Recently Google Ads (former AdWords) has been majorly updated. Changes are not only visible but also affecting the functionality and processes behind the interface of the platform itself. One of the changes is related to the tracking (measuring) clicks on paid ads, and it’s called “Parallel Tracking”

What is parallel tracking

Until recently, when a visitor clicks on a paid ad, Google sent him to an intermediary page that tracks the click and then redirect him to the intended landing page behind the ad. All this happens very quickly and most people don’t even notice it.

But as we know, Google is constantly investing time and money to improve its services and products. That’s why they’ve decided to give advertisers who measure clicks on their ads the option to replace this so-called “Linear” tracking with more optimized “Parallel” tracking.

Parallel tracking means that after the click on the ad, the user goes directly to the landing page. While that, as a second event happening in the same moment, actual tracking is done on a separate (parallel page). And the goal is to avoid any delay in opening the ads and the landing page behind them, thus improving the performance of paid ad campaigns.

Google’s official parallel tracking article can be found here.

About the mandatory change

Google says: “Currently, parallel tracking is an optional feature for advertisers who use click measurement for Search Network and Shopping campaign traffic.”

But, as of October 30, 2018, this option becomes mandatory for all advertisers for the reasons listed above. So if you haven’t turned it on yet, do not wait and do it!

The plus of this accelerated landing pages loading is that if users use a slower network, any redirects can significantly slow down the overall process and hurt the performance of the ad campaign.

How to include parallel tracking

Before you start!
If you use a third party for measuring clicks, you must be sure that the provider’s system is compatible with parallel tracking. Otherwise clicks measuring and even landing pages may stop working.

More information about this here.

After that:

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account
2. Select “All campaigns” in the navigation menu
3. On the left go to “Settings“
4. “Account Settings“> “Tracking“> “Parallel Tracking“
5. Slide the option button to “Enable“

Then test whether all of your links (your ads) are working by clicking the “Test” button next to the tracking template. If all of your ad campaign settings are correct, including the correct URLs, you should see only green check marks, which means everything works normally.

If there is a problem and a link doesn’t work, you will see a red “X” in the status column. And here you can check what is the problem and how to fix it.

Should you be too concerned about the changes?

Not exactly. Parallel tracking is now used as a default method. Additionally, not all browsers support it. Google has already announced that traditional line tracking will remain (default) for browsers that do not support it.

The only major concern that marketers have is to make sure that using third-party systems/services for measuring and tracking clicks on paid ads, is working. Because their own measuring and redirection systems may not be compatible with the new update.

In conclusion

In general, the mandatory nature of the event shouldn’t bother anyone because parallel tracking is already in use. This is just a small step towards better quality services offered by the businesses. And who doesn’t want better services?

If you need any help with setting up your Google Ads (AdWords) advertising campaign, do not hesitate and contact us or send us an inquiry at info@speedflow.bg

Useful links:
Click Tracking in Google Ads
Frequently asked questions about Parallel Tracking
Implementation Checklist for Parallel Tracking Setup

In the last few years, video marketing has become an inseparable part of the digital marketing strategy of companies. The reason being high conversion rates, of course. Product videos, advertising videos, corporate videos, hero videos, etc. are being widely used for attracting more customers and increasing brand awareness. Did you know that 52% of people are more eager to buy a product after watching a video review about it?

So, how can your video reach more people? How can it grab Google’s attention and rank higher in the search engine results page (SERP)? The answer is Video SEO optimization for search engines. Here is what you should do:

1. Quality video content

The first and most important step is to present your target audience with a video of perfect content and quality. Its success depends on this. Take your time to create a masterpiece. Look at your video as a way to build a long-term, positive relationship with your customers and to make a good impression of your brand.

2. Video hosting platform

1. Why did you create the video in the first place? The answer to this question will help you determine where to host it. If the initial purpose was to generate more traffic to your website, to promote it, to increase your sales (if we are talking about eCommerce website), etc. then we advise you to host the video on your own domain platform. Thus you guarantee that search engines like Google will not redirect the traffic to another website. However, there is a disadvantage to doing so – your video might be streaming slowly on your website if your hosting service plan does not ensure the quick loading of resources. And having a video on a page does require much more resources than other page items do.

