Unlike analogue directories, Internet search engines have the ability to catalog information in more detail. With the help of web robots – programs that absorb information about websites – they are able to collect data on the structure of the site and its content. Thanks to the knowledge accumulated by the bot, the search engine is able to choose the answers to the queries of its users. The library equivalent of a search engine would be its employee, manually (thanks to knowledge and experience) searching for books for the reader.

What is website positioning in search engines?

Search engine positioning aims to show robots that it is our site that best answers the question, and at the same time is convenient for the user. The SEO process is primarily about adapting the website to the rules set by search engines – an algorithm that determines the order of results in SERPs.

What affects position? Initially, the keywords and the number of links to the page were relevant. With the growing page base and changing user expectations, the number of factors affecting positioning has begun to increase. In the case of Google, it is estimated that as of today, robots analyze about 200 different signals on the basis of which they determine the site’s ranking position. To limit the possibility of manipulation of results, some of the factors are kept secret and Google employees provide rather evasive answers on this topic. Information on what helps websites climb search results is obtained not only from official search engine guides, but also from external tools and tests, the results of which are positioned by positioners in industry media and forums. The experience of a specialist also plays an important role here, as he has survived more than once!

Positioning is primarily talked about in the context of Google. It is this search engine that is the most frequently chosen way to search for information. However, this type of services is provided by:

Yandex – a Russian search engine of great importance in Russia and its neighbors. Yandex holds a 50% market share in this region. It works on a similar principle as Google – page indexing can be controlled through the equivalent of Google Search Console, here called Yandex.Webmaster. The search engine also has its own set of rules according to which pages should be created. The income comes primarily from advertising.

Baidu – a browser created for the needs of the Chinese user.

Bing – a search engine created by Microsoft. It is much more popular in the US than in other countries. Its market share in the US is around 30%.

Yahoo – another search engine whose importance is noticeable primarily in the US. It owns 10% of the market, which places it in the 3rd place in the poll of the most popular search engines in the United States.

In addition, there are also Ask, DuckDuckGo and AOL on the market, but the number of searches through these services is a small percentage of the total.

Search engines and the state of your business

Statistics say that the average person performs about 3-4 searches per day and, according to another source, about 93% of internet experience begins in the search engine. Both information is valuable from a business point of view and can only lead to one conclusion – a search engine is a place where customers need to be found.

Business in 2020 without the Internet and Google does not exist. The search engine is the basic source of knowledge of the average internet user – most of us are looking for information for private use, some – also for the needs of our work and company. Wishing to open up to new customers and increase your income, it is worth playing with Google and try to adapt to the rules imposed by the search engine.

The skilful use of the search engine allows you to expand the advertising space in which your business may appear. A properly prepared and positioned website can not only inform about the services offered by the company, but also support the process of building the position of an expert in a given industry and increase brand awareness. Website positioning is compatible with other marketing activities and brings results not only directly during the campaign, but also when a potential customer needs it.

First steps in the Google world

It is not difficult to appear in the search engine, and Google willingly shares knowledge about taking the first steps in its environment. Guidelines and tips can be found not only on the support pages, but also in the courses. In the materials prepared by Google and partner companies, basic knowledge of Internet marketing – SEM, SEO and an introduction to tools provided by a search engine, e.g. Analytics, is provided in an accessible way.

General knowledge about the search engine environment helps to understand how search works, why you should set up a map and how the prices of ads in search results are shaped. Understanding the terms used in the Google context and the capabilities of the search engine help in setting marketing goals. Even basic knowledge of the search engine also facilitates cooperation with a positioner or an Ads specialist.

Where to start? First of all, putting up a modern, secure and fast website. The size of the website and the technologies used on it should be chosen according to the industry and the goals to be met by the website. And then…

A. Invite robots – sharing a page with web robots is tantamount to agreeing to appear in the search engine. The crawl program analyzes the structure, content and links coming to your site, allowing it to appear in search results.

B. Find out how they see you – the data collected by web robots can be controlled on a search engine – in Google, this is Google Search Console. This is where statistics about site indexing, search, and alerts about errors or problems detected by other tools. Controlling the status of the page in the Google index allows you to quickly respond to problems in the event of a breach of data security on the page and when the movement within the domain ceases.

C. Take care of the content and convenience of using the site – only and up to. The content of the page is important not only from the point of view of gaining high positions in search results, but also because of the end user – potential customer. It was he who asked the search engine the question that she is looking for the best answer. Preparation of content that will introduce him to the world of services offered and explain all the complexities of the industry in an accessible way, usually meet with a very positive response from customers and robots. They also help in building the right image of the company and increasing brand awareness.

