Improve your SEO in 2014 - A Review

Improve your SEO in 2014 was held at the Greenhouse Hotel in Bournemouth on the 25th February 2014. The location was perfect for the event and we were bowled over to receive such a friendly welcome from the team at Lexis Click. The seminar was pitched to explain key changes to SEO lead by the Google updates. As I am sure you remember, we have spoken avidly about the Penguin, Panda and Hummingbird updates and the implications for your business, but we were interested to understand the changes in semantic search for our content marketing strategy. 

Stephen Bavister - Managing Director at Lexis Click started by stating that an effective website should be easy to find, regularly recommended, easy to use and returnable. We absolutely agree, especially in the case of our client brands. Your website is often the first impression of your brand for your consumers and the key is to encourage engagement as you are with interactive and theatrical retail marketing campaigns. Do an honest user experience audit of your website. Start with consumer behavior motivation and track their journey. Are your products easy to find? Yes? How about on a mobile, or tablet? Are there clear social calls to action? Is your blog relevant to your consumers? Does it add value by giving them information first or offering incentives such as special offers or range previews? 

So let's start at the basics, Stephen spoke about bad SEO practices such as meta keywords, keyword spamming, manual submissions and poor link building. How many of you still use these lazy and outdated techniques in the hope of a prime Google Page 1 listing? Google's updates have changed the rules of SEO completely and for the better. Searching is now personalised based on context and vocal phrasing, which delivers accurate and useful results. What we present on our website contributes to the Google user experience and this is not something that Google takes lightly. In order to ensure successful SEO, your website should have high quality and share-able content, without duplicate content, and removal of all poor quality back links.

But there is more to the story than just content. Search has changed and Google glasses are set to further change the way we search. Key words have been replaced by phrases and questions which Google then translates into personalised semantic listings. A great way to utilise this change is to answer key search questions within your blog. We often use blog posts to tackle an industry or consumer challenge, so ensure that you write the copy in a more targeted way to improve your SEO. Did you know that websites with a blog receive 55% more traffic than those without?  Ensure that you own and regularly update the Google local listings for your business and include opening hours, event times or other relevant content that will enhance the consumer search experience. 

Page optimisation is really important to your SEO. Stephen advised that the perfect page optimisation should have a H1 headline, an image with the appropriate search term as the file name, no more than four scattered keywords and a relevant URL structure for the page. Throughout your website you should complete a technical audit and SWOT analysis and test page loading times as Google penalises poor user experience. Ensure that your page has clear calls to action and can answer Who, What and Why easily, with consistent next clicks and content that matches the user's intent. Engaging content is also vital to the user experience, providing downloadable content or media such as video that links to YouTube (the second largest search engine) are really effective methods. 

Finally social media interaction is one of the key ways that Google judges your content. Google+ is crawled and indexed in real time and author searches utilise your Google+ circles and profile image. Your website should be updated regularly and consistently, with clear social media page links to encourage sharing. Provide context on your landing page such as contact details, menus and offers. Segment your traffic by topics and track their journey through your website on all platforms. Consider your target market, how do they search, what are they looking for and build your content strategy from there. Following these tips should set you on the right path to great SEO, that enhances you innovative and engaging retail marketing campaigns.

Top tips from Improve your SEO in 2014:

1. Test your website across all platforms and with user experience in mind.
2. Is your content relevant? Does it answer key user search questions? Does it add value to the user?
3. Explore page optimisation for more effective SEO.
4. Be social! Ensure your content is updated consistently and is easy to share.
5. Make sure you have claimed and regularly update your Google local pages, as this is often the first thing users find in the search listings. 

Improve your SEO in 2014 was interesting and added new perspectives to the SEO debate. The team were friendly and the content was interactive. 

Maria Parker-Harris

Group marketing Co-ordinator

The SPS Group 

www.thespsgroup.co.uk

#contentmarketing #digital #digital marketing #Google #search #retailmarketing #social media #thespsgroup #SEO

Making the Most of Mobile - A Review

Making the Most of Mobile was held at the Bournemouth University Executive Business Centre by the CIM South West. With a healthy mix of students and professionals and Duncan Cook from 3 Sided Cube speaking, the event offered to demystify marketing in the mobile world. 

Duncan came armed with some amazing facts; for example did you know that at the end of 2012 1 Billion smart phones were being used, rising to 2.1 Billion by the end of 2013? Staggering numbers I am sure you will agree. With more people owning a smart phone than a toothbrush, mobile marketing should no longer be overlooked. Its power in distributing brand or product information is phenomenal. In 2013 more iPhones were purchased than babies born. John Lewis has stated that 75% of sales in 2013 took place on tablets and smart phones. In a retail market, brands really must start including mobile apps and mobile website provision that will not only allow customers ease of shopping, but also interactive brand activity. It is predicted that there will be 4.4 billion mobile app users by 2017. The average consumer owns 3.9 connected devices, a 67% increase from 2011. Mobile is growing that is a well know fact, what is unclear is how to best use this rapidly changing technology for brand and sales growth. Apps encourage long-term brand engagement, increase sales by giving real-time offers and promotes social media sharing of products which is ever more popular in the Gen Z purchase decision. 

