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Reasons Why Accessibility Important for SEO

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Accessibility hasn’t been given enough attention when it comes to SEO and web development. You should not overlook this aspect merely because it can result to sales and SEO.

Why accessibility should be a major concern.

Why accessibility should be a major concern.

How WordPress Addresses This Issue

Sadly, WordPress seems to take this issue as just an afterthought and not the core requirement. They created a plug-in that they thought would be better than accessibility in their platform. Although they have accepted that they their approach is wrong, they still have to construct accessibility in their platform. There are many reasons why you should make accessibility your priority aside from the fact that readers do not act the way you thought they would.

Here are the reasons why you should focus on accessibility:

  • This should be reviewed by those who does digital advertising and web development.
  • It intensifies your SEO by lessening the bounce rate.
  • Accessibility improves your traffic.
  • It likewise improves your sale.
  • Disabled persons are still consumers.
  • If others in web development or digital marketing fail to notice this, you have the upper hand. You can choose not to follow them.
  • You can also service a section that your competitors do not pay attention to.
  • It can lower jump quotes.

What is the Perspective of the SEO Community?

People are aware of the fact that they should not neglect accessibility, but they are still wary about the additional expenses that will be incurred in their website. There are a few website where accessibility is their main focus even if SEO is not in their consideration. Hopefully, Google will start putting this in their algorithms and you should prepare before it actually happens. If you don’t believe this, then, take a look at the many voice searches to know that it is, in fact, real.

Succeeding Online by Accessibility.

If you are a search marketer you know that you will truly do everything possible just to get an extra 1% conversion rate. This intensifies the bounce rate for a bit of the percentage points. This will give you a lesser file length, and every little thing still counts. Although there are other things to consider too like alt tags and other features that can assist your website to rank even better. All that you do as a marketer has a sensible reason; you should accept that such reasons live. Then, it is time for you to start planning for your website. If you have so many things in your hand, you might want to consider in contacting Phoenix Website Design who can do the job for you. Their years of experience will tell you that this is something they could handle.

When you expand your business online, everything that you do should have a practical reason. Do not venture into something just because it is popular choice among the competing brands. Do it because it works for you and your business.  If the results are good, then, go for it. When you focus on accessibility, you make it easy for your customers to conveniently browse and buy your products.

Outmoded SEO Practices You Shouldn’t Do (Part 2)

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Things constantly change, and that applies to SEO strategies too! Well, it’s true that the old SEO techniques were effective back then, but it’s not as effective today. Those should be buried and forgotten, but for whatever reason, a lot of small businesses and neophyte marketers still chose to apply these SEO obsolete ways.

SEO stats wont increase with these old strategies.

SEO stats wont increase with these old strategies.

There’s no need to keep using archaic ways of promoting a website. So, skip these methods:

  • ARTICLE SPINNING

    • It is done with a software. It is a strategy by getting a good article and coming up with a different phrases, words, and arrangement. Since it says the same thing as the original article, it is no longer effective.
    • Although AI has become better in writing, nothing beats what an actual person can create. Only humans can write something that has substance that fellow humans will understand.

  • BAD CONTENT

    • It has ranked well at one time but that has changed. Lazy marketers then stopped doing their own content. They opted to select, organize, and copy/paste another person’s content, and then, link back the content to the original article as if your copied article now has significance.
    • Today, let’s not do more of this strategy. Everyone knows at last that great content are rewarded by the search engines because it says what is truthful and what is not. To do what’s right is a surefire success!

  • KEYWORD ABUSE

    • It is something a lot of marketers and webmasters does not understand. And that is the fact that keywords have an important role in the SEO efforts.  They also do not know how to use them in their day-to-day journey
    • Do not ever misguide your users and show them to a content that is not represented by repetitive keywords just for more visibility. This can easily be recognized by Google and surely it is an ancient SEO practice.

      • KEYWORD DENSITY

        • It is the many times a keyword or phrase is shown on a web page as in comparison to the overall number of words on the page. If you are writing for a definite keyword density, you are totally missing the point of your article.
        • Google does not depend on keyword density to know if a webpage is still efficient. So what can work? The lifeline is the great content and how the message is being communicated.

