Why is blog content important?

Content marketing is also content marketing – everything we publish on our website. Thanks to it, we can reach more recipients and provide users with interesting information.

We can write them in the form of blog posts, reports, guides, product descriptions or interviews. Here, we can only be limited by creativity (and the scope of our activity), because there may be many ideas for showing uniqueness and the way of presenting content.

Articles on the site are usually created by copywriters, but not only. Articles can also be written by owners or people working in other departments of the company. Thanks to this, we can write more specialized articles on a given topic and save money.

Why does content matter in SEO?

Uniqueness, timeliness and high quality are of great importance for a good ranking of our website. Before the implementation of the algorithms: Penguin, Panda or Koliber, it was possible to “spam” the text with key phrases – this was often enough to achieve high positions in Google. Fortunately, we have long since passed away.

New algorithms evaluate the quality of our content, so we must ensure that it is of the highest level. The article not only has to meet the user’s requirements, but also has to be optimized for search engines such as Google or Bing.

SEO + Content are inextricably linked. Without content, we will not do internal linking well, we will not saturate the page with key phrases and we will not present the user with information about our company, product or values that we want to convey to him.

Content update – why is it important?

We already know that the content affects the position of our website and we should take care of it. So why are there articles that used to be 1st in Google, and then dropped? After all, we put a lot of time and work into them. There can be many factors that influence it. One of them may be that our content has become outdated.

Attention!
Of course, this is not the only ranking factor we should consider. Great content without any other SEO efforts may yield zero or very low results.

Over time, the information we post on the website loses its value.

Content that was created in 2017 may not be up to date this year.  Especially if in the article we referred to the legal provisions in force at that time (which were amended at that time), the prices that were in force at that time (during these 3 years the costs of products could change) or statistical data from that period.

Google tries to provide users with not only the highest quality content, but also tries to provide up-to-date information.

Content update – how to choose the ones that need to be changed?

A. Content that is no longer relevant
Over time, our content may become obsolete, and the things we wrote about no longer apply. We can then redirect them 301 to a similar entry or try to bite the topic differently if users are still looking for information on this topic.

Example:
A few years ago, we wrote an article about loans for own contribution. Currently, banks do not allow financing of own contribution from such a source.

However, they allow loans from developers for own contribution and some users are looking for information on this subject. We can rewrite the article from scratch in this regard to provide the user with the necessary and current news.

B. Articles with specific time periods
If we can – avoid giving dates in articles. If this is not possible, let’s make a spreadsheet in which we write down the content that has it and when we should update it. There are content that we can update annually, and there may be content that we should change every month.

C. Comments below the article that may expand it
Users often pay attention to things that the writer may not notice. The comments may contain interesting information or questions about which we can update our content. Not every user reads the comments posted under the articles (especially if there are many of them). Thanks to the expansion of the main content of the post, we can provide all readers with interesting information.

D. “Walls of text” without highlighter
We can try to make our content more attractive to the user to make it easier and more pleasant to read. Here we can use various types of sections, for example:
– highlighted examples,
– lists of bullets,
– quotes,
– graphical linking to other related articles,
– expert advice,
– summary,
– infographics.
Thanks to such measures, our content can be clearer for the reader.

E. General Content
It happens that we write an article that is very general or touches on many topics a little. We can expand it with new information or write new related articles, where we will explain all the issues to the user in detail.

Example:
We have a summary article about the most important Google algorithms. Each of them is briefly described to provide the most important information about them.

We can do 2 things with it:
– expand the article and describe each algorithm in detail. Thanks to this, we will have an article that is very extensive and comprehensive topic. When new algorithms are entered, we can add them to this article in an equally exhaustive way,
– we can write separate articles, where we will describe each algorithm in detail. From the base article about the most important algorithms, we can refer the user to separate articles on the topic that interested him by internal linking.

F. Duplication of content
It may happen that we have several hundred articles on the website and we forget that we have already written such an article. It turns out that our content cannibalize ourselves with keywords. Let’s check which article appears with a larger number of phrases and which users visit more often and combine it into one. Remember to redirect the article from which we resign to the content left on the website.

G. Is the article we wrote easy for the user or is it incomprehensible?
Remember that we do not write content only for Google – they are created primarily with the user in mind. It is he who will read the article and should understand everything from it. If it seems to us that the article we wrote is very specialized and we use heavy terms in it – let us read it to a person who is unfamiliar with this topic. If the reader does not understand a part – it is worth simplifying it, because another person may also have a problem with it.

Example:
One of our editors is a lawyer who uses many specialized terms or quotes from statutes. They may be incomprehensible to some users. By using examples where we realistically present a given situation, it may turn out that it will be a sufficient simplification of the content + we gain valuable content.

H. Short, low-quality content
If we have an article on the website on a topic that has a large number of searches – it is worth expanding it. Thanks to this, we can provide valuable information to the user and appear in the search engine for more searches. It is worth the article to be exhaustive and to convey everything possible.

Content update – minor changes

Let’s start with the content that is, for example, from this year and requires only minor updates. We don’t have to rewrite the whole article then (although it may turn out that a minor update will change the meaning of the whole article – then it is worth rewriting it) – we can only change a few small things in the article.

If we only make minor changes – it is worth adding the update date section in the article (we then show the user that the article is already on the website for a while, but is constantly updated).

Examples of what we can pay attention to with minor updates:

A. The prices given in the articles are no longer valid
If we are a comparison engine or we run an online store – the prices of our services or products may change dynamically. It is worth that the price offer that we present in the articles should coincide with the prices that we place in the product categories. This saves the user the trouble of figuring out which price is correct.

Attention!
This is especially important when we raise the price of a product. If we do this, and in the article the price we gave was lower and we did not mention the promotion there – the user may start looking for a product at this price on other websites and not come back to us.

B. The products we wrote about are no longer available for sale
If a product has been permanently withdrawn from sale, will the user want to read about it? What if the product has only been recalled with us? We can then expect 2 things:
– if the user is interested in this product – he can leave our store again and go to the competition, where he will get the product
– the user may waste time reading about a product that they will not get anyway. Here, too, negative emotions may arise because he will be disappointed with the inability to buy.

It is then worth updating the article and replacing this unavailable article with a product with similar parameters to the withdrawn one. Thanks to this, we will present the user with information about the products that he will surely get from us in the store.

Attention!
If the product has been temporarily withdrawn – it is worth mentioning with the product that it is a temporary shortage and we will give the user the opportunity to set a reminder when the product is available for sale again.
If the product has been permanently withdrawn – we can compare different versions of this product (if of course they are and we can compare them) or make a comparison with similar products. Then we can encourage the user to buy a new and improved model.

C. The links to which we referred the user have changed
Both external and internal links are important here. After all, we do not want to send the user to page 404, where he will not find the information he is interested in.
When updating your content, it’s also worth taking a look at because we may have missed some deleted link and not redirected it to the correct URL.

D. Title and meta description
If we change the content of the article – it is also worth updating the metadata. Thanks to this, we will show the user in the search engine that our content is up-to-date. If we change the whole and leave “2019 ranking” in Title -> the user can skip our entry and move to another, thinking that ours is not up to date enough.

E. Infographics
If we rely on infographics in our article, we must also remember about them. If we change the prices in the content and leave the old user in the infographic, he may get lost and not be sure which ones are up to date.

F. Legal regulations / sources we rely on
If we rely on legal provisions / statistical sources in our articles – remember that they may also change. When updating the content, let’s also take this into account so as not to unnecessarily mislead the user.

G. Structured data
More and more websites use the FAQ schema. It is worth checking whether the change of content on the website also causes a change in the structural data. It may turn out that the website is coded in such a way that IT sets this data. We must then remember this, because the schema should contain exactly the same information that appears on the website.

Attention!
If we update an article – remember to check the entire content. The update date indicates that it is up-to-date at the moment. If we update only part of it, the user will be misled by us because some of the information will be up-to-date and some not.

