Category: SEO

No-follow links – Boon or Bane for SEO?

As an eCommerce business owner, you know that search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for driving traffic and sales to your website. In this article, we’ll explore the world of no-follow links and delve into the debate over whether they are a boon or a bane for SEO. 

You’ll learn about the origins and purpose of no-follow links, how they differ from do-follow links and the pros and cons of using them for your eCommerce business. 

We’ll also provide some tips on how to use no-follow links effectively and make the most of their potential benefits. But first, let’s start by defining no-follow links and understanding their place in the world of SEO.

What are No-follow Links?

Before we can understand the impact of no-follow links on SEO, it’s important to first understand what they are. No-follow links are simply hyperlinks that include a no-follow tag in the HTML code. This tag tells search engines to not follow the link and not to pass any link equity (also known as “link juice”) to the linked website.

The primary purpose of no-follow links is to help webmasters prevent their websites from being used as a platform for spam or low-quality content. By using the no-follow tag, webmasters can still link to other websites without the risk of passing along their link equity or being associated with the linked website’s content.

History

No-follow links were introduced by Google in 2005 as a way to combat comment spam on blogs. At the time, spammers were leaving irrelevant or low-quality comments on blogs with links back to their websites. These links were being followed by search engines and were helping the spammer’s website rank higher in search results.

The introduction of the no-follow tag allowed webmasters to combat this problem by telling search engines not to follow these spammy links. Today, no-follow links are used on a variety of websites for a variety of purposes, including:

1. Sponsored content or advertising – If a website accepts payment or other compensation in exchange for a link, it may use the no-follow tag to indicate that the link is sponsored.
2. User-generated content – Websites with user-generated content, such as forums or blogs, may use the no-follow tag on links within that content to prevent the website from being associated with the linked content.
3. Outbound links to low-quality websites – If a website links to a low-quality or spammy website, they may use the no-follow tag to prevent their website from being associated with the linked website’s content.

No-follow Links and SEO: The Debate

So, now that we understand what no-follow links are and why they’re used, the question remains: are they a boon or a bane for SEO? The answer, as is often the case in the world of SEO, is not straightforward.

On the one hand, no-follow links do not pass along link equity and therefore do not directly help a website’s rankings in search results. This means that all other things being equal, a website with only no-follow links pointing to it may struggle to rank as highly as a website with a mix of no-follow and do-follow links.

On the other hand, no-follow links can still be valuable for several reasons:

1. Referral traffic: While no-follow links do not pass along link equity, they can still drive referral traffic to your website. This means that even if a no-follow link is not directly helping your website’s search rankings, it can still bring in potential customers or clients.
2. Brand exposure: No-follow links can also help increase brand exposure and awareness. If a reputable website links to your website with a no-follow link, it can still be seen as an endorsement of your brand and help build credibility.
3. Link diversity: Having a diverse mix of no-follow and do-follow links can also be beneficial for your website’s SEO. While it’s important to have high-quality do-follow links pointing to your website, having a mix of no-follow links can help create a more natural link profile and make it less obvious that you’re actively seeking out links for SEO purposes.
4. It’s also worth noting that, while no-follow links don’t pass along link equity, they can still contribute to a website’s overall link authority. Link authority is a measure of a website’s overall credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines, and it’s a factor that can impact search rankings. While no-follow links may not directly contribute to a website’s link authority, they can still be a factor in the overall equation.

Conclusion 

No-follow links can be both a boon and a bane for SEO, depending on how they’re used. While they may not directly impact search rankings, they can still drive referral traffic and increase brand exposure. It’s important to remember that a diverse mix of no-follow and do-follow links can be beneficial for your website’s SEO and to focus on building high-quality links rather than solely chasing after do-follow links.

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Hiring a Great Link Builder #101

Marketing an online business is not easy. This is why business owners need agents with skills in SEO on-page and off-page optimization, and who are up to date with the current trends in SEO practices.

