How to Fix WordPress Issues That Affect SEO

WordPress is hands-down the most powerful CMS today. Around 75 million websites are based on it, powering 25% of the world’s sites. With so many people using it, an obvious yet unnoticed problem arises: how to be original. Content duplication is the main reason why many WordPress sites don’t rank. So understanding how to fix WordPress issues like this is certainly necessary to get the best from your business platform.

Content duplication is not necessarily the same as duplicate content. Yes, even when they are basically the same words inverted. We usually talk about duplicate content in Search Engine Optimization when it comes to an exact replication, either of wording or code. The type of content duplication affecting WordPress is more about repeating snippets of content on categories and products pages, among other errors that we will discuss in this article.

Don’t let your content compete with your own content!

When you tag an article on WordPress, the system generates a page for this tag collecting all the content related to it. If the tag is the same as a category or a landing page on your site it will compete with them, generating a conflict that makes your pages lose rankings. You can fix WordPress issues related to tags by simply getting rid of them or add a meta robots noindex dofollow. This way, search engines will know that a tag’s are thin pages but they can follow its links and keep on crawling and indexing your website.

Similarly to tags pages, Categories pages feature several posts and blogs. They need to have H1 tags that are the same as the articles and just like tag’s these pages don’t always provide an answer to a specific query; they are also thin content. However, its is very usual that categories are used for specific channels within a website, which is very useful for many visitors. What you can do is to add a meta robot index and dofollow tags and create particular titles and copy for each category, and add in schema if it is relevant.

Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to fix WordPress issues that affect SEO is the fact that Search boxes might generate URLs. If someone externally links to these URLs or search engines find them, they can be indexable. In this case, adding a meta robots noindex dofollow wouldn’t be enough. You should find the unique identifier that these URLs have in common, usually a “?” after the main URL,  go into your robots.txt and add a disallow to this parameter.

Getting Help From Pros Who Know How to Fix WordPress issues
Websites Depot is a boutique Digital Marketing Agency specialized in SEO and web design. We have a team of Elite WordPress coders that provides the finest web development in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. With our help, you can get the best results from your existing website. You can also get a brand new, fast, mobile friendly platform that adapts to your needs and your audience.

Have a consultation with our experts by calling (888) 477-9540.

Facebook Marketing Updates for the First Half of 2018

Despite the recent data harvesting scandals and Millenials leaning to other Social Media ( like Instagram or Snapchat), Facebook is still the King of Social Networks, counting 2234 million users by April this year. Its growth never stops. And there have been several important Facebook Marketing updates so far for the first half of 2018 that you as a marketer need to know.

It is obvious that the changes affecting Facebook users conducts also affect the way we market on that platform. And most of the recent updates are related to content. For this reason, now more than ever it is important to know your audience’s persona, understand the customer’s experience and make it smooth. People is not going behind content; on the opposite, content is being brought to them.

3D, 360, AR and VR Content

Augmented and Virtual reality have crossed the boundaries of games and are an essential part of the most recent Facebook Marketing updates. AR chatbots, AR commerce, 3D posts and V-Commerce (via Facebook Spaces) are here to stay. Same applies to 3D, 360, and even holographic content. They have become an important part of the sharing experience on Facebook and we shouldn’t be surprised if Facebook search algorithm starts to favor such content.

Facebook Stories Winning Over Instagram’s

Believe it or not, Facebook is winning the battle over Snapchat and Instagram when it comes to stories. Since its implementation in early 2016, Facebook stories creation and consumption have growth 842 percent. You can capitalize them in your Social Media Marketing Strategy by finding your own persona and creating a consistent theme. Perfect your content creation for these stories not only with continuity but also using docu-type Stories or AR / Gif content. This doesn’t mean you need to abandon Instagram stories: switching from one platform to the other or exchanging content between them is also a very smart move.

