If you have a website then you must have heard about SSL certificates. But if you haven’t or do not have one installed on your website, we will give you 4 reasons why you need to do this ASAP. But firstly:

What is an SSL certificate?

The SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer) is the backbone of secure web browsing and information sharing over the internet. This specialized technology encrypts information and ensures that the connection between two sides – the client and the server, is completely safe.

Side 1: The Client (user) – the browser you are using and the request you are making when visiting a website.

Side 2: The Server (website) – the server on which the website is hosted.

*You need to check if your SSL certificate is installed on both your website and the C panel. There are some cases where this is not set by default.

Thanks to SSL certificates all sensitive information and personal data that are being sent from one computer to another over the internet are protected from unauthorized access and fraud attacks. This is extremely important because when information is shared online, it goes from one computer to a server, from that server to yet another computer and so on until it reaches its recipient. If you don’t have an SSL certificate, there is a great chance your data will be accessed and used by third parties before reaching the final destination.

How to check if a website has an SSL certificate?

The quickest and easiest way to do that is by simply looking at the URL structure of the website. If it begins with the prefix “HTTPS”, it means it does have an SSL certificate if it begins with the standard “HTTP” – it does not.

Example:

Why do I need an SSL certificate?

1. Protection against data theft

It is true that having just an SSL certificate on your website will not provide complete protection against all types of information theft, be it hacker attacks, viruses, system violations, misuse, etc. But this protocol is one of the most important tools for making the internet a more secure space for information processing. It not only encrypts data but also ensures its integrity until it reaches the right server, not a fraudster’s one. That is why it is essential to get your SSL certificate from a well-known provider.

Where can I buy my SSL certificate from?

You have two options. The first one is to buy SSL from your hosting company. The second option is to get it from a renown provider like:

• Let’s Encrypt
• IdenTrust
• Comodo Essential
• RapidSSL
• GeoTrust

2. A must for online payments

No eCommerce website would exist if there is no way for costumers to pay for the purchased goods/service and that includes online payments. If you want your website to accept any type of online payments (credit and debit cards, virtual POS terminals, PayPal, etc.), there are certain security conditions you must comply with. Having an SSL certificate is one of them.

3. A way to make clients trust you

Every country has enforced laws regarding information integrity and personal data protection. In today’s digital era the need for adapting those rules and creating international regulations becomes more and more necessary. As most of you may know by now, in May this year the new regulation for personal data protection (GDPR), initiated and accepted by the European Commission, came into force. The main purpose of this directive is to protect individuals living in the European Union with regards to the way their personal data is being used and processed.

We live in times where the number of identity thefts has reached their peak. That is why most people put a high priority on the protection of their personal data. A website with SSL instills a sense of security in its users. Did you know that according to a research done by Search Engine Land 84% of interviewees would abandon a purchase if they see that their data is being sent over an insecure connection, which will inevitably have a negative effect on sales? And you would not want that, right?

4. Google’s favorite

Back in 2014 Google introduced their “HTTPS Everywhere” campaign with the idea to make the internet a safer place for users and the information they share. Since then the campaign has been updated several times. The latest change was introduced this month. From now on Google Chrome, Google’s web browser, will notify the users if a website has an SSL certificate or not by marking it as “SECURE” or “NOT SECURE”. Here is how a website looks:

With an SSL certificate – Example 1:

Example 2:

Example 3: Without an SSL certificate, when you do NOT fill in some data

Example 4: Without an SSL certificate, when you fill in data in a contact form for example

Moreover, Google is giving a push to websites with SSL certificates by ranking them higher in the search engine results page (SERP) compared to those that do not have one. So, if you want to improve your position in Google, work on your website SEO optimization by activating an SSL certificate.

In 2018 50% of organic search results on the first page in Google have an https link, which is, in fact, the highest percentage in history so far. At the same time, 81% of the world’s top websites use an SSL certificate.

And you? How and where do you want your website to rank? Is your site secured with an SSL certificate? If you need any help installing it, we at Speedflow Bulgaria can help!

The perfectly written title has hidden superpowers – more views, more shares, growing brand awareness, more clients, more profit. And yes, it does not matter if we speak about blog article headlines, e-book titles, video names, email subject lines or anything else; you still need to spend enough time and make it as catchy as possible. Because everybody wants to grab end-users’ attention, just like you do.

There are lots of tips and tricks online on how to write a good title. However, we have collected for you a few ideas which will hopefully inspire you next time when you wonder how to entitle your text.

Go with numbers

Using numbers leads to more clicks. Why? Because numbers give readers a more concrete, structured and easy to digest text.

• 20 ideas for faster…
• 13 less known facts about…
• 5 features that…
• 8 reasons why…
• 11 foods, which…
• 3 steps to…

Numbers and figures naturally attract attention. The eye notices and understands them more quickly than it does words. Moreover, users generally just scan headlines (especially on the internet) and do not read all of its words completely. So, including numbers in your title will ease them even more.

Random and odd numbers like 17, 19, 37, 9, 14 are even more attractive to the readers because they are less used in general compared to numbers like 5, 10, 20, etc.

