Have you heard of Google Panda? No, it's not a mascot. In fact, Panda was a change made to Google's search results algorithm all the way back in 2011, with the goal of helping to eliminate low-quality sites from searches, while having higher-quality sites appear at the top of the search.

Ever heard of it? You’re not alone if you haven’t.

The fact is, Google and its peers in the search engine sector are consistently updating and refining their algorithms and web crawlers, helping redefine the ways in which users search the internet for e-commerce options and content – and how they find their way to your brand.

Whether that means factoring in mobile devices, updating search engine ranking pages (SERPs) with Knowledge Graphs and Featured Snippets, or taking aim against “blackhat” tactics like keyword stuffing, Google has long been a vital gatekeeper for businesses, either helping to guide internet users to your site – or send them into the arms of your competitors.

Read more

What does your business email address look like? Is it something like - [email protected][.]com? [email protected][.]net?

While names like this seem fine on the surface, using email addresses like this for your company can easily cause your company to lose business.

Read more

Do you want to truly drive traffic to your website? Read on...

You can't read an article, a post, or a tweet from a digital marketing firm or an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) outfit without reading a mention of "blogging". Sure, it's a buzzword.

We made it up about nine or ten years ago. It's a concatenation of "web logging". In its original form, blogging essentially functioned as an online journal; today, it refers to a variety of multimedia content curated and kept in the same place. 

Whether you're creating an up-to-date journal for your company, keeping your content fresh with regularly posted information about your offerings, or actively writing creative posts in the form of listicles, quizzes, or infographics, it all effectively works the same way. And it has been recognized as one of the top ways to bring in customers for businesses of all sizes. Why, you ask?

It comes down to the fundamentals of SEO:

Read more

At the start of 2014, many businesses, small and large, are re-evaluating their strategies to reach new customers and promote their brand.

Often, question usually boils down to this:

Should we focus our budget more towards online advertising (SEM) or bolster our content to develop organic results?

The one that will get you the most bang for your buck is, hands down, the generation of quality content.  Here's why:

1. Quality content = quality interactions

The first, and perhaps most stark contrast between quality content and advertisements is the generation of quality interactions between company and customer.

Advertisements mostly sit flat, waiting for a click to redirect the customer.  Content, however, is the start to a conversation, inspiration, and share.  When you're generating quality content as a company, you are sharing something that will not only interest and engage your audience, but portray your company as an informed and useful source.  This remains true not ONLY for that first interaction, but for further interactions down the line.

2. Content generation gives you the room to portray your personality

Online advertisements, especially under the "company" persona, can often lack a sense of humanity.  Content, however, helps reveal "the man behind the curtain" and put your company on a more personal level.  Mediums like blogging, for example, provide your company a regular platform to connect with customers on a personal level.

Read more

Your company has decided to make its presence known on Facebook.  Yes!  It's as easy as uploading your logo, adding a business description, and calling it a night, right?

Read more

Christmas is nearly upon us and it's time to soup up our smartphones with as many awesome (free) Christmas apps as possible, right?  Here are our top 10 favorite free Christmas apps for iPhone and Android.

1. Waitrose Christmas (iPhone)

Waitrose Christmas is the best free app for holiday food, planning, and partying.  This app has got you covered with tons of recipes, cocktails and mocktails, and some great tools/planners to set you up for the big day.

Click here to download for iPhone

2. Yummy Christmas (iPhone)

Let your kids get in on the cooking fun with Yummy Christmas - super easy Christmas recipes for kids.  You may want to be prepared to mute the Christmas carols that repeat on the background, but otherwise this is a fun free app for your kids.

Click here to download for iPhone

Read more

There comes a point in most people's online lives that you decide its time to change your email address over to a new one.  

Change your email address

Maybe it isn't professional enough, maybe you want to have your full name in your email address, or maybe your email suffix is giving your professional brand a bad name. Whatever the reason, changing your email address over can be a huge hassle, IF you don't know how to do it.

Read more

When starting a business, the sheer number of tasks can seem a little daunting, especially when it comes to budgeting.  How do you establish your marketing, communication, and organizational methods in a cost-effective fashion?

Luckily, the digital world offers a hoard of fantastic tools for these three tasks that DON'T break the bank.

Read more

"Why is the sky blue?"

"When is daylight savings time?"

"How can I fix my heater?"

iPhone users have probably asked Siri - Apple's intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator - some questions like these at one point or another.  

Sometimes she's awesome...and sometimes she's not.  

But don't worry - she can be very VERY useful, provided you know how to phrase your questions.

How can you make the most out of your relationship with Siri? 

Read more

Thanksgiving day planning can get a little hectic. Thankfully, there are (of course) apps for that! Here are 4 fantastic (and free!) Thanksgiving apps for your mobile devices.

1. Thanksgiving: A Bon Appétit Manual

If you're a fan of the "Bon Appétit" magazine, then this is a great app for you! It comes with 101 fantastic recipes, spanning from traditional food fare to the slightly more exotic dishes for the adventurous. Additionally, it includes cooking advice and technique videos.

Read more