The famous Love Island villa returned to our screens on June 6th. Love it or hate it, this TV show truly has a hold on people! Not only does the show help some people find love, but it also takes ‘normal’ people and turns them into influencers almost overnight, with many ex-contestants earning upwards of £1 million thanks to the business opportunities they gained from the show. 

We wanted to look at just how quickly these contestants can grow within one episode, so our Digital PR team analysed the social media following of each Love Islander before and after the season premiere… 

The data revealed there was a total growth of 1,050.6% across all contestants’ Instagram followers. Brighton based fish monger Luca Bish saw the biggest increase in followers – he had 11.5k before the premiere and 29.7k the morning after the premiere. 

Gemma Owen had the most followers before entering the show with 78.1k (perhaps due to her famous father!). Although Gemma hasn’t seen the biggest growth, she still has the highest number of followers, which now stands at 138k. 

Tasha Ghouri saw the least growth, with an increase of 48.4%.

As well as looking at the contestants’ Instagram follower growth, we wanted to see who was the initial favourite and least favourite based on positive and negative sentiments on social media. 

Based on this data, Amber Beckford was the favourite islander on the first show, with 90.2% of social media posts having positive sentiment, with 0% negative! Dami Hope appeared to be the second favourite, also receiving no negative comments. 

Unfortunately, Nottingham-based Ikenna Ekwonna appeared to be the least favourite contestant after the season premiere, receiving the highest percentage of negative sentiments on social media (11.2%). Perhaps it was the crocs?

It’s surprising just how popular these young people can become after just one episode of Love Island 2022! We’re looking forward to seeing how this data changes as the show continues.

Who is the favourite after week one?

Our Digital PR team decided to look at the data after a week of Love Island airing to see how each contestant’s popularity has grown whilst we’ve been getting to know them better, and who is the current favourite… 

There was a total growth of over 6,766% across all contestant’s (including the latest additions) Instagram accounts since the season started. After the premiere, Luca Bish saw the biggest follow increase (158.3%) However Liam Llewellyn, who actually quit the series and left the villa five days in, overtook Luca for the most growth on Instagram since the start with an increase of 1256.64% – he entered the villa with 31k followers and currently has 194k. 

Newbie bombshell Ekin-Su saw the lowest growth of just 9.43%, although she had a huge following before entering the villa (350k) and remains the most followed Islander with a current total of 383k Instagram followers.

We also wanted to look at each contestant’s positive and negative sentiments on social media to see who is the most (and least) liked by the public after the first week… 

After the premiere, Amber received the lowest amount of negative sentiment on social media and the most positive – during week one, she still received the lowest number of negative sentiment at 1% but is no longer seeing the most positive sentiment. 

New boy and Gemma’s ex Jacques saw the most positive sentiment (42.3%) despite only being in the villa for a day! Speaking of Gemma, it appears that she is a ‘love/hate’ character as she receives the second-highest percentage of positive comments on social media (39.9%) but also receives the most negative comments too (12.4%) 

We’re excited for the next seven weeks and to see how each contestant stands in terms of followers and favourites throughout the season!

The post Love Island Contestants Ranked After the Episode Premiere appeared first on The SEO Works.

When searching for inspirational women in SEO, Aleyda Solis has to rank near the top. 

On International Women’s Day in 2021, we asked our team which women in the industry inspire them… there was one name that came up a lot!

Aleyda Solis has had a huge positive impact on our team, and this year we’d like to show you why. We’ve put together an introduction to her work, some of her best free tools, and quotes about her from women at The SEO Works.

Who is Aleyda Solis?

Aleyda is a world-leading expert in SEO. She has spoken at conferences all over the world and has produced many free how-to guides, resources and Google-recommended tools.

• She’s the founder of SEO consultancy Orainti
• She hosts the video series Crawling Mondays
• She writes the email newsletter #SEOFOMO
• She’s a co-founder of the Remoters work hub
• She’s an avid jump skipper on Crossrope

Aleyda is a fantastic role model for women working in SEO, web development and the wider tech industry. As a founding member of the Women in Tech SEO global community and a passionate speaker on issues like sexism, she’s a voice that’s impossible to ignore.

“Aleyda is an absolute machine and I am in complete and utter awe of her. I just can’t fathom accomplishing all she does in a lifetime, never mind in a single week. We all have 24 hours in a day, but I’d need 60 hours a day to be able to get as much Aleyda achieves. Imagine being this driven. She’s unstoppable.”

