Numerous companies use the US web analytics service Google Analytics. But a Decision of the Austrian and now also French data protection authorities has been causing a stir on the market since the beginning of 2022. This is because the authorities are of the opinion that the Use of Google Analytics Illegal because of the data transfer to the USA. be. There is now great uncertainty as to whether other authorities or even the European Court of Justice could follow this decision and thus call into question data traffic between the EU and the USA.

Important: This blog post is not legal advice and is not intended to replace such advice. I am neither a lawyer nor a data protection expert. This post is only intended to provide general information and illustrate that there is extensive need for regulation. I cannot assume any liability for the completeness, timeliness and accuracy of the information provided here. The use of this information is expressly at your own risk.

Possible consequences for companies

What would EU website operators have to face if the use of Google Analytics is indeed deemed to be non-compliant with data protection? EU operators would then be forced to switch to an analysis service that has its servers in the EU. Companies are therefore recommended to prepare for a possible new regulation in good time.

We as eTracker Solution Partners offer you competent and uncomplicated solutions here.

There are several alternatives for Google Analytics. Our agency works with the eTracker GmbH together, a German Tracking specialist for web analytics and push notification marketing based in Hamburg. Modern tools provide fast solutions to improve the Analyze data from your website in a meaningful way and design successful marketing - in absolute compliance with data protection laws. As a customer you can be sure that Exclusively German and European data protection law to be applied.

eTracker briefly explained

eTracker (engl. electronic tracking) is an analysis tool that Information about the visitors of a website and their Records movements. After an evaluation of the data, it can be used to optimize a website. Important: All data is stored in a data center stored in Germany. Revocation of the tracking and thus the storage of personal data is also possible at any time. No data is passed on to third parties, the collected analysis data is only available to the client, i.e. website operator.

In order to optimize a corporate website, it is essential to monitor the behavior of visitors with the help of traffic analysis. This also allows the advertising effectiveness of newsletters or other marketing measures to be checked and, if necessary, improved. With the help of web analytics, visitors can be viewed in terms of various aspects (language, origin, device type, search term preferences). It also provides detailed information about which sections of a website are visited and which categories are of particular interest. For web stores in particular, it is important to know how high the proportion of actual purchases is.

What to do?

All website operators in Europe who work with Google Analytics are strongly advised to follow up on the issue and, if necessary. to switch.

As an eTracker Solution Partner, we offer a solution: We take care of an uncomplicated switch to your new analytics partner for your company. We work with our cooperation partner eTracker GmbH, a German solution for successful and legally compliant website tracking.

We support you in concluding a contract with the company eTracker GmbH and integrate your website with eTracker. The privacy policy must contain a reference to the use of eTracker as well as to the revocation option. This way, you are protected by certified DSGVO compliance and do not have to fear any warnings or fines.

Furthermore enables eTracker Analytics a web analysis without cookie banners and without data loss in case of cookie rejection. Cookie-less tracking continues to gain ground, bringing with it many advantages.

 

In the advertising industry, the so-called Flywheel Marketing on everyone's lips. It is intended to support the Sales Detach funnel.

The sales funnel describes a process in which customers are to be won as buyers through various marketing actions. This funnel ends when the purchase is completed.

And it is here that the Flywheel really gets going. The flywheel is designed to constantly strengthen the company's success through targeted marketing strategies and to further develop customer loyalty. A satisfied customer is considered the most effective marketing tool here.

Sounds interesting, but how exactly does the Flywheel work?

Once flywheels are running, they can store energy efficiently and continue to run on their own. Each new supply of energy then additionally increases the speed. An entrepreneur can then transfer this mechanical process to his company, which gains energy through certain measures and would run successfully faster and faster.

The fact that Flywheel is a symbol of business and marketing processes can be traced back to Stanford professor Jim Collins and Jeff Bezos. A sketch allegedly originally scribbled on a napkin was then to make history with Amazon.

But as an entrepreneur, how do I get my flywheel working in the first place? There are three steps here: Generating new customers through enthusiasm, retaining customers through service, and recommending and attracting new customers.

Through advertising measures, I can therefore build up new customers who can then get my Flywheel up and running. It is then important to bind these new customers to my product and my service in the long term through suitable measures. If this succeeds, these customers are then the best promoters to be able to build up new customers. Enthusiastic customers keep the wheel turning, whereas dissatisfied customers can stop this process and even turn it into the opposite. Good old "word-of-mouth" in modern design remains unbeatable here and has been rediscovered in the marketing world. The satisfied customer is placed at the center of the corporate strategy and becomes part of the process and not the result (as in the sales funnel).

While the sales funnel focused on the search for the best product, this has been replaced by the priority of customer satisfaction. The wheel turns around the customer and their needs. The goal is to generate repeat customers and brand ambassadors. A convinced customer writes positive reviews, recommends me to others and shares my posts on their networks. Potential customers today are more likely to trust the reviews of existing customers than grandiose advertising slogans.

The sales, marketing and service departments have therefore been expanded on a large scale in companies in recent years.

Advantages of Flywheel Marketing

Customers trust customers: Potential customers are more likely to trust recommendations and the experiences of existing customers. Advertising slogans have a hard time here. You are more likely to choose a product that has received mostly positive reviews.

Faster growth: Satisfied customers who recommend your product or service help your business grow.

