WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEO AND SEM?

Here’s the short answer:

SEO is the process of getting your website ranked organically (or naturally) within the search engine results pages (like Google). You cannot pay Google to rank organically. The results are based on their algorithms.

SEM is paying to have your website show up in the results. This can include paying for ads in Google, in directories, or on social platforms.

For a more detailed answer, and to find which is better (or right for your business) keep reading below.

SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING (SEM) & PAY-PER-CLICK

The online marketing world has changed dramatically in recent years. Google Ads is one of the platforms driving this change. Google Ads is a paid advertising or pay-per-click (PPC) service offered by Google. It is one of the most effective methods of paid advertising online.

Pay-per-click (PPC) is a type of internet marketing service in which the advertiser pays a fee each time their ad is clicked. Once clicked, the ad directs the searcher to the advertiser’s website. The goal of the advertiser is to get the searcher to perform a predetermined action.

Common Actions Include:

• Filling out a lead form
• Completing a sale
• Signing up for a newsletter

PPC is a way to buy targeted visitors to your website, rather than gaining visits through organic methods.

Primarily based on keyword bids and other relevancy factors, ads will be displayed on the top or on the side of the organic results. Through their search query, searchers reveal their intent to purchase.

Using the results and insights from Google Ads and Google Analytics, advertisers are then able to measure the effectiveness of their ads and the quality of the traffic. They can then refine their ads and make adjustments as necessary.

If Google Ads is a platform you would rather leave up to the experts, then visit our Search Engine Marketing & Pay-Per-Click page to inquire about pricing and to learn more.

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)

What exactly does SEO mean?

Search engine optimization is the process of designing, writing, and coding your website so that there is a better chance that your website will appear at the top of search engine results page, like Google, for your desired keywords. Ultimately, it is a way for your website to get organic traffic from the search engine results page on major search engines – for free!

How it works:

The simple version: Google reads the content on your site (and other elements) and determines what keywords your website should rank for.

For the techies: Search engines used web crawlers (sometimes referred to as spiders or bots) to crawl the web and build an index of web pages, files, news stories, pictures, videos, and other media. When someone types in a search query, the search engine scours its database and returns only the results it deems to be the most relevant. It then presents the results in the form of a list, ranked from most relevant to least relevant. Each search engine has their own algorithms that use mathematical equations which contain hundreds of variables to determine the relevance and popularity of web pages.

Our team uses proven and ethical search engine optimization strategies to get your website ranked in the top positions for your industry keyword phrases.

Are you ready to start driving more traffic to your website? Visit our Search Engine Optimization page to inquire about pricing and to learn more.

What’s better? SEO or SEM

There’s a simple answer to this, it depends on what your goals are.

With SEM you have a lot more control over your campaign. You control your budget, keywords that you want to be found for, geographic area to target, immediacy of rankings, among other things. The down side is that this platform is becoming more competitive so you will have to have a regular budget to accomplish your goals. Once you stop paying for SEM, you will no longer show up in the search engines.

With SEO you may have to be patient to see results. Writing good content, generating back links to that content, and getting reviews takes time. Not to mention that you are competing with everyone in your industry as well as local directories for that first page spot. Working with a professional to complete proper keyword research and selecting the right keywords to target will help you to move in the right direction. And once you do achieve results, the traffic tends to convert higher than SEM and your website rankings will generally be maintained for a period of time. SEO tends to be a long term strategy.

We usually recommend implementing both strategies at the same time to achieve maximum results.

Are you looking for a great SEO company in Coquitlam to work with?

Longevity Graphics specializes in SEO and SEM for small to medium businesses specifically in the trades, professional services, and health services industries.

With search engines like Google dominating the online user experience, it’s crucial for you to cater to the top platforms. To increase traffic, Longevity Graphics uses SEO and SEM techniques to help your website rank for relevant searches (keywords used by the person searching). This is done through organic keyword use, as well as paid avenues such as Google Ads. When used in tandem, these techniques ensure more online success.

Contact Longevity Graphics today for a free one hour consultation, and learn how SEO can make a difference in your business. Call 778-229-5383.

Local SEO is Dominated by Google Reviews

We know local SEO, and from our experience, more reviews and better ratings help you rank better in local search results. By harnessing the power of 3rd party online review sites, you will improve your website’s visibility and ranking in search. With multiple ways to add 1st and 3rd party reviews to your website, you can turn your website into a sales funnel.

