Month: November 2013

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Google AdWords New Extensions Beta and Otherwise

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McCord Web Services is a Google Partner.

Google AdWords has rolled out over this past year some interesting new extensions, some are now in all accounts, others just being rolled out, and some only allowed for select users.

Here are a few that I have seen, have tested, and know about:

1. Similar Audiences for Remarketing
I have used this in several client accounts and have to say that I am not pleased with the results. Although the concept sounds good – show your remarketing Display Network ads to others who have similar like and history profiles, I did not feel the results were valuable. What I like about remarketing is that the user has visited the client’s website and so has some knowledge of the client and their services. Not so with similar audiences. Expect clicks and impressions, but I did not see conversions.

2. Sign Up for Offer Extensions
This is a pretty good one. If you have a specials list, an e-newsletter, you can get your Google Rep to add you to this beta. Sorry, if you don’t have a Google Rep, you cannot get in on this action. When enabled, a box appears below your add with text like “Sign Up for Promos”. The users ads their email address and Google emails you their information so you can manually add them to your e-newsletter list. I’ve had clients get great results with this.

3. Review Extension
I have two clients that got rated in the top 100 for services by US News and World Reports, using the new Review Extension, which by the way has been rolled out to all accounts this past year, you can now see more information under their ads plus a blurb from US News and World Report below their ad giving them huge credibility over their competition. There are rules for use on this extension – must be a third party, must have a link to show the rating, etc. but it can be hugely valuable for your AdWords clients.

4. Search Now Extension
This is a beta test extension, and you’ll need your Google Account rep to vet and set this one up. Great for e-commerce stores, sites with lots of products and information, and large websites, the search box appears below your ad allowing the user to find more information or products right from the Google.com screen.

5. New Image Extension
This is also a beta test extension. Again you’ll need to be vetted by your Google Rep in order to use this one. This extension spiders your website and provides images from your own content to be shown. Right now it appears to be mainly for travel sites. I am not sure that Google will allow use for e-commerce stores as this would compete with the new Google Shopping campaigns.

If you want to know more about how McCord Web Services can help you with your Google AdWords account, I invite you to visit our website for transparent information about our pricing and services.

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The Shift in the Google SERPs to Value Legitimacy

Businesswoman Crossing the Finish Line Ahead of Businessmen
Win the SEO race with a unique authoritative voice in your content.

Legitimacy is what the new Google algorithm Hummingbird is all about. Legitimacy of who you are, the authority of your voice, and the legitimate value of your blog and website content. Your legitimacy is verified by Google through co-citation (mention on other website without even links), mention and links in social media, and activity and engagement with your content in Google+ and Google.com.

That’s the new world of SEO for Google in a quick synopsis. This legitimacy of voice and authority cannot be created by scheming, spamming, or spewing content. When you really evaluate what Google is valuing and placing highly in the organic search results with the new Hummingbird algorithm, it is all about relevancy to a user’s search query and providing an answer to a long tail question or implied request. Google understands what the user wants to see based on their own unique search history and history of time, place, and engagement activity.

So how can you leverage your own business/website in this new world of Google? I say it in one word – Content. If you have quality content, that provides value to readers, answers questions, helps a reader to further understand a topic in your niche, and that content is shared by others, you will be rewarded with a higher search position as you improve your own relevancy.

The beauty of this new Google algorithm is that anyone can do it. You don’t need to buy links, hire an SEO firm to spin content or list you at directories you’ve never heard of, you just need to focus on being unique, transparent, and provide information of value.

If you need help moving your website forward with this type of focus, we may be a good match for your need. I invite you to find out more by visiting our website for more information on what we do.

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What’s Google Got in Store for 2014? Part Three

Screen shot showing location specificity and map on the right.
Screen shot showing location specificity and map on the right.

This post is the last in the series of three this week. Here are some of the things Google is testing that appear to be in store for rollout in 2014 both on mobile and desktop. Make sure to read this excellent article by by Dr. Peter Myers for the Moz Blog in an article titled “Future SERP: a Glimpse at Google 2014“. This is a must read for all website owners.

6. Utilization of personalized search and information from your Google+ activity. We’ve been seeing this for almost a year now, but take a look at the image at the top of the page to see how far Google has come on personalized search results and the final layout. With maps and links as well as references to the number of followers from your Google+ page, Google is integrating Google+ Local and your Google+ personal information; delivering content that is truly customized to your past search history and is predictive based on what you have searched for previously based on a deeper understanding of your search query. The key here is relevancy.

This focus on relevancy is the keyword for 2014 in regards to all changes Google is testing and making. By making their search results and ad results more relevant, you will continue to preferentially search on your smartphone and other devices using Google properties.

One of the key takeaways on this is now to review your own website content. Are you addressing relevancy and helping customers to understand you and what you do? Is your entire internet focus on creating authority and relevancy for the customer plus feeding Google the information to classify you and your content appropriately? Are you monitoring your website bounce rate to help Google rate your customer engagement by striving for a low bounce rate as Google will evaluate this to determine your relevancy to search queries?

If you need a consultant to assist you with a strategic plan to review and then update your online presence, I invite you to visit our website to find out how we can help you position yourself for 2014.

 

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What’s Google Got In Store for 2014? Part Two

Screen shot showing new black review bar
Screen shot showing new black review bar

Continuing our post from Monday, here are some of the things Google is testing that appear to be in store for rollout in 2014 both on mobile and desktop. Make sure to read this excellent article by by Dr. Peter Myers for the Moz Blog in an article titled “Future SERP: a Glimpse at Google 2014“. This is a must read for all website owners.

4. Boxed design with expanded information for the top search result in the organic listings. Google is actively testing these results now.  See the image above, this was taken when I did a recent search for Sushi Bar Chicago. Although I did not see the box design as noted in the article, what I did see was a new black bar across the top with reviews from Google+ Local pages and Zagut (Google’s new review property) plus a large map on the right with points detailed in the search results. The black bar is an eye grabber. This is just another of the new layouts Google is testing that is not even mentioned in the article.

5. Google Now Cards. If you use search on your smartphone, you’ve already seen the Google cards. This is a button/boxed shaped section with personalized information that appears when you open Google mobile to do a search. You can customize these cards and Google also delivers location specific information in these spots based on your actual location. If you are using an Android phone, you’ve also seen that even if you turn WiFi off, Google is turning it back on to know your location at all times to deliver location related content.

Check back on Friday to see the last in this series of what to expect on Google in 2014.