Customer Satisfaction: Companies in the flywheel sector have aligned their structure with the customer. Marketing, sales and customer service work strongly interconnected with each other to optimally respond to customer needs and provide better customer interaction. You don't have to keep regaining the lost customers, but you have to take care of the existing ones in the best possible way.

How can we support you so your business can take advantage of Flywheel Marketing?

We want to make you aware of how a change in mindset can pay dividends for the growth of your business.

Interest: It is essential that potential customers become aware of you. We support you in the selection and creation of suitable tools. Possibilities include ads, social media posts, blog posts, newsletters or flyers. For each product/service there are different possibilities to be found by potential customers. You have to be a kind of information platform for your target group with relevant content.

Interact/Respond: This is where we can support you in the area of inbound marketing. In order for potential customers to communicate with you at all, they first have to find your offer. The goal must be that your target group can familiarize themselves with your brand and your product. Channels here can be website, landing pages, blogs, social media, search engines. In this way, the prospect becomes a customer step by step.

Convince: Even after the purchase, the customer must continue to be inspired and supported. Key words here are feedback, analyses and possible solutions to problems. Automation programs are recommended here, as they make work easier.

Service: You must not forget your service area. The speed of internal processes must be optimized. It may also be necessary to create additional capacities here, such as sufficient customer service staff.

Optimize: To ensure that your wheel doesn't come to a standstill, it's important to uncover and eliminate possible sources of error. Where can your company optimize itself? Are your website texts up-to-date and comprehensible? Does your customer communication work? Do you use automation software? Does the content attribution fit? Are you satisfied with the results? Do you want to expand your offer? Is your customer experience optimized?

Going new ways

Use the possibilities of flywheel marketing! Customer care must be placed at the center of your marketing efforts. We need to move away from the outdated mindset of the funnel model. The weakness in it was that the process was completed after the prospect made a purchase. This is where a great opportunity is wasted. Instead of spending tedious energy again to build a new customer, we need to leverage the concept of how a convinced customer can win a new customer. We support you to develop a cost-efficient and convincing marketing!

"Downtowns lack walk-in customers," "Christmas shopping is becoming a test of patience," "Retailers report massive drop in sales," "Customers prefer to order online" - These are the current headlines that are causing many retailers and tradespeople great concern. The corona-related restrictions and curfews result in lost sales and changes in customer buying behavior. Companies must respond to this if they want to compensate for their losses in the long term and perhaps even emerge stronger from the crisis. Because studies show that the new buying behavior of the population will also change permanently after Corona. Online purchases will increasingly dominate the market.

Retailers and traders need to rethink

The current situation is causing severe disruptions across all sectors. It is therefore important for retailers and traders to rethink and act consistently and quickly. One possible solution is a customer-friendly and effective advertising platform, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Classic marketing measures are shifting more and more to the online sector as a result of digitalization. However, this also increases the amount of marketing opportunities. The digital transformation reached us long before Corona. Do you send your customer messages by mail or email? If you're looking for a place to stay, why not go online and not to the nearest travel agent? Even before Corona, retailers were increasingly struggling with competition from the Internet.

Accommodate customers

The analog world is shifting to the digital realm, especially now. And if your customers don't feel like waiting outside your store with a mask on, why not invite them to visit your online portal at their convenience? If not now, when?

 This offers an exciting wealth of opportunities for any entrepreneur. It starts with the search for opening hours and the menu for the delivery service. Or, for example, I can look to see if my hairdresser also offers certain hair care products. A customer might also be interested in whether the coffee shop is currently offering specials or whether his favorite Italian restaurant also sends out gift certificates. The online search doesn't always have to end up at the big sellers like Amazon. Many customers prefer their local retailers - provided that they offer the same.

And retailers have to seize this opportunity, too! You have to signal to your customers "I have recognized that your buying behavior has changed and I am adapting to it". After all, it's easier for a local retailer to establish a personal relationship with its customers than it is for a large anonymous supplier to do so. Promotions such as "buy local" are meeting with a great response. And if my business has to stay closed or is not as attractive at the moment because of exit restrictions, then I just welcome my customers to my online business. This is a win-win situation for both sides.

How is the trade dealing with the current situation?

The majority of retailers have been struggling enormously with the current situation for months. Curfews, hygiene regulations, forced closures, short-time work and other measures have pushed many businesses to the limit. About half of the retailers already had an online sales channel before Corona and were thus able to absorb parts of the sales losses. The other half, with no previous online experience, must now rethink and act quickly.

More than 2/3 of retailers stated in a survey that customer shopping behavior will not change in the foreseeable future. Customers have become accustomed to the convenience of shopping from home and this will not change fundamentally in the future. Who wants to queue for an hour in front of the City-Galerie in Augsburg on a Saturday until they are finally allowed into the warmth? And then finally in the gallery arrived one must wait again before the individual stores for the admission. In the store then the changing rooms are closed, the smell of the selected tea or perfume I do not smell with mask anyway. Since I prefer to lie comfortably on the couch and do my shopping from there.

Studies have shown that 50 % of customers during Corona ordered many goods online for the first time such as groceries, household goods and toys. Previously, these products were always purchased locally. And 90 % have avoided brick-and-mortar stores whenever possible or have shopped almost exclusively online. For local retailers, these are not pretty numbers.

