The internet is a vast treasure trove of data, and the number and variety of websites covering every topic under the sun is mind-boggling. Without the help of search engines like Google, finding useful information online would be nearly impossible. This is why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is so important; any business that wants to connect with their customers online needs to ensure that people will be able to find them in online searches.

When determining how to rank a site in search results, Google and other search engines look at a number of factors, but one of the most important of these is page load time. The amount of time it takes your site to load can play a major role in how people interact with the site, especially when they are using a mobile device. According to Google, 53% of website visits are abandoned if a site takes more than three seconds to load, but on average, mobile landing pages take 22 seconds to load.

Since Google emphasizes the importance of a site’s loading speed, it is essential to do everything you can to improve load times. One of the best ways to do so is through image optimization.

At some point, every business has to deal with disgruntled or unsatisfied customers. While interactions with these customers were once limited to phone calls or in-person complaints, the nature of our online world means that negative reviews left by unhappy customers are publicly available for everyone to see, and they can have a major impact on a company’s bottom line.

Studies have shown that 84% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations and that a company risks losing as much as 22% of their business if a there is a negative review on the first page of their search results. This means that it is incredibly important to respond quickly to negative reviews. But even if you are unable to rectify a customer’s complaint, following these reputation management tips will help you get the most out of these interactions:

1. Stay calm - It can be tempting to respond in anger and attack the person who left a negative review, but this will only make things worse. Take the time to calm down and respond rationally to the customer’s issues, even if you do not believe the review was left in good faith.

According to Google, more than 80% of people look for local information in online searches, which demonstrates the importance of providing people with the right information when they are searching for your business. In order to help businesses make sure the information they include in local listings is meeting their customers’ needs, Google recently rolled out some new features:

Updating Business Information in Google Search

Google My Business helps business owners control the information that appears for their company in Google’s search results. Google recently made updating this information easier by providing a dashboard that is accessible directly in Google’s search results.

Today, the primary way people find information is by searching for answers on Google or other search engines. It is important to rank high in search results for queries related to your area of business, which is why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a key part of any modern marketing strategy. In Google’s search results, sites can greatly benefit from appearing in featured snippets.

What Are Featured Snippets?

Google’s standard search engine results pages (SERPs) typically feature a list of relevant pages related to a user’s search query. However, for some queries, Google SERPs also include a featured area at the top of the page that excerpts content from one of the search results and provides a quick answer to a user’s question.

New and old businesses alike often wonder how much of their overall budget should be spent on marketing. In 2019, more than $103 billion will be spent on search engine marketing, social media marketing, display advertising, and email marketing. However, most businesses do not have million of dollars to invest in digital marketing. So, just how much of your budget should you spend in this area? 

The amount you should spend on marketing depends not only on the size of your business, but your industry and business goals as well. In general, businesses that are around one to five years old should use about 12 to 20 percent of their revenue on marketing. Businesses that have been around for more than five years should use about 6 to 12 percent of their revenue on marketing.