Social media has helped small businesses reach customers in new ways. However, bigger brands still dominate. They have larger budgets and more followers.

While big brands will always have an advantage in marketing, TikTok marketing has certainly levelled the playing field. If you’re running a startup or small business, TikTok marketing should be one of your biggest marketing priorities. Here’s why TikTok is a game-changer for small businesses’ marketing.

Content Focused Algorithm

Many other social media platforms have now followed suit, but TikTok was the first to heavily prioritise content over follower counts. TikTok’s ‘ For You Page’ serves up content that it thinks the user wants to see, using previous interactions to work this out. If you like sharing cute animal videos with your friends, the algorithm will notice this. It will then show you more cute animal videos.

Content used to be dependent on who you followed. For instance, in the early days of Facebook, you would only see posts from the people with whom you were friends or pages you had liked. This approach massively favoured bigger businesses due to their increased brand awareness.

Now, brands can use TikTok marketing to focus on unique, captivating content. From there, the algorithm will do the job for you by ensuring it ends up in front of the right people. A startup gym wear brand will likely see its posts end up in front of fitness enthusiasts regardless of who follows them.

The key lies in creating original content that users will want to engage with. The more people who interact with a piece of content, the more it will be pushed by the algorithm. That’s why it’s important not to just copy current trends that you see performing well on TikTok.

PeachyBbies Slime Shop is an example of a small business that has experienced rip-roaring success on TikTok. The slime manufacturer posts the process behind making their product, which viewers find interesting or even therapeutic. Their high engagement rates help the content go further, which allows more people to find the brand and subsequently make a purchase. There are many other success stories from small businesses that have harnessed the power of TikTok’s content-driven algorithm

Compared to previous algorithms, only people who followed the brand would’ve seen the content from Peachy. As a small business, this wouldn’t have been a huge number of people. Since turning to TikTok, the brand has seen its slime drops sell out in seconds.

TikTok Shop

TikTok is mainly known as a social media and video-sharing platform. However, it can also serve as an e-commerce platform. It may not sound like a revolutionary development, but it does help small brands compete with larger ones.

This is because learning about a product and buying it on the same platform makes the process easier. It also saves time when completing a purchase. In the early days of social media, brands used platforms to build their image. They then directed users to their websites to complete purchases. This favoured bigger brands due to their increased brand awareness.

Another reason it favoured big businesses is that they had more money to invest in their websites. Users came from social media platforms. With new ideas like TikTok Shop, a website is less important. This is good for smaller businesses that can’t afford website development or user experience design.

Nowadays, platforms have blurred the lines between content and sales, with TikTok arguably leading the way in this area. Incredibly, 58% of TikTok users shop on the platform, and the app has proved to be particularly popular with products that can be demonstrated through video.

Businesses selling products like kitchen gadgets are particularly successful on TikTok, as it can generate impulse buys. Unlike industries like fashion, where reputation takes time to build, gadgets can show their use in a short video. This can lead people to buy them right away. As a result, brands must demonstrate the issue that their product is solving, if any at all.

New Wave Of Influencers

Instagram and influencer marketing are closely linked as the image-sharing app gave rise to influencer marketing as we know it today. There are still chances to work with influencers today. However, the market is crowded. Many top influencers are hard to reach for smaller businesses. Those who are free or cheaper to work with may not give value for money in terms of reach due to this saturation.

TikTok marketing has given brands another shot at partnerships and collaborations due to a new influx of influencers. Because TikTok is still new, its influencers are usually cheaper to work with. The algorithm also helps their content reach more people than on other platforms. As a result, businesses get more bang for their buck, which is favourable for small businesses that don’t have the luxury of spending millions of dollars on influencer marketing campaigns.

User-Generated Content

It’s not a new phenomenon, but user-generated content (UGC) is a perfect fit for TikTok. Compared to platforms like Instagram, content often looks less polished and more amateur. Talking head videos filmed on a creator’s phone are common. This makes it easier for people to create user-generated content.