– Billie Hyde, Training Lead at The SEO Works

How did Aleyda get into SEO?

Aleyda is one of the biggest names in SEO and has been in the industry since 2007. Named European Search Personality of the Year in 2018, she’s dedicated to sharing her knowledge.

She has spoken at over 100 conferences, including BrightonSEO, MozCon and SMX.
In this Women in Tech SEO interview, Aleyda describes how she got into SEO ‘purely by coincidence!’. Before being an SEO, she worked in front-end web development. She learned SEO as a Web Manager at an online marketing agency, eventually becoming an SEO there.

“Aleyda is always someone whose profile I head to if I ever have a query about an SEO topic to see if she’s advised on it previously, she’s the font of all SEO knowledge! 

Her #SEOFOMO newsletter is invaluable for keeping up to date on SEO news and any algorithm updates rolling out. It’s great for staying informed when you have a busy week, without having to spend time trawling Twitter or the internet for industry news yourself.”

– Holly Breedon, SEO Account Manager at The SEO Works

Free Resources & Online Talks

Aleyda’s website contains a variety of free tools and resources for SEOs, including these:

• LearningSEO.io – an amazing hub of free SEO knowledge
• Want to set up redirects through htaccess? Try this tool
• Why My Web Traffic Dropped – a checklist for solutions
• A hreflang generator tool, essential for international SEO

Many of Aledya’s tools are recommended by Google, and you don’t have to pay a penny!

“Her blog has some really helpful guides and articles on SEO. She also has a number of free SEO tools on her website, including a hreflang generator tool which is a lifesaver!”

– Emily Capes, Team Leader at The SEO Works

Aleyda Solis on Sexism

As well as being an amazing SEO, it’s really validating to see someone as influential and respected as Aleyda speaking up on issues like sexism – as it can often be overlooked.

She has also supported other women in tech with weird and inappropriate interactions…

“Everything she does for our community is a hit and she is one of the most knowledgeable and kindest people I have ever had the pleasure to speak to.”

– Billie Hyde, Training Lead at The SEO Works

What is Women in Tech SEO?

Women in Tech SEO is a supportive online community for women in SEO and wider tech. Ideal for women working as agency, company and freelance SEOs, their values are:

• To be kind
• To be helpful
• To be respectful
• To be a safe and judgement-free community

They host regular virtual talks and meet-ups, plus a thriving Slack channel for discussion. If you join, you’re sure to find women from The SEO Works to support and swap tips with you.

“The Women in Tech SEO group is inspiring to me as it shows other women in the industry.”

– Melanie Lowe, SEO Account Executive at The SEO Works

Interested in joining a company filled with talented women in SEO? We’re hiring!

The post Spotlight on Aleyda Solis – International Women’s Day appeared first on The SEO Works.

This year, we decided to spread the Christmas cheer by partnering with a gin distillery to create our very own “The SEO Works” branded gin bottles. Our partners, Wessex Distillery, helped us by designing and creating amazing branded Christmas gins complete with our logo, brand messaging and signature green for the bottle glass.  

Creating branded merchandise is an excellent way to get our name out there in a unique way, so we loved partnering with one of the best UK craft gin distilleries to do just that. Plus, who doesn’t love gin?

About Wessex Distillery

Wessex Distillery are a family-run and award-winning gin distillery in the heart of Surrey. The SEO Works loved partnering with the company to showcase their local craft gin, and creating a gin bottle that is unique to us to mark Christmas 2021. 

Wessex Distillery offers a wide range of custom gin bottles; you can choose from a range of flavours, whether you prefer unflavoured or a sweeter gin like rhubarb and ginger, then add your own message. Their custom gin is a lovely way to mark a special occasion with a keepsake or gift, as we have done with a signature green branded gin bottle.

Jonathan, Master Distiller at Wessex Distillery, has said:

‘We partnered with SEO Works to create a gin bottle that represents the agency’s brand to help commemorate a successful year and celebrate Christmas 2021! Working closely with businesses on custom orders is something we love to do, as we’re able to create a gin bottle that is unique and fit for purpose. Whether you want your gin as a corporate gift, internally or externally, or to sell as branded merchandise.’

