Google search users have noticed that the length of the descriptive snippet text found under search results has grown significantly over the past few weeks. Search queries now tend to yield results with descriptions going much longer than the ~160 character cap used for meta descriptions. These expanded snippets have been around the 230 character mark, on average.A spokesperson from Google confirmed the change to Search Engine Land, stating that it was made recently.Having a longer description makes a search result listing stand out compared to others on the page, potentially increasing CTR. It also provides more information to the user, helping them
Many digital marketers suspect that a high CTR (click-through rate) on a web page can boost that page’s organic ranking on a SERP (search engine results page). Thanks to some experimentation by Larry Kim of WordStream, we now have compelling evidence that this effect could definitely be real, especially for long tail queries.Based on this information, business websites seeking to gain ranking over competitors could earn top SERP spots by improving CTR. Read on to learn more about how Mr. Kim arrived at his conclusion as well as some advice from our Atlanta SEO agency on how to use this information to
Many marketers and business owners have heard how using Schema markup and earning rich snippets on search engines can boost their click-through rates. With the right use of Schema markup, you could earn more-prominent search engine placements and improved data fetching from your website. In turn, your website gets more clicks and a higher likelihood of earning new customers.But what, exactly, is the difference between rich snippets and Schema markup? And how does each benefit you in its own way?Well, as an expert Atlanta SEO company, we’re here to clear the air. Put simply: Schema markup is a coding practice that enables many
A recent survey of small business owners revealed that most businesses are on the right track when it comes to small business marketing, but they are also woefully neglecting their own website content.The survey, which was conducted by a company known as Wasp Barcode Technologies, gathered responses from 1,127 random small businesses based in the U.S. Staffing ranged from five to 499 full-time employees. A large proportion of responses came from construction firms and those in the professional services industry, which includes accountants, consultants, legal representation, etc. Keep this in mind since it may have slightly skewed the data.With all that out of
Personally speaking, there are a lot things we are individually thankful for at the EverSpark Interactive office. We naturally appreciate our friends, our family, our health, the opportunities to see beautiful things in the world, and for being able to work at truly great digital marketing agency in Atlanta.But, as marketers, there are few things we are thankful for in the professional sense. So, to sit back and reflect on how lucky we are, we rounded up a few responses from the office to see what people could come up with. Here are the five best answers we got. Google’s Push for Quality Content We
Every business should be listed online using the Google My Business (GMB) information system. Make no mistake that this system is your friend and will work in your favor when it comes to generating leads.GMB pages generate strong signals for searches related to business categories. Having a complete GMB profile is also essential for locally focused businesses, especially ones that serve customers at the business’s physical address.But even businesses without a brick and mortar location can benefit from a local search. So, whether you’re 100% online or 100% in-store, GMB is very much worth your time.The best part about GMB is that
SEMRush released an amazing study this summer objectively measuring and statistically analyzing over a dozen common ranking factors. Now, they have followed up on the study to scrutinize their results and apply a few different ways to test the weight of ranking factors.Surprisingly, their results drew almost the exact same conclusions we covered in our previous post on the top SEO ranking factors. Namely: behavior signals for website visitors matters more than any sort of on-page SEO use. Backlink quality also matters a lot, too, so websites must strive to get content shares and guest post spots to climb their way up the
Emotions were felt by all when Twitter rolled out its doubled character limit. Long confined 2 making tweets that r hard 4 u 2 read, many marketers rejoiced that they could now use their Twitter accounts to communicate in more complete thoughts. Others who had mastered the 140 character limit predicted that Twitter would begin to generate a lot more unwanted noise.Both are right! The expanded character limit does free you from using abbreviations that are hard to parse through and that look unprofessional. But just because you can type more characters doesn’t mean you always should. Look to the account of everyone’s
Optimizing your website for customer service needs can dramatically improve customer sentiment, retention and even lead generation. Having your site ready for a great customer experience is particularly important in a time when Black Friday and major Holiday sales days are just around the corner. When marketers and business owners think about the customer journey, usually that journey ends with a purchase. But to actual customers, their journey includes every single interaction they have with a brand. If they’re having an issue or need some sort of support, these moments often define their experience far more than any initial purchase. Give your customers reasons to
If you catch your relatives glancing at their phones this Thanksgiving, it’s a good chance they’re bookmarking some juicy Black Friday deals.Consumer confidence is flying high in 2017, and experts predict it will lead to a significant bump in Holiday spending. Current forecast suggest a 4 percent increase in retail Holiday spending this year, which is a slightly higher gain than in 2016.Ecommerce businesses and other retailers should therefore get geared up for a better-than-usual Holiday spending season, starting with Black Friday. Here are some of the strategies you can use to prepare for the Holiday rush. Torture Test Your Website A deluge of Black