Saba Digital Marketing

Google Announces That Voice-Based Search Is Increasing

Using a virtual assistant or similar voice-activated device to get information is not a new concept. What is new is the increased accuracy of the results people get when asking questions or giving commands. Because of reliability that can be as high as 90-95 percent and the convenience of being able to speak instead of type, Google reports that voice search is on the rise. The San Diego SEO specialists at Saba SEO discuss voice-based activity and its impact on search engine optimization.

An Increase in Mobile Voice Search Activity

Google says 20 percent of all queries on its mobile app and Android devices are voice searches, which isn’t all that surprising considering Google Assistant is now available on more than 400 million devices. Mobile voice-related searches are also three times more likely to be locally based than traditional text-based (typed) searches.

More Voice-Activated Actions Are Now Available

Google has gone a step further by integrating an assortment of third-party transactional services into its Google Home smart speakers, such as Uber, Open Table, and Ticketmaster. As a result, people can use voice commands to do everything from making a restaurant reservation to ordering a shared ride.

Voice Search Appeals to Searchers of All Ages

Millennials love voice search, with 25 percent of people between the ages of 16 and 24 already using voice search on their mobile devices. However, 40 percent of adults are also using voice search every day, suggesting it’s an appealing option for searchers of all ages. Other statistics reveal that:

• 35 times more voice queries were performed via Google in 2016 than in 2008
• One out of every five Android searches is voice-related
• Approximately 25 percent of searches performed on the Windows 10 taskbar are voice-activated
• Nearly 70 percent of people who use Google Home or similar smart speaker devices say they can’t imagine going back to life without such technology
• More than 50 percent of online shoppers report using or planning to use some type of voice-responsive technology

The Trend Is Not a Passing Fad

Whether it’s with Siri, Alexa, Google Home, or some other type of voice-activated method, there are many ways people can perform voice searches. And voice search doesn’t look like it’s going to be a passing fad. By 2020, half of all searches may be voice-activated. It’s also predicted that 30 percent of all searches could soon be done without a screen.

What does all of this increased voice searching mean for marketers and businesses? For SEO purposes, it means getting more conversational with keywords and using location-suggesting words like “near me” since most voice searches are local and based on the speaker’s detected location.

If you want your business to benefit from voice search, turn to Saba SEO. As a leading San Diego SEO agency, we offer search engine optimization, web design, content development, and social media marketing services to businesses all over the globe. Our experts utilize a wide variety of white hat tactics to boost your local and organic SEO and increase your online visibility. Whether you need a review of your existing marketing plan or a new SEO strategy, give us a call at 858-951-1717 today.

Businesses Are Now Able to Post Offers to Google Search Results

Users with a verified Google My Business profile have been allowed to use Google Posts since 2017. Google Posts lets business owners share short messages as plain text or in multimedia form, which appear in Google Maps and in search results when a user searches for the company’s name.

Using Google Posts has been a great way for businesses to share information with their customers in organic search results. Now, Google is starting to roll out another Google Posts feature that allows business owners to post offers. Experts at Saba SEO, a leading San Diego SEO company, discuss some of the salient features of Google Posts’ new upgrade.

When you post an offer, you can include a title of up to 300 words of text, a link, and a photo. You can also include the starting and ending date or time if it’s a limited offer, and you can give your customers a coupon code.

To access Google Posts, simply sign in to Google My Business and click Create Post. If the offers feature is available to you, you should see an Offer option at the top of the screen next to the Event and What’s New options. It should only take a few minutes for your post to go live.

Posting offers appears to be free of cost, which is great news for business owners. These offers will only appear to those who search for your company’s name, so they won’t reach as wide of an audience as paid ads. However, these offers will help you push sales, keep your customers informed, and reach out to people who are already interested in your business.

Like most new features, Google seems to be introducing Google Post offers slowly. Not everyone has access to this feature yet, so it’s probably still in its testing stages. However, if you have a verified Google My Business profile, you should stay on the lookout for the offers feature.

If you need help creating high-quality Google Posts offers, turn to Saba SEO. We are a leading San Diego web design and SEO agency with over ten years of experience in digital marketing. Our experts can create a comprehensive marketing plan for your business that includes content writing, web development, search engine optimization, paid marketing, and social media management to increase your online visibility and ranking. Whether you need a few changes to your existing marketing plan or a new one altogether, we are here to help. Call 858-951-1717 to schedule an appointment with one of our SEO experts.

