Saba Digital Marketing

5 Truths About SEO That Will Surprise You

SEO is a complicated and constantly changing online marketing strategy. Some aspects of SEO are common knowledge, but others aren’t so straightforward. Here are five surprising facts about SEO you probably don’t know, brought to you by the experts at Saba SEO, a premier SEO company in San Diego.

1. Bad SEO Will Hurt Your Business

Bad SEO is ineffective, and it can also cause problems for your business. Black hat SEO is the improper or unethical use of SEO techniques to try to improve a site’s ranking. Common black hat strategies include keyword stuffing, private link networks, and cloaking. These techniques can all result in penalties from Google, which will have a negative effect on your ranking. Focusing on creating authentic and helpful content is much better for your business than trying to game the system.

2. Viral Content Is Probably a Waste of Time

Viral content can help your business gain visibility, but having your content go viral is incredibly hard to achieve. You can’t predict what will go viral, so trying to create viral content is a waste of time and resources. There are easier, more consistent SEO strategies that are a much better use of your time and money.

3. Incoming Links Aren’t Always Helpful

Inbound links are one of the best ways to increase your ranking, but links coming from questionable domains or websites that aren’t related to your industry could result in penalties from Google. When it comes to link building, quality is more important than quantity.

4. Duplicate Content Isn’t as Bad as It Used to Be

Duplicate content used to be a big problem, but it’s fine to include duplicate content as long as you use the correct tags. If you republish existing content on your site, you should use canonical tags, which will tell Google where the original source is.

5. Relevancy Is Essential

To rank well, all of your site content, including titles, image descriptions, and HTML tags, must be relevant to the focus of your website. Relevancy ensures your content provides useful information for your site visitors and that you’re not trying to manipulate Google’s algorithm to improve your ranking.

If you need help optimizing your business’s SEO strategy, reach out to the experienced professionals at Saba SEO, the leading experts on SEO in San Diego. We can help you with search engine optimization, online marketing, social media management, web design, and much more. Give us a call today at 858-277-1717 to learn more about our industry-leading services.

How to Maximize Your Blogger Outreach Strategy

Connecting with bloggers willing to promote your brand and/or products and services can be a time-consuming process. One appealing solution is to work with a blogger outreach company. Such companies generally do most of the work involved in finding the right bloggers for your needs. However, there are some additional steps you can take on your own to make your blogger outreach experience even more amazing and beneficial for your brand. The digital marketing professionals from Saba SEO, a top-tier SEO, Internet  marketing, and web design company in San Diego, offer these suggestions for optimizing your blogger outreach strategy.

Clearly Explain Your Business

Don’t assume someone doing blogger outreach tasks for you will automatically understand the nuances of your business just from what’s on your website. Educate your blogger outreach experts about your business by:

  • Providing product samples
  • Sharing data about your target audience/customers
  • Offering unique insights about your business

Keep Track of Your Stats

Even though many blogger outreach programs make an effort to monitor stats, it’s important to do the same thing on your end as well. After your business has been promoted on relevant third-party sites for a few weeks, take a look at your stats to see if you’re getting an uptick in traffic, conversions, and revenue. If you’re not seeing noticeable results, show printouts of your before-and-after stats to the company doing outreach for you to get an explanation.

Promote New Products Early

Many popular sites that welcome posts from outside sources love to get the scoop on new products. Even if your new or improved product isn’t yet available for purchase, you can generate buzz about it by starting your advertising efforts as soon as you have all of your product info ready.

Respond to Customer Feedback and Get Involved

Once a blogger outreach program starts to produce results, you’ll likely notice a spike in customer comments and feedback, which could be directly on your website or on your various social pages. Take advantage of this boost in customer activity resulting from your blogger outreach efforts by:

  • Regularly responding to feedback
  • Using the added website visits to encourage people to subscribe to your email list
  • Building relationships with customers who leave comments so they’ll keep coming back to check out what you have to offer
  • Paying attention to what’s being said so you can get some ideas about the kind of blog content your customers want

Provide Updates

If your blogger outreach team managed to get third-party sites excited about upcoming products or events related to your business, don’t leave them hanging. Provide updates so your outreach team can reach out to sites again to let them know the fresh news you have to report. You can even do this yourself by posting videos showcasing your new product. After the product is available, post videos submitted by happy customers showing them unboxing it and using it.

Don’t forget to pay attention to your other digital marketing efforts as well. By effectively promoting your brand, products, and services with social media, paid and organic ads, and other efforts, you’ll boost your online visibility. In turn, you’ll be helping your preferred blogger outreach company or marketing agency with their efforts to find bloggers likely to be enthusiastic about spreading the word about your business and what you have to offer.

