Tag Archive for: google

Google My Business Posting Update: How This Impacts Search Results

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Google has recently announced that there is a “posts function” now available to businesses registered with their Google My Business program. There appears to be plenty of benefits with the addition of this function, especially for local businesses who frequently compete for higher search rankings. Essentially, this post will explain the importance of Google My Business for local businesses and how this new posting update can impact organic search results.

Google My Business Overview
Google My Business from a general standpoint is a program that gives businesses the capability to be found by visitors on the Google Maps system. In more technical terms, Google describes their Google My Business program as a “free and easy-to-use tool for businesses and organizations to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. By verifying business information, you can both help customers find you and tell them the story of your business.” Some major benefits of utilizing this tool include interaction with customers, expanding presence, information management, and mobile responsiveness. Therefore, Google My Business clearly helps local businesses increase their online visibility and is ultimately a small investment that can lead to high rewards.

Posts Function Information
With the implementation of this new posts update in Google My Business, there are multiple ways businesses can take advantage of this tool. According to an article from Search Engine Land, this update will give businesses the ability to “share daily specials, promote events happening, showcase top products, and provide more options to connect with customers directly.” Users also have the capability to add images and call to action buttons to help increase post engagement. It should also be noted that posts have the potential to show up in both the Google search and map results.

Impact on Search Results
One of the more important aspects of this Google My Business update is it’s correlation with better search results. According to a case study analysis from a Search Engine Land article, “Posting on Google My Business was found to have a mild impact on rankings and do help improve local SEO for small businesses.” It was also found that since it’s launch, posting on Google My Business has been “surprisingly underutilized by businesses and agencies,” but that pattern is expected to change soon. In the end, using this new posting feature on Google My Business appears to be a “no brainier” for any local business out there. And at Onimod Global we have been implementing this practice with some of our clients, as their organic search rankings have started to increase over time because of this feature.

Contact Us: For more information regarding digital marketing expertise, visit the Onimod Global Website. We provide weekly news updates on the latest in the world of digital marketing. Enjoy!

Optimizing Ecommerce Shopping Carts for Search and the Google Merchant Center

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Many organizations with Ecommerce websites are concerned with how well their products are ranking organically on Google, Bing and Yahoo. That is, without any assistance from paid advertising networks. There is no doubt that these rankings are incredibly important to the organization and their product’s success, but it is not the only factor to consider.

It is all too common to get swept up in organic search rankings and ignore other ecommerce-related platforms like the Google or Bing Merchant Center. The Google and Bing Merchant Centers help organizations by uploading their products and immediately transforming them into Shopping ads. All of these add up to generate more and more exposure for your products. These efforts also combine to create better rankings through Google, which can definitely lead to big results on your sales.

 

Data Feeds

The only way to have your products listed in Google and/or Bing Shopping is to create an XML data feed file. As defined by Google, a feed is, “a file made up of a list of products which use groupings of attributes that define each one of your products in a unique way.” Basically, it is a single file that organizes all of your product listings in a way that allows you to the display your products in the Google Shopping network through the Adwords platform.

 

Creating A Feed

Creation of a data feed is very technical. First, you want to make sure that you are using a feed format that is supported by Google or Bing, such as text (.txt) and XML (.xml). Once you have chosen your preferred format, you will then use the Merchant Center add-on and provided feed template to build out your product listings.

It is still critical to pay close attention to the attributes chosen to describe your products. All of the best guidelines are provided by Google via the Product data specification. These specifications will direct you in finding the most relevant ways to describe your products.

 

Supplemental Data Feeds

There are also supplemental feeds that may be added at this point in the data feed creation process. Supplemental feeds help to provide additional data that can be combined with existing data in the primary feed.

The supplemental feed reinforces the primary feed, and works to ensure that your product listings are displaying all of the most relevant information possible to users searching for products like yours. The more relevant your listing, the more positive attention it will receive from Google.

 

Conclusion

Good organic rankings on Google are important to every business. Ecommerce companies can better their product listings in more than just this one way. It is important to remember that the Google Merchant Center also has an impact on the ranking of Shopping ads and even organic listings.