Google Engineer Cautions Web Developers About Crawler Issue

One of Google’s engineers recently sent out a public statement announcement that the company’s search engine currently doesn’t support CSS custom properties. Google’s crawler renders websites by using Chrome 41, which is an outdated version of Google Chrome that was released in March 2015. As a result, the crawler can’t properly render sites that rely on CSS custom properties. If your site doesn’t render properly, it can impact your search results rankings. Experts at Saba SEO, a leading internet marketing service provider, discuss the significance of the latest crawler issue.

CSS custom properties are available in Chrome 49, which is still a new and experimental technology, and it’s not yet available in all browsers. However, Google’s engineers have been promoting CSS custom properties since 2015, and other major websites have endorsed it as well. The technology lets publishers theme their site in a way that reduces repetition and gives the code a lighter footprint.

Google’s engineers and analytics team support the use of CSS custom properties, but the crawler team hasn’t caught up yet. Google’s crawler supports all the current standards, but it doesn’t support the experimental CSS custom properties.

In an official announcement, Google said, “Sometimes things don’t go perfectly during rendering, which may negatively impact search results for your site.” If CSS custom properties affect your site rendering, Google’s algorithm may think your site provides a poor user experience, and your search rankings may be negatively impacted.

The most important thing to remember is that site rendering is currently based on Chrome 41, which means Chrome 41 is the standard you should test your site with if you’re concerned about your rankings. Over the next few years, CSS custom properties will probably become more widely used. Hopefully, the technology will be supported by Google’s crawler in the future. For now, you should test your site in Chrome 41 to make sure it renders properly.

If you need help boosting your online ranking, call Saba SEO. We are a leading search engine optimization and web development company San Diego businesses and organizations all over the world trust. For the past ten years, we have helped a wide array of businesses increase leads and sales by creating responsive websites and ensuring high search engine ranking. Our experts stay up to date with the latest changes in search engine algorithms and digital marketing trends, and we’re committed to offering high-quality services. To schedule an appointment with one of our expert web developers, give us a call at 858-951-1717 today.

GoDaddy Is Now Integrated with Google My Business

GoDaddy is one of the most popular small business web hosting and online marketing firms. According to the company, there are almost 30 million small merchants and entrepreneurs in the United States, making small business web hosting a valuable service. GoDaddy has over 17 million customers and hosts over 10 million websites, and they’ve now integrated with Google My Business (GMB) to make online marketing even easier. San Diego web design professionals at Saba SEO share the details of this integration and what this implies for businesses.

With the recent integration, the process of creating and verifying Google My Business profiles is now mostly automated. When you use GoDaddy’s GoCentral website builder, you can easily register for GMB. GoDaddy will upload your site’s business data to GMB, so you don’t have to enter all your information manually. GMB verification usually takes weeks, but with the GoDaddy integration it should only take a few days.

GMB integration is included with GoDaddy’s Online Store and Business Plus hosting plans. If you don’t have either of these plans, you can claim a GMB profile directly from Google for free. However, integrating the service with your website hosting will save you time and effort.

Most small businesses haven’t claimed and verified their GMB profiles, even though GMB is one of the best tools for increasing online visibility. Many entrepreneurs are unaware of GMB’s benefits or even that the tool exists at all. The integration with GoDaddy can help more small business owners take advantage of the tool.

GoDaddy will provide small businesses with reports on GMB traffic and actions, including profile views, site views, calls, and directions requests. During the beta test of the integration, the 1,500 participating businesses received 7,000 phone calls, 11,000 directions requests, and 1 million profile views.

GoDaddy will also offer stock photos if the business doesn’t have its own images. Including images in your GMB profile, even if they’re just stock photos, makes searchers more likely to consider visiting your business.

The recent integration of GoDaddy and Google My Business could have an impact on search engine optimization processes. To ensure your business attains and maintains top ranking across all search engines, turn to Saba SEO. We specialize in web design and development, SEO, and Google advertising. In San Diego and cities all over the world, businesses rely on our experts to boost their online ranking and conversion rates. To learn about our comprehensive digital marketing plans and packages, give us a call at 858-951-1717 today.

Facebook to Test Its Latest Ads Feature in Marketplace

The Facebook team recently announced they will be testing ads in their Marketplace section, which was introduced last year as a place for users to buy and sell items like toys, clothing, and sports equipment. Facebook users can even advertise apartments or look for jobs in the Marketplace. This new feature could have a lasting impact on internet marketing. San Diego SEO experts discuss the latest ads feature in detail.

The Marketplace is very similar to Craigslist, and it has been extremely successful in the past year. Users can search for a wide variety of items in their location, and sellers can easily list items that will be seen by hundreds or thousands of users. In May 2017, there were more than 18 million items listed for sale on the platform. Because of the Marketplace’s success, Facebook plans to incorporate ads to boost their revenue.