These are just a few examples that we can pay attention to – it is worth reviewing what we write about on our website and finding out for yourself which information, in our opinion, may be outdated for the user.

Examples of tools to help us update content

Google Analytics
We can check which content has a high bounce rate and a small number of hits. It may be the fault of the articles we published. Let’s find out what’s wrong with them and try to update them.

SERP
Let’s check TOP10 search results – thanks to this we will find out what is missing in our article. It is also worth using similar searches and Google hints.

Example:
We have an article on business activity. Thanks to Google’s hints, we can check what information users are looking for.

Ahrefs
Ahrefs provides a “Content GAP” feature, so we can compare our article with articles on the same competition. Here, we will also receive information on which phrases our article does not appear in the search engine.

Call To Action – what is it?

“Check the offer”, “subscribe”, “buy now”, or even “read” used above – what do these expressions have in common? They can all be classified as calls to action, or call to action. These are the key elements of any advertising or promotional campaign. Currently, they are mainly associated with the content presented on the Internet, but they have also been used for years in traditional advertising. Typically, the CTA is designed to guide the user to wherever you want him to go. In the web, it usually takes the form of a button or other active link that directs to the appropriate tab, landing page or store. It sounds like a small matter, but in your CTA marketing efforts, it can make a huge difference. Therefore, it is an obligatory element of every campaign, website or mailing advertisement.

Why is CTA so important?

You might be wondering how it is possible for a simple thing like a call to action to get results. However, experience shows unequivocally that indicating the user what exactly to do creates a much greater chance for him to take action. A CTA can be seen as a signpost that shows exactly where to go and guides the customer along the shopping path. It is this element that often leads to conversion, which is one of the favorite concepts of marketers, meaning the achievement of a specific goal (most often making a purchase, but also e.g. subscribing to a newsletter or submitting an inquiry).

Even if you think that the website is clearly designed and there is simply no chance of getting lost, don’t give up on the CTA. They should appear at every stage of the customer journey to conversion. It is worth choosing them carefully. For example, after adding a product to the cart, you can encourage the user to place an order or continue shopping. The basket itself should also contain clear signposts regarding the transition to the next stages of implementation. They help you avoid confusion and avoid frustrated potential customers leaving your website before converting. It is also worth using CTA to direct internet users to your website – by placing them, for example, in posts on social media or in meta tags. If you haven’t used them before, you’ll definitely notice the difference when you change your strategy!

Why is it worth using Call To Action? In short – because it pays off. Importantly, applying calls to action doesn’t have to be difficult. It is enough to learn a few simple rules that will help to skillfully create them and place them in the right places so that they bring the expected results.

Where to use CTA?

As mentioned, CTA most often takes the form of a button or link. Use a call to action wherever you want to trigger a specific action. It most often appears on websites and in e-mail campaigns. However, it is also worth using them in posts on social media or in the meta description of the page. Call To Action goals may vary. For example:

– getting acquainted with the offer or the price list,
– product purchase,
– subscribing to the newsletter,
– signing up for a course, webinar, etc.,
– file download,
– submitting an inquiry,
– contact with the company,
– filling in a form or questionnaire, etc.

It is not worth counting on the fact that users – without specific encouragement – will understand the intentions of the website creators and meet their expectations. That is why Call To Action is used, which accurately shows the direction of actions and allows you to make a decision automatically. The call-to-action power is quite a lot!

How do you create call to action that work?

Creating a call to action alone is not difficult. However, it is important to use the CTA wisely! Equally important, remember that not all text will always work the same. Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for effective calls to action. The content should always be relevant to the target audience. It is also worth checking their operation, comparing them with other possibilities, in order to choose the best solution. At the outset, however, it is good to know the principles of creating Call To Action, which are primarily effective. What are the rules?

A. Keep your message simple
The best Call To Action are very simple. Some, however, tend to complicate the matter unnecessarily. The wording used as a call for action must be understandable and unambiguous – they should not create any doubts as to what they refer to. Therefore, the button for adding a product to the cart should simply be called “Add to cart”. Then you can encourage the customer to “checkout” or “checkout”. Importantly, in some cases CTA uses 1 person singular, and this can be very beneficial. In the above example, for example, buttons with the words “buy”, and then “pay” or “order” could be used. Extremely simple, and at the same time clear – that is exactly what a CTA should be.

B. Bet on specifics
The enigmatic “move on” or “click” button may not look bad at first glance. For some, it will probably even be intriguing. Usually, however, such CTAs are not effective enough. Increasingly, they also fail to inspire confidence. It is best to inform the user immediately what awaits him after clicking the button. Therefore, you should not be afraid of phrases such as “sign up” or “go to payment”. They are much more understandable and lead to a higher conversion rate.

C. Don’t mention the tasks to be done
Many users are reluctant to move on when receiving a message that suggests a task or strenuous work to be done. An example would be the phrase “fill in the questionnaire” – simple and clear, that’s for sure, but is it encouraging? Who wants to waste their precious time filling out some surveys? However, “take part in the study” sounds much more interesting. It is similar with the sometimes used “provide payment information” – it is associated with some difficult task. Meanwhile, “pay” is not only simpler and shorter, but also does not suggest any need for work. Taking care to simplify the purchasing process as much as possible is very important and allows you to significantly increase the conversion. However, CTAs should also not be forgotten, which can destroy all the effort put into building a simple and friendly website if used inappropriately.

D. Highlight the benefits
This point is somewhat related to the next. Instead of emphasizing the difficulties that may await the internet user in the next step, remind him of the benefits! It is often worth replacing “register” with “try it for free.” In turn, instead of “subscribe to the newsletter” you can again reach for 1 person. l. capacity and use the words “yes, I want to know more about …” or “I want to receive information about promotions”.

What else is worth remembering? A call to action alone won’t do the trick. It should also be enclosed with text that will encourage its implementation. It is worth mentioning the benefits and guarantees. It is also best to create the need to take this step immediately through the applied treatments. Sometimes it may be helpful to emphasize the success so far (eg “join thousands of satisfied customers”).

Not only the content is important – well-exposed Call To Action

Successful Call To Action must combine two aspects – the right content with the right form. Therefore, when you decide what text should be on the button or link, think about how to emphasize it so that it does not remain omitted. In this case, you can also define a certain set of rules, but remember that each situation must be approached individually.

A. Visibility
Your carefully crafted CTA may not be of much use if it is not visible enough. It is unacceptable for the user to scroll the whole page to get to the button. This applies to both websites and mailing campaigns. Ideally, the call to action should be at the top of the message so that it shows up to the user without having to scroll. This is especially important in the case of emails, because it is estimated that 8 out of 10 recipients do not delve into the content of marketing messages, reading them only to the so-called the break line, i.e. the place visible without scrolling the page.

It is worth taking care of visibility by using also color highlight and using a button of the appropriate size. The CTA should be in such a form that the user knows that it is a click. Remember to use the first person singular – it’s a treatment that can often help increase conversion. There should be enough space around the button to make it noticeable.

B. One offer – one CTA
Using multiple CTAs on a single page or promotional e-mail can only create unnecessary confusion. Your message should be clear so that the recipient does not have to think about what to choose and what to click. If he can’t make a decision right away, he won’t move on. Therefore, you should always use only one CTA. However, they can be placed in different places on the website or in the e-mail, so that the potential customer does not have to waste time looking for the button. In most cases, it is even a recommended solution.

C. Don’t extend
Remember that the CTA should be short and unambiguous. The most common requests are those with only 2 – 4 words. If you have more content to submit, place it above the button – Call To Action should only be about what awaits the user after proceeding. Usually, however, it is better to avoid hackneyed and overly general phrases (such as “check” or “click here”) that don’t say much.