The more that any organization can integrate themselves and their products and services with Google, the better. By creating and implementing a data feed through the Google or Bing Merchant Center, Ecommerce vendors can give themselves a leg-up on the competition, and help themselves to achieve better rankings and sales through the major search engines.

5 Fascinating Digital Marketing Stats So Far in 2017

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2017 has been an interesting year so far in the digital marketing world, with some surprising stats and trends. Some of the stats listed are from Christopher Heine’s article in Adweek that caught our attention.

1. Yelp ahead of Snapchat in Ad Revenue:
According to eMarketer, “Yelp will make close to $720 million this year in digital ad sales in the U.S. compared to Snapchat’s $640 million.” This statistic was surprising at first considering the social media giant that Snapchat has become in recent years. Not to say $640 million a year in ad revenue is a bad thing, but it will be interesting to see if Snapchat makes any adjustments for advertisers before the end of the year.

2. Google and Facebook Dominate:
This one didn’t come as much of a surprise compared to the other stats listed. eMarketer also projected that “63% of all digital ad sales by the end of the year will come from Google and Facebook. In numbers that is equivalent to $35 billion for Google and $17.4 billion for Facebook.” This shows the dominance of Google and Facebook in the advertising world and we would expect this trend to continue if companies are experiencing positive returns on investments.

3. Pinterest Making Improvements:
Pinterest has been making some massive improvements as of late regarding their advertising options. According to Heine’s article, “Pinterest advertisers now have access to 5,000 interest categories that will roll out in the next couple of weeks.” With this upgrade from Pinterest, engagement rates are expected to increase by a significant amount and cost-per-clicks are projected to decrease.

4. Uber Lawsuit:
It’s been recently reported that Uber is pursuing a lawsuit against a mobile advertising company called Fetch Media. Heine’s article states that “Uber is suing Fetch Media for at least $40 million accusing the company of improper billing for fraudulent ads falsely taking credit for app downloads.” We’ll see how the lawsuit plays out, but this is significant because it could potentially ruin the reputations of other mobile ad companies.

5. Trouble Tracking Ad Spend:
Digital marketers losing track of ad spend may come off as a surprise, but an article from Marketing Week found this to be evident. Apparently “only 36% of digital marketers are confident that their campaigns are targeting the appropriate audiences.” They also found that “nearly a quarter of digital marketers don’t consistently track their campaigns whatsoever.” These two statistics really jumped out to us because monitoring digital marketing campaigns is essential to making sure ad dollar is used efficiently.

Contact Us:
For more information regarding digital marketing expertise, visit the Onimod Global Website. We provide weekly news updates on the latest in the world of digital marketing. Enjoy!

What Google’s Algorithm Adjustment Means for Digital Marketing

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Nearly every digital marketer in today’s society utilizes Google as a primary form of advertisement. With more than 6.5 billion searches being made each day, the need to rank well on Google’s search results page is imperative.

Whether you are optimizing a website to rank well on its own, or spending a few dollars through Google AdWords, the changes coming to Google’s algorithm will have a significant effect on those advertising efforts.

Most Recent Update

Google continually updates its algorithm to show the most relevant results to users as possible. The latest update arrived on August 19th.

There is never one single cause of an algorithm adjustment. Instead, the adjustment is meant to target many different areas in order to improve overall quality of the search results displayed by Google.

Glenn Gabe, columnist for Search Engine Land and Search Engine Watch, investigated the algorithm change and gave his opinions on how he thought it would affect marketers. According to Gabe, Google advertisers should avoid:

  • Use of Deceptive Advertising: deploying deceptive, aggressive, or disruptive advertising can be detrimental to a site’s quality. Instead, gear your site toward the user and their needs. Do not bombard them with full-screen ads and site redirects.
  • Broken User Interface Elements: We have all had an experience where we click on a link and receive some sort of “404 error: Page Not Found” message. Make sure that your site works properly and does not contain any of these pesky UI flaws.
  • Low Query-Based Relevance: This element should be obvious. If a search term does not apply to your site, then it should not be ranking well for that term. Google’s goal is to provide the user with exactly what they are looking for. If your site isn’t helpful to the user, then it’s as good as gone from the top search results list.

