Tag Archives: tips and tricks

Google In-Depth Articles Goes Live

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Hosting

The post Google In-Depth Articles Goes Live appeared first on HostGator Web Hosting Blog | Gator Crossing . It’s never a bad idea to play nicely with Google’s search standards. Frankly, doing so can lead to real, tangible benefits, including, now, having in-depth articles featured on the world’s most ubiquitous search engine. Despite the cheap tie-in with Google+, the search engine’s new results offer a real opportunity to establish your authority, should you choose to play by the rules.   What Are “In-Depth” Articles? In-depth articles are a new format of search result that feature an article title, thumbnail pulled from the piece, logo of the host website, and snippet of the content being presented. But those are just the specifics. On a deeper level, in-depth articles represent a new effort to accommodate the more robust search needs of complex topics, queries of such nature reportedly comprising as much as  10% of daily search traffic . If you are a large website, in-depth results present an opportunity to further your reach. If you are a small website, in-depth results present a chance to gain recognition for your knowledge. In either case, catering to the requirements of Google’s new search result can offer a boost to both traffic and reputation.   How to Be Included The first requirement is utilization of Schema.org’s  article markup  syntax. By delineating meta-data within an article, Google’s search index can better identify the necessary components of your work when constructing the in-depth article result. This step may create some headaches, but implementing schema as a standard practice will ultimately make your site more responsive to future search developments as it establishes itself as an industry standard. Next comes the obligatory Google+ tie-in. Despite a user-base dwarfed by Facebook and Twitter, Google’s platform is pulling out the big guns to ensure relevance and in-depth articles are not exempt to this. By signing up for  authorship through Google+ , their platform will provide additional analytics regarding how your content appears in search results. Accordingly, in-depth results will use this data to help identify your profile as a source of authority. Formatting is the next concern, particularly for multi-page articles. In this case,  usage of rel=”next” and rel=”prev”  will help clarify the relationship of paginated articles to Google’s search index. The association is not obligatory, but any measures that can clarify presentation of content in search results is worth a few moments of your time. In addition, close care should be paid to  rel=canonical declarations  for the sake of clarity. The last component, appearance of your site’s logo, is handled through schema markup language as well. This step deserves a measure of priority since the brand association that can be established through in-depth articles is worth the time spent coding. Your site’s logo can be specified using the information  found here .   Schema Explained Due to the heavy utilization of Schema in the implementation of these articles, the uninitiated would do well to familiarize themselves with the language. Before implementation on the Internet, Schema was used as a database tool that made indexing and retrieval of so-called “micro-data” a less arduous task, alleviating the need for algorithms that depend on standardized structure to extract such information. By explicitly declaring authors, responsible agencies, and publication dates, those wishing to see their work included in the new search context will have greater control of its display. The specific category of schema in use, Article markup, provides sufficient tagging options for even the most scrupulous of organizations. From the basics, including author, copyright year, and citation, to the more nuanced, including audience, URLs of relevant discussion, and keywords, implementation of the robust markup language presents a bevy options for control, searchability, and display of authoritative works. In a sea of information, this control is an irreplaceable asset. For more ambitious and diverse sites, Schema’s implementation provides additional benefits. Attributes of people, organizations, products, books, movies, and others can be specified, taking the guesswork out of search indexing. For this reason, ubiquitous use of the code affords a level of “window-dressing” that plays a key part in hooking visitors perusing search results. Thankfully, Google provides a markup helper and data testing tool to guide newer users along the way. And that, as they say, is that. Positioning your website as a source of authority through in-depth articles can establish your authority. With a little coding and maintenance, Google’s rules have given organizations and outlets large and small an opportunity to answer the deeper questions of the Internet. Take advantage of this new advent of “in-depth” articles and let your customers and your readers know that you’ve got something important to say. Check out the fast shared web hosting by HostGator.com Continue reading →

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The Future of Content Marketing: Trends and Predictions for 2014

