Five More Ways Reviews Help SEO

 How does leaving reviews help a business’s online presence?

Here are five more ways that reviews help small business SEO! (For the first five ways, see our previous blog, “Five Ways Reviews Help SEO.)

Local Pack Rankings

Positive reviews can help a business's position in the “local pack,” which is a set of local businesses that appear at the top of a search result. High-ranking businesses in the local pack are more likely to attract clicks.

Build Trust and Reputation

This is the companion to “user generated content.” Positive reviews build trust and credibility for a business. Search engines aim to provide users with helpful information, so they are more likely to promote a business that appears to be trusted by other users.

Increased Dwell Time and Engagement

The amount of time that a user spends on a business’s page is called “dwell time.” Reviews are an effective way of engaging readers, which means they are more likely to spend time interacting with your business page. Higher dwell time tells search engines that the content is relevant and valuable.

Mobile Search Impact

Many people perform searches on their smart phones or other mobile tech. Positive reviews can have a significant impact on mobile search rankings, as mobile search algorithms often prioritize local businesses with positive reviews.

Social Proof

This is the main function that people think of when writing or reading reviews. When users see that others have had a positive experience with a business, they are more likely to engage with that business, which influences all the previous points.

Get More Marketing Tips from a Local Michigan SEO Agency

Or better yet, let us help your business with SEO!

MSG is a local Michigan SEO agency run by real people who are excited to help you grow your business. For more information, call (877) 815-6974 or submit a contact form here. Or click here to read Google reviews from our happy clients!

Five Way Reviews Help SEO

Did you know that Google reviews can contribute to a business’s SEO?

Here are five ways that reviews help SEO:

Improved Local SEO

This one is pretty simple: positive reviews that contain relevant keywords can make a business appear more often in local search results.

Increased Click-Through Rates (CTRs)

Businesses with a lot of positive reviews are more likely to get clicks. More clicks equal a higher click-through rate, and a higher click-through rate improves your search engine ranking.

Keyword Relevance

Including keywords that are relevant to the business will make them show up more when those words are searched in Google. For example, “SEO Agency Michigan” and “Internet Marketing Company” are relevant keywords for Michigan SEO Group.

Fresh Content and Regular Updates

Google favors fresh, consistently-updated content. Since reviews are continuously updated over time, they are a strong source of fresh content. This in turn tells the search engine that the business is active.

User-Generated Content

This one goes hand-in-hand with “fresh content and regular updates.” Search engines often prioritize content created by users because it reflects real-world experiences, which contributes to the credibility of a business.

Get More Marketing Tips from a Local Michigan SEO Agency

Or better yet, let us help your business with SEO!

Michigan SEO Group is run by real people who are excited to help you grow your business. For more information, call (877) 815-6974 or submit a contact form here. Or click here to read Google reviews from our happy clients!

What Should You Do if You're Hacked?

Have you ever been hacked?

In the age of constant computer use, hacking is a serious crime. Sadly, it’s also very common, and the victims can suffer anything from a minor inconvenience to a completely destroyed livelihood.

If you ARE hacked, the best thing you can do is immediately report it. If you’re hacked on social media, you’ll probably get an email saying that passwords or emails are being changed; make use of the “this wasn’t me” function in those emails. Try to change your passwords and lock down your accounts as soon as possible. It might not be in your power to remove the hacker from the account completely, but you CAN lock down the account to keep them from doing any more damage. 

Once that’s done, you should talk to the support team of the platform you were hacked on. This could be the support team directly tied to the platform, such as the Meta support team for Facebook and Instagram; or, if your business website was hacked, then you may have the option to work with an IT company to restore control.

Secure Your Website with an Ann Arbor SEO Company

When Michigan SEO Group manages your website and social media, we do everything in our power to secure your data and keep out hackers. If you’re looking at Ann Arbor SEO Companies, reach out to our team here or call (877) 815-6974 to get started.

Avoid Hacking: Tips from an IT Company

Are you prepared to deal with potential hacking of your computer or social media platforms?

We decided to take a page from our sister company, Network Services Group, and share their expert advice on protecting yourself from cyber-attacks:

Be aware, be suspicious, be vigilant. Tricking you into giving out personal information is what scammers and hackers do best. Don’t give out any passwords without first verifying the person you’re talking to is legitimate. 

Use strong passwords. We recommend at least eight characters, with a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and punctuation.

Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. Your email is a gateway to most of your other passwords, especially with the “forgot password” function. Use a unique and strong password for your email account and change it regularly.

Know where your data is saved, and make sure it is backed up. Ransomware is a new breed of virus/malware, and once a hacker infects your machine, they actively seek out all of your data files and encrypt them, rendering them useless. Make sure your data is backed up so in the case of a security breach, you still have access to it.

Use extreme care when opening attachments or downloads. Be cautious when clicking on links or buttons contained within emails or social media messages. If you’re concerned, visit the requesting site/profile by manually typing the URL. Never click on an unknown link as it may direct you to a phishing site. Never open attachments from an unknown or suspicious source.

