Search Engine Marketing Chicago

September 13, 2023September 13, 2023

Google’s SGE – What is it and how will it affect SEO?

The Google search returns page has a new addition at the top as illustrated in the screenshot of its search return for “best delis in Manhattan” on this page. It is referred to as SGE for “Search Generative Experience.” In some cases it appears automatically, sometimes there is a prompt asking you if you would like to see it. This one of the most radical additions to the Google search returns page and is just rolling out. It won’t be fully deployed until 2024.

It significantly changes the was search results are displayed and, consequently, will have an effect on SEO.

Google’s use of its Search Generative Experience (SGE) will affect SEO in a number of ways.

It will place more emphasis on user experience and engagement. SGE will be designed to provide users with the most relevant and helpful information, even if it is not from a traditional search result. This means that websites that focus on providing high-quality, engaging content will be more likely to be featured in SGE snippets.
It will require a more holistic approach to SEO. Traditional SEO techniques, such as keyword research and link building, will still be important, but they will not be enough to guarantee success. SEO professionals will need to focus on creating content that is both informative and engaging, and that provides a good user experience.
It will make it more difficult to rank for competitive keywords. SGE snippets will often be the first thing that users see when they search for a particular keyword. This means that it will be more difficult to rank for those keywords, as users are less likely to click through to the actual website.
It will create new opportunities for businesses. SGE can be used to promote businesses in a number of ways. For example, businesses can create content that is targeted to specific SGE snippets, or they can use SGE to generate leads and sales.

Overall, Google’s use of SGE will have a significant impact on SEO. Businesses that want to stay ahead of the curve will need to adapt their SEO strategies to focus on user experience, engagement, and creating high-quality content.

Here are some specific things that businesses can do to optimize their websites for SGE:
- Create content that is informative, engaging, and well-written.
- Use keywords throughout your content, but don’t overdo it.
- Promote your content on social media and other channels.
- Build links to your content from other high-quality websites.
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly.
- Track your results and make adjustments as needed.

It is still early days for SGE, and Google is constantly evolving the technology. However, by following these tips, businesses can position themselves to take advantage of this new search feature.

Search Engine Marketing Chicago is working with SGE every day and developing procedures to be ready for Google’s full deployment of the technology. Contact us with any questions about the future of SEO.

June 9, 2023September 6, 2023

What’s the difference between SEO and SEM?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a service that helps businesses improve their online visibility and ranking on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo! SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is a paid method of driving traffic, such as buying ads against target keyword searches.

SEM is a great way to get quick results and drive traffic to your website. However, it can be expensive and requires ongoing investment. SEO is a more long-term strategy that focuses on optimizing your website to rank higher in organic search results.

SEM can be used in conjunction with SEO to maximize your online visibility. By using both methods together, you can drive more traffic to your website and increase your chances of converting visitors into customers.

When it comes to choosing between SEO and SEM, it’s important to consider your business goals and budget. If you’re looking for quick results and have the budget for it, SEM may be the way to go. However, if you’re looking for a more long-term strategy that will help you build your online presence over time, SEO is the better choice.

At sem[c] we offer a range of digital marketing services including SEO and SEM. Our SEO services include keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and content creation. Our SEM services include paid search advertising, display advertising, and social media advertising.

May 19, 2023

Have you ever worked with an SEO provider and been disappointed?

We have a proven track record of successfully assisting clients who have experienced poor service from their previous suppliers, which is a situation we often encounter. Unlike their previous provider, our approach to administering Google Ads goes beyond simply setting things up and leaving it at that. We understand the importance of daily maintenance to ensure an effective Google Ads campaign that minimizes the cost per click and maximizes the number of genuine conversions. This approach is an integral part of our sem[c] strategy for SEO.

Speaking of conversions, it is essential to differentiate between merely reaching the landing page of an ad and a true conversion. While the previous provider mistakenly considered page views as conversions, we recognize that a genuine conversion signifies a meaningful step towards a purchasing decision, such as filling out a form or making a call. To compound their error, this provider insisted on setting up Google Ads to generate more conversions without accurately identifying true conversions. Consequently, Google’s algorithms were simply targeting more people similar to those who visited the landing pages due to irrelevant searches, leading to further unfavorable search results.

By partnering with us, you can expect a comprehensive approach to Google Ads management that includes continuous maintenance, accurate conversion tracking, and a focus on driving genuine results for your business.