Check out this case study to read more about our one-of-a-kind gin on the Wessex Distillery website, and browse their range of craft gins distilled in Surrey by their team. If you’re a fan of The SEO Works gin, watch out for what we do to celebrate next Christmas!

The post The SEO Works Partner with Wessex Distillery to Create Branded Gin appeared first on The SEO Works.

We are thrilled to announce that SelectedFirms, a leading B2B research and review platform, has recently named The SEO Works as one of the top SEO agencies in the UK. Our proficiency and fifteen years of experience in offering SEO services have contributed to our achievement of this title. 

Why were we selected?

Web design, PPC, social media marketing, and SEO are all areas of expertise for The SEO Works, as a comprehensive digital agency. The SEO Works has been active in this digital landscape since 2009 and has gone to great lengths to achieve the digital marketing goals of businesses of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

SelectedFirms underwent a thorough evaluation based on essential factors like the company’s experience, expertise, client testimonials, and market presence to prove competence in SEO services. And in each of these areas, we have improved, setting ourselves apart from other SEO firms in the United Kingdom.

How we deliver SEO

The company employs a group of seasoned SEO experts knowledgeable about current SEO trends and best practices. They use a data-driven methodology for SEO, examining the client’s website and sector to create a tailored SEO strategy that addresses their particular requirements.

The SEO expertise of the agency is also one of its strongest suits. The company has collaborated with companies from a range of sectors over the years, including e-commerce, healthcare, and finance. The company now has a thorough understanding of how various industries operate and what kind of marketing efforts it takes to succeed in each of them.

Additionally, The SEO Works places a high priority on client satisfaction. The business manages clients personally, collaborating closely with each one to understand their requirements and challenges. This helps us to deliver SEO solutions tailored to client’s needs, resulting in high client satisfaction rates.

The market presence of The SEO Works is also noteworthy. We have a solid online presence thanks to our attractive website, and strong organic SEO rankings – highlighting our abilities and services. 

A unique approach to Web Design

In many cases, clients come to us with a website that is not up to scratch. The base platform needs fixing before they can feel the benefits of SEO. This is why we have developed our unique SEO web design service that puts SEO considerations central to the process, rather than as an afterthought. After all, why spend lots on a new website if nobody visits it? 

Our unique and expert contribution to web design projects for our clients has also earned us recognition of one of the top web design companies in the UK. Our case studies offer a wealth of information for businesses looking for real-life insights of what it’s like to collaborate with us. 

Award-winning services

SelectedFirms has highlighted The SEO Works in a number of categories for the services we offer, including:

• Best Web Development Companies in the UK
• Top Google Adwords Companies
• Top Digital Marketing Agencies

We have also received numerous honours, including:

• Global Search Awards 
• European Search Awards 
• Prolific North Champions
• UK Digital Excellence Awards 
• UK Digital Growth Awards 
• Effective Digital Marketing Awards 
• UK Search Awards 
• Drum Search Awards 
• Northern Digital Awards

Alex Hill, Director at The SEO Works said of the recognition:

“This is a noteworthy accomplishment for The SEO Works and confirms its dedication to offering its customers the best possible SEO services. We believe this acknowledgment is a testament to our team’s perseverance and commitment to providing our clients with excellent results.”

The company has a well-deserved reputation as one of the top SEO and web development companies in the UK for its dedication to providing clients with high quality and ROI-focussed services. Businesses that want to increase their online visibility and draw in more clients can rely on The SEO Works to produce the desired results.

The post SelectedFirms Recognises The SEO Works as the Top SEO Agency in the UK appeared first on The SEO Works.

Feeling inspired, and feeling represented, is really important. We spoke to some of our team about which women they look to in our industry for inspiration, and why.

Here’s what they came up with…

Areej AbuAli

Areej is an SEO Consultant and the founder of Women in Tech SEO.
Twitter – @areej_abuali
“She is one of the most empowering and kind people I have ever come across. She’s fighting for equality in our industry every single day and it making digital marketing a better place.”

Aleyda Solis

Aleyda is an award-winning International SEO Consultant, Speaker & Author
Twitter – @aleyda
“Her blog has some really helpful guides and articles on SEO. She also has a number of free SEO tools on her website, including a hreflang generator tool which is a lifesaver!”

Carrie Rose

Carrie Rose is the CEO & Founder of the agency Rise at Seven.
Twitter – @CarrieRosePR
“Carrie inspires me as she is a woman, from my home town (shout out Gainsborough), who has broken boundaries in digital marketing and gone outside the box with digital campaigns resulting in much success!”