 

Get More Tips from an Ann Arbor SEO Company

When Michigan SEO Group manages your website and social media, we do everything in our power to secure your data and keep out hackers. If you’re looking at Ann Arbor SEO Companies, reach out to our team here or call (877) 815-6974 to get started.

Why Stock Photos Don't Hurt Your Online Ranking

Are you unable to hire a professional photographer to take original photos for your company website? 

Do you prefer using stock photos because they’re quick and free? 

While stock photos may not be the best for optimizing your website, they won’t negatively impact your website. 

Why stock photos don’t hurt your online ranking

If hiring a photographer isn’t an option for your business, stock photos are great for decorating a webpage. Stock photos are easy to find in a pinch and add a visual interest to your content. Another plus: stock photography won’t have a negative impact on your website’s SEO. If you notice another business using the same stock photos you are, you can add alt text to your photo to help your page appear above others, but that’s not a guaranteed method with Google. 

Learn how original photos could help boost your online ranking here!

Manage Your Online Presence with an Internet Marketing Company in Michigan

Keeping up with online trends, social media, and consistent posting can be a lot to expect from someone already working a full-time job! When you hire an internet marketing company in Michigan, a professional can keep your content organized and up to date! 

Contact us today to see how an SEO professional can make a difference for your website. 

 

Stock Photos vs Original Content

 Do you use stock photos on your website? 

Have you ever wondered if using stock photos put you at a disadvantage?

Stock photos may not be harming your search ranking, but they may not be helping, either.

Why you should use original photos before stock: 

• Original photos provide a level of authenticity you can’t get from stock photos. 
• Personal pictures rank over stock because you won’t be competing with other sites using the same stock photo.
• If someone saw your photos online, they could use them to search for your website. 

For a more in depth look at why you should use original photography, click here! 

Rely On an Internet Marketing Company in Michigan to Boost Your Ranks

Working with an internet marketing company in Michigan will help keep your online presence organized and interesting. Working with a team of marketing professionals can help boost your Google search ranking and get more visitors on your website. 

Contact us today at 877-815-6974 for a free website evaluation.

Attract Your Dream Clients with the Best SEO Techniques and Quality Content

The best SEO techniques have always included using popular keywords that Google can locate. In the early days of SEO, that led to shady practices like “keyword stuffing,” where keywords were liberally scattered in the text and code anywhere Google might find them. Those results may have initially led visitors to a site, but the lack of substance didn’t fool anyone for long — not clients, not Google. 

So how do high-performing sites boost their SEO results and reach their dream clients? With the best SEO techniques AND quality content.

Quality content that uses keywords strategically is the secret recipe to making a site that attracts clients. Visit Michigan SEO Group to learn more!

Taking the Best Photos for Instagram

If you have your business on Instagram, your posts have to look good! Check out these quick and easy tips for professional-looking Instagram photos:

-Use contrast! Contrasting colors create a strong impression.

-Use negative space. Remember that the space around the subject of your photo is often as important as the subject itself! Using negative space properly can make an otherwise simple image pop!

-Keep it clean and focus on one object. Keep in mind how people view Instagram: on mobile devices. The screen is tiny, and your post shouldn’t be cluttered with detail.

-Follow the rule of thirds. Imagine your picture is a 3 x 3 grid. Try to place objects of interest at the intersections of that grid. It might be unintuitive, but placing something right in the middle doesn’t quite catch the eye like these “power points” do.

Find out more about how social media can grow your Michigan business!

3 Tips For Easy Social Media Management

It may seem like you can't maintain a strong social media presence for your business, but you can. At Michigan SEO Group we help businesses succeed by improving their search ranking and making a splash on sites like Facebook and Twitter.

We have three simple tips to help you maintain your business' social media presence:

Schedule Time

Schedule a little time each day at the same time. You don't need to do every platform, pick two or three of the most popular and start posting. It gets easier as you do it so keep going and you'll have it down.

Post Important Stuff

This can be anything related to your business. Got a new piece of equipment or use new software? Post about it. News article related to your industry? Post about it. Hired a new employee? Post about it! People following your business will want to read about this so go for it!

Interact with Followers

Your friends and followers are going to post, so make sure you interact with them. Click that like button. Add an emoji. Make sure your responses are friendly and professional. It’s okay to have some fun, too. Not All posts will be fun but always keep that professional attitude because people will read your posts!

It may seem like tackling social media management is tough, but once you get going, it gets a lot easier. All you have to do is stay on top of it. Schedule your time, keep posting relevant material about your business, and keep interacting with your followers and you’ll nail it in no time.

If you need some help building a robust social media presence, Michigan SEO Group is here for you. We have over 12 years of experience in the industry and we can help your business with social media management. Get in touch today or give us a call at 877-815-6974.