There is no definitive answer for this because every case is different. For example, some websites need immediate access to leads for sales, announcements, seasonal trends, etc. which PPC can provide, and some websites can’t afford to perpetually run PPC ads and want long-term rankings, something SEO can provide.
Directory Links (AKA “Directory Backlinks”) are links from business listings and online directories. Typically, Directory Links are less valuable than Backlinks from other sources because web directories are often low-authority referring domains. Directory links are an easy and useful way to build links to a new website.
Google Search Operators (AKA “Advanced Operators”) are commands that modify/tailor Google search results. They are very useful when conducting research and audits. Examples of Google Search Operators include:
- inurl:”keyword” | titles with a specific keyword
- intitle:”keyword” | URLs with a specific keyword
- site:”domain.com” | all indexed pages in a domain
Hreflang Tags (AKA “Hreflang Attributes”) are HTML elements that specify the language and geographic restrictions of a web page in order to serve users with content in their own language. The Hreflang Tag is a popular solution for websites with web pages in multiple languages (ex. Hotels, Airlines, Government, etc).
Rich Snippets are structured data markup that can be added to a website’s HTML code to show additional valuable information of the website/web page on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Put simply, Rich Snippets help users & search engines understand your website, thus increasing User Friendliness & Search Engine Friendliness.
The percentage of people who leave your website without taking any action is referred to as its Bounce Rate. For example, if 100 people visit a website but 50 leave immediately then you’d have a Bounce Rate of 50%. Bounce Rate is a strong indicator of User Friendliness.
Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) tell search engines what country a website comes from. Examples of ccTLDs include:
- .ca (Canada)
- .uk (United Kingdom)
- .cn (China)
- .in (India)
- .de (Germany)
- .fr (France)
Each country has its own ccTLD.
Scroll Depth is a measurement showing you how far users are scrolling on a web page. Tracking Scroll Depth is accomplished using Google Analytics and/or other web analytics platforms like CrazyEgg & Hotjar. Measuring Scroll Depth can help you identify weak content & web pages that aren’t User Friendly.
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is an open-source HTML framework used to speed up the load time of web pages. Put simply, AMP are web pages with streamlined HTML which enables them to load faster than web pages with more dense/complicated HTML. AMP was developed by Google.
Resource Pages are pages on websites that include useful information & links for a particular topic. An example of a Resource Page would be a “10 Best Hotels in Tulum” Blog Post that includes hyperlinks to each hotel. Traffic from Resource Pages to your website is called Referral Traffic.
Referral Traffic is a reporting method used by Google to track the number of visits to your website from sources external to Google. Examples of Referral Traffic include:
- Traffic from Link Clicks that direct users to your website
- Traffic from social platforms
Leads from Referral Traffic are typically highly qualified.
Cost-Per-Click (CPC) is exactly what it sounds like – the cost to generate a click. To calculate CPC you divide the money spent to generate clicks by the number of clicks generated. For example, a $100 AdWords ad that generates 20 clicks would have a CPC of $5.
Click-Through Rate (CTR) shows the percentage of people who clicked on an ad/website (click) after seeing it (impression). CTR is calculated by dividing Clicks by Impressions. For example, an ad that receives 6 clicks & 100 views would have a CTR of 6%. CTR is a strong indicator of user-friendliness.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the most valuable metrics with which your business uses to measure, evaluate, & determine success. Examples of KPIs include:
- CTR – Click-Through Rate
- CPC – Cost-Per-Click
- CPA – Cost-Per-Acquisition
- CRR – Client Retention Rate
- Keyword Rankings
- New vs. Returning Users
- Bounce Rate
- Avg. Session Duration
- Avg. Pages-Per-Session
- Landing/Exit Pages
A Referring Domain is a website from which a Backlink is received. For example, if website A links to Website B, then Website B has a Backlink from Website A (the referring domain). The value of a Referring Domain depends on its Domain Authority, an important ranking signal for search engines.
Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) is a cohort of web techniques used to create dynamic, fast-loading web pages. Using AJAX, sections of web pages can be updated without having to reload the entire page. Put simply, AJAX facilitates the asynchronous retreival of data from servers.
jQuery is a lightweight JavaScript library used to simplify the use of JavaScript on web pages. Using jQuery, you can accomplish what would normally require many lines of JavaScript with methods which can be called using a single line of code.
Active Server Pages (ASP) is a web application framework developed by Microsoft to create web services, applications, and pages.
C++ is a high-level programming language used to create graphical applications. C++ is a very popular programming language used for developing video games.
Hypertext-Preprocessor (PHP) is a general-purpose scripting language used to create static and dynamic websites and web applications.