Gabe suggests using the following methods to improve advertisements in the wake of the algorithm update:

  • Category (Tag-like) Pages: WordPress sites often include the option of adding a category and various tag to each page. Gabe noticed that even some sites that showed an overall downward trend since the algorithm update still had positive numbers to report for these category pages.
  • Full, Quality Content: Try to fill your site with all of the best information possible. This does not mean that you need to write pages and pages of content, it just means that you need to clearly state what you can do for the consumer and why you can do it best.
  • Open User Experience: Allowing users to add their own comments to content on your site is a great way to add value. This may be in the form of a review or an actual comment on a certain post or news article.

Location Improvements

Google has also shown an increased interest in the prominence of local businesses on their search results page. After all, a restaurant located in New York City will prove of little use to a young woman in Seattle looking for a bit to eat after work.

As Google begins to favor local establishments, it becomes more and more important for all kinds of businesses to make sure that their location is conveniently and correctly displayed across various platforms. For example, you will want to make sure that the address you have listed on Facebook perfectly matches the one listed on Yelp.

Evaluate Your Business Today!

Interested in getting this information about your business for free? Run a free scan of your business with Onimod Global today to see your locations listed across over 50 online directories! This scan will also provide you with several other measurements to see how well your company site performs. To run a free scan please CLICK HERE.

Google Partners Launches Digital Sales Certification Exam

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Google has announced that the Google Partners program has launched a new certification exam – Digital Sales. Google Partners is a program that provides agencies access to free training and exclusive tools, as well as the guidance and support to help businesses successfully advertise on Google. Advertising agencies that are members of the Google Partners program like us at Onimod Global contain certified employees and are companies trusted by Google.

According to Google, the “Digital Sales Certification Exam has been created to assess and increase partner sales representatives’ effectiveness in selling Google digital solutions to businesses.” There are a total of five parts to the exam which include planning, the open, identifying, recommendations, and the close.

The planning section involves networking, prospecting potential clients, and preparing for the pitch. The open is about delivering an effective pitch, positioning, and setting up meetings. The identification part is just about asking questions and discovering what potential clients need. Recommendations consist of delivering solutions and how to solve client problems. Lastly, the close section is about handling objections, closing the sale, and how to generate referrals.

Contact Us: Here at Onimod Global, we are a member of the Google Partners Program and all of our employees are Google certified in many areas. If you’re a business seeking an upgrade in brand awareness, website development, or any other digital marketing service feel free to reach out to us at Onimod Global on our Contact Us page. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

5 Simple Ways to See if Your AdWords Account is in Trouble

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Google AdWords is the most common form of digital advertising. The use of its search, display, and shopping networks have an incredible impact on consumers who are conducting daily searches online.

Unfortunately, even the best digital marketing tools can come with potential problems and limitations. Keep reading to find out which pitfalls are most important to avoid inside of Google AdWords.

AdWords Audit

The following are key areas inside of AdWords that, when left unchecked, can create serious problems:

  • Wasted Money: In the case of effective ad spend, less is more. Although it may seem smart to have a campaign filled with keywords and 10 slightly different ads, this can actually lead to huge losses. Entrepreneur reports that on average, only 12% of keywords in any given AdWords account are responsible for all conversions produced. That means that 88% of those keywords are a total waste of money.
  • Bad Landing Page: More than half of all Google ads redirect the user to the site’s homepage. This is not necessarily a bad strategy, especially if you are only concerned about brand awareness and simply driving people to your site so that they can get a feel for your business. However, if the primary objective is to produce conversions or leads, then the homepage isn’t going to be enough. For this type of ad, you should use a specific landing page that clearly states the message you wish to deliver to consumers, and a simplified way for them to actually convert.
  • Disorganization and Poor Management: The structure of your AdWords account is also incredibly important. If you don’t properly title and organize campaigns, then it is going to be incredibly difficult for you to keep track of what ads are running and why. Also, if no one is regularly updating the account, then errors are sure to follow. The more time spent inside of the Google AdWords platform, the better.

