Google – Page 12 – The Web Authority

December 5, 2016December 3, 2016

Google Starts Testing on Mobile First Search Index – Explained

Googlespeak can be confusing for those not in the industry, so this post will help business owners understand what Google means when it states the following:

“To make our results more useful, we’ve begun experiments to make our index mobile-first.” Doantam Phan, Google product manager

Google Partner Badge — McCord Web Services is a Google Partner.

This is the bottom-line. Google is testing and will most likely rollout a huge change to its indexing algorithm that is used to rack and stack websites in the organic or unpaid results of search pages.

The algorithm will now review and base the ranking index across all devices based on what the Googlebot spider reads in the content of a mobile version website. This is incredibly big news and the ramifications are huge.

Here’s why:

If you have a responsive website, you do not need to worry. You are totally covered for this update.

2. If you have a mobile adaptive website, you need to start making changes. A mobile adaptive site means that the content for your mobile site is different and sometimes lacks the content that you have in your desktop and tablet version site. You may have dropped content, streamlined content on pages, or not developed content for some pages. In other words the mobile site is different by design and desire from your desktop site.

3. If you do not have a mobile site it is time to get busy and move to a responsive website design. Although Google says that it will still spider your site with its mobile searchbot, I would expect in the future to see tags in the index stating your site is not mobile friendly and possible demotions.

Google means business on mobile as attested by the following quote.

“Although our search index will continue to be a single index of websites and apps, our algorithms will eventually primarily use the mobile version of a site’s content to rank pages from that site, to understand structured data, and to show snippets from those pages in our results.” Doantam Phan, Google product manager

If you need help with a responsive website, now’s the time to check in with the McCord Web Services team. Our focus is to implement affordable, SEO-focused responsive websites that bring you customers.

October 26, 2016October 21, 2016

Google’s Mobile First Becomes Your Top Priority

Nancy McCord — “Just Nancy” – My Point of View for Today.

Just this last week Google announced that it’s mobile search index would become its primary index and that it would be spinning off its tablet and desktop index into a separate index. Additionally Google stated that it would not be updating the desktop and tablet index with the same frequency as that of the mobile index.

For some, this statement did not register as important, but for those in my industry, this was very important news.

How so?

Business owners must take heed when Google makes statements like this. If your website is not mobile-friendly, you have an old website that looks like your desktop on the small screen of mobile devices, and you are not using a workaround like DudaMobile, you may be in trouble. What kind of trouble? You may drop placement organically, pages you add may not be indexed frequently, and Google may even not show your website in the mobile index. With mobile searches driving over 60% of the traffic on Google.com that’s a big drop for you.

Google is focused on speed for mobile, are you?

The next big hurdle if your site is mobile friendly is to try to speed up the delivery of your pages. Google is boosting the Accelerated Mobile Page (AMP) initiatives to deliver AMP’ed up content to mobile devices nearly instantaneously. Be prepared for keeping an eye on this. Google has mentioned that it likes AMP pages and has tested even saying it may provide better placement for pages and sites that are AMP’ed.

For now the key is to assure that your site can be considered by Google as mobile-friendly and mobile-fast.

We have options when it comes to mobile, from a DudaMobile script “Bandaid” to a new mobile responsive site or WordPress site with mobile responsive theme. Just ask us for help!

October 10, 2016October 8, 2016

When It Comes to AdWords Management More Expensive is Not Better

As a Google Partner and AdWords Certified Professional for over ten years I can easily say that I know AdWords.

What makes the difference in my services and those of others in the industry?

Personal attention. Although we have a specific program, as your account manager I am accessible. If you have questions, I will have the answers. I have personally found that our degree of personal attention and communication when your program is first set up and running is very important.
We have a specific process for AdWords setup. I have found from experience that working your account daily during the first four weeks allows for better testing and quick identification of what works for your account and what does not. It is the nimble and proactive attention that helps your account get started in performing for you fast. Others may only work your account once a week or once a month.
We have an hourly rate. Other services will bill 10% or more of your ad spend with a minimum charge. For example one firm I know of charges $699 a month even if your ad spend is $2,500. They only check your account once a week and are not available by phone but once a month. We on the other had bill $799 for set up and first four weeks of account management and then $300 the second four weeks, and follow a pricing grid from $185 to $425 for our management fee monthly based on your ad group numbers and ad spend. Prices come out lower for most clients than with other services.

I told one client who started with another firm and then stopped their services, due to non-performance, and came to us that I could charge him more if he felt that was the deciding factor of AdWords account management capability.

My feeling is that you can pay more but will not get the same high level of quality service as we provide for Google AdWords with other service firms. There is a reason why Google considers us in the top 5% of all Google Partners – it’s performance for our clients and attention to even the smallest details. Find out for yourself why with a free consultation.

September 7, 2016September 4, 2016

Placing Organically for More Than Your Business Name

Solutions for your business that make sense.

If you only place for your own business name, (which is totally not difficult as that is the name plastered all over your website), it is time to get busy!

First – find out what you should be placing on
Do some keyword research. If you are using Google AdWords, the tools found there are a great place to start to see what Google says is popular. Also check out your Google Analytics statistics. If what you see at Analytics is still not what you personally feel you should be placing on, put on your thinking hat. Sit on Google.com for 15 minutes and do a reality check. What would you enter on Google to find what you are selling in your own business and in your own area.

Second – get strategic about the terms you want to own
Don’t go hog wild crazy trying to place on one and two word terms or for that matter forty keyword phrases. Start with two or three phrases that contain three or four words each and preferably that contain a location specific word. If you don’t place now for just about anything but your name, start small. Try first to place on terms with your city name within your placement phrase.

Third – start building out or buying unique content using your selected terms
I like website page creation plus blogging on your on-domain blog to try to build some keyword density in a smart way. Google will penalize you if you try to stuff keywords into the content, so go easy on how many times you use your new keyword phrases and strive to keep your content natural and readable.

Make sure to check back on Wednesday for more tips on what you can do to start placing organically on search terms other than your business name.

If you need help, give me a call at (540) 693-0385 to set up a free teleconference to discuss ways we can help your business place better.