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  • May

    30

    2011

     Google Testing Instant Website Previews on Paid Search! Google is testing a new feature which integrates the Instant Previews found on the organic search results, with the paid listings on Google as well. As with the organic search results, this will allow  browsers to view the landing page before actually clicking on the site, so user engagement will be on a top level stance. The result is either reducing cost implications as clients review more relevant content, or reducing the number of conversions as solo advertisers deliver traffic through irrelevant keywords.



    What has changed?

    This brings the paid search results more in line with Google's other inventory, such as organic listings and the recently launched mobile devices offering. As before, in terms of optimizing a paid search campaign, the landing page will play an important part.

    So what does this mean for paid search?

    Creative design of the page will have an impact on CTR:
    * Deep linking will become even more important. Advertisers with landing pages relevant to the search term will benefit
    * Trust in PPC Ads will increase for high quality sites
    * Sites designed in Flash will suffer

    Will this affect my Conversion Rate?

    Unlike organic search, paid search advertisers are paying on a per click basis and conversion is often the key to making this work as a channel. The potential for browsers to evaluate a website, before they click into it, means that the quality of the landing page becomes paramount. If anything some competition will receive a lower conversion rate, as Starfish Internet Solutions always serve only the most relevant of keywords - ensuring they're delivered to the best fitting content on your site.

  • Apr

    08

    2011

     Integrated Search Engine Marketing What are the benefits of integrating search engine optimization and pay per click strategies? Could your existing search campaigns be working harder for your company?

    It is becoming the norm for companies to employ SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC
    (pay per click) campaigns    , as the benefits and rewards are increasingly becoming vital if a site is to be visible on the web.

    While this is a positive step forward, the benefits of integrating elements of search marketing are not so well known, and could offer companies an edge in an increasingly competitive arena.

    Here are a few reasons why you should consider an integrated approach towards your search marketing campaigns.



    1. Increased click through rates

    It may come as no surprise that websites which utilize successful PPC and SEO campaigns can achieve a double hit of first page search visibility, however, this is rarely implemented to its full potential.
    Having an agency manage and devise your PPC and SEO campaigns minimizes interfering factors which can affect the potency and synchronization of your search marketing campaigns.

    2. Reduction in PPC spend

    Web pages that are optimized using SEO techniques and are synchronized alongside PPC keyword targeting can achieve a higher level quality score from Google, which in turn can reduce the average cost per click for paid for keywords.

    3. Focused and consistent communication

    Close communication within an agency's search marketing team can ensure a consistent approach towards optimizing the effectiveness of your website. This is done by ensuring both SEO and PPC campaigns are both targeting the same priority areas and everybody is singing from the same hymn sheet.

    4. Best of both worlds

    PPC can ensure instant search visibility; however SEO efforts are sustainable, and by their very nature they are most effective in the long term. Integrating both approaches means your website could always be visible in search results, with PPC plugging the gap whilst SEO catches up.
    This approach over the long term should see PPC spend fall whilst traffic increases from natural search sources.

    An integrated approach to search engine marketing can reap benefits in more ways than one. We can help innovate, develop and optimize your search marketing campaigns. If you would like to improve your sites search visibility, why not get in touch?

  • Mar

    18

    2011

     Manage Your Own Website Web design is a complex process that carries many thought and work. Still, sometime it carries a mistake that is hard to define and also figure it out, but it cost much to the owner. In this article web developers of Starfish will discuss some common mistakes that generally happen during a web design.

    Fail to design SEO friendly site: The aim of every web designer and developer is to design a SEO friendly site. In trying to give a better look they load the page with heavy files and graphics which is off-course not at all SEO friendly. Rest of the work is done by the content. Due to bad analysis of the website, analyst sometime ends in searching bad keywords. The best keywords are those which have less competition but a good volume of search. An analyst should always target balanced keywords.

    An unreadable text:     An online article is meant for a widespread audience that is hard to target. They have different taste and thought. So, the safest way is to use the best and most common format that is well accepted and easy to read. All web files should consist of titles, subheads, if possible bulleted content where ever necessary, short paragraph and most important inverted pyramid structure.



    Font size:     The articles on a website should have a fixed font style and font size. You can also give reader zoom in and zoom out options, if possible.




    Page Title: Always prefer giving a user and SEO friendly title. What is the need of the article posted on the website if it has not a good volume of search? The page title is the main tool to attract visitors from search listings.



    PDF Files On Website: In general a user hate to download PDF file and read it especially when he is browsing. The reason is that standard browser command doesn't work here. So a sweet suggestion to all web designers Philippines and developers is to avoid using PDF file if it isn't very necessary. It is an undifferentiated blob of content hard to navigate.

    Avoid pop-up, pop-under and out-of-banner ads:  If a user clicks the pop up, it will take the user to the advertiser's website, potentially making him forget about the original content site to begin with. This creates a conflict for some sites that actually want their own information to be read or viewed. So, the increased effectiveness of pop up ads can actually make this type of advertising less desirable for the site.



    Believe in Consistency: It is one of the usability principles so avoid changing the design of the website. Don't mistaken with the text, text should always be updated and proofread but design should not be.

    The more your site will fulfill users' expectations they will feel more in control and the more they will be dedicated to the website. Hence, you will gain popularity.
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