SEO Predictions for 2017

As we already into the new year, business owners and digital marketers might be wondering if search engine optimization is officially a thing of the past.

The short answer: "No."

And the slightly longer answer: "Heck no!"

Sure, certain SEO practices are obsolete thanks to Google's ever-changing search algorithms. In many ways, though, this is a good thing. Stuffing blogs and websites with keywords, links and junk content never truly helped customers or merchants. On the other hand, today's best SEO practices - and the SEO practices of tomorrow - are based on making search results and websites more relevant to people's needs. The end result is a win for everyone.

Not only is SEO not dying, but this crucial form of online marketing is as alive and well as ever. Social media marketing might seem easier and more accessible, but there's far too much opportunity through search engine marketing to turn your back on SEO.

Don't buy into the hype that SEO has run its course. Instead, keep on reading and learn about SEO trends that are likely to pay off big-time in 2017.

 

Accelerated Mobile Pages

Have you seen that carousel of content that appears above the organic results? These are Accelerated Mobile Pages, also known as AMP. Webpages coded with AMP HTML tags load in mobile Web browsers with simplified formatting, making pages load up to eight times faster than normal.

Simplifying these pages doesn't make them static, though; AMP pages can still be coded with audio, video, social buttons and more. Between the high search engine results page placements, the fast load times and the rich content possibilities, webpages coded with AMP tags can be great for engaging Web users.

However, the AMP concept is still being worked out. Currently, webpages displayed with AMP coding can't display Web forms, rendering them useless for generating leads or email signups. Also, this technology is only really relevant to webpages with long-form articles and blog posts. AMP pages shared on social media might not help your domain authority, either.

That said, Google's message is clear: User experience comes first. Look for Google to expand on AMP coding and similar technologies in 2017.

Social Signals and SEO

Google officials have repeatedly stated that likes, shares and other social media signals don't directly impact search engine rankings - but will they?

That's a big question heading into 2017, with social media marketing continuing to rise in importance. History indicates that Google will eventually find ways to work social signals into its algorithms. Think about it - Google is obsessed with using the most relevant digital cues to determine which websites are the most relevant and credible. How people interact with websites and content on social media is an important measure of trust and value.

Regardless of what Google officials say, it's hard to ignore the popularity of Facebook. Chances are your target prospects are using Facebook regularly so social media is certainly an opportunity to reach them. Plus, researchers have found clear correlations between social media signals and SERP rankings.

The bottom line is that social media is here to stay, and favorable social signals already correlate with stronger SEO. This symbiotic relationship will only grow stronger through the upcoming year and beyond.

Mobile SEO

What makes people more excited nowadays - a new laptop computer or a latest-generation smartphone? The answer illustrates why the shift from desktop to mobile SEO is so critical in digital marketing.

Most people you see on the street are carrying powerful, portable computers in their pockets, and these folks surf the Web from anywhere and everywhere. People who use search engines via their smartphones have completely different behaviors than those who are seated at their desktops. SEO practices changed to accommodate those new behaviors.

Going into 2017, marketers should continue investing in mobile SEO. Especially with Google's announcement that they will soon be using a "mobile-first" index.

That means making sure your website resolves properly when viewed through the Android, Apple and Windows mobile operating systems. It means creating hyper-local content that might rank well in searches from people who are walking, dining, shopping or working nearby. It means using long-tailed, conversational keywords that people are likely to speak into their phones.

Smartphones aren't going anywhere, and neither is mobile SEO. This must be a top priority if you hope to be competitive in SEO.

Machine Learning

What if Google's algorithm could evaluate how people react with search rankings in real-time and adjust itself accordingly? That's the ultimate, big-picture implication of machine learning, a technology in which machines effectively learn based on a wide range of signals and parameters.

Google doesn't use machine learning in its live algorithm, and officials within the company say they don't plan on starting. However, Google definitely uses machine learning to test out changes to its algorithms. That's a big deal considering that Google has voiced concerns about transferring such responsibilities from human programmers to computers.