Duncan suggested that apps have the potential to reach billions of people globally, quickly and easily like no other marketing medium. But before you all go running to design your apps, Duncan has some words of caution. When designing your app, it is vital that you consider the purpose from a user's perspective. As easy as it is to run away with the excitement of your idea, bring yourself back to earth with these three questions:

- Will your app be used multiple times? Why?
- Why would someone download it?
- Why would they keep the app?

If you are stumbling with these questions, than you should revisit the concept to ensure that what you are creating is the best in its category and ultimately great according to Duncan.

When talking about platforms, Android has an 81% UK market share, with open source that is cheaper and customisable, however as the platform with the most free apps it generates less revenue. iOS has 13.4% of UK market share, with the most paid downloads and most user internet activity. An insight into the future was the Samsung operating system, rumoured to be announced in February. Keep your eyes peeled folks as this could be a game changer! Microsoft has 4.1% of UK market share and so we are expecting big changes from the Microsoft camp very soon. 

When designing your app as you would a website, you must consider your audience and organise content to match their needs and user style. Every 100 millisecond in load time decreases app downloads by 1%. Due to the unique reach of app stores for distribution, thinking globally is more essential than ever before and must be considered beyond language and culture contexts. Apps are also ageless with 38% of 2 year olds using mobile devices. Mobile apps have opened up a wide ranging new market that reaches both the very young and older consumers, this is suggested to be due to the intuitive nature of apps. 

When launching your app it is key to understand this unusual distribution channel, where traditional marketing is often rendered ineffective. Marketing activity must be concentrated to a one day or one week slot to ensure your app is ranked highly on the app stores, which display in real time. Viral techniques, blogging and social media are often the most successful strategies, but must be supported by an app that is best in its category and will be supported by strong word of mouth and sharing interaction. SEO is largely irrelevant in this context, as long as the description is accurate, the screen shots are the key to pitching to downloaders.

Top tips from Making the Most of Mobile are:

1. Before you release your app, make sure you can answer the three key questions.
2. Keep and eye on Samsung, their new operating system could be a real game changer. 
3. Think globally when designing your app, as you have limited control on its distribution reach. 
4. Consider the best platform for speed in your design, remembering the 100 millisecond rule.
5. Social media and digital marketing is king when marketing your app. Utilise bloggers and opinion leaders to spread the word. 

Making the Most of Mobile was an interactive event, with Duncan bravely inviting questions at all stages of his talk. It was clear that Duncan lives and breathes mobile and deliver his talk confidently as the guru of mobile apps. 

Maria Parker-Harris

Group marketing Co-ordinator

The SPS Group 

www.thespsgroup.co.uk

POPAI 2014 Retail Marketing Conference - A Review

The POPAI 2014 Retail Marketing Conference was held on a very wet Thursday in February at the beautiful 30 Euston Square, with speakers from Barbour, Fitch, Google, Mars, Ordnance Survey and POPAI on behalf of Tesco. Not even the tube strikes could dampen what was set to be a informative and engaging event. The atmosphere was that of meeting old friends, rather than the formal and traditional conference feel and topics covered included new technology, consumer behaviour trends and research findings.

First to the stage was POPAI to discuss 'Industry Health'. They inspired the crowd by talking of steady growth in an industry estimated to be worth £1.4 billion, in comparison to media spend, with TV only growing 3.7% and Press, Cinema and Direct Mail all decreasing in 2013. Retail Marketing appears to be enjoying a positive future. However, all isn't rosy on the high street with 3400 shops closing between January and June 2013 and only 3200 opening, leaving a deficit of 200. If this rate continues, then the high street will inevitably disappear. But is it all doom and gloom for retailers? Well no says POPAI; the store mix is changing and understanding this change is key to future success. The growing market share of online retail is undeniable and if stores offer a blend of interactive brand engagement, in-store theatre and E-commerce then they are much more likely to lead the way to retail growth.

Anthony Prior - Head of Research for POPAI UK and IRE explained the results of the recent Tesco Price Promise Study. The study was conducted in the Craigavon Tesco Extra store, using Clip Cam, Store Audits, Recall Tests, Interviews and Digitrack data analysis. The study aimed to understand which POP mechanics had the most impact on customers and provided the most effective use of the budget. Key findings were that FSDU's with offer messages had a much higher impact than those with brand messaging. Car park banners, FSDUs, escalator banners and window stickers had the highest impact rate due to the customer having no other attention distractions and a slower pace of movement in this area of the store.

