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How Do I Get My Business To Come Up On The First Page Of Google?

If you have been wondering how to increase your visibility on Google, or why your website doesn’t show up using specific search terms which are relevant to your business…

Then this blog series will seriously help you out! This time we will cover the role social media can play in increasing your visibility on Google.

Did you know…

You probably already know about the importance that Google plays in your business leads. Otherwise you most likely would not be researching it. However, did you know that 75% of people will not click through google pages and will only take notice of the first page. Believe it or not, 93% of people who make searches do so using search engines. And this is why you can’t afford to be ranking on any Google page- only the first.

Social media and your online presence

One way to be seen on Google is to increase your social media presence. By building and maintaining your social media accounts you will be creating some useful assets that will help enhance your online presence. Looking after your social accounts is not only useful for your online presence, but they will also help to increase user engagement. Furthermore, your socials will provide a space to project content into the wider community which will help you achieve greater visibly once more.

If you feel that you are wasting time on the ‘soft stuff’ by posting on Facebook or tweeting on Twitter, when you could be chasing good old business- you aren’t. Try to remember that you ideally want to gain a presence on the first page of SERPS (search Engine Results Page). By carrying out these tasks, potential clients are more likely to find you when they make search queries in Google and other search engines.

Follow our steps

Here are a few ways you can maximise your social media accounts so people will find your business on Google more easily.

We suggest you:

  • Link all of your social media accounts to your website and business emails. Don’t just pick a few of the main accounts like Facebook or LinkedIn, include them all to pass authority on to them.
  • Optimise all of your accounts to achieve greater engagement. You can do this by, using high quality images for your branding. Ensure all the sections such as ‘about us’, ‘name’, and ‘region’ are all fully populated by quality and in-depth content.
  • Keep your accounts updated with at least one post per day. The purpose of this is so your users and potential clients don’t think your account has been abandoned. Basically, you want to have an appearance that says ‘open for business’, not ‘closed down months ago’.
  • Use hashtags (#) to increase visibility making you more easily discoverable.
  • Engage well with your users on social media, responding to feedback, reviews and comments. Demonstrate to your followers that you are interested in their interactions and what they have to say- positive or negative.
  • Show an interest in other people’s posts, by commenting on and sharing content. This will help to spread your brand and reputation.

Finally…

Follow these steps and they will help to build your online presence which will support you with greater visibility. It is really important to have no loose ends and half populated accounts. Link all of your accounts to your website and emails. Finally, try not to underestimate the role social media plays in ranking more highly in search engines. Read our blog ‘If SEO blows your mind: Read this’ for more specific advice on SEO.

For further advice or support please feel free to contact our friendly team.
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A Must Read: The Breakdown of Google’s Algorithm Panda

Okay, so we’ve looked at the Hummingbird update, now it’s time for Google’s algorithm to karate chop his way through the door and explain himself!

Who or what is Panda?

Panda looks at tackling online issues such as plagiarism, keyword stuffing, spamming, thin content and duplication. The Panda Algorithm was named after a Google engineer named Navneet Panda (by Moz.com) who played a major role in the algorithm breakthrough. Initially, Panda acted like a filter with the aim to down score websites that were using black hat techniques. In 2016, Panda was integrated into the core algorithm, mainly because Google no longer expected to implement further updates to Panda’s functioning.

Why was the Panda algorithm implemented?

Some people may believe all they need is a website and some questionable and not so honest creativity to draw in customers. Businesses trying to function online will often have an interest in
ranking as highly as possible on search engines like Google. But, it’s the way we do this that matters to Google. Some individuals may have used techniques like keyword stuffing or plagiarism to build an online presence. However, since Panda has been on the scene website users like this, will find it difficult to function as now, these poor practices will influence their ranking.

Practices we need to avoid include, content farming which is all about writing, duplicating or plagiarizing short articles that explore many subjects, so Google believes that a website has the answers to a user’s queries thus sending us to a site that doesn’t have quality or useful content. This in turn leads neatly into the crack down on a lack of trustworthiness.

Websites that don’t have terms and conditions or privacy policies will be down scored by Panda. Make sure that your advert to content ratio is sensible and balanced is advised by Google. Other practices that Panda doesn’t like are:

  • Mentions of deals or sales in titles but when you have accessed the website there is no mention of either.
  • Website that have been reported or blocked by users will be down scored by Panda.
  • Panda has a big issue with poor quality content that is littered with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
  • The algorithm will pick up on high bounce rates, visitors who don’t come back and low click through rates.
  • Panda really, really, really doesn’t like machine generated content software. This one is a big No.

 

What changes can be made to keep on the right side of Panda?

Whilst it is important for us to recognise the role Panda plays in quality controlling online content and practices there might be other reasons why you may have had a drop in organic traffic. It’s always good to take in the bigger picture and consider issues such as, the time or year, fluctuations in potential customers’ expenditure and an increase in like-minded business in your local area – your competition!

We have put together a few tips to keep on Panda’s good side and out of his little black book. Make sure you evaluate old content like articles, blogs and website information and quality control your future content ensuring it doesn’t have spelling mistakes. It’s worth it– you will be rewarded by Panda for producing high quality content.