Solutions

Customers can search for their desired products online. Local retailers can be quite competitive with Internet retailers. I can search online to see if a product is available at a local retailer. I can then drop by directly and get advice in person. Or I can order at the click of a mouse and have the goods delivered to my home within a few hours. In larger cities in particular, this is done in an environmentally friendly way by cargo bike or e-truck.

Local dealers also have the chance to introduce themselves individually to their customers on a website. In this way, the personal relationship with my regular customers can be maintained and I can even gain new customers. Therein lies the great opportunity in the currently difficult times. A good advertising agency helps you to present your company effectively and customer-friendly.

Let your customers know that there may be restrictions and delays at the moment, but that you are doing everything you can to be there for them. Honest communication builds understanding and trust. Show your customers that you are making every effort to adapt to the new situation and meet the new customer behavior.

Certainly, a beauty salon needs a different online platform than an alternative practitioner or a plumbing store. But what remains the same for all types of businesses is the opportunity for new customer loyalty and orientation!

For purely stationary retailers, the motto is to keep the economic consequences of the Corona crisis as low as possible and to be prepared for the time thereafter. Goods and services should be available online at optimized cost. However, large marketplaces such as Amazon are often unsuitable here. An individual solution must be found that also takes into account the company budget and local conditions. Media agencies that have experience in setting up online platforms and can draw on a network of professional service providers can provide support here.

Our agency has already been allowed to advise numerous companies as a partner in this area and has jointly created successful online platforms in the field of e-commerce.

A digital sales channel can show a way out of the crisis for companies. An open source solution with automation capabilities can be a good platform to generate quick wins while keeping financial risk low.

An important factor of a successful online platform is customer-friendly usability. Customers often complain that they had problems researching and ordering goods online. Criticisms also included insufficient information about products or services. Consumers want appealing, individual websites with good user-friendliness. Product images, easy-to-understand product data, ratings or delivery details are desirable.

More digitization in less time

The current situation is giving rise to digital networking in society. In the retail sector, this means that age groups who have predominantly shopped in brick-and-mortar stores will turn to online retail. Here, digital consulting offers the opportunity not to lose these customers or even to gain new ones. The consulting factor in particular was one of the major plus points in local stationary retailing. This competence must not be taken away. How often has it been complained that customers seek advice on site and then later order from the competing online store. So why shouldn't the customer get online advice from you right away and then also buy online from you?

They create a major customer advantage through digital consulting and are better prepared for future crisis situations.

Trend research clearly shows that stationary retail can only generate ¾ of the sales of retail in the narrower sense. The separation between online and offline is gradually being eliminated. Online retail is growing, but the overall market is stagnating or even declining at the same time. As a result, the retail sector is currently in a cutthroat competition. Corona is acting like a fire accelerator here. There will be no turning back here; consumers have learned to appreciate the advantages of online shopping too much. Retailers must develop new approaches to the future in order to remain competitive. A central role here will be dealing with the logic of e-commerce. Successful marketing lies in the digital linking of sales channels and the use of new technologies.

Take advantage of this trend and expand your online portal. We are very happy to assist you!

We've created a 33-page mini-guide that teaches you important online marketing basics and ideas. In 10 lessons you get information about self-applicable techniques to market your own business online. The eBook is available in exchange for our newsletter subscription.

to the eBook

Visibility on the Internet is more important than ever for companies today. Only discoverable websites lead to site visitors and thus to new customers. Conversely, this means that even the "best" website is of no use without users. In this article, we will take a closer look at regional searches, for example queries such as "lawyer Schwabmünchen", "dentist Landsberg" or "advertising agency Augsburg". Let's start with the basics of Local search engine optimization.

Local Search - What does "local search" mean anyway?

All search queries that have a regional reference are summarized under the term "local search". These are, for example, search queries that look for a service, a restaurant or a store in the vicinity. In this case, the user can either additionally name a specific location - in which case the regional reference is quite clear for Google. But even without naming a place, Google assumes the regional intention for certain searches. For example, a user searching for "hospital" will usually be more interested in the surrounding hospitals. How does this work without specifying a location? Here, search engines simply make use of all the data they have from the respective user. Of course, this works most easily if you have granted access to your own location. But other user-related data that has already been collected from the user can also be used to personalize the search results.

What information is most important for local search?

In local searches, users are most often interested in the following information about a regional business:

• Location: street, house number, postal code, city
• Phone number
• Website URL
• Images
• Reviews
• Opening hours
• Directions
• Company news
• possible payment methods
• Parking spaces

You can already see that the possible information is significantly more extensive than was the case in the days of telephone directories and printed business directories. In addition, the information is more up-to-date and easier to maintain. For example, seasonal changes in opening hours can be quickly recorded. Of course, this also increases the complexity of maintenance - because only when the same, consistent data is stored everywhere online does this have real added value for the customer. It would be very confusing for the customer to find different information on opening hours, telephone number, etc. on different pages. Google doesn't like that very much either, which can lead to a worse ranking in the local listings.

The (local) search behavior is constantly changing

Everyone knows it - you're on the road and quickly need the right opening hours or want to grab a quick bite to eat. The next logical step is of course to search Google, for example for "Restaurant Burger essen". Since you're on the go, you won't start sifting through and analyzing the search results now. One takes one of the first candidates suggested in the Google Local Pack. As a rule, candidates from the vicinity are shown here. Check the ratings briefly, and nothing stands in the way of enjoying the burger. Conversely, this means that if a company does not appear in the top positions for local search queries, it not only misses out on a lot of website traffic, but also the chance to attract many potential new customers. Being displayed in the local search results at the right moment should be the goal of every local business. And: If you are lucky enough to be displayed at the right moment, your profile should make a well-kept impression and ideally have enough positive references.

