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  • How Link Building Services Help Boost Your Organic Traffic

    How Link Building Services Help Boost Your Organic Traffic

    Over the course of the last couple of years, it feels like the Seek Marketing Partners team have talked about SEO at length – and yet, one of the things that our team does every single day has gone surprisingly unmentioned here on our blog. Today we put that right by giving you an in-depth look at link building services. We’ll explain what inbound link building is, what it does, and how it helps businesses succeed online…

    What is Inbound Link Building?

    Put simply, the end goal of high quality link building services is to create meaningful, useful connections to your site elsewhere on the internet. Because these connections are links that lead from another site back to your site, they’ve become known as ‘backlinks’. There are a number of different types of backlinks and a number of different ways that they can be created – so in a way, there is an art to providing link building services.

    However, it’s also important to know that backlink building isn’t just about how many backlinks you can create or earn – there is a right way and a wrong way to go about link building too, as backlinks have an ‘in-built’ quality to them. A good provider of link building services will know how to do things properly and will provide you with good-quality backlinks as a result.

    A bad or inexperienced provider of backlinks is more likely to try to woo customers by promising large numbers of backlinks, and they’re more likely to include so-called ‘toxic backlinks’ in the links they create for you. The more of these toxic backlinks that you have pointing back to your site, the more the benefits brought by any good-quality backlinks you have will be undone.

    The message here is that age-old chestnut ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is’ – so beware anyone who promises you large numbers of backlinks over a short space of time – they could be relying on toxic backlinks to reach their quota, which could mean their link building services doing more harm than good to your online marketing efforts.

    How do Good Link Building Services Help Your Business?

    However, if you put a responsible team like Seek Marketing Partners in charge, the high quality link building services and expertise that we offer can really help your online or digital marketing efforts succeed, and bring in more leads, more sales, and more revenue for your business.

    How is that so? Well, because link building services are a key part of any SEO service. You see, the backlinks that are created and lead back to your site influence two important SEO metrics – ‘Page Authority’ and ‘Domain Authority’, also known as ‘PA’ and ‘DA’ respectively. In turn, your authority scores are one of the more important things that Google and other search engines look at when determining where they should rank your page (after your content itself and whether or not people stay on your page after they click to go to it).

    Put simply, that means that the more quality backlinks that the people providing your link building services can get leading back to a specific page on your site (or your domain as a whole) the more likely you are to rank highly.

    A higher ranking is proven to mean more web traffic to your site or an online store – and with more traffic comes more leads, more sales opportunities, more repeat custom, and more revenue.

    Top 5 Techniques of Quality Link Building Services

    So, that’s why good quality links are important, and in the next part of today’s blog, we’ll discuss some key backlink services that can be used side by side with on-page optimization to create good quality backlinks. These are by no means the only ways to create good backlinks, but we do consider them to be the more important ‘core competencies’ that anyone providing links – whether you’re outsourcing to an agency like ours, or taking the task on yourself – should know how to do.

    1. Directory Link Building

    Seek Marketing Partners provide manual link building service for your business. All across the internet, there are a multitude of business directories. Some are designed to target and serve a specific locality, others are set up to serve a specific industry or type of customer, and yet others are more generic. The key thing is that most of these directories allow you to set up a profile, and if you can include your URL somewhere in that profile, that will count as a backlink for you.

    However, we’ve started this list with directory backlinks because it’s one of the services we provide most often – and it’s one of the authority link building services that we provide most often because it’s the easiest method to trip up with and find yourself creating toxic backlinks. That being the case, our advice is to not attempt directory backlinking alone – you really are better off leaving this method in the hands of a good service provider such as Seek Marketing Partners – as we have mature and maintained whitelists of trusted directories that we can go to and post to without fear of toxicity, and without needing to put in hours of research to verify a directory’s legitimacy beforehand.

    2. Web 2.0 Link Building

    Web 2.0 link building services will require whoever is providing those services to know how to write and edit text – so if you’re not comfortable with that we suggest outsourcing this, and if you’re outsourcing, make sure that the people doing the work have a good content writer on their team. When writing content for yourself, keep in mind the basic SEO knowledge like using stop words, title optimization, meta description optimization, etc.

    An additional bonus with web 2.0 backlinks is that the pages that are created as a result of the work are ideal for attracting traffic directly from Google and directing it to the pages that you want customers to visit on your site, meaning that you don’t have to rely on that traffic finding these important pages on their own.

    3. Link Building Using Blogs

    Blogs can be a powerful tool when it comes to link building services, and the great news for those of you that want to provide your own backlink services is that using these methods you’ll be dealing a lot more with people, rather than faceless online directories or posting platforms.

    A simple but effective way to create backlinks is by working together with relevant partners (for example your clients). Give them a call or send them an email, and offer them a shoutout on your blog including a backlink to their site, on the understanding that they will do the same for you on their blog. If both sides keep their end of the deal, both parties get a backlink – and if they don’t, you can simply un-publish the post to remove the benefits of the manual link building services you provided via your blog.

    Another option is ‘guest blogging’. It works in much the same way, but this time instead of someone else writing content for their site as they usually would and giving you a shoutout, YOU write the content too, as a one-off / occasional piece for their site.

    Guest blogs can be tougher to get published as they will require the consent of the partner whose site you’ll be posting on – and usually, they’ll need to sign off on the content too – but if a guest blog is agreed to, it puts a bit more control in your hands. You control what’s said and how, you control where the backlinks lead to on your site, and you might also control how many backlinks there are – and in the world of backlinks, those three choices are where the REAL power lies!

    4. Broken Link Building

    Broken link building requires a bit of luck and good timing – you tend to ‘happen across’ these opportunities rather than create them – but it works like this:

    You’re browsing through a relevant site or blog, and you find that a link for a given piece of information or a resource doesn’t work, or doesn’t deliver what it promises. If you happen to have a piece of content on your site that deals with the same topic as the broken resource, you can reach out to the owner of the site you’re browsing and tell them ‘Hey, I was reading your blog at [URL], and I notice one of the links is broken. I have a great piece of content live right now on my site that you could swap in – it covers the same topic and would be a great fit for the broken link – what do you say?’

    If they say yes, then that’s instantly another backlink leading to your site!

    5. Link Roundups

    Link roundups could be seen as ‘the long game’ when it comes to white hat link building services. Much like building a brand, results might not come immediately, but if you do the building process right, then your link roundup can be a powerful tool for inbound link building.

    A link roundup is a regular, periodic collection of the latest must-see news and new insightful content from within a given industry or topic. How does this relate to SEO link building services? Because you link out to every piece of content that makes it into your link roundup – giving them a backlink.

    ‘But guys, we want to earn backlinks, not give them out’ we hear you cry – and we understand. However, as we said, we’re playing the long game here, and we’re working on three levels. Firstly, people might be willing to give you a backlink simply to return the favour – ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

    Secondly, if you do a good job curating the content that makes it into your link roundups, you add value for the industry professionals that read it – if you do that, they might just want to link out to your awesome link roundup, and spread the word of its existence to other interested people… If you can do THAT successfully, then thirdly, your link roundup might develop a name for itself within your industry, ‘making the cut’ might become something people want to shout about, and link to as proof of their achievement – like making it into the newspaper or the first page of Reddit. And again, each time somebody does either of those things, you earn a backlink.

    Where Can You Find Quality Link Building Services?

    We hope by now that you understand just how crucial good backlinks (and the quality backlink strategy that creates them) are for your online presence. We also recognise that ‘knowing why you need something’ and ‘knowing where to get it’ are two different things – but thankfully, the latter of those two questions is easy to answer. If you’re looking for ethics, excellence, and expertise when it comes to inbound link building services then you should absolutely reach out to Seek Marketing Partners today – and you can do so via the details on our contact us page, or over LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram!

  • What Are Digital Marketing Channels? 10 Essential Channels for 2025

    What Are Digital Marketing Channels? 10 Essential Channels for 2025

    In today’s digital world, knowing how to use different online marketing methods is really important for businesses to do well. Digital marketing channels are the various ways companies can reach people online, talk to them, and get them to buy things. These channels have gotten more advanced over time, giving businesses lots of new ways to connect with potential customers. Let’s look at the top 10 digital marketing channels that can help your business do great in 2025 and beyond. We’ll see what’s special about each one and how they can all work together in a big marketing plan.

    Key Takeaways: Digital Marketing Channels at a Glance

    What Are Digital Marketing Channels?

    • Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Improve organic visibility and rankings
    • Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC): Drive targeted traffic through paid ads
    • Social Media Marketing: Engage audiences on popular platforms
    • Content Marketing: Create valuable, relevant content to attract and retain customers
    • Email Marketing: Nurture leads and maintain customer relationships
    • Influencer Marketing: Leverage social proof and expand reach
    • Video Marketing: Engage audiences with dynamic visual content
    • Affiliate Marketing: Partner with others to promote products/services
    • Mobile Marketing: Reach customers on their preferred devices
    • Voice Search Optimisation: Adapt to changing search behaviors

    1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

    Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is super important for making your website easy to find online. It’s all about making your website and content show up higher in search results when people look for things related to your business. SEO is really important for getting more people to visit your website without paying for ads, and it helps more of the right people find your business.

    SEO has a few main parts:

    • On-page stuff: Making sure your website’s pages are set up in a way that search engines can understand easily.
    • Off-page stuff: Getting other good websites to link to yours, which makes your site look more trustworthy.
    • Technical stuff: Making your website fast, easy to use on phones, and easy for search engines to read.

    By focusing on SEO, businesses can get more people to their website, show up higher in search results, and become known as experts in what they do. This can help a business grow steadily over time without having to spend as much on ads.

    2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

    Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is a way to buy visits to your website. You pay a small fee each time someone clicks on your ad. It’s a quick way to get your business in front of people searching for what you offer. Google Ads and Bing Ads are popular places to do PPC advertising.

    Some good things about PPC ads are:

    • Your ads can show up right away when people search for certain words.
    • You can choose exactly who sees your ads based on things like where they live or what they’re interested in.
    • It’s easy to see how well your ads are working and if they’re worth the money.
    • You decide how much you want to spend each day or month.

    PPC can be a great way to get quick results, especially for new websites or when you have a special sale. It works well with SEO by giving you immediate visibility while you’re working on improving your organic search rankings.

    3. Social Media Marketing

    Social media marketing is about creating and sharing content on social media platforms to achieve your marketing goals. With billions of people using social media, it’s a great way to connect with your audience, make more people aware of your brand, and get people interested in what you’re doing.

    Popular social media platforms for marketing include:

    • Facebook: Good for reaching lots of different people.
    • Instagram: Great for businesses with lots of pictures or videos to share.
    • LinkedIn: Best for talking to other businesses or professionals.
    • Twitter: Good for quick updates and talking directly to customers.
    • TikTok: Popular with younger people and great for fun, short videos.

    Good social media marketing involves creating interesting content and sometimes using paid ads to reach more people. By sharing helpful information and talking with your followers, you can build a community of people who really like your brand.

    4. Content Marketing

    Content marketing is about creating and sharing helpful information to attract and keep customers. It’s a long-term plan that builds strong relationships with your target audience by giving them valuable information that answers their questions and helps solve their problems.

    Types of content marketing include:

    • Blog posts: Regular articles with tips, insights, and news.
    • Infographics: Pictures that explain data or ideas.
    • Whitepapers: Detailed reports on specific topics.
    • E-books: Long guides about a particular subject.
    • Case studies: Real examples of how you’ve helped customers.
    • Podcasts: Audio content people can listen to anywhere.
    • Webinars: Online classes or presentations.

    By consistently creating good content, businesses can become known as experts in their field, improve their search engine rankings, and build trust with potential customers. Content marketing also helps with other digital marketing efforts by providing material for social media posts, emails, and SEO.

    5. Email Marketing

    Email marketing is still one of the best ways to reach customers directly. It involves sending targeted messages to people who have signed up to hear from you. Even with new marketing methods, email still works really well, often earning £35.41 for every pound spent.

    Important parts of email marketing include:

    • Building a list of email addresses and grouping them.
    • Writing interesting subject lines and content.
    • Personalizing emails and setting up automatic email sequences.
    • Testing different versions of emails to see what works best.
    • Making sure emails look good on mobile phones.

    Email marketing helps businesses stay in touch with leads, keep customers coming back, and encourage repeat purchases. By sending helpful newsletters, special offers, and personalized recommendations, you can build lasting relationships with your audience and get more value from each customer over time.

    6. Influencer Marketing

    Influencer marketing uses popular social media personalities to promote products or services. It involves working with influencers who have lots of followers in your target market to increase brand awareness and drive sales. This strategy works because people trust and listen to these influencers.

    Steps to successful influencer marketing:

    • Find influencers who match your brand and audience.
    • Build ongoing relationships with influencers.
    • Create genuine, engaging content together.
    • Track how well the campaigns are doing.
    • Follow advertising rules about disclosing sponsored content.

    Influencer marketing is especially good for reaching younger people and building trust with potential customers. It combines word-of-mouth marketing with the reach of social media, letting brands tap into established communities and use social proof to their advantage.

    7. Video Marketing

    Video marketing has become really important in the digital world. With platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels, businesses can create engaging video content to connect with their audience and show off their products or services in an interesting, visual way.

    Types of video content include:

    • Product demonstrations: Showing how your products work.
    • How-to guides: Teaching people something useful related to your business.
    • Customer testimonials: Real customers sharing their good experiences.
    • Behind-the-scenes footage: Showing what goes on inside your company.
    • Live streams: Real-time Q&A sessions or events.
    • Explainer videos: Breaking down complex ideas in a simple way.
    • Short, fun videos for TikTok and Instagram Reels.

    Video content can really increase engagement and help businesses explain complicated things in an easy-to-understand way. It’s especially good for getting attention on social media and can make people stay on your website longer when you use videos on your pages.

    8. Affiliate Marketing

    Affiliate marketing is when businesses reward other people or companies for sending customers their way. It’s a cost-effective way to reach more people because you only pay when you get results. This is particularly useful for online stores looking to get more customers and sales.

    Important parts of affiliate marketing:

    • Finding partners who match your target audience.
    • Offering good rewards to motivate affiliates.
    • Giving affiliates materials like banners and links to use.
    • Tracking how many clicks and sales come from affiliates.
    • Building long-term relationships with your best affiliates.

    Affiliate marketing lets businesses reach new audiences through trusted sources, using the credibility of established websites and influencers. It’s a low-risk way to drive sales when managed well.

    9. Mobile Marketing

    Mobile marketing is all about reaching customers on their smartphones and tablets. Since more than half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, it’s really important to focus on mobile-first marketing. This includes various strategies to engage users on their personal devices.

    Mobile marketing strategies include:

    • Making websites work well on all screen sizes.
    • Creating mobile apps for your brand.
    • Sending text messages to customers who’ve agreed to receive them.
    • Using location data to send relevant offers to nearby customers.
    • Designing emails that are easy to read on phones.
    • Creating ads specifically for mobile devices and apps.
    • Using QR codes to connect offline experiences to online ones.

    By focusing on mobile experiences, businesses can improve how users interact with them across all digital channels. Mobile marketing allows for very personal, location-based messages that can bring people into physical stores and increase online sales.

    10. Voice Search Optimization

    As more people use voice-activated devices, it’s becoming important to optimize for voice search. This means adapting your content and SEO strategy to match how people talk, rather than how they type. This new channel is changing how people use search engines and find information online.

    Tips for voice search optimization:

    • Use longer, more conversational phrases that people might say out loud.
    • Create FAQ pages to answer common questions.
    • Focus on local search queries, as many voice searches are for local information.
    • Make sure your website loads quickly.
    • Use structured data to help search engines understand your content better.
    • Make sure your website works well on mobile devices.

    By getting ready for voice search, businesses can stay ahead and capture valuable organic traffic. Voice optimization also makes content more conversational and easier to access, which improves the overall user experience.

    Integrating Multiple Digital Marketing Channels

    While each digital marketing channel has its strengths, the best strategies use multiple channels together to create a smooth customer experience. By combining various channels, businesses can reach their audience in different ways and reinforce their message, creating a stronger and more memorable brand presence.

    Key things to consider when using multiple channels:

    • Keep your branding consistent across all channels.
    • Coordinate your messaging and campaigns across different platforms.
    • Track how different channels contribute to conversions.
    • Create personalized experiences for individual users based on data from various channels.
    • Provide seamless customer support across all platforms where customers interact with your brand.

    By using the strengths of each channel and creating a smooth experience, businesses can get the most out of their digital marketing efforts and achieve better results. This approach allows for more efficient use of resources and a better understanding of customer behavior and preferences.

    Measuring Success Across Digital Marketing Channels

    To make your digital marketing efforts as effective as possible, it’s important to measure and analyze how well each channel is performing. Web analytics tools can help you track important metrics and make decisions based on data. This analytical approach ensures that your marketing strategies are constantly improving based on real-world results.

