Author: nettsolutions

6 Tips to Enhance Your SEO Performance with Images

6 Tips to Enhance Your SEO Performance with Images

nettsolutions

Do you optimize images to improve your SEO performance? Or do you never consider their impact on your ranking?

If you aren’t taking the time to optimize your images, you could be missing an opportunity to drive more traffic to your site and boost your SERP position.

With the ongoing rise of visual search, images are returned for around 20 percent of Google searches. That’s why we named it one of our top SEO trends for 2021.

But what can you actually do to improve your SEO performance with images?

Be clear when naming image files

Descriptive file names are a must. Vague or generic names (e.g. “image001”) won’t help Google understand exactly what an image shows.

Think carefully about how a file name can help a search engine recognize the contents of an image. Be specific, descriptive, and include keywords (such as “men’s-black-Nike-sneakers”).

Take advantage of alt text

On a similar note, alt text brings a wealth of opportunities to increase an image’s visibility. Alt text is required under the American Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure users with visual impairments understand what images contain (via screen readers or text-to-speech solutions).

But alt text also helps search engines clarify the contents of an image and the page it’s on. As with image file names, focus on clarity and precision. Include relevant keywords but be subtle (i.e. no stuffing).

Pick your image format carefully

JPEG and PNG are two of the most common image formats online (along with GIF and TIFF). But each has its advantages and drawbacks.

JPEG images tend to be of a lower quality but load faster than PNG. And with PNG, quality is higher but file sizes are bigger. So, choose carefully.

Always compress images before you publish

Uploading uncompressed images can have a serious impact on user experience: images, and the pages they’re on, will take longer to load. And users are more likely to abandon your site if they’re waiting too long — bounce probability rises 32 percent when page load jumps from one second to three seconds.

Various tools and plugins can compress images for you. Aim to keep images below 100kb to reduce the risk of performance issues.

Incorporate images into sitemaps

Sitemaps are crucial for good SEO, as they help search engines discover a site’s pages.

Including images in your sitemap will increase the likelihood of a search engine indexing your images. And that could bring more traffic your way.

Either add images to your existing sitemap or create a new one just for your pictures.

Keep images mobile-friendly for smartphone users

Responsive images will scale to align with your site’s size on any device. This is so important when so many of us use smartphones to find products or services. For example, half of mobile users are more likely to use a business’s mobile site when shopping instead of downloading their app.

If you overlook responsiveness, you could chase users away with slow load times and poor overall performance.

Nett Solutions is an Orange County SEO agency with years of experience helping businesses just like yours rank higher through tailored campaigns. To find out how we’ll optimize your site and increase your visibility, get in touch today!

 

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How-can-You-Boost-Engagement-on-Your-Website

How can You Boost Engagement on Your Website?

nettsolutions

How engaging is your website?

If you can’t answer this question, it’s time to give it some thought.

And in this post on boosting engagement, our Orange County SEO experts give you plenty to think about. Let’s start with user experience.

 

The Power of Good UX

User experience (UX) is a key part of building and maintaining an engaging site, especially now that mobile search is so important to the digital marketing landscape.

Every business has to make sure its site gives visitors exactly what they’re looking for in the fastest time. The layout, presentation and content should all be designed for a smooth browsing experience.

Research by Google backs this up:

  • 61 percent of users will jump to a different site if they can’t find what they’re looking for on yours quickly
  • 50 percent will visit a business’s website less often if it’s not mobile-optimised, even if they like its products and services

So, the main factors to focus on:

  • Speed (fast load times, logical progression from page to page}
  • Convenience (value visitors’ time: show them what they’re looking for fast)
  • Mobile Optimization (make sure your site can be browsed on smartphones easily)

 

Keep Content Clear and Readable

It’s tempting to show off and pack your content with sophisticated language or technical jargon. But if you do this, you increase the odds of visitors clicking away out of boredom or frustration.

Here are some key points to keep in mind:

  • Content should be tailored to your target audience: speak their language and address their pain points.
  • Keep the layout clean and tidy with plenty of white space.
  • Use images and videos to break text up.
  • Make content valuable and ensure it serves a purpose.

 

Encourage Interaction

Invite visitors to communicate with your business and reach out to your customer support team to find out more about products or services. This can increase engagement and show users you value their input.

One effective way to do this is implementing live chat and / or chatbots. This lets visitors speak with an agent quickly and easily right on the website. There’s no need to login to an email account and draft a message or leave the browser to dial a number.