Google My Business (GMB) is essential to a successful local online marketing strategy. With Longevity Graphics GMB management service, you’ll unlock the power of your GMB profile with an optimized listing that helps capture new leads and convert searchers into customers.

Maximize Your Local SEO & Online Reviews

We value our customers and would like to recommend a new tool for your business to Gain More Online Reviews at an exclusive price.

This new software uses advanced features to help your company gain more online reviews, making the feedback process easier. It will create personalized text messages and emails that will request reviews from your customers. You will receive detailed reports of feedback statistics and notifications for new reviews, allowing you to interact with your customers.

With this software, we can track all of your online reviews on Google, Facebook, and more.

We can then use these reviews to be implemented onto your website as verified reviews. This helps substantially with building credibility and authority on your website.

Local SEO is highly influenced by Google reviews. This software will help you:

• Gain More Online Reviews
• Interact With Your Customers
• Improve Local SEO
• Direct More Traffic To Your Website

We truly think that this is an exceptional tool and highly recommend it to help manage and grow your business online. Cost of software $75/month.

There is a management fee of $250.00 / month.

Let us know of any questions that you may have.

Handling every aspect of your hosting experience can mean unnecessary added weight on your shoulders. This is why we believe that we can make your hosting simple.

We ensure that your website has the resources it needs to meet its needs. We offer plans featuring unlimited storage, bandwidth and Monthly Visitors. Additional things that managed website hosting may provide you include:

1. Expertise and Security

Hiring us will allow us to run:

• Virus scanning
• Spam filtering
• Configuration of the software firewalls
• Security audits.

We will identify any vulnerabilities so that your servers do not get attacked. This will allow you to focus on your business goals. You will be ensured that we’ve got any security issues covered so you get peace of mind. 

2. Lower Operating/Hosting Costs

With unmanaged website hosting comes hidden fees. You need to hire database admins and other staff to manage your services. 

However, signing with us to manage your website hosting can eliminate these added costs. This allows you to save money and do your job better.

3. 24/7 Access to Support

Forget about having to deal with multiple vendors or hiring additional staff for IT. With us, if there’s an issue, technical support is available at no added cost. This will allow you to save time, money and resources. 

4. Backups

You will never have to worry about losing your data as it is backed up automatically and secured. 

Without unmanaged hosting, there are no ways to back data efficiently. This may mean that you can potentially lose some, making it your responsibility to take measures to prevent it in the future. 

Features and Specs of Managed Hosting

• Unlimited High Speed Storage
• Unlimited Bandwidth
• Quarterly Resource Usage Analysis
• LVE Linux Containerized Resources
• 2 vCPU’s (Scaled as Needed)
• 3GB Dedicated RAM (Scaled as Needed)
• 4MB/S IO (Scaled as Needed)
• 5 PHP Workers (Scaled as Needed)
• Immunify360 Virus, Malware and DDOS Protection
• Daily Backups with 90 day archive.
• Daily Malware and Reputation Scans
• Ticket Based Support
• Weekly Human Verified Security and Plugin Updates, including WordPress Core and Plugin Updates
• cPanel Access
• Modern PHP Support, and included PHP Version upgrades per PHP Lifecycle
• Constant Uptime Monitoring on our 99.9% uptime average

Overall, having managed website hosting grants you 24/7 support, the ability to save time and money, improvements on your security and backups to save all your data.

Ditch the unneeded vendors and get a free quote today!

Contact us here: https://www.longevitygraphics.com/contact-us/vancouver/

Website Design Coquitlam

Does website design really matter? Despite your skepticism, studies show that a well-designed website will generate more traffic and increase conversions. Ultimately, this increase in conversions means more sales for your business.

How can website design impact the success of a business? There are many reasons why a well-designed website will attract your ideal customer and prompt them to convert on your website.

Are you a business owner in need of Website Design Coquitlam? Continue reading to learn how Longevity Graphics can help you.

Website Design Coquitlam

Navigation

The most important aspect of a website is the navigation. Website navigation typically includes a navigation bar or a list of different pages on the website. Good navigation should be easy to find and comprehend. In most cases, over-simplified navigation allows for ease of use for a wide range of users.

Branding

It is important for your clients to be able to recognize your company’s brand in all its forms of communication. When elements of the visual communication changes, it can create confusion. When designing a new website, your company’s logo, brand colours, brand messaging, and imagery must be used.

Trust

Trust is incredibly important on the web. It is often the limiting factor that determines whether a user will perform a desired action, like filling out a lead form or making a purchase.

