Search Engine Optimization and Google Search Ranking

How Does Search Engine Optimization Relate to Ranking on the Google Search Engine ?

You write great content about something you deem worthy and want to share it seen with your target audience. But, just because the content is "great" in itself does not guarantee a place high enough on the Google's search engine results page (SERP) so that your audience can see it. In order for your content to meet its intended audience, it should be backed up by either paid advertising (e.g., PPC) or organically optimized for search engines like the Google search engine to find it at right time by the right person. When the latter choice is made, this is referred to as Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Depending on whether you have some good advertising money available, you might be tempted to choose the easier option: PPC (Pay Per Click). But sometimes, you and your organization live on a tight budget, if any, but still aim at a fair shot when it comes to showing up when someone searches for the exact product or service  that you offer as described in your "great" content. In this case, your gateway is simply SEO. Of course, joining forces between SEO and PPC is the ideal thing to do. But few of us have this luxury. We sometimes face a tradeoff  between  the two. This post is for those of you who somehow have to go for SEO at the expense of PPC.

Before diving right into SEO and its use, defining it might be a good start.

Just what is SEO? 

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is strategically organizing your content in a way that attracts your intended audience and meets their specific needs. This may sound simplistic as definition, but the emphasis on audience attraction and need satisfaction is key to writing effective content and constitutes the very essence of what SEO actually does.

How Does SEO Work?

People go online to search for information about their every need. The fact that they go to a search engine, like the Google search engine, and type in a query means that they are intentional to take certain action. If, by any chance, any term (keyword) in your content happens to match their search queries, it shows up to them through the help of sophisticated algorithms built in most, if not all, search engines. That's the basic mechanism of a search engine work. But you don't have to leave it all to chance; you can make use of SEO and make sure that everytime someone searches for the type of product or service that you offer, your content is the next thing they see. Here's how to do that:

• Anticipate Needs 

• Perform Keyword Research 

• Test Keywords 

• Implement Keywords 

• Iterate Keywords 

Anticipate Needs 

Anticipating the needs of your potential customers, by putting yourself in their shoes and imagining the "key" words they type in a search engine when looking for what offer, is crucial to an effective SEO strategy. So far, this is no magic; it is all common sense. What seems more of a hurdle, though, is how to come up with such keywords and optimize them for search engines algorithms to easily crawl, index, and return a relevant user outpout. The way to tackle this issue is through proper keyword research performance.

Perform Keyword Research 

Now all words should be included in your content. You want the most effective ones only, don't you? (this will spare you from the troubles that "keyword stuffing" usually brings). As such, performing an effective keyword research and norrowing down on the most effective keywords is a sure way to determine and choose which keywords are to be used to optimize your content for user search queries. There are some powerful keyword research tools available out there. SEMrush is one of them with its Semrush Magic Tool. Entering a keyword into the SEMrush Magic Tool search bar, for example, gets you a list of keywords listed from most used to least used quantitatively. The most frequent ones represent what people are mostly searching for and therefore are the most competitive ones. And you don't want to face that stiff competition, but you don't want to spread yourself too thin either. So, you have to choose the keywords that are mid-range and long-tail (made up of multiple words) to weather out the competition. In other words, you need to find yourself a keyword niche and test it out before adoption.

Test Keywords 

Once you find your keyword niche, you need to test it for suitability. Your keywords will need to suit the user need and intent and, hence, be placed in strategic positions in your content. Most importantly, you should test them yourself by performing relevant searches. If you tested a keyword for its likelihood of being typed by the typical customer searching for your product or service and found out that it shows up with enough frequency than others, you should retain it. Be aware, though, of extremely popular keywords for which competition is stiff. Instead, choose the less popular, long-tail keywords with less competition. This will be more cost-effective and increase the odds that your product or service ad is served when related to your potential customer's search term.

Implement Keywords 

Now that you have tested your keywords (for mutual need suitability), you need to implement them in your content. But how do you do it? Well, this is where on-page SEO, the pluging of keywords in key parts of your content such as title tags, descriptions, and URL (Unique Resource Locator), comes in handy. If you run advertising campaigns, this strategy is particularly relevant. Furthermore, if you have a body in your content such as in a blog article or related content, you will want to include the most important keyword (s) in the first 100 words your article. This is believed to have a positive impact on the search engine results page by facilitating the work of search engine algorithms. By making use of one-page SEO, you exponentially increase your chances of showing up higher on the SERP, particularly on Google.

