8 Black Hat SEO Techniques You Should Run Away From Now!
Know what to look out for, and avoid.
If you’re looking for ways to increase the search engine result rankings of your website, there is one tactic you should avoid at all costs – Black Hat SEO. Yes, I know it may be tempting when you’re desperate to increase your search engine result visibility, but believe me, it’s not worth it. Google will penalise you, and it could lead to your site being de-ranked, failing to show up in results for days or weeks, and thousands of lost traffic.
So what are some of the most common Black Hat SEO techniques you should be wary of? See below!
- Keyword stuffing
Putting keywords into your copy that appear more times than what would seem natural, or adding irrelevant keywords to your alt image tags. - Paid links
This one is quite self-explanatory – people have offered to pay you to put one of their links in a piece of content. Whether you see this as advertising, Google still considers it a link scheme – which is not good. Paid link penalties also apply to paid gifts – for example, if someone gives you a gift for purchasing their links. - Invisible/Hidden Text
Essentially this is the same as keyword stuffing, only the user makes these keywords ‘invisible’ – for example, adding white text on a white background. - Doorway Pages
As their name suggests, these pages are created solely for the purpose of ranking for a keyword and then pushing visitors through to the alternative webpage. You’ll notice that the original ‘doorway’ page serves no real purpose, and has little relevant content. - Scraping
Again, this one is pretty self-explanatory and refers to stealing content or data from a competitor’s website for your own page/profit. In some cases, scraping is also used to extract email addresses and then spam those users. - Link Farms
Operating either as a single website, or a group, Link Farms exist for the sole purpose of increasing the popularity of another website. Although these pages may look pretty regular at first glance, you’ll soon notice that there is little content, and instead, a large amount of links hyperlinking to random websites. - Negative SEO
Also known as ‘reporting a competitor,’ this form of Black Hat SEO is somewhat different in that it is usually used maliciously against a competitor, to try and hurt their rankings. A user may do this by falsely reporting you for copyright, hacking into your website and changing things around, or using link farms to point links at your site in an attempt to have you penalised. Nasty isn’t it?
The good news however, is that Google works quite efficiently to detect negative SEO attempts. You can read more here, from seopressor. - Cloaking
A method that presents two different versions of the same website, in an attempt to boost keyword search engine ranking. For example, while a website may display Flash content to viewers, it may, on the other hand, be displaying HTML content to search engines.
Instead of the above techniques, try using White Hat Seo tactics. Unlike their darker counterpart, White Hat includes optimisation strategies and techniques that follow Google’s guidelines and focus on humans as opposed to search engines. If you believe your account has been attacked by malicious Black Hat strategies, or you see other websites following this route, file a webspam report through Google Webmaster Tools.
If you’re looking to implement these strategies, give our Get More Traffic experts a call today on 1300 332 256. We can help increase your conversions and search engine result visibility without the need for any dodgy techniques!
What is SEM, and why do I need an expert?
Here at GMT, we pride ourselves on helping small to medium businesses with their Search Engine Marketing. But what is SEM, and more importantly, why do you need a professional to help? Good question!
SEM is the practice of using digital marketing to increase the visibility of your website in search engine result pages (SERPs). Generally, this is done through ‘pay per click’ (PPC) advertising.
If you’ve ever noticed those little ads that appear at the top of Google’s search results when you type in a phrase or product, that’s what we’re referring to.
PPC & Keywords
These are AdWords adverts, and they’re created through the use of specific ‘keywords’. For example, say you own a Burleigh based camping business and you want to get people to purchase your waterproof jackets… By typing keywords into your AdWords account – tailored to your location and the specific product – you can target and draw customers who are in the ready-to-buy phase of their Google searching.
An example of some keywords you might use, could be:
- Waterproof jackets gold coast
- Waterproof jackets burleigh heads
However, before you start choosing keywords you first need to engage in comprehensive research to find out which ones will work best for your advert. This process is easier said than done, and believe me – you don’t want to guess your way through it. After all, the last thing you want to be doing is wasting your business’ money on ineffective PPC ads. Remember, each time a person clicks on your advert, you pay a certain amount of money – make sure you know what you’re doing.