The platform focuses on video, so reviews, demonstrations, and walkthroughs are common. This lets consumers speak for brands. This can go in two ways. Creators can share their bad experiences with certain brands or products.

You may be wondering why this is good news for small businesses, as big companies can also harness the power of UGC. However, the fact that customers can become brand ambassadors by creating free content, which acts as marketing material, is better news to businesses that may not be working with any form of marketing budget.

It’s also worth considering that small businesses need to establish trust among potential audiences. UGC can achieve this as the message is coming from individuals as opposed to a business. Larger brands that have stood the test of time don’t have this issue as their reputation has been built up over a number of years. The likes of Nike can rely on the fact that most people have either purchased, used or at least seen their products before, whereas a new brand may be trying to build trust with a completely cold audience.

Less Competition

Finally, there’s no getting away from the fact that TikTok hasn’t been around as long as Facebook, Instagram and X. As a result, TikTok benefits from having fewer users, which subsequently results in less competition.

Many other platforms have become saturated as tools for business. The vast majority of businesses have a business profile and an Instagram account, but many brands are yet to start a TikTok account. Those that have are still exploring TikTok marketing and understanding its best practices.

On the other hand, TikTok is growing at a faster rate than the platforms mentioned above, which is even more reason for small businesses to explore TikTok’s ever-growing potential.

Final Thoughts

It’s clear that TikTok’s arrival on the social media scene has been good news for small businesses. Its ability to put less focus on budget, spending and followers while placing a higher emphasis on the quality and originality of content means creativity goes further compared to other social media platforms.

It’s also worth pointing out that TikTok marketing is more useful to some businesses than it is to others. As mentioned earlier in this article, gadgets that can be demonstrated in a short-form video perform well on TikTok. Businesses that operate in the B2B space may find it slightly trickier to experience success, although with a bit of creativity, any business can experience TikTok success.

If you don’t have the benefit of having a content creator on your team, it may be worth reaching out to a digital marketing agency to see if they can assist with TikTok creation or even running TikTok ads.

It may also be worth reading some of our other articles, which include advice on how to implement a successful content marketing strategy and the latest social media trends.

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The post How TikTok Levelled The Marketing Playing Field? appeared first on Tricky Enough.

The use of influencers and influencer marketing differs and for many brands, there is conflicting advice as to whether influencer marketing is the right choice for a number of different industries. And if they need more convincing, influencer marketing statistics show that every business that spends $1 on an influencer, earns back $5.20. Creating an influencer marketing strategy can be tricky to navigate, but when it works, it can bring heaps of benefits and, more importantly, increased revenue.

Whilst traditional advertising methods can get your brand message in front of a larger audience, influencer marketing uses a captive audience and data to tailor your key message to a smaller pool of consumers, who are much more likely to buy your products. Influencer marketing profits from posts that are put out to audiences by accounts, or influencers, that they trust and who align with their own interests and ambitions. This means that they are then much more likely to engage with and connect with the content and create a positive association with the product/s that are shown.

Influencer marketing is usually far more effective than advertising as we are now more likely to engage with content on social media if it is coming from someone who we have actively chosen to be present in our feed. With this in mind, here are 5 reasons why influencer marketing is effective for brands.

Influencer Marketing Is Less Disruptive

When browsing social media, if an ad pops up in our feeds without choosing to see it, this can then create negative emotions towards the brand, especially if the ads are persistent and occur over a number of days. Ads can be highly disruptive to our online browsing experience, whether it’s full-screen ads that block our view, poor quality side-bar content, or timed ads that disappear after 30 seconds.

In many cases, ads such as these cause users to click away from the content that they were originally browsing and engaging with. This frustration with ads isn’t uncommon, with around 47% of people having ad blockers on their browsers and devices, but with influencer marketing, people are less likely to be bothered by seeing paid content. As we have willingly chosen to interact with the influencer and are interested in seeing their posts, then seeing paid or sponsored content is unlikely to cause offense. 