      • KEYWORD STUFFING

        • It is a technique that is perhaps the oldest gimmick of all times. Yes, SEO is all about keywords, but do you think that loading them up in your website will help you to be on the top? Certainly not!
        • It is common knowledge what keyword stuffing is. In the earlier days, webmasters would put the keyword alternatives and place them everywhere like say, website footer. What is even cunning is placing the keywords in the background and uses the same color. This trick can be hidden from the users but never the search engine crawlers. Webmasters did this approach with links but that shouldn’t be done at all. You must remember that your users are human and not search engines.

 

Back? Outmoded SEO Practices You Shouldn’t Do (Part 1)

Phoenix SEO – 2019 SEO Trends You Need to Know (Part 2)

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It’s time for SEO trends part 2! If you missed part, don’t fret because you can read them all here. Be sure to read the additional tips below because these will surely be the “IN” thing this 2019:

The Key is the Structured Data Markup.

  • AI is vital to Google, but structured data is fast becoming more vital, too. Even if your Al is great if it spends a lot of time to ‘crawl’ the needed information, it isn’t that great. It needs swift processing of the contents as well as its connection to each other. So, whenever possible, use structured data.
  • Finally, the contextual relationships of behaviors and topics that is backed-up with structured markup is another trend that needs a lot of testing, mastery, and implementation. Furthermore, allocate helpful vocabulary pages for different products, events, and offers.

Produce Extraordinary Content.

  • Google is increasing its focus on the quality content and exceptional depth of the websites. This is because when checked, the SEO performance in the different websites that had extraordinary content escalated its ranking the whole year. So, if you are doing your content just to be there, you will fail. Do a content that can solve a problem. Research and create something that could encourage, one that is moving, one which could tie people together.
  • Go on and guide the user to the next level – action! This year could just be it, a rise on the quality of the content. And the results could be very interesting.
People Planning on a Table

Know the SEO trends this 2019 and plan carefully!

 Enlarge your E-A-T.

  • This stands for expertise, authority, and trustworthiness in Google’s search quality rating guidelines. Watch out, this is another trend that you have to cope with this 2019. This means you should hire experts to write for you. That should answer the questions how. That is the kind of level that Google is searching for to power their results.
  • Quality comes with context. Context is vital because this will help connect and generate a relationship with your audience. Keep on producing contents and until you become credible enough to garner a top rating. That means, you are becoming an authority in a particular subject.
  • Being trustworthy is the result of hiring experts and being an authority. And this means hard work and consistency. Both Google and Bing reward E-A-T.

Devoting time in Technical SEO.

  • The continuous growth in complication in the different websites makes it apparent that this year; an investment in technical SEO is needed.
  • The following are the key areas needed to be considered in SEO’s technical side:
    • Google rewards more than just once sites that are faster and simpler.
    • The use of JavaScript. This means you need to know, understand, and how major search engines do good with this.
    • Developing Progressive Web Apps. You should think how you could make PWA work for your users and how they would use it regularly.

Succeed using On-Page Optimization.

  • On-Page will still be around this year because it gives good results. This is not the “hit it and quit it” type of tactic.
  • Here are a few important website optimizations:
    • Content that can answer the common questions of users.
    • Providing internal site search should give pertinent results.
    • Reduce the conversion process.

Phoenix SEO – 2019 SEO Trends You Need to Know (Part 1)

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It’s 2019 and we need to know what is in store for the SEO professionals.  Time to review your game plan and scheme to make sure you are on top of the SERPs and earn more compared to last year. So, what works and what does not?  Here are some trends you need to know:

Know your User’s Objectives and Understand Your Audience.  