Structured Query Language (SQL) are statements for executing queries between client programs and databases. SQL is commonly employed to update data and execute data retrieval.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the standardized markup language used to create web pages. HTML facilitates the construction of structured documents using HTML Elements to denote structural semantics.
Cascading Style Sheets (commonly referred to as CSS) is a style sheet language used for modifying the presentation of markup languages like HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) on web pages. Whereas HTML defines a web document’s structure (headings, body paragraphs, etc.), CSS defines things like colors, layouts, fonts, etc.
Short-Tail Keywords are search phrases that include 1-2 words. Short-Tail Keywords typically have more search volume than Long-Tail Keywords but are less specific. Examples of Short-Tail Keywords include:
- “used cars”
- “Dentists”
- “Italian restaurants”
Long-Tail Keywords are search phrases that include 3 or more keywords. Long-Tail Keywords generally have less search volume but are more specific than Short-Tail Keywords. Examples include:
- “Hotels in Santa Monica”
- “Best dentists in Sausalito”
- “Italian Restaurants open late”
Conduct Keyword Research to identify groups of Long-Tail Keywords to optimize for.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.
Technical Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves on-site optimization activities that focus on improving the technical elements of your website in order to improve Search Engine Friendliness (SXE). Some of these elements include:
- Title Tags
- Meta Descriptions
- ALT Text
- Header Elements
- Sitemap
- Schema Markup
- File Compression
- HTML Blocks
The majority of websites leave these elements unoptimized. By optimizing them, you make search engine’s jobs easier therefore improving SXE which helps you to rank for keywords relevant to your website.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is extremely cost-effective because it focuses your budget on targeting the most qualified leads available to your business – Inbound Leads. These are the people searching for the products and/or services you offer during Micro-Moments – moments of high intent when someone turns to a search engine to satisfy a need.
Millions of people trust Google everyday to give them answers to questions like:
- “best coffee shops near me”
- “fine dining restaurants open late”
- “where to stay in San Francisco”
These are high-intent Inbound Leads – people actively searching for things they want/need. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is how you get in front of these qualified leads when they want what you offer most. Follow the numbers:
- 70% of people click past Paid Results (search results labeled with “Ad”)
- 90% of people don’t look further than the 2nd page of Google
A typical SEO Program lasts anywhere between 45-120 days with the average Program lasting about 75 days. This is the amount of time required to generate 1st page rankings for between 250-400 keywords. The length of a SEO Program depends on a few factors. Some of the most common include the:
- Competitiveness of the keywords you are trying to rank for
- Domain authority of the websites you are competing with
- Amount of content you need to generate
- Whether or not you need to move Content Management Systems (CMS)
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are two Search Engine Marketing (SEM) strategies that are often confused. PPC is a Paid Search Engine Marketing (SEM) strategy and SEO is an Organic SEM strategy. Put simply, you are earning rankings with SEO by optimizing for search engines whereas you are playing for those rankings with PPC.
Title Tags are the clickable blue links seen on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) that are the names of web pages. Every web page has a Title Tag and they are one of the most important places to include keywords.
Meta Descriptions are the short summaries of web pages seen under Title Tags that describe the content found on a particular page. Searchers reference them when deciding whether to click-through to your website. Therefore, ensuring your Meta Descriptions are optimized for the keywords relevant to the products and/or services you provide will help improve your website’s click-through rate (CTR).
Alternative (ALT) Text are snippets of code that describe images & videos for search engines. Without ALT Text search engines are unable to comprehend the meaning of photos and videos, nor their value or relation to a particular webpage. Optimal ALT Text includes keywords relevant to the content they are applied to.
Yes, WordPress is good for SEO. In fact, WordPress is the best Content Management System (CMS) in terms of out-of-the-box SEO. WordPress themes are search engine friendly, mobile friendly, user friendly, and can be integrated with helpful plugins designed to improve your performance for the most important elements involved with SEO.
Shopify is good for SEO. For starters, Shopify themes have access to the Shopify App Store which includes helpful apps like Plug in SEO and SEO Manager which can be used to improve your SEO. Shopify’s editor also allows you to optimize your site’s technical elements, thus improving search engine friendliness.
Squarespace websites are known to have issues with SEO. Unlike CMS platforms like WordPress, WIX, and Shopify, Squarespace websites do not have access to a wide range of helpful plugins and apps. Furthermore, Squarespace websites do not let you make important optimizations like Robots.txt, Schema Markup, etc.
Yes, Wix is good for SEO. After years of issues and having a bad reputation for SEO, WIX began implementing several features to improve its out-of-the-box SEO. These include the ability to make edits to basic SEO elements like Title Tags and Meta Descriptions and helpful step-by-step SEO guides like Site Booster.