Live chat should be easy to access on every page. Don’t make users go searching high and low for it or they could click away to a business that makes things a little simpler.

 

Working with Experts

Working with a seasoned SEO team is a great way to boost your website’s engagement. Our Orange County SEO agency has helped many businesses give customers a better, smoother browsing and buying experience.

Want to know more? Get in touch with us today.

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Local PPC Tips for Your Company

Local PPC Tips for Your Company

nettsolutions

Local PPC is a must for reaching customers when we all have smartphones, with research showing almost half of mobile searches are for local businesses.

And that makes sense. While we might have flipped through a phonebook for restaurants, tailors, plumbers or other service-providers within our local area in days gone by, today we can just ask Google to find them for us.

You can use this convenience and accessibility to your advantage, boosting your company’s visibility for nearby customers.

How? We’ve pulled together some key local PPC tips to help you get started.

 

Get Colloquial

One simple but solid way to attract local buyers is to speak in a language they recognize.

This doesn’t mean you need to pepper your PPC ads with slang you hear on the streets to try and seem cool, but dropping relevant references helps establish your business as part of the community.

For example, if you know consumers like calling your products by a specific term, feel free to adopt it in your content. Show you understand your audience and know how to communicate with them at their level.

 

Include Call Extensions for Direct Contact

Adding call extensions to your PPC ads empowers consumers with an easy way to interact with your brand.

Just by tapping a call button, a customer can book a table in your restaurant, schedule a haircut or plan anything else in a matter of seconds. It saves them having to search your website for your number and is far faster than using an online booking system.

 

Keep Your Google My Business Updated

Google My Business is a must-have element of your online marketing.

Make sure you take advantage of it. Add photos of your establishment, products and even staff or customers (provided they’re happy to be included). Show your business off with professional, clear images.

You can manage your company’s presence on Google Maps and in search results to keep all information updated. Using out-of-date images, contact details or even an incorrect location doesn’t just look amateurish — it means your customers can’t find you when they need to.

 

Avoid Targeting Irrelevant Locations

Exclude locations from your PPC campaign to avoid wasting money on customers outside your local areas. Obviously, if you ship your product around the country or world, you can still be marketing on a wider scale.

Otherwise, when you want to reach local buyers only, refine your target locations for a more cost-effective strategy.

 

Work with a Professional Team

Nett Solutions is an Orange County digital marketing agency committed to helping businesses of all sizes reach your goals.

We’ll work with you to create a bespoke PPC campaign targeting your local audience for maximum impact.

Want to learn more? Just get in touch with our friendly, hard-working team for your FREE marketing analysis!

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Making the Most of Ad Extensions for Better Marketing

Making the Most of Ad Extensions for Better Marketing

nettsolutions

You want to reach as many customers as you can. That’s an obvious element of any effective marketing campaign.

But are you doing everything in your power to achieve better results?

If you’re not using extensions in your PPC ads, the answer may be a resounding ‘no’.

Extensions are a simple but impactful way to increase ads’ appeal and reach a bigger audience. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what they are, how they work and how you need to take advantage of them for better results.

 

Expanding Your Ads’ Power

Ad extensions give you the chance to inject extra details into your ads beyond the headline and copy. Implementing multiple extensions increases your ads’ ability to stand out from others and encourage clicks.

Ad extensions reveal more about your business, your products / services, and your site too. Using the following types of ad extensions can make a big impact on your paid marketing:

 

Sitelinks

A sitelink is simple: it’s a link to a specific page on your website. You can use these to promote sales, popular products or special events.

For example, if you’re hosting a one-off webinar in the coming weeks, you can include a sitelink to the respective page inviting prospects to sign up for it. Obviously, this should be relevant to the ad and appear as an organic element rather than a forced promotion.

Location Extensions

Adding location extensions to your ads gives searchers clear details on how to find your business or the branch nearest to them.

These also show the company isn’t online-only and may prompt them to visit in person. Research supports this: 78 percent of local-mobile searches lead to offline sales.

Call extensions

A call extension is a direct way to communicate with your customers. You can include a phone number for your local or main base, reducing the time it takes for searchers to get in touch.

These are most effective on mobile ads as customers are already on their smartphones and in a position to call you. Call extensions are especially helpful if your business is targeting local buyers rather than a wider audience.

Review Extensions

Want to show prospects all the nice things people have said about you?

You can include third-party feedback / coverage in your ads using review extensions. These boost your company’s credibility and may help you secure searchers’ trust sooner than you might otherwise.