The Google Local Pack or Snack Pack

Google is not only ahead in organic search queries, but also in local search queries. This makes the search engine particularly important for companies when it comes to Local SEO (local search engine optimization).

First, in general, about the structure of the search results lists at Google. These usually consist of three parts:

1. the advertisements or Google Ads (are only displayed if advertisements are placed for the search terms)
2. the Local (Snack) Pack (only shown when Google suspects a local search intent)
3. and the editorial part (is always displayed)

The following graph illustrates this:

The graphic shows that in the first step only 3 top results are listed in the Local Pack. Only when you click on "More places" are the other entries displayed. So if you land on one of the first 3 places, you already have a big competitive advantage. Especially in industries with many local providers, this is enormously important. For example, if you search for "Café Augsburg", you get a Local Pack list with currently over 200 entries. How likely is it that the user will visit a café on the back pages? Vanishingly small.

The user receives the following information about the Local Pack:

• Location or map placement (geodata)
• Company name
• Reviews
• Industry
• Address
• Opening hours
• Phone number or call button

Beyond that, there is then the detailed view:

In the detailed view, the user additionally sees:

• Company images
• Detailed reviews
• Additional info ("About")
• Buttons for route planning, "Save" and website

Search engines are not everything: business directories and map services

For local search, Google may be the number one place to go - but that doesn't mean all other services should be neglected.

Business directories, rating platforms, social media

Business directories, rating platforms and social media can also be entry pages for a local search. Especially for companies that do not yet have a rating on Google, other sites can provide decisive criteria, such as positive reviews on Facebook.

Map services

You are sitting in the car and want to quickly plan a route. If the navigation system does not use a Google map, even the optimization of the Google My Business entry is of no use. This means that you should also be listed correctly in other directories. Examples are Apple Maps & Bing Maps. Various car manufacturers also use their own navigation systems with customized maps. So for businesses, with increasing services, it is a complex challenge to be found correctly everywhere.

Who should definitely integrate local search engine optimization into their online marketing strategy?

Local optimization for search engines is profitable for all companies that have a local location where sales are generated or at least customer contact takes place. These include workshops, hotels, tax consultants, doctors, supermarkets, gas stations, restaurants, fitness studios, hairdressers and many more. The Internet presence should then be optimized with regard to the topics and the keywords for its regional reference. Especially when services and products are primarily offered offline instead of online, local search engine optimization provides a significant advantage.

Optimization of the website only the beginning for Local SEO

With the optimization of the Internet presence, an important foundation stone is laid. However, one should always keep in mind that the organic search results only land in the 3rd area, i.e. below the paid Google ads and below the Local Pack. Therefore, it is essential to also deal with the ranking factors for the Local Pack. As things stand, the website itself has little influence on this area, which is why further measures need to be taken.

The ranking factors for the Google Local Pack

Our starting point is the Google My Business entry, which can be seen in the Local Pack. Google My Business is Google's own business directory and probably the most important business directory in the world. It is crucial for the ads in the Google Local Listings as well as on Google Maps. The three most important factors for the Google My Business entry are the so-called NAP data: Name, Address, Phone Number. These three pieces of data should be the same everywhere on the Internet, i.e. also on Facebook, Yelp, Foursquare, Bing, Apple Maps, etc. Synchronizing these values is probably one of the most important things you can do for Local Listing.

In addition, there are some other details, which should be the same everywhere. These are, for example, the opening hours and the website.

Not all ranking factors can be influenced

There are also important ranking factors, which cannot be easily changed by companies, but are still important for Google:

• Distance from searcher to respective location (perhaps the most important factor of all).
• Awareness and reputation of the company
• Relevance of the search to the results

What can a simple Local SEO strategy look like?

If you now summarize all the information, you get a pretty good picture of what Google considers important for Local SEO. If you want to come up with a simple strategy, it could consist of the following building blocks:

• optimized & maintained Google My Business profile
• as many positive customer reviews as possible on Google My Business and other platforms such as Facebook
• Uniform data in all relevant business directories
• Website on-page and off-page optimization
• Social Signals & User Signals

In the following, we will delve a little deeper into the topic. This information is more interesting for technically experienced readers.

Use of Schema for Local SEO

Schema is a structured data markup developed by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Yandex. The official website is Schema.org. If you want to use this markup to be even better positioned on Google, then you should always follow the official Google guidelines hold. Under no circumstances should you try to be smarter than the search engine. If the approach is classified as spam, the shot can quickly backfire.

Check own page for Local Schema markup

The own page can be easily created with Google's Test tool for structured data be checked. The data for the physical location (local business) is interesting. In addition to the company name and address, opening hours, geodata and the logo can also be marked.

Integrate schema markup on your own website

There are many helpful tools online to get a clean script generated for your own website. One of them is for example the Schema Markup Generator (JSON-LD) from TechnicalSEO.com.

View

The topic of Local SEO is extremely relevant for us at the moment. Therefore, we will supplement this article with further helpful information at regular intervals.