Crystal Carter

Crystal is a Senior Digital Strategist at Optix Solutions.
Twitter – @CrystalontheWeb
“She’s really knowledgeable yet relatable. Plus she makes a lot of Beyonce SEO references on Twitter!”

Dawn Anderson

Dawn is the Managing Director of BERTey, a speaker, and a trainer.
Twitter – @dawnieando
“She has done some wonderful SEO talks and is an International Technical SEO Consultant, which is often still a very male-dominated sector.”

Katie Ramsingh

Katie is a freelance fashion brand copywriter.
Instagram – @katieramsingh
“Her Instagram feed shows that SEO can be fun and creative!”

Kristina Azarenko

Kristina is an eCommerce & Technical SEO Consultant, speaker and teacher.
Twitter – @azarchick
“Kristina invented the SEO Pro Extension, a tool I use multiple times a day. She’s so willing to share her expertise and genuinely wants to see other SEOs do well.”

Women in Tech SEO

Women in Tech SEO is a support network aimed for women in the Technical SEO field, to discuss, share and learn from one another.
Twitter – @techseowomen
“The Women in Tech SEO group is inspiring to me as it shows other women in the industry.”

The women we work with!

“All the women I work with at The SEO Works inspire me. They show so much talent, insight, positive thinking and continually have amazing, thoughtful and interesting ideas across all of the departments of the company. It’s a pleasure working with them and learning from them every day.”

We hope you find these amazing women as inspirational as we do! As with any list, there are many people we weren’t able to include – tweet @SEOWorksUK with who inspires you!

The post Inspirational Women in Digital appeared first on The SEO Works.

In recognition of National Apprenticeship Week 2021 (8th – 14th February), we’ve been talking to our apprentices – past and present!

We have an established apprenticeship program here at The SEO Works, and have seen countless ambitious individuals thrive on the course and go on to successful digital careers.

The combination of training, on the job experience, and becoming orientated at an agency, is extremely valuable – the perfect way to begin a career in digital marketing.

To shine light on the benefits of an apprenticeship and what they can involve, we chatted to our past and present apprentices about their experiences. Here’s what they said…

Why would you recommend doing an apprenticeship at The SEO Works?

Shannon Reeves-Jones, Sales Coordinator – “I’d highly recommend doing an apprenticeship as it allows you to gain on the job experience whilst learning at the same time.

Gaining my qualification whilst at The SEO Works has enabled me to learn sector-specific skills that I otherwise wouldn’t have known, but that can still be applied in a variety of environments.”

What are you enjoying about your apprenticeship at The SEO Works?

Suzanna Frith, Digital Marketing Coordinator – “I am really enjoying my apprenticeship at The SEO Works because it allows me to not only specialise in SEO, but learn about a range of aspects of marketing. I feel very supported by the team here as they are always willing to help if I have questions.

I love getting to create content every day, as well as learn about the technical side of SEO, which I wouldn’t have known otherwise. An apprenticeship, in general, is a great way to learn about an industry whilst working in it, and SEO Works makes it really easy to integrate my learning with work.”

How did your apprenticeship help prepare you for your current role?

Luke Dodson, PPC Account Executive – “The apprenticeship prepared me by giving me time to learn the skills necessary to become a successful Account Exec.

I was given time to explore Google Ads independently on our internal accounts, make my own changes, and learn from my own mistakes. This time helped me build up my knowledge for the future!”

How did starting out with an apprenticeship help you progress in your career?

Ryan Fox, Business Development Manager – “Since starting as an Apprentice in 2016, I’ve had 4 job titles, each with a higher level of responsibility than the last.

I think that having progressed through almost every position in my department gives me a unique perspective on what it’s like to be in each role, allowing me to empathise with and help guide others.

To me, this has been far more advantageous than coming in at a senior level and having to learn what each function does.”

We’re always on the look out for ambitious apprentices to kickstart their careers with us! To find out more, or to put yourself forward, click here.

The post National Apprenticeship Week 2021 appeared first on The SEO Works.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that you never know what’s around the corner. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, the world leapt to react and pivot – often more than once. We enter 2021 in another lockdown, but this time with the hope of a vaccine.

Yes, no one saw it coming. But will that stop us looking ahead? No.