Get it Right, The First Time

Try to avoid all of the aforementioned problems by starting your AdWords account off on the right foot with these strategies:

  • Keyword Research: Since you want to choose your keywords carefully, make sure that there is some logic behind your choices. The best way to do this is to look at old data. Find out what worked well, and what did not in previous campaigns. If you are starting from scratch, you may want to use a trial-and-error approach. Experiment with different keywords until you can clearly identify which are the most successful.
  • Extensions: Adding short sitelink and callout extensions to your ad can greatly increase its value to a consumer. Providing users with easy access to popular pages, or your business’ phone number makes the process much more efficient. Such efficiency and convenience is a huge concern of consumers today, so give them what they want with a simple extension.

Updates From Onimod

Our team of experts is constantly watching current events in digital marketing. We produce several blog posts each and every week to keep our readers up to speed on the latest in the industry.

CLICK HERE to take a look at the Onimod Global blog today!

Why Mobile Matters

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It’s no secret that mobile advertising is taking over in a big way. This transition is quite possibly the single most important trend in digital marketing at this time. So what are you doing to enhance your advertising strategy for mobile users?

A recent Nielsen report shows PC usage down in every demographic, while mobile usage through tablets and smartphones only trend upward. It is clear that users are shifting away from desktops in favor of more convenient mobile devices.

An article by Forbes gives 15 examples of how to lead the way in mobile digital advertising. One of their strategies is to optimize the first 3 seconds of your ad in order to quickly gain the attention of the viewer.

Many consumers are giving less and less consideration to ads, so it is imperative that your message is delivered quickly and clearly. In general, all interactions should be faster. Increasing speed relates directly to increasing convenience, which in turn increases the likelihood of a response from the user.

Another suggestion is to treat mobile as an entirely new practice. It will not benefit you to copy over all of your old tactics and beliefs to the mobile realm. Instead, try to picture it with a fresh mindset.

Do some research, find out what works best. Look over other industry trends, like the ones mentioned in this article of ours: 4 Digital Marketing Trends to Follow, and figure out how you can implement them into your mobile campaign structure. Do not assume that mobile will work in the same way as all other advertising methods.

Also pay attention to changes in digital marketing platforms. Many large advertising platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Bing Ads are constantly trying to innovate and improve their services. Google recently redesigned their AdWords platform for the first time in 8 years. Another Onimod article discusses the 5 Things You Need to Know About the New Google AdWords.

Continue to stay up to date with other platforms by subscribing to their newsletters and webinars. The best way to stay ahead of the competition is to stay informed.

Here at Onimod Global we are regularly reporting on digital marketing related news. Visit our blog to view recent articles, or contact us to subscribe to our email newsletter.

What is Onimod Global?

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This article is written for those trying to gain a deeper understanding of who we are and what we do. Onimod Global is a Chicago based Digital Marketing & Consulting firm that strives to work with your company on an ongoing basis to adapt and stay ahead of your competition in an ever-changing digital marketplace. Onimod is much more than a simple digital marketing company. We pride ourselves on being versed in a wide variety of online marketing channels as well as offering customized reporting capabilities to every single one of our clients. We are not a cookie-cutter company. We are not one-size-fits all. We are Onimod Global.

 

Google Partner:

If you have ever browsed the Onimod Global homepage, you will notice a few different things. For one, we pride ourselves on being a Google Partner. This partnership allows us to have access to specific Google representatives that keep us updated on any and all Google-related news. These representatives also provide unique assistance with any issues that may arise when using Google products. What this partnership also means is that the company contains employees who are certified experts in all areas of Google such as Google AdWords, Google Analytics, and more.

 

Digital Synergy:

Another focal point displayed on the Onimod Global homepage is our Digital Synergy service. Digital Synergy is our cross-channel digital marketing expertise, advanced analytical analysis and experience in constructing and executing successful digital campaigns. Digital Synergy ensures your brand meets the consumer when and where they need them. This type of all-encompassing service provides a business with the opportunity to integrate and implement all of their digital marketing strategies and goals into one single work plan that we provide. Rather than creating several fragmented campaigns across several advertising platforms with several different administrators, Onimod Global handles them all, making it easier to maintain and report on results.