In trying to grow your SEO services business, the hardest part can be link building. Link building is hard work and time intensive. It is tempting to take the easy road sometimes, but with that, you give your clients fast link-building and fast results. In the long run, their website gets de-indexed from major search engines. This is a devastating result for you, which will ruin your reputation and cause your services to be terminated. This is where agents of value come in. You need a link builder that knows SEO and link-building best practices to help businesses be visible enough, so people will find their site instantly. Be on top of the search engines and authority in their niche market. Some of the basic skills of our link builders are site optimization like keyword research, internal linking, adding meta tags, optimizing images, and off-page optimization such as guest blogging, URL distribution, forum interaction, social media outreach and article marketing. So you know the agent is not wasting time and money. Agent supervisors are on office duty day and night to ensure that the agents are producing quality results. Link builder can work with a web designer to create amazing infographics. Skilled, team players and versatile agents- these are the kind of link builders that your SEO business needs. In a world where building links is becoming more crucial, hiring the right person to do it is essential. 

Questions to ask when you hire a link builder. 

Whether you are hiring an SEO agency or a freelancer, you will need to properly check their link-building techniques, just as you would, when you are outsourcing any aspect of your business. It is especially important in SEO because in some cases it can be hard to measure and understand exactly what it is you are gaining for your money. 

• How do you access where to get links from?

You want to assess how they know where to get links from. For this, you may get a simple answer, but as long as it is a sound way of making the assessment using search engine operators, if they analyse a competitor’s link profiles or something like that. You want to find out exactly how they are building the lists of sites, and where they are trying to get a link for you. If the lists are pre-build, that is a warning sign and it could be a sign they are buying links or they have some kind of link network. So you do need to ask questions about that. 

• Do they employ manual outreach?

To gain the best quality links possible, and to get the most value for money, there does need to be some manual input from an actual human being. They will need to make some personal connection with the decision-maker at times. On the other end, there isn’t any amount of sophisticated tools or software out there, which is going to automate a link-building solution. 

• Will the links be unique, in the body of the content?

The link should generally be coming from unique referring domains because if you continuously get links from the same domains, it won’t have the same effect. For instance, getting ten links from ten different websites is better than having ten links from three different sites. It is the same reason why you can’t outperform a competitor purely just with the volume of links. When it comes to the body of the content, the generally tends to hold more weight, than having a link on the sidebar or the footer, just the way that it is. 

• Will the links be relevant?

Relevancy has to be the key point at the forefront of any link-building campaign. Both so that it ranks for the correct keywords and drives you relevant traffic and many in the industry employ the use of metrics to assess the rank-ability of a site. 

• What type of links will you aim for?

There are a huge variety of link types that you can go for, depending on your industry, your service or product, and your content. If they are aiming to get you guest-post opportunities, be aware it will require you to have articles written for each guest post. If it is a product-based business they may try and get you some review posts with industry influencers. That may mean having to send your product or product samples or having to pay the influencer’s fee. 

• Will you help with content/ideation?

This is a key point. The link builder should bring the topic of the content. They should help you come up with ideas for the type of content you should create to further your chances of getting the best links. 

• How to know what work is being done?

This is why many people are turned off by any type of SEO work. Because they don’t know exactly what is being done. At least for the link building, there isn’t any reason why it can’t be fully transparent.

• How many links do you expect in this campaign?

You want to get a handle on that. It is probably one of the first questions you will have in mind. But there is a warning attached to this. If you are going through a list of link builders, and someone guarantees you a large number than somebody else, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should go with them. Offering a 100% guarantee in the number of links, especially if it’s a pretty high number, should be viewed with caution. Because it is not a straightforward commodity. It is all dependent on the content that you have, your industry, and how the targets react to the content, which determines how many links you will get. How well the link builder performs in their outreach is also key. But no matter how good the link builder is, he can’t extract any number of links from bad content. 

• Do you utilize paid links?

Inherently it is against Google’s terms and services. Any service or facility online, which just sells links for their discrimination to anyone and anywhere, or advertises the fact openly, is a no-go area, with regards to white-hat link building. If they link out to anyone that gives them money and don’t assess the content, or the value of what they are offering, then that probably means you will be sharing the same link space as some questionable sites. There’s a risk in that. 