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Hosting

The post The Future of Content Marketing: Trends and Predictions for 2014 appeared first on HostGator Web Hosting Blog | Gator Crossing . Business has never been about “keeping up”. If you intend to simply pace the pack, then you are in for a rocky 2014. Innovation never rests and content marketing is home to a great deal of innovation as businesses discover its ROI and long-term potential for audience engagement and sales conversion. The question on everybody’s mind as the year draws to a close is, “what’s next?” The simple answer: more. But how much more? More of what? How will consumers respond to more? These are all questions receiving a great deal of analysis by industry leaders and professionals. Through their insights and some knowledge of our own, 2014 can be the year where your business sees the value of content marketing.   More Content marketing shows no signs of slowing down. According to a recent study, as many as  27 million pieces of content are shared every day. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to determine that this is a pie worth grabbing a piece of. But the equation is not as simple as doubling the number of Instagram pictures your company produces. Savvy consumers are looking for more rewarding content that enriches their lives. The axiom “quality over quantity” remains just that, an axiom. As a bevy of content marketing pieces flood available distribution channels, separating yourself from the background noise with high-quality, engaging content is paramount. Regardless of your marketing strategy, engagement metrics, and ROI, failing to recognize the importance of quality content in the New Year will be met with disappointing, though expected, results. The issue with this, of course, is that quality is  not something that is capable of measure . The intangible characteristic can be frustrating for data-driven businesses, but hiring quality writers should be your guidepost. You run a business with aplomb and they carry that same acumen to their respective arena, so trust their instincts and skill.   Substance While “quality” itself is intangible, the range of topics emphasized by your business is not only understandable, but also malleable. Whether you are a B2B or B2C organization,  data has shown  that current trends in content topics are not cutting it anymore. B2B blogs are guilty of proffering generic industry profiles and parroting industry trends, while B2C organizations are on the hook for pandering based on engagement metrics instead of value. Luckily, either case has a straight-forward solution. For businesses, utilize case studies that examine the sources of success that propelled industry leaders to their lofty position. In addition, hold live, area events that focus on the consumer instead of the characteristics of your business. Customers are less interested in what makes you tick than they are in what insights you have to give from your position of authority. For B2C companies, focus on value. If a customer cannot identify what they stand to gain by reading your publication or viewing your video, then you have fallen short. Consumers are inundated with media. Viral videos, news reports, texts, phone calls, and music barrage eyeballs on a constant basis. This scarcity of time should play a part when you shape your content topics. An article can be deemed “useless” before the first word is read, and this would constitute an unfortunate loss of opportunity and a sometimes costly waste of time.   Technically Speaking Content receives the bulk of emphasis here due to its importance. However, the method of distribution of such content is as important as ever. Furthermore, understanding the changing trends in distribution can help once again differentiate your marketing from the chaff that fills Facebook feeds every day. Most importantly, businesses will need to determine how to track their ROI on content marketing response in the year 2014. Research has shown that as little as  25% of marketers  actually measure this key metric on their efforts, effectively blurring the line between discussion and noise. The actual return on Facebook likes, shares, and comments will be an area of intense development in 2014, and businesses that adopt this technology will see dividends as a result. Beyond tracking the return on marketing efforts through analytics, businesses will need to understand the changing distribution platforms of the New Year. Until recently, businesses placed emphasis on “destination” sites; central hubs of interesting content that could deliver value and engage customers. However, this method puts a lot of eggs in one basket. The new model? Integrated, distributed content  across earned, owned, and paid properties . Developing marketing efforts across all of these avenues will see better results than the consolidated approach largely due to the distributed nature of our digital lives. This distribution does not lie simply in the formats through which we consume our content, it also resides in the platforms we use for access. According to data, mobile web will overtake desktop traffic in  only two years time . This involves changing screen resolutions, readability, and access that necessitate creating content that spans all platforms gracefully. In all content, consider how the page, material, and layout will be viewed across myriad platforms and utilize practices that bridge the gaps. By emphasizing quality over quantity, basing content ideas on customer needs, and exercising the appropriate technical practices for seamless distribution, your company can see improved sales, engagement, and customer relationships in the New Year. Content marketing has become an inarguably powerful medium, and failing to utilize it to its full potential would be an exercise in corporate seppuku . Fortunately, a little knowledge, created and used, can go a long way in 2014. Check out the fast shared web hosting by HostGator.com Continue reading →

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Four Mistakes To Avoid Making When Writing Blog Posts For Your Business