Chatbot Marketing is Back!
The privacy scandal lead by Cambridge Analitica might have proved to be a fiasco, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t affect Facebook. The heat of this global discredit made them temporarily forbade marketers to build new chatbots. Now, Chatbot Marketing on Facebook is back with some minor changes. So it is a good time to audit your Facebook page for messenger and build a contact list for it. You can even add a chatbot to your own website’s homepage.

Voice Posts, Stories Archive and Cloud Storage

Voice is replacing typing so fast that we barely notice it. And Facebook is no exception. Facebook’s new voice posts will allow users to create audio messages similarly to Whatsapp voice message, but public. They will be possible only through the app’s built-in camera.

Stories is not the only thing Facebook mimicked from Instagram: just like them, Facebook will allow users to keep a Stories archive after their 24 hours expiration date.  Users will also have the option to store the photos and videos they shoot through Facebook app’s built-in camera. Their Facebook account will work as a cloud storage for that instead of their device’s hard drive.

These three new features are developing at the moment in India, before making their arrival to the rest of the world.

The Most Relevant Google Adwords Updates in 2018

In a continuing effort to expand and improve its paid ad service, Google has introduced some relevant Google Adwords updates in 2018. This renewal includes a new version of Google Adwords editor, new shopping campaigns, a type of Ad that targets Youtube users and the announcement of a whole new version of the platform by the end of this year.

Google AdWords Editor Version 12.3

One of the most important Google Adwords updates in 2018 was the release of the AdWords Editor version 12.3 in May. This update includes several interesting features. Now, you can view and download search terms reports, which is a great source of keywords and negative keywords. The new editor’s filter function lets you use queries that combine filters. This allows users to find extremely specific items in Adwords. Adwords Management Experts now can also edit CSV imports, attach ad extensions at the account level (just like they’d do with campaign and ad group levels) and even edit video campaigns through the ‘drive conversions’ subtype, which can include headlines and calls to actions. AdWords Editor version 12.3 also includes a quicker policy review to upload an ad and a beta release of responsive search ads.

New Shopping Campaigns
Google Adwords new shopping campaigns have the ability to use machine learning and automation to increment conversion value. According to Google, this “offers a fully-automated solution to drive sales and reach more customers”. These new shopping campaigns will help marketers achieve specific goals. They can increase conversion value or doing so at a particular return on ad spend.

These goal-optimized shopping campaigns will automatically optimize bids. They identify the most accurate audiences and determine where to feature ads in order to boost conversion value. These campaigns use both shopping and display remarketing campaigns to be used on Google, the Google Search Network and Google Display Network: Gmail and YouTube.

New Ads for People Watching Youtube on TV

With the increment of use of Smart TVs and internet connected devices like Roku, Playstation, XBOX or Apple TV, users have spent a total of 150 million hours per day watching Youtube on TV. Youtube TV reaches 85% of American homes nowadays. Google wants to capitalize this by creating a new type of Ads called “TV screens device”. These ads will be available for AdWords and DoubleClick Bid Manager. A new ad type to aim Youtube TV users in particular was also announced. Google Adwords will also feature “light TV viewers”, a new segment aiming to users that consume traditional television the least.

A New Version of Google Adwords by The End of 2018

Google announced that Adwords will provide “a new experience” with the implementation of a new design, streamlined reports and the chance to create campaigns based on business goals. This new experience will replace the traditional version of Google Adwords completely. However, all reports, filters and automated rules will be automatically moved from the previous version to the new one. This major update is believed to occur in October. Google said users will receive a notification by email with all the information and resources to do the switch properly.

The Best Instagram Marketing Practices for Local Businesses

It is known that Instagram is the Social Media of choice for the Millennial generation. Those who grew up using the internet and handling a cell phone made it the third most popular Social Media right after almighty Facebook and Youtube. As a local business, you can capitalize such huge potential by acing some of the best Instagram Marketing Practices available today.

Small, local business are the great winners on Instagram. It’s 800 million users login every day to do basically two things: share photos and follow other accounts sharing photos. The key to succeed on this platform is to stand by being an active part of such massive community. The more you get involved, the more the community will interact with your brand. The more engagement, the more conversions and sales for your business.

