by admin | Jan 16, 2020 | Baltimore SEO, Digital Marketing, Local SEO
Optimizing Content to Improve Google rank
Snippets aren’t anything new. In fact, Google started utilizing the snippet answer boxes (also known as position zero) way back in 2014. While the snippet is old news, SEO strategists are still scrambling to try to determine how to achieve this ranking that scores above even the paid advertisers.
Much has been written about how to get your website’s content to appear as a snippet in Google. We’ve perused the experts’ observations and came up with this list. Here are some snippet-strategies you may want to try to achieve that coveted zero position.
How to optimize your content to appear as a snippet.
1. Cinderellas don’t get Snippets.
Sorry to break this to you, but your website that currently can be found on page eight of a Google search will not be visited by a Fairy Godmother and immediately find itself as Snippet worthy. That’s not how it works.
Snippets usually are pulled from websites that are in one of the top five organic positions. This means you have to have a lot of high-quality content that readers enjoy before finding yourself dancing with a prince.
This high-quality content should come with authority. It should include external and internal links.
2. Answer a question.
For a long time, SEO strategists have advised businesses that the way people search for content will change. The strategists were right, as users are utilizing voice search more than ever before. They are also asking questions instead of looking for content with a statement.
Stay focused on answering the question throughout the whole piece. The question and answer should appear in the introduction, H1 headings, and the conclusion.
3. Answer related questions as well.
In an attempt to improve your organic ranking, answer related questions as well. Get ideas by looking at the “People Also Ask” box. Your website is more likely to be pulled if you are an authority on the subject. The way you can become an authority is by answering all the related questions clearly and concisely.
For other related questions, also look at Yahoo Answers and Quora. Quora’s “related questions” are often long lists and can give you insight into what kind of information is being sought after by users.
4. Write concise answers.
We know that you have heard that your blog posts should be between 750 and 1,250 words, and that is still accurate. But when answering a question, you need to write clear, concise answers. Don’t back into your answer with a lot of explanatory material. Lead with the good stuff.
Your snippet may be pulled from a longer article. You can write more explanatory and background information, but sum up your article with a list or table.
5. Experiment with different formats.
Sometimes Google pulls tables for their snippets. Other times it pulls lists or paragraphs. Experiment with bullet points or numbers. Play with a few Google searches to see what format is pulled most often in your industry.
Paragraph snippets are often pulled when a person asks “how to do/get,” “who is,” “why is,” or “what is” questions. Often an image is also pulled.
Numbered lists are often pulled when the user is asking for a step by step guide. Examples of this type of snippet may be “steps on how to install a faucet.”
Bulleted lists are pulled for list posts. These snippets are often “top 10” lists or “best of” lists. An example of this would be the top 10 National Parks to visit during July.
Finally, tables are pulled for structured data. Examples of this may be comparing online real estate schools by cost and other features.
As a side note, YouTube videos are often pulled as snippets now as well. If you aren’t using video in your strategy, now is the time to make that change.
6. Experiment with the type of questions you answer.
Instead of just answering “what is” questions, consider answering “how-to” questions as well. People ask the same question differently. Do keyword checks and consult with Google and Quora for other ideas of questions you may want to answer.
If you are still struggling with improving your Google rank, consider hiring an SEO strategist to help. These strategists will look at your website content and first try to determine how to increase your rank. Once that objective is achieved, he or she will then help you create content to make that elusive snippet status.
The health of your business may be determined by where you rank in a Google search. Don’t ignore your company’s web presence.
This article was originally posted at Virtual Surge.
by admin | Oct 25, 2019 | Baltimore SEO, Digital Marketing
How Does Machine Learning Relate to SEO
As an SEO strategist, your job is to stay one step ahead of Google. If you’ve been in this industry for a while, you know how challenging this can be. You have learned to count characters, write useful meta descriptions, and link like a boss. Perhaps you are starting to feel comfortable with your job, and you offer advice to your clients.
Unfortunately, this is not the type of industry where you can sit back, relax, and go on autopilot. An effective SEO strategist must constantly re-tool. The next topic you need to research is machine learning and how it relates to SEO.
Machine learning is the use of computers that haven’t explicitly been programed to complete a function. In other words, machine learning is related to artificial intelligence. Without becoming bogged down with the reasoning, Google is becoming more sophisticated in ranking websites. User satisfaction is now more critical than ever before, and that means offering quality content is king.