2. If you simply want to popularize your brand and increase brand awareness, then it might be better to host the video on platforms like Youtube and Vimeo. Keep in mind that after Google has indexed the video once, all video traffic will go to these platforms and not yours.

3. The third option is to choose a hosting platform, which can help you quickly and easily get the video indexed by Google by automatically creating and adding SEO meta details to the video (JSON-LD) like Wistia. You should carefully research your options.

3. Metadata

In order for video SEO to work and your video clip to be indexed successfully by search engines, you should create and add relevant and detailed information to it. According to Google, the most important metadata are:

• Title

Take your time. Come up with the best title for your video as you would for your blog article. It should be short, precise and informative, but at the same time interesting to the viewers. For even better SERP results, rename the video file too. Forget about generic titles like video574383.mph.

• Description

Having a good video description is one of the most important steps in your video SEO strategy. It must be as thorough and informative as possible. It should contain enough keywords which will help Google boost the video in SERP.

• Thumbnail

The very first thing a viewer sees is the video thumbnail. Generally speaking, it will determine whether or not a user will click or not click on the video. Think of it as the cover page of a book. It must be attractive, informative, beautiful and relevant.

4. Keywords

If we do not mention keywords, then we are not SEO experts. When we speak about video SEO, the general SEO rules still apply. Carefully research the most commonly searched words and phrases by your target audience in regard to the theme and content of your video. Which of them would lead to better results while at the same time describe your video content in the best possible way?

5. Optimize the video page

Video SEO optimization does not mean optimizing the video only. If you want the video to rank higher in Google, you must make sure that the page where it is embedded is also SEO optimized. If not, Google will not get enough signals to “crawl” the page, find and display the video in the SERP results.

6. Include a video transcription

You must definitely include a video transcription. This way you will increase the number of keywords that go with your video. You will also present an overview of the video to those who would like to learn a little bit more about it before actually watching it.

The transcription can be included in the description box of the video.

7. Video positioning

Experts say that Google indexes only one video per page. So, it is advisable to embed only one video on one web page. If that is not possible, then the video you want to be indexed by Google must appear first on the page.

Moreover, it is very important to make the video the focus of the page. All other information that appears on the page must serve as a “complement” to the video. Do not hide the video somewhere at the bottom of the page. Do not make users dig for it. By doing so you will not only miss valuable views but will also prevent Google from indexing the video.

8. Sharing options

You’ve created a video to be liked, shared and watched by your target audience, right? In such case insert quick buttons that allow viewers to easily share the video on different social platforms. The more views your video has, the better the authority your website will get.

9. Video sitemap

To ease search engines into indexing your video quickly and efficiently, you must create a video sitemap. Thus, you help Google detect the most valuable information regarding your video such as content, title, description, duration, etc.

The video sitemap serves as addition and an extension to the general website sitemap. Ignored by many, this is a rather important step for better ranking in Google.

10. Share your video

Video SEO is not going to get your video viewed by many if you only rely on it. Sharing the video across all social media and another relevant platform is equally important. Google changes its algorithm daily. What you have done today, might not be enough tomorrow. So, you must keep up with the changes and tendencies.

Promote your content as much as possible. Social factors also help Google rank your video higher in SERP. So…action! If you need more help, you can always rely on our team. Send us an email at info@speedflow.bg

According to a recent survey by Statista shopping cart abandonment in the Retail industry for the second quarter of 2017 has reached 77.3%. This means that a very large number of users add desirable products to their virtual shopping cart but shortly afterward they leave the website without making a purchase.

Looking at the graph above, it seems pretty clear that this is the case across multiple industries. The matter of the fact is that the majority of your website visitors are simply looking around and are not going to make an order. However, obviously, your products and services have triggered their initial interest. So, why lose those potential customers? There is a way to attract them back and increase your successful conversions. It’s called remarketing.

What is Google Remarketing?

First of all, let’s make a distinction between the terms “Remarketing” and “Retargeting“.

Historically speaking, when talking about remarketing, we mean collecting information about certain people and reaching to them later via mail or email, offering them a specific product or service.

Retargeting is used to display paid ads to people who have already visited your website. This is done by using information about the visitors’ actions that have been stored in their browser as “cookies”. The ad reaches targeted people using 3rd parties such as the Google Display Network.

Over time these two concepts have become interchangeable and marketers often put them on a par. Google even “borrowed” the concept of Remarketing and used it to name its retargeting campaigns.