• Are there risks/ guarantees from your work?

If all the previous questions hit the right notes, there should be any reason not to go ahead and hire them. 

Things to keep in mind while hiring a link-building agency?

• Transparency- Make sure to hire a transparent link-building agency. How can you find a transparent link-building agency for yourself? Ask them how they are going to build links. If they are not honest or if they can’t properly explain it, don’t hire them. 
• Ask how they are building links. 
• Check case studies and reviews of the link builder and see what people have to say about their results. 
• Check the reputation of that link builder.

Increase web traffic with these amazing blog SEO Tips

Whether you’re new to the blogging game or you’ve been writing  for a while, you know how hard it is to get your website to the top of the Google search rankings. 

However, with good blog SEO tips and a little persistence, you can gain an edge over your competition. 

Although the exact search engine ranking algorithm is not fully known, we do know that there are many blog SEO tips that you can use, all of which can increase your rankings and increase your traffic. 

 Here are 10 techniques  you can start  right now.

1. Content is King

It sounds obvious, but writing great blog posts is essential these days. This only makes it harder to rank in Google by using short articles based on ideas that your other blogs in your area have already shared. 

 Interesting, well-written and well-researched blog posts that are useful and relevant to your audience will keep your visitors coming back for more. Think of original and reliable content that will really help your reader. 

 When you become the most important resource in your niche, links and value will happen by themselves. 

 Here are the most important things to remember about content: 

1. Post relevant and interesting content 

 Obvious, right? People will only come to your blog if you have something worth reading to say. 

 But what is interesting content? And how do you make sure you get new ideas on a regular basis? 

 Here’s where you can find juicy content ideas: 

• Internet 

 First, the most obvious. There is a lot of inspiration  on the internet. But what is the best way to find it? We recommend starting with a broad search such as “SEO”. Type it into Google. What keywords are you seeing? In the search bar, retype the keyword found in search engine optimization: what subgenre do you get? 

In other words, use the web as a brainstorming tool; your spider diagram. Repeat this process. You get subtopics that are much more specific than SEO. You can use the resulting narrow sub keyword as a starting point for your new article. 

•  Your Competitors 

 Check out your competitors’ blogs and social media: Have they covered a topic  you haven’t? Maybe they didn’t go into enough detail? What content are they sharing? 

 Remember, just because a topic has been written about before doesn’t mean you can’t write about it. 

 Be sure to bring your  style, sparkle and tips to the table.  You can even use the Buzzsumo tool  to find and rank your competitor’s posts for you. They rank each competitor’s post by social media popularity – so you can see what  content is crushing it. 

 What is a trend? 

Watch the news. Check  your social media. What’s hot right now? Can you post something in response/discussion to this trending topic? This not only gives you inspiration for a new post idea, but you also have the opportunity to capitalize on the high traffic generated by the hype. 

 Even though their blog wasn’t specifically about GoT (or even TV), they joined  the conversation and got thousands of views in the process. 

•  Your own content! 

 Content Recycling 

Many people don’t dare to do this, but recycling old content is a good place  for new article ideas. Look at all your previous posts: could they have a “Part 2”? Could you please update the statistics? Are there new perspectives on old topics? Can you turn an old post into a podcast? Or combine several messages into an e-book? 

Content reuse options are limitless. 

•  Content Tools 

 If you write a lot of blog posts a week, sometimes you need a little extra help. 

 There are many tools to help you find article ideas. 

 We’ve already mentioned Buzzsum, but you should also check out HubSpot’s blog generator, Google Trends, and Portend’s content video generator. 

•  Post Regularly 

 A regular posting schedule is really important. 

 In addition to excellent quality, readers are assured of consistency and an author/brand  they can trust – almost predict. 

 The best way to keep a release schedule is with a content calendar. You can create your own, but there are also many simple tools to help. 

 Trello Content Calendar Tool 

 Trello lets you create content boards that your entire team can participate in. 

 Keep the content fresh, update it, keep it current and come back regularly! There’s a reason that “content” is the first word in “content marketing.”