To get the year started, we thought we’d talk to our senior management team about what they can see in their crystal balls… What will 2021 mean for digital marketing?

• Digital reflections and trends
• SEO trends
• PPC trends
• Web trends
• New business trends

Ben Foster, Managing Director

2020 was a challenging year for many businesses and marketers. Some saw budgets cut or placed on hold, whereas others in certain sectors experienced record growth. It was certainly a year like none before as we all learned to live with the pandemic.

For us as a business, we had to be very adaptable. Adaptability is one of our core values as a business: “Adaptability, with an open-minded approach that can embrace change”. We were tested with this on many levels in 2020 – from working at home, to onboarding new team members remotely, to being agile to changing client needs – and I’m proud to say that we demonstrated this value in abundance.

We took the strategic view to support clients where possible who were struggling, as we are here for a long term partnership, and we took a hit where needed. In many ways the demand for digital has grown during the pandemic as more and more people go online, so we were well-positioned to support new clients with their growth needs as they came to us. 

The move towards investing more in digital, whether it’s through Social or Google Ads, better email comms, a website overhaul, or taking SEO more seriously, is here to stay. In fact, a Twilio study of over 2500 companies has found that, on average, COVID-19 has accelerated their digital communication strategy by six years.

Moving into 2021, data will still be at the forefront of people’s minds. Google has announced plans to stop supporting third-party cookies on its Chrome browser in 2021, with Firefox and Apple offering similar protections in future updates. 2021 will be the year we all have to start planning for a cookieless future, balancing a customised customer experience with the necessary privacy and security needs. Expect to see the emergence of Google Analytics 4, which has been designed to still track website behaviour but without the use of cookies.

Paul Friend, Head of SEO

One interesting opportunity for SEO professionals in 2021 is the recent introduction of Google Passages. What this means is that Google can now not only index whole web pages, but also specific pieces of text or information from those pages, leading to even more relevant in-SERP answers to user queries. Think of it like a natural extension of the featured snippet. Once the global rollout is complete, Google estimates that this new technology will help to improve around 7% of all searches – which, currently, would equate to around 245,000,000 queries per day. 

Content creators will need to pay even closer attention to the core on-page information and how this is organised and optimised; with the tantalising prospect of a page now being able to rank in its entirety and for individual passages of information.

Kathryn Pearson, Head of PPC

One of the biggest trends we will see in PPC Marketing during 2021 is the limitation of data. We have already seen this begun with Google limiting search query data back in September 2020. Only allowing search terms of “significant volume”. 

Along with the start of Google and Facebook phasing out third-party cookies, PPC marketers will have to become even more savvy. Using the data still available to them to make more informed decisions, guiding automation techniques and understanding the user and audience journey much more than before.

Over the last few years we have seen a huge push in automation, 2021 will see this trend continue. With machine learning now focusing on some tasks that were previously done by hand. Human intelligence has never been more important, PPC marketers will now have the opportunity to influence AI systems, by understanding the audience, the brand and the tools themselves. Gaining an edge over the competition.

Although understanding your customers’ journey has always been important, 2021 will see a bigger emphasis on this. With the limitation of data and the push in automation. PPC Pros will need to spend more time thinking about the customer, along with focusing on the brand’s audience as a whole. Identifying how that audience engages with the brand, recognising customer habits and predicting what the customer wants to see and hear. Moving more towards strategy-based campaigns that build brand exposure and increase return.

Gabriel Morrison, Head of Web

I suspect interest in AMP will continue to wane, but hopefully more general interest in performance will continue to grow. 2020 saw a backlash against AMP in the developer community and some of the benefits that publishers enjoyed by using it are due to be phased out in 2021. Others are likely to go too in response to the antitrust lawsuit Google is facing, leaving little point in implementing it on new projects.

2021 could finally be the year of the progressive web app. The support has been there on (mobile) browsers for a while (sadly Firefox is backing out of full desktop support). The App Store and Play Store have traditionally dominated the app distribution market, but with a storm brewing over Fortnite (of all things), it seems unlikely that Apple or Google will reduce this income stream without a fight. So already Amazon is using a PWA to distribute an app outside the App Store, and it feels like others are likely to jump ship.

Close to home for us, WordPress is continuing to push forward the trend of incorporating native support for functionality which had previously relied on third-party solutions. This is great news for developers and clients alike – offering more functionality, but crucially with reliability.

