1-604-288-2938Posts Tagged ‘Google’
« Older EntriesGoogle on the Go. Mobile Advertising and The Future of Internet Marketing
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
Did you know for every PC sold, 3 phones are sold globally?
Technology and the Internet work at lightning speed. Technology has improved leaps and bounds; wifi, 3G, smart phones are becoming more and more common and the new norm. In fact, there are over 5 billion mobile users in the world with the majority being smart phone users! One in three searches on phones are local and 15% of apps provide local services as well. The future of advertising is local and mobile and it’s right at our doorsteps.
This is the time to move forward and revamp your Internet Marketing, before the big change even hits. Using Google Adwords, you can opt into having your ads appear on all mobile devices.
When you opt into mobile advertising…
- Your business gets super relevant traffic and leads. Mobile users are more likely to visit your store, find your store’s address, and, well, call you on the spot, right on their phones.
- You shorten the buying process. Mobile users are more likely to buy (immediately); they feel a greater sense of urgency and are closer to the point of sale.
- Your customers can connect with you instantly. With the ‘click-to-call’ option, users click on your ad to call your business. You gain the opportunity to speak in person, pitch your service/product, and cut the lag time.
Mobile is the future of Internet Marketing; are you ready to jump ahead of your competitors? You’re only a couple clicks away to unleash the power of mobile marketing. Contact us today!
Tags: Advertising, adwords, Google, local advertising, mobile, smart phones
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
Bricks To Clicks? Google Places can get your Local Business Online in a Flash
Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
Having a physical store doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive to the online world and Internet marketing. Working hand in hand can give your local business a double advantage. Google Places can do just that.
Google Places allows your local business to be listed and found on Google properties. This includes Google Maps, local advertising, and even local searches, boosting your Search Engine Optimization.
It is extremely useful for any potential customer; Google Maps has become a go-to place for information:
- 1 million hours are spent browsing Google Maps and Earth each day
- 1 in 5 searches is local
What happens when you list your local business on Google Maps?
- Your business is found by many new customers who want to go to your store. Local and relevant businesses are listed right next to the map and strengthen local SEO.
- Enhance your Adwords. Google brings together your Adwords Ads and local information to deliver local ad formats (includes maps, addresses, and phone number in your ads), pinpoint local targeting to a T, and manage multiple locations with ease.
- Qualify and inform your customers. Google’s Place listings gives you the power to customize and manage how your business is seen, even before they step inside your store. You control your address, phone number, photos, reviews, and you can add maps and street view to your listing.
Google Places gives you the tool to broaden and fine-tune your targeting. It takes the guesswork out of how your business is found on Google and how customers find your business (in traditional advertising, you don’t know who sees your ad).
Contact us to set up your Google Place and fire up your Local Search Optimization!
Tags: Advertising, Google, Google places, local advertising, SEO
Posted in SEO | No Comments »
Conquer Internet Marketing with Google AdWords
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Where do people hang out on the Internet? As a business owner you want to know that, so you can get in front of your target audience; in the right place, at the right time.
Google AdWords does just that! With its multiple types of online advertising (text ads, banners ads, video advertising, etc) Google AdWords reaches over 80% of online users in the WORLD! So the chances are… YOUR potential clients are amongst those 80%!
It is impertinent your business is visible in search engines for it to grab a strong foothold online. This is especially true for Google. Your visibility and relevance in Google is your gateway for driving traffic (“opportunities”) to your business. One of the ways you can get noticed in Google is through Google AdWords.
Wait, what is Google AdWords?
Google ads show up next to relevant search results or content. They can be text, image, video-based or interactive. The Google Search Network includes Google’s search engine and search properties. The Google Display Network includes a vast range of websites that host Google ads.
How Google Adwords can change YOUR business?
- Get more leads and scale your business. Google is the largest network in the world with a wide audience (millions of ad impressions a day). The Display Network alone reaches 81% of online users globally!
- Relevance! Your ads only show up when its keywords matches a user’s search query
- Connect to your target market. There are over 60 categories of websites you can advertise on.
- Be the first mover in your industry. You can quickly advertise products and services.
- It’s perfect for any variety of goals: brand awareness or sales
- It is cost-effective. You are rewarded for running targeted and successful campaigns with lower costs.
- Learn what works and what doesn’t in your marketing strategies. It has comprehensive tracking and reporting, including conversion tracking.
- It saves you time and is adaptable to your business. You control how much you spend in real time. You only pay when a user clicks on your ad or when you reach a certain amount of impressions.
- Represent your business accurately. It is completely customizable; you decided what, when, how much and where to advertise. You have many options as to size, style, and format of your ads.
Using Google AdWords is a cost-effective and goal-driven method to Internet Marketing. At the end of
the day you can attain limitless types of business goals, from increasing traffic, sales, brand awareness. It is an ideal supplement to your organic search results and ensures you that you are showing up in Google and across the web.
Want to get more leads, clients, and brand awareness TODAY? Try Google Adwords. Contact us to get started!