Looking for help with local SEO optimization? We are happy to help: Contact us

Despite criticism and loud resistance, Google throws in its browser "Chrome" with the latest update 76 https and www from the address bar. According to Google, these two components are irrelevant for most users. This is supposed to provide more simplicity and an easier user interface.

Is this now also threatening to go out in other browsers?

Quite possibly, because Google has advocated standardization here. Other browser developers are not obliged to do the same with Google & Chrome. However, the trend could become established in the long run.

Is it possible to display the full URL in Chrome anyway?

Yes, with the Chrome extension Suspicious Site Reporter the complete URL can still be displayed. Also when copy & paste the whole URL is copied to the clipboard.

Half of 2019 is over. Accordingly, SEO trends 2019 can be illuminated a little more closely and a first conclusion can be drawn: Some megatrends that developed from 2015 continue. We look at the trends in search engine optimization 2019 in detail:

1. structured data at Google

Google is getting better at handling structured data. As a result, the algorithms are capturing the content on web pages with increasing precision, including data without markup. Examples of this development are Featured Snippets and Google Answer Boxes, which present content graphically. This trend is intensifying. In the meantime, only that content is presented as a Featured Snippet which users have taken up best. It needs a clear text structure with unique content and paragraphs that should answer specific questions about the topic of the URL. Google recognizes questions in searches and delivers snippets if the page answers that question. In online stores, structured data is now standard: it provides rating stars in the snippets.

2. mobile first

The approach is known to be older, but the trend towards mobile search will be supported even more strongly by Google and other search engines in 2019. This makes sense, because users worldwide now search more frequently on mobile than via desktop PC or notebook. In addition to Responsive Design, which has long since become the standard, programmers should pay attention to three factors when creating websites:

• high page speed
• high usability
• easy to capture content (for the mobile device)

Texts, videos and graphics on the web are becoming increasingly simplified, which is not necessarily a bad thing. We are all users and do not want to read nested sentences or watch endless, lyrical videos on our smartphones. Even a diagram should be immediately comprehensible on the small display. A concise content doesn't have to be wrong just because it sums up the truth with a few (textual, graphical, visual) facts. The pure web design is also challenged: The contrast must be high enough to let everything be seen well on smaller displays. The loading time of a page for the mobile device must necessarily be less than three seconds, otherwise the user will jump off.

3. voice search

Those who have the option speak their search into the device, which Google Home, Alexa and Siri are increasingly supporting. Voice search is changing search behavior. Young people in particular (but not only) are affected: 41 % of all users aged 13 to 18 use voice search almost exclusively. The proportion is likely to rise to over 50 % for all search queries of all age groups by 2020 at the latest, according to the Comscore analysis institute. The questions are asked differently than with a keyboard entry. We speak specifically into the smartphone, "Where is the nearest restaurant?" At the same time, we rely on our location being determined automatically. With the keyboard, we would enter "Restaurant Berlin Hohenschönhausen." Google has now adapted its algorithms and recognizes W questions via voice search. This means for SEO: These W-questions should also be asked and answered in SEO texts.

4. content: trends 2019

Since this year, texts that are only written for search engines are definitely useless. Long word monstrosities with keyword heaps that are supposed to boost the Google ranking have obviously become useless. Instead, content optimization must be aimed at the so-called keepable experience. This means: the reader should take something away from the content conveyed in order to remember it and thus the page in the future. Brand expert Robert Seeger extends this approach with his 3H concept. The 3Hs are heart, brain and attitude. Keepable Experience, according to Seeger, consists of content (texts, videos, images, graphics) that appeal to the emotions and intellect of users, while at the same time expressing an attitude. The statement may or may not be welcomed by the user, but it must first be present. Only then will the target audience find the content that is relevant to them.

Content struggles for quality

Content struggles for quality in order to achieve the necessary attention. This makes sense, because in the last 20 years, inflationary content has been created on most topics, which is often as similar as one egg to another. In the text area, it is mostly created by spinning, i.e. the mere rewriting of existing texts so that the Google algorithms identify the new text as unique content. In this case, it is supposedly only important that no more than four to seven words of the source text are repeated (depending on the setting of the CopyScape tool). However, Google's algorithms have been more advanced for years. It is known that since the Penguin update in 2012 at the latest, they already measure the dwell time on a page that results from a user getting stuck in a text. However, it is not enough to simply post a very long text, which in turn is the result of spinning. Long texts also contradict the postulate formulated at the beginning that (in terms of mobile optimization) concise, catchy formulations are important. Rather, content must be relevant, excitingly written, creative, lateral thinking and of high quality. This applies to texts as well as to any other content. It is gratifying for content authors that Google is finally rewarding artistic freedom. It would be desirable that the marketers - probably 80-90 % affiliates who commission the content - also recognize this and give the creatives the necessary freedom.