Going into 2017, SEO experts need to always be thinking about raising the quality of their websites - not for Google's algorithm, but for actual human visitors. Machine learning has significantly enhanced Google's abilities to craft an algorithm that scores sites from a more human perspective. Finding new ways to engage your visitors is the best way to prepare for algorithm changes inspired by machine learning.

Conclusion

SEO isn't dead. However, finding SEO success in 2017 will require a different approach than the blunt-force tactics of yesteryear.

The name of the game in 2017 is to make your approach to SEO as human as possible. Do that, and good things will happen. It's the start of a new era in search engine optimization.

6 Adwords Tips to Maximize Your Campaigns for 2017

This month I've heard a lot about New Year's resolutions and goals for 2017. For businesses using Google AdWords, those resolutions include something about maximizing their ad budgets to ensure a strong ROI.

Here are 6 tips from our AdWords analysts to maximize your campaigns this year. 

Tip #1: Say No to Broad Matching

According to Google, Broad Match "lets a keyword trigger your ad to show whenever someone searches for that phrase, similar phrases, singular or plural forms, misspellings, synonyms, stemmings (such as floor and flooring), related searches, and other relevant variations." While using broad match may enable your ad campaign to show up for more keywords, they may not be the keywords that really convert for your business.

Jane recommends only using Broad Match Modified if you are experienced and have tested your target keywords well.

AdWords provides multiple keyword match types: Exact, Phrase and Broad Match. You should always use Exact and Phrase match in your AdWords account. To get more reach, use Broad Match Modified (not Broad Match). Broad Match Modified can be identified by the + sign in your account.

Here are examples of the different keyword match types:

• Exact Match looks like this: [Adwords ROI]
• Phrase Match looks like this: "Adwords ROI"
• Broad Match looks like this: Adwords ROI
• Broad Match Modified looks like this: +Adwords +ROI

Staying away from Broad Match allows you to conserve budget until you are sure which terms convert well for your business.

Tip #2: Give Top Keywords Ample Budget

Once you have an idea of what keywords convert best for your business, it's important to make sure that your budget is being spent to support those keywords.

While you want to leave some budget to be spent on testing new keywords, it's a good idea to manage your top converting keywords by putting them in their own campaign. Then, you can dedicate the majority of your budget to flow to that campaign so you're investing in what works. This will ensure your ad spend is directed at the keywords that will perform best for your business.

Tip #3: Separate Search and Display Campaigns

Although AdWords offers the option to combine both (search network with display select), it's usually best to run these tactics separately.

There is a lot of variation between search and display performance for most accounts, so by keeping them separate you can better control budgets. When you set up a new campaign, based on what you're trying to target, make sure you choose "search network only" or "display network only."

Tip #4: Always Use Negative Keywords

Adding keywords that are irrelevant to your business as negatives can be just as beneficial as the keywords you're bidding on.

Negative keywords help reduce the amount of times your ad is served on irrelevant queries. For instance, if you run a dental practice that offers root canals, and you're bidding on keywords related to root canals, you don't want your ad to show for someone searching for "root canal malpractice".

Negatives are particularly important when running Phrase, Broad, and Broad Modified match types. You can always see the actual searches that trigger your ads by going to your keywords tab and clicking on the "search terms" button. If any searches show up in that report that you don't want to be advertising on, then add them to the negative keyword list.

Tip #5: Include Ad Extensions to Your Campaigns

Aside from the benefit of adding relevant information about your business, ad extensions work to improve overall metrics. Adding extensions can increase your click through rate, improve your quality score and even make your ads stand out from the crowd.

According to Google, accounts that include at least one ad extension see an average of 10-15% increase in click-through-rate.

You can manually add extensions like sitelinks and click-to-message to improve relevance and lead submissions. Sometimes, Google will include automatic extensions to your ad based on the information it pulls from your AdWords account.

Tip #6: Run Responsive Display Ads

Google recently introduced responsive display ads to replace regular display ads. The main difference between the two is that you no longer need several image ads (or banners ads) to set up a display or remarketing campaign. Instead, you just need to upload an image, a headline, and your destination URL.