D. Check Links!
Finally, a small but extremely important point – there is nothing worse than a CTA leading to an invalid or non-existent subpage. Therefore, always check the operation of the links before launching a website or sending marketing messages.

Effective Call To Action – How To Check It?

It’s important to keep an open mind to create effective calls to action. Even if you think that the applied treatment looks great and will certainly be effective, it may turn out otherwise in practice. Therefore, it is a good idea to prepare several CTA variants and monitor their effectiveness. How to do it? One of the easiest ways is to check your Click Through Rate (CTR). It tells you how many of those who saw the offer decided to click on the link in it. So if out of 100 people who visited the website (or out of 100 sent emails), 5 click on the link, the CTR will be 5%. Constant monitoring of this indicator can tell a lot about both the selection of Call To Action and the structure of the offer itself.

In a global and increasingly complex world, information has become a valuable resource, and some experts consider it to be another factor in production. There is no doubt that building the company’s position based on valuable information is necessary for the holistic recognition of macro-environment. Many determinants of success are hidden, especially at the very beginning. With the increase of experience and competence, acquired knowledge and skills allow economic entities to reach further milestones. That is why we have marketing guides for you that cover specific areas in the subject!

Marketing guides that are worth knowing!

The following list contains marketing guides for e.g. positioning of company websites and targeting. This is an area of marketing that has an increasingly greater impact on the current financial results of enterprises both in the micro and SME sector, as well as for larger organizational units. Knowledge of SEO issues and efficient use of effective internet advertising tools allow reaching recipients who would be difficult to be interested in the offer in the analog world. Here’s a portion of the necessary knowledge available at your fingertips:

Google My Business. How to create a Google business card?

During the first meeting with the client, a positive or negative image of the company is created. This also applies to virtual space. It is therefore worth ensuring a good impression, even when sometimes it is only about one look. An internet user browsing Google Maps or using a search engine is familiarized with brief information about the enterprise. This is the result of using the Google My Business advertising tool.

Google tools that every business should know

It is widely known that the internet giant founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin has a huge impact on the fate of a large part of enterprises. The list contains a few words of introduction regarding selected and in our opinion the most important tools from the point of view of company management. You don’t know what Google Ads is yet? Or maybe you want to get new information about Google Trends?

Content Marketing step by step

Content is king? Sure! Nothing has changed in this respect for years. It ignites the imagination of your customers. He builds your image. He sells, supports the positioning of your website and builds strong brands. You can learn about how to write, how to structure content, where to draw topics and inspiration, as well as what content is simply the best.

Blog in business

As our cyclical articles have repeatedly proved, focusing on content marketing can bring measurable benefits to a company. As competition grows day by day, it’s worth to stand out with unique content. An excellent method to increase the interest of potential customers is to run a blog. The organic reach gained in this way will boost the website in the search engine ranking.

The guide provides practical information on determining recipients of texts and a brief introduction on different styles of communication with readers. Adapting to the preferences of specific groups allows you to establish a better relationship, which directly translates into gaining customer loyalty. When they receive a reliable source of information, which is also interestingly written, they are much more likely to use the company’s offer. It’s worth trying because Internet users will catch inaccuracies within a few minutes and point them out in the comments. You can always count on it.

In addition, the beginner blogger’s manual has knowledge about the use of key phrases and tools that facilitate their selection. It is worth being up to date with the ranking of the most popular searches to always accurately describe the issues that are currently bothering customers. This is the only way to stay in the turbulent waters of business competition.

SEO guide. Lessons that will bring you to TOP10

Our blog is very popular. Through it, we provide a lot of substantive knowledge and current SEO information. We decided to gather the most important lessons in one place so that everyone could benefit from a compendium of knowledge. Journey through the next issues contained in the blog is both a great adventure and a source of reliable information. What will a thriving manager find there who intends to improve his company’s website statistics?

The lessons are arranged in such a way as to move from general knowledge to more and more specific issues. We devote a lot of space to explaining that page optimization is a multi-step process whose success depends on at least several factors. The blog also includes practical tips on, among others recommended image file size or the importance of page encryption. Even the appearance of a pageview with 404 error can affect! In order not to get ahead of the competition, SEO issues should be known inside out.

Transcript from the conference ‘SEM campaigns of the future’

As experts in the field of contemporary trends and marketing solutions, we devote additional time not only to sharing knowledge through the written word. We are also eager to visit industry conferences. This was also the case in September 2018, when speakers from Paraphrase-Online.com appeared at the event “SEM campaigns of the future”.

Martin Grossberg talked exactly about machine learning in Google Ads campaigns. He presented in detail over the forty-minute lecture all the most important aspects of planning, implementation and evaluation of activities. In turn, Ireneusz Iwański and Marek Walas presented specific strategies for optimizing Google Ads campaigns in the context of automation and machine learning. In their opinion, content optimization based on good quality data allows to obtain positive results. The subject of the speech was to develop the issue of implementing budgetary, efficiency and portfolio strategies. The lecture ended with a discussion of case study, i.e. translating these issues into business practice.

SEO guide for services

More and more service providers are using the optimization knowledge. This is a large group of entities. No wonder, since in the economies of highly developed countries the share of the service sector is growing all the time. The guide is adapted both for those who are just starting their adventure with optimization and for those who already have some experience. The publication contains basic information about the essence of positioning and adapting the website to Google requirements.

A lot of space was also devoted to content marketing, i.e. content management. Creating on the Internet is slightly different from analog writing. Key phrases and a number of other elements should be taken into account that have an impact on the effectiveness and reach of messages. Everything you should know about SEO in the services sector is on this blog.

SEO guide for e-commerce

A large group of our customers are online stores. Regardless of the industry they represent, each activity must be tailored to the requirements of e-commerce. The problem of online commerce is the so-called abandoned baskets, i.e. initiated transactions that ultimately fail. Appropriate SEO activities together with marketing automation tools allow to reduce negative phenomena, and thus – to contribute to successive revenue growth.

The publication contains reliable information on issues such as positioning, optimization of meta tags, adding customer reviews or encrypting the sales platform. In addition, the blog describes the rules for adapting the original appearance to the specific settings of mobile devices.

Google Ads lessons

Everyone who intends to stand out in the market should read at least some tips on running a Google AdWords campaign. We guide readers through this fascinating but trapped world. To avoid mistakes, use our hints. In this way, the planning process smoothly goes into the implementation phase, and when the time comes for summaries and evaluations – you can open champagne for the joy of increased revenues.

The following pages contain information on determining the purpose of the campaign and its budgeting, the selection of keywords and the thematic scope of content. The following sections provide guidelines on scheduling and measuring conversions. The practical blog was prepared by a Paraphrase-Online specialist who has many years of experience, so the publication is certainly a source of reliable and current knowledge.

A guide to effective action on LinkedIn

There is also a position in the library of the Paraphrase-Online Knowledge Academy that allows you to learn the rules of acquiring customers on the LinkedIn platform. There are many possibilities, but one thing is beyond doubt – business without a presence in this social medium is much poorer. Content management is not limited to creating a company profile. The blog tells you when to apply for paid solutions, and when you can limit yourself to free options.

Guide to online video campaigns

Almost from the beginning of its presence on the Internet, YouTube was doomed to success. Today it is the largest video platform that brings a lot not only to Google, but also to individual users. Thriving companies like to focus on video content marketing. And rightly so, because it brings a lot of benefits. What? You can read about it in our vademecum.

Effective marketing guides are not everything we have for you

Marketing guides are not everything! An extremely popular solution proposed by Paraphrase-Online is the possibility of using two tools that allow you to have all the numbers related to website optimization under control. The first is a website audit that allows you to check your website in just 20 seconds for optimization and the requirements of different types of devices.

The second suggestion straight from Paraphrase-Online is the Google Ads audit. This time, after 40 seconds you can get information on the evaluation of the campaign being implemented. Regardless of whether the result is positive or negative – it is worth contacting us and our experts will choose the right solution. After all, the competition is not sleeping and the world is rushing ahead, so you always have to keep your finger on the pulse of marketing.

