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Common PPC Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a powerful tool for driving traffic, generating leads, and boosting sales. However, common mistakes can make it much less effective. Let's explore these common PPC mistakes and provide tips to help you avoid them.

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Neglecting Keyword Research

Many advertisers dive into PPC without thorough keyword research. They often select broad terms or overly generic keywords, leading to wasted spend and low-quality traffic.

Solution: Invest time in comprehensive keyword research. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to find relevant keywords with high search intent. Focus on long-tail keywords that are more specific and often cheaper to bid on. This will help you target a more relevant audience and improve your ROI.

Ignoring Negative Keywords

Failing to use negative keywords can result in your ads being shown for irrelevant searches, leading to wasted budget and lower click-through rates (CTR).

Solution: Regularly review your search query reports to identify irrelevant or low-performing terms. Add these as negative keywords to prevent your ads from appearing in unrelated searches. This will help you refine your targeting and improve the overall efficiency of your campaigns.

Bad Ad Copy

Weak or generic ad copy can fail to attract clicks and drive conversions. Ads that don't clearly communicate the value proposition or include a compelling call-to-action (CTA) can underperform.

Solution: Craft clear, engaging, and persuasive ad copy. Highlight unique selling points and benefits, and include a strong CTA. A/B test different versions of your ad copy to see what resonates best with your audience. Continuously refine your messaging based on performance data.

Ignoring Landing Page Optimization

Driving traffic to a poorly designed or irrelevant landing page can result in high bounce rates and low conversion rates. 

Solution: Ensure that your landing pages are relevant to the ad copy and keywords used. They should be optimized for user experience with clear navigation, a compelling headline, and a straightforward CTA. Test different landing page elements to see what drives the best results and make necessary adjustments.

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Inadequate Tracking and Analytics

Not setting up proper tracking and analytics can prevent you from understanding the effectiveness of your PPC campaigns and making data-driven decisions.

Solution: Implement conversion tracking through Google Ads, Google Analytics, or other analytics tools. Set up goals and track key metrics such as CTR, conversion rate, and cost per acquisition (CPA). Regularly analyze this data to gauge performance and identify areas for improvement.

Mismanaging Budget and Bids

Improper budget allocation and bid management can either lead to overspending or underperformance. Some advertisers fail to adjust their bids based on performance or seasonality.

Solution: Set a realistic budget based on your business goals and the cost of your target keywords. Monitor your spending regularly and adjust bids based on performance data. Use automated bidding strategies if appropriate, but keep a close eye on their effectiveness and make manual adjustments as needed.

Still not sure how to make your digital advertising effective and profitable? At DevBarry, we're dedicated to helping businesses navigate the complexities of PPC advertising. If you're struggling with your PPC campaigns or simply want to ensure you're making the most of your advertising budget, contact us now! 

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Organic vs. Social Media Advertising

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Understanding Organic and Paid Marketing

Do you remember social media without ads? A long time ago, it was a reality! What started as a movement for connecting and sharing with others has transformed into a global marketplace for buying, selling, and advertising. Today, digital marketing and social media are inextricably linked, giving businesses unprecedented opportunities to reach more customers, drive traffic, and boost revenue.

Organic vs. Paid Facebook Ads

Organic Social Media

Organic social media refers to the content (posts, stories, comments, DMs, etc.) posted by a brand or business that requires no financial skin in the game. Organic content can be classified as any content you can control (own). This includes Facebook content as well as Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and other platforms.

While many digital marketing experts argue that organic social media doesn't carry the weight that paid does, it is still a crucial part of your digital marketing health. Organic content comes across as more authentic than paid, making it an effective tool for engaging with your audience directly and building brand loyalty. Done correctly, organic social media can nurture your customer relationships and serve as a platform for customer service and support.

