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BUILD A BETTER GOOGLE PRESENCE
BUILD A BETTER GOOGLE PRESENCE
Google recently put out a speed update that penalizes websites that do not load fast. If you load slow, you get put at the bottom of the search results. If people cannot find you in the search results, that will be a loss of revenue, customers & business for you.
Most business owners don’t even know this is happening. They have also started to put a “badge of shame” on businesses that load slow.
Most people will just hit the back button to move on to the next result.
10 Reasons Why a Business Needs a Website Audit
Assessing Website Health: A website audit provides a comprehensive analysis of a site's health, including performance and speed, helping businesses identify and address issues that may affect user experience and overall functionality
Improving SEO: Businesses can assess and enhance their website's search engine optimization (SEO) through a website audit, ensuring better visibility and ranking on search engine results pages[
Enhancing Performance: Website audits help identify and address issues affecting site performance, ensuring a smooth and efficient user experience, which is crucial for customer satisfaction
Mobile-Friendly Optimization: Ensuring that the website is mobile-friendly is essential for reaching a broader audience. A website audit helps businesses confirm and improve mobile compatibility
Security Assessment: Conducting a website audit allows businesses to assess and enhance the security of their website, protecting sensitive data and maintaining user trust
Streamlining Navigation: Website audits help simplify navigation by identifying and addressing issues such as cluttered navigation bars and poor search functions, improving overall user experience
Reducing Information Overload: Businesses can use website audits to eliminate information overload on their websites, ensuring that content is clear, concise, and relevant
Lead Generation: Offering a free website audit can serve as an outstanding lead generation tool, attracting potential clients and showcasing the value a business can provide
Shortening Sales Cycle: Website audits can expedite the sales cycle by providing valuable insights upfront, helping businesses address concerns and close deals more efficiently
Identifying Gaps for Conversion Rates: Businesses can bridge gaps in their websites identified through audits, leading to an improved user experience and, consequently, increased conversion rates
Google Chrome to identify and label slow websites
Google Chrome to identify and label slow websites
Sarah Perez@sarahintampa / 11:29 AM PST• November 11, 2019
Is it the web page that’s slow or is it your network connection? Google’s Chrome web browser may have an answer for you. Google announced a plan to identify and label websites that typically load slowly by way of clear badging. The company says it may later choose to identify sites that are likely to be slow based on the user’s device and current network conditions, as well.
For example, a slow-loading website may show a “Loading…” page that includes a warning, like a caution icon and text that reads “usually loads slow.” Meanwhile, a fast website may display a green progress indicator bar at the top of the page instead of a blue one.
And for links, Chrome may use the context menu to help users know if the site will be slow so you can decide whether or not you want to click.
In the long-term, Chrome’s goal will be to identify and badge websites offering “high-quality” experiences, which may include other factors beyond just the website’s speed. The company didn’t yet detail what those other factors may be, but says the identification process will include more stringent criteria that’s rolled out gradually over time. However, the goal will be to make these “good user experiences” something any web developer can achieve.
In the meantime, Google suggests web developers visit its resources focused on site performance, including its learning platform web.dev./fast; online tool for optimization suggestions, PageSpeed Insights; and personalized advice tool, Lighthouse.
A faster, more usable web benefits Google, as it helps the company better cater to its primarily mobile users. Since 2015, the majority of Google users start their searches from mobile devices. But that shift has required new ways of indexing and ranking pages and serving users whose connection speeds vary and who may not have powerful devices.
Google now uses a website’s mobile version when indexing its pages, and it offers fast AMP pages to help mobile users get to information more quickly. It makes sense that a next step would be to nudge site owners themselves to speed things up or risk getting labeled as a “slow” website.
This sort of feature would particularly help Google users in emerging markets, like India, where decent bandwidth is often lacking and low-end smartphones are prevalent.
“Speed has been one of Chrome’s core principles since the beginning – we’re constantly working to give users an experience that is instant as they browse the web,” a Chrome blog post explained. “That said, we have all visited web pages we thought would load fast, only to be met by an experience that could have been better. We think the web can do better…,” it read.