    Important things to track include:

    • Website traffic and where it comes from.
    • Conversion rates: How many visitors take the actions you want, like making a purchase.
    • Engagement rates: How people interact with your content across different platforms.
    • Return on investment (ROI): How much money you make compared to what you spend on marketing.
    • Customer acquisition cost (CAC): How much it costs to get a new customer through different channels.
    • Customer lifetime value (CLV): How much a customer is worth to your business over time.
    • Bounce rate: How many people leave your site after viewing only one page.

    By regularly looking at these metrics, you can see which channels are working best and focus your efforts there. This data-driven approach allows you to constantly improve your digital marketing strategy, making sure you’re always investing in the most effective channels and tactics for your business.

    Conclusion: Embracing the Digital Marketing Landscape

    Digital marketing channels offer businesses amazing opportunities to reach and engage with their target audience. By understanding and using these 10 essential channels, you can create a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that helps your business grow and succeed. The key is to stay flexible and adaptable, as the digital world is always changing.

    Remember, new trends and technologies are always emerging in the digital world. It’s important to regularly check how your digital marketing efforts are doing, be willing to try new channels, and always focus on providing value to your audience. By staying flexible and keeping your customers in mind, you can make sure your digital marketing strategy stays effective and relevant in the ever-changing digital world.
    If you want to improve your digital marketing strategy and make the most of these channels, contact Seek Marketing Partners. Our team of experts can help you develop and implement a digital marketing plan that fits your business goals and gets measurable results. With our expertise and your vision, we can create a strong digital presence that makes your business stand out in the competitive online marketplace.

  • Web Design vs Web Development: Crafting Digital Experiences

    Web Design vs Web Development: Crafting Digital Experiences

    Understanding the difference between web design and web development is important for businesses wanting to have a good website. Let’s look at these two connected fields and see how they work together to make great websites that help businesses do well online.

    Key Takeaways: Web Design vs Web Development

    • Web design focuses on visual appeal and user experience
    • Web development deals with technical implementation and functionality
    • Designers create layouts, choose colors and typography
    • Developers handle coding and backend functionality
    • Both roles are essential for creating successful websites
    • Collaboration between designers and developers is crucial
    • Design emphasizes aesthetics, development emphasizes performance
    • Designers use tools like Photoshop, developers use programming languages
    • Both fields require creativity and problem-solving skills
    • Continuous learning is important in both design and development

    Web Design: The Visual and User Experience Architect

    Web design is about creating how a website looks and feels. It’s the art of making websites that look good and are easy to use. Web design services are important for businesses that want to make a good first impression and keep people interested in their site.

    Web designers are responsible for:

    • Creating layouts and wireframes
    • Choosing color schemes and typography
    • Designing user interfaces (UI) and user experiences (UX)
    • Ensuring responsive design for various devices
    • Crafting visual elements such as icons, buttons, and images
    • Implementing design principles like balance, contrast, and hierarchy

    To be good at web design, people need skills in graphic design software like Adobe Creative Suite, and knowledge of design principles and how people think. They often use tools like Sketch, Figma, or Adobe XD to create mockups and prototypes. Web designers also need to keep up with the latest design trends to create modern, engaging websites.

    Web Development: The Technical Implementation Specialist

    While web design focuses on how things look, web development brings those designs to life through coding and programming. Web developers make sure everything works smoothly behind the scenes. They turn static designs into interactive, dynamic websites that provide value to users and businesses.

    Web developers typically specialize in:

    • Front-end development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
    • Back-end development (server-side languages like PHP, Python, or Ruby)
    • Full-stack development (combining front-end and back-end skills)
    • Database management and optimization
    • API development and integration
    • Website performance optimization and security implementation

    Web developers use many tools and technologies, including integrated development environments (IDEs), version control systems like Git, and content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress. They’re also good at managing databases and connecting different systems. Web developers need to keep learning because new tools and best practices come out all the time.

    Comparing Web Design and Web Development

    While web design and web development are different jobs, they both aim to create effective websites. Let’s compare these roles to better understand how they work together in making websites:

    Web Design vs Web Development Comparison

    Web Design vs. Web Development graphic

    As you can see, web designers are better at visual and creative things, while web developers are better at technical stuff. But sometimes these jobs overlap, especially in smaller teams. This overlap can make work go smoother and lead to better website solutions.

    The Synergy Between Web Design and Development

    The best results happen when web designers and developers work well together. This teamwork makes sure websites look great and work perfectly. Good web design and SEO go together, creating websites that attract and keep visitors while also showing up well in search results.

    Good teamwork between designers and developers involves:

    • Clear communication about design ideas and technical limits
    • Regular meetings and feedback sessions
    • Using tools that help share designs and code
    • Understanding each other’s jobs and challenges
    • Working in steps to improve and optimize the website
    • Sharing responsibility for the final product’s success

    Career Paths and Job Market Outlook

    Both web design and web development offer good job opportunities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says jobs for web developers and digital designers are expected to grow 16% between 2022-2032, which is much faster than average. This growth is happening because businesses in all industries need a strong online presence.

    RoleMedian Annual SalaryJob Growth (2022–2032)Education Required
    Web Designer$55,00016%Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree
    Web Developer$80,73016%Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree
    UX Designer$75,00016%Bachelor’s Degree
    Full-Stack Developer$90,00016%Bachelor’s Degree

    Whether you like the creative parts of web design or the technical challenges of web development, there’s a place for you in this growing field. Many people find that learning skills in both areas can lead to more job opportunities and a better understanding of how to make websites.

    The Impact of Web Design and Development on Business Success

    A well-designed and properly developed website can really help a business succeed. Here are some interesting facts:

    • 38% of visitors will stop using a website if it looks unattractive
    • 48% say the design of the website is the most important factor in deciding if a business is trustworthy
    • 98% of people who’ve had a bad website experience will go to a competitor instead
    • 75% of consumers judge a company’s credibility based on their website design
    • 94% of first impressions are related to design

    These facts show how important both web design and development are in creating successful online experiences for businesses. A website that looks great but works poorly, or one that works well but looks bad, will have trouble turning visitors into customers. The combination of good design and solid development is key to online success.

    Seek Marketing Partners’ Approach to Web Design and Development

    At Seek Marketing Partners, we know how important it is to combine web design and development to create powerful online presences for our clients. Our team of skilled professionals works together to deliver websites that not only look great but also work exceptionally well on all devices and platforms.

    We offer complete web design services and web development services for businesses of all sizes. Our approach combines creativity with technical know-how to deliver results that help our clients grow and succeed. We focus on:

    • User-centered design principles
    • Responsive and mobile-first development
    • Search engine optimization (SEO) best practices
    • Performance optimization for fast loading times
    • Accessibility compliance
    • Scalable and maintainable code structures

    Conclusion: The Future of Web Design and Development

    As technology keeps changing, web design and development will change too. New trends like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and progressive web apps are shaping the future of the web. However, the basic principles of creating visually appealing, user-friendly, and technically sound websites will still be important.

    The future of web design and development is likely to see:

    • More use of AI in both design processes and user interactions
    • Greater focus on accessibility and inclusive design
    • More immersive web experiences through AR and VR technologies
    • Continued focus on performance and speed optimization
    • Integration of voice user interfaces and natural language processing

    Whether you’re a business owner looking to improve your online presence or someone who wants to work in this field, understanding how web design and development work together is key to success in the digital world. At Seek Marketing Partners, we’re committed to staying up-to-date with these changes, ensuring our clients always have access to the latest web solutions.Ready to make your online presence better? Contact Seek Marketing Partners today to learn how our expert web design and development services can help your business do well online. Let us create a website that not only looks great but also delivers real results for your business.

  • What is a Canonical Tag and Its Impact on SEO

    What is a Canonical Tag and Its Impact on SEO

    If you’ve ever faced the frustration of seeing your web pages compete against each other or noticed a drop in rankings due to duplicate content, you’re not alone. The good news? Canonical tags are here to save the day. These small but powerful tools tell search engines which version of your page to prioritise, ensuring your content shines where it matters most. But what exactly is it, and how does it impact SEO? Let’s dive in.

    What is a Canonical Tag?

    In the simplest terms, a canonical tag is an HTML element that tells search engines which version of a page should be considered the “original” or “preferred” version. You might be wondering why this is necessary. After all, websites often have multiple URLs that point to the same or very similar content. Without having a clear direction, search engines could get confused which leads to duplicate content issues. This tag helps to solve this problem by pointing search engines to the correct version of the URL.

    Why does this matter? Search engines may interpret identical content on different URLs as duplicate content, which can dilute rankings performance and may even lead to penalties if the content is intentionally manipulative (like plagiarism). A canonical tag helps you avoid this by pointing search engines to the correct page to index and rank.