Regardless of whether you run a clothing store, an automotive parts store, a gardening equipment store, a health food store, you have one specific goal – for example, getting customers and increasing sales. An online store advertisement comes in handy, thanks to which you can reach a wide audience. This is the beginning of the road, but you are not far from success.

Online store advertising – possibilities

Wondering what online advertising options you have? Internet marketing is a very broad concept, thanks to which you will choose solutions adequate to your needs and expectations. Importantly, online store advertising should not focus on just one tool at all. To increase your chances of success, it is worth acting on many levels. Many forms of online advertising complement each other perfectly, thanks to which a larger group of potential customers can get to know you.

Paid online store advertisement

This is a paid online store advertisement that gives quick results. Therefore, it will be great when you are just starting a business and your brand is not yet known.

As part of Google Ads, you can use, among others from sponsored links. They are displayed in the search engine – above the organic results – after entering specific keywords. After clicking the user is redirected to your store.

Another option is given to banner campaigns, which are implemented with the participation of portals cooperating with Google Ads. The banner is displayed on the given website – after clicking on the graphic the user is redirected to the online store.

The third option is Google Shopping – a tool with which you can promote specific products in the search engine. The user entering the product name receives the results in a special box – a link to the product appears along with the name of the store, price and photo. This is a very effective method of advertising products from your online store.

Facebook advertising

Statistics show that most people use at least one social networking site. Facebook is the most popular and – among other things – is where you should mark your presence.

One of the forms of advertising is your own fanpage, through which you can establish long-term relationships with customers and engage in dialogue with them. It is also a good way to build brand awareness.

The fanpage itself is not enough – especially if the store takes its first steps. Facebook campaigns come in handy to help you adapt to your needs. The form of advertising can be, for example, sponsored posts appearing on the board of potential customers or in Messenger.

Content marketing

Content marketing is not direct advertising. It is a series of activities on the Internet that primarily allow you to increase brand awareness, build an image of an expert or gain leads.

These activities can be carried out in many ways, however, the publication of thematic articles on external websites and the publication of articles on a company blog plays a major role. But really, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. We discuss the topic of content marketing in detail in the guide.

Online store advertising – why is it worth it?

The need to incur financial expenses for advertising on the Internet raises many questions – including those related to profitability. Although it’s hard to get a definite answer, one thing is certain: online store advertising has many advantages.

Wide range
Internet advertising is distinguished by a very wide range. It allows reaching thousands of recipients around the world. This is especially important if you are considering selling products also abroad. A wider reach means reaching more users with more potential customers among them.

Unlimited access to the offer
Unlimited access to online stores means that an online store ad does not have to be displayed at certain times. It reaches the recipient virtually 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Precise targeting
Online store advertising – regardless of the tool chosen – allows you to precisely identify the target group and then reach it. This increases the chances of the recipient carrying out a specific action, e.g. placing an order, subscribing to the newsletter. Detailed targeting also allows you to optimize the campaign in terms of spending.

The speed of launching the campaign
An online advertising campaign can be launched very quickly. What’s more, it is possible to reach a wide audience as soon as the campaign starts. This works great for online stores starting out that, in the case of offline advertising, would have to wait much longer for results.

Affordable costs
Traditional forms of advertising can cost a lot – unlike online advertising. It is much cheaper, which allows you to achieve your business goals with a lot less money. Thanks to this, every online store has a chance to appear in the network – regardless of its scale.

High flexibility
Online store advertising is characterized by great flexibility. You can modify the parameters of individual campaigns – so that they bring the expected results. And all this without having to increase advertising expenditure.

Possibility of constant monitoring of effects
Internet advertising is fully measurable. It is possible to systematically monitor effects using various tools. Thanks to this – if a given form of promotion does not meet expectations – it can be modified or completely eliminated.

Internet advertising is a profitable investment. Compared to other forms of advertising, it provides the best ratio of campaign costs to results. However, to get the most out of it, it’s worth starting to work with experts. Their knowledge and experience will allow launching effective campaigns leading to the achievement of assumed goals.

When should you position the page yourself?

Website positioning is not an easy task. It requires constant monitoring and analysis of conducted activities, as well as adaptation to changing Google algorithms. The difficulty of this task means that many companies (even those micro) decide to cooperate with SEO agencies. However, there are also some daredevils who want to position their website on their own. This can be tempted when:

– you have a lot of free time – positioning requires not only knowledge but also large resources of free time; this is often a full-time job, so if you want to combine it with acquiring and servicing clients, marketing and accounting, then you have to focus on failure;
– you have a limited SEO budget – the salary of a good SEO specialist may be too high for many companies (especially those entering the market); so if you don’t have the right budget, you can implement the first SEO activities yourself; this will reduce the cost of doing business while not losing visibility in the search engine;
– you are passionate about SEO and want to develop your knowledge and test in practice; in this situation, working on SEO of your own site is a great idea;
– you can afford to use the trial and error method – without extensive knowledge of SEO, and yet wanting to position the site yourself, you need to prepare for mishaps (including financial); often part of the budget is lost on independent positioning; errors can also lead to a decrease in the position of the page in the search engine, a decrease in website traffic, and thus a decrease in sales.

Where to start positioning the page?

Positioning is a complex process. That is why you should do an SEO audit of your site before you join it. Its task is to check which activities are carried out correctly and which ones should be improved or implemented additionally. The SEO audit is also intended to show whether the technical background allows smooth implementation of optimization changes.

It is worth remembering that when auditing the page, pay attention not only to technical issues, but also to the functionality of the site, visual attractiveness and other factors that can reduce the conversion rate. What should definitely be checked during the audit is:

– Website indexing – positioning cannot be discussed if the website will not be displayed in the search engine; the first step is to verify your site’s indexing; this can be done by typing in the search engine: site: domain name.com – all subpages and pages indexed in Google will appear in the results; if your site is not appearing, please send a request to have it crawled by Google Search Console; it is worth returning the indexing request if something has changed on the page;
– Metadata on the page – they determine the content of a given subpage; they are important to both Google robots and users; metadata should be on every page of the site; you should ensure that they are prepared in accordance with the guidelines, i.e. have the appropriate length and content of keywords.
– Headlines in published content – they are of key importance in positioning; headlines H1 and H2 have the greatest weight, but it is recommended to use these H3-H6.
– Page loading speed – this parameter affects not only SEO, but also the convenience of using the website; a page that is loading too long will cause the Internet user to leave it before it opens; the loading speed of the website can be checked using the free Page Speed ​​Insights tool provided by Google; if the loading speed is not satisfactory, then corrective actions, e.g. image compression, will be necessary.
– Adaptation to mobile devices – website responsiveness is one of the basic factors affecting SEO; whether the website is responsive can be checked by performing mobile optimization tests;
– Optimized URL – links to individual subpages should be friendly to Google’s algorithm and users; it must be unique, legible and provide information about what is actually on the site.
– Website structure – it is important that it is legible and intuitive; it should have a simple navigation system; this will help in positioning and avoid high bounce rate.
– SSL certificate – it ensures that all data sent by the website is protected; lack of encryption protocol will mean low security, worse conversions, as well as poor website credibility; certificate ownership can be checked using SSL verification tools.
– Inbound links – high quality inbound links currently count in SEO; they should not be placed on suspicious sites that may be negatively evaluated by Google’s algorithms; the quality of incoming links can be checked through free tools available on the Internet.

What after the audit?

The next step after the audit is to prepare an SEO strategy. It is extremely important when positioning yourself. It will allow you to implement subsequent optimization changes in turn. The SEO strategy should cover the most important issues such as: keyword list, website content, link building. It’s a good idea to check how competitors that find high positions in the search engine, present their content, products, services, competition.