Content

Most users don’t read each web page they visit; rather, they scan each page instead. Eye tracking studies show that most users scan computer screens in an “F” pattern. Because of this, effectively designed websites will display information in order of importance (left to right, and top to bottom).

Some effective tactics include using:

• Headlines
• Sub-headlines
• Relevant images
• Numbers and bullet points
• Sans Serif fonts

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization is a way for your website to get traffic from the results pages on major search engines – for free! How does it work? Visit our Search Engine Coquitlam page to find out.

It’s easy to create a beautiful and functional website, simply by keeping these elements in mind.

Are you looking for Website Design Coquitlam services? Longevity Graphics can help! View our Pricing Packages or Contact Us to schedule your FREE 1-Hour Consultation, today! 

FREE 1-Hour Consultation!

How Can Pinterest Improve Your Sales?

What’s Pinterest?

Pinterest is a social media platform that allows users to organize images of products, services, experiences, dreams, and more; and pin them onto boards that are saved on the platform. These pins represent a user’s interests, which is a motivation to purchase and possess. Not to mention, the platform has more than 100 million active users. This is why so many businesses – especially retailers, have focused their marketing efforts on the platform.

Investing your marketing efforts on Pinterest pays off in the long-term. Why?

Because pins last forever. Other social media channels organize their content on a newsfeed based on the date and time it was posted. In comparison, Pinterest users can continually search and discover content, even if it was originally posted years ago. As long as the content is relevant to the search topic, then it will appear.

Other benefits:

Pinterest users are open to your marketing

Did you know that most of the content saved to the platform comes from businesses?  And more than half of users consider the platform to be a place to shop.

Pinterest produces referral traffic to your website

If users are finding and engaging with your pins, then you have a good shot at driving conversions to your website.

Pinterest is a cost-effective form of advertising

Pinners say that they spend less time reading magazines, catalogs and watching television.

Tips for Creating Pins

1. Use Hashtags

Like any social media channel, it is important to use relevant hashtags. These hashtags help users find you and your business more easily.

2. Use Direct Links

If you’re promoting a product and/or service, include a direct link to the corresponding page on your website. This ensures users have no trouble finding it on your website and no sales leads are lost.

3. Create More Than One Pin Board

Create pin boards with different themes. This allows you to target the right audience.

4. Always Write a Description

Each time you create a pin, be sure to fill in the description area. This information helps users to understand the name of the product/service they are looking at.

5. Make it Pretty

As Pinterest is a completely visual platform, always choose high-quality images that best represent your business.

Pinterest may be an effective sales channel for your business. If you are looking for an expert to help you, then collaborating with Longevity Graphics is the right choice for you and your business.

We offer a FREE 1-hour consultation on all of the services we provide. Contact us today to receive a no-obligation quote.

Do you want more Google Reviews?

In the 21st century, Google is the first point of contact between many customers and businesses. From finding businesses nearby to looking up a forgotten phone number, we search keywords in Google to help us find anything and everything we want to know. And if we want to find out how one business compares to another, we Google them to learn about other people’s experiences.

Why should you care about Google Reviews?

Local search engines love online reviews for one primary reason – consumers love online reviews! Did you know that Google uses these Reviews as a factor in their ranking algorithm.

So, let me start with a very simple example. Let’s say you’re looking for a Website Designer in Coquitlam.

Right away, you can see the user ratings and the number of reviews prominently displayed in both the search results and the accompanying map. If you click on the place pin of one of the businesses, you can also see brief summaries of the latest reviews shown alongside the businesses information including the address, hours of operation and phone number.

This example illustrates the fact that customer reviews are among the first things people see when they search a business category on Google or Google Maps. It has also been shown that positive reviews provide your website with a greater boost to conversion rates compared to any other local SEO effort.

For local businesses, online reviews help increase the degree of trust felt, based on feedback from other people with similar needs. A 2014 study discovered that 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family.

Do you want more Google Reviews for your business and for your website to appear higher in local search engine queries? Ask us how we can get more Google Reviews for you!

I want more Google Reviews!

Facebook Pixel for Conversion Tracking

A Facebook Pixel is a piece of JavaScript code that you add to your website in order to measure, optimize and build audiences for your Facebook Advertising campaigns. By utilizing the Facebook Pixel, you can better understand the actions people take as they make their way from Facebook to your website.

As Instagram Advertising is connected to your Facebook Ad Manager Account, the Pixel you create for your Ad Account can also be used to track Instagram Conversions.