Iterate Keywords 

Keywords implementation is not a one-off activity. People's needs evolve and so do their queries. On the other hand, your offerings might evolve as well. All of these changes require adaptation. Keyword iteration, the constant reviewing and adjusting of keywords with regards to user search intent and query, is key to showing up and staying on top of search results for what you offer.

Conclusion 

Whether you have a budget to pay for ranking on search results or not, SEO should be your friend. SEO should be your best friend if all you have are words. Optimizating your use of those words is a must if you want to stand any chance of being shown to those who are looking for what you have and possibly pay for it at end of their journey.

How To Pass The Google Ads Exam: 4 Techniques to Get Google-Certified

Marketing is becoming increasingly digital. This is a clear fact to all of us. Companies are allocating a fair share of their advertising spend to digital advertising and marketing. It turns out that much of those advertising dollars are spent on the Google advertising platform and constitute the bulk of Google Advertising Revenue. In the meantime, some companies require that their marketing team or department have at least one Google-Certified professional for obvious benefits, including the prestige that comes with it and the more enticing partnership possibility with Google for organizations. But, passing the Google Ads Certification exam is no cup of tea. So, if you're reading this post, odds are that you're looking for the secret to successfully taking the exams and getting certified either for personal fulfillment or for professional requirements. No matter your motivation for acing this exam (80% of total score is still an achievement by Google's standards) and getting your Google Ads Certification, while there's no unveiled secret to do so, there are some proven techniques you can use to achieve just that. In this post, I'm sharing 4 of those effective techniques with you.

1.  Start With Google Ads Search

While there are many exams--Search, Video, Display, Measurement, Shopping, and Apps--one can take to become a Google-Certified  advertiser, the best of them is the Search Ads Certification. This is because the Google Ads Search Certification gives an overall idea about and touch on all of the other types of available certifications. That is, the search skills, honed in the Google Ads Search program, are transferable to all of the other Google Ads programs. Another worthy reason for choosing Google Ads Search over the others is because the exam is relatively easy to pass and, hence, offers easiest path to the Google Ads Certification credentials. It sounds easier for us to just type our query into the Google search engine and confidently wait for some results to show up (and they do) than, say, to go to YouTube for the same search. Even if we do go to YouTube, we still type the query anyway. This reveals the paramount nature of the "search" tool. So, unlike you're required to do otherwise, taking the Google Ads Certification exam is more beneficial for both advertising agencies and client organisations (more exposure) and individuals (as they are more likely to pass it compared to the other Google Ads programs).  This is just a suggestion. Your goals may differ from those of Google Ads Search and you might find it more relevant to take the more relevant exam for the certification you need. But keep in mind that these are harder to pass to get Google-Certified. Naturally, the more diverse your Google Ads Certifications, the better as this makes you a polyvalent advertiser. So, if you can master it all about the Google Ads Certification programs, go for it.

2. Go Over the Study Material 

It is very tempting, even to those who have never read a thing about Google Ads before, to go straight to the exam section and take it under a wishful success stance. This is because no one has the time or the will  to study for long hours these (our mind is wired to choose the seemingly easier paths, which do not always lead to best destinations). But not doing so can result in way  more time spent trying to pass when you consider the number of trials that can be accumulated and the retake time interval (24 hours) between each unsuccessful attempt. Studying the material gives real knowledge and takes out the guesswork and the temptation to "Google" the question. Even if  you could, by the luckiest shot in the world, end up obtaining the minimum score (80%), it is very unlikely. Furthermore, there's no point in having a piece of paper that you have not legally and ethically earned (you swore not to cheat but did, or did you?). So, the best way to ensure that you will pass the exam, and do so deservedly, is to put in the necessary work and study effort.

3. Consult the Supplemental Materials 

Even if the overall course--study and exam--is indicated to last less than 5 hours, the truth is you will spend way more time on the course. Not to mention the fact that your motivation and energy level should be kept constantly high enough throughout the whole course. So, why would you even bother to take on additional materials, which are as, if not more, time-consuming as the primary course materials themselves? Well, this is because doing so is key to achieving mastery of the topic at hand and increasing your chances of success in the exam. By carefully consulting the purposely  given supplemental materials, you'll get a deeper understanding of the topic at hand and be better equipped to answer even the trickiest question in the related the exam. I know someone who failed the test a discouraging number of times ignoring supplemental materials, although exhausting every bit of the main course materials. Upon taking some time to go over the additional materials, they aced the test the very next time and got certified. Those materials are there for a reason and it is to give you in-depth knowledge and understanding of the material. And any serious exam will go deep into it. And Google exam is a serious one. So, if you really want to succeed in it, go deep too.