 

Creating a Bespoke Advertising Campaign for Your Business

Want to launch a tailored PPC campaign for your company?

Our Orange County digital marketing team leverages ad extensions and other effective techniques to maximize your ads’ impact. Get in touch now and we’ll give you a FREE marketing analysis!

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Yelp Advertising in Orange County

nettsolutions

We’re excited to announce that Nett Solutions is a Yelp Advertising Partner. We’re
now able to support and manage Yelp Ads campaigns for all of our clients – both large and
small.  We have special rates that we can pass on to you as well as reporting and management
tools!  Keep reading to find out why you should pay attention to your business’ Yelp pages and
where you can learn more about Yelp.
Why is Yelp Important?

  • Yelp is a transactional platform consumers visit when they’re looking to purchase
    from a local business.
  • In the U.S., Yelp had 94.3M unique visitors on desktop and mobile and is the 20th
    most-visited internet property for desktop and mobile combined.*
  • According to Nielsen, consumers rank Yelp as the #1 review site for finding local
    businesses and 79% of consumers make a purchase within a week after visiting
    Yelp.

What are Yelp Ads?

  • The Yelp Ads program is broken into two parts: Cost-per-click advertising and
    Enhanced Profiles.

    • Cost-per-click advertising is performance-based, so you pay when Yelp users
      click on your ad.
    • The Enhanced Profile upgrades your Yelp Business Page, so you’re able to
      add a call-to-action button, a photo slideshow, and more to your page.

Do Yelp Ads Work?

  • Yelp Ads work for businesses across categories – everything from realtors to auto
    dealers to plumbers, and more! Check out our local and national success stories.
  • You don’t need many reviews to see success from Yelp Ads.
    • Nearly half of Yelp Advertisers have fewer than 5 reviews when they sign
      up.**

We’re looking forward to discussing ways we can help your business use Yelp. Reach out to
us to learn more about how to get started with Yelp Ads.
*ComScore, March 2017
** Methodology Results from 29,836 Yelp Advertisers in the US. Analysis of customer leads was measured from the month
prior to advertising, to the 12th month of the advertising program.

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Good First Impression with Effective Ads

Good First Impression with Effective Ads

nettsolutions

Marketing your niche business isn’t easy. You might face less competition than bigger brands in popular sectors but you still have to actually make an impact to secure those all-important conversions.

That means marketing. Smart, effective, consistent marketing. And one of the most important options open to any niche business is social media.

Here are some must-know tips to get you started.

 

Identify Your Audience

You should have a clear grasp of who your target audience is before you start marketing on social media. If you don’t, you could waste a lot of time and money throwing ads out to people who just don’t care how great your niche goods are.

Take advantage of Facebook’s Lookalike Audience tool to narrow your marketing reach. Twitter’s Tailored Audience lets you turn engagement into valuable marketing opportunities too. Do your research: look into what’s available and how it helps.

 

Reach Out to Influencers for a Little Boost

Niche businesses can receive some much-needed help from influencers. They might not generate $500 million for you like Cristiano Ronaldo did for Nike, but it’s still a smart move.

Working with individuals who have a lot of followers likely to take an interest in your products or services is a popular social marketing tactic. See if you can scoop a recommendation or two, whether you need to pay them or offer freebies instead.

 

Encourage Facebook Reviews

Invite customers to create honest reviews on Facebook: star ratings and a few sentences about your products, services, customer care, prices etc. lend real credibility to your niche business.

The more reviews you get, the better your business will look. First-time buyers may find the encouragement they need to convert when they see multiple solid ratings.

Just be sure you resist the urge to create fake reviews yourself: assume your consumers are smart enough to know when something doesn’t ring true.

 

Be Smart: Limit Your Network Choice

Running your niche business probably means long days, keeping multiple plates spinning and just trying to stay on top of everything you need to do to stay in the black.

So, be careful to not spread yourself too thin when diving into social marketing. Trying to run accounts on as many social networks as you can might be too much too soon.

Instead, focus on making the most of just one or two. Do a little research to find out where your target audience tends to be most active and really engages with businesses.

 

Trust the Professionals to Help Drive Success

The next key point to bear in mind: don’t take on more than you can handle. You have enough of a challenge growing your niche business and securing a foothold in the market without trying to navigate the complexities of social marketing yourself.

Trust professional marketing experts to handle your social marketing instead. Our Orange County digital marketing agency has the tools, the talent and the experience to bring your niche business to a bigger audience.