Tags: Advertising, adwords, Google, PPC
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
Is your Business Visible Online? 10 Reasons Why Google is THE Place to be!
Thursday, September 1st, 2011
Did you know that 94% of consumers research products online before buying?
Does it seem like everywhere you go, you hear someone mention Google? Internet Marketing (Search Engine Optimization, Pay-Per-Click advertising, etc.) isn’t all Google, but it is very important and can open up many golden opportunities for you and your business. Its influential role in online marketing is due to many factors: the economic and consumer trend toward online media, Google’s vast reach, and its positive interaction with traditional media. It affects how you are seen, both offline and online.
First, the online landscape has been influenced by the global economy. During the economic slowdown, there has not been a decrease in online activity; in fact, it has been boosting online growth. This ultimately has changed consumer behaviour.
So, more people are going online…why should you worry about your business being found on Google?
10 Reasons Why You do WANT Your Business to be visible on Google:
- Google is one of the top 3 global Internet properties
- They receive over 2.5 billion page views a day
- They have over 456 million unique visitors a month
- They are the number one advertising network with the largest audience reach. They have access to 90% of the online population through their search and display networks.
- They are ubiquitous amongst all industries and consumers
- The trend toward online media has drastically changed offline media and efforts. In some cases online media may compete with offline media and sometimes it complements it. You should think about your offline media in conjunction with your online efforts.
- In the last 5 years, online spend has been skyrocketing, while other media are staying the same or even decreasing (this is the case for print).
- Online marketing can target a wide range of goals, is efficient, measurable, scalable, and has low production costs.
- Traditional media (print, billboards, commercials) work well for brand awareness and pushing marketing messages. Online media can target customers at any point of the buying cycle, from awareness to direct sales.
- Many people research products and services online then go to the physical store to complete a transaction. It is a great way to learn, add value to offline marketing, and influence the entire purchase decision.
Knowing these Internet Marketing facts, it is wise to revise your current marketing. Google gives you the option to advertise (video or text), conduct sales, tap into a huge audience, make your marketing scalable and profitable.
Want to know what steps you can take now? Come talk to us and we’d love to help, whether it is getting your business noticed in Google’s Search (SEO) or Online Advertising (PPC).
Thanks for reading,
Danielle
Tags: Google, internet marketing, Online marketing, PPC, Search, SEO, Trends
Posted in Internet Marketing | No Comments »
How To Add Google +1 on Your Website
Thursday, June 30th, 2011
You may have recently noticed some changes with Google’s search. They have been rolling out their social search factor “+1.” Google’s +1 takes the social aspect of the web, linking recommendations from friends and family to your web searches. So, when you are searching through Google, you may see websites that your network has visited and have essentially “liked,” bringing you more relevant search results. This will change Internet Marketing and search marketing (and possibly a big alteration in Google’s algorithm)!
You can +1 a website right from your search results page
In order to see +1s, you must be signed into your Google profile. But how do you make sure people can “+1” your website?
Well now, Google has released +1 buttons for websites. Having the +1 button on your website opens up opportunities for visitors to recommend your page and have your website shown to relevant searches (and Google is all about relevancy). This can change how your webpage is ranked and give you the potential to gain qualified traffic. More so, your website is able to show trust; recommendations hold profound effect on people’s (purchase) behaviour.
It is as simple as adding a little bit of code to put on your webpage. Create your custom +1 button here.
Create a Google +1 button
Currently Google’s +1 button is available in 44 languages, but only works in English on Google.com.
Try it and see what social search has to offer! Want to know more about how Google works with your website and how all this fits into your Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? Come talk to us.
Keep in mind that it is still too early to say how exactly this button will change the way Google delivers its search results. At this point, it’s definitely a “good-to-have” option for your website!
Don’t forget to “+1″ us! See the button below. :)
Tags: +1, Google, Search, social search
Posted in Internet Marketing | 2 Comments »
An Introduction to Google Analytics
Tuesday, March 8th, 2011
Knowing your web statistics and performance is a cornerstone for analyzing and advancing your online presence and Internet Marketing. Google Analytics is a great free tool that is easy to use and extremely informative.
If you are an Analytics beginner, here are some key metrics to note and compare over time.
- Visitors and Unique Visitors
This is how many people visited your website in a given time. You want to see this number consistent and growing! - Bounce Rate
The bounce rate is the percentage of people who visit your website and leave without visiting another page. It is a good measurement of how engaging and useful your web page is. - Time on Site
Another good measurement of your website’s engagement and level of visitor interaction. - Map Overlay
Check out where visitors are physically coming from. This shows your reach and is especially important if your business is confined by geography. - All Traffic Sources
Find out how visitors reached your page and what online channels they are using. Get a snapshot of where all visitors are coming from under “All Traffic Sources” or drill down by looking at search engines, referring sites, and direct traffic. - Top Content
What are visitors looking at? This section will tell you what content is most popular.
Working through these statistics will also help introduce you to Google Analytics. There are many paid analytics tools as well, but Google Analytics will satisfy most of your curiosities.
Need help setting up your Google Analytics and tracking? Give us a call and we can set it up in no time!