Influencer Marketing Reflects The Current Marketing Landscape

Standing out as an influencer on Instagram was much easier in 2014 than it is now. Back then, if you had a relatively good following, featured on the Instagram “Featured” page, or just had a distinctive enough look, then your chances of being regarded as an influencer were much higher. By gaining enough brand partnerships, some influencers can turn social media influence into a full-time career.

The clue is in the name, but we are influenced by what we see online, even if we believe ourselves not to be. In the early days of social media, a lot of brands and influencers relied heavily on perfectly arranged displays including their products, or stunning photoshoots of influencers wearing clothes or accessories. Influencers then were mostly young females that had pleasing “grid” aesthetics, but this has changed over time. Influencers now can be anyone from 18 up to 80 – as long as they have a dedicated following and a niche, then they will appeal to brands. It’s important to remember that in influencer marketing, the only constant thing is change and this is something that brands are well aware of.

Strengthen Your Brand Goals and Messaging 

One of the most common reasons for brands choosing to use influencer marketing is to strengthen and elevate their brand awareness, thus increasing sales. Before using influencers, it is important for brands to hone in on their specific needs. Whether they want to increase customer demographics or expand into new markets with an upcoming product, influencers have the ability to reach specific, niche audiences and instead of brands relying solely on their own followers that may have a small interest percentage, influencers can instead ensure that branded content reaches a very targeted audience.

Many influencer marketing platforms simplify the process of finding the right influencer for the brand by creating platforms that allow businesses to filter all requirements and meet the most relevant influencers for their brand. For having a successful influencer marketing campaign, besides finding a new ambassador for your brand, it is important to pay attention to influencer marketing revenue tracking as it will show the whole picture of the campaign and help you measure the KPIs. The main KPIs that are used to measure the campaign’s performance are clicks, new followers, likes, reaches, etc.

For example, mum bloggers have become a large Instagram demographic in recent years and brands have caught onto this. New baby or toddler products that come to market, which have very particular USPs such as eco-friendly bamboo washcloths or mess-free bibs, are picked up by influencers who then display these products to their trusting following base. 

Content Creation Is Easier With Influencer Marketing

When brands partner with influencers, it’s up to them to create the branded content, often following a brief from the brand, and, when making an ad, it is up to the brand’s creative team to come up with the brief and get all the content they need for the ad campaign. Working with influencers can save a brand time and money in this regard as it is likely that the influencer is already familiar with what it is their audience responds to. Brands are beginning to gain more access to this knowledge and get valuable insights and expertise, without really having to put hours of work in and don’t need to create a campaign from scratch.

What’s more, brands and influencers are also getting increased ROI, more valuable analytics, and better customer experience, which all contribute to longer-lasting results. Brands need to ensure that they have the right tools to connect with and search for influencers who will be the perfect fit for their brand and allow them to reach their target audience and increase the likelihood of their campaign success.

Expanding The ‘Like, Know, Trust’ Factor

When social users see the word “paid” or “sponsored” at the top of a social media post, even if the post is relevant to them, then they are much less likely to engage with the content, simply because the influencer has been paid to share it. However, in contrast, if the influencer already engages and follows posts about a new product or is already engaged with the brand, then other social media users are more likely to pay attention and read their posts.

They are then primed to trust the influencer and their opinion, simply because they are already familiar with the influencer’s tastes and are already following them, so are primed to see their content. Around 71% of marketers believe that the quality of customers, traffic and leads gained from influencer marketing is far more premium than any other marketing source. In many ways, influencer marketing offers brands the opportunity to create word-of-mouth marketing, but on a much larger scale.

Conclusion

Social media influencers are likely to be here to stay but the world of influencer marketing is likely to look and operate much differently in the future. Whilst there are some very large considerations to take into account when it comes to influencer marketing, setting up and establishing influencer campaigns are very similar to other marketing strategies, from research, budgets, and determining goals.

