If there are crucial keywords that you need your business to rank for, then content marketing is one of the most powerful strategies for helping you rank higher for those keywords in search engine results. Content marketing, however, is something that takes time and dedication if it is to be done successfully. Here, we’ll look …
It’s without a doubt that the online world today, is flooded with hundreds of millions of articles. Its hard to tell what is real, its hard to tell what is fake. This brings me to the point that all content you create must be unique and quality.
Whether you already have a following that reads your weekly or monthly blog or your looking to attract new readers to your website. Why is it important to have unique and quality content?
Creating value is key, or you must have something interesting enough that the readers want to continue reading.
Creating lists or steps individuals can do to achieve something in a short amount of time is the most effective. People are lazy and they want to implement things that take as little time as possible when incorporating something new in their business or lifestyle.
Take for example; “10 Recipes Anyone Can Make For A Healthier 2017” or “10 reasons why you should choose bluehost as your web hosting provider.
Both of these create a direct how to or step by step that an individual can take to solve a problem or achieve a goal.
Understanding what your audience wants is key. It takes time to get good at writing blogs, but like anything the more you practice, the better you will become.
If you get stuck on what to write about, the best thing you can do is help solve a problem. If you think about it the majority of people go on Google and type in something almost daily. It could be a questions about where are the best restaurants in a city, it could be a how-to make a backyard garden.
The list is endless. Millions of people are looking for answers on Google each day and its your job to answer those users questions and get them to your website to read your blog.
It might not be natural at first, but continue to write more and more content and your audience will come. Share your content with your friends on social media and you might be surprised how quickly your content can spread.
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WordPress has been around for a while now, but that doesn’t mean that people automatically know everything there is to know about it. WordPress, despite starting from pretty humble blogger beginnings, has turned into a complex, feature-rich, incredible Content Management System. If you’ve been on the Internet at all in the last 10 years, you’ve been on WordPress sites.
So to answer your questions about WordPress, what it can do, and to give you some history…we’ve created a great little infographic that’ll run you through the details. Even if you’re using WordPress today, chances are you’ll learn something new about it. And if you’re not using WordPress yet, this might inspire you to. It’s FREE and it’s so powerful.
Check it out!
Pretty cool!
Interested in trying WordPress? If you’re hosting with us already and want to know how you can get started using WordPress, you can give us a call or open a chat today and we’ll help you get set up. It usually doesn’t take longer than 5 minutes.
If you want to install it but don’t feel like socializing with us, all you have to do is:
Look through some free themes here: https://wordpress.org/themes/. If you see one you like, you can activate them pretty easily following the instructions on that site.
And if you get stuck at any time, IX is staffed 24/7 with WordPress experts. We have people who live, breathe, eat, and sleep WordPress and they’re on site, ready to help you figure things out when you get stuck. WordPress and IXWebHosting are a pretty good combination.
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Thanks for reading. Happy hosting!
On August 6, 2014, a post on Google’s Online Security Blog announced that the tech juggernaut had recently been experimenting with its search engine ranking algorithms. Google admitted to running tests that factored a site’s level of security into its formulas, giving a slight preference to encrypted results. While strong HTTPS encryption is commonly used to create web pages that ask for personal information such as the shopping carts and check out pages used by online merchants, it is not currently the standard for informational pages that do not involve secure information. If Google continues to prioritize pages that have adopted HTTPS encryption, the practice will affect both web design and online marketing.
For Google, choosing to prioritize sites that have adopted HTTPS is only one of its many efforts to promote a secure web. Google’s own services, including Gmail and Drive, rely on strong HTTPS encryption to keep their clients’ personal information safe from identity thieves. Google has also created free resources to help webmasters prevent and fix security breaches.
There is little information available about how many different tests Google performed or how strong a signal they made encrypted connections in those tests. What they will say is that they were pleased with their findings. “We’ve seen positive results,” claims Google’s Security Blog, “so we’re starting to use HTTPS as a ranking signal.” At the moment, Google calls the signal “very lightweight.” It only affects a small number of queries—less than 1%–and is not nearly as important as more traditional signals such as high quality content.