The digital marketing experts at Saba SEO, a premier San Diego SEO agency, can help you create an effective marketing strategy focused on driving customer engagement with high-quality content. Our services help businesses maximize their marketing efforts, and we have more than ten years of experience assisting clients with social media marketing, SEO, PPC, and Internet marketing. If you need help optimizing your marketing strategy to get your business to the next level, give us a call today at 858-277-1717.

7 Hot Online Business Ideas

Online businesses are easier to start up now than ever before. The best part is they can bring in between $500 and $2,000 a month in your spare time. Whether you’re ready to go all out and quit your day job or want to create a side job, an online business allows you to work whenever and wherever you want. The experts from Saba SEO, one of the premier marketing companies in San Diego, offer these seven trendy ideas to set up a business online.

1. Blogging

Blogging is a great way to make money writing online. You can make money from online ads, affiliate marketing, or even products you create. Focus on one subject, consistently post, and be patient.

2. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing goes hand in hand with blogging. Write about products and programs and include affiliate links. When viewers click on and purchase something from a link you provided, you get a percentage of the money.

3. Teaching Online Courses

Everyone’s an expert at something, whether it’s making sourdough bread, creating a website, or teaching others how to use email services. Figure out what you know, then teach an online class.

4. Designing T-Shirts

People love t-shirts. What’s great about designing t-shirts is that you can focus on your own strengths. Whether you’re clever with words, love taking cute photos of dogs and cats, or are a graphic designer, you can design unique t-shirts people will buy. The best part is there are many companies that can print and ship the shirts for you, saving you time and trouble.

5. Copywriting

Are you able to describe an object in detail? Is your writing snappy and interesting? You may decide to start an online copywriting business, which is especially useful for companies that are struggling to write good descriptions for the products they’re selling.

6. Becoming a Social Media Guru

Do you have a knack for social media? Are you an influencer and know how to promote a brand? Offer your social media talents to paying customers who need your specialized set of skills. You could either consult with them or take over their social media accounts.

7. Writing Books

Self-publishing has never been easier because of the Internet and e-readers. One of the biggest trends now is novella-length books. At around 50 pages, these books can be romances or cozy mysteries. The short length and low price point make these types of books bestsellers. The key to success is to consistently publish books and create a series. You don’t have to limit yourself to fiction. If you have a talent for photography or perhaps you’ve learned special techniques for growing microgreens, you could write nonfiction books. List these books on Amazon and rake in the sales.

Whether you’re looking to make a little side money or you’re hoping to build a successful company of your own, it’s easier than ever to use your talents and creativity to create a business online. You’ll have to know how to communicate about your ideas, though, and that includes effective Internet marketing. San Diego businesses turn to Saba SEO when they need expert assistance with search engine optimization, social media outreach, and web design that sets them apart from the rest. To get started boosting your customer base and getting high-quality leads for your business, give us a call at 858-277-1717.

Increasing Conversions by Enhancing Your Site’s User Experience

You work hard getting viewers to your site, but your job isn’t quite over. Making your website easy to navigate is just as important as attracting customers. Good user experience can keep viewers on your site, giving you a better chance to convert them into customers.  The experts at Saba SEO, a premier web design company in San Diego, share these four ways to boost your website’s user experience and conversions.

Responsive Design

Mobile is king, and customers are using their phones to look at websites now more than ever. Making sure you’ve upgraded to a responsive design is essential to a good user experience. A responsive design allows customers to figure out how to navigate your site, get bigger views of items, and even purchase your products.

Speed

Whether on mobile or a laptop, a slow page is like shutting the door on your hard-earned customer. First, check Google PageSpeed Insights for a free check of your site speed. After gathering that information, check with your site provider to fix any slowness issues. You may only need to upgrade your service. Next, check your site. Compress your photos to make sure they aren’t slowing down your site. Fixing the speed improves the user experience as well as your search engine optimization (SEO).

High-Quality Graphics and Images

High-quality graphics and images upgrade your site, which is attractive to potential customers, and it also exudes authority. Google rewards sites that are professional. A well-designed site reflects the type of business you run. Make sure you use high-quality photographs and graphics for a professional look.

Bullet Points and White Space

Your website should be visually set up for easy navigation. Using bullet points and allowing for white space are two design features that make for a positive user experience. Don’t forget to make it easy for viewers to find the buy button. You don’t want them to have a credit card in hand and have trouble trying to figure out how to purchase your products.