Whilst influencers come with heaps of benefits, unlike most other marketing strategies, they require huge levels of trust. Influencers are often required to sign contracts and be mindful of the brand’s reputation at all times, brands must also be respectful in return. With this being said, once a partnership is established and in place, it is likely to be one that is bountiful for both sides.

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The post 5 Reasons Why Influencer Marketing Is Effective appeared first on Tricky Enough.

The impact that working on a computer all day has on you

There are many health issues that come with working on a computer, just like there are when working on a construction site. Some of these consist of eye strain, bad back posture, and even lack of blood circulation which are all the downfalls of working at a computer. 

It is important to have breaks from the work you are doing at a computer for not only stretching but also for interacting with your work colleagues. It is what keeps you sane from the tasks you are doing. 

How to combat the mental drain from the bright screens?

As mentioned in the last paragraph above, regular breaks are a big one to help you remain focussed as well as relax your brain every once in a while. Even if you want to be productive and do a solid four hours of work without a break, it is not a good idea. Extend that time and get your breaks in to make a drink, stretch your muscles off and go for a quick walk around the office. Get the blood moving and stop thinking for just five minutes. Then go back to work, it will feel like you are recharging and that is exactly what you need. 

Another couple of office tips to reduce becoming tired at a computer screen are increasing the lighting in your office or room. Here is another increasing the brightness of your working computer screen. Do both of these things as well as reduce the glare as much as possible on your screen and you will soon notice that you cause less eye strain. Reducing the number of headaches you get as well is something else that you might notice. 

1. Working In An Office Use: Glasses

This is very important, especially if you are working at a computer five days a week. The reasons are pretty self-explanatory as well. Focusing on any digital screen throughout the day can be damaging for the eyes so it is important you go to your local optician and get regular eye checks. Once a year will definitely be enough. If you need glasses and you are not wearing them, this causes your eyes to strain more which means your brain is working harder to be able to read things correctly and focus. 

Investing lot’s of time in computer glasses is something which is recommended to you by a lot of people opinion as well. These glasses are specifically made and designed to protect your eyes from harmful radiation digital screens which are prescription-based as well. These will reduce eyestrain a lot which allows you to focus for a longer period of time and again, reduce the number of headaches you get. 

2. Working In An Office Use: Fresh Air 

This is very important when working in an office environment. You may require the sun for Vitamin-D as a medical article and news says. this is important for our skin. Fresh air is also great because it expands your lungs more and improves the cleansing action. Taking in the different scenery around you as well will give you something else to think about. Doing this relaxes your brain and stops you from thinking about that spreadsheet you have been working on all day or the video that you have been editing. 

3. Working In An Office: Spread Your Work Out 

So, you have a deadline at the end of the week and you have got five full days to spread this out so make sure you do exactly that. Working on the same task all day can not only be repetitive but also boring and this again is something that can make you tired. When you go to work, it is very important you enjoy it as well. Working on different tasks throughout the day not only makes it more exciting but also less lethargic. Spreading your work out across the day or the week will help reduce that mental stress as well as helping you with the task as well. 

4. Working In An Office Use: Eat Often But Little

Unless you are currently on a strict diet plan trying to lose or gain weight. We are constantly burning calories no matter what we do so eating three meals is not going to quite cut it when working in an office. Eating three large meals a day is important, but it is also key to have snacks in between these meals whilst you are spending long hours on a computer.

Including well-balanced meals is vital as well. This is because it will give you a wide range of vitamins and minerals which will help you not only store energy better but also produce energy better. If you find it difficult to maintain a well-balanced diet, then a multivitamin in the morning with your meal is something to consider. Just to make sure that you get all those important vitamins and minerals you need.

5. Working In An Office Use: Rock Yourself Awake

What I mean by that is music and that is probably one of the best ways to remain awake as it releases endorphins and boosts pleasure allowing us to feel more alive. Making your job as fun and productive as possible at whatever you are doing is crucial to remaining enthusiastic and energetic throughout the day. 