4. Take Good Note for Quick Reference 

As uncovered above, the main study material itself is quite extensive and our memory is fallible and will eventually let it down in the most inappropriate moments; when we need it the most: review or actual exam. So, without proper note-taking, we may feel the need to go over or sift through the whole scary thing all over again. And this sucks the boiling blood out of you. Good note-taking proves very useful in our college life only after we had realized that our long-term memory is not that very faithful after all. I can can assure you that even your short-term memory is not. This is because, if you wish, you can  take the whole Google Ads course in just one day, still I bet the smallest detail will trick your memory for that very day. Taking good notes worked for me both at school and at my taking of the Google Ads Certification exam and related studies. But, I learned that good note-taking lesson the hard way, and I give it to you so you don't have to, especially for the tedious Google Ads Certification exam. 

Of course, good note-taking can be a matter of taste and preferred style, but as long as the key concepts and information are noted in some comprehensive way, taste and style matter less.

Conclusion 

In an era where marketing and advertising is ever valued on the Google platform and network, companies are very demanding and requiring that their marketing staff or prospects  be Google-Certified. The path to to that prestigious certification has been shown in this article. All you have to do is to follow along and help yourself and your organizations achieve your respective, if not common, goals.

COVID-19 and TELECOMMUTING

COVID-19 Points out to a New Normal: Telecommuting: Adaptability is Key

Ever since COVID-19 broke out across the world earlier this year, it has brought nothing but fear and uncertainties. Fear of the death of the individual, and uncertainties about the future of everything, including, and particularly, work.

It turns out that this 'fear and uncertainties' combine was put into perspective with what I call 'unnecessary anxiety' about whether people will die or lose their jobs, and things like that. Doubting the future due to current uncertainties is human nature. We always want to know what the future will bring, but we rarely take advantage of current trends to foresee and prepare for it. The truth is we are too conservative and have an affinity for the habitual while disguising the imminent new. And this makes us vulnerable to the uncertainties of tomorrow. People tried so hard in the first place to land their jobs, as we know them, which  they still comprehensibly hang to in these times. And suddenly they are about to so strangely lose them. To make matters worse, besides the risk of losing their jobs, people find that their own lives are at stake. So, there would be every reason for them to be anxious. After all, aren't they realistic since these events  are actually occurring putting everything they have--jobs, their own lives, their loved ones' lives-- at risk ? What if my answer to this question were, well,  'No'?
Yes, 'No' is the answer I formulate to that question.

why? you may be wondering.

Well, this is because what's realistic is the fact that most of us won't die, will regain our jobs, and will be given a chance to perform again--only not just how we used to. What's realistic is telecommuting--working from home--is the new normal. That's reality.

Eventually, some people will die, and many  have already, and the death toll can still rise if we can believe those knowledgeable  guys out there that we call epidemiologists, doctors, health authorities, and you name it. And yes, some people have already lost their jobs, too. These are two undeniable facts, among many others. Still, a great many of other people have retained their jobs through telecommuting and managed to do well so doing. There have been some complaints from both employers and employees about this newly made mainstream virtual workplace setting. But the essence of those complaints is part due to the inherent discomfort that characterizes any attempt to bring about and effectuate change. Research shows that people's natural and primary response to change is resistance. But change is irreversible and irresistible by nature. It ends up enacting itself. If this has always been so for people, my take is that COVID-19 is about to change people and force them to see change from a more favorable, realistic lens. In fact, increasingly, both employers and employees are thinking about making of telecommuting the new normal of a work environment. And this has serious implications for the future of the workplace globally. Those workers who find working at home to be demotivating or distracting and would like to return to the traditional workplace to get their concentration back--even at the expense of some flexibility advantage from telecommuting--might find it to be e zero-sum game. We might not be able to restore what's  been lost. Those people either want to get their normal workplace back or they deny, thereby deviate from the new normal and get locked out of work. But, it does not have to be like this. We live in a fast-paced world where adaptability is key to surviving and thriving. Darwin's survival theory is ever relevant today. We, humans, were born to survive turbulent  and uncertain times like these through adaptability and reconditioning. And from experience, the human species has always known how to do that. We have survived barely survivable times like the two modern World Wars in the past century, for example. Sure enough, we will survive the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not even up to us, it is up to our very nature as human beings. And, surviving the inevitable future of work is all up to us even though it does not sound so natural. Still, we can set out to achieve that. We can draw from the same general internal survival capabilities and willingness to change and adapt them to the specific, unprecedented case of changing workplace nature that is empowered by COVID-19. Attitude is such an important determining factor in our enterprises that our success or failure in those enterprises deepened an attitude change toward telecommuting.