Examples: 40 ways to avoid spam filters / 20 Less Known factors for Better Google Ranking

The shorter, the better

When people seek information, they need an answer to a question, a solution to a problem, an advice on something that is important to them. Try to integrate and match the theme of your text to the emotions you are going to evoke in the reader. Here are few adjectives which may be associated with both emotions and expectations of the end-user:

• Easy
• Quick
• Useful
• Important
• Effective
• Guaranteed
• Successful
• Valuable

On which title would you rather click: “Ways to get to the Moon” or “Quick ways to get to the moon”?

Examples: The Successful Landing Page Guide / 8 key elements for a successful online store

State your expertise on the subject matter

Readers do not simply want some empty talk or randomly assembled information. What lies at the very bottom of their questions and yearnings are actually mere facts and universal truths. Although sometimes it may be hard to confess, we as human are looking for order, clarity, and predictability of our actions and the consequences of these actions. That is why quite commonly we search for information that can provide us such insights:

• Tricks
• Secrets
• Tips
• Advice
• Reasons
• Facts
• Results
• Principles
• Elements
• Tendencies
• Statistics
• Advantages
• Benefits
  
• Steps

Include one of these words in your headline and you’ll notice an increase in article views.

Examples: 4 Inbound marketing trends in 2018 / 22 steps to comfort an angry customer online

Ask a question or answer a question

The power of How, Why, Who, When, Where, What should not be underestimated. If your article answers a concrete question, which a person is asking themselves, you have a ready-to-use title. Rhetorical questions, however, should be avoided.

• Why do I need…?
• How to achieve more…?
• Where to find..?
• Which are the most important…?
• When to publish…?

Examples: What is a Chatbot and how will it benefit my business? / How to launch your first online shop

How about you? What other tips and tricks have you used when trying to come up with an interesting title?

Anyone who knows a little bit about search engine optimization (SEO) has heard about link building. Link building is one of the main factors search engines like Google use to determine the order in which websites appear in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). If we’re talking about a highly competitive niche, your website can not rank higher in Google if it does not have enough or no links referring back to it. Link building remains one of the most important and essential SEO practices for gaining good search positions.

What is Link Building?

As an important part of the SEO methodology, link building unites all actions and processes involved in creating and receiving links to your own website from other external sources (backlinks). Search engines scan the entire web, including the pages on your website and those that link from one website to another. Google uses the collected link information to evaluate your website and determine its position in a specific SERP.

Link building significantly increases your chances of getting quality backlinks and thus helps your website reach higher and higher towards the holy first page in Google. It is also a well-known strategy among marketers for increasing brand awareness and recognition.

Why do search engines scan the web in search for links?

1. To discover new pages

2. To index all pages on the Internet

After scanning the entire web, search engines retrieve certain website content and keywords and add this info to their indexes. A complex algorithm then determines how a page will rank for the specific set of keywords a user has typed in the Google Search box. But besides the page itself and the content it offers, Google also pays special attention to the number of links that lead to it as well as the quality of the websites providing those links! The more trustworthy websites link back to your website, the better rank you’ll be given by Google.

There are many ways to create backlinks, but a significant number of SEO experts claim that link building remains one of the most challenging parts of their job.

How has link building changed over time?

Google began using the number of links as a factor in determining website rankings back in the 1990s. It quickly became clear that it is a strong signal for website quality and reliability. Why? Well, simply because every link is validation for page expertise and relevance. Otherwise, websites would not receive any references from external sources, right?

However, SEO professionals very quickly discovered ways to manipulate website positions in the SERP for certain keywords. Especially through link building techniques. To put an end to these bad practices, Google began releasing regular updates specifically aimed at filtering the websites that used deceptive methods to rank first in the search engine. For example, one of the link building techniques originally supported and promoted by Google – adding your website to directories to get backlinks, gradually began to lose its influence and got “expelled” from Google’s algorithm.

Moreover, the excessive manipulation of link building practices started to negatively affect pages that actually offer content of high quality, pushing them further back in the SERP. Thus, in 2012 Google launched the popular Penguin updates. Their main purpose was and still is to regulate the use of link building techniques and to sanction those websites that overuse them.

*You can check all other Google updates here.

In our next article, we have prepared for you a list of link building techniques that you can safely use to rank your website (no matter if we are talking about E-commerce website, a blog or a single web page) and higher in Google in 2018. Without being penalized! So, stay tuned!

Trust Speedflow team to provide you with excellent web services and SEO optimization that actually works.

Many people associate SEO only with optimizing written content. However, if you want your website to rank higher in search engines like Google, you must start optimizing your website images too. Today we will focus on the important factors and steps you need to consider in order to achieve a better SEO. Boost your website traffic with perfect image SEO optimization for the web!

Image size

Image size has a great impact on website speed. And speed is one of the main factors determining your website position on Google. But that’s not all! Faster working websites provide a better user experience. And imagine if the case is an eCommerce website. Better UX/UI, better load speed and fast loading images mean more online sale.  To learn more about this topic, feel free to read our article “How to improve your website speed?”