We could well see the popularity of third-party page building tools, such as Elementor, WP Bakery (formerly Visual Composer) and Divi Builder, fall dramatically from 2021 onwards. Just before 2019 Gutenberg, a native visual block-based editor, launched with WordPress 5.0, and last year saw the launch of the Block Patterns feature. The further polish planned on Gutenberg this year could really start to render them redundant.

There are also two massive features lurking in the long term WordPress roadmap, which I hope we can start to see some progress on this year: collaborative editing and multi-lingual support. Google Docs style real-time editing by more than one user at a time, in particular, will really help WordPress to stand out from the crowd.

Alex Hill, Sales Director

2021 is only a matter of weeks old, yet we’re excited and enthusiastic about the potential of the year ahead from a new business perspective. I foresee a further heightening in the need for a good website UX performance, as well as the need for us to continue to deliver greater organic visibility to client campaigns. This will involve keeping our new and prospective clients fully aware of the upcoming algorithm changes, to name just one example. The ever-changing Google and Social channel advertising landscapes will also dictate that our new business acquisition and positioning approach be as transparent, detailed and solution-led as it can possibly be. 

Fully integrated campaigns directly focusing on the website, followed by the correct digital marketing approach and promotion of the website will yield our clients the best ROI, as this leaves very little to chance. Our continued consultative and strategic approach to achieving this, and the methodology behind it, means our prospective clients place a high level of confidence in us. 

As we’ve all learnt in the last year, the future is difficult to predict. The key is to be adaptable and to always try and be pre-emptive rather than reactive.

If you want a helping hand keeping your marketing up to scratch, and up to date, get in touch with our expert team…

The post 2021 In Digital appeared first on The SEO Works.

With the arrival of November came the UK’s biggest night in the Search Marketing Industry – The UK Search Awards. Being finalists for four awards, the pressure was certainly on and the competition was fierce.

Although we were already pleased to be finalists at such a prestigious event, our team were overjoyed when we were announced as winners of Best Low Budget Campaign (PPC), for our work with Bearing King!

The judges said…

“We thought this campaign was very impressive with detailed thinking and implementation on a small budget. There is an element of tech and automation used in the campaign which was excellent and the results were measurable. We thought this was a difficult industry to be working in and making a difference in this field is hard to do – so well done!”

To be awarded yet another award for our PPC work is brilliant, and testament to the results we are generating for our clients.

Kathryn Pearson, Head of PPC, said…

“We are delighted to win the best low budget campaign for PPC this year at the UK Search Awards. It’s been a difficult year for many and this award shows us how we can help SMEs achieve their goals.”

As well as our victory we were also finalists for Best Large SEO Agency,  Best Use of Search, and Best Low Budget SEO Campaign. To be finalists amongst such tough competition, and in such a variety of categories, is something we are really proud of.

We’ve also been recognised as a top Digital Agency in the UK by leading B2B marketplace UpCity:

Our PPC team, winners of Best PPC Campaign three years in a row, show no signs of slowing down and we can’t wait for what is bound to be a very exciting year!

We’d like to congratulate the whole team for their amazing work, and all the other entrants and winners for what was an extremely competitive programme.

The post Best Low Budget PPC Campaign at The UK Search Awards appeared first on The SEO Works.

Earlier in the year, Google shook up their shopping offering. They announced that, due to the pandemic, they would offer free listings to any merchants in the US:

“With physical stores shuttered, digital commerce has become a lifeline for retailers. And as consumers increasingly shop online, they’re searching not just for essentials but also things like toys, apparel, and home goods. While this presents an opportunity for struggling businesses to reconnect with consumers, many cannot afford to do so at scale. In light of these challenges, we’re advancing our plans to make it free for merchants to sell on Google.”

This happened in mid-April, and they stated that the plans were to roll this out globally by the end of the year.

Free Google Shopping Ads for the UK

Now, the listings have arrived in the UK (as well as Europe, Asia, and Latin America), meaning all retailers can start to take advantage of the new feature.

You can now reach these potential shoppers for free in the Shopping tab, helping you connect with more customers.

What’s more, internal A/B tests by Google have shown that they have seen a >50% increase in clicks via the new layout, with small to medium sized merchants seeing the most increases. It’s a no-brainer to get involved!

How to set up Free Google Shopping Ads

To get going, you need to participate in surfaces across Google. Follow the 4 step guide below to get started.