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Hosting

The post Four Mistakes To Avoid Making When Writing Blog Posts For Your Business appeared first on HostGator Web Hosting Blog | Gator Crossing . As the year comes to an end and 2014 approaches, many business owners are taking the time to reevaluate their marketing budgets and overall strategies. Although a lot of changes have occurred over the past year in terms of SEO, social media sites, and online consumer behavior, there’s one thing that has remained constant: businesses and brands have continued to benefit from their blogging efforts. According to recent research , 61% of U.S. online consumers have made a purchase based on recommendations from a blog. In addition, 81% of companies consider their blogs “useful,” “important,” or “critical”. As you prepare for the New Year, you might be asking yourself the following: “what is it that makes or breaks blog posts for business, and how can we improve in 2014?” In the following post, we’re outlining four common mistakes many businesses make on their blogs in an effort to help you get the most out of your blog posts now and into next year.   Mistake #1: Too Much Promotional Copy Online consumers don’t like spam. They don’t like receiving emails they consider to be “spammy” or promotional. Over time they’ve become very good at recognizing the difference between authentic, valuable content, and lazy, promotional content aimed at convincing them to “buy now!” Online consumers feel the same way about blog posts from businesses and brands. They have come to expect that if they take time out of their valuable schedule to read through an article from a business or brand, they better feel like it delivered some sort of value to them by the end. Not recognizing the importance of providing genuine, helpful information to blog readers is a mistake that most companies make online. If you’re interested in improving readership on your blog, traffic to your website , and overall online sales, you should take time during the last few weeks to review the last ten blog posts on your site to determine whether you’ve been providing actual value to readers, or just trying to convert them into customers. If you feel your content has been too promotional, put a plan in place to develop better content for your blog in 2014. If you need topic ideas, ask your customers, prospects, social media followers, and employees. Work to come up with a list of twenty FAQ’s your customers typically ask. Once you have your list, start working on creating blog posts that address each question individually.   Mistake #2: Not Breaking Up Content Another big mistake many businesses and brands make when creating posts for their blogs has to do with the way they organize the information they decide to include. Online readers typically move quickly from one place to another online. They don’t enjoy having to spend extra time trying to figure out where the “meat” or value of a blog post is. For this reason, it’s incredibly important that you take the time to break up your content. Doing so will make your blog post a lot more digestible for readers, which can result in them actually staying on your website longer than they would have otherwise. You can break up the content of your blog post by: Using headings and subheading Including bulleted or numbered lists Converting some of your content into a visual graphic Including photos and videos in between and around chunks of text Including enticing call-to-action buttons or messaging Including breakout quotes that draw readers in   If your last few blog posts have included long paragraphs, little or no images, and no headings, it’s time to start being more intentional about how you organize and present the content you wish to share with your readers.   Mistake #3: Not Enhancing Content With Other Types of Media According to a recent study , 40% of people will respond better to visual information than plain text. Another big mistake many businesses and brands make when it comes to blogging is that they tend to include little to no visual content in their posts. When it comes down to it, if you feel that you are presenting and sharing the best information available on your blog as it relates to your industry, but just aren’t seeing the traffic or conversion numbers you’d like to be seeing, it might be because your posts aren’t very fun to read. In addition to great written content, your readers also expect you to provide additional value in the form of videos, photos, graphics, slideshows, audio, and more. If you find that your last few blog posts are packed full with long paragraphs of text, consider going back and adding other types of media to a few of them that can further enhance your content and strengthen the point you were trying to make. Then make a commitment to always include additional types of media in all blog posts going forward.   Mistake #4: Not Thinking About The Purpose or Goal of The Blog Post If you’re not thinking at all about the purpose or goal of the blog posts you create and share, you probably aren’t reaching the amount of readers and potential customers that you could be reaching. It’s not enough to simply post regular content on your blog. As a business owner or marketing professional, you need to take the time to develop and share original, valuable content with your readers, clients, and prospective customers. The only way to do so is to constantly be thinking about what the purpose of your blog post is, and what your goals are. For example, is the purpose of the post to leverage your company as an industry influencer? Or is the goal to get people to visit one of your product pages? In order to think more strategically in this way, you need to get your team involved. In the last few weeks of 2013, consider holding a meeting in which you and your team discuss the purpose and goals of future blog topics. Having an open discussion like this can help you improve the quality of your blog posts in 2014. What other common mistakes do you see businesses making on their blogs? Leave a comment for us below! Check out the fast shared web hosting by HostGator.com Continue reading →

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Five Steps To Building Your Dream Website