The ads will look similar to the organic listings in the Marketplace, with a picture of a single product with the advertiser’s name. However, they will have a “Sponsored” label so users can easily see which items are ads. When you click on the ad, it will open the advertiser’s main site or product page. The ads will only be visible when you scroll down the main feed, so they won’t be present in any category-specific feeds.

A Facebook spokesperson announced that only a small percentage of Marketplace users will view the ads during the testing period. Before they make any changes or move forward with the process, they’ll evaluate the selected users’ responses to the ads. A few brands have agreed to have their products placed in the Marketplace as ads.

It may be a while before most Facebook users see ads in the Marketplace. However, this could be a good way for Facebook to earn ad revenue in areas other than people’s Facebook feeds.

When it comes to online marketing, businesses all over the world rely on Saba SEO, a leading San Diego optimization firm. From social media management to PPC consulting and SEO, we offer a variety of services to help our clients expand their outreach. Our experts can design a marketing plan to help you achieve your business objectives without draining your budget. If you’re in need of a reliable partner in internet marketing with a proven track record of success, call us at 858-951-1717 today.

A Brief Review of Google Lens, an AI-Powered Visual Search Tool

In an announcement at the I/O conference on May 17th, Google CEO Sundar Pichai described Google Lens. The AI visual search tool, which will be a part of Google Photos and Google Assistant, allows you to find more information about a photo, video, or live feed by pointing your phone at it. The AI recognizes the images and finds facts, reviews, or other information. Here is what San Diego SEO experts know so far about Google Lens.

Pichai showed several examples of Google Lens’ capabilities. You can simply point your phone toward a business signboard and immediately see reviews, store hours, or other relevant information. If you point your phone at a sign for a concert, the Lens will recognize the artist and allow you to purchase tickets or add the show to your calendar. Google Lens can also provide more information about existing photos you have in Google Photos. For example, it can identify a flower or landmark in your photo.

If you point your phone at a product, Google Lens allows you to view the price of that item. For example, you can use the tool to find the actual cost of an item you see in a thrift store. You can also use Google Lens to automatically connect to a network by pointing your phone at a router’s settings sticker.

Google has been focusing more and more on AI lately. After the announcement, they tweeted, “With Google Lens, your smartphone camera won’t just see what you see, but will also understand what you see to help you take action.”

Google Lens is very similar to Google Goggles, which was launched in 2010. However, Lens is much more advanced. Google Goggles was mostly used for identification, while Lens provides extra information about products, locations, businesses, and more. The tool will likely be released later this year.

This revolutionary search tool by Google is bound to have some impact on search engine optimization. If you want to know how Google Lens will impact your online ranking or devise a comprehensive SEO strategy, turn to Saba SEO. Our team utilizes a variety of state-of-the-art SEO tools to provide tailored support to our clients and designs winning online marketing strategies. To create a robust search engine marketing plan for your business, get in touch with us at 858-951-1717.

Best Sources for Trending Content

One of the best ways to increase visitors to your site is to write articles about trending topics. Unlike evergreen content, these articles nearly always appeal to readers’ current interests. While they might not have the same staying power as evergreen content, articles on trending topics are an important component in many content marketing strategies. Here are a few places to find fresh and trending topics.

Reddit

While it is fairly easy to identify topics that are currently trending, your goal should be to find popular topics before they go viral. One of the best places to look for this kind of content is Reddit. Most of the content on Reddit is sourced by Internet users who truly care about their particular niches, and if you look in the proper subreddits, you can find content directly from industry leaders and other respected individuals. Setting up regular email updates from relevant subreddits is a great way to consistently find useful topics.

Facebook and Twitter

Pioneered by Twitter and continued by Facebook, the hashtag is one of the most useful tools for discovering content through keywords. Online marketers in San Diego can visit these social media sites to find trending keywords and topics that can be used to engage readers and optimize SEO campaigns. For SEOs in search of data and popular keywords, tools like Hashtagify can be very useful. Hashtagify aggregates hashtag data from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and reveals keywords and their relationships to events and other terms. You may benefit from using DrumpUp, a tool that searches social media sites for popular content based on keywords.

BuzzFeed, Upworthy, and Other Clickbait Sites

Websites that utilize clikbait headlines often know exactly what their audiences want to read. You can go scan the headlines of some of the most popular sites that use clickbait tactics to find ideas that will engage and expand your audience. This can become a very long process, but you can use the WordPress RSS Aggregator to receive a compiled list of headlines from BuzzFeed and similar sites at particular intervals. If you prefer to work from your inbox, you can use FeedMyInbox.