The most appealing part of organic social media? It's F-R-E-E. If you're working with a limited budget, focusing on organic strategies can help you connect with audiences and start building your online presence. Don't forget: the best viral content is completely organic, reinforcing the power of its reach. However, organic social media does come with its challenges. Evolving platform algorithms and less targeted reach are two challenges your organic content may face.

Paid Social Media 

Unlike organic social media, paid advertising has more targeted strategies, goals, and analytics, requiring a dedicated budget for ads to run. Meta, Instagram, and LinkedIn are among the most popular platforms for social media advertising, providing detailed targeting opportunities to drive revenue and generate more leads. Campaigns can be built around advanced segments like age, gender, and income to more nuanced identifiers like geographic location, profession, and interests. With the right strategies, paid advertising is one of the most cost-effective digital marketing practices you can employ, providing a clear ROI and deeper insights into your audience.

Paid social media ads allow you to break through the noise, whether that be a prospecting campaign to reach a new audience or a retargeting campaign to convert people who have interacted with your brand before. It lends itself to A/B testing, personalized messaging, and broader reach than organic social media followers.

How Can Organic and Paid Social Media Work Together? 

Use Organic Content To Complement Your Paid Advertising Goals

Use the advanced analytics from paid campaigns to identify gaps and leverage high-performing content to enhance your social presence. You can also use organic content to inform your paid strategies! Round up customer feedback and sentiments on your organic channels to craft a more tailored, personalized message for your next campaign.

Be Consistent

Ensuring a unified voice and tone across organic and paid channels will help your customers develop a deeper level of trust. Your paid ads may be the reason they come to the party, but the value provided by organic social media could very well be the reason they stay (and ultimately buy). 

Balance Budget & Strategy

If you're not familiar with creating, launching, and monitoring a paid ad campaign, it can be easy to misallocate your budget. The last thing you want to do is spend your entire budget on one campaign and have to rely on organic social media for the rest of the year. However, if you work with a team of experts who can advise on budget, strategy, and creative assets, paid advertising can be the most effective form of marketing for your business with the highest ROI.

By integrating organic and paid social media strategies, you can enhance your reach, engage with your audience more effectively, and boost revenue. 

Are you ready to revolutionize your marketing with organic and paid social media? Contact us today to get started! 

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How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile in 2024

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When used correctly, your company's Google Business Profile is a free and effective way to supplement and solidify your online presence. You heard that right, FREE! At DevBarry, we're passionate about improving your online presence and making things easier for you when it comes to digital marketing. We've rounded up five of our favorite tips for Google Business Profile optimizations that will amplify your voice online. 

Google Business Profile (Formerly Google My Business) Optimization Checklist:

  1. Ensure Your GBP is Set Up Correctly – Signing up is half the battle! Once you create your free GBP account, make sure you fill out allll the necessary information. Include relevant hours, links, photos, and other important information to make your profile shine and improve its crawlability. This simple step puts you miles ahead of those who fail to see the significance of Google Business Profiles. 
  2. A Picture is Worth a Thousand (Key)Words – Okay, maybe not a thousand keywords, but they do say a lot. Adding quality photos and videos to your GBP is a game-changer for standing out online. In the age of short attention spans, speak directly to your customers with effective imagery of your business and products. 
  3. Keywords Are Key – Much like on your website, you'll want to incorporate as many relevant keywords as possible in your GBP optimizations. By using industry-specific keywords to grab your audience's attention, you can cut through the noise and make an impression on consumers. If you don't know where to start with SEO, learn more about our services here! 
  4. The Reviews Are In (And They're Glowing) – As a business owner, nothing makes you feel better than a glowing review from a valued customer. Good reviews actually serve another helpful purpose than boosting confidence, however. By utilizing reviews on your GBP, you come off as authentic and personable to customers. Even including the occasional cynical review gives you a sense of credibility that can't be bought. Be sure to reply to both positive and negative reviews to address your customer's concerns. You can even use keywords in your response!
  5. Special Attributes – The special attributes section of GBP allows you to showcase your business's unique selling points. Highlighting things that make your business stand out will stop your target audience in their tracks! The special attributes section is a great way to target niches without pigeonholing your business. Examples of this are businesses that are black-owned or female-owned and other attributes that display special accommodations. Don't overlook this section when you're optimizing your Google Business Profile!