Quality SEM Scores
When it comes to your Google AdWords campaign, another vital aspect to an excellent SEM campaign is to ensure you have high quality scores. Rated out of 10, this is a score given by Google, ranking your ad keywords to the relevancy of a users’ Google search query.
Why is this important?
Basically, the higher quality your score, the more you drive down your costs; allowing search engines to create lower minimum bids for your ad whilst retaining best exposure.
Contrary to what you may think, spending more on your keyword bidding doesn’t automatically mean that your ad will rank higher. As the below table demonstrates, the ranking position of your advert depends more on it’s ‘quality score’ than the amount of money.
Source: wordstream
As you can see, this isn’t something you want to get wrong – as it can result in you paying higher costs for adverts that aren’t even being seen. One common mistake that small to medium sized businesses often make, is not understanding the relationship between their landing pages and their ads.
For example, when a user types in a Keyword and then clicks on your ad (triggered in response), they should be directed to a landing page that also contains that keyword. If you’ve set this up correctly, Google will deem your landing page to be a good match, and consequently, boost your quality score. However, if your landing page isn’t relevant to your keyword and ad campaign…uh-oh – your Google score goes down.
The world of SEM is a complex and wonderful one, but as you can see, it’s also one that requires a lot of expertise and knowledge.
If you’re ready to move onto the next stage of your marketing and ensure your business is attracting as many leads as possible, give our expert team a call today on 1300 332 256
Don’t Leave Your Online Marketing Until It’s Too Late!
Time and time again, I see businesses put weeks, months, even years of planning and research into business models. But time and time again, I see companies throw in the towel mere weeks into trade. I wonder if they have ever looked at the time and effort they have put into setting up their business and compared it to their marketing…?
“I’ll just use the newspaper; I get a few calls from that!”
I’ve heard this on too many occasions, a client hasn’t received positive ROI in the first 3 weeks and they decide that the money would be better spent on something that is getting ROI, albeit limited. The writing is on the wall, digital media is growing and newspapers are declining. They’re an old medium for news access, plus we have a tiny device in our pockets that allows us to gain an insight into the world’s information. Tell me how one would grow their business in a dying media and I’ll show you an advertising executive from the old guard.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was a company. People invest in their business from the get-go, insurance, equipment, fees for registering the name, etc. This is all before anything has even been sold. This can take months, even years before the business is ready to trade.
I understand that there needs to be revenue, even if it isn’t positive ROI, there needs to be some ROI, but we have to look at the facts before jumping the gun and terminating an online strategy prior to it taking flight. Imagine buying a plane with the view of escaping to the Bahamas (or a destination of your choice), organising all the flight path requirements, gaining all the necessary documents, employing a pilot, taxiing to the runway, as the g-force of the take-off begins you run up to the cockpit and just as the wheels leave the asphalt, yell at him to power down because you’ve realised that the jet fuel is expensive and you could buy a rowing boat to get there cheaper.
“I will just do flyer drops!”
This amuses me, as I’ve had experience outside of work with this sort of advertising. It might bring in a couple of people, sure, and for some businesses a couple of ongoing customers is great. I had a friend with a gym and he did flyer drops in the local area, just like the eight or nine other gyms in the local area did. People did the free trial and yes, some signed up, but what happens then? Do you do another flyer drop in the hopes that you missed someone? What about the person in the suburb just over who drives through your suburb on the way home from work? There’s no way a flyer will catch them. There’s a much broader market out there that is being missed out on and that market is digital.
This is why the online strategy must be prepared for, budget allocated for several months to find the right strategy. There’s no magic button, you may be lucky and strike gold in the first month, or you may have to slog it out for 2-3 months before you find something that works. This is the nature of business.
“I would’ve expected more by now!”