5 tasks that you need to do when positioning on-site

Independent positioning of the site, it is worth starting with the activities carried out on the site, i.e. on-site. Internal positioning is based on several important issues.

Keywords in positioning

The first is keywords. A lot depends on their proper selection. When choosing them, check among others do they really match the website theme, are they useful, what is their competitiveness. The selected keywords should be grouped so that they coincide with subsequent stages of the sales funnel. Thanks to this it will be possible to reach customers at every stage of purchase.

Many people positioning the site independently, choose keywords based on experience in the industry. This is a good solution if you want to create a wide list of phrases. Searching for keywords is good if you pay attention to long-tail phrases, those related to keywords (creating the so-called thematic contexts), informational key phrases (answering the users question), commercial key phrases (containing the brand name).

Content in positioning

The content posted on the site is very important. When preparing those to help in SEO, you should pay attention to both their attractiveness, as well as editing and appearance. The texts published on the website must be interesting, practical, written in a simple and friendly language, and above all unique – Google does not like duplication of content. The whole should be divided into logical paragraphs separated by headings H1-H6 and also have at least 3000 characters including spaces. A good recommendation is also putting on content in the material, without ornaments, not saturated with adjectives and keywords.

Graphics in positioning

The properly used multimedia will also help in positioning the website. Graphics or video are a natural complement to the texts. They visualize the described issue, they can present a product or service. However, for photos / videos to improve SEO, they need to be properly optimized. Most important is the alt attribute read by Google.

Internal linking – a must have for every website

When running a small website with services, internal linking must be carried out. To this end, while building a blog, we construct content to include keywords for which particular services are positioned. Under these keywords on the blog we put internal (intertext) links that direct to services. As a result, Google “raises” internally linked landing page positions.

Readability and intuitiveness of website in positioning

The readability and intuitiveness of the site is UX – user experience. This concept conceals the impressions and feelings of users who reach the site. The more friendly the navigation and layout are, the higher the conversions. If you want to take care of UX, positioning the page yourself, you should take care of: the structure of the website, usability, adaptation to mobile devices, valuable content, voice search. Friendly UX, however, consists of many more factors: appearance, feelings, usability, website goals, content transparency, language used, color used.

2 tasks that you need to perform when off-site positioning

When positioning the website yourself, you cannot neglect external activities. They mainly focus on obtaining links from valuable websites and eliminating those on low-rank websites. Link building, however, is not the only task in off-side positioning.

Link Building in positioning

Link Building is one of the most important positioning pillars. The lack of incoming links is the main reason for the lack of high position in Google. Link Building in positioning is a very broad topic. The most important thing in independent positioning, however, is to place links to valuable websites. These are primarily considered to be those related to some degree to a positioned website, as well as those of high authority. It is also desirable to get dofollow links.

Linking is also important for SEO. There are several possibilities here. A link to positioning the page can be placed by linking the key phrase (exact mach) or its altered version, or a semantic keyword (partial mach). Often, zero macht linking is used, i.e. the key phrase is linked, but the word here is. You can also link the company name or paste the exact URL into the text.

Google My Business

This is a business card that largely translates into improved SEO. You have to create your business card yourself. The entire process of establishing it is 5 steps and includes providing the most important information about the company. The business card is created after data verification by Google. It is worth focusing to provide accurate data on working hours, address, products, type of business, website address. It is also advisable to place photos and opinions, i.e. social evidence.

Summary

Independent positioning of the website is a time-consuming process, difficult for many people, but possible. Using the check list above, you will perform the most important actions that will allow your website or online store to achieve a high position in Google. It is worth remembering, however, to look at each of these steps thoroughly and deepen knowledge in the field of individual elements affecting positioning. It should be realized that there is no universal recipe for website positioning. Different activities work in every situation. This is why, in many cases, achieving high positions in search engines is the result of a combination of creative approach, knowledge of the industry and experience in SEO.

What is the bounce rate?

The bounce rate also known as bounce rate tells you what actions and behaviors Internet users take on a given page (www subpage). Bounce rate is primarily interested in what percentage of users leave the subpage without performing any action, e.g. switching to a product card, blog, to the next article. The bounce rate is calculated for both the entire site and its individual subpages. Users’ actions that are included in the bounce rate are:

– Closing the card / page / subpage as soon as you enter it,
– Clicking the back button, i.e. back to the previous page,
– Clicking on the outgoing link,
– Entering a new URL after leaving the page,
– No activity on the site for 30 minutes after turning it on.

Where to check the page bounce rate?

The bounce rate is calculated using the formula. Self-calculation is not the best of ideas, however. To get to know him, it’s best to enter Google Analytics. It will show the bounce rate in different shots, e.g. traffic sources, paid campaigns, country or Internet device type. In Google Analytics, you can check the bounce rate for the entire site, as well as the most popular landing pages.

What should the bounce rate be?

The amount of bounce rate spends sleep on both website owners and SEO specialists. One of the most common questions is when the rate is too high, how much should it be, and is the bounce rate a situation that requires intervention?

Certainly the high bounce rate is not interesting for the site. It shows that the website or subpage is not interesting, encouraging for Internet users, and most importantly, it does not find the content they were looking for. A high bounce rate is a signal that you need to look at the website and make changes to it. What bounce rate should alarm and encourage corrective action? You definitely need to work on a page if your bounce rate is 80-90% for all sites or key subpages.

So what should be the correct bounce rate? There is no universal answer here. A different result will be a success for each site. Help in determining whether it falls in the “range”: may be the results published by Google, and telling about the average value of bounce rate for individual industries.

However, it is worth remembering that the bounce rate cannot be minimized to zero (if the bounce rate is actually around 0%, it is worth checking if the Google Analytics installation is not incorrect). Even in the case of the best websites, it has a level of 30-40%. It should also be borne in mind that a worthless visit to the website is not always included in the bounce rate. When measuring bounce rate, you always need to consider when you left the site. If, for example, an Internet user left the page after reading the blog article, then, as a rule, it should not be included in the bounce rate, even if then he did not make any other move. It is a desirable and expected action. Therefore, bloggers, news and current affairs websites may have a high bounce rate, despite the content they are interested in.

Therefore, measuring the ratio should be approached with great care. The recommended solution is to set the time in Google Analytics after which BR will turn on after e.g. 30 seconds.

In summary, bounce rate is an important parameter, but it is not the only determinant of page value. Analyzing it, it is also worth looking at other parameters, e.g. dwell time and on the basis of complete data giving possible corrective actions.

How do you reduce the bounce rate?

To reduce your bounce rate, you can do a number of things. Before you start, however, you must do an analysis of your site. At the beginning it is worth to select subpages that actually have a high bounce rate and analyze why a low bounce rate is recorded. This can be due to various reasons for specific subpages, e.g. home page – too low frequency of adding new content; product card – non-intuitive purchase process, contact subpage – no further way forward.

Knowing what causes a high bounce rate, you can plan and implement specific actions to counteract it. There are many possibilities here and you must always adapt them to the individual situation of the site.

The 3 most important things that reduce bounce rates

If you want to fight a high bounce rate, first of all you have to bet on 3 things. They significantly affect whether the site is friendly and attractive to the recipient.

– The first is good content, i.e. content placed on your website or blog.
– Another is to respond to users needs.
– The last is navigation intuitiveness.

If the first two points pose a problem with high bounce rates, then you need to correct the content and ensure better content. If the third point is a problem, then your site’s technical facilities will need to “fix”.

11 ways to reduce bounce factor

A. Simple and intuitive navigation
An Internet friendly website is the one on which it will be able to navigate simply and easily. It is worth remembering that what seems to be creative navigation for the creator, for the user can be an impulse to quickly leave the site and without getting acquainted with its content. The main menu, site map (larger websites), search engine, navigation buttons, call to action and other navigation elements should be designed so that the user does not think about the next step, but performs it automatically and moves to the next subpages.