We all have different types of music we prefer to listen so there is no specific genre of music that this article is going to tell you to listen to. Whatever music makes you feel alive and makes you happy is probably the one that you need to put on and plug into your ears. A happy worker is a very efficient worker and gets the task done at hand. 

6. Working In An Office: Workout

Now this one is not for everyone but if you can get into the habit of doing this before your long grueling shift on a computer then it will certainly benefit you. Again this is another way to release endorphins which boost your energy levels for work. A very key way to keep yourself awake. 

The reason why this is recommended to do before work is like mentioned releases endorphins, but you also might not have time after work. Not having time after work might just make you feel grumpy and very moody. 

To Conclude To Stay Focused When Working In An Office

All of the tasks stated above are down to personal preference but they should all be highly considered, especially if you are working on a computer five to six times a week. To sum it up though, regular breaks, a well-balanced diet, and social interaction will certainly help you. 

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The post How To Stay Focused When Working In An Office? appeared first on Tricky Enough.

It is well known that the healthcare industry is a little slower than most when it comes to adopting new technologies, especially those that are user-facing. During the Covid-19 pandemic, this had to change quite quickly, as most of our lives and day-to-day tasks turned to be online and this was especially true for the health and healthcare industry. Most healthcare services were instantly affected by the pandemic and restrictions, with appointments canceled, reviews rescheduled, and consultations being made over the phone.

Healthcare providers and services had to adapt and overcome the challenges of suddenly being asked to provide online and on-demand services, but how? Here is an insight into the ways that healthcare services have adapted and learned to provide online and on-demand services in recent times.

Healthcare Apps

On-demand apps are a huge trend, especially with startup companies and businesses. However, for many of us, healthcare services are still very much an in-person and in-office experience – not many of us have had online consultations before, or made prescription requests via an email form. With COVID-19, healthcare providers, and services are unable to meet with patients face-to-face in many circumstances, which is where the development of healthcare apps and online services came from. In fact, according to Bloom Healthcare, the demand for telemedicine has increased since the pandemic.

How Do Online Healthcare Services Work?

There is a diverse range of online and on-demand healthcare services, but they mostly all operate the same.

Scheduling an appointment

By using an app or online form, you can now set up a virtual or telephone appointment for most healthcare services. Simply provide information on the symptoms you are experiencing and some other information and you will be given a time when a doctor or healthcare professional will be in touch with you.

Access health records

During the pandemic, you may need access to your health records for several different reasons, such as vaccination requirements, sick notes or to check shielding/self-isolation advice based on previous health concerns. Many people’s health records have now been digitalized so that they can be quickly accessed by the patient following confirmation from their doctor or clinician.

Getting support

At a time when the vast majority of people have been directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, it isn’t surprising that mental health services have been stretched to their limits. People with mental health concerns and illnesses are struggling more due to isolation, anxiety, and limited access to health services that usually support them, so several mental health support services have moved online. This means that they can help more people per day than if they were doing face-to-face appointments and can also fit in more regular telephone catch-ups with vulnerable patients.

Do Patients Want Online and On-Demand Healthcare Apps?

Ideas tend to become successful when there is a real-life problem that many people need to solve. In terms of healthcare apps, this came true when COVID-19 became a long-term issue, as people still needed these health services.

Imagine if you were suffering from severe headaches, or needed more important medication, then instead of visiting your doctor’s surgery or heading to a busy pharmacy, you simply input your information into an app and you can then have a phone call consultation with a doctor, or be given a time slot to pick up the medication from your nearest pharmacy.

When it comes to health and health care patients tend to value quick and convenient services – no one likes waiting around for a delayed doctor’s appointment or standing in line for some medicine. This means that they then seek out easier and simpler ways to gain access to healthcare services, or in some cases, are put off from even attending. Thanks to healthcare app development and online services, many more people can gain access to the health services they need.

The large majority of patients are willing and able to use digital and online services, especially if it means they get a quicker service. With these developments, patients can get the care they need, often without even needing to go into their doctor or consultant’s office.