2. Do Keyword

If you want to rank high in Google searches, you need to use relevant keywords in your content. 

 What are keywords? 

Keywords are individual words, terms or phrases that users enter into search engines. For example, if you want to know  what you are reading right now, you will probably type in Google: “what are keywords?” 

As you start typing, Google starts making recommendations based on popular searches. Keyword Search Tools Google suggestions 

 As a blogger, you want all the keywords on your site to be relevant to what people are searching for so that your content can be seen. 

This requires both knowing your audience (in which language they write the text they are looking for) and which keywords have a particularly high traffic flow. 

Include keywords in post URLs

When writing a new article, set the URL to include the main keywords of the article.

The prompt will appear even if your WordPress theme has the Yoast plugin installed.

Also, try to keep the entire URL string as short as possible. This indicates a high degree of relevance.

3. Add images to your content

A post without pictures is like a pub without beer. Pizza without cheese. A vacation without your best friend. You get the picture which is pretty important.

Including high-quality images in your content has two major benefits, he said.

Choose high-quality, compelling images that really complement what you’re trying to explain through your text.

SEO Bonnie Point

Done right, images can be another tool for bringing people to your site. People searching Google for related images are likely to find the original image. From there, you can not only link to your website, but also use your brand he image on your blog.

Win, win! To make sure your images show up in relevant searches, make sure you:

If possible, add an alt tag to your image that includes your chosen keyword.

Do not save the image with the file name 0001.jpg. Instead, save it with a relevant name and add keywords. If you’re not a photographer, don’t worry. There are many free image sources out there.The most important thing to remember is that images improve the reader’s experience and attract more traffic.

4. Include Keywords in Title Tags

A web user may not see the browser title of a page as much as what is actually displayed on the page, but the keywords in the title tag are important for her SEO purposes. For WordPress users, this is under “SEO Title”.

If possible, also put the keyword first. This makes it more relevant to search spiders.

5. Add Your Own Content to Category Pages

Again, content is king. Custom content on specific category pages of your blog can help improve your ranking.

Especially if you sort your blog posts into multiple categories. Displaying unique text on each category page helps prevent category pages from being considered spam.

6. Links to Quality Websites

I know what you are thinking:

Why should readers be advised to leave the site? Our previous website was sticky and didn’t let our visitors away, but we found that linking to reputable and relevant websites helped our blog to appear higher in the rankings.

That means linking to other companies or tools if mentioned in your post, or other blogs that provide useful information on the same topic, as we did in this article. Some authors liken this to paying dues.

7. Make content easy to share

Linking other websites and social media accounts to your blog will not only drive more traffic to your site, but it will also improve your ranking. Include buttons for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit, and Google+ users so others can easily link to you.Wordpress plugins such as the Simple Share button and SumoMe.com’s all-in-one service can be very helpful in this regard.

8. Use Webmaster Tools

Both Google and Bing offer a very helpful set of tools to help you find out your blog’s keyword rank and see who is linking to you.

You can use the data obtained to re-evaluate and adjust your blog as needed.

Metrics that will help you ace Paid SERP

If you’re an eCommerce business looking to drive sales and boost your online presence, these statistics should catch your attention. A search engine results page (SERP) is the page that a search engine returns with the results of a query. It can include both organic (non-paid) and paid results, and vary depending on the search engine and the specific keywords being used. Appearing on the first page of a SERP can be crucial for driving traffic and sales to a business.

SERP Analysis

SERP analysis is the process of studying and evaluating the results of a search engine query. It can provide insights into the competition, the types of results being shown for specific keywords, and the customer journey. SERP analysis can help businesses identify opportunities to improve their online visibility, track the performance of their marketing efforts, and understand the needs and expectations of their target audience.

Overall, SERP analysis is a valuable tool for businesses looking to drive traffic and sales through paid SERPs. By understanding the competition and the types of results being shown for specific keywords, businesses can tailor their campaigns and marketing efforts to better reach their target audience and achieve their business goals.