Optimizing your website’s user experience can be crucial to keeping your business competitive. Whether you need a web design expert or a search engine optimization specialist, reach out to Saba SEO. As a leading SEO company in San Diego, we have more than ten years of experience in website design, online marketing, and search engine optimization. Our web development specialists can create a responsive and mobile-friendly website for your business that is sure to boost your online ranking. Give us a call at 858-277-1717 to talk to one of our website design specialists.

3 Important Elements of Great Web Design

Web design is a difficult skill to master, but anyone can understand the basics. Having an attractive and easy-to-use website is crucial for keeping potential customers engaged. The San Diego web design experts at Saba SEO offer these three essential elements of strong web design.

1. Layout

Many people decide whether to remain on a website within seconds of viewing it. It’s important to make a strong first impression so your customers want to engage with your content. Your website should be clean, accessible, and simple to navigate. There should be enough whitespace that the other elements of your site don’t overwhelm the visitor. Photos and graphics can be interesting and engaging, but they should all complement each other to create a cohesive design.

2. Font and Color Scheme

The font should be large and clear enough that it’s easy to read. Many designers use different fonts for headings or accented text, but you shouldn’t use more than two or three fonts. Although the font should be normal and easy to understand, it may be wise to avoid commonly used fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial. Choosing a unique font can help your site look fresher. The best color scheme for your site depends on your industry and target audience. For example, a website meant for teens or young adults could use bold, bright colors, but a website for a law firm should use darker or deeper colors to signify professionalism.

3. Mobile Design

A large percentage of your website’s visitors will likely be on mobile devices, so having a strong mobile design is essential. The easiest way to ensure your site works well on mobile devices is to use responsive design, which will make your website fit perfectly to any screen size. You could also design a separate mobile site, but it should include the same content as your desktop site. Most importantly, your site should be as easy to read and navigate on small mobile screens as it is on desktops.

Whether you need expert assistance with web design, search engine optimization, or social media marketing, Saba SEO can help. We are a premier San Diego SEO company with more than ten years of experience in SEO, search engine marketing, and website development. Our digital marketing experts can create a responsive, mobile-friendly website for your business and provide high-quality content designed to attract new customers and boost your online ranking. Give us a call today at 858-277-1717.

Why Businesses Shouldn’t Ever Pay for Facebook Likes

With more than 2 billion active monthly users, Facebook is clearly a powerful marketing tool and an effective way to direct attention to your brand. Plus, many consumers routinely check out what’s going on socially with a business before making decisions about what to buy or where to go locally. However, if you’ve been tempted to increase your “like” totals on Facebook by purchasing them, take a moment to consider the advice of the social media experts at Saba SEO, a leading San Diego SEO company, about why this is something you’ll never want to do.

You Won’t Get Meaningful Interactions

You won’t be doing your business any favors if you have a bunch of fake likes but no real interaction with your brand. People who genuinely like you on Facebook are more likely to click links back to your website or offer the type of honest feedback that can inspire conversations and convince other Facebook browsers to check out what you have to offer.

You’ll Be Setting Yourself Up for a Failed Marketing Strategy

What makes a marketing strategy work is real engagement with online searchers and a solid understanding of what matters most to your target audience. If you’re busy buying fake likes, you’ll end with a marketing strategy that’s likely to fall flat. Even if your reason for considering the like-buying route is because you’re frustrated with the results you’re seeing from your current marketing strategy, you’ll be better off if you:

  • Slowly and steadily reach your online marketing goals
  • Consider a failure to see the desired results as a sign you need to make some adjustments to your marketing strategy
  • Stop trying to keep up with your competitors with like totals and focus more on learning about what your customers expect from your brand

You’ll Be Hurting Your Reputation and Lowering Your Reach

Searchers may link back to some of your other followers to see the other stuff they’re liking and commenting on. However, if real Facebook users click to links that go to fake accounts, they’ll likely spread the word online that something’s up with your business. Even if you have a perfectly reputable business, using shady tactics like buying likes could make potential customers look elsewhere for what they need.

You’ll also be lowering the potential reach of your marketing message with fake likes. Honestly interested Facebook users will spread your marketing message by:

  • Sharing your content with others in their social circle
  • Visiting your other social pages to check out what you’re posting
  • Telling their friends to visit your Facebook page because they genuinely like how you engage with followers

Finally, there’s the most compelling reason not to buy Facebook likes—it’s a waste of money. The efforts you put into creating the illusion that people are engaging with your business and enjoying your content can be put to much better use if you honestly present fresh, relevant social content. Also, there are plenty of effective SEO techniques you can use to promote your Facebook page and attract attention from real people willing to genuinely like and follow you socially.