What does this mean for you and your client? Here are some tips to help you maneuver through this next phase.
Write clear meta descriptions, titles, headings, and subheadings.
When you are writing titles, headings, and subheadings, it’s not the time to be cute or coy. Google is not sophisticated enough yet to pick up on subtleties or innuendos.
Your headers are the first thing that the Google machine will look at to try to determine the content of your website. In fact, you may want to take it one step further and . . .
Write your titles, headings, and subheadings using popular search terms.
Instead of burying your keywords and phrases within the text, include them in your titles, headings, and subheadings. Write some of your headings in a question format similar to what the user would ask Siri.
In fact, you may want to take this tip one step further by . . .
Answer the questions in your heading clearly and concisely.
Don’t beat around the bush. If you use a question for the heading of your article, answer the questions quickly and concisely. The goal is not only to appear on the top page of a Google search. You want your content to appear in the Snippet that appears even before the search results. The only way to get that coveted position is to provide clear, correct answers to a question.
Write for a reader and not a machine.
We know that this advice sounds counter-intuitive. We tell you that Google is utilizing machine learning, but we also advise you not to write with that in mind.
Google knows when readers are engaged, entertained, or informed. The search engine knows this because readers spend a great deal of time on those websites, and they click on links within it. The sites that receive the most interaction are those written with conversational speech and are the easiest to read.
Keep your sentences concise and your paragraphs short. Even if you are dealing with complicated material with many layers, present the information in an easy-to-read format. Use bulleted lists.
Keep your websites current.
The Google machine will be able to tell if a website is dormant. Some SEO experts recommend adding a post or page to your company’s website every week. Other experts say it doesn’t have to be as often if people are interacting with your site. Whatever you do, don’t spend a lot of time and money building a beautiful website only to ignore it.
Look at successful examples.
Look at the websites that populate the top of the results page in your industry. Look at the headings and subheadings. Do the subtitles ask questions? Does the text clearly and concisely answer those questions?
Then look closely at the content. How many words are in each line of a chart? How many words are in each sentence? How many sentences are there in each paragraph?
Look for signs of how often content is updated.
Once you have analyzed the highest-ranking websites, mimic them. Of course, don’t steal their content, but mimic how they present their information.
Pay attention to the experts.
If you are an SEO strategist, or you are in charge of your company’s website, it’s up to you to stay in the know. Sign up to receive email notifications when Virtual Surge releases new advice. Read the blogs of other SEO experts in the industry.
Stay current in your industry. Your business and your clients are depending upon you.
This article was originally posted at Virtual Surge Marketing!
by admin | Aug 15, 2019 | Baltimore SEO, Digital Marketing
How to Rank at Position Zero
As SEO writers, we are always looking for ways to improve our clients’ Google rankings. That’s our sole job, isn’t it?
The tricky part of our industry is that as soon as we think we have a proven strategy to move our clients’ websites to page one, Google changes the way they play the game.
What is Snippet?
Several years ago, Google introduced Featured Snippets. Also called Position Zero, this box appears at the top of a search engine results page (SERP). Unlike the “answer box” that does not contain a source link, the Snippet is a bit of information that answers the user’s question, often in list form.
To find an example of a Snippet, ask Siri a “what” question, such as “What is the difference between a real estate agent and a broker?” At the top of your SERP, you will see a box that has the answer to the question. The Snippet is also accompanied by a graphic from the same page as well as the link to the website.
Why is a Snippet a big deal?
Every business wants that coveted Position Zero because it appears even above the paid ads. Studies have shown that the click-through rate (CTR) increased when a website moved from the first position to Position Zero. In fact, the CTR increased by more than 114%.
Another benefit of receiving the Snippet spot is that the Position Zero page is usually repeated somewhere else on page one of the SERP as well. Whether the page became the Snippet page because it was already on page one, or whether it appeared on page one because it was a Snippet is difficult to say. It’s a chicken or the egg question.
As a writer, what can you do to get your clients’ pages to rank as Position Zero? Here are some tips on how to write for the Snippet box.
1. Pick Appropriate Topics
Not every query will result in a Snippet box. Topics that have more objective answers tend to do better than general questions, but the questions can’t be too objective as to have a one-word answer.
Think about how your clients’ websites could answer questions relating to their industry. Processes, requirements, and health topics work well. Also, answers that have numerical values and finances seem to result in a Google Snippet box too.