We think you'll be surprised how rewarding it can be when you apply these Google Business Profile optimizations! Take advantage of these five zero-cost local SEO tools to outrank your competitors and improve your reach locally. You can find more ways to improve your local SEO here!

If you'd like to talk about other ways to help your business online, fill out our form here to get started with DevBarry today! 

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Everything You Need to Know About Local SEO for Small Business

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An online presence is crucial for business success, and local SEO for small businesses has become an indispensable tool. If you're a small business owner, understanding the importance of local SEO and how to leverage it can significantly impact your visibility in the local market. Let's explore the essentials of local SEO and shed light on why local SEO is important!

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO, or Local Search Engine Optimization, is a strategy aimed at optimizing a business's online presence to attract local customers. It involves optimizing your website, content, and online profiles to rank higher in search results for potential customers in your region. This strategy is vital for small businesses looking to connect with their target audience in specific geographic areas.

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Why Local SEO is Important for Small Businesses

1. Increased Visibility

Local SEO helps your business appear in local search results when potential customers are looking for products or services in their area. By optimizing your online presence with local keywords (i.e. your business category + your city or state), you increase the chances of being discovered by individuals who are actively seeking what your business offers.

2. Targeted Traffic

One of the benefits of local SEO for small businesses is the ability to target an audience based on location. This ensures that your website is visible to people in your local community who are more likely to convert into customers. Targeted traffic increases the likelihood of driving relevant leads and sales.

3. Improved Google Business Profile (GBP) Performance

Optimizing your Google Business Profile listing is a critical aspect of local SEO. A well-optimized profile not only enhances your online visibility but also provides essential information about your business, such as your address, phone number, business hours, and customer reviews. Potential customers rely on this information when looking for local businesses.

4. Competitive Advantage

Local SEO for small businesses levels the playing field. While large corporations may have significant budgets for national or global campaigns, local SEO allows small businesses to compete effectively within their community. By optimizing for local searches, you can establish a strong online presence that rivals larger nationwide competitors.

Local SEO for small businesses is not just an option; it's a necessity in today's digital age! Whether you're a brick-and-mortar store or a service provider, investing in local SEO can be the key to unlocking success in your community. Now that you understand why local SEO is important, read our local SEO tips or contact us about SEO management!

Grow Your Business with These Local SEO Tips

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No matter what product or service you offer, all customers want one thing: connection. Supporting local businesses is just one way consumers seek connection, even in the world of search engine optimization (SEO). In fact, most customers won't even consider a company that's past page one on Google. Ouch! Because it provides a more targeted search, local SEO affects how many customers you're getting in front of and your connections with them. That's why it's crucial to follow local SEO best practices.

While fostering connections with in-person customers online might sound contradictory, local SEO does just that. If you're not ranking locally, you're missing a huge opportunity to drive traffic and boost revenue for your business. According to Google, 46% of searches are for local needs. Local SEO has the potential to be a game-changer for your business. Grow your name, increase traffic (in-person and online), and become a pillar in your community with these local SEO tips. 

This may all sound intimidating, but don't worry! Here are some of DevBarry's best tips for local SEO:

Best Tips for Local SEO

Update + Optimize GBP

Your Google Business Profile is the bread and butter of local SEO. Claim your profile, provide updated, accurate information, and optimize it with reviews, photos, and relevant content to ensure local SEO success. Update your address, location on a map, hours of operation, and more when you initially set up your account. Stay on top of the game and in front of your desired audience by updating holiday/special hours, events, deals, and more on your GBP! This is the first local SEO best practice to follow to help your ranking and visibility. 