Facebook Pixel Implementation

• Go to your Facebook Ad Manager Account or your Facebook Business Manager Account
• Click Tools then click Pixels
• Click Create a Pixel
• Enter the name of your Pixel (One Pixel per ad account)
• Click Create Pixel
  • If you work on your website yourself, click Install Pixel Now and copy the Base Code that appears in the box on the screen to each page on your website between the <head> and </head> tags
  • If someone else works on your website, press Email Pixel Code. Type in the person’s email and press Send

Standard Conversion Events

Standard Conversion Events allow you to track conversions, optimize for conversions and build audiences. See the Standard Conversion Events listed below:

View Content – Track key page views
Search – Track searches on your website
Add to Cart – Track when items are added to a shopping cart
Add to Wishlist – Track when items are added to a wish list
Initiate Checkout – Track when people enter the checkout flow
Add Payment Info – Track when payment information is added in the checkout flow
Make Purchase – Track purchases or checkout flow completions
Lead – Track when someone expresses interest in your offering
Complete Registration – Track when a registration form is completed

Standard Conversion Events Implementation

• Add the Standard Event Code that corresponds to the events listed above
• Add the Standard Event Code below the Base Code

Custom Conversion Events

You can use Custom Conversions Events if you are unable to add Standard Conversion Events to your website. If you’ve added the Base Code across your website, leave the code as is and create Custom Conversion Events using URL rules.

Custom Conversion Events Implementation

• Go to the Custom Conversions section
• Click Create Custom Conversion
• Add the URL or part of the URL that represents your custom conversion (ex. URL contains /thankyou.php for a Thank You page after a purchase).
• Select a category and click Next
• Give your custom conversion a name and description
• Add a conversion value $$ if applicable
• Click Create and Done

If this sounds like something you would rather leave up to a professional web developer, contact Longevity Graphics today! Our web development team can add the Base Code to each page on your website, add Standard Conversion Events and add Custom Conversion Events. Not only that, our Marketing Department can manage your Facebook Advertising campaigns and provide you with detailed monthly reports outlining your conversion results.

Digital. 2016

We are excited to announce that Longevity Graphics’ Owner and Creative Director, Lindsay Viscount, will be a speaker at Digital. 2016. Lindsay will be presenting on the topic of WordPress Marketing Strategies to Enhance Website Conversions.

What is Digital. 2016?

Digital. 2016 is a new marketing conference that will provide those in attendance with advanced marketing strategies and tactics from a variety of world-renowned and local top-tier speakers including Lindsay Viscount, Steve Dotto, Bosco Anthony, Jonathan Christian, Tod Maffin and more.

This isn’t just Marketing 101 – The focus of this conference is digital advertising and paid traffic methods with true conversion strategies that work. The nature of this content is targeted to small and medium-sized businesses, marketing agencies and consultants two focus their business on digital marketing. Digital 2016. will welcome entrepreneurs, seasoned marketers, business owners and executives who want to learn more about intermediate to advanced marketing – without covering the basics.

The conference will run two tracks of presentations. The first will run in the theatre and will feature keynote speakers and panel discussions. The second will be a breakout session boardroom for a more intimate, hands on approach to the topics. The content will be focused on advanced marketing methods that have been proven to deliver results. Proven methods, unique tactics and innovative new strategies will be discussed throughout the conference.

When:

Saturday, October 1, 2016 from 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Lindsay’s presentation will take place from 2:10 PM – 2:40 PM

Where:

Anvil Centre – 777 Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC V3M 1B6

Learn More:

To view the schedule for Digital. 2016, click here.

To view the presenters for Digital. 2016, click here.

To register to attend Digital. 2016, click here.

Discount code:

We found a discount code online from Soho. This discount code will provide you with 10% off your ticket for Digital. 2016. Click here to take advantage of this offer.

Students:

Discounts are available for both secondary and post-secondary students who have taken a class in the past 2 semesters. Student and enrollment verification may be required. Please contact [email protected] for your student access code.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Longevity Graphics is a leading web marketing agency that helps business owners grow their business. Since 2001, we have been been building successful web site designs and implementing internet marketing strategies, by providing across-the-board internet services to businesses looking to take advantage of their online marketing potential. We provide a 1-Hour FREE consultation. 

Instagram Stories

If you’re a regular Instagram user, then you’re aware of the platform’s latest feature – Instagram Stories.

So, what is Instagram Stories? It is a Snapchat-inspired feature built into the photo sharing app. It appears at the top of your newsfeed screen and allows you to upload photos in a stream that will expire and disappear after 24 hours. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Instagram’s CEO, Kevin Systrom agrees that the feature is very similar to Snapchat.