2. Write FAQs
FAQ pages do not always rank as Position Zero, but it seems as if long-tail keywords of at least six words tend to be successful, especially when one of those keywords is a question word.
Another reason that FAQ pages may also rank as Position Zero is because of the way that people search for content. More users are turning to voice commands to find the answers to questions, and we are getting more used to talking with our mobile devices as people than ever before.
For example, it is now common to hear people ask complete questions to their phones. Ask Siri, “what is the difference between a broker and a real estate agent?” The result will be a Snippet page that answers the question clearly and concisely.
3. Avoid using questions that can be answered with a simple word or date. Instead, write more “what” questions.
For example, avoid answering questions like, “How old is Madonna?” Those questions are always answered with a simple fact box that does not include a link. Instead, you may write the answer to, “What is a bustier?” This question could result in a Snippet box.
4. List Content in Tabular Data
Although content writers are not often in charge of creating graphics to accompany your content, you may be tasked in gathering the data for an infographic. When this information is given as tabular data, they may be more likely to appear in Position Zero of a SERP.
5. Write Content in a Bulleted or Numbered List
Brainstorm with your client to see how their website could provide how-to guides for their customers. Create a numbered list of instructions or a bulleted list to answer questions that a potential customer may ask.
For example, perhaps your client is a home remodeling agency. You may want to create simple how-to pages on how to do basic DIY projects in the home. Each step or bullet can be as detailed as you wish, but Google may only pull the first line to create the Snippet. Make sure that the first line begins with valuable information that will draw readers in to read the entire content.
As content writers, it’s essential to evolve continually. Google periodically changes its strategy and technology, so the Snippet box may go the way of the Dodo. Take advantage of writing for it while it is still here.
This article was originally posted at Virtual Surge.
by admin | Jul 13, 2019 | Baltimore SEO, Digital Marketing, Local SEO, Online Advertising
Voice Search and SEO’s Future
Don’t you love how technology allows you to connect with potential customers easier than ever before?
You have optimized the content on your website, so your company ranks on the first page of many keyword searches. You are connecting with customers who need and want your product or service.
You are beating competitors!
You are increasing sales!
You are winning life!
But now that you rank high for keywords specific to your industry and location, customers are changing how they search for information. More customers are conducting searches using their voices rather than keying them into a search engine.
You can’t blame them. Completing voice inquiries is much more convenient than keying in text. You can search for something when driving or when your hands are full.
Your older customers have become accustomed to asking Siri or Alexa for help, and younger customers don’t remember life before having every answer available at the sound of their voice.
While voice searches aren’t new, many SEO strategists have ignored this form of query up till now. Don’t let this happen to you. You still have time to add more content that connects your website to voice searches.
Here’s what you need to know.
You still need good, quality informative content.
In fact, it is more important than ever before. Your content still needs to be engaging, and you need to keep including internal and external links within your text. Content is still king, and that will never go away.
Remember your goal is still to be Google’s featured snippet that answers the question. The only way to do this is to provide helpful information to a wide variety of users.
You need to answer specific questions.
Brainstorm common questions that people may ask regarding your business. Within your website, you may want to include the question as an H2, and then answer the question clearly and concisely in the body text below the question. These more extended questions replace the shorter keywords that we have been accustomed to including in our writing.
The answers should be found within the first few lines of the text. Think about times when you have used voice searches to find the answer to a question. You probably had no intention of reading a thesis over the subject. You probably wanted a quick answer, free from jargon or complications. Lead with the most important information.
You need to optimize for your local area.
Think of the times you have used voice searches when driving. Most of your queries probably regard where you can find a specific business in your local area.
If you are running a business that relies on walk-in customers from your surrounding area, it is essential that your Google My Business page is up to date. Your customer, whose hands are covered with paint, wants accurate information on when your local paint store closes when making a voice inquiry.
If you are a barber, your business needs to pop up every time a shaggy man on his way home from work asks, “Where is the nearest barber?”
You need to make sure your website is mobile friendly.
Most of the verbal searches will be completed from a mobile device, so to capitalize on these searches, your website must be mobile optimized. Your customers are at a stoplight or in a hurry. They won’t have the patience to wait around for your content to load.
You need to utilize long tail keywords.
While your websites may be optimized so that customers can find you while searching “cooking class near me,” customers using a voice search will potentially ask, “where can I find a barbecue cooking class in Kansas City, Kansas or Missouri?”