Micro-Moments are intent rich moments when someone turns to a search engine to satisfy a need. There are 4 Micro-Moments into which all search queries fall:
- I want to know | Informational
- I want to go | Navigational
- I want to do | Transactional
- I want to buy | Transactional/Informational
Micro-Moments are usually identified during the Keyword Research process when queries are segmented into their corresponding Micro-Moment. When optimizing a website, you want to optimize specific pages for groups of Keywords that belong to the same Micro-Moment. Doing so can dramatically increase click-through and conversion.
Nullam aliquet porttitor felis in efficitur. Aliquam sed pharetra orci. Vestibulum porta maximus sem porta tincidunt. Aliquam tincidunt risus at sapien vulputate ornare. Praesent in sem sit amet leo bibendum semper in ut lectus. Mauris sit amet egestas odio. Etiam vulputate, sem et ullamcorper fermentum, nisl felis pellentesque elit, ut pretium lacus ante quis libero. Maecenas ut urna malesuada, sagittis lorem nec, sagittis lacus. Nullam sit amet dui elit. Nullam et massa tincidunt, semper magna vitae, commodo purus.
Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Mauris et erat tortor. Nam pharetra vehicula orci, sed ullamcorper sem viverra vehicula. Ut fringilla a odio a posuere. Phasellus interdum ipsum et mi rutrum fringilla. Donec pretium dui vitae mattis cursus. Curabitur vestibulum malesuada lectus, sed tincidunt massa sagittis tempus. Ut nisl purus, interdum vel lacus mattis, gravida tincidunt ante. Pellentesque lacinia ut eros id sollicitudin. Nulla fermentum molestie velit, a lobortis ex aliquet vestibulum. Vestibulum et blandit felis, at tincidunt felis. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Quisque in leo eu ex hendrerit tincidunt ac at purus. Nunc scelerisque venenatis facilisis. Sed pharetra rutrum neque, pellentesque accumsan lectus aliquet sed. Curabitur porta lectus eu consectetur tristique.
Sed a felis non erat luctus finibus non fringilla nibh. Donec condimentum bibendum ex ac rhoncus. Sed viverra elit a tellus pellentesque, at vestibulum sapien congue. Etiam nec mollis tortor, at molestie metus. Nulla nec nunc varius, feugiat dui quis, finibus turpis. Suspendisse facilisis, erat at dignissim dignissim, diam elit auctor nibh, at molestie eros purus sed massa.
Google Data Studio is a free data visualization tool provided by Google that allows you to aggregate data in one place. It integrates with data collection systems like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Tag Manager, etc. and more. Data Studio is very helpful for creating customized reports that showcase the most important Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for your business and for seeing a bird’s eye view of your performance online.
Aenean pretium felis vel purus bibendum luctus. In gravida ex a ex sollicitudin feugiat. Praesent ac pulvinar nisi, ut sodales massa. Aliquam erat volutpat. Nullam eu mi vel arcu iaculis hendrerit vel ac risus. Sed accumsan hendrerit neque, at scelerisque sem posuere et. Donec sem elit, tincidunt eget nisl vehicula, mattis convallis elit. Quisque lobortis ex ac turpis convallis, ut faucibus ligula posuere. Vestibulum non turpis id est ullamcorper condimentum.
Sed rhoncus viverra gravida. Aliquam lobortis nulla sit amet tincidunt tincidunt. Maecenas pulvinar maximus massa, nec eleifend turpis ornare sit amet. Nullam eget malesuada erat. Morbi volutpat, ante nec pharetra suscipit, augue nulla porttitor dolor, nec lacinia eros elit id arcu. Vivamus ultricies est eget sapien congue volutpat.
Keyword Research is the process of identifying, analyzing, and segmenting the keywords searchers input into search engines. Search engine marketers employ Keyword Research to optimize organic & paid SEM activities such as PPC and SEO. By conducting Keyword Research you can minimize CPC and CPA whilst maximizing click-through and ROAS.
A Backlink is a link from an external website to your website. For example, IF Website A links to Website B THEN Website B has a Backlink from Website A. The website from which the Backlink is received is called the Referring Domain. Backlinks are very valuable ranking signals considered by search engines who view them akin to a vote of confidence in your website and its relevance to a particular topic.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a catchall phrase encompassing several strategies and tactics aimed at improving a website’s Search Engine Friendliness (SXE) in an effort to increase its rankings/visibility for keywords relevant to it. SEO is a process that typically involves Keyword Research, On-Site/Technical Optimizations, Link Building, and Analytics Monitoring.