June 2, 2021 by David Henderson

With Google’s new Page Experiment set to roll out in June, our search engine optimization Waterloo specialists are spending more time and research into user experience improvements. One of the most important aspects that website owners should be aware of is the loading time and visual stability.

Because of this new rollout by Google, many websites will drop in ranking due to poor site performance. However, for those who are ready for the changes, it could mean a rise in rankings. One of the best ways to ensure your site’s speed is up to Google’s standards is with a content delivery network (CDN).

What is a Content Delivery Network?

A content delivery network consists of various geographically distributed servers which can distribute website content. Websites that don’t use CDN’s rely on a single server to distribute content to all site visitors, no matter if they are located across the world or right down the street. On the other hand, a site that uses a CDN will get content delivered to them from the closest server.

CDN servers are often placed at internet exchange points. Also known as IXPs, these physical locations are where internet service providers connect and exchange traffic. So, when a user requests a page, the content is delivered via the server that is closest geographically. This means that when the user requests a page, it can load faster.

One of the main qualifiers for Google’s page experiment will be page loading times. This means it is time for SEO professionals and business owners to make loading speed a priority. By utilizing a CDN, not only will your pages will load faster, but you can increase bandwidth and lower overhead costs for servers.

As SEO and user experience are intertwined, Google has long considered using each to determine search rankings. In the past, they have taken business owners by surprise by changing their algorithms which forced SEO professionals to conduct large-scale research to analyze the changes. This time around, Google is giving fair warning to what the changes will be, so you have plenty of time to get your site ready.

Site Safety

Content Delivery Networks not only help to speed up the loading of website pages, but they can also include analytics and insight reports as part of the package. This important information may include audience analytics, security event analysis, and view diagnostics.

Using a CDN can also help to protect sites against denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Since CDNs distribute content to numerous servers, it prevents DDoS attacks from affecting the original server.

Another great security feature of a CDN is that if a server within the network is attacked suddenly or has more traffic than it can handle, the request will simply reroute to another server. By ensuring website security and improving user experience, SEO will be affected for the better.

Plan Ahead

If you are unsure whether your website will hold up against Google’s new algorithm, our search engine optimization Waterloo specialists can help get it in order before you get penalized. It is important to audit your site and mark down any problems that may interfere with Google’s changes and get them cleared up before it is too late.

After each new algorithm change, there are always sites that rise up the rankings and those that fall flat. Be sure your site is ready with the help of your experts. Contact us today before the new algorithm change undoes months of your SEO efforts overnight.

May 18, 2021 by David Henderson

If you have never heard of black hat techniques, you are not alone. Most people do not know the name of these techniques, but they are still guilty of using them whether they realize it or not. While most SEO and website owners don’t intentionally deceive search engines, ignorance is no excuse. Using these unethical strategies to get ahead in search ranking will inevitably get you penalized. Turn to our team of content marketing services Canada specialists if you believe there are black hat techniques on your site that may be hindering your objectives.

Appearing in search results is vital for business growth, but there is a right and a wrong way to climb the ranking ladder. The dark art of black hat SEO is a practice against search engine guidelines that are often used to get a site ranking higher in search results. Instead of earning the right to rank highly with search engines, black hat techniques use back door ways to trick the search engines into driving more traffic to your site.

The purpose of search engines like Google is to provide the best results when someone searches. They want to provide results that meet their requests and ensure a great search experience. They want their products to include the most accurate information for the customer without having any spam.

Search engine algorithms have gotten more sophisticated over time, which is why you should never use black hat SEO techniques at all costs. They will eventually recognize and penalize those engaging in black hat SEO which would be damaging to your site.

Keyword Stuffing

One of the most common types of black hat SEO techniques is keyword stuffing. Those creating their own websites often don’t understand the correct placement of keywords or how to use them. Stuffing keywords into the text on the page or filling content with irrelevant keywords will not only create a bad experience for users, it may also cause your page to rank for unrelated queries.

Conduct regular keyword searches to find out what people are searching for, but don’t overuse them in your content. Try to concentrate on creating valuable content that focuses on topics over keywords.

Poor Quality Content

Content is one of the most important factors in SEO. Google recently changed its algorithms to help find sites that offer great content while keeping the customer engaged. It recognizes sites that also provide original content. At one time, it could not acknowledge content that had been copied from other websites. However, Google and other search engines can now easily find sites that merely copy content from others to try and gain ranking status.

Try and offer quality content with helpful information that will keep your customer engaged. Many businesses provide writing services to help with the text on your site.

Link Farms

This may not seem like a bad idea to people just starting with their business, but Google will find you and punish you if you use a link farm. Link farms are collections of websites that are developed solely for the purpose of link building. Search engines rank websites by looking at the number of links that point to the site. The more links pointing give it credibility.