How do you use Instagram Stories?

1. Go to your Instagram newsfeed.
2. Click on the + in the top left corner of your feed to start a new story.
3. Tap on the circle button at the bottom of the screen to take a photo or hold it down to record a video.
4. To edit and add text or drawings to your photo or video, use the buttons in the top right corner.
5. If you want to add a filter, simply swipe left or right. Currently, there are 7 different options.
6. Finally, tap the check mark at the bottom of the screen to add it to your story.

More information:

• To save a photo or video from your story to your phone’s camera roll, hit the download button on the right of your story.
• As this is an Instagram feature, you can utilize Boomerangs and Hyperlapses with your story.
• To monitor who can view your story, click on the three dots in the bottom right corner. Then click Story Settings to select any users you wish to block from viewing your stories.
• Yes, as with Snapchat, you are able to see who has viewed your story. Open your story and swipe on the screen. On the bottom of the screen, there will be a view counter and the names of people who have viewed your story. Only you will be able to see this information.

So now the debate begins; which platform is better?

Many reviewers are saying that Instagram took Snapchat’s confusing interface and made it more simplistic to use. Each step of the process is clearly labelled with buttons, instead of swipes. For example, instead of swiping on a Snapchat photo to send a reply, Instagram has a clearly labelled Send Message button. This is something that many struggle with when trying to learn how to use Snapchat.

Another thing Instagram has going for it, is that it has an existing community of active users. These people use the app to connect with friends, follower new people and discover new parts of the world all through images and video. This sense of community is something that Snapchat is lacking. How many times have you seen an online personality encouraging their audience to add them on Snapchat? Now, Instagram followers will be able to access your stories from right in the app. There is no need to direct and build a new audience in a different app.

Instagram has always been seen as a place where people can upload the highlights of their life. With the introduction of Instagram Stories, you will be able to see the unfiltered, everyday parts  of people’s lives, between the picture perfect photos. With that being said, at one point in time we have all followed that one person who posts way too much. Now, these people will have a place where they can post without overwhelming their followers’ feeds.

So, what do you think? Comment or Tweet us and let us know.

If you are looking for an expert in the ever-changing landscape of Social Media then collaborating with Longevity Graphics is the right choice for you and your business. Contact us today to get a no-obligation quote. We offer a Free 1-Hour Consultation on all social media, SEO, web design and web development services

Are you thinking about starting a business in Port Coquitlam? We’ve gathered some resources to help you get started.

Visit the City of Port Coquitlam Website

The City of Port Coquitlam  website is a great place to begin when thinking about starting a business in Port Coquitlam. The website has many resources that will help you, prior to ‘opening your doors’.  Click here to visit the City of Port Coquitlam’s Starting a Business page.

Get to know the area… and your competition

If you don’t already live in Port Coquitlam or the Tri-Cities area, it is a good idea to spend some time in the city. This will allow you to get a sense of the successful businesses that are currently operating in the area – including businesses that you will be in competition with. If your business is going to have a store front, you can use this time to search out potential areas for your business to operate.

Create a Website and Social Media Pages

If you’re thinking about starting a business in 2016 – you MUST have a website and social media pages. There is a vast amount of competing businesses in Port Coquitlam and the surrounding areas.

In order to be discovered by potential customers online, you must have an experienced, knowledgeable online marketing company who will be able to optimize your website and social media pages for optimal rankings.

Your online marketing company should be able to:

• Help your website gain top position in search result lists
• Perform keyword research to discover vital search combinations for your business
• Perform meta and title tag development
• Establish HTML code optimization
• Perform inbound link building

If this sounds like something that you will need help with, contact Longevity Graphics for a FREE 1-Hour Consultation. We specialize in working with local clients and helping them rank for their industry specific keywords.

Are you considering outsourcing your website design?

Below are some Pro’s and Con’s of hiring a local web designer vs. outsourcing your web design.

Pro’s of hiring a local web designer:

• Personalized, one-on-one service
• It’s easy to get in contact with your web designer if you have any questions
• You know exactly who will be working on the design of your website and social media pages

Con’s of hiring a local web designer:

• Well, we sure can’t think of any con’s!

Additional Resources

• Sign up your business on the Shop PoCo BIZ Directory; Click Here
• Join the Port Coquitlam Business Improvement Association (BIA); Click Here
• Join the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce; Click Here
• Contact Longevity Graphics for a FREE 1-Hour Consultation to learn about the online marketing services they offer; Click Here