy has grown is due to the increase of members and the popularity that their products have brought to the site. With a growing increase of members and products, the popularity of the site is picked up by search engines and featured on the front pages. This is exactly what I have learned from my article above and Etsy is a real life example of how SEO can developed a company.

Web Analytics for the Win

Who, what, when, where, why, and how? These questions can all be answered with the use of web analytics and then used to increase profit. It is the small details that when analyzed properly can help a company spend their money where it matters. After learning more about web analytics I have picked an article on web analyzing to summarize some of the best benefits!

Who & Where: Where are the viewers of the website coming from and who are the customers that begin to use the website. I have learned that after applying a web analyzing tool the website can easily track and organize this data. The data supplies the company with inside information of search engines and keywords. This helps the company know where the customers are coming from and who they are.

What: The question of what is drawing the customers to the website and what pages are more attractive to the customer can be discovered. This helps improvements be made on the web pages that have less traffic, improving the customers experience and drawing them in.

How: How is the website impacting sales? These indicators or measures would be great in comparison with the companies goals. If the profit sales goal on online purchases do not meet the information provided by the web analysis tool then improvements need to be made. Then the question can be asked “How to improve the website?”

When: When to know when something should be implemented, improved, or left alone is the last tip. Sometimes adding to the website can tamper with the success of the website. Analyzing the data of the website needs to be done often and accurately so it is not being counter productive.

The American Cancer Society, which has been around for 100+ years, needed a way to know and track there customer activity. According to a case study by Google, the company needed a way to segment their customers. The result of implementing google analytics was company changing! The new user-scoring metrics allowed the Society’s analysts to identify behavior changes in each segment that would have gone unnoticed otherwise.

“The insights we’ve gained from Google Analytics and working with Search Discovery continue to influence the Society business decisions for the positive. Not only are our marketing decisions well informed, but our digital content is driven by user experience and engagement. We’re looking forward with enthusiasm and optimism.”

—Ashleigh Bunn, director of digital analytics

One key thing that the analytics did for the society was track the popularity in the site during breast cancer awareness month. This information led to a donation form on the site specifically made for breast cancer research and increased 5.4% per annual income. 39,000 more people visited the site after analyzing the benefit of promotions through links. Web analytics is key for running a efficient website in todays digital age.

Dress Your Website How You Would Dress Yourself

In todays world a company’s website can be the first and only impression to a customer. I have learned in my business classes that the way I dress for an interview is extremely important. Why? Because A first impression can make or break you. In this way the look and ease of a website gives an important impression to a future customer. Here are some tips I have learned from an article by WixBlog.

How to make a website look professional: 

1. “Sometimes less is really more” – Keep the website fresh and focused. From my experience, there is nothing worse then a busy website that becomes overwhelming when trying to find specific information.
2. The website design should fit what is being offered
3. Strategically place the most important information – When I go to a website I am personally drawn to the top of the page, graphics, and bolded information.
4. The customer has to be able to read the text! – Words that get straight to the point are important.
5. Have a compatible mobile website – Today people rely on their cell phone more then their computers. There is nothing more frustration then not being able to access information because the screen won’t scroll over on a Cell Phone. Cell phones have something that computers don’t and that is data. We live in a society that needs to be able to shop, work, and get information on the go!

 

Spotlight: The Wonderful Company 

The website of The Wonderful Company has an amazing atmosphere that portrays the pureness of the products. The website also flows in a unique but easy to use way. Right at the top the website features the product offered and a link to each product explaining the importance. The mobile site has the same sleek feel but in a way that works better for a smaller screen. The Wonderful Company uses pictures over words to explain the quality of the product on the front page and more words are used when a customer is interested and clicks on the product.

Why Blog?

Although I have just started Digital & Social Media Marketing, the beginning of the course has engaged me in asking the question, why blog? In the past I have always viewed blogging as a privet endeavor, related with a hobby or passion. Not only have I discovered the popularity in business blogs but also the competitive advantage that blogging can bring to a company. In learning this I took a look at a Forbes article titled “The Top 10 Benefits Of Blogging On Your Website.” Here is what I learned!

First I find it interesting that it is best to set up a blog connected straight to the website of the business verses using an outlet such as what I am using to blog today, Word Press. I believe this makes the blog more credible and reliable. As a consumer, I take the knowledge and advice about a product I am loyal to seriously. A blog connected to the the official business website also gains more popularity and traffic. In the same way a blog brings more traffic to the website where the products are bought. Blogs can bring even more traffic to the website by posting blog links to social media.

Forbes also writes about the importance of “humanizing” the brand. This is something that Stony Field, my spotlight business blog, does amazing. The blog uses topics about how to give back and tips to help with the busy holiday season relating to the everyday life of the customer.

A blog must be updated often to be deemed as credible. As a consumer a business that is active and up to date seems way more credible to me verses an out of date website or blog. Stonyfield Farms does a great job at updating their blog every five days or so. This draws customers into the website more consistently and gets a customer excited to learn about topics involving the product category. With more current blogs comes the increase of blogs in general and Forbes highlights on the relation of having more content equaling more leads to the website. Key words in the blogs can be discovered in search engines and popularity can help grow a business.

I love to see a company stay true to itself and make products that represent more then just a way to make money. Through reading this article I have realized the gap blogs fill between the customer and the business. My favorite part about the successful Stonyfield Farms blog is how they portray the care they have for their customers healthy lifestyle weather it is through their product or not. Blogs benefit the customer and the business when ran right.

Links:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/05/28/the-top-10-benefits-of-blogging-on-your-website/4/#4a7e59dc509e

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