    For example, imagine your website has multiple pages with similar content, like product descriptions or blog posts with different parameters (e.g., one with a category filter, another with a search query). Without this tag, Google might see these pages as duplicate content, which can hurt your site’s SEO. By implementing it, you tell Google which page to index and rank.

    Pro Tip: Google’s official documentation on canonical tags explains how to implement them for maximum impact.

    The SEO Impact of Canonical Tags

    Prevent Duplicate Content Issues

    One of the biggest challenges in SEO is dealing with duplicate content. When search engines encounter pages with nearly identical or identical content, they can struggle to determine which version is the most authoritative.

    This is where the tag shines. It consolidates the SEO value of duplicate pages by indicating which page should be considered the main one. For instance, if you have multiple pages with similar content, applying this element to the primary page ensures that search engines focus on the right one, thereby preventing penalties associated with duplicate content.

    Consolidating Link Equity

    Link equity, or the value passed through links, is a critical ranking factor for SEO. When you have multiple pages with similar content, each page may accumulate inbound links, which could be spread across different versions of the content. Having multiple versions of a page can dilute link equity, making it harder for any one page to gain enough authority to rank well.

    By using this feature, you consolidate all of these link signals into a single URL. This means all the backlinks pointing to similar content are directed to the preferred page, allowing it to build stronger authority and improve its chances of ranking higher in search results.

    Improving Crawl Efficiency

    Search engines like Googlebot have limited crawl budgets for each website. This means they can only visit a certain number of pages within a specific time frame. When search engines encounter multiple versions of the same content, they waste valuable resources crawling these duplicate pages, which could be better spent crawling unique, valuable content.

    A canonical element helps search engines prioritise the right pages, improving their crawl efficiency. By ensuring that search engines focus on the primary page rather than waste time on duplicates, you’re optimising the way Googlebot interacts with your site, ensuring that your most important pages are crawled more often and given more visibility.

    How to Implement a Canonical Tag

    Implementing this HTML tag on your website is relatively straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

    1. Identify Duplicate Content: The first step is identifying which pages have duplicate or near-duplicate content. You can use tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or SEMrush to find such pages.
    2. Choose the Primary Page: Once you’ve identified duplicates, decide which page will be the canonical version (Original page). This is usually the page you want to rank higher or the one with the most valuable content.
    3. Use Absolute URLs and Consistent Trailing Slashes: When adding canonical tags, always use absolute URLs, including the full web address (e.g., https://example.com/page). Avoid relative URLs, as these can confuse search engines and lead to incorrect canonicalisation. Additionally, ensure consistency in how you handle trailing slashes. For example, if your site uses URLs with trailing slashes (e.g., https://example.com/page/), ensure the canonical tags reflect that format. Inconsistent use of trailing slashes can lead to duplicate content issues.
    4. Add the Canonical Tag: In the <head> section of the HTML of the non-canonical pages, add the following code:
      <link rel=”canonical” href=”https://www.example.com/preferred-page” />
      Replace the URL with the address of the primary page you want Google to index.
    5. Test and Monitor: After implementing the tag, monitor the performance of your pages through Google Search Console to ensure that the correct page is being indexed and ranked.

    Common Mistakes to Avoid

    Overusing Canonical Tags

    While these tags are useful for consolidating content, they shouldn’t be used excessively. Overusing them or applying them to pages that don’t need them can lead to complications in your SEO strategy. For instance, if you use them on pages with unique content, you might inadvertently tell Google to ignore valuable pages, which could harm your SEO efforts.

    Incorrect Canonical Tags

    Another common mistake is using incorrect or broken canonical links. If you point this tag to the wrong URL, search engines may start prioritising the wrong page. It’s important to ensure that the canonical URL is the right one and that it leads to a fully accessible and relevant page.

    Forgetting to Update Canonical Tags

    If you make changes to your website’s structure or URLs, you need to update your canonical indicators accordingly. Forgetting to update the tag after a URL change can confuse search engines and hinder your site’s SEO performance.

    Real-World Applications of Canonical Tags

    For E-commerce Websites

    For e-commerce websites, canonical tags are especially important due to product variations. Often, a single product might have multiple pages with different filters or sorting options. In these cases, a canonical tag points to the main product page, consolidating the link equity and preventing duplicate content issues for each variation.

    For Blogs and Content-heavy Websites

    Blogs and websites with large amounts of content can also benefit from canonical tags. For instance, if you have similar articles on a topic with slight variations or duplicate content across different URLs, applying canonical elements ensures that Google indexes the right version and boosts its ranking.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What if I have multiple canonical tags on one page?

    Having multiple canonical tags on the same page is a mistake. It confuses search engines, and they may ignore the tags altogether. Always ensure that only one canonical tag is applied to each page.

    Should I use canonical tags for content with slight variations or across different domains?

    Yes, canonical links should be used in cases of slight variations. For example, if you have a content syndication on another domain or a slightly modified version of a page, the canonical tag can point to the primary version of the content.

    Can a canonical tag help with ranking issues or penalties?

    While these tags help resolve duplicate content issues, they are not a direct solution for ranking penalties. However, properly using canonical links can improve your site’s overall SEO by consolidating link equity and ensuring the correct version of your content is ranked.

    How do canonical tags interact with hreflang tags?

    Canonical and hreflang tags should always work together. For instance, if you have a French version of a page (example.com/fr/page) and an English version (example.com/en/page), each hreflang tag must point to the canonical version within its language set. Failing to do so may cause search engines to index the wrong version.

    How do canonical tags differ from redirects?

    A referencing canonical is a directive for search engines, not users. It tells search engines which version of a page to prioritise but does not redirect visitors. In contrast, a 301 redirect permanently forwards both users and search engines to a different URL, often removing the original page from the index.

    The Final Thoughts…

    Canonical tags are an essential tool for any SEO strategy. By preventing duplicate content issues, consolidating link equity, and improving crawl efficiency, they help ensure that search engines prioritise the right pages on your website. Whether you’re running an e-commerce site with many product variations or a blog with content-heavy pages, implementing these elements will have a significant impact on your SEO performance.

    At Seek Marketing Partners, we specialise in technical SEO solutions that make complex strategies simple and effective for businesses like yours. This article is part of our commitment to sharing knowledge and empowering businesses to succeed online. If you’d like professional support, our team is ready to help you optimise your site and achieve better search rankings.

    Contact us today, and let’s make your SEO work smarter, not harder.

  • Dynamic vs. Responsive Search Ads: Which Works Best?

    Dynamic vs. Responsive Search Ads: Which Works Best?

    When setting up PPC campaigns, a key decision is choosing dynamic search ads vs responsive search ads. Both options improve ad performance, but they work differently. Dynamic search ads (DSAs) automatically generate headlines based on website content, making them ideal for businesses with extensive pages. Responsive search ads (RSAs) allow advertisers to provide multiple headlines and descriptions, optimising the best-performing combinations with Google. Knowing the differences between dynamic search ads vs responsive search ads helps businesses make smarter ad choices.

    Key Takeaways

    • DSAs automatically match website content to user queries.
    • RSAs let advertisers test multiple headlines for better optimisation.
    • Dynamic search ads vs responsive search ads depend on campaign goals and control preferences.
    • DSAs work best for content-rich websites, while RSAs are better for flexible messaging.
    • Choosing RSA or DSA correctly maximises reach, engagement, and ad performance.

    How Dynamic Search Ads Work?

    DSAs simplify the ad creation by automatically generating headlines and targeting relevant searches based on a website’s content. Instead of relying on predefined keywords, DSAs use Google’s index to scan website pages and match user queries with the most appropriate landing pages.

    Automated Targeting and Headline Generation

    Unlike traditional search ads, which require advertisers to select keywords and write multiple headlines manually, dynamic search ads use automation to generate ad content dynamically. Here’s how the process works:

    • Website Scanning: Google continuously crawls a site to understand its structure, content, and key topics.
    • Query Matching: When a user searches for something relevant, Google identifies the best-matching page on the site.
    • Dynamic Headline Creation: Based on the user’s search intent, Google dynamically generates a headline that closely matches the search query.
    • Ad Display: The ad is served to the user with the generated headline and the advertiser’s prewritten description.

    For example, if an online retailer sells different types of running shoes and a user searches for “best trail running shoes,” DSAs will automatically generate an ad with a relevant headline and direct the user to the corresponding product page.

    Benefits of Dynamic Search Ads

    Many businesses prefer DSAs because of their ability to automate ad creation while expanding search coverage. Key advantages include:

    • Minimal Setup: No need to create separate ads or keyword lists for every product or service.
    • Increased Reach: DSAs capture long-tail search terms often missed in manual campaigns.
    • Relevant Headlines: The dynamically generated headlines align closely with users’ search terms, improving ad relevance and engagement.
    • Time Savings: Businesses can focus more on strategy rather than ad maintenance by reducing the need for manual keyword research.

