Posted on December 12,2019 in Changes with Google

The vast majority of people use Google search to find the information they are looking for online, and Google is constantly looking to improve its algorithms to make sure its users get the best possible search results. Because showing up in Google search results is so important, any website owner will want to stay up to date on the latest trends in search engine optimization (SEO). One of the latest developments that may affect a firm’s marketing strategy is the implementation of natural language processing (NLP) in Google’s algorithms.

Google’s BERT Algorithm

Google recently announced that it has updated its search algorithms to use a technique called BERT, which stands for Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers. This update to the algorithm uses artificial intelligence and neural networks for natural language processing. That may sound like a lot of jargon, but basically, it means that Google wants to be able to understand how people use language when performing searches and how the context of different words affects what they are looking for.

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 Posted on June 26,2019 in Changes with Google

Google is one of the companies that shape how people experience the internet, and every move that the company makes is closely scrutinized by everyone from major brands to owners of small websites. Keeping abreast of changes made by Google is essential for ensuring that your business can be found in online searches. One recent announcement by Google that will affect many websites is the announcement that mobile-first indexing will be used for new sites, and this may affect the search engine optimization (SEO) strategies used by a wide variety of businesses.

What Is Mobile-First Indexing?

When people perform a Google search, what is actually being searched is an “index” of all websites on the internet created on Google’s systems. This index includes a variety of information about a site and its relevance to people performing searches, including ranking factors that affect where it will show up in search results. Since so many people now use mobile devices to perform searches and view websites, Google now uses the mobile version of a website’s content in its index in many cases.

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 Posted on May 23,2019 in Reputation Management

Today, nearly every business has an online presence of some sort. This can range from a Google My Business listing that contains basic information about a company to a digital strategy that includes a website, social media, and pay-per-click advertising. Regardless of the extent of your firm’s digital footprint, you will want to make sure that you make a positive impression on those who find you online. This is why reputation management is crucial.

What Is Reputation Management?

Online searches are the primary way most people find information, whether they are looking for answers on a computer at home or at work or are searching for a local business on their smartphone. When a firm shows up in search results, their listing is often accompanied by reviews and star ratings that people have submitted. These ratings often play a key role in a potential customer’s decision to click through to a company’s website or contact them via phone or email.

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 Posted on December 20,2018 in Search Engine Optimization

For many people, Google has largely morphed into “the new homepage for local business,” and some believe that the information provided within Google search results has replaced the need for a separate website. However, there is no overstating the value of a quality website. Even if it appears that websites are less important in today’s world, this notion is far from reality.

Changes to Google Search

Not long ago, a search for a local business on Google would bring up a search engine results page (SERP) with 10 local businesses and links to their websites. As the format of Google’s search results changed to make paid ads more prominent, the number of listed businesses has shrunk. Instead of sending searchers to company websites, Google now tries to keep users engaged on its own platforms. A SERP offers information in a Knowledge Panel that includes a business’s address, phone number, hours of operation, photos, and more, and for many users, this provides them with the simple information they need without searching further.

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 Posted on July 06,2018 in Search Engine Optimization

You probably see the letters HTTPS hundreds of times a day as you scroll through your favorite websites, check your email, and interact with people on social media. You may not know their meaning; however, this letter combination holds a lot of power over the websites you visit and how they rank in Google search results. 

HTTP vs. HTTPS

HTTP is an acronym for HyperText Transfer Protocol, which enables communication between different computer systems on the internet. This protocol allows data to be transferred from a web server to a browser, allowing you to view the hundreds of sites you look at each day. 

The difference between HTTP and HTTPS extends past the single letter. Websites labeled with HTTP lack data encryption, resulting in third parties potentially being able to intercept private information. The “S” in HTTPS denotes the security of a website, which is created through the use of a SSL Certificate, which encrypts the information that is shared between the web server and a user’s web browser. Though HTTPS was initially used for sites which captured sensitive information, such as credit card payment pages, Google and other major search engines have been pushing for online security across the board.

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 Posted on March 29,2018 in Reputation Management

If you own a business, you may have received a less-than-ideal review on your Google My Business page. There are many cases where Google will not remove a negative review, as it may not fall under any of the categories in their Prohibited and Restricted Content guidelines. However, OVC Lawyer Marketing has found there to be a number of instances where Google will be more likely to intervene and remove a review:

Spam and Fake Content

Reviews that refer to incorrect details about a business may be considered fake content. For example, a user may leave the same one-star review for multiple office locations of your law firm. Because it is unlikely that a client received the same experience at more than one of your offices, Google may remove the review from all but one of the locations.

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 Posted on March 20,2018 in Search Engine Optimization

If you have noticed the rankings of various websites in search results have changed, it is likely due to the fact that Google has confirmed a “broad core algorithm” update that occurred at the end of February. 

Those who follow Google on Twitter may have seen their post explaining that they do these types of updates “several times per year”. Google said that “Some sites may note drops or gains.” This could very well be because Google has made changes to their ranking models. These changes are said to benefit “pages that were previously under-rewarded.” 

If you’re looking for Google’s full statement on Twitter regarding these changes, you can find it below:

“Each day, Google usually releases one or more changes designed to improve our results. Some are focused around specific improvements. Some are broad changes. Last week, we released a broad core algorithm update. We do these routinely several times per year.

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 Posted on December 13,2017 in Reputation Management

In today’s highly competitive online landscape, businesses need to do everything they can to stand out. More people than ever are using Google and other search engines to find local businesses, and the information that is displayed in search results is a major factor that influences people’s decisions. Of the different types of information that can be displayed in search results, online reviews are often among the most important.

According to Google, 71% of consumers say they are more likely to do business with a company if it has positive reviews, and businesses which have positive reviews have 360% more clicks to their site from their business listings. As part of its efforts to help small businesses get the most out of Google, the company has created a new tool that businesses can use to generate free marketing materials.

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 Posted on December 06,2017 in Changes with Google

In the modern digital world, people are constantly bombarded with information. We see advertisements everywhere we go, from billboards and TV commercials to the pop-ups that display on the websites we visit on our computers or smartphones. It can be difficult to sort out relevant information from noise, which is why people turn to Google and other search engines to find what they are looking for. 

The widespread use of Google search makes search engine optimization (SEO) more important than ever, and companies will need to do everything they can to stand out in search results. Google has worked to make it easy for companies to provide relevant information to their customers through Google My Business, and one new feature, known as Google Posts, gives companies a great way to add visibility to search results.

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 Posted on November 22,2017 in Twitter

For many years, Twitter has been a great social media platform that law firms and other businesses can use to connect with their customers. One thing that makes Twitter unique is its limit on the size of messages that can be posted, which often inspires creativity in people as they work to fit what they want to say into 140 characters. 

According to Twitter, this limit was somewhat arbitrary, since it was based on character limits for SMS text messages which were in place when the company was founded, and these restrictions are no longer applicable. With that in mind, Twitter recently doubled its character limit to 280, providing its users with more space to send a complete message.

This expanded limit makes Twitter better than ever for getting your message out to the people you want to connect with online. Here are a few ways to get the most out of the time you spend on this social network:

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