When it comes to utilizing Facebook in particular and social media in general, you need to create a clear strategy for your business. The social media marketing experts at Saba SEO can help you develop a customized marketing plan that is certain to boost your online presence and search engine ranking. Saba SEO is a premier marketing company in San Diego with more than ten years of experience in social media marketing, content development, search engine optimization, and web design. To get started creating an effective social media marketing plan for your business, give us a call at 858-277-1717.

5 Great Choices Small Business Owners Can Make in 2019

With the new year, there’s a new opportunity to create goals to move your business forward. Are you ready to move your business to the next level? Take the advice of the experts at Saba SEO, one of the industry’s most reliable marketing companies. San Diego companies and small business owners everywhere should make these five decisions in 2019.

1. Create a Social Media Presence

If your business isn’t on social media, you’re missing out on a place to distribute your blog posts and news about your business. First, realize that not all social media is created equal. Instagram is a visual medium that’s about selling products. Facebook is about interaction. YouTube is the home of the ever-growing trend of video. Choose a couple of platforms and consistently post there. Divide your post content into three categories. One third is your content or product, one third is showing your expertise, and the last third is fun. This is where you can let customers know a bit more about your employees and your business. Social media isn’t used only to communicate. It also solidifies your authority in your field.

2. Start a Blog

Creating a blog for your customers demonstrates your expertise, which builds your search engine optimization (SEO) so Google can rank you higher and customers can find you. The key to blogging success is to post regularly. Be patient—there are millions of blogs out there, and it may take a while for people to find you. This is a test of patience, but putting in the work will reward your website ranking.

3. Post Videos

Video is a trend that continues to grow, with more people watching stories instead of reading them. Figure out how you can add videos to your website and do it.

4. Put Together an Email List

Adding people on social media is great, but that’s someone else’s platform. Creating an email list allows you to be more personal with your customers, offer new products, and get feedback on your existing products. To gather emails, offer a free item on your website and on social media, such as an e-book or other valuable information.

5. Work on Building Backlinks

Consider strategies for getting backlinks to your site. You could guest blog, sponsor an event or charity, or send out a press release. When other authoritative sites link to your site, your SEO ranks. Like blogging, this takes patience and time, but the reward is great.

Many small business owners aren’t sure how to take the plunge into the world of online communication and Internet marketing. San Diego businesses and companies across the globe rely on the marketing experts from Saba SEO to help them optimize their online presence and attract new customers. To learn how we can help your business prosper with social media, SEO, PPC, and much more, give us a call at 858-277-1717.

Rank Higher in 2019 with These SEO Trends

Search engine optimization (SEO) is always changing. Keeping updated with the latest trends can help your SEO and protect you when the Google algorithm changes again. Here are the top SEO trends for ranking higher in 2019, brought to you by the industry-leading experts at Saba SEO, a premier San Diego SEO company.

Google Completism

Google wants to become the center for all knowledge. They’ve even created a knowledge base that compiles information and then uses machine learning to highlight the best. Then they post the best expert at the top of the search results. This is where you want to be.

First, register your company or organization with Google My Business. Make sure to include your company name, phone number, address, website, and any other relevant information. Next, update all of your social media and continue to be active on social media platforms. Although there’s no direct evidence that Google ranks based on social media, the knowledge base does include social media, so you should too. All of this information—from a variety of sources, including your site, blog, and online presence—solidifies your expertise about a product or service, improves your SEO, and ranks you higher.

Voice Searches

Alexa, Siri, and Google Home are pervasive in today’s homes. Because of these handy home devices, people are no longer searching on their laptops or phones but instead are using their voices to ask questions of these devices, which means the keywords and language used for results could now be different because of voice searches. Use natural language to update your keyword strategy.

Responsive Design

If you haven’t updated your mobile to responsive design, 2019 is the time to do this. Mobile searches are continuously increasing, and if your site is difficult to navigate because you haven’t changed it to responsive design, customers will leave your site, which will diminish your SEO.

Site Speed

Expertise isn’t the only reason your SEO ranks higher. Site speed is another factor. If a site takes too long to load, Google doesn’t consider it a high-quality site. Don’t let a slow site diminish your Internet authority.

Websites that keep up with Google’s changing algorithms are more likely to rank higher. If you want Google to recognize you as an expert on your product or service, Saba SEO can help. As one of the premier SEO companies in San Diego, we have served clients for more than ten years. In addition to search engine optimization, our services include website development, social media marketing, and online reputation management. To boost your ranking and stay up to date on Google’s practices, reach out to one of our SEO specialists at 858-277-1717.