  • What do you know about your audience? What do they like? Is it images, audio, video, or text? You’ve got to know that because when your audience needs to know something, they expect to get the answer in the simplest manner. Add this to the fact that your audience could change just like that. The thing is, no matter how great your work is, if you are talking to the wrong audience, it is not going to work. Remember, it is not about you, it is all about them!
  • This year, content specialist and SEOs should also look at the user’s objective on the keywords that they select when they write the content. Google has likewise shifted in the keyword intent which is a vital concept when talking about keyword research. You have to focus in meeting the user’s need and match them to your content including videos and landing pages to get the best result.
  • Think, do you want to take the risk and try to rank using a wide term or use terms that will help every level of the funnel and keep your audience closer in taking action? You just have to reconsider on the kind of keyword research you used in the past. Are they effective? If not, change.
  • This time, do not match the keyword phrases and make sure that you answer the questions of the users when they search. It is important that you also go to SERPs to know your ranking in your targeted phrase. If not, move on, think of another phrase and do it quickly.
  • Now, go further, think of the answers to any follow-up questions that may be asked after you have answered the first one. You’ve got to think in advance.
Planning 2019 in terms of SEO

Planning 2019 in terms of SEO

Do not just Rely on Google Search.

  • Can anyone beat Google’s search supremacy? Why not?
  • 2019 could be the year that we should include other search engines and not just optimizing for Google. The use of SEO is to show the result of what people are looking for and not just having the blue link. This means you should know how to drive engagement and traffic than just websites.
  • You need to rank everywhere. Make sure to rank in app stores. Now, to rank high when people search for videos or podcast you’ve got to be where people search for them. Powerful brands are multi-faceted. They don’t just rank in websites. Top SEOs should do the same.
  • A digital strategist and SEO consultant reiterated that this year, optimizing for devices is a good idea. Eventually, everything needs a great content in the best and fastest platforms you can find to meet the needs of your user regardless of where they are. And since, search experience is the concern here, you just got to give a good search experience no matter if it is app-based or web-based, it still has to be systematic and could answer the user’s needs with your site’s offerings.

Phoenix SEO – Ways to Increase Landing Page Conversions (Part 2)

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Video in landing page is not just an option; it is a must! That’s what we learned in part 1. So, if you missed it, you can catch up on the tips right now. This post will still be about landing pages, and I will continue sharing ways in order to help you increase landing page conversions.

Person watching a video on the landing page

Person watching a video on the landing page

Keep it Sweet and Short! The time span of a child is short so does adults when it comes to watching a video. You just got to deliver your message and keep them watching in the next 10 seconds for them to watch your 1 minute video. Surely, if you don’t catch their attention they will quickly click-away and that is the end of you.

So what happens if you need to do a 60-seconder video? Well, keep it engaging and worth watching. What you want to say should show in your thumbnail. So what makes a good one? Here are some examples:

  • An image that mirrors the content.
  • One that shows feelings.
  • Simple but great content.
  • The lead character’s close-up.
  • Consistency in your style.

Placing your logo in the video. That way, if you are most likely to be changing it now and then can create the consistency. Thumbnails can have 15% your click-through rate or CTR. So, work on it.

Production Shows Best in Quality. It just have to be the best of the best! Good script and good equipment. If you can’t afford to hire a professional but you need to be doing videos, invest on the best equipment you need. Basically, you need a camera that is steady, a good microphone, box lights, and a high quality editing software.

Video Optimization for SEO. We want to be rank in the page of Google, sure, but how? You can use again your video content in the landing page then add to YouTube and optimize for SEO. After all, a video will end up on Google’s page compared to a blog post. Its potent result became such that SEO is growing along with it. But do not overlook the following tips:

  • Just one video in a page, tag and categorize and the explorer panel will enable display of content related to the tag or category.
  • Utilize optimized metadata which appears on SERP when a site has any inquiry.
  • Do a thorough transcription of your video and put it in your HTML in your landing page so as to improve the keyword search.
  • Host the video in your domain.
  • Try the possibility of embedding your videos to others as sharing could boost your brand.
  • Observe all your videos. Keep the good ones and get rid of those that do not perform.

Compress for a Shorter Load Time. This will make sure that you can load within two seconds for people to stay. If you do not compress your file, then the loading time will be longer which will make your prospects leave. Use apps like VLC Media Player or Handbrake. It can compress your file without affecting the quality of your video. If you want to check, go to Google’s free speed test.

