Understanding Google’s Three Listing Snack Pack

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

While many of us were trying to make sense of Google’s recently announced restructuring, Google once again shook up the world of search. Google scaled back the amount of real estate it provides for featured search results by rolling out its three-listing Snack Pack, which gives preference to the top three results instead of the top seven. The advent of the Snack Pack underscores the need for enterprises to practice sound search engine optimization (SEO) at the local level.

To recap: Google’s Snack Pack format highlights only the three top listings in search results, as opposed to the seven-listing format previously used. The three-pack takes a mobile-first design approach, whittling results to basic address, weblinks, and driving directions, as this example illustrates by revealing search results for “gyms downtown Chicago”:

There is no other way around it: the total amount of local and local organic listings on the first page of Google’s search results just dropped by almost a quarter, and some businesses are dropping out as a result. If you are concerned about losing search traffic in a post-Snack Pack world, here’s what you should do:

  • Review your local organic search strategy. Why? Because if you were in the 4-7 spots of of the local pack, there is a likely chance that Google will send less traffic your way moving forward. So make sure you are following all best practices for optimizing your local business pages for organic search and continue working to build additional local links.
  • On the other hand, don’t neglect to continue optimizing your Google My Business listings and creating additional citations, both structured and unstructured. The conflation of local and local organic signals continues; so ignoring one in favor of another is not in your best interest.

Incidentally, I suspect many businesses will notice a decrease in site traffic and onsite conversions attributable to Google thanks to the Snack Pack. The decrease is beyond the control of your own efforts to optimize for Google and SEO. Rather, Snack Pack listings now show fewer trackable links to websites. In the example I cited for a search for “gyms downtown Chicago,” Google reveals a website and links for the three businesses listed: East Bank Club, Lakeview Athletic Club, and Quads Gym. When you click on the website links, you are indeed taken to the websites for each business. But when you click on the other links associated with each name, you are taken to Google’s Local Finder:

Visiting this Local Finder is not a trackable action from the standpoint of your Web analytics.

So don’t panic if you see a dropoff in measurable Web traffic. The dropoff doesn’t necessarily mean that your local performance level is decreasing, but rather the trackable performance level from Web analytics is decreasing. Instead, look to other metrics like Google My Business reporting, call volume, and in-store visits.

Author Credit: Adam Dorfman

6 Facebook Features Marketers Need to Know

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

As a marketer, you know that Facebook is where more of your customers are than any other social media network. And Facebook is constantly adding new features to improve the user experience of Facebook users.

Want your followers to see your posts first? Facebook can make that possible now. Want to send money via Facebook free of charge? Also doable. Want to put a Facebook Beacon in your shop so people using their mobile phones nearby can receive messages from you? Facebook will send one to you for free.

One: The See First Option

“Facebook now allows people to customize their news feed to prioritize updates from particular friends, groups and pages. This is great news for pages with good content, so fans can prioritize your posts,” writes Andrea Vahl for Social Media Examiner.

Explain to your social media network how to access the See First option. Need to learn how yourself? Have them go to your Facebook page, click the Liked button and then select the See First option.

“Another option is to go to the full customization options (people, pages and groups) from desktop or mobile devices,” writes Vahl. “To access it from a desktop, select the down arrow on the far right to get to News Feed Preferences.”

To customize your news feed preferences, click Following on the pages you want to see first.

Two: Send and Receive Money on Facebook

You can send money to your Facebook friends via Messenger app in the U.S. It’s similar to the Google Wallet. If you have an app and you want people to be able to buy things “in-app” on Facebook, this tool is great.

“You can only use the Messenger mobile app with a debit card on file, not credit cards,” writes Vahl. “Just click the dollar sign to get started…. You can also use the desktop version to send money, but the icon is a little more hidden. It only appears when you open the message outside of the inbox.”

There is no service charge when you send money via Facebook. There are limits thought to its use: only in the U.S., only with Facebook friends and only debit cards.

Three: A Facebook Beacon for Your Local Business

If you place a Facebook Beacon at the physical location of your business, it sends information to people who are on Facebook near you and have Bluetooth turned on.

Using the beacon, you can send people who are nearby messages. It’s a great way to get attention of mobile users.

