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SEO Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to RankBrain and SEO Strategies

SEO, or search engine optimization, is nothing new to the online world. For years now, ranking in search results organically has been something websites (businesses, blogs, stores, and more) have worked hard to do. For online users, search engines are often the starting point for whatever it is they are looking for. Whether it’s a…

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How to Handle Negative Reviews

Regardless of the circumstances, negative reviews are never easy to receive. They come in many forms and it can be hard to know exactly how to respond to them (especially when you don’t believe the review is warranted). The following are common negative review scenarios and ways you can approach them to make the most…

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First-Party Reviews vs Third-Party Reviews: What They Are and Why They Matter

Before We Start… Before we get into first and third-party online reviews, let’s take a quick look at exactly what they are. First-Party Reviews: reviews collected and presented on your own website. Third-Party Reviews: reviews collected and presented on a third-party website, such as a directory listing or social media profile. Back In The Day…

Web Accessibility Basics

We often hear how the web is constantly changing and evolving. One aspect of the web steadily coming to the forefront is web accessibility. You’ve likely heard the term and about some of the elements that make up an accessible friendly website, but there is a lot to it. In this article, we’ll go over…

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Google’s Mobile-First Indexing

Each year, more and more people are using their mobile devices to search for the things they need. Google has recognized this trend and is beginning to experiment with mobile-first indexing. This means that they will look first for a site’s mobile version. If one is found, Google will index that version of the site…

Scroll is the New Black

There are many things to consider when developing a website. One of the main considerations is the layout of content. After all, content is what gives a site meaning and structure. It is the reason people visit. Ideally, a site has information that people want or need to learn about. Above-the-Fold Remember newspapers? Yes, they…

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The Benefits of SSL

The internet can be a very technical place. Part of our mission is to explain the technical aspects in plain English. If you’re interested in the tech side of SSL you can find endless articles with a Google search. If you want to know a little about SSL but MORE about how it can benefit…

3 Ways Social Media Helps Your Business Stand Out

In more recent years, major businesses and brands have proven that social media can be used as an effective tool to help you create strong connections with your audience, increase credibility, position yourself as an expert and industry leader, and drive sales. Let’s look at some specific opportunities social media provides a business of any…

3 Ways to Engage Customers

Engaging with customers can be easy, even when you aren’t face to face. Make the most of your online presence by incorporating some easy and effective ways to connect that benefit both you and your customers. Teach Them Something New A little knowledge can go a long way. The internet is a competitive place and…

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Don’t Stress Over First Page Rankings

Click Image to Enlarge There is a great paradigm shift in the world of the internet––from developers to SEOs and everyone in between. We used to beat each other over the head with FIRST PAGE RANKINGS! We used to beat you over the head with FIRST PAGE RANKINGS! And you used to beat us over…

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SEO Strategies You Need to Know in 2018

As we have reached the second half of 2018, there are more search engine optimization (SEO) strategies than ever before. Some sources will give you a handful of strategies while others will give you hundreds. This is greatly due to the fact that, in addition to individuals having more ways to search, SEO changes more…

A Brief Breakdown of the GDPR (and How We’re Taking Action)

A new regulation known as the GDPR, which stands for General Data Protection Regulation and aims to protect European Union (EU) citizens from privacy and data breaches, will go into effect on May 25, 2018. While this (at the time of this writing) applies primarily to member states of the EU, it is important that…

3 Things Your Competitors Can Teach You About Brand Awareness

Every business has its own strengths and weaknesses, which is why closely watching your competition isn’t always necessary or a good use of your time. If you’ve noticed your competitors popping up more frequently online and off, however, chances are you could learn a thing or two from them regarding brand awareness. 1. Impressions Matter…

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Why is Yelp Banning My Company Reviews?

Yelp’s review filtering is nothing new. It’s been around for some time now. Lately, however, more businesses are finding their reviews marked as “not recommended” by the automated “recommendation software” Yelp uses. Every week we hear from clients who are asking: “Why is Yelp banning my reviews?” If you’ve encountered this issue, here are some…

What is NAP Consistency?

What Does NAP Stand For? NAP is an acronym that stands for “name, address, phone” and is critical when it comes to local SEO. The individual pieces that make up NAP have been important for a long time, however, ensuring your business is consistent across digital platforms and the web is more important than ever.…

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Understanding and Avoiding Phishing Scams

Phishing scams are nothing new in the world today, and with advancements in technology growing exponentially, it’s no surprise that scams of all types are increasing in their sophistication and quantity. While many of them have relied heavily on scare tactics and providing vague “details” to target victims, nowadays the challenge in spotting them often…