If we change our attitude toward this imminent virtual settlement of the workplace, the battle is half-won. If we are willing to, and actually, put in the effort to get comfortable with telecommuting, we end up being clear winners of the battle instigated by COVID-19.

Of course, some industrial works, by their very nature (e.g., still, oil, etc.) will still need to be performed on-sites. But, for the most part, since we're living in an information and technology age, the bulk of the work will be done online. That's what this age is all about. We have adapted to and survived all ages past with regard to the distinct natures and requirements of their workplaces. Capitalism's  key concerns is profit maximization or exponential returns on investment. This is mostly done through cost-cutting strategies. It turns out that telecommuting is one major, and preferred, cost-cutting strategy, with obvious benefits for both parties of employers and employees.

My prediction, or more precisely my realization (since it is already happening), is that the traditional workplace will be displaced and hosted on the World Wide Web by and beyond COVID-19. Unlike the traditional workplace with limited room, the online space is infinite. This means that opportunities for people who've been displaced by the traditional workplace are endless.

 Opportunities are there to grab, and only those who change their attitude to  adapt to telecommuting are certain to thrive as workers in this changed world. COVID-19 has brought about such opportunities by forcing change on the nature of the workplace as we knew it. So, make sure to immune yourself from the disruption and make yourself a new work space by seizing these virtual opportunities. Telecommuting is the new normal.

Digital Marketing and Advertising

Digital Marketing In Haiti 

No doubt that Digital Marketing has been a growing subfield inside the larger Marketing field the world over. With the prominence and wide adoption of the new technologies and the accompanying digital platforms (Google, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest etc.), organizations worldwide have been taking advantage of this fact to meet both current and prospective customers in their new virtual home. And the payoff is huge for organizations that take that approach to marketing and advertising  But why Haitian businesses, even if they have an online presence (e.g.,a website, a social media page, or an app) are not leveraging the digital world just yet to take their business to new heights? Well, I may not have the answer to this question, but I do have a point to make for Haitian organizations to embrace  Digital  Marketing and Advertising. Read on to find out more.


Why Leveraging Businesses' Online Presence?


Despite the fact that the world has become half real and half digital, Haitian organizations are still reluctant to take what I call a "leap of faith" and immerse themselves in the digital sea where they are guaranteed to advertise better, sell better, and grow  larger. With over 30% of the Haitian population now being online via their laptop and smartphones, effectively working to bridge the digital divide gaps that most emerging countries struggle to fill, it is common sense for Haitian organizations to seek their target audiences where they spend much of their day. But, being found online should not be the ultimate objective of businesses; only the beginning of a long, but rewarding journey. In fact, all-size businesses can advertise on sites like Google, Yahoo, Bing, among others, to find their target audiences and have them take desired actions. With sites like these, businesses can: 

•  increase brand awareness

• display products and services

• advertise to well-targeted audience

• generate new leads and build a loyal customer base making them repeat purchases

The cool thing about online advertising is that it costs only a fraction of the costs of traditional advertising--billboard, television, radio, banner, etc. So, in addition to the greater chance of finding your target audience through online advertising, the cost of doing so is enticing and under your total control as you are the one who decides how much to spend on your ad campaigns (think Google Ads, for instance). Plus, there are automated advertising processes that Google runs for businesses wishing not to get involved in the technical aspect--such as smart and automated bidding strategies--in running their marketing campaigns; Google's algorithms will handle it for you. Analytics is quite another useful and objective tool that yields accurate assessment of your ads and allows you to see where your ads perform well and not so well for corrective actions. Online advertising takes away all the hassle and the guesswork of the traditional advertising methods.

Bottom Line 

With all that being said, what does it take for Haitian organizations, especially businesses, to truly embrace the digital world and make it work for them like it does for many global giants like Alibaba, Amazon's and a bunch others? Well, like I said above, this is a 'leap of faith' that they should take to realize that a treasure trove lies in the digital world awaiting them to grab. Anyway, the World Wide Web is here to stay and it commands us at every step of our worldly journeys--Think how often in a single day you log online to find answers to your numerous queries. This applies as much to our personal journey as it does to our business and professional journey. Only those who understand and embrace the digital world of advertising and marketing for their personal and business goals will be  able to stay competitive and win the digital battle.


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