Positioning on steroids

Positioning is a process that requires time, knowledge and experience. While in the case of small, local and sole proprietorships, activities on their own can be effective, the increase in coverage and more effective activities would require the extension of the day by another “day”. Do you prefer to reserve some time to rest? Take advantage of the professional help of a Paraphrase-Online.com specialist who will properly choose the methods and actions to increase the visibility of the site, and thus – traffic and sales!

Knowledge of Google search meanders saves a lot of time and money – the experience accumulated for years allows you to arrange a strategy tailored to the type of business and use methods that are effective in the fight for better places in search results.

The positioning of a website or online store in virtually every search engine begins with choosing the right set of keywords – passwords after which the user goes to the appropriate page of the site. Key phrases can be divided into so-called:

– short tail – phrases consisting of one or two words. They are characterized by a large number of searches and high competitiveness;
– long tail – phrases consisting of more keywords, with fewer searches and less competitiveness.

The words from the “short tail” look attractive at first glance – after all, any shoe store would like to be in the first position as a response to the query “shoes” … These types of slogans are usually occupied by large websites with adequate financial resources, allowing extensive actions for the highest positions. Interestingly, the phrases like “shoes” are not as effective as the slogans from the “long tail”, which more often lead to the purchase of the right model. Why is this happening? A specific question means a desire to know answers with similar characteristics, such as “pink children’s sports shoes”. Search results direct users to subpages containing the products they are looking for. The customer saves time and if he finds a matching shoe model – he will probably make a purchase.

When choosing keywords, you should consider words from both groups. It is also worth remembering that during the positioning process, the website casually begins to rank in search engines for other phrases. A whole set of activities is responsible for this, the main purpose of which is to improve the condition of the entire site. The positioning of websites in search engines resonates much more widely than you can imagine basically.

On Page – site from Google metro

On Page activities are the abovementioned “adapting to Google game rules”. Website optimization has a technical dimension, which includes:

– improved page rendering speed,
– Website display and indexing control on all devices,
– choosing appropriate titles and descriptions for subpages,
– adapting headlines to the requirements of Google’s art and guidelines,
– adjusting friendly links,
– selection and implementation of structural data.

The strategy and set of optimization actions are selected individually, according to what works a given page requires.

On Page activities also include work related to content creation and optimization. During the process, the positioner indicates places that should be supplemented with additional content or saturated with keywords.

Off Page – all roads lead to your site!

Off Page activities are everything that aims to get links directing to your domain. Sounds easy? In the olden days – yes! Today, however, links, link is not equal. Here you also need a strategy that allows you to collect links of different types and from different sources.

Off Page activities include, for example, creating sponsored entries, exchanging links with contractors, adding services and companies to catalogs, and obtaining reviews and opinions. Off Page activities are also indirectly linked to social media activity – a well-run Facebook profile is a great support for SEO and another source of traffic.

Website positioning – be the first in search engines!

In the first paragraph we mentioned what connects the library with the search engine, now let us pay attention to the differences between them. Suffice it to say one word – “change”. The order of library drawers is not subject to constant changes and modifications, the Google index and its equivalents in other search engines, yes.

The search engine algorithm is constantly being improved, and Google is changing its approach and putting more emphasis on other factors. A few years ago, there was talk primarily about “mobilegeddon” and “Mobile First Indexing”, and today UX issues are very important. Added to this are various smaller and larger changes, monitored on an ongoing basis.

Due to these changes, trends in user behavior and other factors, positioning websites in search engines should be treated as a process. Once done, the optimization will not last the test of time – especially during “hot” periods. To gain high positions and increase traffic it is necessary to keep the “mouse on the pulse”, monitor the results and, if necessary, modify the strategy.

On the other side of the room in the corner sits a mysterious person. Nobody exchanged a word with her and has no idea where she came from. The mysterious guest holds the cards in his hands and performs magic tricks. After a few minutes, someone finally pays attention to him and begins to comment loudly on the show. Gradually, more interested parties appear, and finally half of the participants gather. Many viewers eagerly cheer on the magician and assist him in performing tricks. Guerrilla marketing works in a similar way.

In the described situation, both people finally draw the attention of other participants to the event. The difference is how much they have invested and how they have communicated to achieve the goal. The main assumption of guerrilla marketing is to achieve the best effect, bearing absolutely minimal costs. How to do it?

You can’t enter through the door? Try out the window! Insane guerrilla marketing.

Consumers have become accustomed to being bombarded with advertising messages at every turn. No one is able to process all these stimuli, and above all, they do not have the slightest desire. Defense mechanisms allow the separation of grain from chaff. Recipients only pay attention to messages consistent with their interests, meeting the needs or being so interesting and unconventional that you can not pass by indifferently.