 

Other Services:

In addition to Digital Synergy, Onimod also offers a variety of other services including SEO, SEM, Social Media content development and maintenance, Website design and development, Graphic Design, Email Marketing, and Analytics Reporting. A myriad of advertising platforms are used alongside of these many services. Here at Onimod we frequently utilize Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google tools, and more to increase brand awareness and traffic. We make it simple for the client to pick and choose which services they would and would not like to implement. This also allows for a more unique and customized experience for the customer. Each of our clients greatly appreciate the ability to create a custom digital marketing strategy because it gives them the freedom to tailor their digital needs to be most effective and beneficial to their business.

 

Contact Us:

If you or someone you know is interested in working with us here at Onimod Global to improve upon your digital marketing strategies and techniques, please reach out by visiting our website to fill out a quick and easy contact form!

Google vs Bing: Which Ad Platform is Better?

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When weighing out your options for SEM and how to most effectively spend ad dollar, analyzing the benefits of using Google AdWords and Bing Ads is a great starting point. The common assumption is that Google AdWords dominates, yet utilizing Bing Ads can be very advantageous depending on numerous factors. Let’s evaluate the strengths of each advertising platform.

Google AdWords Strengths

1. Amount of Search Volume: It’s no secret that Google is the king of search engine traffic. Therefore, this means a higher potential for customers, leads, and conversions for whatever you are advertising.
2. Advanced Features: Especially with the recent launch of an upgraded AdWords platform, Google’s program has more advanced features to offer than Bing. Working with optimization, targeting, ad extensions, and management settings Google gives advertisers a much more advanced interface.
3. Easier Talking Point: Because of how known Google and their Adwords platform is, many businesses will quickly jump on the AdWords “bandwagon.” AdWords is more commonly known in the digital advertising world and Bing tends to be overlooked as a result of this.

Bing Ads Strengths

1. Better Value: Advertising on Bing in most cases is about half the cost as Google Adwords. Less people also advertise on Bing’s platform, so the price of keywords is significantly lower. Ultimately, this leads to cheaper conversions and a better use of ad dollar for organizations.
2. Audiences: Although the search volume of Bing isn’t any competition for Google, the quality of clicks tends to be better. In some cases Google AdWords will “eat up” ad dollar through meaningless clicks. If utilized correctly, you would be surprised at how many relevant clicks and conversions can come through Bing.
3. Customer Service: Being an extremely large organization, Google has much more customer service issues to worry about compared to Bing. Not to knock Google’s customer service department but because of Bing’s smaller organizational size, they have a greater ability to spend more time with customer problems and fulfill more specific needs.

Micro-Wins: The Key to AdWords Success

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There are plenty of articles out there claiming to have some sort of quick fix or tip to exponentially boost your AdWords campaigns. In certain case studies these hints may have actually been incredibly successful, but that doesn’t mean the same goes for every advertiser or every business. In reality, micro-wins are much more valuable and much more attainable by most digital marketers.

 

What Are Micro-Wins?

Micro-wins are a series of tiny improvements over a long course of time, sort of like a theory of evolution on an AdWords campaign. These changes may not look like much in the beginning, but when compiled together at the end of a year, they make a very large impact.

 

Exploration

Hundreds upon hundreds of trial and error attempts are the secret to achieving these micro-wins. It’s best to begin by trying a myriad of strategies, so as not to limit your campaign based on what you think you already know. Experiment, it’s okay to fail! This is how you determine what works and what definitely does not.

 

Refinement

Once you can see where the biggest potential lies, start trimming off the fat. Take away all of the failed experiments, and all the money they’re draining, and leave those that still hold some potential for the future.

 

Optimization

Start experimenting again. Weed out the best of the best in terms of advertisements by thinking outside of normal limitations. Do not be afraid to try something new because you can always change it later on if needed. Once completed, you’ll be left with only the highest achieving and most successful ads.