Want to know more? Have questions about how we can up your digital marketing game? Just get in touch now!

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Must-Know Tips for Marketing Your Brand on Social Media

nettsolutions

 

Social networks are a fantastic place to find new customers and build brand visibility, though it’s not easy.

Why? While billions of people use social media regularly (Facebook alone has more than two billion members), there are thousands upon thousands of business competing for consumers’ attention on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc every day.

Marketing your business on social media can be a challenge, then, but there are ways to get ahead. Read on for our Orange County digital marketing agency’s must-know tips.

 

Be Consistent with your Branding

Make it easier for users to recognize your brand from one social network to another. Keep the same colors, avatars and logos across all your social accounts to maintain consistency.

If users check out your brand on a few different networks and each one’s different, they might be unsure how authentic they are.

 

Establish a Voice

Every business needs a consistent tone over all social channels. You have to speak to your audience in an appropriate way, based on their average age, lifestyle, purchasing preferences and other key determining factors.

This is easier when you know which demographic(s) you’re aiming for. Relating to followers in an authentic way will maximize engagement and help drive more traffic to your site too.

 

Stay Active

Users looking at your social accounts may wonder how legitimate your business is if your posts are sporadic. Keeping a regular posting routine is critical to keep your audience engaged and aware of your brand.

 

Build Relationships with Influencers

Connecting with an influencer on social media can help you gain more attention and attract followers you may not otherwise. Having a prominent figure with a loyal fan-base promote your products or services may give your posts more traction.

Users will take an influencer’s endorsement as an indicator of your brand’s reliability and credibility too.

 

Be Careful with Automated Messages

It’s fairly common for businesses to send new followers an automated message to thank them for their interest and forge a stronger connection. While this might seem like a good idea, it can actually appear quite lazy and impersonal if messages are clearly generic.

Personalize automated messages you send to followers as best you can, especially when it comes to responding to complaints or queries.

 

Mix your Visual Content Up

Images, videos, GIFs and infographics should all feature in your social posts. Don’t just rely on text.

A mixture of visual content keeps your social activity more interesting and engaging. Posts will stand out more from competing ones and be more likely to prompt users to share them.

Our Orange County digital marketing specialists will create the right social media marketing campaign for your business, tailoring your package to your specific goals and needs.

Want to know more about what we can do for your social media presence? Just get in touch for a free quote now!

 

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How Can You Write Amazing Content for Your Website?

nettsolutions

 

Creating great content for your website is fundamental in any successful SEO campaign.

Of course, when we say ‘content’, that incorporates images, videos, slides, audio and text. But in this post, we’re going to focus on writing quality copy with the power to help boost your website’s performance.

Producing engaging, valuable copy isn’t easy, but there are a few things you can do to get on the right track.

 

Read Up on Your Competitors

What are other businesses in your sector doing with their content?

Are they publishing blog posts on a daily basis? Do they distribute press releases at regular intervals, keeping the world up to date on their latest news? How about their landing pages?

Take time to explore their websites and identify what they’re doing well. But don’t forget to take note of any mistakes or oversights you spot. This is a great way to understand what you need to do to get an edge.

 

Focus on Value

Don’t just create content as a flimsy excuse to pack keywords onto your pages. Not only will readers recognize your shameless attempt to manipulate search engines, but said engines themselves will know exactly what you’re doing too.

Write content people actually want to read and share with others. Take advantage of your own or your employees’ knowledge to share insights into topics relevant to your business.

Long-form content has its place too, with first-page results on Google having an average content length of over 1,800 words.

 

Know Who You’re Writing For

Have a clear idea of your target reader in mind. Consider creating personas representing different segments of your audience, and determine what type of content they prefer to read.

Keep this in mind when writing content. Know who you’re targeting with each piece and gather feedback to determine how successful it is. This can give you valuable ideas for future content, making it more engaging and effective.

 

Leave it to Professionals

It should go without saying that the quality of your content has to be of a high standard.

Trying to write your own content can be risky, especially if you lack the skills to do it well. Trusting professionals to handle your content instead is the smartest option.

They’ll know how to write engaging copy, insert keywords organically and structure pieces to aid readability.

 

At Nett Solutions, our Orange County digital marketing team is committed to helping you achieve stronger rankings through an effective SEO campaign. We’ll make sure your content is high quality and suited to your target audience.

Want to know more about how we can help? Just get in touch!

 

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