“The Beacon device is free,” writes Vahl. “All you need to do is request one from Facebook for your local page. It’s an excellent way to increase the visibility of your local business to people who are using Facebook nearby.”

Four: Saved Replies

Are there certain things you end up messaging on Facebook a lot? Save time by creating a message that you can send out over and over. A new feature that is currently rolling out on Facebook is: Saved Replies.

For go to the Messages area of your page. “To see Saved Replies, click on a particular message. The message will appear in a pop-up box and the Saved Replies will be on the left sidebar. From there, select Manage Replies to see all of the replies you’ve created or create a new reply,” writes Vahl. “You can even search replies by keyword. Click on the message on your Facebook page, then select Manage Replies or Create New Reply. Create generic replies for all of your frequently asked questions. Then customize them before sending them out.”

If you can’t figure out how to get to Saved Replies, it might be because this feature is only available for pages that have their Message button enabled.

Five: Lead Ads

“Facebook is testing new lead ads that make it easier than ever to fill in contact information on mobile devices, writes Vahl. “If mobile users respond to an ad for something like a newsletter, business information, free report or follow-up call, they can submit their contact information (email address or phone number) with just two taps of a button.”

Lead ads is only in beta testing now, while Facebook figures out how to make sure the service isn’t abused. But it will likely be more widely released soon.

Six: Upgrades to Facebook Conversion Tracking

There are two types of pixels you place on your website to track these conversions and custom audiences. Facebook announced a new custom audience pixel that combines these features into one pixel. This will help with tracking and speed. And the stats are more accurate.

You should migrate to a new pixel by placing new code on your website, adding code on specific pages that you want to track and remove the old pixel.

Author Credit: Sarah Snow

Why You Need a Social Media Calendar

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

Perhaps you’re wondering whether or not you need a social media calendar. After all, does anybody really “like” planning and organizing posts? I certainly don’t. But I also know how busy I am. And sometimes that business gets in the way of implementing an optimum social media strategy. Here’s how you can stay on top of your social engagements each and every week. In other words, why you need a social media calendar.

1. Point of Reference- The best part about having a calendar is the fact that you can look back upon it as a guide. For example, which posts and during what time of day were they the most effective? Having a physical point of reference is helpful in creating content that has already proven to be well-liked by your audience.

2. Content Strategy- Once you’ve determined which posts have been most successful, you can create more content that drives engagement from your readers. You might be surprised which of your posts become the most shared and popular. Social insights will help you gauge your audience better so that you can keep serving up content that people enjoy.

3. Consistency- Consistency is key in any business strategy. You need a social media calendar to ensure all of your social channels are getting equal attention. Don’t be playing favorites on Twitter and neglecting Facebook, or vice versa. A calendar tracks and plans all activity across the board so that your efforts are widespread and diversified.

4.Cut the Crap- Social media calendars also help you avoid poorly-written content. How so? Not every writer can whip something up that’s worthy of a read in such a short amount of time. If you allow time for proper research, you’ll have an article that’s more informative, factual, and engaging.

Deadlines, content ideas, and a social media calendar are the breadth of a writer, with the exception of those few who break the rules(and you know who you are).

 

Google Mobile-Friendly Algorithm Update- The Time is Now

Posted on by Chris Jenkin

The time has come for the Google mobile friendly algorithm update. We have warned our clients with hopes they would be prepared. Their pages are mobile-friendly. SEO is in check. All mobile devices will operate efficiently. There will be no consequence ahead.

For those that have not received our message, today is the day for last preparations. Search Engine Land has published more information, which we have shared below.

Google confirmed in a blog post that the mobile-friendly algorithm update is rolling out now. The company also reaffirmed that this update doesn’t equally apply to all devices or results:

  • Affects only search rankings on mobile devices
  • Affects search results in all languages globally
  • Applies to individual pages, not entire websites

Google has put together another FAQs document for webmasters. The company says that webmasters or publishers won’t necessarily see an immediate impact and that it will “be a week or so before it makes its way to all pages in the index.”

Google recommends using its mobile-friendly URL testing tool to determine whether Google will regard your site/pages as ready. There are many more helpful links on in the FAQs.