The plans were announced at the Chrome Developer Summit, alongside other developer-focused updates. This included a preview of “Web Bundles,” an API that lets developers distribute web content across any format, like email, FTP or even USB. Plus, Portals, a web experience previously announced at Google I/O, was demonstrated with early partner Fandango
10 Reasons Why Citations are Important for Websites
Credit and Recognition: Citations provide credit to the original authors, acknowledging their work and giving them proper recognition for their ideas or content
Avoiding Plagiarism: Citations help websites avoid plagiarism by clearly indicating when information, ideas, or content are sourced from external authors or publications
Establishing Credibility: Including citations in content enhances a website's credibility, demonstrating that the information presented is backed by reputable sources and research
Promoting Transparency: Citations make the process transparent, allowing readers to trace the origin of information and verify its accuracy, ensuring trustworthiness
Academic Integrity: For educational websites, citations uphold academic integrity standards by showing respect for the intellectual property of others and maintaining ethical practices
Supporting Research: Citations provide a foundation for further research, guiding interested readers to explore related studies and expand their understanding of a topic
Legal Compliance: Proper citations help websites comply with copyright and intellectual property laws, reducing the risk of legal issues related to unauthorized use of content
Enhancing User Experience: Citations can enrich the user experience by offering additional resources and references for users who want to delve deeper into the subject matter
Facilitating Collaboration: Citations encourage collaboration and academic discourse by fostering a culture of sharing knowledge and ideas within the online community
Standardizing Information: Following citation standards ensures consistency in referencing, making it easier for both creators and consumers of content to locate and understand the sources used
5 Reasons Why More Photos are Beneficial for a Business on Google Business Profile
Enhanced Visibility and Engagement: Adding photos to your Google Business Profile improves brand awareness and increases engagement. Users are more likely to engage with businesses that have appealing visual content, such as a logo and cover photo
Increased Customer Requests and Clicks: Businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for driving directions and 35% more clicks through to their profiles on Google. Visual content attracts users and encourages them to take action, such as visiting the business location
Improves SEO Efforts: Images on a Google Business Profile contribute to SEO efforts, enhancing the online presence of the business. Studies show that images are essential for inbound marketing and can positively impact search engine rankings
Customer Understanding of Services: Including business-specific photos helps customers quickly understand the type of services a business offers. This visual representation aids in conveying the business's offerings more effectively
Attracts More Customers: Adding photos attracts more customers and improves visibility on Google Search and Maps. Businesses can showcase their products, ambiance, and unique features, making them more appealing to potential customers
Why a Good Google Profile is Beneficial for a Business
A good Google profile is essential for a business due to the following reasons:
Enhanced Visibility: A well-optimized Google Business Profile improves the visibility of the business in local search results, increasing the chances of attracting potential customers
Credibility and Trust: Having a Google Business Profile adds credibility to a business, providing essential information such as business name, address, and phone number. This helps build trust among potential customers
Customer Engagement: Google My Business profiles offer ample opportunities for customer engagement. Users can easily access the business website or contact the business with just a tap, facilitating interaction
Free Marketing: It serves as a free marketing tool, allowing businesses to display useful and correct information about their services. Google Business Profiles get priority on the first page of local search results, increasing visibility without additional costs
Management Tools: Google Business Profile provides tools to manage customer reviews, insights, and other crucial information about the business. This aids in monitoring and improving the overall online presence of the business
Why a Business Facebook Page Doesn't Replace the Need for a Website
Why a Business Facebook Page Doesn't Replace the Need for a Website
Did you know that Facebook has over 2.9 billion monthly active users?
With so many people using the platform regularly, it is no surprise why millions of companies use it to connect with their customers. Facebook's business pages are free and can be a great addition to your company. However, should they be used in place of a professional business website?
The short answer is no.
No matter your product or service, a website is essential for any business. So, if you are curious to learn why a Facebook business page can’t replace a business website, you've come to the right place. Keep reading for a complete Facebook vs website guide.
3 Reasons Why Every Business Needs a Good Website
An online presence is crucial to reinforce your brand and connect with new and old customers. Although social media plays a significant role in this, a website is important for many reasons including to establish your business' authority online, build credibility, and stand out against the competition. Keep reading to learn more ways that a website is beneficial to a business.
1. You Have Complete Creative Control with a Website
Websites are a fantastic way for businesses to tell their stories and persuade leads to take action. When you design a website, you have complete control of its elements, design, and content. This means that your page can be just as unique as the business itself.
Your website is often the very first impression potential clients will have of your business, so having creative control is crucial. Suppose you only use social media as your business' identification and point of contact. In that case, you'll essentially be filling out a template that will restrict you from providing details about your business and make your profile page look exactly like the competition.
With your own website, you can make your business stand out from the rest by incorporating branding and every other aspect of your business' identity. Although having social media profiles for your business are beneficial and should be used in your marketing strategy, a website can house so much more information about your business and bring your brand to the next level.
Unlike a Facebook business page, with a website you can create different pages on your site making it easy for visitors to navigate and find the information they are looking for. For example, you may want to display samples for your work, showcase great customer reviews, and have a contact us form on separate pages and navigation tabs for each.
However, keep in mind that a poorly-designed site can do more harm than good, so make sure to keep everything user-friendly, on-brand, and professional.
2. A Website Builds Credibility and Demonstrates Professionalism
Having a well-designed website will make your business look a lot more professional, and build trust with your customers. Nowadays, the internet is full of scams, so most customers do a lot of research before they choose to trust a business. If people can only find you through social media, you won't look as credible as a competitor with a website.