B. Service readability
Even the best content or good quality product cannot be defended if it is presented carelessly. Lack of readability means that most Internet users leave the site faster than they appeared on it. So if you want to reduce the bounce rate, you should make sure that the content on the page is readable (large blocks of text are thrown away) – divided by headers, bulleted, bolded, written in clear font. Multimedia (movies and photos) should support the message. Readability is not only content, but also visual hierarchy, so-called whitespace (free space), consistent colors, adequate contrast, the right amount of information and CTA, consistent message delivery, detailing the most important information, e.g. purchase conditions.

In terms of page readability, it’s best to follow the KISS principle and remember that if the readability of the page is bad, all the rest doesn’t matter. It is also worth remembering that readability is closely related to design. And it’s not just about making the site look nice. Designing on a website should focus mainly on emphasizing the most important content, data, information, graphics and products.

C. Fast website loading
Today, nobody likes to wait – Internet users open their websites even more. You can check the page loading speed using Page Speed Insights. You should strive to make the tag as fast as possible, especially for mobile devices. If the tool shows that the speed of the site is unsatisfactory, then you will need, among others image compression, reducing the number of scripts or using the browser cache.

D. Compliance of website content with promises
Do you promise the client that he will go to the site, where he will find his dream vacation in France, and when he enters the site, he gets a vacation in Bali? Most likely, this means that it will leave the website quickly and thus be included in the bounce rate. To avoid this, you should work on matching your landing pages to search engine and keyword search queries. It is also worth suggesting immediately alternative articles / products on similar subjects and give the user a chance to make the next move, not to leave the site immediately.

It is worth mentioning here that in the title and meta description of a subpage, content should not use phrases that are readily searched, but have little in common with the content on the subpage. Even if a customer enticed by finding out something that interests him, enters such a subpage, it is almost a 100% guarantee that he will leave it quickly.

E. A large amount of practical information
Very often the reason for leaving the website quickly, if it lacks the most important information for the user. To help him find them, it’s worth including
– create a FAQ subpage,
– make sure the product card contains current and most important product information; the use of generalities is not recommended;
– is the website lacking information on how to order a service / product, price list, directions.

F. CTA leading to subsequent events
The CTA buttons are intended to persuade the Internet user to perform further actions on the website and move to its next parts. They should be designed and arranged so as to create a clear and legible path, e.g. for product purchase, contact form, quote. Call to action on the site can appear in the form of buttons, banners or external links. It’s best to mark them with a different font color that will stand out from the rest of the texts. On a site without CTA, the user will have to look for subpages to which he must go in a given order. This lack of help may result in you leaving the site quickly.

G. Social evidence
One of the conditions for staying on the website by the Internet user is its credibility. If he finds that the site does not inspire trust, he will deny the content on it in advance and leave it quickly. To avoid a high bounce rate, it’s a good idea to social evidence. Thanks to this, users will be shown from a good side. References, opinions, reviews, customer photos are considered social evidence.

H. Lack of intrusive advertising and pop-ups
Pop-ups, video gadgets and consent messages can effectively discourage you from staying on the site for a long time. If at the very beginning the user is attacked by various messages and cannot reach the information he is looking for, he will quickly leave the page.

I. Responsive website
It would seem that today you do not need to talk or remind anyone about responsiveness. However, it turns out that still many sites are not adapted for mobile devices. Meanwhile, much of the traffic comes from them – on average 70%. The user who browses the pages on the phone will almost certainly leave those that display incorrectly.

J. Accompanying events
There are subpages that naturally don’t generate any further activity. These include, for example, a subpage with a blog article or contact tabs. The user, finishing reading the article or checking the phone number, closes the subpage and leaves the website. However, there are ways to extend his presence on the site and encourage these activities. How to do it? It is enough to attach accompanying events to a given subpage. Behind this concept is, e.g. subscribing to the newsletter, completing the form / survey, clicking on the phone number or reading the product cards.

K. Regularity of content
If you run a blog, regular delivery of new content will affect your bounce rate. Most readers follow social media entries and reach their destination from there. Permanently sharing and redirecting to one and the same article means that the reader will quickly leave the text he has already read. Providing up-to-date content is not just important on a blog. If, for example, the data from the 2000 landing page is given, the customer may be discouraged and look for fresh information.

Summary

Many bounce rates are awake at night. Taming him is often not as difficult as it seems. The ground is a good analysis of the reasons for high bounce rate. In some cases it may turn out that it is not a bad thing. However, when the bounce rate is high, it’s worth starting to act. And then verify if the actions bring results. This is best done using A / B testing. They consist of saving the bounce rate for a given page, then implementing change (one) and verifying whether the bounce rate has decreased.

If you want to develop your content marketing strategy in a company, from scratch, starting from the blog, publishing content based on SEO or also establishing a company profile on social media, including on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or YouTube.

Why is it worth having a content marketing strategy?

Content specialists will surely give you many reasons. However, if no one has ever tried to convince you to create a content marketing strategy for your company – here we are!

Having a clear content marketing strategy is much easier to present and explain the activities of the marketing team to other teams in the company that often do not understand or see the benefits of strictly content activities. A clear strategy gives them the opportunity to engage in various initiatives and facilitates communication between departments, e.g. sales and marketing. If you still think that not everyone in the company may be interested in what will be published on the company’s blog or Facebook, I present an example:

A. Your company sometimes publishes something on a blog, usually when the copywriter had a moment off. The person commissioned to take care of the fanpage uploads a maximum of two posts per week on Facebook – but these do not collect much likes (and no one even dreams about comments). Your company on both Google and Facebook has a maximum of 5 reviews – three written by friends of employees and two negative (of course, no one answered) – does this remind you of something? This is a very common example of a company that does not manage its content activities and does not have any pre-determined content marketing strategy. This can be changed very simply. How several guidelines will improve communication that will positively affect the content delivered to your company’s recipients? – about this in example B.

B. With the help of the Content Marketing guide, step by step, or using other sources and your own experience, you create a content marketing strategy – you specify a group of recipients, audit existing activities and check what should be improved, and what went well, you dedicate specific people who will posted on social media and on the blog, you set the publication schedule and distribution method. Finally, this strategy is also presented to other departments, which will most likely add some of their comments and inspiration.

Effect?

People dealing with publications have in store ideas for content (in addition in various formats), what’s more, the sales department eagerly uses published content and uses the more interesting fragments, e.g. sharing them with potential customers who may be interested in given issues. The analytics department sends some nice data from which you can then create an interesting infographic or blog entry. Both the website and fanpages notice more traffic, and customers encouraged by the sales department write some positive reviews. It doesn’t stop there, of course.

Of course, the presented scenario only looks simple. To create a content marketing strategy, and then to enforce it and improve the published content over time, you need to work a bit. Nevertheless, you can start with small steps.

Benefits of having Content Marketing strategies in a company

We marketers are well aware of the benefits of our activities. We know perfectly well that thanks to our publications traffic on the site increases, and this translates into an increase in requests for an offer or an increase in purchases. We also see that the original texts on the site and communication tailored to recipients in social media brings an ever wider group of readers and gathers more and more active fans who read eagerly browse company profiles. It’s logical for us! However, for people who do not deal with marketing on a daily basis, our work often seems incomprehensible, and its benefits are often questioned and undermined. That is why we decided to convince the doubters, including this entry.

Here are the benefits for which you should have a content marketing strategy:

– building the company’s image and recognition (in a relatively cheap way),
– strengthening the position of the website in Google – by providing more content, well optimized for SEO,
– complementing other marketing and sales activities,
– positive impact on relationships with customers: brand fans, brand followers and potential customers,
– strengthening the company’s position as a leader among competitors (maybe your competition is still conducting its activities as in example A),
– as a result of these actions: increasing sales.

And a lot more! You can convince yourself of them only if you finally start acting!