Let’s now take a look at the top metrics you need to pay attention to in order to bring your A game with paid SERPs and drive eCommerce success.

1. Cost per Click (CPC)

CPC is the amount you pay each time a user clicks on one of your ads. It’s important to keep an eye on your CPC because it can have a big impact on your overall ad spend. If your CPC is too high, you may be overpaying for clicks and cutting into your profits. On the other hand, if your CPC is too low, you may not be reaching as many potential customers as you could be.

To get the most out of your paid SERP campaigns, aim for a CPC that’s in line with your overall marketing budget and business goals. You can use tools like Google Ads to help set and track your CPC targets.

2. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

CTR measures the percentage of users who click on your ad after seeing it. A high CTR is a good sign that your ad copy and targeting are effective, while a low CTR may indicate that your ad is not resonating with your audience.

To improve your CTR, try experimenting with different ad copy and targeting options. You can also use A/B testing to see which versions of your ad perform best.

3. Conversion Rate

Conversion rate is the percentage of users who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter, after clicking on your ad. A high conversion rate is essential for any eCommerce business, as it means that your paid SERP campaigns are effectively turning clicks into paying customers.

To improve your conversion rate, you may need to optimize your landing pages, offer promotions or discounts, or improve the overall user experience on your website. You can also use retargeting ads to bring users back to your site and encourage them to complete a purchase.

4. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

ROAS is a key metric for measuring the profitability of your paid SERP campaigns. It’s calculated by dividing the revenue generated from your ads by the amount you spent on them. A high ROAS means that your ads are generating a good return on investment, while a low ROAS may indicate that you need to make changes to your campaigns to improve their profitability.

To boost your ROAS, try focusing on high-performing keywords and ad groups, optimizing your landing pages for conversions, and regularly reviewing and adjusting your campaigns.

5. Impression Share

Impression share is the percentage of the total number of times your ad could have been shown, based on your targeting and budget, versus the actual number of times it was displayed. A high impression share is a good sign that your ads are being shown to a wide audience, while a low impression share may indicate that you’re missing out on potential customers.

You may need to increase your budget, expand your targeting, or adjust your bids to improve your impression share. You can also use tools like Google Ads to help you track and optimize your impression share.

6. Quality Score

Quality score is a rating assigned to your ads by search engines based on their relevance, performance, and other factors. A high-quality score can lead to lower CPCs and better ad placement, while a low-quality score can result in higher costs and less visibility.

To improve your quality score, make sure that your ad copy and landing pages are relevant to your keywords and target audience, and aim for high click-through and conversion rates.

7. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

CLV is the total amount of money that a customer is expected to spend on your products or services throughout their relationship with your business. By understanding your CLV, you can better tailor your paid SERP campaigns to target high-value customers and maximize your return on investment.

To calculate your CLV, consider factors such as the average amount each customer spends per purchase, the frequency of their purchases, and the length of time they remain a customer.

8. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

CAC is the total cost of acquiring a new customer, including marketing and sales expenses. By keeping an eye on your CAC, you can ensure that you’re spending wisely on paid SERP campaigns and other marketing efforts.

To lower your CAC, consider optimizing your ad targeting, improving your conversion rate, and finding ways to reduce your marketing and sales costs.

Conclusion

Paid SERPs can be a powerful tool for driving eCommerce success, but it’s essential to track and optimize the right metrics to get the best return on your investment. By focusing on factors like CPC, CTR, conversion rate, and ROAS, you can fine-tune your campaigns and reach the right customers at the right time.

Ready to take your paid SERP efforts to the next level? Why not sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media for the latest eCommerce marketing tips and strategies? We’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest industry trends and help you take your business to the next level.

Performing an SEO Audit: How do you do it?

Why should we do an SEO audit?

The process of SEO audit takes place much before you do any optimization on the site. It is the first step in the SEO process. Sometimes there may be many SEO errors on the site. So they clean all of that up before building out any pages or start optimizing anything so that the work is done on a clean foundation. 