Proactive Marketing Solutions suggest you try to get a HTTPS secure encryption to show Google that you are trustworthy. You can use tools like a plagiarism checker, such as Copyscape and spelling and Grammar software like Grammerly to support you in producing quality content.

What’s the point?

As we’ve suggested, Panda can impact on your ranking, which might make it harder for organic traffic to find you if you use poor practices and black hat techniques. Your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) plan should be built on approaches that are deemed, by Google, as being positive and honest, such as a getting a secure encrypted website and producing quality content.

Google reward websites that give users a great on-site experience, add value and sites that are easy to navigate. Surely these are principles that you would want to work with? After all, my guess if Google would probably win the ranking war.

For additional support with ranking and SEO contact us today for expert guidance and support.

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For an Easier Life: it’s got to be Farang Mart

Farang Mart is an online classified listing and business directory covering the whole of Thailand.

Farang Mart is convenient for both buyer and seller

Brilliantly, the site’s popularity has grown over the past year, therefore some exciting changes have been applied so users can get even more out of the website. After all, their mission is to provide users with the easiest and most effective ways to find the items they either need or want to buy, sell or trade.

With hundreds of ads now being posted on Farang Mart across Thailand, users have the perfect opportunity to browse ads in the comfort of their own home. Other appealing features which enhance the users’ experience is the integration of social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. All Farang Mart ads are automatically shared creating an effective reach, making it a service of convenience for both buyer and seller.

Searching options

There are four featured categories on the home page, cars & pickups, motorbikes & scooters, real estate, property and business for sale enable the site to be navigated with
ease. Searching using the search function you can easily search for ‘second hand cars in Thailand’, ‘Chiang Mai real estate’, ‘Pattaya Holiday villas ‘or ‘houses for sale Hua Hin’ or
use the drop down  category feature either of these options are quick and effective. There is also the option available to search by your province, displaying all ads in your local area.
Also refined filter options are then available!

All Ads expire after 90days keeping the whole site full of consistently fresh ads. There is also an opportunity to then bump any existing ads back to the top of the list for only 100baht.

Whats new?

The new home page design now separates the paid ‘premium listings’ from the free ads, your ads can be upgraded to display on the homepage for 1000baht for 30days! Opting for this option will give you greater visibility leading to potentially quicker sales.

Join Farang Mart today

There are other ways to improve the visibility of your Thailand based business. These options provide greater choice in terms of the business needs and budget. You can list your company for free in the business directory using the company name, address and contact details. Additionally, placing a banner adverts on the site might give a business better scope. For further details on main header banner, homepage banners, main banner and sidebar banner fees please view our dedicated information.


Posting ads can’t be any easier, after setting up an account you will be able to conveniently check your admin and post new ads from your smart devices and tablets where ever you are.

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Intuitive web design: Top tips

Proactive Marketing Solutions have put together a blog series about intuitive web design. This week we are looking into the notion of trust

In this series we will cover how you can get an intuitive website and highlight ways to encourage repeated website visits. With between 10 -20 seconds for a website to prove itself before a visitor decides to stay or go. It is vital you communicate that they are in the right place.

What is intuitive design

You might be wondering what intuitive design is and how these terms relate to your website. If we consider two concepts, one being seamlessness and the other user experience (UX) and look at how these translate into your website then we are getting closer. Knowing what works for your visitors, and, just as importantly, what doesn’t is a great starting point.

Your visitors will probably return to your site if it is user friendly and running at a good speed.  But if it is chaotic, badly designed, and doesn’t match what is advertised then they will most likely leave, never to return. Its time to be honest with yourself, which category does your website fit into?

Would you trust your site?

When we use the word ‘trust’ we don’t mean anything other than a typical dictionary definition, -‘firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something’. Although you aren’t entering a long-term relationship with your visitors it’s still important to acknowledge that online services, compared to on street shops, are disadvantaged when it comes to trust. So, in essence, you have your work cut out! – We really do need to look at ways we can get our visitors to trust us.

Why is your online shop disadvantaged?

We know that customers are far more likely to buy a product once it’s been picked up and investigated.  In a physical shopping environment, you’re able to read between the lines- questions things like- how products are being displayed, the way staff behave- are they interested in you and the stock? Is the shop sign hanging off and the floors dirty? Or are the staff attentive and the shop immaculate? All these subliminal messages inform us on quality, and whether a shop can be trusted. Remove all these cues and suddenly we have a situation where customers do not know who to trust. With big brands encouraging the public to buy into their services and products through massive campaigns, it can be tricky to get a piece of the action.

These issues aren’t going away so its best just to embrace them. Google have started to rank websites based on trustworthiness and ethics, which is significant when we consider 96% of smart phone users come through a google search. If you neglect Google’s rules, then your business SERPs may be considerably lowered therefore, It’s time to get on board!

