Archives for June 2013

SEO Tips to Increase Visibility and Stop Content Jackers

June 26, 2013 by Daniel Laws Leave a Comment

Most of the time when we talk to prospective clients about SEO, the first things they think of are keywords, descriptions, and page titles. Now, just about every marketing person on the planet thinks they’re an SEO expert. Yeah right, just like everyone that can code HTML is a web developer too. The point is that SEO goes well beyond descriptions and titles; in fact, SEO includes a number of factors that impact rankings and these factors are always changing.

With that said, I’m going to cover a few “off-page SEO” tips to increase organic search visibility and stop people for stealing your content without giving you credit for it.

Use Rich Snippets for SEO

Rich snippets are a type of structured data that allow webmasters to

mark up content in ways that provide information to the search engines. Depending on the scenario, the websites that leverage rich snippets see better results or enhanced results in the search engines. An example of enhanced results could be reviews or ratings in the results. In general, this can lead to better click-through rates. Schema.org provides several types of examples of data that can benefit from structured markup which includes people, products, reviews, businesses, events, and more. Google has a tool called “Structured Data Testing Tool” to preview or get help with markups. In my opinion, you should read more details on schema.org to understanding it better before implementing.

Improve your Load-Time

You want to minimize web server response times to limit slow page loads. Remember that response time is going to vary from page load to page load. If possible, I would recommend a good dedicated server and an onsite webmaster to proactively improve server response times. Whenever possible, I would also recommend optimizing images, but not at the risk of poor-quality or low resolution visuals. There are a number of solutions to help with this, from Smush.it™ to some of Adobe’s Products. As you’re programming your website, you should consider opportunities to combine/compact CSS, optimize the order of CSS, move items to the head of the document, etc. This will all help to improve load time, SEO, and the user experience. Load-time is a factor that’s associated with search rankings, and Google Analytics offers a direct link to their PageSpeed Insights to test your site’s pages.

Have a URL Strategy

When you redesign a website, it’s usually due to updated branding or to support new business related functionality on the site. The linking structure, internal site links, and link building are usually on the minds of the webmaster or SEO person, but it’s important that you carry over as much link equity as possible by using redirects, a custom 404 page, and canonical links. Canonical links help to communicate to the search engines which page should be credited as the original. You should also use absolute links (“https://dabrianmarketing.com/blog.html”) instead of relative links (“/blog.html”) in the programming to limit scraping or “jacking” of your content. Remember that this content should be consistent with your updated branding and still support your business’s needs.

Conclusion

In the development phrase of your redesign or continued SEO, you should consider the impact that technical items will have on your brand’s reach and visibility. Furthermore, it’s important to categorize your business and products / services with rich snippets. I would recommend that you update your XML sitemap and submit to search engines as well as directories to reinforce ownership. You can even take it a step further with a good copyright and terms of use policy.

Take a look at the off-page SEO, improve your URL strategy, try rich snippets and try the PageSpeed insight tool to limit the number of issues that might be adversely impacting organic search traffic.

3 Considerations to Ensure Desktop UX Doesn’t Take a Back Seat To Mobile

June 12, 2013 by Dabrian Marketing Group Leave a Comment

We live in a world that is increasingly obsessed with touch devices ranging from smartphones and tablets to smart refrigerators. As I write this blog Apple’s Tim Cook is showing off their latest and greatest devices and iteration of iOS at their developer’s conference. It is pretty safe to say that touch devices are not only here to stay, but also account for a sizable chunk of the devices being used to browse the web. But what does this mean for user experience on the web?

Ever since we noticed the first increase in mobile traffic, the analytics industry has had the mobile web experience under a microscope.

The share of sessions on mobile and tablet devices continues to increase month over month.

Insights into mobile usage drove (and continue to drive) organizations to experiment with different strategies, ranging from mobile variations of their sites to full-blown mobile applications. These tactics all led to better user experiences on these smaller devices, with quicker load times, easier navigation, and increased levels of overall convenience.