Establishing the definition of a conversion is an important part of the sem[c] Onboarding procedure which is the starting point of the sem[c] SEO Process illustrated below:

SEO is serious business and we do it the way it should be done.

Call us, email us or reach out on social media to find out more about how sem[c] can make SEO work for you.

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023

Latent semantic indexing and your business’ SEO

Latent semantic indexing, also known as LSI, is a technique that helps search engines understand the context and meaning of the content on your business’ website. If you’re looking to improve your search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your site, incorporating LSI keywords into your content is an SEO crucial step.

First, let’s define what LSI keywords are. These are words or phrases that are semantically related to your primary keyword. For example, if your primary keyword is “dog food,” LSI keywords might include “pet nutrition,” “canine diet,” and “best dog food brands.” By including LSI keywords in your content, you’re giving search engines additional context and information about your business.

Your business’ brand is your company name and what it is. You can think of LSI keywords as your company’s “non-brand” which is to say what your company offers its clients in the words that they think of when thinking about what your business does.

Now, why is this important for SEO? Search engines use LSI keywords to determine the meaning and relevance of your content. If you have a page about “dog food” but only mention that keyword a few times, search engines might have a hard time understanding the topic of your page and ranking it for relevant searches. However, if you include LSI keywords that are related to “dog food,” search engines will have a better understanding of the content and be able to match it with relevant searches.

So, how can you incorporate LSI keywords into your content? There are several ways to do this:

Use synonyms: Instead of repeating your primary keyword over and over, try using synonyms that are related to the topic.
Use related phrases: Write about topics that are related to your primary keyword. For example, if your primary keyword is “dog food,” you could write about “dog nutrition,” “best dog food,” and “dog food brands.”
Use related questions: Answer questions that are related to your primary keyword. For example, if your primary keyword is “dog food,” you could answer questions like “What is the best dog food?” and “What are the ingredients in dog food?”

By incorporating LSI keywords into your content, you’re helping search engines understand the context and meaning of your content. This, in turn, can improve your organic search engine rankings and drive more relevant traffic to your site.

Another of the many benefit of working with sem[c] is because we do this really well, you don’t have to. Contact us for more info.

January 24, 2023

Reasons Why Localized SEO is Important for Your Business

localized SEO by Search Engine Marketing Chicago

As a business owner, localized SEO can be extremely important for your online presence and visibility.

First, localized SEO allows you to target customers in your specific geographic area. This means that when people search for businesses like yours in their local area, your business will be more likely to appear in search results. This can help you attract more customers who are actually in your area and looking for your products or services. One of the most common search phrases for people using Google or other search engines is “best <your product or service> near me.”

Additionally, optimizing your local listing can help improve your online visibility and credibility. When your business appears in local search results, it can establish your business as a reputable and trustworthy source in your local area. This can lead to increased sales and customer loyalty.

Localized SEO also allows you to optimize your online listings and directories, such as Google My Business, which can help you show up in the Google Maps section of search results. This can make it easy for customers to find your business address, phone number, and hours of operation.

Furthermore, optimizing your local business listing organically is a cost-effective way to promote your business. It is often less expensive than traditional forms of advertising, especially pay-per-click, and can be more targeted to your specific audience’s location.

Overall, localized SEO can help increase your visibility and credibility in your local area, improve your online listings and directories, and target customers who are looking for businesses like yours in their local area. It can be a cost-effective way to promote your business, and will be beneficial to your bottom line.

January 19, 2023January 19, 2023

Why all business owners should be using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to promote their business

If you’re a business owner, using SEO can greatly benefit your online presence.

Firstly, SEO can increase your website traffic by making it more visible on search engine results pages. This can lead to more customers finding your website and potentially making a purchase.

Additionally, SEO is a cost-effective way to drive qualified traffic to your website. Instead of paying for each user that clicks on your website (PPC), you only pay for the efforts to improve your website’s ranking in search results.

SEO also helps establish your business as a credible and trustworthy source. When your website appears high in search results, users will likely trust your business more and consider making a purchase.

SEO also provides long-term results, by improving the user experience and making your website more user-friendly, which can lead to higher search rankings and more organic traffic over time.

Lastly, if you are a local business, SEO can help promote your products and services to local customers at the exact time they are looking for them. This can be especially useful for small businesses that want to attract customers in their local area. By optimizing your website for local search, you can improve your chances of being found by customers who are searching for businesses like yours in their local area.

Overall, SEO can greatly benefit your business by increasing visibility, driving qualified traffic, establishing credibility, and providing long-term results.

sem[c] has extensively experience in optimization for B2C and B2B businesses. Contact us to find out how we can help your business.