The Future
Google is aware that their algorithms have a powerful influence over the way websites are made and maintained, and they anticipate that their decision will encourage more and more webmasters to fully embrace HTTPS. They also understand that this switch will take time. Although Google has currently set HTTPS as a lightweight ranking signal, they suggest that this may change. The more website owners who choose to adopt HTTPS, the stronger the signal may become.
Best Practices
Adopting HTTPS can be tricky. In an effort to help webmasters avoid common mistakes when making the switch, Google suggests the following basic tips to get started:
The Reception
Opinions about Google’s decision to make HTTPS a search engine ranking signal have been mixed and are based largely on factors such as cost and speed in addition to security.
Proponents of the decision support Google’s efforts to make the web a safer place. Many also recognize that the new algorithm might also improve search results. For instance, one supporter suggested that many malware sites would be less likely to spend the time and money on encryption. They would therefore drop lower in search results, be visited less often, and be less of a public threat. Another supporter sees Google’s decision as a way to correct a separate practice that lowers a page’s ranking for being slow. HTTPS is a common reason for slightly lower page speeds and has therefore negatively affected rankings in the past. Under the new system, developers will be rewarded instead of punished for being concerned about security.
Many of those who oppose Google’s new practice see HTTPS as an unnecessary expense. Certain developers are hesitant to invest the time and money necessary to encrypt web pages that have no personal information merely to maintain their search engine ranking. Some even suggest that Google’s decision was as influenced as much by the companies who stand to benefit from the deluge of upgrades as it was by an altruistic desire to keep the Internet safe. The truly cynical take things one step further, pointing out that HTTPS is not perfect and can be breached by a determined hacker “within a $ 10,000 budget and a couple of days.”
Although it may seem premature to discuss how such a small part of Google’s current search algorithm will affect the web, it is unwise to overlook Google’s influence on the Internet. Not everyone approves of Google’s decision, yet most would agree that it will have a noticeable impact on web development in the coming years, particularly if and when the signal in question is strengthened.
More and more webmasters will embrace HTTPS. Websites that currently use HTTP will be upgraded and new websites will be encrypted from the beginning. Encryption is a sophisticated technique, and widespread use of this and other advanced web development strategies will challenge webmasters to evolve along with a constantly growing industry.
Savvy businesses will invest more into web development because they know how important search engine rankings can be for their bottom lines. These businesses will also factor encryption into a comprehensive marketing strategy while simultaneously doing their part to keep the web as safe as possible, precisely as Google intended.
Some strategists worry that prioritizing a page’s security features might allow content to suffer. They fear that if there is less incentive to make a website engaging and informative, businesses will forgo these details altogether. While Google may increase the weight encryption carries in its algorithm over time, it is extremely unlikely that security will ever trump content. On the contrary, a more sophisticated and secure web will in turn be better able to support more elaborate, educational, and entertaining content than ever before.
At Hanei Marketing, we keep a close eye on technology. We’re aware of the trends that can put you and your company ahead of the competition. If you are interested in a company that can develop an advanced b2b marketing strategy for your business, fill out our online form today and a representative from our firm will contact you shortly.
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Being a newly “created” SoCal transplant served me well today as I calmly drove down the 5 to get here…. No really the drive was very peaceful, learned a few new words as well. I am reminded of two things: 1) I love my phone 2) we have come quite a long way in the hosting industry… so why does it feel like last year?
Apps! Clouds! Acquisitions! Growing your business! If you squint at the name and place your right thumb over the date you might think it was 2010 all over again.
The cloud has arrived! Well yeah, it has been hanging out, parked on the couch drinking your beer and stealing your cable. It’s like daddy’s little girl and the redheaded stepchild all rolled into one. Convenience and Security both still seem to be at odds. And standards? Still seemingly years away. Consumers want it, but we need it to live up to its word. That’s all that needs to be said. As an aside, who, cloud providers, can guarantee my data will be stored in my country (not necessarily US) and not be spread globally? If it is global, can you guarantee me data won’t be subject to the jurisdiction of multiple nations? Think about it.
Apps! I love apps; hell I am writing this blog from my phone. Sidebar: anyone else get the impression that session speakers know a lot more than what they are saying? Seriously, with a handful of exceptions, presenters have a personal stake in not telling you everything. I say tell me and I might just hire you. Food for thought.