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Hosting

The post Five Steps To Building Your Dream Website appeared first on HostGator Web Hosting Blog | Gator Crossing . There once was a time when only the IT elite had their own websites. Now? Mittens the cat has a webpage with 70,000 unique viewers per month. This is not, however, without good reason. Websites afford the opportunity to make your name, your product, and your words as accessible as humanly possible. Combined with the powerful Internet search indexes that fuel Google and Yahoo, potential customers are now just a quick search query away from discovering your quality wares. But the process is not as simple as choosing the right font and page background. A number of factors contribute to making your website the best it can possibly be.   1. Know Your Budget Building a website begins, and ends, with the least fun step: budgeting. Web hosting , premium features, and additional bandwidth can come sometimes at a premium, so knowing what you are willing to spend to make your website great is the first step. Consider what you can reasonably spend on a website, what you need, and, just as importantly, what you do not need. Building a great website is not about the biggest and best, but what is most appropriate for your company. As obvious as it may sound, it bares articulating that larger websites with more ambitious goals require a much greater budget. Facebook, for example, spends more than the annual revenue of most companies on server capacity to keep its service running at full speed. More modest sites, however, may only need a $10/month subscription fee for storage of product images and the necessary dues for server load from incoming viewers.   2. Make Your Wish List One could argue that this is the first step in the process. When building your website, it’s important to determine what you want to include on your website, and how you want it to function. Are you a small business? Perhaps contact information and inquiry forms are enough. Selling a wide selection of products on your site? An organized tree of product pages, up-to-date pictures, and pricing information will be your priority. Know your market and tailor your wish list to their needs. Your website should do no more, nor any less than what the customer needs to quickly and painlessly find the information they seek and complete the transaction with your business. Avoid popular traps like social media feeds and cluttered backgrounds. Features like this may seem cool in the lab, but deploying them in the real world for online visitors with short attention spans and a penchant for distraction can prove detrimental.   3. Design Your Website This step may only occupy one slot on this list, but the process is important enough to merit three. Good web design is essential to a painless user experience and there exists copious information to guide you in your efforts.  Hack Design , for example, possesses expert-curated articles about design on all sorts of topics that can help make the experience a little less daunting. Another method is to take note of attractive websites and mirror their good practices. Based on your response to step 1, professional web design may be worth the money. The fact is that good design has demonstrable potential in improving your bottom line. Good design practices affect not only the shopping experience, but also the mood of visitors. Since the steep price premium of good design is not accessible to all businesses, consider your priorities and your budget and evaluate whether or not professional web design is a viable and useful option for you. Do not step away from the web design canvas without considering how your website appears in search engine indexes. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a realm of study with volumes of research to its name but knowing a few basics can make a big difference. Focus on keywords that best describe your business and brand and consider gleaning further insight once the site goes live from services like  Google Analytics .   4. Choose a Great Domain Name As our knowledge of how the characteristics of web pages affect consumers changes, so too do our practices. It once was thought that a domain name was simply a sign; that “Bob’s Towing” would suffice. However, it is now understood that a web domain performs multiple tasks when viewed by online visitors, including setting expectations, improving accessibility, and building a brand. It is important to keep in mind that most good domain names are, for better-or-worse, owned. As a result, domain name companies are making a mint from charging a premium for good domain names. Despite this, purchasing a well-crafted and impactful domain name is worth the money. Your domain is your storefront on search engines and, just like a physical storefront, a fresh coat of paint will pay for itself many times over.   5. Keep it Updated Once the site of your dreams is set up, plan on performing routine maintenance to keep it ”the site of your dreams”. Consider any time you’ve shopped at a site with outdated information, pricing, or item descriptions. Were you happy? What did this do for your trust in the organization? Did you complete your transaction and, if you did, did you come back to the cobweb riddled vendor? Consumer trust is greatly influenced by the integrity of your new digital storefront. Run a regular spot-check and update/delete old information. Check pricing and keep it updated, removing old products that are no longer offered. Keep contact information current to avoid any lost emails or missed connections, and occasionally update your website. Brand image must be reflected by your website and no one wants to shop at an establishment where the storekeeper has left the shelves un-dusted. Congratulations! You’ve officially built your dream website, minus the work to get there. Creating your digital hub is all about evaluating your needs and designing its functionality around those needs. Be prepared to invest both time and money in the project and when it’s finished, step back and bask in the satisfaction of a job well done. Check out the fast shared web hosting by HostGator.com Continue reading →