People can pay a fee to a link farm and have a bunch of links pointed to their website. These link farms generally offer low-quality content and lots of links which makes them easily found by Google. While it may be tempting to pay for links to point at your website when you are a new business, having no links is better than getting punished by Google for being associated with a link farm. Once you have fantastic content, data, graphics and other valuable content on your site, you will naturally acquire backlinks over time.

These are just a few examples of black hat SEO techniques that could likely damage your presence in search engines rather than improve it. By working with reputable content marketing services Canada experts, you can be assured that your site only utilizes white hat SEO techniques. These types of SEO techniques will enhance your ranking with search engines rather than hinder it.

For more information on how we can help with your SEO, contact our team today!

September 22, 2020 by David Henderson

“Content optimization.” You’ve heard the phrase before, and you’ll likely hear it again and for a good reason. Search engine optimization is the backbone of any content marketing strategy. Without it, the content you worked so hard to create risks getting lost in all the noise, pushed to the depths of the search engines by content that contains just the right mix of helpful information and optimization. If you’re not optimizing your content, it’s time you changed that. Our SEO team at Unwired Web Solutions shares four good reasons to do so.

1. Optimized Content Helps You Attract the Right Visitors

Optimization gives you control over who finds your content and at what stage of the buyer’s journey. For instance, say you sell high-end snow gear. To search for your products, potential customers are likely to use phrases such as, “best snow boots for men,” and “best winter jackets for negative temperatures.” By optimizing your content for specific keywords and phrases such as these, you can target the exact type of person who is in search of your products.

Go deeper than keyword optimization and create content for specific stages of the buyer’s journey. Identify what matters most to customers. For instance, customers in the consideration stage may be looking for the most affordable snow gear designed for below-freezing temperatures. You can offer a comparison guide to assist them in the decision-making process. To make buyers aware of your products, create articles about the importance of warmer and more protective gear, and about how to store your gear in the off-season. Offering this type of valuable, optimized content gives you control in the busy online marketplace.

2. Optimization Improves the User Experience

Optimizing your content makes it easier than ever for visitors to find the exact information they’re looking for. When a person types “Size 7 snow boots for women” into the search bar, Google is going to deliver the most relevant results. If you optimize a product page with this or a similar phrase, you stand to rank near the top. Not only is this great for your business but also, it helps streamline the shopping process for the consumer. You can be even more helpful for consumers by including a search bar on your website so that, when there, users can quickly navigate to the information they need.

3. Optimization Helps the Search Engines Understand Your Page

Despite its seemingly omnipotent powers, Google is not a mind reader, and nor is any other search engine. Brands need to help the search engines find and deliver the most relevant results by using words and phrases that explain what the page is about. Content optimization helps brands do this.

4. Optimized Content May Increase the Number of Indexed Pages You Have

Say you sell hundreds of different types of products for all different seasons. If you neglect to optimize each page for targeted keywords for each specific product, you deny your business ample opportunity for growth. On the other hand, if you do optimize each page, you increase your odds of rankings for dozens, if not hundreds, of different types of searches, thereby increasing your chances of connecting with potential customers and making the sale. Though optimizing each individual page may be painstaking, it’s well worth it when your brand begins to enjoy increased visibility and expanded opportunities.

Content optimization is a necessary component of any effective content marketing strategy. However, we understand that optimizing content can be a meticulous and time-consuming task. Let our experienced team do it for you so you can focus on other pressing business matters. Learn more, or get in touch today.

September 3, 2020 by Rachel Lima

If there is one thing that you have heard over and over when looking for ways to improve your website, it is to create relevant and engaging content. Good content is not easy to develop without understanding your audience and being a valuable expert of the brand. To create enticing content, it must start with a good topic. Topic creation involves motivation, time and keeping up with current trends. It is worth putting in the extra research and effort at the beginning for a greater reward in the end.

Let’s start with knowing your audience! These days many platforms allow you to connect with your regular customers and reach new ones. To create topics that will grab attention, you must learn what your audience craves. Thankfully, there are several ways that you can see inside the minds of your customers without actually meeting them face to face.

Facebook or Instagram Poll: Social media is a great place to start asking questions and getting a feel for what your customers want to know more about. These platforms have the option to create a poll, do a survey, have a contest to gain more followers and just keep connected every day.

Google Analytics: The best way to see how your audience is reacting to your products and posts is to see how they are performing. This will give you an idea of what is working and what is not.

Content Research Tools: There are many great options available out there and are worth the small investment. Tools like, MOZ, AHREFS, SEMRush, just to name a few provide valuable statistics and insights that help make content and keyword research much easier for you.

