Archives for July 2021

Lesser-Known Local SEO Tips

July 29, 2021 by David Henderson

The end goal of local SEO is to rank higher in local searches and get more people to your site and through your door. But what if you are overlooking some simple tricks that can help bring more people in through the door?

As a local SEO company, our experts know how to drive potential customers to your business, whether online or a brick-and-mortar location. We understand that it isn’t just the large SEO strategies that work, but that every little bit helps when it comes to local SEO. Sometimes small tips and tricks make a big difference in online visibility.

With more people searching online for local businesses than ever before, local SEO has never been more competitive than it is today. This means you need to stand out and rise in the rankings over your competition.

Google Reviews are Important

While it may be intimidating to ask customers for reviews, it is necessary to acquire new ones. Your business needs ratings and reviews to help build trust in your brand to rank higher in local search, so try to encourage customers to go online and leave a review.

With local businesses, Google will show potential customers your listing to people looking for things near them. The searchers will see results that include a map of business locations, plus listings for three businesses relevant to their particular search. Many small companies believe that just showing up on this map pack is enough, but by optimizing your own Google Business Profile with reviews, you can get one step ahead of your competition.

A simple five-star rating isn’t what it used to be. There is more that goes into an online review presence now, which includes your response to customers. Be sure to keep track of the reviews on your GMB listing and respond when necessary. People generally want to support their local businesses, so you want to make it easy and convenient for them.

Consistency is Key

Your business name, phone number, and address data should be consistent and present across all your profiles on the web. By ensuring that your phone number is clickable on your website, you make it easier for your customer to contact you. While most browsers will recognize and highlight phone numbers, you will want to ensure they are working correctly. It is quick and easy to insert a small amount of code on a website wherever your phone number shows up on your website.

Keep in mind that if you use a Google trackable number, it should not affect your rankings as long as your actual number is listed as a secondary number in Google Business Profile.

You will also want to make sure that your number is a textable business line. Surveys now show that most people prefer to text. Giving customers the ability to text your business can help to convert a higher percentage of prospects into customers. This can be achieved through either a GMB profile or your website chat feature.

Make It Easy for Customers to Find You

You want your customers to know where you are located without them having to do a lot of searching. You can make it easier for them by including a Google Map of your locations right on your website. Many businesses opt for a map on their contact page so customers can easily see where they are located.

The most important part of online marketing is making sure your customers and search engines know how to find you and that they can easily see if you are open for business. Claim every business profile and listing possible and for every location, you operate. Some of these can include Yelp, Facebook, TripAdvisor, Google, and various industry-specific sites. Just be sure always to keep all accounts current, including operating hours and contact details.

The end goal of local SEO is to get more quality leads. But, getting reviews, updating online profiles, and setting up texting services can be a lot to handle for some business owners. That is where Unwired Web Solutions can help! We are a local SEO company with a team of experts who can optimize your business presence across all platforms. Contact us today for more details.

Why More Brands Are Going Direct To Consumer

July 26, 2021 by David Henderson

COVID-19 has drastically changed the way we live our lives, including how we shop. More people are turning to eCommerce instead of going to brick-and-mortar locations. This has sparked a new growing trend of direct to consumer (DTC) commerce. This type of commerce involves the process of the manufacturer selling directly to the end consumer.

To understand just how much this trend is growing, eCommerce is expected to account for 6.6% of all consumer packaged goods sales, and the DTC movement accounts for 40% of the sales growth in this sector. This means the DTC industry is not going to die down anytime soon. Customers increasingly want brand loyalty and accessibility, and DTC provides both of these.

Why Would a Brand Choose the DTC model?

There are many reasons why brands would want to adopt the DTC model. With COVID-19 wreaking havoc on supply chains, companies realize that by taking a DTC approach, there is less of a supply chain that can be exposed to problems.

While retailers in the past have been part of brand awareness and acquisition strategy, many businesses found the effort it takes to manage these different distribution channels outweighed the benefits. These stores are in complete control over where products are placed in their location. While this may sound like a small difference, it could have a huge impact on sales when continuously placed on a shelf that is not at eye level.

Customers no longer want to rely solely on the stores to put the products out in the right places for the right people or for the local sales reps to be educated about it. They want the convenience of going directly to the brand to purchase the product.

Taking Ownership of Customers

One of the most important upsides of going direct to consumer is taking ownership of the most important asset: the customers. By going DTC, companies can now manage how they interact with their customers. They can reach out to them directly about promotions or new products, unlike if the consumer had bought the item through a retailer. Selling DTC gives a business control over the entire customer journey. This starts from the moment someone lands on a website until the product is delivered.

Another reason for going DTC is that a customer is able to connect with more products, whereas some retailers may not always have every item in stock. The customer is able to communicate with a brand whenever they want, throughout their day, and on their terms. Brands can then proactively connect with their customers through push notifications, email, and so on.

This will ultimately help to build brand loyalty. Consumers now show that they want to get to know the brands they buy from and feel as though they are appreciated as a customer. By connecting directly with consumers, a brand can build a relationship that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to do so through a retailer.