Access To Medication

For those patients who have ongoing health issues or take regular medication, the COVID pandemic has caused issues with production and accessibility to the medicine that they rely on.

Production lines have been thrown into disarray, either due to an increase in demand or fewer employees on hand to assist in production due to self-isolating or being unwell, delivery services stretched to their limits, and pharmacies having to restrict the number of items given to patients. All of these issues can hugely disrupt the lives of those who need to take regular medication, whether it’s because they struggle to get adequate amounts of their medication, or because they have to travel further afield to visit a pharmacy.

Luckily, many health services have picked up on the issues surrounding people getting their medication, vitamins, and supplements. Many doctor’s surgeries now offer online prescriptions, where you simply just need to fill out an online form, and then your medication will be available to pick up from your pharmacy in a couple of days or even dropped off at your home using the free NHS service.

For many people, vitamins and supplements form an integral part of their daily routine and support their health in many different ways, whether they have a vitamin deficiency, are pregnant, or have joint issues. Vitamins, such as vitamin D tablets, have also seen links when it comes to Covid recovery, so have been in high demand as people look to increase their intake when recovering from post-Covid symptoms. Many supplement suppliers and distributors recognize the importance of vitamins and supplement tablets and have now added fast-track deliveries and rolling subscriptions so that access is much easier.

Benefits of online and on-demand healthcare services

As online healthcare services become more common, it is important to recognize the benefits that they can provide. Although all healthcare services can’t become digital (surgeries, examinations, vaccinations, etc), online services are more cost-effective for healthcare providers and allow more support to be offered to physical services that are under pressure and strain. Here are a few benefits of online and on-demand health services.

Convenience 

There is no denying that it is much more convenient to simply fill out a prescription form or have a video or telephone call with a doctor instead of going into the surgery, pharmacy, or office. You don’t need to take time off work, take children with you, or risk putting yourself at risk of contracting covid, simply fill in the details and wait.

Reduce strain on healthcare services

Online services have been found to significantly reduce the strain and spending on healthcare providers for several reasons. High-risk patients no longer need to be moved around using hospital transport to different locations for things such as medication reviews or consultations – they can now be done digitally, which then reduces the risk for the patient and frees up resources. People are now less likely to visit clinics or A&E if they know they can get help from the comfort of their own homes and are given the advice they need.

Reduced admin costs

Filling out forms is much quicker and easier online, so instead of doctors or healthcare providers spending money sending out forms or paperwork in the post, they can simply upload it to your patient file, which you can then access online. Not only does this reduce costs, but saves time too. Receptionists, clinicians, doctors, and other healthcare professionals no longer need to spend hours of their time filling in and chasing paperwork and are instead free to fit in more appointments.

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Several times a year there is a disturbance in the Force. Or Google rankings, same thing. At any rate, it causes immense unrest for SEO professionals across the world as we see massive fluctuations in rankings. Some good, some bad, depending on the Google core update.

Dealing with these updates as a form of best practice is vital for SEO professionals, as a badly-handled update can be the downfall of any SEO campaign.

So, with that in mind, here is the best way to identify and deal with any ranking fluctuations which may occur following a Google core Update.

Monitor the Fluctuations

The first step to dealing with a ranking fluctuation post-Google Update is to do nothing. No, really. Making quick, panicked, changes can be the worst thing to do following any change in rankings. But especially following an update.

And so, the best course of action in these cases is inaction.

Monitor your rankings, note what pages and keywords are dropping in particular and try to determine any correlations between the pages. Are they all related to a similar topic? Are the pages with poor links, thin content, etc.? In most cases, there will be a determining factor which has contributed to the post-update drop.

You may not be able to identify the issue outright based on your site data alone, but it is always important to monitor and try to understand the drop as far as possible. As, then, you will be able to determine whether or not there is a correlation with the findings from across the industry.

Which you can discover via some quick research… 

Research the Update

When a Google Update drops there is a lot of chatter online about the results. Losers, winners and all those in between will share their data across forums and in chat rooms. Of course, you don’t have to trawl through all of this information to find out what you need to know. Many SEO news sites like Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land and Search Engine Roundtable put together roundups in most cases.