5. artificial intelligence in the search engines

In 2015, Google introduced Rank Brain and thus also officially relied on AI. Rank Brain is one of the algorithms that determine the position of a post in the SERPs, it uses AI and machine learning to answer questions that were not even asked. It translates search queries into a mathematical pattern that the search engine can process. Rank Brain is linked to the 2013 Hummingbird update, which emphasized semantic search more. Rank Brain is able to semantically link unknown words to known linguistic entities. The system learns on its own in this way. As a user, we experience that a question similar to our search query is (also) answered - possibly because we were mistaken about the query, but possibly also because the similar question could also be relevant. It was known before 2015 that AI was playing an increasing role in Google's algorithms. In October 2015, a Google spokesperson confirmed in a post on bloomberg.com that the Rank Brain algorithm was using AI to rank search results. By mid-2019, it is estimated that ~15 % of search inputs are absolutely original, meaning they have never been entered that way before. Rank Brain nevertheless identifies what the user likely meant. It is part of those algorithms that are based on AI. These are playing an increasing role in SEO and are expected to lead to search engines thinking more and more like a human: what could my counterpart have meant? What associations are associated with this topic? What should I therefore offer as an answer? This in turn fits in with point 4, namely the abandonment of keyword spamming, which has become completely superfluous. Regular bloggers have noticed this for quite some time. They therefore mostly do without keywords altogether. If they fit the topic, they automatically appear in the text anyway. The fact that Google no longer values them as much as it used to is also related to the increasing weight of visual-based platforms like Instagram. Placing keywords in video and photos or their captions has long been considered difficult and not very helpful in the process. But the important visual messages are nevertheless gaining the rank they deserve, namely viral: they are shared voluntarily. This is also a ranking factor, so Google's AI is much more likely to reward content relevance than mechanical keyword piling. This SEO trend in 2019 is gratifying, but also challenging.

6. what role do backlinks still play?

Their importance has diminished, but they are far from irrelevant. However, purchased backlinks are a nasty trap (and by the way, so are purchased likes and comments on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook & Co.), the search engines and social networks have long identified them. Backlinks have to be natural. That doesn't mean that targeted off-page SEO can't help things along a bit. It is perfectly legitimate to set a backlink to your own page from your own blog post or PR contribution. However, it must be really relevant, and link spamming must be strictly avoided. Referral links that deliver high-quality traffic remain useful. Ideally, they should come from a page that itself ranks relatively well. This increases the importance of press portals and, accordingly, the importance of PR for companies - which brings us back to high-quality content. How backlinks should be technically constituted is described in the E-A-T guidelines in their section 3.2 (Search Quality Evaluator guidelines).

7. progressive web apps

PWAs (Progressive Web Apps) are websites with special features of native apps. Thus, they improve the user experience in mobile search and basically combine app and responsive web design. SEO has paid little attention to them so far, but that is changing in 2019. In the spirit of increasing mobile search (see 2.), it is worth considering running new websites as PWAs. These also work offline, they can also send push messages, can be used across the entire screen (the display) and can still be installed as an icon on the HomeScreen like any native app. For SEO, it is extremely interesting that search engines do index PWAs if they meet their guidelines. Another advantage of a PWA is: it convinces with its usability, because it does not have to be downloaded and also does not require any updates. This SEO trend 2019 is still young, we should keep an eye on it.

Your partner for digital marketing

For our customers we are a reliable contact for web design, web development, online marketing & branding. Get in touch with us without any obligation: Contact us

In the course of digitalization, the face of advertising has also changed drastically in recent years. Online marketing has become one of the most important flagships of companies and brands. The primary goal is to increase awareness and thus also sales. Anyone who does not engage in online marketing these days will disappear among the competition and will find it difficult to continue to be successful in the future market. It is no longer enough to address consumers only via the computer. Those who limit themselves to this and do not use mobile optimization will lose potential customers.

The smartphone has become an important tool in the online market. Hardly anyone is still on the move today without a mobile device. That's why it's hardly surprising that mobile marketing has become so interesting for companies.

Constant change in communication behavior

New media are unstoppably changing our lives and our communication behavior. According to the latest Zenith Mobile Advertising Forecast, 66 % of people in 52 markets worldwide will own a smartphone in 2018. In highly developed industrialized countries, the penetration rate will be as high as 80 to 90 %.

In Germany, 50 % used a smartphone in 2014, in 2015 it was 56 % and according to a Bitkom study, in 2017 it was already 78 %. In 2018, 81 % of Germans are expected to own a smartphone. In advertising-relevant target groups, we are talking about complete coverage.

Mobile use continues to increase

The rapid growth in mobile usage will continue in the coming years. Mobile data volumes will increase fivefold by 2020. Already by 2018, 80 % of global Internet usage will be via smartphones and tablets.

No matter where we are, the cell phone has become a constant companion. At home, at work, in our free time, and on the road all over the world. We spend around 2 hours a day online with our smartphones, and on average there are around 28 apps on our devices. The smartphone has become an important helper in everyday life. In a survey, 100 % said they use it to make phone calls, 90 % use the smartphone as a camera, and as many as 79 % use it as a search engine. Then came statements such as reading the news, listening to music or using social networks.

Longer and longer service life

There are also impressive figures for usage time. Smartphones and tablets account for two-thirds of today's total media usage time. The desktop computer is far behind here with only 35 %. According to a study by the German Federal Statistical Office, 81 % of the roughly 62 million Internet users used cell phones or smartphones to go online in 2016. 69 % used laptops or notebooks and 65 % desktop computers.

By the way, in terms of usage time, mobile is even more clearly ahead: Today, almost two-thirds of all media usage time is already spent on smartphones & tablets (65 percent) - and only 35 percent on desktop computers. And the boom in mobile usage will be unstoppable in the coming years. By the end of 2018, 80 % of global Internet usage is expected to be via smartphones or tablets. The volume of mobile data sent via smartphones and tablets is expected to increase fivefold from 2016 to 2020.

