It’s the Tech News Tuesday #TNT roundup. Here’s a summary of useful news we found for you during May.
3 Tips for Local SEO Right Now
Getting found in search is important for local businesses, but search ranking factors continue to change. Here are some of the latest recommendations for local businesses.
- Local search now includes neighborhoods as well as cities. Searching for “Spring Ford restaurants” now shows local businesses, for example.
- Directories are ranking very high now. Directory sites include Yelp, Angie’s List, Realtor.com, Superpages or other sites. Which ones rank well depend on your specific industry.
- The quality of the information you provide on your website also matters more. Make sure you are providing content that is valuable and relevant.
Read more about it in this article from Search Engine Land.
What can I do?
Here are some things you can do to take advantage of these opportunities.
- Be sure to include all the names for your local area in your website.
- Claim your listings in the highest ranking directories for your type of business.
- Create an editorial calendar and update your website on a regular basis with information that matters to your customers.
Many Search Queries are Questions
A new research study has found that users phrase search queries as questions 27% of time. Queries starting with how, why, where, what, and which are common, and are split between short (<4 words) and long questions.
Read more about the research study in this Search Engine Land post.
What can I do?
Use your website to help your customers find the answers they are looking for.
- Answer common questions about your industry and products.
- Include the question as a heading to capture search traffic in the form of questions.
- See common search queries by starting to type a question in the search box and see what Google suggests
More Mobile Searches than Desktop in US
The news about mobile trends continues. Do you look up information and businesses on your phone? Google recently announced that in the United States there are now officially more searches done on mobile devices than on desktops.
Learn more about what many have been anticipating for years.
What can I do?
If your website is not mobile responsive, it will be penalized by Google. Have you tried searching for your site on your phone as your customers would? If the experience is not up to par, we can help.
Facebook Discontinues Like Box for Web Pages
The version of the Facebook like box pictured here is being replaced by Facebook on June 23. If you use this on your website, you will want to update the embed code you are using.
Read more about Facebook pulling the plug on the Like Box social plugin in this AdWeek post.
What can I do?
Facebook has a new Page Plugin which replaces the old like box. Facebook will show the new plugin on your site starting June 23, but to avoid formatting and performance issues associated with conversion, get the new code and update your site.