So…

Google remarketing is an important part of digital marketing, also known among marketers as a retargeting. This method allows you to advertise your products and services to those visitors who have already viewed your website or have used your mobile app but have not purchased or ordered anything from it.

How does it work?

Once the user leaves your site, they will continue seeing your ads in different places all over the web – in their Google search results, in other websites or apps*, and the Display Network. Remarketing lets you run ad campaigns that meet your prospects’ needs. It encourages them to visit your web page again, and again, and again… Therefore, increasing their chances of successful conversions, such as purchasing a product from an online shop.

*Only if they have been registered in AdSense, they will have the permission to display ads.

Remarketing is a very successful and effective advertising method. Why? Because it is directly targeted at those users who have already shown some interest in your products and services. By reminding them of your online presence through a specifically targeted advertising campaign, you will earn a place on top of their mind.

Google AdWords allows you to run a wide range of remarketing campaigns and target visitors based on what they’ve done on your website. Therefore, the platform offers you several different types of remarketing – standard, dynamic, mobile applications, video, email, and search ads. For example, video remarketing allows you to show products or services to people who have watched your videos or browsed through your YouTube channel.

The benefits of Google Remarketing

Google remarketing will help your business. This is how:

• Successful Targeting – Google Remarketing allows you to eliminate target groups that are unlikely to convert. In addition, you can target specific audiences depending on their history of website activity. Implement this information in your next ad creative. For example, if a user has looked at a specific shoe model, you can show him/her a banner with the exact same shoes, while he/she is visiting another website.
• Higher CTR – Remarketing ads have a higher click-through-rate (CTR) compared to standard display ads.
• More successful conversions – As we have already explained, the purpose of remarketing is to remind users about your products and services. This will make them finish an otherwise unfinished action on your website. When do users need extra stimulation? When they hesitate, overthink a difficult decision and find it hard to make a choice. If you are operating in the field of consulting, software development and digital solutions, you most likely have noticed this indecisiveness in your customers. However, by running strictly targeted advertising campaigns you will catch their attention and make them convert.
• Less Cost – Remarketing campaigns are known for their cost-effectiveness. Just like PPC advertising on Google AdWords, you only pay when a user actually clicks on your ad.
• Higher return on investment (ROI) – a Higher return on investment in remarketing happens because of the narrow and concrete targeting it is based upon. First, you have collected additional information about your target audience. Second, you can send individually tailored ads to specific target groups.
• Brand recognition – When your potential customers come across your ad multiple times online, this greatly increases their chances of recognizing your brand more quickly. It will sink into their mind more easily.

Have you ever done a remarketing campaign? If so, we will be happy to hear about the results you got from it in the comment section below. If not, contact us to help you with a successful start.

There are more than 200 factors that determine the position of your website in Google search results. Oh, yes! Since we have already introduced you to the basics of search engine optimization (SEO), we have decided to share with you all today our list of 20 less known, but effective factors for better Google ranking.

So…did you know that:

1. Latest updates

The most recently updated pages are prioritized in the search engine results page (SERP). Google now even shows the date of the last page update in the results:

2. Change volume

The number of changes you make to a page also contributes to its Google ranking. For example, adding or removing entire paragraphs and pieces of content is considered more important than switching a few words here and there.

3. Update frequency

Updating your website content regularly has a positive impact on its position in the SERP. The more you refresh your website or page content, the better!

4. Supplementary content

Did you know that if your website contains supplementary content (e.g. interactive recipes, different calculators, currency converters,  etc.), it improves its position in Google?

5. Ordered and Unordered lists

Formatting texts in ordered or unordered lists are visually appealing not only to users but also to Google. They make the whole text more readable and improve user experiences.

6. Terms and Conditions

It is advisable to have separate pages of your website Terms and Conditions, as well as Privacy Policy. Google will notice that and will rank your site as a credible and quality source of information.

7. Google Analytics and Google Search Console

Integrating these two systems in your website will help Google position it higher in SERP. Sounds logical as Google Analytics and Google Search Console are Google products. Therefore, the data they generate can be used directly by the search engine.

8. Competitor links

Links from other pages that appear in the same SERP as you for a particular keyword will have a positive impact on your ranking on Google for this particular keyword.