Almost 80 % of all Germans use a smartphone, so over 2/3 of all inhabitants in Germany could be reached with mobile marketing. But only a fraction of this opportunity is reached, because mobile marketing is not yet very established. Especially location-based mobile marketing is only little used. But this is exactly where the decisive advantage over regular online marketing would lie.

Great potential for brands

The potential for brands and companies to reach their customers in a tailored and targeted way via the smartphone and thus create a higher identification with their own brand is huge. For this purpose, a targeted and comparatively inexpensive customer advertising and customer retention is possible with an individual solution, such as a responsive website or an own app.

 What is Mobile Marketing?

Mobile marketing refers to a special form of marketing that aims to address users via mobile devices. One of the main goals of online marketing is conversions. Internet users should become customers or at least registered users when visiting a website. Another term in this area is the customer journey, i.e. the customer's path from the first contact with a brand to conversion. A prospect becomes a customer.

The growing number of smartphone users must be accommodated, which is why marketing and advertising must adapt to this trend. For marketing, smartphones are digital all-rounders with various possible uses such as advertising medium, dialog, service or shopping tool. Mobile marketing must follow suit.

What opportunities are there for companies? At what points are users reached, at what time, in what form?

A first step in mobile marketing is to set up the company's own website in such a way that it can also be easily displayed on mobile devices. This basic prerequisite must be created. Only then can mobile ads be launched, for example, which then redirect the customer to the mobile website or a landing page. Of course, this must then also be set up for use with mobile devices.

Corporate communications and advertising strategies must adapt to current developments. Websites must be geared to use with mobile devices. (Design of web banners or the sending of vouchers in the form of codes via SMS or e-mail to customers).

Already in 2015, the share of search queries made via mobile devices exceeded queries made via computers for the first time. Mobile marketing had ended its niche existence.

Google also offered a new search algorithm for mobile search queries for the first time in 2015. New marketing measures have been developed for users of mobile devices, and existing measures have been optimized for access via smartphones and tablets. One example is Responsive Design, which ensures that websites are optimally displayed on different devices.

Exploiting the opportunities of mobile marketing

The flourishing mobile marketing sector will continue to be of immense importance in the coming years. Especially for the younger generation, the smartphone is indispensable, i.e. for the most promising target group in the marketing sector.

We offer customers professional lines around the digital cosmos. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have: Contact us.

Every company needs a website! You have certainly heard this sentence before. But where does this assumption come from - and is it even true? Why go to the trouble of writing texts, searching for images and regularly updating content? In addition, there may be costs for website creation, maintenance and web hosting. In this article I will show you 10 good reasons why nowadays a website should be really important is.

1. easier to be found = more potential customers

If you want to know something, you ask Dr. Google. Right? Simplified, you can say: if you have a "well-made" website, it will usually be found well. A good ranking in search engines is possible thanks to professional SEO measures. Your company will be seen by more people than if you simply place an ad in the daily newspaper or send out flyers. You have a high effort once to create the website, but then you can profit from it in the long run - especially if you take care of care and maintenance regularly. Content management systems like WordPress are easy to use and offer a high level of security.

2. the bank is happy

Okay, the bank is happy? Yes, that's right. Bank employees also judge a company by how well it is presented to the outside world. If you need a loan or something similar from a bank, you will usually be asked about your website. The bank wants to make sure that customers can find you and that you are easy to contact. After all, they want to find out whether you are serious about your business and present yourself in a professional and up-to-date manner. Your chances are simply higher that the bank will work with you.

3. show what you have to offer

A website offers a lot of space to present your work and service in the right light. You can provide your customers with all the information they need in a very simple way. The customer recognizes directly whether you are the right contact person and gets a good impression of you. Optics and content play together perfectly.

4. earn money with your website

Your website can not only serve to provide information for potential new and existing customers, you can also earn money in other ways. Nowadays, even smaller companies increasingly run an online store that is directly integrated into their own WordPress website via WooCommerce, for example. This way you can sell your services and products online and theoretically reach people all over the world. Depending on the product type, earning money is then possible almost passively and you can invest more time in customer service and the development of new things for your business. Plugins for WordPress like WooCommerce help you to set up an appealing online store in a short time.

5. always keep the customer up to date

Once you have acquired customers through your website, you should regularly remind them about it. A news section is the best way to do this. The customer can subscribe to the news via the RSS feed and you can promptly share everything that is happening in your company. Promote new services or products, share milestones or give a look behind the scenes. Many websites also offer newsletter subscriptions - once subscribed, prospects will receive your emails on a regular basis. This also helps you to check in with your customer regularly and to keep in touch.

6. added value for the customer through helpful articles

Point 6 is very similar to the previous reason and yet quite different. On your website you can not only share news, but also pass on some knowledge for free. The visitor learns something and trusts you and your skills more and more over time. If you have a customer who trusts you, it is more likely that he will use your expertise and services. In addition, you can create topic-relevant content and thus achieve better Google rankings for keywords that are important for your business.

7. finding new employees made easy

Your company is growing and so is usually your team. Through your website, you can post recruitment ads and give applicants the opportunity to send their documents. Everything is digital and easy to organize. No more stacks of paper, no more application folders to send back, and most importantly, you attract more applicants who actually fit the company because they've been able to read up on a lot of info in advance. Such an ad is created faster than an ad in the newspaper and you can always add to it, shorten it or take it out completely.