Writing block is real, and so is topic creation block. I can say this from experience. When you need to come up with 12 unique blog posts each month for a client, topic creation fatigue can set in. How do I come up with something new and fresh that meets consumer demand and is interesting to read?

Well, the answer isn’t always a simple one but a helpful strategy to try is blocking out some uninterrupted time in your day where you sit down and pump out 20-50 topics at once. The benefit of this process is that you are focused on one subject, and you can build on the ideas that you come up with.

For example, if one topic is “How to get rid of mice” you could expand with other supporting issues that go into more detail.

How do mice get inside my home?
The difference between a mouse and a rat?
Tips to Prevent Mice from getting inside

Using this approach is just a simple way to take one subject and expand it into multiple blogs.

Make sure you are keeping up to date with what’s happening in the news. It is always beneficial to see what is currently going on in your marketplace and how to incorporate the blogs to provide advice, answer questions, and of course, push your product or service.

Once you have this long list of general ideas put together, you can then work on creating a compelling headline or title that will engage the audience. Making a captivating title can be difficult, especially when you are writing about similar topics regularly.

Be creative; take the time to find something eye-catching as it will pay off in the end.

Don’t forget about adding supporting images to your blog posts, especially because the human brain processes visual images faster than text-based content. The ultimate goal is to encourage users to click the link to read more, and pictures will help boost your engagement.

These ideas are simple and hopefully will give that extra boost you needed to tackle upcoming topic creation challenges. Our Content Management Team at Unwired Web Solutions takes pride in creating relevant and engaging content that will increase brand awareness and drive traffic to your website. Contact us today and learn more about how we can make a positive impact on your website content marketing plan.

August 25, 2020 by David Henderson

In Search Engine Optimization (SEO), we all know that content is king. This is the reason why high-quality content should be your priority when doing SEO. Such content is essential if you want your website visitors to be informed as well as engaged through blog posts, product/service pages, testimonials, and so forth.

Simply put, the importance of high-quality content cannot be stressed enough. This is the reason why many SEO professionals put a premium on keyword research, competitive analysis, and market trends. But do you know that there’s one method that many neglect? What is it? You ask. Well, it’s a little something called content pruning.

What is content pruning?

In layman’s terms, content pruning is removing under-performing as well as out-of-date blog entries, articles, etc. from your archives because they are no longer relevant and therefore do not serve any purpose. If the content isn’t giving your website any benefit, it’s better to prune and get rid of it than stagnate your company’s growth.

Aside from that advantage, there are several benefits that content pruning brings. Some of the most notable ones are as follows:

Better Website Quality

Of course, we all want a website that’s better overall. In line with this, if you prune content regularly, you can significantly lower the probability of encountering old information that is no longer relevant. With this in mind, because your website’s content is up-to-date, you can improve your connection with your audience.

Boost Rankings

Old, irrelevant, and poorly written blogs, articles, etc. are considered as “dead weight”, and they may hurt your website in terms of rankings. This is the reason why you need to regularly prune content and replace or update it with content that is unique, relevant, practical, and easy to understand. This move can make it easier for Google bots to crawl your website.

Improve user experience

When online users visit your website, you want them to find the best and most relevant information; this is where content pruning comes in. Since you have less pieces but substantial content, they are going to have an easier time finding write-ups that they are going to interest them.

How should content be pruned?

Before pruning content, you need to be mindful of one thing: not all old blog entries, articles, etc. are bad. Some can still be useful and at the same time, can give authority to your website. So, hold your horses and take note of the following pointers:

Pinpoint what you’re going to edit

At the start of your pruning process, determine the pages that are indexed and still attract organic traffic. Chances are, you don’t need to ditch them, you just need to tweak the statistics, examples, and tips so that older content is more current in today’s world.

Identify underperforming pages

Next, you need to check which of your pages are performing poorly. To do this, go through your available content, refer to Google Search Console or Google Analytics, and use your best judgment. To make things easier, focus on entries that have not obtained clicks in a year or two.

Make a decision

Now that you’ve compiled the potential pages, don’t just prune right away.

That’s because you need to make two choices: get rid of the post or perform improvements. Both of these approaches work, and it’s basically up to you if you think that some old write-ups are worth updating. It boils down to your goals as well as workload. In line with this, bear in mind that in some cases, it might be better to write new content on existing subjects, that have more timely relevant information.

How often should you prune content?

Regular pruning, i.e. once every six months is essential if your website has up to 1,000 pages. If your site has more, once every three months is necessary.

When content marketing is talked about, many are so fixated on keyword research, competitive analysis, trends, and the like, that they forget other essential content-related methods like content pruning. Yes, providing new content for website visitors should be one of the primary objectives of your SEO campaign. However, you should also prune content or overhaul older pages that are still relevant. These are good moves that can do wonders for your long-term goals.