Google Trends

Google Trends is an excellent tool for identifying long-term consumer interests and top articles. While it is not updated as quickly as social media sites, Google Trends can inform you about major interests. Content writers can use this tool to find a wide variety of information, including a year’s top songs and holiday deals.

Looking for other ways to drive traffic to your site? Request a complimentary consultation with Saba SEO, a trusted SEO company in San Diego. We help businesses increase online visibility through SEO, PPC, and social media. Call (858) 277-1717 today.

 

How to Network at Marketing Events

For competitive industries, like marketing, no matter how far business seems to advance or how much reach expands, the necessity of networking is here to stay. Here are 5 tips recommended by a trusted San Diego online marketing company to set yourself up to network like a champ.

1. Do Your Homework

If the event is sponsored by a specific organization or has a keynote speaker, make sure you’re up to speed on all things relevant. Everyone likes talking about themselves, so being knowledgeable about what’s going on in the speaker’s sphere as well as the business’ enables you to steer the conversation toward their newsworthy accomplishments.

2. Have a Plan

It is important that you approach this activity like you would any other–with a solid game plan. Have a goal, like to meet at least three people you did not know prior to the event. Reminding yourself of your goal(s) will ensure that your time spent networking is productive.

3. Go Alone

There are few things that can make us more anxious than entering a crowded room of strangers. So while this tip may seem counterintuitive, it will likely push you outside your comfort zone and force you to develop skills you never thought you could.

4. Pay Attention

Say everything is going well, from your hair to your witty repartee. Nothing can cause you to lose a connection as quickly as forgetting the name or relevant details of someone you’ve been speaking with for 20 minutes.

5. Don’t Over Imbibe

Networking should be fun, but for your sake and the sake of the company you’re associated with, stay classy.

Looking for other ways to get your company’s name out there? Give Saba, Inc. a call at (858) 277-1717. We specialize in SEO, social media marketing, and AdWords management in San Diego. Reach out today. We look forward to hearing from you!

2015’s Most Popular Search Engines [Infographic]

When it comes to search engine marketing, who is finding your content and how your content is found is often just as important as the content itself. The answers to those questions help you identify gaps, determine new needs (like mobile marketing), and shape your overall marketing strategy.

Google may have reigned supreme among search engines in 2015, but that doesn’t nullify other search engines. Find out who’s searching, what search engines they’re using, and which devices are most commonly used in this handy infographic from San Diego SEO agency, Saba, Inc.

Popular Search Engines in 2015 as Presented by Saba SEO

The Hotly Debated Topic of Net Neutrality

So, what is “net neutrality”?

Recently introduced into the American lexicon, net neutrality is the guiding principle that Internet service providers (ISP), such as Verizon or Comcast, should treat all web traffic the same and not discriminate or charge based on content, platform, site, or user. Without net neutrality, ISPs could charge customers for faster access speeds or content delivery.

Who’s For It

Internet giants like Facebook, Google, Netflix, Amazon and eBay are all for net neutrality, and more than 100 technology companies have reached out to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with pleas to protect web users against discrimination. Beyond discrimination, proponents of net neutrality worry about a digital world with rampant Big Brother censorship, where basic access to timely information will be reserved for the rich.

On November 10, 2014, President Barack Obama gave net neutrality the thumbs up, arguing for “no blocking, no throttling and increased transparency.”

Who’s Against It

By and large, ISPs are opposed to net neutrality. Most ISPs stand to significantly deepen their pockets by charging for tiered bandwidth plans, a practice called “paid prioritization.” ISPs trumpet the benefits of laissez faire business, arguing that discriminatory bandwidth fees will encourage them to upgrade their infrastructure, a benefit for everyone.

Impact on Marketing and SEO

Net neutrality is the foundation of modern search engine optimization (SEO) and allows for equal competition among all advertisers. Without it, the scales tip in favor of large companies that can afford to pay for top-tier bandwidth. Meanwhile, small content producers like mom n’ pop enterprises who can’t afford the premiums for “fast lane” content delivery see a significant drop in their website traffic.

Additionally, if ISPs are able to regulate content delivery, not just speed, high-quality media used for things like marketing and breaking news on smaller sites could potentially disappear as well. Website analytics and demographic statistics would be skewed, search engine popularity would be no guarantee of performance, and money would count more than merit.

At Saba, Inc., we’re interested to see how the net neutrality debate plays out and will continue to keep you updated on any breaking news! In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more about how the Internet can help grow your business, don’t hesitate to reach out to us – 858-277-1717 – we’re here to help!

Request A Free Consultation