8. interested parties have it easy to contact you

Sure, you could just put an entry in the business directory and hope that someone will call and book the service. Such a business listing is certainly not completely wrong, but there are many people who prefer to write e-mails than to make phone calls. On your website, interested parties have the opportunity to tell you what they need and where the shoe pinches via forms, links or questionnaires. Those who don't want to write an e-mail can still use channels such as telephone or chat. The advantage is simply that you can offer every conceivable way to contact you on your website and everything is in one place. The customer can then freely decide how to contact you and has lower barriers to contacting you. The easier it is for the customer, the more likely he is to contact you and your team.

9. your website creates trust

Visitors, prospects and customers like to come back to your website if the content is right. They can grasp and understand you and what you stand for. You can present yourself as you are and connect with people to help them with your service or product. If your website looks professional, your company will be seen as professional and trustworthy. Among other things, this greatly facilitates the acquisition of new customers.

10. safe home for your information

Who thinks that e.g. a Facebook page is sufficient as an online company presentation, does not consider one important thing. Your website and your web space with all the information belongs to you. A social media profile on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram is not. Social media channels are important tools for your business, no question. But what if Facebook and Co. decide they don't want to offer this service anymore or only in a certain form that doesn't suit you? Your information is lost and you are no longer visible online. Everything back to square one.

On your website, on the other hand, you are in the driver's seat and have full control over what you publish, when you do it and what you want to offer. Your information can't just get lost.

Conclusion

Having your own website not only makes you and your business look professional, but you will also be found much easier by more potential customers that you can help. You gain more trust through a well-designed website and can share important information with others. A website also helps you earn money by presenting products and services in an appealing way.

It is important that your website is created professionally according to current technical standards, because only then you will be listed and found in search engines. The first impression counts online, too. And that's where we come in. We can support you and create your website according to your wishes.

We offer modern web design with responsive codeWe'll make sure your website not only looks good on the computer, but also looks good on tablets and smartphones. In addition, we offer you Support with the maintenance and care of your website. Our customers also come from a wide range of industries: Banking & Finance, Construction & Architecture, Coaching & Consulting, Event & Event, Health & Fitness, Education & Politics and many more. Here we score with our experience and can advise you competently. We know what a website must have, so that you have even more success with your business.

Curious now? Arrange a non-binding consultation appointment with us, where we can get to know you and your company better. We are an agency with a passion for good design, a lot of know-how and you also get delicious coffee. Keep in touch... We are looking forward to meeting you!

Why online marketing at all?

If you've had little or no exposure to online marketing, you're probably wondering how you can benefit from it - whether you're a small business owner, a midsize company, or a global corporation:

• Online marketing can be controlled and measured very well (so you pay less empty money compared to other marketing measures).
• You can achieve remarkable results even with small amounts of money.
• You yourself determine your time commitment
• You reach people (or potential customers) all over the world.
• Online marketing can be done regardless of location (as long as internet is available).
• etc.

The list of benefits could go on and on, but you'll have noticed what I'm talking about. I recommend that you start with a small investment of time and money. Once you have "tasted blood" and are satisfied with the results, you can increase your efforts bit by bit.

Before you start with online marketing: Define your goals!

Sounds logical, but is often forgotten or only implemented half-heartedly. Before you spend even one second on the implementation of an online marketing measure, you should definitely be clear about your goals.

Possible goals

Every advertiser pursues individual goals with his campaigns. The possibilities offered by the Internet today are manifold:

• Customer acquisition
• Customer loyalty
• Sales increase
• PR, image advertising and branding
• Attracting new workers
• Winning sponsors and partners
• Product advertising
• etc.

Target formulation

You should be as specific as possible when setting goals, no matter how high or low the initial investment.

Bad:
"I want more sales."

Better:
"With Facebook ads in my region (40km radius), I want to acquire 20 new customers within a month, using a maximum of 15 euros of advertising budget per new customer on average."

The example shows that goals must be specific, measurable, executable, realistic and scheduled. This approach is also called SMART.

 

Here's another example of a SMART goal:

• Specific: More visitors to the website with a monthly advertising budget of 100 euros
• Measurable: 40% increase (measurement with Google Analytics)
• Executable: Placing Google AdWords ads (help from an online marketing expert may be needed).
• Realistic: previous ad campaigns have shown that the target is realistic
• Scheduled: The campaign is to be switched for three months

These characteristics don't necessarily apply to every one of your online marketing goals, however, they have proven useful in practice because:

• Non-specific goals are difficult to implement and communicate.
• Non-measurable goals cannot test for success or failure.
• Goals that have not been scheduled are postponed, forgotten or have a false appearance (the goal has not yet been achieved, but I still have time for it...).
• Non-executable and unrealistic goals are - who would have thought it - not feasible. Frustration is pre-programmed here.

[sc name="newsletter-register-inline"]

After goal setting comes action

With the right and correctly formulated goals, you can also tackle more complex online marketing measures. Make a habit of setting goals - you can also benefit from this in your private life. Now that your goals are set, here comes the implement!

In the following infographic "Define your online marketing goals" you can see the process listed again in a very simplified way.

 

Need help with your online marketing & branding goals? We are happy to help!