google Archives - BizzyWeb | Minneapolis Web Design & Digital Marketing

Google My Business Pages and COVID-19: What’s Impacted

April 22, 2020

Most businesses have been impacted by the COVID-19 situation, and Google is no exception. While Google is still functional, they are restricting the number of employees in their offices at a time. This means that some Google My Business functions will be impacted. These are the changes, straight from Google: Business Information Edits We will … [Read more...]

How to Post COVID-19 Updates to Your Google My Business [VIDEO]

April 6, 2020

During these uncertain and rapidly-changing times, it's important to keep your customers informed so they can stay connected. If you want to keep everyone in the loop about your response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) as it develops, Google has just added a few feature that makes that easier. Google My Business now has a special post type for COVID-19 … [Read more...]

Title Tag Optimization: How to Write Titles that Search Engines Love

March 27, 2020

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but a title by any other name may be a stinker. Choosing the right title for your content is key if you want to be found online. Good title tags help you push your content further and improve your chances of ranking on Google. What is a Title Tag? Simply put, a title tag is the title that appears in … [Read more...]

14 Tools to Help You Transition to a Remote Workforce

March 16, 2020

Years ago, working remotely was rare. But now with changing technologies more and more companies are working and collaborating remotely. And when a pandemic or other disaster strikes, many companies are forced to have their teams stay home. BizzyWeb has had a virtual workforce for over 10 years, and in that time we've tested just about every … [Read more...]

On-Page SEO Steps [Free Checklist]

February 14, 2020

Online, you don't have to be a great writer for your content to show up on Google. However, you have to be a strategic writer to rank on the first page of search results. As you write your content, you need to make sure you perform on-page SEO so that search engines know how to read what you've written. What is On-Page SEO? Simply put, … [Read more...]

What are SERP Features? And Why Do They Matter?

October 25, 2019

A SERP Feature is a result in a Search Engine Page (SERP) that is not a traditional search result. The purpose behind SERP Features are to provide specialized results so that a user doesn't need to click away from Google to have their question answered. The Types of SERP Features There are several different types of SERP Features that you can … [Read more...]

Google My Business Changes May Impact Your Page

September 24, 2019

Early in September, Google began rolling out changes to Google My Business that may impact your page. They announced that they are removing distance-based service areas from all Google My Business profiles. How Do I Know if This Impacts My Page? You may have received an email from Google with the subject line of: “[Business name], review … [Read more...]

How to Improve Your SEO with Growth-Driven Web Design

July 26, 2019

Everybody wants to rule the world, but only a select few will rule Google. Ranking on first page in Google search results is a digital marketing goal for every company, but it can be a challenge. We previously gave you tips on how to integrate your inbound marketing campaigns with your SEO, but there is another approach if you aggressively want to … [Read more...]

Why Search Intent Optimization is as Important as SEO

May 31, 2019

How often has this happened to you: you search for a recipe online, click on one of the first results you see in Google... only to be met with a massive wall of text and photos? What do you do? Do you scroll down until you find the actual recipe? Or do you go back to Google, find a link that starts out with the recipe, and use that instead? This … [Read more...]

Google+ Is Shutting Down – Here’s What You Need to Do

March 22, 2019

It's been on the horizon for months, looming for years, but now it's finally time - Google+ is no more. Google announced a few months ago that its struggling social network would finally be retired, but a recently-revealed security breach moved their final days from August 2019 to April 2019. Here is everything you need to know and do now that … [Read more...]

SEO: Expectations vs Reality

March 22, 2019

Often when clients come to us for SEO work, we hear the same request: "I want to rank on the first page." This is a seemingly simple request, but once you start to unravel it, it becomes very complicated. What keywords do you want to rank for? How many keywords do you want to rank for? How quickly do you want to rank? What marketing … [Read more...]

How Google Ranks Websites

February 15, 2019

Ever wonder exactly how Google analyzes every website and ranks it? Behind their incredibly complex (and secret) algorithm are a few surprisingly basic tenants that dictate all website rankings. Google recently shared their approach to search engine optimization (SEO) on their Think With Google blog, and it's a great time to make sure your … [Read more...]