Phoenix SEO – Ways to Increase Landing Page Conversions (Part 1)

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Your landing page could garner more conversions with a video. If you fail, then there is something wrong. Perhaps, your video is too long, could be that your video is not in the right place, and chances are, there is no CTA (call-to-action). Now, let us see why video is important in your landing page and the practices to make yours a success.

Person Browsing the Web

Practices to improve landing pages!

Ten years ago, the landing page video was nothing but a novelty. Today, we are all aware that it is something you need in your landing page to increase your conversion. To be exact, it increases your conversions by 80% and that is a big deal! So, why does it work? The answer is simple. A lot of people are lazy to read, and we are talking 60% here. It also helps them make a decision after. So now, let us find out the different practices to make excellent videos for your landing page.

The first key is to educate. Surely, when someone is in your landing page, that person is interested with your brand and your product. This is now your chance to educate your visitors. But hang in there, you have to make sure the contents is not fluffy or padded to the point of being repetitious. This will cause reduction in people signing in. You just got to deliver everything in less than a minute. Below are some tips for you:

  • Say who you are.
  • What you do and why you stand-out from the rest.
  • Say that you are unique.
  • And why you can help your reader solve the problem.

So, how do you say it in an interesting and creative way in a minute or even less than that? Now, that is the real challenge. If you can do that, congratulations!

Your video should have an understandable goal. Do not put all your goals. Stick to one clear goal and from there, plan the detail of your content. But first, consider what you want to achieve.  Ask yourself, do you want your visitor click on the link? Purchase? Sign up? You’ve got to be specific.

Below are some goals:

  • Purchase on the landing page.
  • Click to another page for the form.
  • Download an app, a tool, or incentive like downloadable content or a piece of digital, etc.
  • Share to friends.

Your video should be highlighted. Put your video above the landing page that is visible even without scrolling. This is called the fold. When placed in the right place conversion will surely increase by at least 15%. To make it more inviting, why not use a lightbox? This is the type that when clicked to zoom, the product pops up larger but the page behind is dark. This has a track record of another 20% increase in the conversions.

Make a powerful CTA. Never make a good landing page with a video and not include a call-to-action because you are wasting a lot of effort. It just wouldn’t work. Write something like “Subscribe Now,” which gives the rise for immediacy. That directs them to a sale conversion.

Phoenix SEO – What Are the Reasons for NAP Inconsistency?

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We all know that we need to be consistent with our business’ NAP as discussed in part 1. It is after all as vital as the listings in the directory and citations that was built for possible customers to find them. No consistency in the NAP, no conversion of potential customers.

What are the reasons for NAP inconsistency?

It could be due to human errors or changes in the business. Here are the other reasons:

  • No updates in its directory listings and citations when the business address was a changed.
  • When there are two or more listed address that are being posted online.
  • Created different phone numbers for conversion tracking.The effect of the above reasons is the non-conversion of sales. It could likewise harm your brand.

Google’s algorithm.

There is a different algorithm for Google compared to the organic SERPs. It is affected by the location of the user every time they search something online. If your NAP is consistent, your business will be shown in the local searches.

Inconsistent directory adscription.

There are businesses that give a different phone number in every directory. This is to track down marketing efforts. But there is always two sides:

  • The advantage is that there’s more accuracy in measuring the ROI of the marketing campaign.
  • The disadvantage is that you may have many published information with different NAPs.

This will of course result to several business listings with different NAP and perhaps different locations. Users will be confused in guessing which one is correct. That could be frustrating!

Red Cradle Telephone

Too many phone numbers listed.

Stop the online blinds.

There are also businesses that located in 1 area, but it shows different 3 contact numbers and varying business closing times too! Even if the user was eventually able to guess the right contact number, the user still wasted his time and effort figuring out the correct information.

Avoiding spam is also avoiding customers.

Wrong numbers on the directory listings is used to avoid the spam phone calls. But it can also drive away interested customers.

Doing the local right!