Advertisers using guerrilla techniques strive to surprise the recipient and evoke emotions. The safest option is to create a playful creation. After all, laughter is a positive reaction that will consolidate positive associations with the brand. Many daredevils are also trying to use elements of the environment to form brilliant conclusions. The finished composition makes the audience reflect and stays in their consciousness, even if they are not aware of it. Bolder marketers go all the way and try to shock the recipients by breaking taboos. Sometimes such attempts end in a media scandal, but this does not necessarily mean failure. The seed has been sown, and soaring sales results prove that it’s worth taking the risk.

Guerrilla marketing rules

In guerrilla marketing, you do not need to present in detail the distinguishing features of your offer. It would be inadvisable, because it soothes the message, which must be simple and volatile. The campaign is to generate the widest reach and expand brand awareness. This is the first stage of the sales funnel. Importantly, if you skillfully formulate a message, the recipients will do the rest of the work for you. After all, if you managed to arouse their curiosity and do not know much about you, then they will want to get to know you better. Then you can also gradually reveal more cards. Remember, however, to increase the tension and not to reveal everything you have to offer too quickly. As a result, the interest will be self-driving, and with it you will get the involvement of users.

Mental shortcuts have sprouted around the described phenomenon that would be worth correcting. The articles state that guerrilla marketing is a great solution for companies that have a limited budget but want to generate a large reach and stand out on the market. We are not going to undermine this, but this is not the only solution. It is worth slightly broadening the perspective. Guerrilla activities are also great as a diversification of marketing strategy in wealthier enterprises. Then they will complement the conventional methods and allow paving new routes to reach customers.

It also happens that guerrilla marketing is often seen in the context of offline campaigns. In fact, many outdoor creations have been created because urban space is great in this role. This does not mean, however, that you cannot operate suddenly on the network. Social media, mobile applications and websites are also a great environment to surprise users.

Guerrilla marketing in practice

Netflix has been setting trends in a diverse approach to marketing for years. The American company uses the image of actors, but also does not shun unconventional actions. An example is the installation that stood on the main market in Cracow (Poland). Next to “Erosa bendato”, i.e. the head carved by Igor Mitoraj, a second head was placed, in this case depicting the image of Salvador Dali, who promoted the series “Money Heist / La casa de papel”. According to accounts, the creators only paid $ 69 for 2 weeks of exposure.

In the age of the coronavirus pandemic, everyone repeats like a mantra so as not to leave the house unnecessarily. Streaming platforms turned out to be a blessing at a time when sitting in front of a computer or TV is one of the few forms of entertainment available. What if an almost unlimited database of movies and series is not enough to keep people in check? Netflix has placed posters depicting spoilers from his most popular productions in cities. If you can’t adapt to the rules, you’ll learn what will happen in the next episode.

Noteworthy is the series “The Walking Dead” presents the story of people who are fighting for survival in a world dominated by bloodthirsty zombies. During the promotion of the next season, the creators did not change their clothes and decided to shake the recipients. The promotional campaign used a truck that was splashed with blood and cut off human limbs protruding from the open shed. The whole composition was complemented by the visual identity of the series and information about the release date of new episodes.

Guerrilla marketing in online channels often comes down to responding quickly to user statements. This was the case with the British Virgin Trains line, where Dante’s stages took place. One of the passengers used the toilet but was out of toilet paper. In a gesture of despair he called for help on Twitter. The carrier fished his appeal out of the jungle of fasts and sent a rescue mission. This inconspicuous situation captivated other users who eagerly distributed the publication. As a result, the company could significantly expand its brand awareness while creating a positive image.

When should you use guerrilla marketing?

Guerrilla advertising seems to be interesting and effective. Under the influence of emotions, one can get the illusory impression that this is the only right approach to marketing, and more conventional methods are a melody of the past. However, this is only an illusion resulting from the specifics of the target group. The goal of guerrilla marketing is to create a message that will spread virally. Thus, the most valuable recipients will be active users of social media, eager to flood the internet with an avalanche of comments about original creations. It should be borne in mind, however, that this group includes mainly younger users who love new products and unconventional practices.

On the other hand, there are more conservative consumers who prefer the classic approach to presenting the offer. They want to have black and white what you can offer them and what they will have from it. Fireworks and weirdness don’t matter to them. Therefore, you can not get carried away. The analysis of the target group plays a significant role and will determine the success or failure of the entire campaign. You must have at least a pre-emptive feeling that your concept will appeal to someone besides you, your friends and colleagues.

The characteristics of guerrilla marketing mean that it will not always suit brands for which a professional image is a fundamental value. In this case, you need to design the campaign very skillfully so as not to shoot yourself in the knee. After all, we expect from doctors and lawyers that everything will go smoothly and painlessly. As long as the creation does not contradict these assets, it will be successful.