There’s a few, quick and broad, steps that I take, particularly in regards to AdWords, which sets the stage for a broader strategy:
1. Ensure the Keywords are relevant.
2. Remove search terms that are irrelevant.
3. Analyse the activity of people who are relevant on the website.
4. Ensure market targeted is correct
5. Optimise both the campaign and the website based off that information.
Once you know what returns business, take it to the next level, use that as a basis for your SEO, Facebook, etc.
To make it in business, investment is required. We are at the cusp of a revolution, in my opinion, that will return the power of business away from the corporations and into the hands of the little guy, aided by the internet and politics. Begin your journey now and be ahead of the game when this revolution takes hold; make sure Get More Traffic is there with you to help your business make the most of it. Call us on 1300 332 256 today!
Are Myer overdue with their ‘New Myer’ strategy, or just fashionably late?
Myer have recently announced their new ‘New Myer’ strategy, with emphasis on omni-channel pathways and marketing initiatives to leverage relevant customer behaviours in the face of strong digital competition from retail rivals at home and overseas. But have Myer come to the game too late? With a predicted $600 million, five year transformation agenda, including $200 million into omni-channel capabilities, the new strategy undoubtedly takes on-board the changing space of consumer spending and behaviour. Though when taking a look at competitors overseas, it seems to be a serious game of catch-up.
There is an ongoing trend which is mirrored across many industries in Australia when it comes to successfully investing in technology and digital transformations. While Australian’s are some of the fastest consumers of new digital technologies, Australian businesses are slow on the uptake. It’s very much a case of ‘let’s wait and see just how much of an impact this will actually have’ and commonly, businesses finding themselves left far behind due to exactly that.
Modern retail is an online and offline journey, but it is increasingly apparent that if it’s not online, then it may as well not exist, particularly when it comes to ‘fashion’. In 2014 the stark truth is that Australian retail giants Myer and David Jones could only account online sales for approximately 2% of total sales. For those with their eyes on the ball, the massive opportunity this presents small to medium sized businesses in Australia is huge. For those which already have a good online E-commerce presence, then the customers are there for the taking. For those who are coming to the realisation that now is the time to move, they can guarantee that it won’t take five years and $600 million to establish themselves online.
There are exceptions to Myer’s blunder. Many businesses saw the writing on the wall after the GFC and realised that innovation was needed to pick up business again. With technology producing smart mobile devices and companies like Google driving online relevancy, data-driven marketing has reshaped the way businesses must communicate and connect with their customers. In Australia, brands such as Country Road and Lorna Jane are shining examples of what positive omni-channel experiences can do not just for revenue, profit and growth, but brand loyalty and advocacy.
So in the face of retail globalisation, digital disruption and consumer expectations, Myer’s new strategy, while a welcome sight, will have to wait a while to see the fruits of its harvest. With the busy Christmas shopping season quickly approaching, and with Myer’s notorious online system outage one week out from Christmas Day in 2014, consumers and industry watchers will have to see whether small to medium businesses will take advantage of the online opportunity and good fortune. If you’re looking to update your e-Commerce strategy in time for the Holiday Season this year, then get in touch with Get More Traffic today on 1300 332 256.
The 3 Key Features You Must Have in Online Marketing
Whether you are stepping into the world of online marketing for the first time, or if you are a savvy marketing business owner, we all have one thing in common – that we should never stop learning and we should never assume that we know it all. As the bright and bubbly crowd that we are here at Get More Traffic, we’re all for learning from those around us. So go on, follow our lead and learn a little something from us! We reckon there are three main points you must always include in your online marketing strategy; websites which are optimised for high conversion, Pay-per-Click advertising, and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
Conversion Optimised Website
Your website is the online version of a physical shopfront. People will choose to enter your website based on whether they like the look of your website, or not. Believe it or not, a successful website comes down to whether it has been optimised for conversions. Let’s face it; we live in a world where people expect everything to be available at their fingertips. If your business is not offering this, then people will go elsewhere; they will go to your competition! A website which has been created for optimal conversion rates should come before a Pay-per-Click advertising strategy, and a SEO plan. There is no point in running these methods if they aren’t going to lead your prospective customers to a well-functioning website. It’s why we offer Convertopages as a website conversion product. Speak to your Account Driver today if you are interested in learning more.