January 13, 2023January 13, 2023

What can you learn from a hellish SEO client?

We had a really bad client. They own a high end medispa in the North suburbs of Chicago. It is rare for a client to exhibit so many characteristics of being a bad client.

They failed to provide necessary information or resources in a timely manner
- Despite the neglect and damage done to their website by their previous marketing firm they were unable to provide administrative credentials for the website. This means, most outrageously, that their website was displaying the incorrect telephone number for over a month when our engagement began.
- They claimed that their CRM was unable to show them anything about their business’ performance. Nothing about which were their most profitable services. Nothing about where most of their customers lived.
- Lesson learned: Be sure to make sure to be clear about how critical credentials are and make acquiring them top priority.
They were consistently difficult to communicate with and unresponsive to emails or calls
- No excuse was given for the delay in giving us admin access to the website.
- Near daily requests for admin access were not answered
- Lesson learned: Clearly establish who the decision maker is and interact directly with that person. This gets difficult if this changes during the project which makes it even more important.
They made unrealistic demands or have unrealistic expectations about the scope of the project or timeline
- They were unhappy that they weren’t receiving phone calls and blamed us although there was no way to change the incorrect phone number listed all over their website.
- They required that we reduce the budget for Google Ads but expected the same response that the higher budget received.
- They demanded that resources be spent on trying to promote one of their services that is very expensive, has a terrible online reputation and was rarely searched for.
- They claimed that no SEO was performed on their behalf.
  - Their website performance was an “E” when we started which we improved to an “A.”
  - Their website had well over 300 completely unoptimized images that we corrected.
  - Their WordPress backend had many unused plugins and plugins that were missing activation.
- Lesson learned: It is never more important to realize that educating the client is part of the engagement process and that it may not take as it did not in this case.
They were consistently indecisive and make frequent changes to the project scope or direction
- They eventually, after many changes, made it apparent that they were only interested in sales despite our providing them with marketing.
- Their indecisiveness resulted in over a thousand changes to Google Ads in less than two months.
- Lesson learned: You can never spend too much time making the scope and direction abundantly clear. However, some people will insist on being unreasonable.
They blame others for problems instead of taking responsibility for their own actions
- Their complaints about no phone calls were due to their not discovering that the phone number on their website was incorrect and we couldn’t even change it because they couldn’t provide the proper credentials.
- Their complaints about no leads was due to their misconfiguration of their email client which had leads skipping the Inbox.
- Their complaints about leads expiring in a short period of time was their attempt to cover their staff’s inability to respond to leads in a reasonable length of time. Leads that don’t immediately convert to sales can convert after following up.
- Lesson learned: Some leads are better than others but no lead is worthless. Your client needs to be very clear about this.
- They were disrespectful or abusive towards our team
  - This happened repeatedly to a female team member.
  - Lesson learned: This is intolerable and inexcusable. Time to show the client the door.

January 4, 2023January 4, 2023

Content optimization for search engines

Content optimization for SEO — Content Optimization for SEO

Content optimization for search engines is the process of creating and organizing content in a way that makes it more visible and easier to find in search engine results pages (SERPs). By optimizing your content for search engines, you can improve the visibility and ranking of your website, attract more qualified traffic, and increase the chances of converting visitors into customers.

There are several ways to optimize your content for search engines. Here are some tips:

Use relevant, targeted keywords: Choose keywords that are relevant to your business and the content of your website, and use them throughout your content in a natural and unobtrusive way.
Write for humans, not just for search engines: While it’s important to include keywords in your content, it’s even more important to write for your audience. Make sure your content is informative, engaging, and easy to read.
Use headings and subheadings: Headings and subheadings help to structure your content and make it easier to read. They also give you an opportunity to include keywords and help search engines understand the main topics and themes of your content.
Use lists and bullet points: Lists and bullet points make your content more scannable and easier to read. They also give you an opportunity to include keywords and highlight important points.
Use images and videos: Images and videos can help to break up long blocks of text and make your content more visually appealing. They also give you an opportunity to include keywords in the file names and alt text.
Use internal and external links: Internal links, which link to other pages on your own website, can help to improve the navigation and structure of your site. External links, which link to other websites, can help to improve the credibility and authority of your content.

By following these tips and best practices, you can optimize your content for search engines and improve the visibility and ranking of your website. Even better, you can contact sem[c] and have it done right for you.