These long tail keywords can be used on your websites FAQ section or within original blog posts that answer your customers’ questions.
How Voice Searches Work for Your Business
If you are the owner of a cooking school in Kansas City that specializes in barbecue, you may want to consider having professional writers create blogs that answer some of the most common questions people would have regarding making mouth-watering ribs or melt-in-your-mouth briskets.
Here’s how it would work. A worried at-home chef does a voice search saying, “how long should I cook a rack of ribs?” Your website will appear with the answer. The answer is clear, concise, and includes message advertising your barbecue cooking class that teaches the basics of ribs, briskets, and how to make your own amazing KC Sweet and Spicy BBQ sauce.
Don’t assume that because you made it to the top of the Google search your job is done. Keep up the fight. Learn new strategies. Your business depends upon it.
This article was originally posted at Virtual Surge.
by admin | Dec 31, 2018 | Voice Search
The Importance of SEO Voice Search Tactics in 2019
As we grow more and more technologically advanced as a society every single year, businesses and websites are constantly searching for innovative and new techniques to place their products, articles, and offerings as the number one hit in search Engine optimization (SEO). As more companies and businesses race and claw their way to find new ways to affect SEO moving forward, voice search is quietly emerging as a consistent trend in the world of search.
If we are being completely honest, whether you are personally using voice search or not, it is already becoming a future tactic in optimizing search engines. As of 2017, eighty-five percent of smartphone users have admitted to using voice search at least once. Twenty to twenty-five percent of all search queries are currently being performed by voice search as of 2018. If we place that in perspective, that means one in every four users search for everyday tasks, functions, and products all based on voice assistance instead of typing in the search bar on a computer browser or phone application. Without a doubt, these are huge numbers! If a company can focus their optimization to adapt to voice search, their trafficking and hit rates would increase by almost twenty percent in theory!
Adapting to the trend of voice searching in 2019 can be challenging, but achievable if done properly. As of 2018, Apple’s Siri and Google dominate the voice search market due to the insane amount of devices they are available on. Their volume alone runs a hefty chunk of the search market. Moving forward, semantic searching will be increasingly important. Since Google’s search engine relies on a variety of factors besides keywords – such as the user’s previous searches or patterns in the algorithm, you will have to use a variety of related, long-tail keywords to enjoy optimal results in this new age. Speaking of content, voice searching is more optimized for the customers and users at hand, rather than the search engine. Ten years ago, the blueprint in search engine success relied on keywords. Nowadays, businesses and websites cater to their customers and audience instead of focusing solely on hitting certain keywords. Focus on tone and function of your customers – engage with them on social media; address frequently asked questions; create content that uses normal language that resonates with the customers. The goal is to stand out from your industry counterparts when all is said and done.
Although the content and ranking of your website are extremely important to gaining incoming traffic, if your site does not load quickly or looks sketchy on a mobile device, people will be turned off incredibly quick. We all have done this as it is human nature. With so many different options and webpages to explore, there is no point waiting on a single page to load when there are other similar sites just one click away. Half the battle is done through the content. The other half is based on whether or not you have a mobile-friendly site rendered for voice search recognition. Imagine this: you use voice search recognition to look up the most endangered species in the world. The voice application recognizes the search and attempts to pull up your page to no avail. We all know what happens next. The user will either search for something different, thus dropping your hit rates, or, do a manual search and your page will not be displayed at all. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate to avoid these lose-lose situations moving forward.
A substantial amount of voice searches are basic questions and can be answered through what is known as “position zero” on any given engine search. This position is generally located on the top of any search result and provides public domain information such as the number of ounces in a pound, or the translation of a word from one language to another. However, voice searches often credit websites for snippets and attainable information in your content. If you cater to a specific audience or core fanbase, make sure to answer long-tail keyword research questions on your website as it will make your content easier for search engines to frame and answer questions. This is a great and simple technique to build and capitalize on SEO voice searching for companies and websites with a particular niche.
All this information is good to know, however, if not applied properly, attempting to follow these tips and tricks can clutter your webpage and hinder your incoming traffic even more. Voice search optimization is a dauntingly real thing. And if you haven’t caught on by now, it’s moving increasingly fast. With Virtual Surge’s knowledge and expertise on voice search recognition and search engine optimization, I take pride in ensuring all my clients leave satisfied and confident in their abilities to join the voice search race in the upcoming years. Let me help you with this rise – it is the least you deserve after all your hard work.
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