9. Link location

Where do you position links on your website? This is an important question. For example, a link at the beginning of a text puts much more “weight” that has a link at the end of a text. Moreover, Google prioritizes hyperlinks placed at the beginning of a page compared to those located at the end of it or in its sidebar.

10. Wikipedia link

Getting a link from Wikipedia gives your site more authority, especially in the eyes of search engines.

11. Word count and links

A link situated in an 800-word post is much more valuable than a link in a 70-character text.

12. Chrome bookmarks

Did you know that Google collects data from your Chrome browser? Accordingly, pages that users have bookmarked receive an extra “push” to the top of search engine results.

13. Regular users

Google also takes notes on the number of times a single user has visited your website. Websites that have regular visitors get a boost in SERP.

14. Duration of visits

Another important factor is the time that users spend on your page. The longer they stay on it or click on it, the more it will appear in SERP.

15. Search history

Search order affects the results Google displays in SERP. For example, if you first search for “coffee machines” and then search for “spare parts“, Google is more likely to show you websites that offer coffee machine spare parts up in the SERP. Additionally, the sites you visit while logged into your Google account get an extra advantage in the search engine

16. Social networks

17. The URL path

The closer a web page is to the homepage, the better Google rank it will get.

18. Link age

Older links are more powerful than new ones.

19. Number of words

An article with more words is ranked better in Google than text with fewer words.

20. Contact us

Do not underestimate the importance of having such a page on your website. If your contacts match the Whois information, Google will give you an advantage in SERP.

Which of these less known factors for better Google ranking do you use? Of course, they are all unpaid and need simply your time and efforts. However, there are also paid methods that enable you to appear in the top results of Google SERP.  One of these methods is called PPC /CPC campaigns.

Do not hesitate to contact us for more detailed information. And maybe we can also prepare your first paid ad campaign. Why not!

Are you a newbie in digital marketing? Or you are simply looking for ways to promote your brand online? Anyways, you must have heard about CPC and PPC advertising campaigns. What do these two abbreviations mean? Should you implement them in your next digital marketing campaign? We’ll give you the answers to these questions right now.

What does PPC mean?

You have probably noticed that when you search something in Google, ads relevant to your search appear along with organic search results in the SERP (search engine results page). That is PPC.

PPC literally means pay-per-click. It is an online advertising method that allows you to advertise your products and services in popular search engines like Google when users search for something specific in these search engines. The example above shows how your website about telecommunications and software services will look like a PPC ad if a person was to search “buy Softswitch” in Google.

You will only pay for a PPC ad if the user actually clicks on it. Hence it’s name – pay per click. Quite useful, right? Just imagine: 15 000 people see your ad, but only 80 of them click on it. You will get to pay only for those 80 clicks. The metric that indicates the amount you will pay for a single click is called CPC (cost-per-click). This amount is very unstable and spontaneous. It can change by the minute, over and over again. Why? Because it depends on both: the search volume of specific keywords at the given moment and on your competitors. CPC may be fixed per click, but you may also choose a fixed daily budget for your PPC campaign.

*Note: Sometimes CPC is used instead of PPC, although CPC is only part of PPC.

How do I create a PPC advertising campaign?

Every business wants to have their websites on the first page of Google. Unfortunately, you can not just pay a certain amount of money and have a top position guaranteed. Google’s mission is to ensure its users’ free access to quality information. All the time. Therefore, the only way to run a PPC campaign is through platforms like Google Ads and. You can use Google Ads for text and display ads, banners, video ads, mobile app ads, and more. Your PPC ads may appear in Google or be posted on websites (Google as the intermediary). The sites get a percentage of each CPC.

Keywords are the most important element in your PPC advertising campaign. These are words or phrases that are relevant to your business or that are of importance to your customers. You and your competitors must bid for these keywords. The one that has bid the highest price is the “auction winner” and earns a place in the organic search results in Google. The algorithm used by Google Ads to determine who will receive an ad space is very complex. Google takes into consideration not only the bid price itself but factors such as:

• the relevance of your website to the keywords you have bid on
• the content of the ad
• the history of your other Google Ads campaigns
• and more

Why use PPC campaigns to promote your business?

Conversions
PPC advertising is a very useful marketing method especially when your goal is to get conversions like sales, email and newsletter subscriptions, filling in a contact form and more.