5 Essential Components of a Successful 2019 Content Marketing Strategy

One thing that should definitely be on your marketing to-do list in 2019 is building a well-developed content marketing strategy. If you already have an awesome website, a fairly strong presence on social media, and a paid ad strategy based on carefully researched keywords, you’re on the right track. However, you’ll be able to leverage your digital assets even more effectively during the coming year by including the crucial things discussed below in your content marketing game plan. The following list of content marketing essentials is provided by Saba SEO, one of the most innovative marketing companies in San Diego.

1. Longer Content

Short and sweet is just fine for some of your web pages and certain social media posts, but what really resonates with searchers these days is longer, in-depth content. Take a look at the common questions people are asking in relation to your business or the products or services you offer and present more detailed content that provides answers in the form of well-researched, easy-to-digest (e.g., short paragraphs, bullet points) content.

2. Video Content

It’s predicted that as much as 80 percent of global Internet traffic may soon be driven by video content. If you have yet to fully explore the possibilities of video, you’re missing out on a chance to deliver your message in a way that’s more engaging. Options with video-related content include:

  • Product demonstration videos
  • Introduction videos — especially beneficial if you provide a unique service that requires some explanation or if you’re just launching your business
  • Videos ads, reviews, or testimonials
  • Live-streaming videos
  • Repurposed video content from webinars

3. Interconnected Website and Blog Content

If you haven’t done so already, include your blog within your website. Doing so will give visitors access to much more content in one convenient location. Go a step further and use keywords and internal links to direct searchers browsing through your website to blog articles related to your products or services in some way. For instance, there’s one mattress company that uses its website’s blog effectively to provide interesting articles about the science of sleep.

4. Guest Blogging on High-Profile Sites

It’s not easy to get a guest blog published on a high-profile third-party site. However, it’s still worth it to reach out and make the effort. A well-written, high-quality post can attract more links back to your website and give your own site and brand some much-appreciated authority, and you’ll be tapping into new sources of traffic as well.

5. White Papers

White papers have the potential to establish your credibility within your preferred niche, especially if you’re targeting other businesses looking for some unique and relevant insights. For example, you might present a white paper on the top challenges facing your industry right now, or you could share your thoughts on trending topics related to your products or services. White papers can also be used as gated content to increase your email newsletter or blog subscriptions.

The content marketing specialists at Saba SEO, a premier San Diego SEO agency, can help you develop a winning marketing strategy focused on delivering high-quality content. We provide expert assistance to businesses that need help with content development, website management, and social media marketing. In addition, our many years of personal experience helping clients with Internet marketing, PPC, search engine optimization, and website development make us one of the most trusted marketing firms in the industry. If you need help enhancing the quality of your content to take your marketing strategy to the next level, give us a call today at 858-277-1717.

An Overview of HTTP/2 and Its Benefits for SEO

Site speed is rapidly becoming a key ingredient in search engine optimization (SEO). By changing to HTTP/2, you increase your speed enough for Google to notice and reward you. The professional SEO experts at Saba SEO, a premier provider of SEO services San Diego businesses trust, offer this overview of HTTP/2, how it affects your SEO, and how you can make the change on your site.

What Is HTTP/2?

Normally, sites have HTTP, which means one single file can travel from A to B. With HTTP/2, multiple files can travel from A to B, meaning speed significantly increases.

How Does HTTP/2 Affect SEO?

HTTP/2 increases speed, and speed increases the quality of the user experience. The actual increased speed is based on the distance from the site viewed to the server in addition to the speed of the Internet connection. The more instant the connection, the more likely viewers will stay on your page. Speed is drastically improved because of HTTP/2. Google looks at the improved user experience and rewards higher SEO for HTTP/2, which means your site ranks higher, giving it a better placement for more potential users to find you and click. As mobile becomes bigger, the Google algorithm adjusts to make speed a more significant component in the algorithm.

How Does HTTP/2 Affect Mobile?

Whether a view is on a laptop or a mobile device, it isn’t adversely affected by a site that has made the HTTP/2 change. As latency can be an issue when using mobile devices, a content delivery network (CDN) needs to be included to reduce the time it takes to browse the information being sought.

Does HTTP Go Away Once You Make the HTTP/2 Switch?

Once your site goes to HTTP/2, HTTP will remain as the fallback. This is because some sites haven’t been upgraded to HTTP/2.

If you’d like to learn more about how HTTP/2 can boost your SEO, reach out to the SEO specialists at Saba SEO, one of the leading marketing companies in San Diego. In addition to helping with SEO and website speed, the experts at Saba SEO can assist you with Internet marketing campaigns, social media management, web development, web design, and much more. To find out more about our first-rate services, call one of our SEO specialists today at 858-277-1717.

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