    Limitations of Dynamic Search Ads

    While DSAs offer automation and efficiency, they also come with some drawbacks:

    • Less Control: Advertisers cannot manually adjust headlines, which may lead to unintended messaging.
    • Potential Irrelevance: If a website is not well-optimised, Google may pull inaccurate content and serve ads for unrelated queries.
    • Lower Conversion Rates: Since DSAs rely on Google’s AI for matching, some ads may not be as precisely targeted as traditional keyword-based campaigns.

    How Responsive Search Ads Work

    Unlike DSAs, which rely on Google’s AI to generate headlines, RSAs give advertisers more control while still leveraging automation. RSAs allow advertisers to provide multiple headlines and descriptions, and Google’s machine learning determines the best combinations based on performance.

    AI-Driven Ad Customisation

    RSAs are designed to increase ad relevance by dynamically testing different headline and description combinations. Here’s how they function:

    • Advertiser Input: The advertiser writes up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions for a single ad.
    • Automated Testing: Google’s algorithm mixes and matches these elements to create thousands of possible ad variations.
    • Performance optimisation: Over time, Google prioritises the best-performing combinations based on click-through rates, user engagement, and conversions.
    • Dynamic Adjustments: Google tailors ad variations to different users based on device type, location, and past behaviour.

    For instance, an e-commerce store selling tech gadgets may provide multiple headlines like:

    • “Shop the Latest Smartphones”
    • “Exclusive Discounts on Laptops”
    • “Upgrade Your Tech Today”

    Google then determines which combinations resonate best with users searching for related products.

    Advantages of Responsive Search Ads

    RSAs offer more flexibility and allow advertisers to optimise their messaging through AI-driven testing. Benefits include:

    • Higher Click-Through Rate (CTR): Google’s AI continuously refines ad combinations to improve engagement.
    • More Flexibility – Advertisers can test multiple messages within one ad, reducing the need for manual A/B testing.
    • Stronger personalisation—RSAs adjust ad copy based on user intent, location, and search behaviour, making it more relevant to each searcher.
    • Better Performance Insights: Google provides data on which headlines and descriptions perform best, helping advertisers refine their messaging strategy.

    Challenges of Responsive Search Ads

    While RSAs are powerful, they require more advertiser input and depend heavily on Google’s AI. Common challenges include:

    • Requires More Input – Advertisers must provide multiple headlines and descriptions, which can be time-consuming.
    • Algorithm Dependency – Google controls which combinations are displayed, limiting direct advertiser control over final ad appearances.
    • Performance Variability – The success of RSAs depends on Google’s ability to optimise effectively, which may not always align with advertiser goals.

    Dynamic Search Ads vs Responsive Search Ads: Key Differences

    FactorDSAsRSAs
    Ad CreationGoogle auto-generates headlines from site contentAdvertisers provide multiple headlines/descriptions
    TargetingNo keywords needed – matches queries to contentUses keywords and AI to optimise ad variations
    ControlLess control: Headlines are automatedMore control: Advertisers set messaging
    CustomisationLimited – Ads are dynamically generatedHigh – Google tests different ad combinations
    Best ForLarge, content-rich websitesAdvertisers optimising messaging for different audiences
    OptimisationGoogle selects landing pages and headlinesGoogle tests and optimises combinations based on performance

    Best Use Cases for DSAs

    Websites with a Lot of Content That Changes Frequently

    For businesses with large or frequently updated websites, Dynamic Search Ads offer a streamlined way to target relevant searches without manually managing an extensive list of keywords.

    Businesses Wanting to Save Time on Keyword Research and Ad Creation

    Dynamic Search Ads can help businesses reduce manual efforts while reaching potential customers. DSAs automatically generate ad headlines and match searches to relevant landing pages.

    Companies Seeking to Expand Reach Beyond Standard Keyword-Based Targeting

    DSAs go beyond keyword-based targeting by scanning website content and displaying ads for relevant queries—even if they weren’t included in the keyword list.

    Best Use Cases for RSAs

    Advertisers Who Want More Control Over Ad Copy

    Responsive Search Ads give advertisers complete control over messaging while benefiting from machine-learning optimisation.

    Businesses Looking to optimise Messaging Through AI-Driven Testing

    RSAs allow businesses to test multiple value propositions and calls-to-action, optimising the highest-performing variations.

    Marketers Seeking Better Performance Insights and Audience Targeting

    RSAs are great for segmented targeting and ad copy tailored to user behavior, device type, and location.

    Dynamic Search Ads vs Responsive Search Ads: Which One Maximises Ad Performance?

    Best Practices for Dynamic Search Ads

    • Ensure website content is clear, structured, and SEO-friendly.
    • Exclude irrelevant pages to prevent mismatched ad placements.
    • Regularly check search term reports to refine ad targeting.

    Best Practices for Responsive Search Ads

    • Use diverse headlines to maximise Google’s machine learning optimisation.
    • Keep descriptions concise, relevant, and compelling.
    • Monitor performance data and adjust underperforming elements.

    Final Thoughts: Dynamic Search Ads vs Responsive Search Ads

    The choice between RSA or DSA hinges on your marketing objectives. Dynamic Search Ads are best suited for businesses with content-heavy websites, providing automated targeting and headline generation. In contrast, Responsive Search Ads offer more flexibility and ad optimisation through AI-powered testing. Recognising the unique advantages of each type can lead to improved ad performance, engagement, and traffic.

    Ready to take your ad strategy to the next level? Get in touch with Seek Marketing Partners for expert DSA and RSA solutions today!

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  • SEO for Travel Websites: Targeting and Engaging the Right Audience

    SEO for Travel Websites: Targeting and Engaging the Right Audience

    In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for any business, and the travel industry is no exception. With the ever-increasing competition in the travel sector, it’s essential for travel websites to implement effective SEO for travel websites strategies to stand out from the crowd. By optimizing their websites, travel businesses can attract the right audience, increase engagement, and drive conversions.

    In the highly competitive travel industry, having a strong online presence is essential. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing a website to improve its visibility in search engine results. By implementing effective SEO strategies, travel websites can attract organic traffic, increase their online visibility, and outperform their competitors.

    Targeting the Right Audience with Keyword Research

    Keyword research is a critical aspect of any successful SEO for travel websites campaign. By understanding the search intent of their target audience, travel websites can identify relevant keywords that potential customers use when searching for travel-related information. Incorporating these keywords into website content and meta tags can significantly improve organic rankings and drive targeted traffic to the website.

    How to Perform Keyword Research for Travel Websites

    Start with Broad Travel-related Terms: Begin by identifying broad travel-related terms such as “family vacations,” “adventure travel,” or “luxury holidays.” These terms will give you an idea of the overall travel market and help you uncover more specific keywords.

    1. Use Keyword Research Tools: Utilize keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Moz Keyword Explorer to discover relevant keywords with high search volume and low competition. Look for long-tail keywords specific to your travel niche for better targeting.
    2. Analyze Competitor Keywords: Analyze your competitors’ websites to identify the keywords they are targeting. This can provide valuable insights and help you discover new keyword opportunities.

    Optimizing On-Page SEO Elements for Travel Websites

    On-page SEO plays a crucial role in improving a website’s visibility in search engine results. Optimizing key on-page elements ensures that search engines can crawl and index your website effectively. Here are some essential on-page SEO for travel websites elements to consider:

    1. Meta Tags: Craft unique and compelling meta titles and descriptions that incorporate relevant keywords and accurately represent the content of each page. Limit the meta title to 60 characters and the description to 160 characters.
    2. URL Structure: Create descriptive and user-friendly URLs that include relevant keywords. For example, instead of www.example.com/page1?id=123, use www.example.com/romantic-getaways-london.
    3. Heading Tags: Use H1 tags for the main title of each page, followed by H2, H3, and H4 tags for subheadings. This helps search engines understand the hierarchy and structure of your content.

    Enhancing User Experience for Travel Website Visitors

    Providing a seamless user experience is crucial for keeping visitors engaged and encouraging them to explore your travel website further. Here are some tips to enhance user experience:

    1. Mobile Optimization: With the increasing use of mobile devices, it’s essential to ensure that your travel website is mobile-friendly. Optimize your site’s design, layout, and content to deliver a smooth and enjoyable experience across different screen sizes.
    2. Page Loading Speed: Travelers expect websites to load quickly. Improve your website’s loading speed by compressing images, minifying CSS and JavaScript files, and using caching techniques. Slow-loading websites lead to higher bounce rates and lower search rankings.
    3. Clear Navigation: Make it easy for visitors to navigate your website and find the information they need. Use clear and intuitive menus, breadcrumbs, and internal linking to guide users through your travel content.