What the Most Searched Words of 2018 Tell Us About Consumers in 2019

January 11, 2019

While the rest of the country waits for the ball to drop on New Year's Day, we at BizzyWeb anxiously await another end-of-the-year-event: Google's Most Searched Words. Each year, Google looks back at the top search trends and we couldn't be more excited. Besides being really, really cool (in our professional opinion) the top searched terms tell us … [Read more...]

Why You Should Use Topics, Not Keywords

December 21, 2018

Conventional wisdom says if you want to rank on Google, you need to focus on keywords. But is that really the case anymore? Are keywords still important? The truth is that Google is shifting away from keywords and toward topics. What Are Keywords? Keywords are exactly what they sound like - key words that you want to rank for on Google. … [Read more...]

How to do Keyword Research (And Why It Matters)

December 7, 2018

How do you find what you're looking for online? Would you type into Google, "floral plants with petals" or "florists near me?" Language is important. With our florist example, the "right" language is obvious, but more often than not it isn't that clear cut. The closer you are to a business, the harder it is to look at it from an outsider's … [Read more...]

A Quick & Simple Guide to Google’s New Marketing Platform

November 21, 2018

We love Google because they're constantly innovating and evolving. We also hate Google because they're constantly innovating and evolving. As soon as you get comfortable with an interface, Google rolls out a new update. It's a complicated relationship. In their continued efforts to streamline marketing, Google recently revamped their entire … [Read more...]

What is Google My Business?

July 13, 2018

If you've spent any time online, you've probably stumbled across Google My Business, even if you didn't recognize it right away. Ever search online for a service and then a map pops up or a little card appears at the side of the screen? That's Google My Business in action: We've talked a few times before about Google My Business, but with each … [Read more...]

The Best Times to Post on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+ [Infographic]

June 8, 2018

Social media is one of the most cost-effective - and just plain effective - ways to reach your audience. But between all the various platforms and demographics, it's hard to know when exactly to post. The ideal time for you to post will depend on your audience and what your analytics show you. However, there are tried-and-true posting times that … [Read more...]

5 Steps to SEO Your Blogs and Page Content

April 20, 2018

Ah SEO...everyone's favorite buzzword that no one quite understands. There are literally thousands of articles online about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and the right and wrong way to SEO (and even some arguing that SEO isn't important at all). The truth is that Google is ever-evolving and what SEO means is also constantly changing. However, … [Read more...]

What is a Bounce Rate and What Does it Mean?

November 16, 2017

If you've spent any time at all playing around with Google Analytics, you've probably seen a statistic for "bounce rate." On paper, a bounce rate is simple - it's the percentage of people that leave your website after only viewing one page. In practice, however, it's a little bit more confusing. What's a "good" versus a "bad" bounce rate? When do … [Read more...]

Google Will Stop Showing Any Website That is Not Secure. Is Yours?

September 15, 2017

Google is like the protective older sibling of the internet. And like any good big bro (or sis) they want to keep you safe. Google announced that they will soon show a "not secure" warning for any site that is not SSL compliant and exclude it from search results. The change will be effective when Google version 62 launches in October. We've talked … [Read more...]

How to Update Your Google My Business Listing

September 8, 2017

We've talked ad nauseam about how frustrating it is to use Google My Business, so forgive us if you're sick of hearing about it. But between Google+ and Google My Business, we get a lot of questions from our customers. And understandably! Google My Business is notoriously confusing and hard to use (sorry Google!). You might not even know what … [Read more...]

SEO Truths and Lies

June 16, 2017

Does your SEO strategy feel like you're running and running...only to look back and see that you've barely moved? It's no secret that SEO is tricky, but if you're still bogged down in common SEO misconceptions then you're doing more harm than good. Lie: You Set up SEO Once and Forget About It A common misconception about SEO is that you only … [Read more...]

How NOT to Respond to Negative Reviews

June 2, 2017

It's no secret how important online reviews are to businesses - 88% of customers rely on them to decide whether or not to do business with a local company. But many business owners are so laser-focused on getting reviews that they don't consider responding to reviews. It's inevitable - if you're actively soliciting reviews, you're going to get a … [Read more...]