Representatives of professions with significantly lower social responsibility have much more room to show off. Restaurant and club owners, artists, clothing manufacturers – they can indulge. The success of products and services in these categories depends on whether they are fashionable or not. As a consequence, guerrilla activities are a great way to create a unique brand image.

Guerrilla marketing is an attractive and effective formula for brands planning to enter the market firmly and create a lot of noise around them. It can also be used by companies that have become slaves of mediocrity and want to finally break through the glass ceiling. Established enterprises may also be tempted to unconventional actions. In this way, they will make standard communication more attractive and remind the world of their existence. In other words, you can take partisan actions at any stage of the company’s operation. However, you have to understand your recipients perfectly and meet them.

Google Shopping – what’s that?

The Google Shopping platform, and more specifically the Product Listing Ads (PLA) service, i.e. product ads that began to appear on the right of the search results. The photo, store name and price were displayed, and after clicking the selected ad the user was redirected to the product page. This service could be compared to a price comparison site, which was now available in Google search. Currently, the user has access to the entire Google Shopping tab, and there are definitely more products in the ads. You can filter or sort them by price.

A condition of implementing product advertising is conducting a shopping campaign in Google Ads. The promotion is targeted based on the attributes from the data file in the Merchant Center, and the photos are added to the advertisement from the prepared database. Product advertising is paid on a CPC (Cost Per Click) basis, i.e. when the user clicks on it.

Product advertising – for whom?

This type of advertising is designed for online stores from almost every industry. Thanks to it, it is possible to promote not only physical but also intangible products, such as software. It is worth remembering that, as in the case of other Google Ads campaigns, advertising of alcohol or medicines is prohibited here. A full list of prohibited content can be found on the Google support website.

Shopping campaign benefits

A properly configured shopping campaign is currently one of the most effective methods of generating sales for online stores. Thanks to the graphic form, it stands out from the background of text ads and, as a result, is attractive to Internet users. Viewing a photo and product prices from the search engine level significantly saves time searching the range in stores – the advertisement is always up-to-date, so it displays only available products.

The Google Shopping campaign allows reaching users who are already at the final stage of the purchasing process, because by entering a specific product name in the search engine they count on finding places where they will be able to buy it. The advertisement directs them directly to the product card, which contains the details of the offer and from which they can complete the purchase.

Integration with Google Merchant Center allows you to launch dynamic remarketing, which by displaying product data on banners reminds users of products that have recently been viewed in the advertiser’s store.

Google Shopping – Not For Everyone?

The Google Shopping campaign convinces online store owners for many reasons. It seems particularly attractive mainly because it allows you to present the product in the photo from the search engine. The statistics of our campaigns also show that the results achieved by these campaigns, as well as the confidence of online stores in this advertisement, are increasing.

However, before you decide to launch your Google Shopping campaign, there are a few important things to consider.

The first important issue is price competition. If you are not the only distributor of the product, check whether the price you offer is attractive compared to other online stores, and if it is higher, you can explain it somehow. However, the price is displayed right next to the product in the Google Shopping advertisement and gives you the opportunity to compare, without having to look at the pages of individual stores. If the customer enters the specific product name they are looking for in the search engine, naturally, the offer with the lower price will arouse the most interest.

The second important thing is the inability to match your audience to your ad using keywords. In the case of a shopping campaign, Google decides when and for which Internet queries the ad will be displayed. Before launching the campaign, it is necessary to send a file with information about products – their names, prices, individual parameters, etc. Based on this information, Google selects from among our products and products of other stores belonging to the same category the one that will be advertised. Therefore, the Advertiser has no influence on which queries of Internet users his product will be displayed (only after it is displayed in response to a query entered in the search engine is able to see it), as well as in the environment of which products it will be displayed.

And the last important issue is the problem of displaying products from different shelves side by side. If the customer enters the search query: leather men’s shoes, the results may include both designer shoes from the designer and those from a regular chain store. The visible at first glance difference will of course be the price, which in product ads has the most significant impact on customers’ purchasing decisions. Therefore, if you offer unique products, you must be aware that in the case of Google Shopping campaigns, their value may not be noticed and they will be compared with mass products.

Considering the above, you certainly understand how IMPORTANT ISSUE is the optimization and proper management of the product file from which Google derives information about products. You should not be afraid of all this – a properly built product file, combined with a budget sensible for a given campaign, will succeed.

Google Shopping – summary

A properly created and constantly optimized product advertisement will bring satisfying results to both small stores and large stores with an extensive range. Finally, the Paraphrase-Online.com team would like to mention a slightly different but related issue. If you use product advertising, your products are displayed via CSS – i.e. price comparison websites. Not so long ago, the only comparison website that had access to the Google advertising environment was the Google comparison site.