In some cases, Google will be specifically targeting a niche or industry. For example, in the Medic Update of 2018, the main target of the update was YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) sites. These are sites that present information in regards to health or money and, if inaccurate or deceptive, could have an impact on an individual’s quality of life. The update was aimed at filtering low-quality results from Google with respect to YMYL, so that results would not have the potential to negatively impact users.

Improving results following this update meant proving that a site could provide information in relation to YMYL well, i.e. it would not have a negative impact. This meant improving a site’s EAT (Expertise, Authority and Trust).

To improve following the Medic Update, a site had to prove it had expert authors who produced great content (Expertise), good link metrics (Authority) and positive reviews across sources (Trust).

All of which, likely, you would not have discovered yourself. Rather this data and research came out of the SEO expert community, helping the whole community at large improve and recover following the update. Which is why thorough research and knowing who to follow in the digital marketing community is important. As it could mean the difference between continued fluctuation and recovery following a Google Update.

Audit Your Site

Once you have done effective research in regards to the update and how it may be affecting your site, it is time to audit your site. An audit allows you to discover areas that your site is perhaps lacking in. Whilst also allowing you to potentially cross-reference your site issues with the findings across the industry.

Audits should be conducted on a site regularly, no matter if it is suffering ranking fluctuations or not. This is the best way to monitor and avoid potential issues regularly.

Key factors to include in your SEO audits include:

• Technical Factors – Speed, XML sitemap, indexation, crawl rate, robots.tx, duplicate content, etc.
• Content Analysis – Content structure, keyword density, metadata, UX, internal links, schema, etc.
• Rankings – Comparing keyword movement over a set period of time, identifying areas of loss and gain.

Sometimes conducting an SEO audit may not, on a surface level, reveal the reason why your site is being penalised by Google. But, it is a good first step to determine the overall health of the site and what might be impacting ranking fluctuations. Which is always a valuable asset in these instances.

Implement SEO Fixes

So, ideally following an update you should be able to determine what the issue is. Most often you will find an issue such as a bad link profile, thin content or something equally as basic will have been brought to light as a result of the update. In which case, focusing on these areas for improvement is the simplest way to recover following any drops/fluctuations.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Wait. Just wait. Let your rankings fluctuate even out and settle before implementing any changes or fixes. In some cases, the ranking may return to its pre-update positive after a week or so. If it does not, then you may consider the drop to be permanent and the necessary ‘fixes’ can be implemented in order to attempt recovery.

On the whole, if a definitive problem is not discernable you may just have to do a checklist of best practice. From here, you may need to experiment and try to recover your lost rankings over time instead.

The Best Defense…

Is a good offense. It’s an age-old saying, but applies to many things in life; including SEO.

Realistically, in order to try and avoid fluctuations following Google Updates in the first place, then you need to have a good baseline to begin with. Following best practice, avoiding tactics which may be considered ‘black hat’ and ensuring your site is technically sound should be part of your SEO Manchester campaigns as standard.

However, this isn’t always the case. Bad practice and poor SEO is implemented every day. And, in some cases, you will be presented with a site that is in desperate need of recovery following an update for that very reason. In which case, the key strategy is not necessary to recover from the update. But, instead, to ensure that the site is following best practice in the first place. As in most cases, one will result in the other.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, a Google Update isn’t the end of the world for your rankings. Even if your site does experience fluctuations. But you do need to handle it in a way that follows best practice and allows for your site to recover following fluctuations. No drop is ever permanent, if you ranked well before you can do so again. 

Finding your way back after a drop, however, is not always straightforward. Understanding and working with this in mind, then, is the only way to effectively circumnavigate this complicated SEO scenario. Google Updates are there to improve the search engine. Keep that in mind in all instances and you should be able to recover following Google’s basic principles. 

The post How to Deal with Ranking Fluctuations After a Google Core Update? appeared first on Tricky Enough.