Pay Per Click Advertising
Want prospective customers to find you when they are searching for what products and services you offer? Then Pay-per-Click advertising is what you want. It puts your business in front of users at the exact time they are online and looking for the products and services you sell. In terms of timing, you couldn’t get it any better. But what about a user’s buying cycle? What’s that, you ask? This determines where the user is in their search query progress. Users can begin their search online for a product or service, but will revisit that search process four to five separate times before they are ready to click on your ad link. You want to capture their attention when they are at this stage in the buying cycle. Unsure how to do this? It’s the exact reason why you have someone like your Account Driver here at Get More Traffic to help you with this. Speak to them today about your target markets buying cycle.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
SEO tactics help your website to rank as high as possible on search engines. We prefer to focus on Google simply due to the sheer size of the online giant! When your website ranks well in Google search, users will inherently trust your website to be relevant to their search query. It also builds trust, brand recognition and it puts you above your competitors. However, SEO does have a bit of a science to it, and getting it to work for your website is seriously a full time job. Due to the fact that a company like Google are always tinkering with their search algorithms, it’s our job to stay on top of what that means for you!
So, gone are the days when you could easily rely on a few advertisements in the local newspaper or radio station. With prospective clients always online, whether that’s via a PC or mobile device, you need to meet them there. The three key features above are what will ensure you can this successfully. If you’re interested in learning how Get More Traffic can help your business, visit our website today or simply give us a call on 1300 332 256 – we’d love to have a chat and help you out any way we can.
The Five Things You Should Be Doing to Help Your SEO Strategy
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)… more like Search Engine Overwhelming! But it really doesn’t have to be this way! I’m here to take the bewilderment out of SEO, but to do that; I also need to explain some of the things that you can do to ensure that your Account Driver here at Get More Traffic can perform SEO wonders for your business. The fact that you are reading this tells me that you are either, 1) already using SEO for your business, or 2) you are interested in doing so. You really couldn’t be investing in a smarter long-term investment for your business performance online. However, embarking on your SEO with us here at Get More Traffic is a two-way street. Confused? Don’t worry, I’ll explain.
- In the early days of your account with us, we really need you to keep the lines of communication open. In order for our Account Drivers to achieve your SEO business goals, they need to frequently talk with you to learn exactly what you want to execute. The SEO campaigns our Account Drivers enforce requires heavy involvement from their clients (that’s you!) but particularly at the beginning of your working relationship, which is why they need to be able to get in touch with you easily.
- In saying the above, our Account Drivers are already researching and working away on your account even before their first conversation with you. We realise time is precious, so we want to know what we’re talking about and show we’ve done our homework before we get you on the phone. So don’t stress if you don’t hear from them straight away. In order to perform thorough research and background checks on your business and industry, they need one to two days to carry this off to our high standards.
- This one is super important – please have all of your login details handy when your Account Drivers contact you. This includes login details such as: File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Content Management System (CMS), Google My Business and Google Analytics access.
- Get More Traffic prides itself on employing the brightest and most passionate experts in their field, and it is no different with our SEO specialists. This encompasses all that they are, and more. Our SEO staff members are experts in their field, just as you as a business owner are an expert in your industry. The best outcome for your SEO strategy can only be achieved through working together. The combination of your expertise with ours will be a win-win scenario for all.
- Patience, my love, patience (Lord of The Rings, anyone?). Give us time to provide you with all of the information that comes with running your SEO campaigns. While you may at times feel as though the information is not relevant to you, we want you to know what we are working on with your account. It’s important because at the end of the day, you are paying for a service we are providing, and we are proud of the work that we do, so let us showcase this to you. It will bring you a greater understanding of SEO and help your working relationship with your SEO Account Driver.
So there you have it folks. If you ever have any questions about any of the above, you guessed it, you can get in touch with your SEO Account Driver here at Get More Traffic on 1300 332 256 at any time and they will be more than happy to help you out. Or, you could visit our website for even more resources and information.