    Building Quality Backlinks for Travel Websites

    Building high-quality backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites is an essential aspect of off-page SEO. Backlinks act as votes of confidence, indicating to search engines that your travel website is trustworthy and valuable. Here are some effective strategies to build quality backlinks:

    1. Guest Blogging: Contribute informative and engaging articles to travel-related blogs and websites. Include a link back to your website within the guest post to drive referral traffic and boost your website’s authority.
    2. Influencer Collaborations: Partner with travel influencers or bloggers to create compelling content that links back to your website. Their audience’s trust can help drive targeted traffic and improve your website’s visibility.
    3. Social Media Engagement: Actively participate in travel-related discussions on social media platforms. Share your expertise, provide valuable insights, and engage with users. This can help establish your travel website as a reputable source of information and attract potential backlinks.

    The Role of Content Marketing in Driving Engagement

    Content marketing plays a significant role in engaging the right audience and driving conversions for travel websites. By creating high-quality and relevant content, travel businesses can establish themselves as industry leaders, attract targeted traffic, and encourage visitors to take desired actions.

    Types of Content That Engage Travel Website Visitors

    1. Destination Guides: Create comprehensive destination guides that provide in-depth information about popular travel destinations. Include tips, itineraries, attractions, and local insights to cater to the needs of your target audience.
    2. Travel Tips and Advice: Share useful travel tips, packing guides, and safety advice to assist your audience in planning their trips. Position your website as a reliable resource for all things travel-related.
    3. User-generated Content: Encourage your audience to share their travel experiences and photos. User-generated content not only engages visitors but also creates a sense of community and authenticity.

    Measuring and Analyzing SEO for Travel Websites’ Success

    Measuring and analyzing the effectiveness of your SEO for travel websites efforts is crucial for optimizing your travel website’s performance. Here are some key metrics to track:

    1. Organic Traffic: Monitor the volume and quality of organic traffic coming to your website. Identify which keywords and pages drive the most traffic and make necessary optimizations accordingly.
    2. Conversion Rates: Track the conversion rates of key actions on your website, such as booking a hotel or subscribing to a newsletter. Analyze the user journey and identify areas for improvement to increase conversions.
    3. Backlink Profile: Regularly monitor your backlink profile to ensure the quality and relevance of incoming links. Disavow any low-quality or spammy links that could harm your website’s rankings.

    FAQs

    How long does it take to see results from SEO for travel websites?

    The time it takes to see SEO for travel websites results as it can vary depending on several factors, including competition, website authority, and the effectiveness of your SEO for travel websites strategies. Generally, it takes several months to start seeing significant improvements in search rankings and organic traffic.

    Can I do SEO for travel websites on my own, or do I need professional help?

    While it’s possible to implement basic SEO for travel websites strategies on your own, seeking professional help from an experienced SEO agency like Seek Marketing Partners can provide you with the expertise and resources needed to develop and execute a comprehensive SEO for travel websites strategy tailored to your website’s specific needs.

    Conclusion

    Implementing effective SEO for travel websites strategies is crucial in looking to target and engage the right audience. By conducting thorough keyword research, optimizing on-page elements, enhancing user experience, building quality backlinks, and focusing on content marketing, travel businesses can drive targeted traffic, increase engagement, and ultimately boost conversions. Seek Marketing Partners’ expert team can help you navigate the complexities of SEO for travel websites and maximize the potential of your website. Contact us today to discuss how our services can elevate your online presence.

  • UX & UI With Our Shopify Web Designers

    UX & UI With Our Shopify Web Designers

    User experience and user interface are two big determining factors in the success or failure of your business’ site or store – Seek Marketing Partners’ web design experts show you how to get both right below!

    Our Shopify Web Designers Explain the Importance of UX & UI

    The Seek Marketing Partners team’s expert Shopify web designers are people who are definitely interested in IT and its history. There is simply so much to learn about the past in I.T. – the stories of how technology got to where it is today, and how the tools that people like our Shopify web designers and other digital marketing professionals use on a daily basis came to be, and the future. One part of computing technology that has been an ever-present element since the first computers were developed (and even the abacus, depending on how strict your definition of a ‘computer’ is) is UX and UI – and today we’re going to explore the importance of UX in modern web stores, sites and applications. Since we’re an expert SEO vendor too, we’ll also touch on how search engine optimisation can help as well.

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    What is UX and UI?

    UX stands for ‘user experience’ – essentially how easy it is for people to navigate around and use your site, app or store, and how doing so makes them feel. ‘UI’ stands for ‘user interface’. A user interface is the principal means through which users interact with your site, app, or store – and as such it also has a huge role to play in the quality of that site, app, or store’s UX. Any specialist Shopify web designer should tell you that UI and UX design is something that falls under web development, not necessarily software development.

    Why it’s Important to Understand UX and UI

    Applications and web projects are continuously being re-designed all the time, and because of this, so is the UX they provide. This is part of the reason why app and website user experience research is worthwhile. Since UX is affected by so many different and seemingly unrelated parts of your website, your app – whatever it may be that you have our specialist Shopify web designers working on – even when you’re not actively working on the UX, you may well still be changing it.

    Developing an understanding of the interactions between the various different elements of a modern application or website, and how they work together serves as a good starting point for your app or website user experience research.

    On top of this however, you also need to understand how the amount of impact each individual element has on your UX can change depending on the design choices that are made – either by your Shopify web designer on the grounds of their expert knowledge of the platform, or at your request. By understanding these relationships and the interactions the various elements of a site or app have with each other, you can really start to understand both the impact that each little change you make can impact store, app, or website user experience, and how much.

    Finally, we’re going to put our SEO vendor hat on again and remind you that bad UX can lead users to ‘bounce’ – leave your site having made a snap decision that ‘this isn’t what they want’. Sites and pages with high bounce rates are penalised in search engine rankings and so – even if a bounce is UX related, and caused more by the work of a Shopify web designer than your SEO vendor, your content writer or your marketing team – it will still hurt your SEO efforts.

    The Importance of Functionality

    Our expert Shopify web designers know that the people who will use your site or your store see functionality as a key part of their experience. They aren’t wrong to do so either, as if you were given a product and told to use it by a professional company of some sort – you’d quite reasonably expect that thing to work. As a result, every section and process on your webstore needs to run smoothly – from browsing your store, to making a purchase, billing, even things like customer service, returns and refunds – everything needs to be as quick and hassle free as possible.

    The Pitfalls of Poor UX

    Good Shopify Web designers understand that when poor UI is combined with human users, the result is often chaos and confusion – leading to poor UX. In turn, this chaos, confusion and poor UX lead to frustration on the part of the user, itself leading towards a lack of goodwill towards the company whose site or store they’re using, and the decision not to convert. You don’t need to be a Shopify web designer to understand this dynamic either, as it all boils down to what we’ve talked about above – and we’re quite sure that everyone reading this can recall a situation where they’ve had a frustrating customer experience and said ‘you know what, leave it, I’ll go somewhere else’.

    Poor UX can certainly put your online visitors and customers in that frustrated, negative frame of mind. However, good UI that facilitates a smooth, hassle free buying experience (and good store, app, or website user experience) as described earlier can also do the opposite, and get visitors thinking ‘you know what, that was easy to take care of, I’ll come back here next time too.’

    Desktop vs. Mobile – UX Concerns

    Just as working from home is becoming a common practice these days, especially since the pandemic, more and more businesses are choosing to go mobile. This is great for customers and businesses, as it gives them one extra channel each that they can sell or buy through. It is a definite concern for people like our Shopify web designers however, the screens on our mobile devices are arranged so differently from the ones we use with desktop or laptop computers. The device being used by the user therefore has big implications for UX, UI, and the associated web design and web development work that go into establishing them.

    For instance, a font size that’s legible on a 17-inch desktop monitor might not be legible on an iPhone, and similarly when designing for an iPhone screen our Shopify web designers have to bear in mind that users might not have the same precision control with their thumb that they do with the high-dpi laser mouse on their desk at home – so a system of drop-down menus for navigation (as you’d traditionally see on a desktop site) might not work so well on mobile.

    How Seek Marketing Partners’ Support Goes Beyond UX and UI

    So just like our specialist Shopify web designers, hopefully now you also understand just why UX and UI are so important to the success or failure of your business website or online store. However, Seek Marketing Partners are very proud to say that as one of the only full-service digital marketing agencies in the UK, our support (and the skillset of our team) doesn’t stop there.