Be part of Instagram

Instagram is probably the Social Media that has a community sense the most. It’s not that prone to conflict as Facebook or Twitter as it’s more about image than text. However, sharing photos or videos is not enough. A successful social media marketing strategy on this platform requires that you genuinely participate on it.

How can you do that? Follow other brands and influencers and interact with their content. This is also a great opportunity to show your expertise and solidify your reputation. Interact with your competitor’s clients; answer their questions, be aware of their praise and wishes. It will be a matter of time until they start visiting your account and interact directly with your brand.

Stay proud; stay local!

As much as you need to be part of Instagram, you also need to be part of your community. As a local business, it is a good advice to repost content by local followers, other businesses in your area or local characters and celebrities. This way, followers will not only get the joy of seeing their post on your account but also know that you are local for real. You also get a bonus benefit: you save valuable time that you can invest in future posts with original, fresh content on your own.

Being such a visual platform, Instagram allows you to show your local lifestyle. Clients can notice that you are into that lifestyle, creating a unique identification and following. And even if they are not locals, users can tell that yours is a brand with an active role in its community. You can easily create content that links to local activities, events and community-specific holidays. By staying tune with your community, you can capitalize trending topics and lead those followers to your brand.

Optimize your Instagram Account and Profile

Hashtags on Social Media play a role similar to keywords on Search Engine Optimization. In order to boost your local reach, you should focus on localized hashtags. That way, people in your area can find posts from your business through area-specific hashtags. If you are promoting a hair salon, don’t use a generic #stylist; instead, use #LosAngelesStylist to reach those looking for a stylist in Los Angeles.

Instagram doesn’t allow you to share any link except for one place: your business page biography. You need to capitalize this as much as you can by adding your website’s URL. It might sound obvious but it’s the most direct way for Instagram users that reach your page to interact with your site and generate conversions. You should also include information of other social media platforms you use and your address and/or phone number for them to contact and visit you.

If you need assistance to manage your Social Media for your company, call Websites Depot at (888) 477-9540 to make a consultation with our experts.

All You Need to Know About Google Partners Directory

Google Partners Directory is the new venture of the giant search engine to list its most trusted third parties. This directory is part of the ‘Google My Business Partner Program”. It aims to promote companies registered in the Google My Business program.

According to an official statement, “The program will give business owners a directory of trusted partners to choose from when they need help managing their listings”. Third parties that are not approved can still manage Google My Business listings. However, they won’t be able to figure on the new directory.

Who Can Be Listed in Google’s New Directory?
There is still no official mention about the requirements an SEO Agency must fulfill to be listed in Google Partners Directory. Still, there are some reliable hints from Google itself. In an article published on May 1st, they announced updates on Google My Business API, a new GMB agency dashboard and the launch of a partners program. “And for the first time, agencies will be able to sign up and register for a Google My Business account. Registered agencies will get access to a brand new agency dashboard designed with our partners needs in mind”.

The article, ‘Making Google My Business work for agency and platform partners’, finishes with a valuable paragraphs about the new Google Partners Directory: ‘(…) to further support the agencies and platform partners (…), this month we’re launching the Google My Business Partners program. Trusted partners will be eligible for early access to new Google My Business features, a partner manager, and the potential to be featured on the Google My Business website’.

Google’s Anti-Scam Initiative
The announcement of the Google Partners Directory came along with Google’s newest initiative about robocalls and scammers. This initiative comes in the shape of a new complaint form where GMB partners can report eight main types of violations from third parties:

making robocalls or continuing, unnecessary calls.
claiming your Google My Business listing without your consent.
to claim to be employees or official Google Partners when they’re not.
saying they can guarantee top placement in Google Search or Maps
charging to get a business listed or to keep it listed on Google: Google My Business is a free product; agencies can charge for maintenance services, though.
to be involved in deceptive or harassing marketing or sales practices.
third parties that are not transparent with their clients.
to show inaccurate or false information about your business on Google Maps.

