Social Media is often utilised as a key tool when it comes to maximising the exposure of a website or brand using Search Engine Optimisation in the UK and abroad.  Leading social networking sites have launched a backlash against Google’s recent incorporation of data generated by their Google+ social platform in their search results listings.  Since 10th January, Google have been integrating the data from their Google+ social network, across the broad reach of their extensive portfolio, in some cases, publishing content from Google+ in the place of more relevant content posted on other social networks.

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Based on feedback provided by Google users globally, the search engine giant has implemented updates to its page layout algorithm, which will mean any websites that are ad-heavy ‘above-the-fold’, with minimal content and an ‘excessive’ number of advertisements featuring on the top of their webpages, their ranking in Google’s search results will be impacted by the changes.

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In recent months, data produced by a US survey revealed that search leads over social when it comes to people looking online for information on local businesses.  The study also indicated that the internet remains the first choice for many potential customers, that are looking for businesses or services within close proximity to where they live, according to data produced by Pew Internet Research Centre. (more…)

Top Click Media Reviews Search Engine Optimisation for local businesses, and the findings from a recent small business survey, which revealed that SEO was selected as the most effective marketing tool by local business owners, and identified as their preferred route to market.  According to the ‘Merchant Confidence Index Survey’ conducted by online network MerchantCircle, a social network for local businesses in the US, 33% of business owners that participated selected SEO as the most effective platform when it came to generating new business.

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According to statistics from the US Commerce Department the annual spending on retail in the US is approximately $4 trillion.  E-commerce has continued to prove a rapidly expanding and lucrative market, although according to the US Commerce Department e-commerce sales account for less than 5% of all retail sales in the States.  However, following a two year study recently published by SEO Help organisation RevTrax, a company that connects digital media with in store sales, providing data that measures the success of online marketing when it comes to driving sales, they have found that the return on investment when it comes to paid search has a detrimental impact on sales made offline.

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Online sales on ‘Cyber’ or ‘Black’ Monday this week (Monday 28th November) saw an increase of 29.3% in comparison to the same day last year, according to statistics published by IBM’s Benchmark Researchers.  The global ecommerce site FiftyOne, a company which hosts and manages some of America’s biggest department stores and online retailers, including Macy’s and Nordstrum, saw a dramatic increase in international sales, potentially accounting for the rise in sales in comparison to last years figures.  According to a report in Marketing Vox:

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The retail sector is now the fastest growing in mobile markets, with online marketing strategists emarketer recording that over one third of people use their smartphone to access retail sites.  It is estimated that by June 2012, in the UK alone, half of all mobile owners will be utilising smartphone devices, with an average 2.5% of feature phone users opting to purchase a smartphone handset every month.  When you consider that more than 40 million Britons own a mobile phone, the potential posed by making your website, or online store, accessible to mobile users, is an increasingly appealing option; as does the potential for generating revenue and increasing sales by adopting Search Engine Optimisation UK practices, in order to increase the exposure of your business or brand online.

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Last week Google’s Matt Cutts published a post on the Google ‘Inside Search’ Blog Spot, providing SEO help, detailing ten of the hundreds of changes recently made to Google’s search algorithm.

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Following the launch of the Google+ search facility in October of this year, Google+ have now enhanced their search options to include trending topics, in the same way that Twitter includes trends on it’s social media platform, listing the most popular subjects that are under discussion with users, and providing the option to conduct a specific search for these topics via it’s social site.

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According to SEO agency BrightEdge, since it’s launch last week, 61 percent of top 100 US brands have published Google+ Pages, in comparison to 93 percent of the same top 100 brands that have established Facebook pages.  Unsurprisingly a large proportion of these businesses have been quick to establish a presence on Google+ due to it’s potential affect on SEO:

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Google has announced that it’s Social Networking site Google+ has now been extended to include local and global businesses, enabling business owners and marketers to create and publish a Google+ page online for their individual business or brand.

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Since Google began encrypting the search sessions of users logged into google.com through a secure online connection, it appears that the initial figure suggesting that the change would affect less than 10% of searches, was an underestimation.

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Through the existing Google Places platform, local businesses can maximise their exposure on the web, and widen their network of potential customers online.  The benefits of connecting your business with local customers by adopting SEO practices provides a number of benefits; not least because with tools such as Google Places, you can encourage traffic to your website or online store, as well as to your shop or office.

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