Onika Simon - Senior Strategic Planner at Fitch talked about the importance of Gen Z. She described under 25's as the 'Mainstream of the Future'. Discussing the change in perspective for a generation growing up post credit crunch, Onika talked of a cautious generation, with access to more offers and shopping knowledge than ever before. Key points to note were the influence of peers that is amplified through social media on purchase decision. As we have talked about before, storytelling marketing is key for brand engagement for this consumer group, as they like to 'beta' test new products and follow the path of innovation and product improvement. This consumer group aspirationally shops using Facebook sharing and Pinterest before considering purchase, gauging peer reaction to see if the purchase is desirable. This generation has a constantly fragmented attention span and needs honest two-way dialogue to cut through the communication clutter, but if a brand cracks this, the rewards are huge due to the broadcasting lifestyle where anyone has the potential for online/media celebrity.

The conference featured two panel debates: Shopper Technology and Working with Suppliers. Questions from the audience were posed to the panels representing Banner Managed Communication, Haygarth, Life Group, L'oreal, Mars and the ex Head of Channel Marketing for Samsung. The conclusion was that digital technology and augmented reality is of growing importance to the retail experience, but consistency in staff knowledge and utilisation is key to customer engagement. A clear strategy with specific desired results is vital to the success of new technology. It was also suggested that with stores offering free WIFI, a loyalty based app model is important to enhance the shopper experience. New technology offers great advances in research and could offer tailored offers in real time to shoppers. In the context of supplier relationships, innovation is king, but a strong understanding of the client brand and challenge is of equal importance. The panel stated that they judged on timeliness, quality, creativity and honest two-way dialogue when evaluating suppliers.

Mars, Barbour and Ordnance Survey all spoke of their brand challenges and the creative approach to solution. Andy Page - In-Store Marketing Controller for Mars used M&M world as an example of an engaging and thriving retail space in a post-recession high street. Stating that interaction with the brand and product is most successful when coupled with in-store theatre. Barbour talked of changing product range to grow into younger markets, but upholding the traditional values of reliability and quality. Good retail design must be flexible, consistent, scale-able, interesting, cost-effective, brand rich, distinctive and acceptable to the audience for Barbour. Stuart Howarth - Global Marketing Manager also spoke of seasonal storytelling as a key marketing strategy for Barbour. Gareth Miller - Head of Marketing Communications discussed Ordnance Survey's new digital offering, designed to open up the product to new markets and develop the traditional brand image into the tools for 'Challenges' brand identity.

Finally David Liversidge - Head of Multi-Channel Attribution at Google teased us with the analytics of the future. We all know that 1:2 people start the buying process online, with smart phones acting as the first screen in a notable number of purchases. But did you know that 65% move screens whilst shopping online? This 'multi-screening' behaviour is not picked up by traditional analytics, and therefore does not trace the marketing collateral involved in the conversion accurately. Well Google have a solution, soon you will be able to track whole conversion across devises which includes PC, tablet, smart-phones, games consoles, and smart TV for logged in Google users. The data is strictly anonymous, a fact that David really stressed, but the analytics will link the various stages of conversion across all devices. This is great news for us a marketers, as this could shape our understanding of changing consumer behaviour and media consumption, whilst ensuring that marketing collateral is strategic and provided strong ROI.

Top tips from POPAI 2014 Retail Marketing Conference are:

1. Really understand the changing needs and behaviour of your customers to provide the service and products that meet their changing attitude to retail.
2. For suppliers, it has never been so important to understand the client, their brand and processes and most importantly their customers. 
3. Location was found to be more important than the mix of POS/display mechanics. Consistency of message was also key to message recall. 
4. Gen Z expect innovation and product development that uses their feedback. They expect involvement in the testing process through two-way dialogue.
5. Staff must fully understand new technology and its correct utilisation in order to provide consistent brand experience. Customers won't engage without trust in the brand offering. 

To summarise, the event was well organised and smooth in transition between speakers. Providing a range of topics that spanned the diverse interests of the attendees. The opportunity for networking was excellent and the ability to provide attendees with such a relaxed atmosphere is very rare.

Maria Parker-Harris

Group marketing Co-ordinator

The SPS Group 

www.thespsgroup.co.uk

#augmentedreality #communication #POPAI #thespsgroup #retailmarketing #consumerbehaviour #contentmarketing #digitalmarketing #experientialmarketing #Google #FSDU #POS #marketing #retailmarketing #socialmedia #ROI