Key Elements of an SEO Audit

1. Backend Factors such as hosting and indexing

2. Frontend factors like keywords, content, and metadata.

3. Link Quality & Outside factors.

Tools to use

• Screaming Frog (Free software)
• Ahrefs or Semrush (preferably)
• Webmaster tools (Analytics, Search console)

The SEO audit process

• On-Page SEO audit

This looks at what is wrong with the site and if there are any technical errors on the site.

• Off Page SEO audit

Go through all the optimizations from the SEO that are done outside your website. These are things like the backlinks you built, your presence and so on. 

• Analytics audit

Here we go into your analytics and make sure some of those metrics that we care about are in the right parameters.

• Search console audit.

Here we look if any outstanding errors are going to hold back your site. 

On-Page SEO audit

The Basics:

• Is the site indexed?

Is Google even picking up your site? To find this, open site;cleanzen.com. There you can find all the pages being picked up by Google. If you don’t see certain pages there, it means that they are not indexed. 

• Web design principle

Look at the site and see if it is a good-looking site, does it have a call to action, is the call to action consistent or is it inconsistent? Look if the necessary pages exist. If Google wants to recognise you as a legitimate website, then certain pages should exist on your website. This means having an about page, contact page, privacy policy, terms of service etc. 

• Does the site have an SSL?

This is the icon just near the website name that you enter. This little icon is a ranking factor. So if you don’t have that, get that done as soon as possible. When you enter something and you remove the s from https, it should always redirect you to the same version. 

• Check if it is mobile friendly

Google does care about that. Type in mobile-friendly test, and just put your site there and check. Check if your page speed is under 3 seconds. If it is too high, then you need to get that fixed. 

Technical:

• Go back to cleanzen.com. See if there is a site map. Type your site/sitemap.xml. If you have an XML site map, then it should be there on the page that opens. If a site map does not exist that needs to get created. 

• Look at thin content pages

See if there are pages on your site that shouldn’t be getting indexed by Google. 

• Look at duplicate content

Make sure you don’t have pages within your site where there is a duplicacy across the site. 

• Look for broken links

See if there are any issues with your URL. Ensure that no broken links are there.

Optimization

• Look at the meta titles and the meta description for these pages. There should not be any missing titles or meta descriptions.

• H1 tags

It would be the top header. Most of the sites don’t even have this as a header. This shows Google what your site is about. 

Off Page SEO audit

• Look at the backlink profile. See if there is a weird ratio between the number of pages that are linking to you versus the number of links you are getting from these sites. Click on the backlinks and see what kind of websites they are-if they are bad-quality websites. Check the anchor text that they are using. 

• Open majestic SEO to figure out how trustworthy Google thinks your website is. Find the trust flow, which shows how trustworthy your site is. If a score between 10 to 49 is shown it is considered average. 49 and up is considered very good. Then look at citation flow, which tells how much volume of backlinks and mentions you are getting. These two flows should be a good ratio. 

Analytics audit

• Look at the bounce rate. The bounce rate should be less than 70 percent. This means people that are landing on your site and quickly jumping off. If people just land on your page and they just leave, it is not good. Make sure that if somebody lands on your site, they need to go ahead and you need to make it engaging. 

• See if there are any weird irregularities with the traffic. Go to the acquisition, then channels, and see what percentage of the traffic is coming from organic search. Look into the coverage section to see if there are any errors on your site.

How to do an SEO audit fast?

• Log into the Google search console. 

When you log in to the Google search console you want to look for pages that rank for similar terms. Most people think that if they want to rank SEO or whatever the subject is, they want to create as much content around that topic. Although that is true, it is also wrong at the same time. You want to create a ton of content, but you don’t want to create a ton of pages on the same topic because they are going to compete, which is going to conflict with Google. So when you have content around the same topics, you want to combine. You want to use the model of pillar pages. In the search console, find pages that are competing. Combine them and start structuring them in such a way that is similar to the beginner’s guide to SEO. Find the pages that are popular, but have a low CTR in the search console. Go to click flow, which is a tool that allows you to test your title tags. This will even give you recommendations on how to improve the click-throughs. In the search console, you will also see the popular pages. You need to start leveraging the land and expand strategy. Something already ranks well, the chances are if you expand upon it, you put more energy behind it and you make it even better, it should in theory even do better. But if a page doesn’t rank well at all, and you put a ton of emphasis and effort behind it, the chances of it doing well in the future are slim to none. The land and expand strategy gives importance to the pages that are doing well. 