How to Get the Most Out of Google Analytics

April 14, 2017

Google Analytics is a fantastic tool that provides real-time data on your website traffic. But as anyone who's looked at it knows, the interface is overwhelming and confusing. It can be hard to find the information you need. Kristin Hicks of Constant Contact highlights the must-have metrics from Google Analytics: 1. Website Traffic The first … [Read more...]

Do I Need a Google+ Business Page?

March 24, 2017

So, Google. We need to talk. I appreciate everything you do for me - answering my stupid questions, giving me direction, helping me solve "who's that actor" arguments...but changing things and not telling anyone? That has got to stop. If you've dabbled in digital marketing, you've probably heard of Google+ or Google My Business. If not, you've … [Read more...]

Watch Out for This Tech-Savvy Gmail Phishing Scam

January 20, 2017

We all know not to open attachments from email addresses we don't recognize, but what if it's from someone we know? Thanks to the latest Gmail phishing scam, you can't even trust a familiar face. WordPress security tool Wordfence is reporting a wide-scale attack on Gmail users: The way the attack works is that an attacker will send an email to … [Read more...]

5 Social Media Tips for the Trades

August 26, 2016

Show of hands: who set up their social media, posted a couple of times and then never returned?Don't worry - we get it. You're trying to run your business. And you may be thinking: "What do I even talk about?" It's easy to look to big brands with their flashy videos and professional photos and get discouraged. But here's the thing: you … [Read more...]

Schrödinger’s SEO: Search Engine Optimization is Both Dead and Alive

August 5, 2016

Schrödinger's cat is a quantum mechanics paradox in which a cat trapped in a box with a bottle of poison may be simultaneously both dead and alive. Schrödinger's SEO is a paradox in which Search Engine Optimization is dead or alive, depending on whichever headline makes more waves. Everyone has an opinion on SEO: it's dead and over, it's alive and … [Read more...]

The Ultimate Social Media Image Size Guide [Infographic]

July 15, 2016

A picture is worth a thousand retweets. When Facebook and Twitter first launched, they were text-only and word-heavy. Now, virtually every social network has become more and more streamlined and picture-friendly. Pictures dominate social networks and consistently see more engagement.We’ll say it straight out: if your images aren’t optimized for … [Read more...]

What and How Often Should You Post on Social Media? [Infographic]

January 29, 2016

by Azure Collier, Constant ContactWhen I’m hosting Constant Contact’s social media webinars, I get a lot of questions from small businesses and nonprofits on social media best practices.One of the things I hear most often is “What should I post on social media and when should I post it?”That’s why we created this cheat sheet.In this cheat sheet, … [Read more...]

Make Google Work For You With These 4 Videos

November 9, 2015

Oh Google, my Google. What would the internet be without that trusted blue G? Since its launch, Google has moved beyond its impressive title as the most frequently-used search engine to a suite of applications, marketing tools and social networks. Plain and simple: pleasing Google is good for business. If your potential customers can't find you … [Read more...]

Making Sense of Google Analytics: 10 Tips for Small Businesses

October 9, 2015

by Jeremy Taylor, Constant ContactGoogle Analytics offers a truly extensive range of actionable data. It will show you who’s browsing your website, how they’re using it and how they found you. Without analytics, you rely on guesswork (and guesswork is a terrible business model).The problem is that it can be tricky to identify the metrics that … [Read more...]

Can Your Customers Trust Your Website?

September 18, 2015

We're hearing more and more frequently about hackers breaking into a company's back end systems and stealing customer information. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to protect and secure customer information and keep hackers at bay. How confident are you that your business's website is protecting your most important asset - your … [Read more...]

What’s The Big Deal About a Little Mobile ‘Buy’ Button?

September 11, 2015

Google recently debuted a new mobile feature called "Purchases on Google," which makes buying products directly from mobile search advertisements easier for consumers. Consumers turning to Google for search on their mobile devices now see a "buy" button in select promoted results. When consumers click on the button, it takes them to a page where … [Read more...]