It is evident that Google is trying to clean up Google My Business of scammers and deceivers. This is a good new for those in the Search Engine Optimization industry. Google is in a  continuing effort to provide a quality internet experience, and it makes sense that they want to refine not only the websites they list but also, the third parties associated to it.

Websites Depot is a Certified Google Partner Agency. Call us at (888) 477-9540 for more information or to have a consultation with our experts.

Website Design Los Angeles - For Enhancing Your Business Online

Having a website is all about your business and you shouldn’t ignore the same fact at all. If you would like to introduce your business to the world, you must have a website to be launched on WWW so that everybody can check what exactly you are offering, where you are located and other various details.

It really doesn’t matter what kind of business you are doing, where you are doing and how, if you want success and would like to introduce your business, products and services to the local, national and international public, this can be possible via your website, thus, pay attention to find out reliable service provider and expect the best, light-weight and amazing website design without any hassle. No matter where you live or do your business, if you want the best and unique website design at sensible prices, you can’t ignore website design los angeles professionals. Yes, the professionals here are the best in designing and developing any kind of website of any complex requirements, thus, just hire them up and your A-Z issues will definitely be sorted out.

Don’t worry as you don’t need to travel all the way to the LA as you better communicate with the professionals over the phone, internet, and even video chat and they will definitely co-operate with you in letting you know what they can do for you and other various solutions. All in all, working with the LA pros will be a lot of fun and you will surely get a complete peace of mind by getting so impressive and beautiful website. There are other various things which will surely impress us by hiring web design los angeles professionals and that is- they always think about offering fresh, creative digital services to all the businesses, which want to grow online. Also, you will be impressed by checking out the team of designers who will be very passionate for work and very much experienced in creating unique, vibrant web and graphic designs for the clients. They don’t stop here only, and ensure to use the latest technology to create custom websites that are tailored to your business.

When it comes to the prices or if you are thinking to get a professional website, you will need to pay a lot, you are wrong. You will find their solutions so unique and creative and for which they will quote you a sensible price not a lot of price. Even, you will be happy to pay more for your website, as you will find everything so amazing, perfect and very much awesome, which can get you a great business in the shortest possible of time. So, what are you waiting for? You better move forward with the professionals in order to get amazing websites for the business and maximum growth.

Website Design And SEO – A Perfect Combo To Get Success

Are you serious to run your business online and taste the success? But, what about those competitions who are existed here in the market for several years now as well as the competition which is emerging day by day? Well, you just don’t think about your business and other strategies, but you also need focus on handling the competition in the market as well as your business visibility.

It is a high time that you introduce your products and services with the world so that they can know why you are here, what you are offering and how you are different from others. You should plan for everything and do consider hiring a team of the professionals for better visibility and promotion. It is necessary as we need to combat the competition so that we can attract more and more visitors in terms to influence our sales, profit along with goodwill. So, if you are ready, you better start up with the web design agency los angeles and they will definitely offer you the best and amazing solutions to meet your overall requirements. It doesn’t matter whether you want everything from the scratch or customized, or looking for readymade templates or you have any reference site, just discuss your overall requirements with the professionals and they will help you for sure. Once your website will be completed, you can test the same and will find it so light, responsive to all the browsers and devices, SEO friendly website and the website which can easily attract the attention of all.

You better know that professionals never only focus on the design and development, even they will ensure to check your contents- images, videos, and written materials as well make sure to present everything so that a user can easily get to know what they are looking for. Aside this, you should need to admit the fact that only website creation won’t give you enough business at all, however, you should plan to hire the marketing team to promote your website everywhere you want. This is very important and for that seo agency los angeles can help you up in a better way. SEO is the oldest and very popular tool which is all about search engine rankings, thus, you better hire the pros and get ready to have instant traffic and leads will surely push your business hard. Apart from SEO, there are other various marketing options, one can expect to have and they are- SMO, PPC, email marketing, content marketing, backlink creation and various other sorts tools will surely give you the best possible results. So, what are you waiting for? This is a high time to show the world what you can do for them and get ready to earn ultimate profit all the time.