• Use the site audit report and Ubersuggest. Once you put in the URL, it takes roughly three minutes to crawl your site. It’ll crawl hundreds of pages and it will tell you what is wrong from a technical standpoint.

The Ultimate Guide to Search Intent

A quick web search has become such a typical answer before you take action. From small things like looking up word meanings to life-changing things like buying a new house, you open your device to do a quick Google search. 

 This is what Google calls “micro-moments” – instances where a person turns to a device when you need something. 

 These clicks are the most intentional moments that content creators and SEO companies need to optimize the most. People need quick answers, but more importantly, real solutions that satisfy the purpose of their search or the reason they were searching.

What is Search Intent?

The purpose of a search or the purpose of a user’s search is the reason or reason for each search. Every question a user asks a search engine. It focuses on why someone is searching on Google. 

 Remember that everything you do has a purpose. When you ask someone a question in person, you get the answer you need. Similar to asking questions in search engines, when you type words into the search bar, you want to know and learn something. When you hit a search, you expect Google to give you the best answer to your question.

• Example of Multiple Search Intents– This is an example of a query that has multiple meanings because it provided both information and transactional information on the search results page. Google interpreted my question as a user who is already in the buying phase because I already have a specific product in mind. But the search engine also provided me with informative content to learn more about the product. Confused? Don’t worry; we will talk more about this later in the article. 

• Google’s algorithm is smarter than we think –  it provides answers for all types of users, no matter where they are in the search or buying journey. This is the challenge that Google has set for digital marketers like us to provide users with the content they need at that particular time. No one yet has an accurate way to determine search intent. This is where most, if not all, SEO fails: a careful and accurate understanding of the user’s search intent. If you’re a little lost at this point, it’s best to go back to SEO basics to better understand search and its various pillars and factors. 

The Growing Importance of Search Intent

Search engines weren’t always so complicated. Once upon a time, posting simple content and using keywords was enough to get SERP results. But as Google’s algorithm has evolved, so has SEO and its best practices. 

 However, the concept of search intent did not appear out of nowhere in the search engine optimization environment. It has been gaining importance for some time and only now business people have seen and realized its importance. 

 The value of search intent began with the release of the Google Hummingbird update, where the search engine released an increasingly sophisticated understanding of searcher querying to find relevant and deliver meaningful results to users. 

Search intents are classified into three different types, all  of which correspond to Google’s micro-moments: know, do, go and buy. Here are the different types of search intent:

1.  Informational

Intent to know or and intent to do. 

 Most people look for information online. It could be  a local business, kids, cars, online marketing – anything under the sun. People looking for information have a problem or situation in mind and  are looking for a name to put it under.

2. Navigation

Purpose to go. 

 These are people who are looking for a specific location or want to go somewhere and interact with the physical world or  a specific online location. A user can search for a physical store or area (eg “digital marketing company near me”) and see the following results: 

Physical Navigation Search Intent Searches based on this search intent can also navigate through web pages. This means that the user knows which website and  page they want to go to, but the user is just not sure what that exact URL is: Purpose of Digital Navigation Search 

 Whichever of the two, the purpose of search  is to find a location and go there, either physically or digitally. 

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3. Events

This is done by people who want to buy something online. They are often looking for the best deals and places to shop.  Event searches are easy to spot if they include the keywords “buy”, “sell”, “cheap” or “service”. These are modifiers that tell Google and SEO that the user is already in purchase mode. 

 But  if the search doesn’t have those keywords with purchase intent, does that still count as transaction intent? 

 Search with a simple keyword: “iPhone charger”. It doesn’t have “buy” or “sell” indicators, but it does provide results for product pages and online sellers that encourage me to do business with them. 