Traffic
One of the key benefits of PPC is that it increases your website traffic. The more people view your ad, the more people will follow the link, and therefore actually visit your site.

Targeted Ads
Google Ads allows you to reach your target audience much more easily – choose location, date and time, keywords, websites, and more.

Brand awareness
Even if you do not generate enough sales, it’s important to note that many people will still see your brand name on the top of the SERP in Google.

On a budget
How much you are going to spend on your PPC campaign depends only on you. You may even run several campaigns simultaneously.

Research analysis
You can use the accumulated data for your business purposes. You will receive systematic results – cost, profit, views, clicks, visits, and more. Implement this in your next PPC campaign.

PPC advertising campaigns are a tested and proven method for higher conversion rates. Respectively more sales, and “more sales” is “The thing” that every business aims for, especially the eCommerce business. Therefore, it must be included in your overall digital marketing campaign.

Do you have any experience in running PPC and CPC campaigns? If so, share in the comments below which of its functionalities you find the most useful and practical!

In the era of computer technologies, the online presence of your business is something you cannot neglect. Regardless if you are offering tourist services, selling clothes or managing your own restaurant – you want to be where your potential clients are!
That’s why you hire a company to develop a website for you, and then you just wait, expecting many orders and queries from it. But it doesn’t happen… It’s not working..! What is the problem?!?

The problem is that your new website is not visible because it’s not optimized for the search engines. Just having a website, blog or Facebook page won’t do the trick if you want your message to reach your audience…

The answer is SEO!

A lot is said about SEO in the last few years and, although people are becoming more and more educated on the subject, there is still a veil of mystery around its essence, how it works and most importantly – how can it work in our favor? These are some of the things we will try to reveal today.

What is SEO?

SEO comes from Search Engine Optimization and it is exactly what you might assume – optimizing your website for search engines. But, as everything else, the search engines also evolve, their algorithms become more and more developed and “learn” to understand the intent behind each search, not just the keywords involved. This is why search engine optimization morphed more into optimization for people.

Optimization for search engines is not a one-time process. The real results show when the good practices are combined and applied continuously over time.

We can divide SEO optimization into two main categories – on-page and off-page.

On-page SEO

In general on-page, SEO encompasses all processes and factors related to the website and its elements.

This can include:

• Site content
• Inbound and outbound links,
• Metadata,
• URL structure
• Sitemap
• Site architecture
• and many more

Excluding the first two, the other elements are added just once. Site content and links, however, need to be refreshed and renewed constantly so they can lead to the end goals – good ranking and exposure. The keyword here is “Relevance”! If you are looking for clients for your florist business, you will not impress anyone with articles about cars and links to related web pages. Even worse – the search engines algorithms are so evolved nowadays that your pages might be punished for irrelevant content/links.

Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO covers all the processes that help our business gain popularity using outside resources as well as creating external links to your website called “Link building“.

We are talkinga about include social networks, business catalogs, forums, directories, news sites, eCommerce websites, even alternative search engines. Remember the keyword? Yes, relevance holds a fundamental importance in off-page optimization too. The outside resources aim to add to your online image and help you gain a positive reputation. This is easily achieved by simply giving people what they need – entertaining and useful articles, in-depth analysis, captivating games, and special promotions. Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience and think about what content YOU like to see, what ads raise your interest and trigger your curiosity. At the end of the day, YOU are one of your best sources for information!

SEO vs  PPC

In order to fully understand what is SEO, we need to make a comparison with the other popular way of getting exposure online. Incorporating Pay-per-click (PPC) means that you are paying the search engine for a top spot in the rankings. Every click from paid ads reduces your PPC budget. Let’s take a look now at the main differences between the two techniques:

• SEO methods are organic and PPC targets paid traffic;
• SEO is a continuous process. PPC leads to immediate results but only as long as you keep paying;
• Paid search targets exposure and top rankings. Organic traffic builds reputation and authority;
• The buying cycle is shorter in PPC, compared to SEO;
• Organic traffic makes up to 90% of the overall Internet traffic.

So, can we now summarize what is SEO and what it does? Optimization for search engines, but for people too. It encompasses processes on and off the website. It’s a continuous and (mostly) free methodology with long-term results.

How about you? How well do you incorporate SEO into your overall business strategy? Contact us today and we will find a way to boost your business!