Now Is the Time

There has never been a better time to sell your products direct to consumer and reach a whole new target market. The challenge is, many large corporations don’t know what to do or how even to start. If you are a business thinking of going direct to consumer, contact us today to learn how we can help integrate DTC with your B2B website. When selling direct to consumer you want to keep your message consistent while staying on brand.

We are here to help! Contact us today to learn how we can help take your business direct to consumer.

How Multiple Product Pages Can Impact SEO

July 14, 2021 by David Henderson

For eCommerce websites, it can be confusing to know how many pages should be used for multiple products in the same family. Our search engine optimization Waterloo experts dive into the subject and explain when and when not to use multiple pages.

This is actually more of a common question than you may think. Many sellers have single products offered in different sizes or colours and are unsure of how to categorize them. Today we will discuss the issue using t-shirts as an example of a product.

Single Product

Experts advise using a single product page when selling a single product. For example, shoppers do not need individual pages such as material, size, and colour. If your shop only carries one t-shirt and no others, it will only have one product page but will have canonical links to point back to it. These links will be applied to all parameters and variants and let search engine optimization know the “preferred” web page version.

Sizes do not generally have enough uniqueness to justify having individual product pages. However, colours may be separated out by having their own page. This can help shoppers, for example, who are only looking for red t-shirts or black crew-neck shirts.

Even if you only carry one product, by separating them out on dedicated pages for specific colours, you can benefit your consumers, and better describe the printing options and styling options. All size options would have a canonical back to the original colour option.

Another point to consider is if this is the only version of the product you will carry. In other words, you will never carry, manufacture, upgrade or release new versions. It is only in this instance that you will want to try and optimize unique pages for variants. If you do go this route, you need to build a solid site structure and make sure your copy is 100% unique for each version. SEO can penalize sites that have the same content on multiple pages.

Exceptions to the Rule

There will always be exceptions to the rule. However, the general rule of thumb is if there is no need for individual variant pages and no actual benefit to the end-user, use a single page and apply canonical links to the variants.

Our search engine optimization Waterloo team at Unwired Web Solutions takes pride in helping businesses set up their eCommerce sites to increase conversations. Contact us today and learn more about how we can positively impact your website and ensure your products and variations are set up effectively and efficiently.

How Omnichannel Marketing Is Building Brand Loyalty

July 6, 2021 by David Henderson

Online marketing approaches can change quickly, so it is essential to stay on top of the trends to give your business a step up above the competition. With an abundance of platforms for your business to be found on, it is only expected that the newest trend in marketing involves tying them all together and making it a personalized experience. Our content marketing services Canada experts believe this new type of marketing can help to build brand loyalty.

Omnichannel marketing is an integrated approach that gives customers a personalized experience across various platforms. This can include Facebook, Instagram, email, SMS, and even brick-and-mortar.

A Personalized Approach

It is not only highly personalized, but it is also consistent, updated regularly and based on the customer’s needs. It offers customers a seamless experience across all channels and presents the information at the right time. In other words, it is a way to deliver curated content, offers, and recommendations based on their preference, at the exact moments they are most likely to buy.

By keeping in lock-step with the shopper at every stage of the buying process across every platform, you can help drive sales. Unlike segmentation that directly advertises to customers based on other customers like them, omnichannel offers a marketing approach designed specifically for them. This creates a unique shopping experience created with a specific customer in mind.

Omnichannel marketing is so effective because shoppers want a personalized experience. Experts have found that more and more, people feel that they want to be known by the brands they support. People remember brands that engage with them. With so many choices now in the marketplace, it is vital to connect with customers on a personalized level.

While some shoppers tend to be wary of brands collecting their data, they also appreciate it when it saves them time shopping. A recent Google study found that 32% of shoppers want retailers to remember past sizes they have ordered, while 33% would appreciate recommendations based on past purchases.

Grow Locally

Omnichannel marketing is a way of helping eCommerce merchants grow locally. It also holds an enormous opportunity for brands to increase a customer’s likelihood to continue shopping after an initial purchase. With a personalization strategy, brands can tap into shopper predictions and preferences that help persuade them to continue with multiple purchases. For example, a discount can be sent to a shopper in the way they prefer to interact. One shopper may receive a discount via email, while another may get it through SMS.

Focus On Customer Experiences

With the massive shift towards digital over the past couple of years, companies are requiring a new level of collaboration between eCommerce and brand leaders. With omnichannel marketing, it is essential that the marketing for a brand is not disjointed across different platforms or in brick-and-mortar locations. By shifting focus to customer experiences and understanding your buyer persona, you will deliver the right message to the right user through the proper channels.

Omnichannel marketing is growing rapidly, and one of the most advanced tools is mobile location data combined with first- and third-party audience data. For example, with geofencing marketing or mobile GPS, your cell phone will know you have just stepped into a shop. These customers can now be targeted during the “moment of truth” as they make the decision whether to buy the product. Just be warned this technology can have the ability to turn some consumers off. Be sure to get shopper consent by using store WiFi or when a user downloads an app. It is then that it will make sense to the customer that they would receive an offer or suggestions because they are an active participant.

With technology expanding at a rapid pace, it is vital to keep your business up to date on the latest in marketing strategies. Our content marketing services Canada experts are always looking for the latest developments to help keep your business ahead of the competition. Contact us today for help building your customer brand loyalty.