Content Marketing – discussed forms of publication

Let’s start with the fact that content can take many forms. So we are not only doomed to simple blog entries, although these never go out of style. Definitely, in 2020 you need to be tempted to diversity and provide information to recipients in various forms, such as:

– blog entries,
– interviews,
– checklists,
– short entries, e.g. in social media,
– guides
– ebooks
– presentations,
– graphics,
– infographics,
– pictures,
– collages,
– Memes,
– short video formats,
– longer video formats,
– live video,
– webinars,
– podcasts,
– case studies,
– reports,
– sheets,
– reviews,
– diagrams,
– games and quizzes,
– competitions,
– UGC – that is all forms related to your product or service that your recipient / customer creates.
– and others that creativity will allow.

Since there are so many options, how to decide which channels and formats will be the most suitable for a given business and target group? Calm head, we are already answering!

Content Marketing activities

There is nothing to hide, this post is also a content marketing activity. We want to give knowledge, but also create a community of marketers around us. Maybe today they do not need our support, but maybe in six months they will go to a new company, they will be faced with new challenges and then they will remember us.

At Paraphrase Online, we’ve focused on several transmission axes, the key to providing industry knowledge.

We create customer guides, blogs and educational entries, we share infographics, we are transparent as a company. Of course, each form also has preferred channels. For example, about transparency, payroll and results are best shared on Linkedin, where the business environment involved is particularly interested in such data. Infographics are great sellers on social media (including on Facebook), and e.g. blog provides us traffic straight from the search engine.

You can use our knowledge and experience, their cumulative dose has been made available on our blog.

It is difficult to define the essence of marketing because there are many ways to define it. It is often understood as a way of operating a company consisting in profitably satisfying the needs of customers. In a broader context, it should also be understood as a complex process that includes identifying and shaping the needs of recipients, creating appropriate products and acting to meet the needs of consumers.

The main division of marketing

When talking about types of marketing, marketing should be mentioned depending on the application. So it stands out:
– producer marketing,
– B2B marketing,
– B2C marketing,
– marketing of services,
– commercial marketing,
– international marketing.

What does marketing do?

Marketing is a very broad concept, which translates into its different faces. It covers many areas, including depending on the resources and media used or the way it targets customers.

Product marketing
This term is used to describe a set of activities that are aimed at product development, including in terms of its recognition and increase in sales. The steps taken include, for example, rebranding, promotion marketing, trade marketing.

Analytical Marketing
Its purpose is to use customer information, which is expected to increase sales. Among the activities carried out in this area, one can mention, among others geomarketing, neuromarketing, behavioral marketing, benchmarking, loyalty programs.

Event marketing
Its essence is to promote a company or product through organization / participation in events. Activities include sponsorship, own stand at the fair, organization of concerts / picnics for clients, lecture at an industry conference. If you are looking to up your game you can also try out attendee engagement solutions by hub live for your events. 

Inbound marketing
This term is understood as activities aimed at increasing the chance for a customer to find an offer and encouraging him to contact. In this case, e.g. content marketing is used, which may be manifested by content potentially of interest to the consumer – guides, entries, lookbooks and the like.

Outbound marketing
These are activities addressed to people who do not always expect contact from the company. Techniques and tools are used, such as direct marketing, field marketing, and e-mail marketing campaigns.

Mobile marketing
The notion of mobile marketing is not only “advertising on wheels”, but also activities using portable devices (smartphones, laptops). Tools such as communication via SMS / MMS, QR codes, dedicated display ads are used.

Internet marketing
This is one of the most common marketing varieties today. Includes activities that are carried out via the Internet. These include not only Google Ads positioning or advertising, but also other elements. These include, for example, email marketing, social media marketing, buzz marketing, and affiliate marketing.

It is worth noting that most companies are not limited to only one area. In practice, various types of marketing activities are used – to achieve the set business goals in the most effective way possible.

Factors affecting the effectiveness of marketing activities

It depends on the effectiveness of marketing activities whether and how quickly the company will be able to achieve its business goals. An important role in this aspect is played, among others, by factors such as:
– the strategy developed and its implementation,
– tools and techniques used,
– creation,
– matching activities to the target group.

The choice of channels through which the message will reach potential customers is also of great importance.

It is worth noting that effective marketing activities cannot be carried out based on intuition. Although it may be useful in many cases, numbers play the most important role – marketing is a measurable area. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the range of activities, reactions of potential customers, impact time, etc. Based on the data, an analysis should be carried out – in order to eliminate “weak links” of implemented activities.

Although marketing is associated mainly with sales, you cannot limit yourself to it. The implemented actions should include, among others areas such as communication, analysis of activities, preparation and implementation of developed strategies. I hope you already understand what marketing does. The widest possible definition would simply be that it is any external manifestation of a company’s sales goal.

Regardless of whether you run a clothing store, an automotive parts store, a gardening equipment store, a health food store, you have one specific goal – for example, getting customers and increasing sales. An online store advertisement comes in handy, thanks to which you can reach a wide audience. This is the beginning of the road, but you are not far from success.

Online store advertising – possibilities

Wondering what online advertising options you have? Internet marketing is a very broad concept, thanks to which you will choose solutions adequate to your needs and expectations. Importantly, online store advertising should not focus on just one tool at all. To increase your chances of success, it is worth acting on many levels. Many forms of online advertising complement each other perfectly, thanks to which a larger group of potential customers can get to know you.

– Google Ads
This is a paid online store advertisement that gives quick results. Therefore, it will be great when you are just starting a business and your brand is not yet known.

As part of Google Ads, you can use, among others from sponsored links. They are displayed in the search engine – above the organic results – after entering specific keywords. After clicking the user is redirected to your store. This is a very effective method of advertising because for the average user Google Ads do not differ from organic results. It is also worth adding that they are well-matched to the client’s queries and thus get what he expects.

Another option is given to banner campaigns, which are implemented with the participation of portals cooperating with Google Ads. The banner is displayed on the given website – after clicking on the graphic the user is redirected to the online store.

The third option is Google Shopping – a tool with which you can promote specific products in the search engine. The user entering the product name receives the results in a special box – a link to the product appears along with the name of the store, price and photo.

– Advertising on Facebook
Statistics show that most people use at least one social networking site. Facebook is the most popular and, among other things, you should mark your presence there.

One of the forms of advertising is your own fanpage, through which you can establish long-term relationships with customers and engage in dialogue with them. It is also a good way to build brand awareness.

The fanpage itself is not enough – especially if the store takes its first steps. Facebook campaigns come in handy to help you adapt to your needs. The form of advertising can be, for example, sponsored posts appearing on the board of potential customers or in Messenger. There are a lot of advertising formats on Facebook, from static to carousels and movies.

– Content marketing
Content marketing is not direct advertising. It is a series of activities on the Internet that primarily allow you to increase brand awareness, build an image of an expert or gain leads.

These activities can be carried out in many ways, however, the publication of thematic articles on external websites and the publication of articles on a company blog plays a major role. These are content activities that we know widely, but there are many more and they can also be much more sophisticated. Let store actions serve as an example. A simple loyalty mechanism (stickers = reward) was turned into a content self-play. Such action provides a lot of sought after content. Thus, a powerful envelope of content is created around the programs.

Online store advertising – why is it worth it?

The need to incur financial expenses for advertising on the Internet raises many questions – including those related to profitability. Although it’s hard to get a clear answer, one thing is certain: online store advertising has many advantages and is extremely measurable. So you can make budget transfers to the most promising channels in real time!

– Wide range
Internet advertising is distinguished by a very wide range. It allows you to reach hundreds of thousands of recipients – not only in your country, but also in the world. This is especially important if you are considering selling products also abroad. A wider reach means reaching more users with more potential customers among them.