Practical steps that can be taken to build up a sense of trust

  • Use customer reviews- historical and up to date – promote them on social media and a no-nonsense page on your website.
  • Is your website full of problems – because if it is, visitors might begin to believe your services and products are also riddled with issues – Build a space where visitors can happily click through your content without confusion or frustration and won’t leave after only seeing one page – known as a bounce rate.
  • Put out good social media posts – regularly – containing relevant content.
  • Avoid asking for unnecessary information – its suspicious – visitors will be sceptical about why you want their information.
  • Provide your visitors with a means to contact your business – such as messenger – Let your potential customers know how long they will need to wait for a response.
  • You should look closely at your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – For more specifically about SEO, look at our ‘If SEO blows your mind, read this’. Or click here for more help.

False pretenses

Ideally, you want to look at whether your SEO and keywords reflect what your website has to offer. Unethical practices that involve dangling a carrot to tempt visitors should be evaluated, for the sake of pleasing Google and aiming to work honestly. A good bit of news is, 90% of people haven’t made up their minds about a brand when using a search engine which means you can capture this audience without sneaky black hat techniques.

The round up

I suppose a big question to ask yourself, or more constructively others, Is, ‘how much thinking do you need to do when using my website’. Beyond seamlessness and good UX, it is fundamental to reward your visitors with what has been advertised. I suppose it’s about honestly, not luring visitors to your site and giving them a clunky and irrelevant space.

Ensure your social media platforms are being used to their full potential and are linked to your website. If you are a thriving business show the world how you are positively interacting with your visitors and customers. Avoid giving visitors the impression that you are a dodgy individual in a back street, because your website and social media accounts are redundant.

Here are a few more elements to consider which we will look at in more detail over the next few weeks:

  • Say no to unnecessary distractions
  • Get help with speeding up your website
  • Be clear about what your services/ product are
  • Show your potential clients that you care
  • Be careful about demanding and gathering information

For more help on any of the areas covered feel free to get in touch with Proactive Marketing Solutions.

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Instagram success: 6 things you need to know

Change is something that we deal with in our everyday lives, from a diversion on the way to work to price hikes in your favourite coffee house, social media is no different.

They regularly evaluate and update their algorithms (algorithms are a series of mathematical steps to help with performance resulting in an answer to a problem). Not too long-ago Instagram, the Facebook owned company, decided to do exactly this. Read on to see how this will affect user experience (UX).

What’s changed?

Cast your mind back to 2016 when Instagram changed the algorithm that created reverse chronological feeds, which essentially revealed the end of a plot before the start. The reverse chronological ordering was sacked off in 2016 due to many users missing 70 percent of all posts and 50 percent of their closely followed accounts. However, Instagram recently announced that they had adopted a new algorithm which follows a more chronological ordering with six factors. These give users greater post coverage along with a fresh feel. Instagram historically has been pretty quiet about how it all works but, on this occasion, they have opened up.

How the new algorithm works?

The updated algorithm not only looks at who their users follow it also makes calculations based on what users like and how they engage with posts. Posts are now personalised, with not one feed being the same as the next. Instagram believes that 90 per cent of posts curated by friends and family will now be visible, which is a huge leap compared with the previous 50 per cent in 2016.

The algorithm predicts what users want to view by applying its six stage criteria to ongoing engagement. Here are the six factors Instagram now uses…

#Interest

Instagram decides how popular a post would be with its user. The more popular it feels the post will be the higher up it will show in a feed. It basically looks at previous scrolling and clicking behaviours and calculates these against current posts. If a user likes motorbikes and a post has been published about motorbikes, they will assume its going to be a winner.

#Timeliness

The new algorithm will favour up to date posts against ones that are much older – as simple as that really. In response to this change professionals will need to be producing up to date materials to ensure they don’t end up archived and at the bottom of its followers’ feeds.

#Relationship

If a user comments, tags and interacts well with others, Instagram will assume they are in the friends and family category. Comment more on a user’s photos and videos and see how they begin to show up on your feed.

#Frequency

If Instagram is used regularly, the feed will look more chronologically up-to-date as Instagram is trying to show the latest posts that are considered interesting to its user. However, if you only scroll now and then, the feed will focus on what’s considered to be more popular and interesting to the user. It will be less focused on making the feed chronological in this instance.

#Following

The consequence to an account that has many followers is that posts will become diluted. The feed will contain a bit of everyone and not much of anything. Compared with an account that has just a few followers where posts will show more frequently and regularly. It may or may not be the right time to consider the theory less is more and unfollow those unwanted accounts.

#Usage

Instagram will be put to work digging through its catalogue to find up to date posts that are of interest for a user who sits for hours scrolling through the feed. Highlights will more likely appear if engagement time is minimal… a bit like ‘the best bits’.

For professional who are using Instagram as a marketing tool these changes mean:

  • More content needs to be produced to stay on top
  • Avoid republishing work to save time as users will not engage with it if they have seen it before
  • Be more aware of when your audience is using Instagram, so your content is timely and doesn’t end up at the bottom before you have even started!
  • Engage your audience so they spend longer with you, and in turn your content will show up more regularly on their feeds
  • Leave comments and create a community that want to interact with you and your enterprise.

If you would like further help to develop a social media strategy that works with up to date algorithms and platforms, then say hello to one of our team at Proactive Marketing Solutions.