1. Add your product feeds to Google Merchant Center. If you already have a Google Merchant Center feed set up, you may already be opted in so your products could be eligible to show already.
2. Opt-in to “Surfaces across Google” – either when you sign up, or by visiting Growth > Manage programs.
   
3. Check your feed to ensure your products are eligible to show, or if there are any issues that need fixing.
4. Monitor your performance – new tabs have been added to the “Performance dashboard” in Merchant Center to see unpaid clicks.
   

Free listings vs paid listings

Remember, the free product listings may drive some traffic but there is much less control compared to paid ads. And the paid listings still appear above the free listings.

Paid ads provide tools and controls to optimize performance, such as bidding toward meeting business goals such as selling more high-margin products. So to get best performance, a free and paid approach is best.

If you need help with your shopping and PPC, get in touch.

The post Free Google Shopping Ads have now launched in the UK appeared first on The SEO Works.

With all that’s going on in the world at the moment, SEO isn’t something that would typically stand out as an interesting topic. Most people are glued to the news, trying out a new hobby or falling down Netflix’s many rabbit holes.

In March, Netflix released its latest gripping documentary ‘The Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness’ and it’s safe to say that people are hooked! Every episode is wilder than the last and funnily enough, our favourite topic, SEO, made a cameo.

With a new documentary, ‘Surviving Joe Exotic’, coming soon to Animal Planet, now is the time to remember the war between Joe Exotic of The GW Exotic Animal Park and Carole Baskin of Big Cat Rescue.

What does this have to do with SEO?

The minute Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle said: “Do you know the power you have if you search Google around the world, and you’re the first choice every time?” the entire SEO community collectively cried “Yes, we do!”

Joe Exotic was impressed by Carole Baskins online presence and wanted to outdo her. He could see the power of ranking number one on Google, the benefits of having a large following on social media and wanted to do that himself.

“Joe started realising that if he made his name close to Big Cat Rescue, when they Google it, it might pull him up first,” said John Reinke, former manager of the G.W. Zoo.

Exotic renamed his travelling show ‘Big Cat Rescue Entertainment ’ as a petty tool to steal business from Carole Baskin.

This all happened in episode four of the much-talked-about Netflix docuseries Tiger King. The episode begins with interviews exploring the shady attempts to manipulate search engines and mislead users into booking business with him.

How did Joe Exotic use SEO to take on Carole Baskin?

One of the most ill-advised attempts was that Joe Exotic changed his business’ name to rank in search results for Baskin’s “Big Cat Rescue.” He did this to gain more visibility for his travelling tiger show and trick searchers through false association with the highly trusted animal sanctuary.

To start with this was very successful, Carole Baskin even received emails and calls from people assuming she was involved in Exotic’s Big Cat Rescue Entertainment.

Exotic copied their business’ name, the branding and got a Florida address and phone number, similar to Baskins. His actual zoo was based in Oklahoma, and he was manipulating this data to appear in the business profile on Google. Like with many of these black hat tactics, things don’t work out for long.

In 2012, Carole Baskin went on to sue Exotic for copyright violations, resulting in a nearly $1 million settlement in Baskin’s favour.

Evidence in the case included Big Cat Rescue Entertainment marketing assets, such as websites, advertisements from newspapers and business cards. The whole court case spurred on a war between Exotic and Baskins which would go on for many years.

Why is this SEO tactic bad practice?

This whole saga highlights the importance of SEO and how sought those SERP (Search Engine Results Page) features are. Renaming your brand to copy another brand’s search results is a clear attempt to con or mislead users whilst also manipulating search engines. Similar practices are used by spammers and hackers across the world.

When caught, businesses using these tactics can see their organic visibility severely penalised by Google or delisted from the SERPs altogether.

This all happened while Google’s first Penguin update was first rolled out, so I wonder how well Exotic’s Big Cat Rescue Entertainment site would have done with the much more sophisticated algorithm of today.

If you decide to make drastic changes to your online presence or to emulate what another company is doing, you should take a moment to think about “ifs and why” that would work for you. The easiest thing to do is to consult an expert.

If you’re busy running your business and don’t have time to write SEO optimised content, get in touch with the SEO Works. Our SEO campaigns are tailored to your business’s needs to generate more traffic to your website! Call us on 0800 292 2410 or contact us.

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