Apps: simple and complex, modular, delightful wastes of time or powerful tools to augment everything that is fine and good in the world. We have the delivery. We have the tools. We have the technology. But we lack creativity. Don’t just build an app cause someone told it will help your stickiness. Instead find out what people do the most on your site and make that mobile. Now go and be fruitful. I will expect my royalty check in the mail and its d-u-n-l-A-p not o-p.
Acquisitions, going to listen on Tom Millitzer’s presentation at 1. So howabout we take a break here and come back fresh?
People want more, more and more, so why do they want to work less, less and less to get it? Many blogs and website owners are expressing concern over bounce rates. Even time on the site analytics are disturbingly short for content that should take longer to read or view. Unfortunately, the argument rages about content length, as it has, according to the following information, for years. Why is it so hard to pin down the problem? Because the web has changed and old content ideas are outdated.
Yes, it seems like no matter what you do, people still want it faster. If the customer is always right, then how do you provide them something that might be impossible? Sometimes it’s a matter of shaving off seconds from seeing and acting upon your content. Does content length really drive SEO? Are there other reasons people seem to bounce off a site so quickly. Is it true that people only read a small percentage of content? The answers aren’t surprising. What’s surprising is that the questions still exist.
There are people who believe that the bigger your content, either more images, videos or, most commonly, longer written content, the better for your SEO and keeping bounce rates down. There are also those who believe that it’s not about keeping people bouncing around your website but getting them in and then letting them find what they need and get out. John Rampton, in his April 4th, 2014 article on Forbes.com, “How Long Should My Blog Post Be?” (a right to the point title!), argues both sides:
You’ve probably heard plenty of supporters who champion shorter posts, meaning posts that are around 200 words. This is perfectly acceptable if your blog has been created to sell a product of service. This is effective because you’re getting directly to the point with your call to action (CTA). If you want visitors to subscribe to a newsletter or email subscription, for example, keep it short and sweet. People have the tendency to have short attention spans and you don’t want them to forget the real reason why brought them to your blog.
That doesn’t mean that you can simply write a short blog post and call it a day. In fact, it may be more challenging to actually posts that are 200 words. But, if you can make all of your points and grab the attention of people, then go for it. But, how can you grab the attention of online surfers? After all, there have studies that have shown that most people only read between 20% to 28% of a post.
The idea is to catch the attention of people by getting directly to the point. You can do this by utilizing visual aids like infographics or scannable lists. This type of content is easy for readers to scan and digest.
Rampton also accurately argues the reasons longer content post are better:
On the other side, there are a lot of people who are all about posts that are meatier. We’re talking about 1,000 words or more. If that sounds insane, it’s not. It’s actually pretty common.
Why would someone sit down and write so many words? Because it’s good for SEO. Actually. It’s excellent for SEO. And, isn’t that kind of a good thing for any content marketing campaign? Don’t worry, there’s research to back that claim up.
According to some incredibly detailed research from serpIQ, the top 10 results from Google all have a minimum of at least 2,000. The reason? Because Googlebot, Google’s web crawler, looks at every piece of content on a page, such as words, titles and whatever other information you’ve shared. So, when you have post that has like 1,500 words you have more flexibility with keywords, meaning that you’re not limited to one or two specific keywords. Instead, you can include a lot more of keywords that may not be specific, but are still relevant to your theme. This works because Google just doesn’t provide exact results, but results that are related to the subject.
Speaking of the SEO and length connection, it has also been discovered that longer posts increase your chances of gaining quality backlinks. Again. That’s kind of a big deal.
In Jonathan Morrow’s article of September, 2009, “Do Long Posts Scare Away Readers?” which is a good barometer of the changes in content surfing five years ago (an eon in web time), shows not a change in post length but the same question arises:
Some writers don’t seem to know when to shut up. They ramble and pontificate and theorize, seemingly oblivious to the agony it’s causing everyone else.
To avoid this awful fate, you probably try to keep your posts short, chopping up longer ideas into a series of posts. No need to scare away readers by dumping too much information on them all at once, right?
Makes sense, but what’s weird is it doesn’t work that way.