Keywords, queries or whatever you want to call them for another purpose and it all depends on the search engine. Google shows different results that the algorithm thinks users need, which makes our job as content marketers a bit difficult because we have to provide quality content to all users and searchers along their  buyer journey.

That’s where ASO (App Store Optimization) comes in. ASO is the process of optimizing your app listing to improve its visibility in app store search results and drive more organic downloads. According to a study by Tune, ASO can lead to a 10.3% increase in organic downloads and a 28.1% increase in in-app revenue.

In this article, we’ll be discussing why ASO is important, the different types of ASO, and the top ASO tools you should consider using in 2022 to boost your app’s visibility and success.

What is ASO?

ASO is the process of optimizing your app listing to improve its visibility in app store search results and drive more organic downloads. This includes optimizing elements such as your app’s title, keywords, icons, and screenshots.

Why Do You Need ASO?

As the number of apps available in app stores continues to grow, it’s becoming increasingly important for app developers and marketers to find ways to differentiate their apps and get noticed by potential users. Here are a few key reasons why ASO is essential for app success:

• Increased Visibility – With millions of apps available, it can be difficult for your app to stand out and get noticed in app store search results. ASO helps to improve your app’s visibility and increase the chances of it being discovered by potential users.

• Greater ROI – A well-optimized app listing can lead to higher rankings in app store search results, which can result in more organic downloads. This can translate to a higher return on investment (ROI) for your app

• Targeted Reach – ASO allows you to optimize your app listing for specific keywords and target your app toward a specific audience. This helps to ensure that your app is being seen by the users who are most likely to download and use it.

Types of ASO

There are two main types of ASO:

1. On-metadata ASO – This type of ASO involves optimizing elements of your app listing such as your title, keywords, and screenshots.
2. Off-metadata ASO – This type of ASO involves activities that are not directly related to your app listing, such as building a strong presence on social media or getting reviews from influencers.

ASO Tools You Should Use in 2022

1. Sensor Tower

Sensor Tower is a comprehensive ASO tool that offers a wide range of features to help you optimize your app listing and improve your app’s visibility in app store search results. With Sensor Tower, you can track your app’s performance, get insights into your competitors, and see how your keywords are ranking. Additionally, Sensor Tower offers a keyword suggestion tool to help you find the best keywords to target and a localization feature to help you optimize your app for different countries and languages.

2. Mobile Action

Mobile Action is another top ASO tool that offers a variety of features to help you optimize your app listing and improve your app’s visibility in app store search results. With Mobile Action, you can track your app’s performance, get insights into your competitors, and see how your keywords are ranking. Additionally, Mobile Action offers a keyword suggestion tool to help you find the best keywords to target and a localization feature to help you optimize your app for different countries and languages.

3. App Annie

App Annie is a well-known ASO tool that offers a range of features to help you optimize your app listing and improve your app’s visibility in app store search results. With App Annie, you can track your app’s performance, get insights into your competitors, and see how your keywords are ranking. Additionally, App Annie offers a keyword suggestion tool to help you find the best keywords to target and a localization feature to help you optimize your app for different countries and languages.

4. The Tool

The Tool is an ASO tool specifically designed to help you optimize your app listing and improve your app’s visibility in app store search results. With The Tool, you can track your app’s performance, get insights into your competitors, and see how your keywords are ranking. Additionally, The Tool offers a keyword suggestion tool to help you find the best keywords to target and a localization feature to help you optimize your app for different countries and languages.

5. App Radar

App Radar is an ASO tool that offers a range of features to help you optimize your app listing and improve your app’s visibility in app store search results. With App Radar, you can track your app’s performance, get insights into your competitors, and see how your keywords are ranking. Additionally, App Radar offers a keyword suggestion tool to help you find the best keywords to target and a localization feature to help you optimize your app for different countries and languages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ASO is an essential aspect of eCommerce marketing, and the right tools can make all the difference in helping your app rank higher in app store search results and drive more organic downloads. 

By using these tools, you can track your app’s performance, get insights into your competitors, and find the best keywords to target to improve your app’s visibility in app store search results.
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