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How Backlinks Affect SEO

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For those trying to build a website and get traction in SEO, backlinks may be an important part of your strategy. This may be why you have been doing link-building outreach, guest blogging, or producing data-driven content, hoping that other sources will cite. After all, getting more backlinks has been an SEO tactic since the early days. But are they still necessary?

SEO services have long provided backlink strategies for companies looking to gain higher site rankings. So, surely with the number of backlinks that websites have racked up over the years, they must have impacted the SEO, right? Google says, not necessarily. According to John Mueller, a webmaster trends analyst at Google, the total number of backlinks on a website doesn’t matter at all. In fact, it isn’t even something that a search algorithm looks at. 

Quality Vs. Quantity

In the link-building world, quantity is now out, and quality is where you should be putting your focus. Just one good link from a high-authority website can be more impactful than thousands of low-quality links. Google really only looks at how relevant each link is to the website that it is pointing to. Mueller suggests that even a page has only one high-quality link from a major news site, that signal would be enough for Google to categorize it as a quality page. 

High-quality backlinks have always been the ultimate SEO trump card, so this should not come as a surprise to some people. It seems that many business owners get carried away in practices that only focused on getting more links. SEO experts agree that time and effort should be put into producing content that people will want to link to. Although it is not easy, it will prove to be much more valuable to Google and its user experience-focused future. Google’s page experience update is currently being rolled out, and user experience should now be your top priority as a business owner. 

Internal Links

Internal links are also important for the SEO of your website. Unlike backlinks which go from an external website to your site, an internal link points to content within the same domain which can help the user navigate a website. These internal links can help Google index the website’s structure. They help to organize content and will tell search engine “crawlers” to discover and archive more relevant pages. This will help benefit the site’s SEO. 

While there is no right or wrong in how many internal links you should have on your site, it should make sense where you are directing your customers. For example, many “FAQ” pages have direct links to a “contact page.” It makes sense for the customer to be directed to one page after the other. 

SEO Services

If you require SEO services, our experts at Unwired Web Solutions can help with backlinks or any other concerns you may have about your site. As Google rolls out its new user experience-focused requirements, it is vital to have your site ready for the new changes. This includes ensuring your backlink and internal links are creating a user-friendly experience for your customer. Contact us today to learn how we can make sure you stay high in Google rankings. Click here to learn more about our services. 

Lesser-Known Local SEO Tips

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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. 

What Is A Site Crawler

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Understanding what a site crawler is and how it indexes websites can be a confusing topic. While everyone does it a little differently, the overall concepts are the same. When you enter a search query into a search engine and get back a list of matches, you have benefited from the work of the site crawler. A site crawler is essentially a “bot” that is a vital component of the SEO ranking process. Here at Unwired Web Solutions, we are an SEO company with experts who can index your website so the crawlers can find and rank it more easily. 

How They Work

Site crawlers are complex algorithms meant to scan and understand a large volume of information which is then used to determine if a search term is a connection. It works by crawling a website, scanning content, and visiting links (URLs). All of this information is stored on a massive database and indexed according to relevance and keywords. 

Google uses this information to send the best websites to the top spots on search results. They give these coveted spots to the best, most reliable, most accurate, and most interesting content while others are shuffled down the list. However, not all websites will be “crawled” if they’re not “crawler friendly.” 

Unable to Be “Crawled”

If a website is unable to be crawled, it may as well not even exist. Without getting crawled, it has zero chance of driving any organic traffic to the site. Organic traffic is an indicator of a quality website, so no traffic will be visiting the site without the parameters set up for web crawlers. 

Two common types of crawlers can get content from a website:

  • Site crawlers: these crawlers attempt to crawl an entire site at one time, starting with the homepage. It will simply grab links and continue to crawl the content on the site. This is often called “spidering.”
  • Page crawlers: These crawlers specifically crawl a single page or blog post. 

How to Optimize a Website for Crawlers

There are a few ways to build a site in such a way to ensure that search engine crawlers can get onto your site. The end result will mean more traffic to the site, enabling readers to find the content more effectively. 

The first place to start is by adding new content and optimizing pages. Having an RSS feed can help when you create new content. The search software can recognize it and crawl it faster. By ensuring your document structure is consistent when constructing an HTML page, the crawler knows where to look for the new content. Try and keep it as consistent as possible in the same place and under the same content section. 

As for content, it is extremely important to offer quality content. Crawlers can tell if the page is lacking pertinent information or if it doesn’t make sense. Also, having content and not just images on a page will help crawlers index the site more appropriately. Search engines are unable to find an image unless it has text or alt tag descriptions. 

Links are important for web crawlers. Websites should have links between pages so the crawler can quickly learn those pages exist. For example, if you are running a blog, you will want to have an archive page with links to every post. A sitemap page is also another great way to let a crawler know about many pages at once. Also, the more people who link to content, the more trustworthy the site seems to Google.

At Unwired Web Solutions, we are an SEO company that takes pride in helping businesses of all sizes expand their online presence. To learn more about configuring your site for Google crawlers, contact us today!

 

Do You Need A Website If You Have Social Media

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In this world of social media, one question that often comes up is, “Do I still need a website if I have social media?” The answer is simple. Yes. Our web design Kitchener experts explain why you still need a website, even if you have a business profile on all social media platforms. 

While social media is a great way to reach out to potential customers, a website is where you can educate people about your business. There is a long list of advantages to having your own website, even if you have a solid social media presence. 

Think of it this way; having your business on social media is like couch surfing. No matter how welcome you feel, you are always still in someone else’s home. With your website, you have your own home. 

Creative Freedom

When you have your own website, you get to choose the information that visitors see. You also get to decide how to present it in a way that reflects your brand. People will often remember your business based on the design of your website. With more creative freedom, you can present your information the way you desire. Twitter only has a 280 character limit, and Instagram stories max out at 15 seconds. On a website of your own, you can control how much you want to say or how long of a video you want your potential customers to see. 

Inspire More Trust

Having a website for your business and credibility among your customers go hand-in-hand. A 2017 Local Search Association survey found that search engines have a high level of trust with consumers. In fact, they recorded that when it comes time to make a purchase, the only source shoppers trust more than search engines is company websites. This compares to the steep decline found in the public’s trust of social media. Fake news scandals and data breaches are to thank for the lack of confidence in these platforms. 

When people search for a business, they commonly ask their phone or Alexa to look it up. They will very rarely look it up across social media. In fact, over 80 percent of the population relies on search to find what they are looking for. Without a website, your business or page is a lot less visible to people outside of social media networks. 

A website also gives you the freedom to influence how your business will appear in search results. By incorporating SEO practices, you can get your website to rank higher for the keywords that your audience uses. By using a Google Business Profile listing, you can also get better visibility to local customers. 

The Disappearance of Social Media Pages

If your only point of contact with your customers is through social media, the information is available at the discretion of the social network. If, for any reason, your account becomes suspended, your information disappears from public view until things get sorted out. If the network decides to ban your account altogether or close it down, your information is lost for good. 

Of course, losing your social media account is rare. However, it does happen. It is not just the fringe figures who get banned for extreme speech. There have been many cases of business profiles being shut down for mistaken identity or because spam got into their account. 

Beautiful, Strategic Websites

Bottom line, you need a website. There are so many options available to create beautiful, strategic websites it has never been easier to have an online presence. Here at Unwired Web Solutions, we provide web design Kitchener businesses can trust. We know the local market and have experience in building a reach in the local community.

If you are looking for a reliable SEO company that you can count on, reach out to us today! 

How Black Hat Techniques Could Be Destroying Your SEO

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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!