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5 Ways to Launch an Effective Holiday Marketing Campaign

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Hosting

The post 5 Ways to Launch an Effective Holiday Marketing Campaign appeared first on HostGator Web Hosting Blog | Gator Crossing . For marketers, the holiday season truly can be “ the most wonderful time of the year “. However, without a sound strategy , the holiday can offer as little to businesses as it does to sandal-makers. And considering the very specific nature of the holidays, a little knowledge can go a long way. So what is it that makes the holidays tick? How can you as a marketer successfully market your product to consumers? Before even putting pen to paper, know that your strategy, your goals, your channels for engagement, and your tone will ultimately determine your potential for success.   1. Know Your Goal At the risk of traipsing into philosophical territory, what is your reason for the season? Before doling out cash for advertising and social media resources, consider what it is your businesses would like to achieve during the holiday season. Is increased sales your top priority? Is customer engagement the focus? Do you simply wish to associate your brand image with the good-will and holiday cheer of the winter months? In any instance, know what your goal is and stick to it. Base your goals around what would most benefit your organization. If your company delves into consumer goods, figure out how you can make lives easier during the busy and often hassle-filled holiday season. Financial planning? Engage your customers by associating your company with financial prudence and peace of mind in what are frequently fiscally tumultuous times. Tailor your content around the needs of your customers for the holidays and make your mark in the process.   2. Focus Your Efforts The holidays present myriad opportunities for marketing themes and targeted campaigns. Aside from the occurrence of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years, the commercial “holidays” of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday transpire through the season as well. Each instance presents its own distinct themes and opportunities for ambitious businesses, but losing focus can be a detriment. Avoid spreading your resources and your image too thin. Focus on one event and tailor your efforts to it. Consider what characteristics your organization wishes to espouse and build association with the event that most clearly promotes them. Consider the circumstances of the event, be they travel, family gatherings, shopping, or general celebration and tap into those when building your campaign.   3. Harness the Internet Even for small businesses, the Internet presents a powerful channel for customer engagement and dispersal of marketing materials, especially at a time when  large swaths of the population are traveling . Social media’s ubiquity presents a chance to market to customers checking in with friends or browsing family photos. Email and advertising provide the opportunity to offer holiday-themed deals for budget conscious shoppers. Build your media strategy around the unique circumstances of the season. Craft content for social networking including photos that are not only easily digested by busy consumers, but can quickly build a brand association that will drive sales during a commercial watershed. Email coupons to those on your mailing list and offer online deals for last-minute shoppers. In all things, consider the circumstances of the holidays and figure out how to best engage busy, mobile, and enthusiastic consumers.   4. Deck The Halls With the visual and social identity of most holidays well established, your job as a marketer is to tie your company in with those virtues. Engage customers on this basis by including holiday themed content that promotes sharing, like eCards or photos of cozy settings. Focus on permeating the market by highlighting how your customers identify with and benefit from your products around this specific time of year. Even commercial holidays can receive the same thematic treatment. Do you run a small business? Tap into the spirit of entrepreneurship for Small Business Saturday. An online retailer? Highlight the convenience and wide selection of your shop by tailoring your content and offers toward Cyber Monday. Each holiday event presents an opportunity to effectively market to the good-will and frugality of festive shoppers.   5. Be Delightful Regardless of the specific religious observation (or lack thereof) of holiday consumers, the winter season is about cheer. Families travel for joyful gatherings, happiness is a pervasive theme in all endeavors, and warmth and cheer seek to shut the door on cold winds and hazardous drives. Knowing that this sentiment represents the cultural milieu of consumers can make hay in the snowy months. Consider how your campaign inspires these same feelings. Focus on the happiness of the season and delight customers with a helping hand by any means necessary. Offer deep discounts, concierge services, loyalty bonuses, and customized thank-yous for holiday shoppers and spread some cheer of your own. Give generously of your holiday spirit, and be assured that that generosity will improve your image, your brand, and your sales. With a little knowledge, the holiday season presents a real opportunity for success. Consider what your company’s priorities are during the holidays and focus your efforts around the event that best espouses the virtues of your brand. Capitalize on the ubiquity and affordability of the Internet and theme your materials and your message around your event of choice. But above all else, be delightful and tap into the cheerful nature of the winter season. With a little care and attention, you too can have a very happy holidays indeed. Check out the fast shared web hosting by HostGator.com Continue reading →

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