Social Media Marketing and Content Creation

Depending on your trade, you may feel that social media isn't necessary for your audience. Even if you're not the next Instagram account to go viral, having a strong, consistent social media presence signals current and future customers that you're here and not going anywhere. You can source fresh content from your personal social media, images you've been tagged in, and so on. Don't be afraid to dress up your GBP with personality photos from your social media! You can even share your GBP on your socials to cover your bases. 

Responsive Website Design

When revisiting your online presence, design your website for desktop and mobile viewers alike. Around 80% of users conduct local SEO searches on their phones, so it's important to design a responsive site that's optimized for mobile viewing. This is one of the most important tips for local SEO because if your customers can't navigate your website on their phones, they will likely throw in the towel. Plus, make your calls-to-action clear, as many local users are ready to act instantly when they search for your business!

Leverage Online Reviews

Reviews are another way human connection manifests in local SEO. Supplementing your GBP listing with reviews achieves a personal touch and acts as a virtual word-of-mouth recommendation for your business. Seek genuine (preferably positive) reviews to feature on your profile to boost your ranking. You can source reviews from social media or prompt customers in-person (for example, by offering a discount if they leave a review). Don't fabricate or embellish reviews to sound better. Be real with your audience, and thank us later! Don't forget to respond to all reviews to further engage with customers.

NAP Time

Our next local SEO tip is easy to remember. Say it with us, NAP! Name, address, phone number. It's critical to have this information correct and in multiple places. Don't make your customers work hard to find you. NAP serves many important purposes, chief among them the effect it has on crawlability. Putting your NAP in your website's footer and/or header will make it indexable by Google. Besides the local SEO implications, this will make things easier for your customers. If this information isn't easily accessible or even worse – if it's incorrect, the rest of your hard work is wasted effort. Ensure your NAP is consistent across the board for every site and platform you're active on. 

Strengthening your internal links, external links, and citations will do wonders for your local SEO. Having a presence on citation sites such as Bing, Yelp, and other directories increases your chances of being found locally. Link-building (both internal and backlinking) improves your ranking and grants your domain authority to take up more space online. Any sponsorships, local partners, organizations, etc., in your area are a great place to start for building strong internal links for local SEO. There are many different directories you can use to improve backlinks, so be sure to pay attention to those that are most relevant locally. 

Spellcheck is Your Best Friend

Throughout our tips for local SEO, you may have noticed one common thread. Despite your best efforts to improve local SEO, something as trivial as misspelled words can bring everything tumbling down. If Google can't verify your information because it's incorrect or unrecognizable, you've got a big problem. Triple-check your information and any new content you upload to ensure your local SEO efforts can do their job! Similarly, keep an eye out for incorrect or outdated information, links, etc. 

Always Be Optimizing

Like anything in running a business, the work is never quite finished. Each piece of new content, ad, or website update is a chance to optimize your local SEO and get in front of even more customers. Utilize relevant keywords to shine in front of your target audience! While your initial local SEO overhaul may take time, maintaining and optimizing new content will not be as time-consuming. If you don't want to produce new content, you can always give your current website content an SEO makeover by editing copy to include new keywords or looking at the technical side of things to improve usability and indexing. 

These Local SEO Tips Can Improve Foot Traffic and Online Sales 

Leveraging local SEO best practices harnesses the power of the internet to drive more traffic to your business. With local SEO, you'll position yourself in front of a more tailored audience to build real-life relationships with your customers, improve your brand's reputation, and boost revenue. Go beyond receipts and the transactional nature of your everyday business minutiae and instead make a name for yourself with local SEO. 

Local SEO in Dallas: DevBarry Local SEO Services

If this sounds like a lot, it's because it is. Luckily, we're here to help. DevBarry has mastered local SEO best practices and can take your business to the next level! Fill out this form to get started with local SEO in Dallas. Interested in a different facet of digital marketing? View our other services. 

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