The image will automatically adjust its size, appearance, and format to fit any available ad space. This means, your ad can show in a native, dynamic text or image format in any size, on any website with ad space. This new ad format most importantly increases your reach and saves you time with setup.

5 Digital Marketing Trends That Are Here to Stay in 2017

2016 is coming to a close and today we're looking ahead to 2017 and telling you what digital marketing trends you should lookout for throughout the year.

From all of us at Marketing Kings Blog, I want to wish you and your family a safe and happy New Year's celebration this weekend!

We're about to ring in the new year where people across the world will set their resolutions for 2017. Along with your personal resolution, why not make a resolution to guarantee that 2017 is the best year yet when it comes to your digital marketing?

In order to do that, you need to make sure you understand where digital marketing is headed throughout the year. That's why I've put together a list of the 5 biggest trends you're likely to see this coming year. 

1. Mobile search and advertising Mobile was huge in 2016, and that's not changing anytime soon. As of November 2016, Facebook reported that they have 1.055 billion users each month that only access their site on mobile. That's why 81% of Facebook's advertising revenue comes from mobile ads. And now that mobile search has officially surpassed desktop, Google's algorithm is influenced by the mobile optimization of a site. It's no longer enough to design your site for desktops, your site needs to be user friendly and functional for smartphones and tablets. So, if your site isn't optimized for mobile, it should become a top priority for 2017. 2. High Quality Content Content marketing has been called the "king" of digital marketing. And, if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. When people go online either to search for something or to scroll through social media feeds they have one of two goals -- to get information or to be entertained. The only way for these goals to be accomplished is through users engaging with high quality content. This is very important when looking at your company's content marketing throughout 2017. With huge amounts of content available these days, there is no point in wasting time and energy putting out mass quantities of low quality content. People simply won't read it when they can click to the next site and find something better. That's why you should focus on putting out high quality content, even if it means that you produce less quantity than in years past. Make sure the blog articles, images, and social media posts you're publishing show that you're a thought leader in your industry. This will help to get more attention, and convert more prospects than putting out fluff. 3. Video Advertising With mobile being huge and content being key, video may be the ticket to a solid marketing strategy in 2017. 92% of mobile video users say that they share videos with others and 90% say that product videos are helpful in making the decision to purchase. Videos are popular for both information consumption and for entertainment. This creates an opportunity for marketers both for video display ads, such as those that come up on a YouTube video, and organic videos that you create to engage your audience. Facebook live stream and other live video opportunities also became more popular in 2016 and are likely to grow in popularity in 2017. Bottom line, keep video on your radar because it's likely to become not only important, but highly valuable. 4. More specific measurement I can't stress enough how important it is to track your digital marketing. I highly recommend making sure that your Google Analytics is set up properly. Doing this will help you to see where your traffic is coming from and determine what traffic is converting into sales. You'll want to make sure to focus your marketing budget on what's working. Our Ultimate Guide to Google Analytics article can help you get started. Along with Analytics, 2017 is likely to see an increase in the amount of measurement and tracking resources available. Facebook and Twitter have had built-in analytics for some time, and Instagram recently added an Insights option for business accounts. At this point, the data from these sources don't tell the whole story, but that is likely to change going forward. I predict that in 2017 an increased focus will be placed on more accurate data reporting so that businesses can set clear objectives for each of their marketing platforms. 5. Social Media Influencer Marketing Social media marketing has become a staple in digital marketing over the last five years. That will definitely continue. However, it is also likely to evolve and open up more opportunities for creative marketing outlets. As social media popularity increases, the opportunity for "influencer marketing" will grow as well. For example, if there's a person in your industry that has thousands of followers on social media, this could present an opportunity to have them endorse your business or product and help you to gain more followers and a wider reach. The popularity of influential YouTubers also create opportunities to leverage video advertising as a way to support your business in a more "organic" way. Connecting with YouTube influencers to create original content or have your business or product mentioned in their original content will offer a creative way to reach more potential customers. You can think of this like Michael Jordan endorsing Nike, but for social media marketing.