Also, a website is the perfect place to list awards, post testimonials, share photos and videos, and give more reasons for people to believe that you are an established company that deserves their business. Think of a website as an extension (or replacement) of a brick-and-mortar store.
What would you have on the walls to make customers understand your brand and make them feel comfortable doing business with you? Adding professional and personal touches to your website will make your business stand out and your brand relatable to customers.
3. A Website Provides Customers with Quick Access to Information
A website is the best place to put everything a potential customer should know about your business. This includes location, hours of operation, contact information, products and services offered, social media icons, and anything else that you could think of that your customers might need to know. Ultimately, a website looks more official and will always appear as the better alternative for customers to look up information about your business.
In addition, there are many things you can incorporate into your website to make it look even better and make it easier for customers to access information. For example, you can set up a Google Map for your location and even embed YouTube videos to show customers how your products or services work.
With social media, you are limited in the information you can display. In addition, whatever you post on social media is listed at the top temporarily until it is pushed down every time a new post is made. So, if you need to share important information and have it somewhere that will always be readily available to your clients, a website is the best solution.
3 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Replace a Website With a Facebook Page
Now that you've read about the benefits of having a website for your business, you might be thinking, "Why should I invest time and money in a website if Facebook allows me to create a page within the platform?" Sure, creating a Facebook page for your business might seem like the easiest route, but although this platform can be handy, it has plenty of limitations and reasons why you shouldn't use it as a replacement for a website.
1. A Facebook Page is Just a Tool
Facebook pages are free, easy to create, and very user-friendly. However, They also don't let you have a lot of creative freedom. When you create a Facebook page, it'll look exactly like every other business page on the platform. Solely using Facebook will not set you apart from your competition.
However, Facebook is a great marketing tool that you should be using. The platform lets you post updates, pictures, and information to connect with your target audience. The downside is that every time you post, all of the preceding information gets pushed down and eventually lost into the over-saturated platform. So, instead of looking at Facebook as a replacement for your website, look at it as a tool that will help you bring more traffic to your website and help you grow your business.
2. Facebook Owns Its Pages (Including Yours)
Another downside of replacing your website with a Facebook page is that you will not be its owner- Facebook will. Although Facebook pages are "free," you'll be paying the high price of not owning nor controlling what happens on this platform. This means that if Facebook changes its algorithm, rules, etc., your business page will change with it, and you'll have no control over it.
Furthermore, let’s say someone mistakenly flags your business page or reports your page to Facebook. Facebook takes these types of notifications seriously and within just a few hours your page could be down and unsearchable.
When you create your website for your business, you'll be able to call the shots and won't depend on a big corporation to micromanage the way you want consumers to perceive and receive information about your business.
3. Facebook Pages Have Limited SEO Benefits
SEO is crucial for your business to be discovered organically. With Facebook, because all of the pages are essentially the same, there is very little you can do in terms of optimization. Sure, Facebook has billions of users, but millions of business pages fight for their attention.
Facebook also doesn't grant you access to ALL of their users Facebook's organic reach is minimal, so your content won't even be seen by your entire list of followers either. For this reason, if you rely on Facebook to work as your platform, you'll probably need to pay for Facebook Ads to expand your reach and make it easier for all those users to find you.
On the other hand, when you create a website, you can use keywords, add search-worthy content, and blog articles to make it easier for potential customers to find you using search engines like Google. Using SEO strategically will help you expand your website's organic traffic. Then, if you deem it necessary, you can use social media platform tools to pay for ads and bring even more traffic to your website.
Should You Use Social Media for Your Business?
Social media marketing is not something that businesses should overlook, as it is a fantastic strategy proven to work. Nowadays, companies should be using social media platforms such as Facebook to build brand awareness, connect with customers, generate leads, and increase website traffic. However, as you can see, solely relying on social media and not having a website could turn out to be a big mistake.
The best way to use social media to your advantage is to use it as a brand marketing tool. This way, you'll be able to leverage all of its benefits without missing out on the opportunities that go along with having a business website.
Social media will help reinforce your online presence, but it should not replace your website. Instead, use it to build connections with your customers, build your brand, and generate attention for your business.
Facebook VS Website
When it comes to Facebook vs website pages, which one is better for your business? Both!
If you were wondering whether you should replace your website with Facebook, hopefully, this guide showed you that you should not. Using Facebook can be a useful marketing tool, however, it would be a mistake to use a Facebook business profile as a replacement for a well-designed website.
Designing a website will give you creative control, which will allow you to establish yourself as a trustworthy business. In addition, it will enable you to get organic traffic using SEO, and you won't have to worry about algorithm or policy changes.
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