Even with the increase in visitor share that mobile and tablet devices are demonstrating, it is important to ensure that the user experience for traditional browsing devices (desktops and laptops) is not sacrificed or fall to the wayside. Here’s 3 things to consider when weighing investments for mobile and desktop-friendly web designs:

The desktop environment isn't going anywhere for a long time

Contrary to what Microsoft and Apple are saying, the desktop environment is not dying and will never die off completely. They claim that the sales of tablets are outnumbering those of traditional laptops and desktops. It needs to be understood, however, that these numbers are not apples-to-apples (no pun intended). Touch-based devices have a much shorter useful lifespan before their hardware or software is no longer sufficient. Consumers can’t upgrade them to the level that they did desktops and laptops. A quick $30 investment in RAM for a desktop can increase its useful lifetime by over a year. With tablets, however, manufacturers found a way to eliminate the consumer’s ability to stretch the time between purchases even longer. Now consumers are purchasing new devices sooner.

I own several touch devices, including a tablet. It’s a fantastic device for checking email, basic browsing, and recreational activities. It is not as great for productivity, however. Though it is definitely better than working from a smartphone, the level of productivity from a tablet cannot match that of a desktop environment. That is why most offices and computer labs at universities will not shift most of their technology over to touch. That is also why the desktop user experience should not be ignored when it comes to web design.

Mobile vs. non-mobile ratios may differ between target audiences

The ratio of mobile vs. non-mobile devices used to interact with a website may differ between target audiences and even different segments within each audience. There is an obvious need for mobile solutions for financial service institutions that offer conveniences like mobile banking. But this need might not justify the cost for other industries.

Does a mobile app or site help accomplish your business goals?

This is single-handedly one of the most important questions to ask when determining how to approach the mobile experience. All too often we see organizations that invest so much in a mobile application or website and come to find that they do not actually serve to drive business in any significant way. Just like any other business investment, it is important to weigh it against what the organization is trying to accomplish and see how much it helps to get it there.

Before I wrap this up, I want to provide some clarification: Touch-based devices are here to stay and their usage is increasing with each month that goes by. I am not advocating that mobile should be overlooked anymore than the desktop user experience should. Both are extremely important for the long-term. Responsive web design has also helped to solve the gap that exists between the mobile and desktop experience. It is just a matter of the level of importance depending upon your organization, audience, and business goals. I’m a huge advocate of doing research and assessing situations before jumping into them.

Recognize some interesting patterns with mobile vs. desktop web designs in your industry? Share them here in the comments!

DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC Joins the American Advertising Federation Greater Lehigh Valley

June 10, 2013 by Dabrian Marketing Group Leave a Comment

DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC, a full-service digital agency based in Reading, PA, has solidified a membership with the American Advertising Federation Greater Lehigh Valley (AAF-GLV).

Currently 50,000 members strong, the American Advertising Federation works to grow the advertising community in regions throughout the country. It achieves this by connecting the area’s leading advertisers, agencies, media companies, and vendors through professional networking, educational programs, and other exclusive member benefits.

The AAF-GLV’s achieves its goals by providing members with opportunities to network with peers and industry leaders, strengthen their expertise, promote standards of excellence, give back to the local community, and educate others who are up-and-coming in the industry.

“DaBrian Marketing Group has joined the AAF-GLV both to provide additional opportunities for our staff as well as to become a better agency overall,” said Daniel Laws, principal owner. “We look forward to using the collective resources available to us from the AAF-GLV to learn and grow in the future.”

Through this membership, DaBrian Marketing Group hopes to gain additional exposure in the Greater Lehigh Valley’s advertising and marketing community. DaBrian Marketing Group will strive to utilize the AAF-GLV’s resources to their fullest extent to learn, grow, improve, and succeed.

For more information about the American Advertising Federation Greater Lehigh Valley, call 610-365-7916 or visit them online at www.aafglv.org.

3 Ways to Use Crowdsourcing to Mine Marketing Gold

June 5, 2013 by Dabrian Marketing Group Leave a Comment

In a traditional sense, the concept of crowdsourcing has been used to complete a specific task by utilizing a vast workforce. Whether the task involves funding a project, solving a complex problem, or even finding a missing person, the operation is the same – bringing together myriad resources in minute amounts to achieve substantial results. Today, the advent of instantaneous digital communication has allowed this process to expand even further.