    In addition to top-notch Shopify web designers, Seek Marketing Partners is also home to expert content writers and Social Media Marketing professionals, who can boost your business’ presence on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and others, as well as creating great content for your website, which will be written with your brand, your audience and your goals in mind.In addition, as an elite SEO vendor our content team also includes specialist SEO writers, whose skill in text composition and knowledge of how search engines work mean they’re ideally placed to create content that will rank highly on search engines like Google, and which will be more visible to potential human visitors as a result. Speaking of drawing eyes to your product, that’s something you can rely on our graphic design team for too, and if you’re interested in PPC, email marketing, or data science – likewise we’re the people to turn to for support that gets results!

  • Web Design Bury & The North West Can Count On!

    Web Design Bury & The North West Can Count On!

    Your business website is one of the most important marketing tools you have at your disposal. It is the first port of call for potential customers, and it needs to be as slick and modern as possible if you want to stand out from your competitors. It’s not just about aesthetics though – a good website is also essential in helping you achieve your digital marketing goals.

    If you’re looking for someone to help design and develop a website for your Bury business, then look no further than the Seek Marketing Partners team. We’re Bury’s only full service digital marketing agency, and we’ve been providing businesses in town and further afield with top quality digital marketing support since 2015.

    We know from experience that in modern business, sleek design is important – but so is functionality, reliability and ease of use. Our web design and development team is made up of highly-skilled professionals who will work with you every step of the way to ensure that everything they do meets your expectations.

    Enquire Now

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    The Extra Support Provided By Our Comprehensive Service

    Installation & Setup

    At this point, the Seek Marketing Partners team will migrate the latest and greatest piece of web design Bury has seen from our private staging servers to your hosting server. We’ll do all of the setup work that needs to be done, and will set your new site live.

    We Do Web Design Bury Can Trust, And We Do Hosting Too

    Of course, before it can begin to contribute to your digital marketing strategy or meet the information needs of your customers, your site will need somewhere to reside on the world wide web. The Seek Marketing Partners hosting server is the perfect place for your Seek Marketing Partners designed site to reside… You get a one-stop-shop solution covering all the bases, and if you want any changes making, or new features adding, the Seek Marketing Partners team already have all the access we need to take care of it!

    Maintenance

    The support offered by the Seek Marketing Partners team goes beyond quality web design Bury can trust… As a result it doesn’t stop once the site goes live, and starts doing its job assisting your digital marketing efforts. It’s a simple fact of web design that sometimes things go wrong, and sites break or go down. Fear not though, as should this happen to your site, Seek Marketing Partners will still be on hand to fix it, as well as carrying out regular routine maintenance to improve your site and keep it in good working order.

    Our Tried & Tested Web Design Process

    The Four Tenets of Web Design

    Seek Marketing Partners follow four main tenets of Web Design, which guide the order in which we do things. Those tenets are ‘Strategy, Design, Develop, Deploy’, and they have helped us develop the following step-by-step process:

    Step 1: Usability & Competition Analysis

    The first thing Seek Marketing Partners will do when you come to us is to go look at your competition. We do this to figure out what your new site – built by the team behind the best web design in the UK – will need to do in order to beat your competition, and how it will need to do it. Checking out the competition can also give the Seek Marketing Partners team some inspiration, and suggest new ideas that maybe you or we hadn’t thought of… Ideas that we can then carry forward and implement on your site…

    Step 2: Information Architecture Design & Website Content Strategy

    Once the Seek Marketing Partners team know who and what we’re up against, we’ll start planning out your site. At this point Seek Marketing Partners will draft the basic layout of your site… The pages that will be needed, the content that will go on those pages, and which pages will link to each other within your site. It’s important to do this now because in order to create a great end product that both we and you can be proud of, our team need to know what content will be needed. On top of this, knowing what content will need to be created ahead of time can ease the SEO process and help inform your social media marketing strategy, as well as other areas of digital marketing.

    Step 3: Responsive Website Design

    This is where the Seek Marketing Partners web design team – the team behind some of the best web design in the UK, don’t forget – do their thing, and make all the prep work come together by actually building your site. As always, implementation is carried out in accordance with your original brief and any feedback you send our way during the design process, while also bearing in mind the features and functionality that your Seek Marketing Partners website will need to have in order to meet the digital marketing goals defined in previous steps.

    Step 4: User Experience Design

    Seek Marketing Partners know that the experience your site delivers to the people that visit it matters. Google knows this too, and user experience does play a part in determining your site’s SEO score and Google rank these days. As part of our comprehensive web design services Seek Marketing Partners will bake everything you need to provide a great user experience into your site… Thereby also helping your SEO and your wider digital marketing strategy too.

    Step 5: CMS & e-Commerce Integration

    The next step for our development team is to integrate your CMS and any e-Commerce solutions or functionality that you want added into your site. Adding these features can really help your website pull its weight with regards to your overall digital marketing effort… Making your site not only a repository for information, but a place where you can close sales of your goods and services too!

    Step 6: Cross-Browser Testing

    Once everything is built, the Seek Marketing Partners team will get to work making sure that your website runs smoothly, and delivers that top-notch user experience on all of the various different browsers and platforms that might be used to view it – including devices such as mobile phones and tablets. Once all of the kinks are worked out, it’s time for the site to go live, and start contributing to your digital marketing strategy.

    Step 7: Advanced Features

    Seek Marketing Partners usually work with the WordPress platform – we think it’s a great all-rounder that can create great websites for almost any purpose. However, our team aren’t blinded by this or beholden to it, and we have no problem designing and developing advanced or custom features from scratch that will take your site and its functionality above and beyond the competition.

    At this point, the Seek Marketing Partners team will migrate the latest and greatest piece of web design Bury has seen from our private staging servers to your hosting server. We’ll do all of the setup work that needs to be done, and will set your new site live.

    Our Other Digital Marketing Services

    This isn’t all though – Seek Marketing Partners is a full-service digital marketing agency, meaning that we offer a raft of other services alongside the web design and development that we’ve spoken about already. These services include SEO, PPC and email marketing campaign support, graphic design, branding support and content writing, social media support, data science and more.

  • Seek Marketing Partners’ Dedicated Social Care SEO Service

    Seek Marketing Partners’ Dedicated Social Care SEO Service

    The SEO experts here at Seek Marketing Partners offer a dedicated SEO service tailor made for businesses operating in the social care industry, both across the United Kingdom and beyond. When you partner with us to deliver this service we’ll use all of our digital marketing and SEO knowledge and experience to improve your website and its content in ways that will make it more appealing to Google and the other search engines online.

    Enquire Now

    What benefits does good SEO have for my social care business?

    More web traffic

    In all kinds of businesses including social care SEO is proven to increase the amount of traffic that a website receives. This is beneficial to you in a number of ways – first and foremost because web traffic is the online equivalent of people entering a brick and mortar store – the more people you have coming in the better – but beyond this extra traffic can also help your SEO ranking and the results you’ll see from our social care SEO service too.

    More uptake on your services

    Because good SEO can increase the amount of traffic that your website receives, it can also increase the number of sales you make – or in the specific case of social care businesses, the amount of newcomers you see enquiring about and signing up for your services.

    More trust

    A good Google ranking is a cornerstone component of a positive online reputation. This is because many people have an innate trust of the pages and sites that they see at the top of a search engine results page. As a result if your pages rank well on Google and other search engines, the people that see them when they run a search are more likely to buy into your marketing message and believe that you’ll deliver a quality service.

    What does Seek Marketing Partners’ social care SEO service involve?

    Full Site Audit

    Seek Marketing Partners’ social care SEO service begins in the same way as our other SEO services – with an in depth audit of your existing website (if you have one – if you don’t then we can also design and build one for you, don’t worry!). This audit is our initial assessment of your website’s health from an SEO standpoint, and it also serves as a key benchmark against which we can measure our progress and show the benefits that our work brings to your site.

    Analysis of existing problems or opportunities for improvement

    Our search engine optimisation experts will be able to properly interpret the data gathered through the audit, and use it to identify those areas of SEO where your site could be improved and any aspects of SEO that it’s currently doing well.

    Development of an SEO strategy that’s bespoke to your site

    Once we know what the SEO strengths and weaknesses of your site are, our team then move on to strategizing, and creating a plan for how we are going to use things. Once again at this stage we call upon all of our prior experience and our knowledge of how SEO works to craft a plan that’s designed to be successful for you, given your business’ specific and unique needs – no ‘cookie cutter’ solutions here!

    Development of a prioritised task list

    Once we know what our plan is, we can then focus in on the finer details of the precise tasks that need to be completed in order to deliver the results you expect to see. What’s more, we’ll also prioritise this task list so that we’re able to deliver the biggest improvement in terms of SEO score and rankings in the shortest time possible.