Many popular posts here at Copyblogger are over 1,000 words. But other times, short posts pack the most punch. It’s almost as if the length of a post has no impact whatsoever on how successful a post becomes.
Morrow also lays out important posting basics that are still true today:
Here’s what matters:
That’s it.
Sometimes, it takes 3,700 words to make an idea stand out. Other times, all you need is a few sentences. What’s important is that you do your idea justice in as few words as possible.
Professionals call it writing “tight.” Long or short, the piece couldn’t possibly be any shorter and create the same effect.
Blogger and recent Copyblogger contributor Michelle Russell calls it “writing with a knife” — perhaps the best metaphor I’ve heard to describe the process.
Great, in theory. Yes, content must be interesting. Whether it’s written or an image or video. In the end, as all can agree, it’s the quality of the information and how it is presented. In terms of content being responsible for bounce rate, is it that once an article or post has been seen, the viewer goes elsewhere? Are viewers more likely to view two shorter posts, rather than one longer post? No one seems to agree.
With sites such as Buzzfeed, their time on the site per viewer is one of the highest and with long content such as the “20 this” or “50 that.” It may be because it’s in a humor category or images. It may also be because it’s purely entertainment and not informative content.
Roger Algeri, in his LinkedIn News post, “The Disappearing Homepage,” brings up another factor about bounce rates on your blog:
Traditionally, a website’s homepage has been treated like a book’s cover. When designing a website, marketers imagine that most of a website’s visitors will pass through the homepage en route to their destination. This is bedrock conventional wisdom in the web design world.
New research indicates that it is (increasingly) incorrect.
A major shift is occurring in user behavior — and people are now bypassing the website’s front door at a striking rate. The new data are compelling — and have major implications for the design of all websites.
Studies of content-heavy news sites are showing that homepage traffic is dramatically declining. For example, in 2012, fewer than half (48.8%) of the visits to NYTimes.com started on the homepage. The Wall St. Journal reported, less than 40%. Meanwhile, Yahoo.com saw a 24% drop in homepage traffic.
Algeri’s firm took a look at statistics of different websites for whom his firm does marketing:
So, what’s driving this decline? “Sideways surfing.” People are entering content-heavy websites sideways. They’re clicking on links in social media posts, emails, and Google searches, to be taken directly to content deep within a website (like a bio, or an article, or a case-study). The confluence of two major trends — content marketing and social media — are the driving forces behind sideways surfing.
What Algeri says is true and while he imparts that this isn’t a reason to abandon your homepage. Algeri says sites must adapt and “put their best foot forward” on their content pages.
If you think about where social media comes in and where social media platforms were when Mr. Morrow wrote his article, you can see that the method of sharing as marketing is what brings most people to your 
website via sideways surfing. Mr. Algeri makes the perfect point about how you must deal with this major shift, as he calls it. Making each and every landing point on your website a portal to your entire site, placing any ads or affiliate links and links to other content.
It’s also important to remember that you will have a high bounce rate on sideways surfing because people viewing your content from another site link will return to the site sharing your content link.
If there even can be a question of content length leading to a higher bounce rate, perhaps the best advice comes from Neil Patel’s article, “How Long Should Each Blog Post Be? A Data Driven Answer,” exploring the deeper reasons for deciding on the length of your posts:
When it comes to web content, length is only one of the factors to consider. You’ve got to consider a host of other issues. Take into account how all these other factors affect the length of your post.
I have many clients for whom I provide content for their websites. There are those who want 3,000 word minimum articles and not one word less, some who want no more than 800 words, images only and other requirements they see to help with shares, rank, bounce rates and unique hits. That’s a lot of factors to judge the success of a post. In articles on the best times to post, that also becomes a factor one must consider. 
The sense I put to content that works and content that doesn’t, is what it is selling (purpose, according to Mr. Patel). Say too little and you don’t make the sale (substance). Say too much and you lose the customer’s attention (audience).
I also have clients that won’t use sharing buttons, believing that it forces viewers to leave comments, instead. I haven’t seen that work, as of yet but these blogs made the commitment to try, risking their own blog. They still do it, so something must be working. In the end you have to judge effective content based on some analytics and ignore others. If marketing statistics were always right, then certain brands wouldn’t disappear the way some have.
Top image ©GL Stock Images