Meanwhile, during and after every website development, try to reduce the size of your images. Photoshop has a very useful feature for that called “Save for Web”. It is recommended that they do not exceed 70 kb, especially if you are going to use them for e-commerce projects. Does this sound too small? Of course, we do not want you to compromise on image quality.  The next paragraph sheds some more light on the types of image format and their usage.

Image format

Here are the most widely used image formats for the web:

• JPEG – One of the most popular formats on the Internet. It allows large image compression (up to 10 times more than the other two formats below), while maintaining relatively good image quality. However, that’s not always the case.
• GIF – Generally, gifs are smaller images of less good quality. They are mainly used for icons, logos, animated or decorative images.
• PNG – This format offers the best quality-compression ratio and is the most preferred image format for the web.

Image name

And here we start getting into the deep waters of keywords. Keywords are the basis for building a successful SEO strategy including image SEO. Now is the time for them to enter the picture – literally. Forget about the random DSC_46938.png image names. They must be directly related to what is depicted on them, as well as to the semantic core of your website. The more specific, the better.

Bonus: Rumor has it that Google prefers names written with dashes to those written with underscores.

Example:

Bad name: DSC_46938.jpg
Better name: lego_orange-09.jpg
The best name: orange-lego-design-work-speedflow.jpg

Alt attributes

Alt attributes are in fact text alternatives of images. Their function is to explain to the browser what the image is all about. This is particularly useful when your photo cannot be loaded by the browser for some reason. Originally created to help blind people read websites, they are currently being used as a powerful SEO optimization tool. Alt attributes provide you an ideal place to put keywords relevant to your website.

Note: Avoid keyword stuffing your alt attributes. Otherwise, they may have a negative overall effect on your position in SERP (Search Engine Results Page).

Title Text

Title text serves the same function as your image name. However, when filling in this text field in your dashboard, separate your words with spaces, not with dashes or underscores. If your image name is descriptive enough, you do not need to fill in this alt attribute.

Alt text

In this field, you can provide a more thorough description of your image. Thus, you will help search engines get a better understanding of your image topic as well as about the whole content surrounding the image, i.e. the general picture of your website. Here is the time to think about the right keywords to use.

The code for the example above should look like this:

<img src=“https://speedflow.bg/uploads/orange-lego-design-work-speedflow.jpg”
alt=”Orange lego design work by Speedflow Bulgaria“>

Alt tag, in this case, is: “Orange lego design work by Speedflow Bulgari”

We recommend that at least one image per page contains a keyword that is relevant to your business. But do not simply through it in without a purpose. Try to be descriptive and create a meaningful text in which the keyword blends naturally. If possible, position it at the beginning of the text. Keep word length between 50-180 characters. However, it can actually be as long as it needs to be. Do not miss out on some important details just to fit into those recommendations.

Image Caption

If you are going to place an image within an article, then it is better to think of a caption to go with it.  Make it easier for readers to skim through your article and still get a good understanding of what it is about. Moreover, captions provide an additional place to put keywords on your site.  Do you need to do this for all the pictures in your article? Of course not. Only where necessary. Do not overdo it, cause it’s not going to be good for your image SEO.

Image Sitemap

If a website contains a lot of images, it needs an image sitemap. This way Google will recognize your images quickly and the overall website performance will be considerably improved, leading to better user experience.

Anchor Text

Do not directly share links to your images on the Internet. Better do that using appropriate and informative anchor text (visible text of a link) made up of wisely-used keywords.

Copyright

Add a watermark or your brand logo to the image. When Google finds the same pictures over the Internet, it tries to identify the original. Help Google, please.

We hope that you find these image SEO optimization tips helpful. If you have any questions, please contact our team at info@speedflow.bg.

Yesterday Plovdiv was the meeting point for hundreds of IT professionals, enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, the reason being Digital4Plovdiv 2017. This year the conference was dedicated specifically to online marketing and e-commerce. It took place on 30 November at the St. Petersburg Hotel, Plovdiv. Ivan Totev, the mayor of Plovdiv, gave a welcoming speech and started the discussions.

Our team was pleased to be a part of the conference and learn in more detail about the hottest topics and the latest practices in digital marketing and online shop optimization. More than 30 specialists presented the most effective tips and tricks for the successful development of e-commerce businesses and increase in sales.

The conference program was held in three different halls. There were lectures, presentations, workshops and case studies. Everyone found something new and interesting to learn and apply to their work or business, including our team. Among the most discussed topics were Behavioral economics, SEO audit, SaaS, ERP systems, Internet security, video marketing, remarketing and many more.

All lecturers were prominent experts in their field with extensive work experience. It was a real pleasure for us to be part of over 300 participants at the event. More information about Digital4Plovdiv 2017 can be found on the website.

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!

Proof of high-quality services and professionalism!

Speedflow Bulgaria Ltd. successfully completed a certification audit and was certified by ISO 9001:2015 several days ago.

ISO 9001 helps organizations to demonstrate to their customers that they offer quality products and reliable services. The standard also acts as a tool to streamline organizational processes and increase their efficiency.

ISO 9001:2015 certificate is just another proof that Speedflow Bulgaria Ltd. will keep striving to provide the highest quality products and services. To ensure business stability, satisfaction and development opportunities for all clients.

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!