    Top quality SEO work

    This is where the prep ends and the actual SEO work begins. At this stage our team of SEO professionals and content writers will begin providing the top quality on-page and off-page SEO work that we’re known for. If your site also includes a webstore then eCommerce SEO will also be part of this process, as will local SEO if we’ve identified that as an opportunity for improvement.

    Taking care of the ‘SEO housekeeping’

    Any time we finish optimising an existing page, or we create a new one for you, in addition to making sure that the page looks great when it’s published, we’ll also handle all of the ‘SEO housekeeping’ for you. In addition to the optimization work itself good SEO also includes a range of other smaller tasks that need to be done in order to ensure you get the most from the SEO work done. Our team know what these tasks are, and we’ll make sure that they get done on your behalf.

    Ongoing monitoring and maintenance

    If you want results that last, SEO is not something that can be done once and then forgotten about. Good SEO is an ongoing task that requires maintenance work, and continuing evaluation of the analytics to ensure that as the algorithms and the ‘tastes’ of search engines change, you’re aware of it, and updating your pages accordingly so they don’t lose the good rankings they’ve earned. Once again, you can turn to the Seek Marketing Partners team to provide this ongoing support, and keep your site ranking well!

    Other Case Studies – VIEW ALL Case Studies

    Alpha Designs
    Take a look at how support from Seek Marketing Partners overhauled Alpha Designs’ online advertising performance, delivering greater effectiveness and reduced cost!

    Limerick
    Learn more about Seek Marketing Partners’ SEO work with Limerick, which delivered increased traffic to their site, and increased product orders through their site – take a look!

    Alset
    Click here and see how we helped this bartering platform build their brand online, and increased key metrics like number of followers and app installs!
    Want to learn more about our SEO expertise and how it can help your particular social care business? No problem – contact us today and ask, or if you prefer you can also reach out to us over social media, on Facebook and Instagram!

  • I need an SEO expert near me. How do I find one?

    The Seek Marketing Partners team includes some of the UK’s leading SEO consultants, it’s true, but our team can help you with much more than just on page SEO, off page SEO or Ecommerce SEO on a global or local scale. You see, in addition to our SEO services Seek Marketing Partners is also one of the UK’s leading providers for all manner of digital marketing services – including social media marketing, E-mail marketing, content marketing, web development and design, and more besides.

    However, for today we’re talking about SEO, and how to find the right SEO consultants for your needs. Without further ado then, read on below and let the experts behind our SEO services guide you forwards in that mission.

    In this piece we’ll be talking about how to vet SEO companies in a number of ways, including their on page SEO skills, their off page SEO skills, and how to evaluate how reputable they are. Let’s get started!

    First and Foremost – What is SEO?

    Search engine optimisation is the process of getting your website to appear on the first page of search engines – such as Google and Bing – when someone searches for a keyword related to your business. This can be done (with or without the help of an SEO consultant) by creating content that contains keywords that are relevant to your business, having links from other websites point back to yours, and a number of other SEO tasks that are proven to improve your standings with search engines and improve your Google ranking, Bing ranking, or ranking on any other search engines that may be important to you.

    It’s important to note that search engine optimisation is about competing with other businesses in your industry— and depending on what that industry is the SEO consultants providing your search engine optimisation services may even end up competing with businesses across industries, and even with big names like Amazon or Walmart. In cases like these you’ll need a highly-skilled SEO consultant providing your search engine optimisation services, and using strong SEO strategies in order to compete.

    Let’s Talk

    Other Services – VIEW ALL CASE STUDIES

    Alpha Designs
    Take a look at how support from Seek Marketing Partners overhauled Alpha Designs’ online advertising performance, delivering greater effectiveness and reduced cost!

    Limerick
    Learn more about SMP’s SEO work with Limerick, which delivered increased traffic to their site, and increased product orders through their site – take a look!

    Alset
    Click here and see how we helped this bartering platform build their brand online, and increased key metrics like number of followers and app installs!

    A reputable SEO company will employ metrics and KPIs.

    KPI is short for ‘Key Performance Indicator’, and your KPI’s are the metrics that your SEO company should be using to track your progress. Every SEO campaign should have KPI’s assigned to it before it begins, because quite simply without them how can you identify what’s working, what isn’t working, and what you (or your partner SEO agency) are going to do about it?

    Don’t forget however that having an agreed set of KPI’s in place is also in you’re best interest as a client. They are a way for your chosen SEO agency to show their results, but they’re also a way of holding them accountable – a yardstick against which the quality of their SEO services should be measured. With KPI’s in place you can independently measure your own success and evaluate the effectiveness of any changes you or your chosen search engine optimisation partner make. With that information in hand, you can make more informed decisions about how to proceed with future activities.

    Why do I need Search Engine Optimisation?

    There are several reasons why you need search engine optimisation, and why you may need to hire an SEO consultant:

    Search engine optimisation is important for generating traffic to your site. If you don’t have a lot of organic visitors, it can be nearly impossible to get much exposure for your business. An experienced SEO consultant and good SEO services can help you stand out from the competition, and get you more traffic.

    Your business needs Google in order to succeed. The search engine is the most popular online tool available, so it’s crucial that your website is optimised for it—and an experienced SEO consultant will know how to do this properly.

    How do I find an SEO company near me?

    If you’re looking for a top-quality SEO consultant, there are many resources available to you that can help. A good place to start is by reading reviews about different search engine optimisation companies online so that you can find out which ones have the best track records – be it with clients in your industry or with specific search engines. You might even choose to put the search engines to work yourself and look for an SEO consultant online – we have some tips about how to do that later on, don’t worry – or even ask friends or colleagues who have worked with an SEO consultant before for recommendations. These contacts should be able to tell you about the SEO consultant they teamed up with in the very least, but they may also be able to offer an informed opinion about any SEO consultant that you may be considering working with, and the SEO strategies they use.

    You may also want to consider looking for a local digital marketing or SEO consultant because believe it or not search engine optimisation is part of digital marketing. What’s more, by focusing on looking for a local business you’re more likely to find an SEO consultant who can give you personal, face to face service – an SEO consultant that’s more than just a voice at the other end of the phone, that you can visit and talk to in person if you need to.

    How do I know how to choose the best SEO consultants near me?

    It’s important to find an SEO consultant with a good reputation so that they can help you achieve your goals. A track record of success is also important because you will want an SEO consultant who has experience working with clients and delivering success.

    There are a few things you should look at when choosing an SEO consultant. A good SEO consultant will have a record of success, and it’s always best to choose someone who has been ranked top 10 in the search engine results page (SERP) rankings for their area of expertise. Here at the top full-service digital marketing agency Manchester has to offer we’re proud to say we’ve achieved that, and good SEO is one of the things that helped us do so.

    When you’re evaluating the skills of an SEO consultant the first thing you should do is have a look at their website and see how well it ranks. If the SEO consultant you’re looking at is not ranking as high as they should be on Google, then chances are they won’t be able to help you either!

    The next thing we recommend checking out is their blog – where the same rule applies. Again, if your chosen SEO consultant can’t get their own blog to show up at the top of the search engine rankings, how are they going to do the same for you?

    If all else fails, go ahead and check out some testimonials from clients who’ve dealt with the SEO consultant you’re looking at in the past. We suggest reading through these carefully before making any final decisions, and doing your due diligence as far as ensuring that what you read is genuine of course – but providing that the SEO consultant you’re looking at is a reputable and ethical provider of SEO services, this can be a great way to evaluate the SEO services they offer, and whether or not their SEO strategies can get you moving up through the search engine rankings.

    Where can I learn more about Search Engines & Search Engine Optimisation?

    As leading SEO consultants the Seek Marketing Partners team know that SEO is a complex topic, and it’s changing all the time. It is therefore essential for anyone interested in providing SEO services – including the SEO consultant you’re looking at – to stay up to date regarding how search engines work, changes to the algorithms that govern them, SEO trends, and more.

    We understand that not everyone wants to be an experienced SEO consultant like the experts on our team though – some people are just curious and thirsty for knowledge. Whatever your motivation may be though, if you’re looking for more information on SEO, then you can certainly find it online. Platforms such as Moz, Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal, and yes, even the Seek Marketing Partners blog are the place to come to for all the latest developments in the world of search engines, and digital marketing in general!

    How the right SEO consultant impacts your business positively.

    A good SEO consultant is focused on getting your site to rank higher, but this has a number of knock-on positives for your business. For one, a better performance on search engines means more traffic and more traffic means more leads and customers, which means more sales! More traffic and a better ranking also mean more brand awareness, again leading to even more leads and sales.