Local searches do have higher conversion rates, and because of the proximity, users would often complete their intended.

Local businesses has forgotten that there are a lot of opportunities in making good business only if they could also satisfy the intent of the local customers. So, make sure your business’ NAP is consistent.

Build a Quality Local Value Pages.

This would be easier if the business has an actual store at the right location. However, it does not mean that intangible product or service sold online has no chance.

For example, if you are in New York and you are looking for a contractor, Google breaks in down to…

  • “contractors”, user is looking for a contractor. This is the main keyword of the search.
  • “in New York” will be the supporting element. This means the user is asking for a local contractor.

In short, the main part of the website should reflect the primary product or the service, with of course the supporting elements that could surely add value in connection to the user’s location.

Phoenix SEO – 5 Important Elements to Make a Great Landing Page

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To get the deal right away, make your landing page simple just like your Instagram profile. If you want it long, then, make it very interesting. You’ve got to be real smooth and easy. Check out the tips below on how to make your landing pages work:

  • Be concise!

  • Know the target market you are writing for. The graphics can be a great addition but the bottom line really is the copy. You should be able to make the reader stays. Aside from that, your writing should be personal that the user is moved to action.
  • An example is Shopify. You can check it out to see that its statement is clear, which can immediately tap the person’s desire. Users can make easily scroll down the page and that is important.
  • You see, the landing page has the largest bounce rate in your website. And we are talking about 70 to 90%. True, bounce rate is not that bad, but it is critical. What makes it harder is you are dealing mostly with the younger generation. Millennials, by the way, prefer a minimal copy and hero banners (the first visual that a user sees on the site.)
  • And we haven’t touched on microcopy yet. Think about SEO easter eggs, the stuff you see on buttons. You should be concise without sounding so generic like say “buy now” which all websites say, right? It has to be personalized.
  • Instead of just saying “BUY,” they personalized it by saying, “Shop the Look.” Don’t be just anybody, be unique! Make an awesome microcopy.

  • Someone is testifying for you.

  • You need a social proof. No one knows your credibility, but you. Sharing widgets is not enough. So, someone else should state that online. After the social proof, take it from there. Make them trust you more. Another way are reviews and testimonials.
  • The thing is, if big companies trust you, they should too. That makes a good conversion.

  • Give it some space.

  •  Your landing page does not need clutter. You shouldn’t fill your landing page with so much. It does not mean that an empty space between elements is boring or is wasted. It does make a big difference in the outcome. Actually, not putting a navigation menu can result to a 100% conversion. Why? Because it is simpler, it is clearer, and no feeling of being rushed into something. The space will surely help them to decide.
Photo of Woman Looking at the Mirror

Your business needs a face. People should not think that they’re dealing with robots.

  • Images that has the line of sight.

  • Let your user focus on something like a human face, noisy and full of things to say, just as human as the user. That is something no one can ignore, the face and the noise, especially if there is a sort of line of sight to follow. So, human face and then the content. It makes it more powerful.

  • Moving objects & videos.

  • Motion can be created by using a bit of animation or footage. Adding a video can result to something that can captivate your visitors. Its capability of conversion is 86%. So, adding that motion in your landing page is a sure winner!

Phoenix SEO – Tips on How to Simplify Perplexing Content

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Make the content simple no matter how complex the topic is. Sounds easy to do for you? Not so fast! Execution is another ball game.

We are not just talking about writing here. Aside from writing skill, you need to consider on-page SEO elements, layout of your website, and the possible usage of infographics. Keep it interesting as you don’t want your user to shut you down and click away.

Confused human

Don’t confuse your audience. Read the tips on how to simplify content below.

When you mix both awesome writing with equally awesome layout, there will be clarity. Here are some tips:

Do not use jargon. Remember the word, simplify? The writer should explain in plain and simple language the meaning of the jargon or the complex words. The lesser the jargon, the better.

Put energy into your writing and involve your audience. Make your writing more exciting by adding an anecdote. It is also very relatable and easier to understand. An example is the analogy used in Forrest Gump that says: Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get. This means life has many choices and surprises, just like a box of chocolates. Check Google Trends to research on keywords for terms when you want to make your anecdotes.