In this week’s blog, we’ll show you some ways you can extract some real marketing value out of this tried and tested method, and it all starts with thinking slightly outside the box.

When you’re Strapped for Innovative Ideas

Steve Jobs said that innovation is what distinguishes those who lead from those who follow, and in the marketing world, the cutting edge is one of the most advantageous spots to set up camp. New ideas and groundbreaking tactics are often at the heart of a brand’s success, and not just because trends can quickly turn down that dark and dangerous road to the land of the passé. There’s also changing consumer attitudes and expectations to consider. And what’s the best way to tap into that oh-so-valuable perspective? You guessed it, crowdsourcing.

Think about it. An inherent aspect of crowdsourcing is focusing an immense, seemingly disparate group of people into achieving a single goal. When your idea well has gone dry, tap into the torrent of the hive mind. Reinforce open communication and be proactive in seeking input from your audience. Whether in the form of a poll, questionnaire, or review, a new perspective on what your business has been doing can spark creative ideas around what it should do next. Sometimes, all it takes is one nugget of feedback to stir up something fresh and successful. And while we’re on the topic of feedback…

When you Want Better Audience Engagement

People love the feeling of being involved, whether that means taking up a charitable cause, volunteering, or voting in a local election. Chances are if you provide an opportunity to give your audience a voice, more than a few will take up the offer. So how does that benefit your marketing? In terms of garnering engagement, no resource is more useful than social media. These networks represent the most effective way for a business to open a direct line of communication with its audience. Due to their very nature, crowdsourcing opportunities abound with these assets.

By amping up personal communication via social and asking questions that elicit not only engagement, but your audience’s personal opinion on something, you open up opportunities for more of those priceless insights into how your next steps should pan out. For example, having your social audience choose between design variations or submit suggestions for a new product name can do wonders for engagement. This type of communication can also help…

When your Products / Services need some TLC

New marketing tactics and promotional approaches aren’t the only things crowdsourcing can bring to light. The process of creating a public forum can also assist in product development. How? Through the art of real-world testing. With this kind of crowdsourcing, you can gather insights “from the ground” and in real-time. Think of it as a large-scale beta test before a full-on product roll out. You’ll be able to resolve any kinks and make sure that when all things are “go,” you’ll be putting out a better, more reliable product.

Another way this can tie in to all the situations we’ve mentioned so far is through incentive. Offering your customers a tangible reason to participate in crowdsourcing (like an early bird discount or the opportunity to purchase the product before it’s released) is paramount to achieving the results you want. In the end, you’re left with a better offering, more brand advocates, better customer relationships, and ultimately, lower costs.

Are you ready to incorporate crowdsourcing into your next marketing campaign? Leave a comment and share your ideas!

DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC Joins the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce

June 3, 2013 by Dabrian Marketing Group Leave a Comment

DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC, a full-service digital agency based in Reading, PA, has recently joined the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Driven by its dedicated staff and volunteers, the Chamber strives to promote, strengthen, and give back to the local community. It achieves this through active community involvement and by providing local businesses with networking opportunities, marketing services, and other exclusive benefits.

Currently, the Chamber boasts nearly 5,000 members, making it the largest in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and one of the top ten in the nation. Its mission is to improve both the economy and quality of life in the Lehigh Valley. In addition its members’ active participation, the Chamber also advocates pro-business policies at all levels of government and provides training resources and programs to help its members become more profitable and efficient.

“With our recent membership in the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, we hope to increase our local visibility as well as tap into the Lehigh Valley’s extensive pool of new talent,” said Daniel Laws, President & CEO of DaBrian Marketing Group. “Moving forward, we plan to further enhance our relationship and become active participants in the area’s events and activities.”

DaBrian Marketing Group hopes to gain insight and additional reach and visibility in the Greater Lehigh Valley area by taking full advantage of the wealth of opportunities and resources the Chamber provides.