– Unlimited access to the offer
Unlimited access to online stores means that an online store ad does not have to be displayed at certain times. It reaches the recipient virtually 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

– Precise targeting
Online store advertising – regardless of the tool chosen – allows you to precisely identify the target group and then reach it. This increases the chances of the recipient carrying out a specific action, e.g. placing an order, subscribing to the newsletter.

– Speed of campaign launch
An online advertising campaign can be launched very quickly. What’s more, it is possible to reach a wide audience as soon as the campaign starts. This works great for online stores starting out, which – in the case of offline advertising – would have to wait much longer for results.

– Affordable costs
Traditional forms of advertising can cost a lot – unlike online advertising. It is much cheaper, which allows you to achieve your business goals with a lot less money. Thanks to this, every online store has a chance to appear on the web – regardless of its scale.

– High flexibility
Online store advertising is characterized by great flexibility. You can modify the parameters of individual campaigns – so that they bring the expected results. And all this without having to increase advertising expenditure.

– Possibility of constant monitoring of effects
Internet advertising is fully measurable. It is possible to systematically monitor effects using various tools. Thanks to this – if a given form of promotion does not meet expectations – it can be modified or completely eliminated.

Online advertising of an online store is a profitable investment. Compared to other forms of advertising, it provides the best ratio of campaign costs to results.

PR + SEO = SEO PR

Simply put, SEO PR is a combination of search engine optimization and public relations activities, which is enriched with SERM, i.e. managing reputation in the search engine, by promoting positive materials about a selected brand and responding to negative ones.

SEO and PR combine primarily content, or content. They are needed for both activities. In order to combine SEO with PR, it is necessary to create valuable content for these two areas of marketing. It is not difficult, but requires the development of detailed guidelines and is more time-consuming than creating typical “pretzels”. The development of such content is associated with higher costs, because you need to write a virtuoso of a pen who will understand the issues of building image on the web as well as the principles of search engine optimization.

SEO PR – why is it important?

The issue of SEO PR is considered increasingly popular and important, and all because the creation of a positive image on the web is a key issue for most companies. It is supposed to bring benefits to both SEO and PR activities – the combination of these fields strengthens SEO activities and helps in positioning public relations materials.

The use of public relations in SEO pays off for every brand. Benefits will benefit both a little-known brand that just wants to promote, and a large company wanting to prevent and control image crises. SEO PR is also useful when you want to build an expert position on the market and fight for high-end clients.

How to use PR in SEO?

SEO PR often reaches for companies in a crisis situation, when, for example, a lot of negative information about the company appears on the web. In such a situation, campaigns are often one of the solutions often used, during which a number of positive image messages are published. The effect is to reduce the visibility of adverse content. However, SEO PR should be implemented in a marketing strategy in times of prosperity. It will be an effective tool that will help promote the company and its products, and at the same time build consumer confidence and e.g. an expert image. Thoughtful actions will also allow you to obtain valuable links in a natural and quite safe way, and often (importantly) free. For valuable content, the portal may agree that the press release be included for free with the link.

In summary, using public relations in SEO activities,
– A positive image of companies is created,
– Increases search engine visibility,
– Increases organic traffic on the site,
– Increases sales,
– Builds a group of new recipients.

How to make PR valuable for SEO?

SEO RP activities should be conducted in accordance with current Google recommendations and naturally fit in with strategies to build the company’s image. If you want to conduct them, remember to avoid “artificial” actions at all costs – search engine algorithms are more and more sensitive to them and capture them better. Therefore, it becomes necessary to prepare an analysis for UX and plan the creation and distribution of content. In order not to get lost in these activities, it is recommended to create an SEO PR strategy that will determine, among others target group, task calendar, topics covered by SEO PR, issues related to SEO optimization (e.g. list of dedicated keywords, content structure, structural data encouraging clicking on the message), content distribution and promotion tools.

It should be remembered that even the best prepared and implemented SEO strategy will not bring results if you do not constantly monitor and control changes. For SEO PR, good timing and upcoming trends are important. The need for quick response means, with SEO PR, it is worth combining with real time marketing. Orientation in the current situation will allow to use them in favor of the promoted brand or product. You can even use Google Trends to analyze trends.

If you want to use PR in SEO activities, you should not forget to build correct relations with the media. In an era when the Internet is saturated with content, you cannot delude yourself that you will send a low-level text to the portal with a link, and it will place and promote it. To get the press information to a widely read medium, PR should be conducted at a high level and create attractive, unique, timely, correctly substantive content, interesting from the point of view of the reader (and not the company) that you want to reach. At the same time, you cannot expect the publisher to always publish information for free with a dofollow link attached. To avoid disappointment, publication conditions should be set in advance, with links only when the article enforces it. An active link in a PR message should be an integral part of the content, e.g. redirect to content sources, examples, solutions to a given problem, etc.

Tools for SEO PRs

It is also difficult to talk about the effectiveness of SEO PR if you do not use the tools available on the market. They will help in obtaining data, monitoring effects and changes, building image in search engine. SEO PR tools that are worth paying attention to are:

– Keyword analysis applications – they will help you choose the right phrases that will be used in published PR materials; both the free Google keyword planner and free applications can be used to search for keywords;
– Network monitoring tools – their task is to inform about mentions that appear about the brand; this allows for a quick response to them, and also indicates where to place bulilding links; SEO tools can be used to monitor the network.
– Applications that monitor search results;
– Content and content publishing platforms, as well as Google Ads and Facebook As promotion tools that will increase the visibility of produced content;
– Internet forums – can be used not only for “whispers”, but also for substantive statements of the brand, in which he will give extensive statements on the topic in which he wants to specialize; in these statements, you can add a dofollow or nofollow link naturally (if possible);
– Brand ambassadors – cooperation with influencers is an increasingly popular solution; it turns out that the correct definition of its rules can have a positive image effect, as well as increase visibility in search results;
– Applications for running a virtual press office – they will enable easier management of databases of cooperating journalists and faster sending them of press releases; many platforms for running e-press offices also allow the journalists with whom they cooperate to retrieve information.

The brand’s reputation in the 21st century is the most expensive currency. Positive opinions and the image of an expert can be won even with a larger competitor that offers cheaper products / services. SEO PR will ensure both the visibility of the page in the search engine and put the brand in a good light. Importantly, thanks to activities carried out effectively, brand visibility on the web will grow rapidly, and Internet users will easily find published content even by asking Google general questions related only to the long tail of search. Entrepreneurs who wondered whether investing in SEO PR should dispel their doubts.

How to use SEO PR articles?

A. When entering the company, ask for all company publications available on the Internet. Review them for possible link placement (no matter if Dofollow or Nofollow) – and under the name (brand) put a link to the main page. At the same time, if possible, rebuild a sentence so that you can add one more link, e.g. to a category, product or service.

B. If the customer does not have a list of articles, use footprints to search for articles in the search engine, for example:
– “company xxxx”
– “about company xxxx”
– “at xxxx”
– “by xxxx”
– “by xxxx”
If you already have a list, contact the editors of these articles and try to put a link there.

C. Make sure that all new PR publications contain a minimum of 1 brand link (sporadically brand + keyword) to the homepage.

D. If possible, put several products with links to them in the article, the full name of the product may be an anchor (don’t forget about nofollow, because it may be necessary).

E. Use all possible Social Media channels to promote your brand – positioning them results in queries about the company name, brand, domain name – search results are the company’s URL and profiles. SERM is also part of PR.

F. Remember what keywords you are fighting for above all:
– name + reviews
– name + portfolio
– name + rating
Unfortunately, in the case of phrases such as “name + scammers / bankruptcy” will be a huge challenge.

G. Browse the positioned website – implement all possible extended parts to obtain “knowledge graph” – that is the box describing the company: local business, website, organization.

H. Use PBN platforms to get interesting spots for publishing articles (sometimes it’s cheaper). An interesting option is the publication of the article on portals that are in Google News – there is then a chance for a carousel with such articles to appear on brand queries.