Active and passive voice. If the subject does the action, it is active voice. It gives a clearer message as compared to passive voice. Active voice is clearer and simpler.  It is also easily read when using your mobile. Here is a sample:

  • Active: Mary cooked the spaghetti.
  • Passive: The spaghetti was cooked by Mary.

Use simple images.  Complicated images and complicated words along with it, will clearly drive the audience away. Simple images even in a stick form will help deliver the message clearly. It also helps the reader to grasp its meaning especially to visual learners.

Use videos too! People loves to watch video in YouTube for hours because most of us loves video content. Adding this to your content will reach a wider audience of both aural and visual learners who counts on the images and listening. Also, there could be a cross-channel exposure if you host it in say, YouTube.

Infographics. Images with short text works! Visual learners will understand this. The combination of clear writing, video, and infographics are potent combination to educate your audience on a complicated topic. It also has the potential to go viral.

Use quotes. If the quotes come from a respectable and popular professional in the field, it can simplify your message. It will likewise trigger a strong reaction.

Use subheadlines. This works especially when your topic is complicated as it does break down bigger pieces of the content into subtopics. The reader will easily understand better if it is presented in related pieces.

Write shorter paragraphs. If you separate one very long paragraph into short sentences, it is easier to digest and it is easy on the eyes.

Break it down! When there are multiple complication, break it down into two. Write part 1 and part 2. Then, there will be anticipation and excitement waiting for part 2.

Phoenix SEO – Importance of NAP to Your Local SEO

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The mobile usage has exceeded the desktop usage in the year 2015. Not only that, there are a number of people using multiple devices. In fact, there was a decrease of 32% on people using only a single device. In 2017, the numbers even dropped to 14% meaning more and more people having multiple devices.

Smartphone, Computer, and Newspaper

Name, Address, Phone.

Now this becomes a problem to the local businesses mainly because when a user move from say desktop to mobile phones, their search results will be different. This is the reason why NAP the acronym for your businesses Name, Address, and Phone should be consistently be placed across the web. Having a uniform NAP is vital your local rankings because humans use online directories and social media websites.

The Start of a Journey.

  • People say that the beginning of a user journey and brand experience actually starts when the user asks its first question; if not, when the user spends a lot of time on the website. But the truth is, it started much sooner than that.
  • Google data says that there are 5 points that often leads to a conversion, purchase, or any positive reaction from a user:
    • Made use of any search engine.
    • Paid a visit to a physical store
    • Browsed the retailer’s website or mobile application.
    • Browsed a similar website or app.
    • Utilized of a map.
  • Finding your business on their search results online, on a map, or having stumbled upon a physical store is the start of a user’s journey. Likewise, local search is an important especially because 78% of mobile searches yield a visit to a business’ physical store.
  • This is why having an updated NAP is so vital to allow the user to continue. Often, we think that users our business or any pertinent information through the official website, the several posts on social media, but the truth is, users find business through different ways like online portals and directories.

Be a part of the User’s Journey at the Search Stage.

  • Your chance to impress the user is during their first attempt in searching. If your business appears in the notable places like search engine results, you would invite them to click on the given content.

Lazy Local Pages or Doorways.

  • When users search for your business, surely, there are tons of search results that offer help. However, not all results are relevant. There’s what you call a “lazy local page.” It is a web page that offers no value or importance to the one searching.
  • The purpose of these pages is to boost or rank that particular website. Users end up wasting their time because these lazy pages are as not useful as they seem to be.
  • Google’s officially defines these pages as:
    • “Doorways are sites or pages created to rank highly for specific search queries. They are bad for users because they can lead to multiple similar pages in user search results, where each result ends up taking the user to essentially the same destination. They can also lead users to intermediate pages that are not as useful as the final destination.”

In 2016 of September, the Google Possum update greatly influenced the results of these futile searches. It offered a solution in handling poor quality searches. Now, many businesses that located in main cities or hubs have a greater chance of appearing in search reaches than they did before the said update.

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