-Love, Danielle
Tags: Google, Google AdWords, Landing Page, Optimization, PPC, tips
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
Local Search: How to Promote Your Physical Store Online
Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
Optimizing and taking advantage of local search marketing can be a relevant source of web traffic. Just because you conduct your business mainly offline (with or without a website), does not mean you cannot create an online presence that will drive traffic to your store. Businesses that have a physical, brick-and-mortar store can deepen their Internet Marketing integration by some of the following local searching tactics.
- Be Informative
It may be a simple task, but it is often can be overlooked; include your contact information on all your online assets. Place your address, map, and phone number on your website, email newsletters, and Social Media. Make sure your contact is easily found and noticeable, too! - Include Local Descriptors in Your Keyword List
For example, if you serve the Vancouver area, include “Vancouver” as a keyword in your copy and you may want to bid on it in your Google AdWords account. - Ad Extensions
In Google AdWords, you have the option to add “Ad Extensions” to your ads, which include your business contact information below your ad for free. Simply go to your campaigns page and click on the Ad Extensions tab to fill out your information for each campaign. - Google Places
Don’t have a website, but still want the opportunity to show up on search results? Enter in your business on Google Places. When searchers type in a local descriptor, your business may show up in the results!
Often people who are looking specifically for a service/product along with a physical location are more inclined to make a purchase and crave more immediacy. Make sure you have the proper customer service and manpower to answer calls and questions from online local searchers.
What do you think about Google Map’s results on search page?
Do you find entering your business information on directories useful for your business?
Integrating your Internet Marketing and offline marketing requires some finesse and planning. Talk to us, if you have any specific challenges getting your brick-and-mortar store noticed online or optimizing your Google local search.
- Love, Danielle
Tags: Brick and Mortar, Google, Google AdWords, Google Maps, Keywords, Local Search, Physical Store, PPC, tips
Posted in Internet Marketing | No Comments »
How to Optimize Your Google AdWords PPC Landing Pages
Thursday, February 17th, 2011
What happens after a potential customer clicks on your Google AdWords ad? Depending on your Pay-Per-Click (PPC) goals, you may want the clicker to sign up for a newsletter, purchase an item, or fill out a contact form, but all of that has to happen on your website. Especially, if you are conversion-centered, having an optimized landing page is most definitely a big component to your PPC campaign.
Continually check up on your landing pages and take a look at some of the following tips.
- Is the item you’re advertising shown on the landing page? When someone clicks on your ad, he expects to see exactly what was advertised. If your ad is promoting fountain pens, don’t have a landing page for general stationary or for pencils.
- Your landing page should have relevant and unique content that provides value to the user.
- Look at your sales funnels in Google Analytics. Where are people balking before that big purchase?
- Your landing page (and website) should be user-friendly, easy to navigate, and customers should be able to find their way through and understand your business.
- It’s great if you can create specific landing pages for your AdWords campaigns.
- To conduct A/B testing and compare landing page content and layout, try Google’s Website Optimizer. This is also a great testing ground before making any big changes to your website.
Internet Marketing and Social Media are interdependent; all your online marketing should reflect each other (emails, paid advertising, social media, etc.) and your website should represent your business. Remember to always think about the user when you’re creating both your PPC ads and landing pages. This will help you achieve the conversions that you’ve set out.
Optimizing your Google AdWords for conversions needs cooperation from the ad itself and the landing page. Let us know if you need help with Google AdWords, Web Analytics , Web Design, or Web Usability .
-Love, Danielle
Tags: Google, Google AdWords, Landing Page, Optimization, PPC, tips
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
Free Tools for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Tuesday, February 15th, 2011
Google makes Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Internet Marketing “easy” by providing free online tools. Google’s tools will dig out information about your past performance and future opportunities for your keywords and overall website optimization.
These do-it-yourself Google tools can help you save time, learn more about your website, and, with continuous monitoring, can give you a competitive advantage. Check them out!
- Google Analytics
Google Analytics will give you in-depth information about your traffic and user behaviour on your website (e.g. how visitors found your website, when they leave the website, what pages they have visited, what type of device and operating system they use and more). - Google Trends
Find booming trends and popular searches that are happening right now. Alternatively, you can enter your own keywords and see how they are trending. - Google Insights
Discover trends for keyword popularity over time, geography, and search type. It is extremely useful for making keyword comparisons and analyzing trends. - Google Keyword Tool
Take a look into search popularity and competitiveness of keywords. Here you can gain valuable information on your keyword potential and other keyword ideas. For more keyword suggestions and tools, take a look at our past blog on how to choose your keywords. - Google Webmaster Tool
Google Webmaster Tool gives insight on your website’s performance and vital statistics, from crawl errors, site statistics, site content, search queries, to links. The Webmaster Tool has a plethora of information; take a peek at the following video about Webmaster’s key features and how to use it to improve your SEO:
Visit our other SEO articles for great tips you can use right away or come talk to us!
~ Love, Danielle
Tags: Google, SEO, Tools
Posted in Toolbox | No Comments »
